Category Archives: soap opera

October 3, 2022 – The Hook Has One Nasty Modus Operandi, Storm Chooses a Lead Deckhand & Break

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up and hears a door open. She says, Drew? and Drew comes in the room. He says, she’s awake, and she says, he’s here. He asks, where else he would be? and she says she doesn’t know. She thought maybe he left. He says, if he had, would she have missed him?

On the phone in her office, Maxie says, they need to rethink this whole presentation. They want it to be classic and clean, not sterile. Sasha knocks at the door, and Maxie says she’ll call them back. Sasha apologizes for interrupting, but Maxie says she’s not. She’s so sorry. She hugs Sasha, and Sasha says she knows she’s supposed to take a step back from the company, but she didn’t know where else to go. Maxie says, forget the company. Whatever Sasha needs, she’s here.

The inmate (whose name we find out later is Book, so we’ll go with that now) tells Spencer to pick up the book he dropped on the floor. Spencer says he’ll get it later, but Book says, pick it up. Spencer says, you dropped it, you pick it up, and Book says, he told Spencer to pick it up. He cracks Spencer in the head with a book, and Spencer falls to the ground. He kicks Spencer, and Spencer asks, what is his problem? Book says, Spencer is the one with the problem – him.

Gregory wonders why Elizabeth is asking about Reiko, and she says, Finn doesn’t mention Reiko, to her at least. He says he’s sure it brings up difficult memories for Finn of losing Reiko.

Alexis asks Finn, what’s going on? Is Diane okay? Robert says, tell him she didn’t…

Walking into Charlie’s, Trina says she can’t begin to tell Josslyn how good it felt; not just to be back on campus, but to have no one stare at them like they’re a bunch of circus performers. Apparently, they’re last semester’s news. Josslyn says, ugh. She tried every social media platform and can’t find him anywhere. Trina asks, who? and Josslyn says, Dex. She has no way to reach him.

Dante is having coffee at Pozzulo’s when Sonny walks in, and asks what he’s doing here. Dante says, waiting for Sonny. Frank said he’d be right back. He thanks Frank for the helluva cup of coffee he made, and Frank says, anytime. Sonny sits, and says, any news on Diane? Dante says, no, but he is here about the attacks, and Sonny says, what about? Dante asks, where’s his employee, Dex Heller? Sonny asks why Dante is looking for Dex, and Dante asks if he’s working today. Sonny says, it’s Dex’s day off. Why is Dante asking these questions? Kristina flies in, followed by Cal, and she says she can’t with this guy. He’s scaring off all the customers. No offense. Sonny says, hello, and she says hello to him and Dante. She asks if Sonny could please get rid of this one, and reassign Dex to her. Sonny looks like he has a headache.

Trina asks why Josslyn is looking for Dex, and Josslyn says, she heard he was being questioned by the PCPD about the attacks. Trina asks if they have evidence against him, and Josslyn says, circumstantial. Dex was in the area either before or after all of the attacks. The evidence she has points away from him. Trina says, then he’ll be cleared, but Josslyn says, Trina wasn’t. Not nearly as quickly as she should have been at least. Trina says, good point, but she still doesn’t get where Josslyn fits in. Josslyn says she just thinks it’s strange. Dex starts getting questioned, then he goes completely MIA? Trina says, he could be anywhere. It’s not like Josslyn knows him that well. He could be lying low so he can stay out of the spotlight, or maybe he is guilty and left town. Josslyn says, maybe, and Trina says, or he’s with family. Josslyn shakes her head, and Trina says, or a significant other. What’s going on? Why is Josslyn so interested in this guy?

Carly asks if Drew is a ninja, and he says, damn. She figured out his secret identity. She says she didn’t hear him leave, and he says, that’s good. He was trying to be quiet so she didn’t wake up. She says she can’t believe how late it is. Although she’s not surprised. She had trouble falling asleep last night. He says he heard her tossing and turning, and she says, sorry. He says she doesn’t have to be sorry. Is she always such a restless sleeper? She says, sleeping alone takes some getting used to, and he says he could help with that. She looks at him, and he says, not like that. He could, and totally would in a heartbeat, but they’ve already had that conversation. He was going to tell her, he learned some sleeping techniques in the service, and those techniques can help you fall asleep in less than five minutes. She says she could have used that last night. She had this awful dream that Virginia’s grave was being dug up, and Peyton was just standing there laughing. He says, but they’re not going to let that happen, and she says she wanted to tell him that she appreciates his offer to help her… He says, but, and she says, she thinks she should just call Diane and see what her legal options are. He puts his hand on his arm to stop her, and says, about Diane…

Maxie gives Sasha some tea, and sits down. She says, sorry, and Sasha says, what for? Maxie says, after Nathan died, people were forever trying to ply her with tea. Half the time, she felt like throwing it in their faces, and she’s now realizing they were just trying to do what they could for her. What she’s saying is, Sasha is under no obligation to drink that. Sasha says, she likes Earl Grey, and takes a sip. Maxie asks if there’s anything else she can do for Sasha, anything at all, and Sasha says she needs an outfit for Brando’s funeral. She was going through her closet, and the only thing that was appropriate was the dress she wore to Liam’s funeral, and she can’t… Maxie says, of course (🍷) not, and Sasha says she was going to go shopping, but as she was walking into Wyndham’s, she remembered her credit cards don’t work. Maxie says she’s really sorry about he conservatorship. Sasha came to the right place. She can definitely find Sasha the right outfit. Sasha thanks her.

Finn tells Alexis and Robert, Diane made it out of surgery, and the venom protocol he administered seems to have worked. Alexis says, thank God. So she’s going to be all right? Finn says, that’s the plan, and Robert asks if she’s awake. He wants to get information on the bastard who did this to her. Finn says, she’s still unconscious, but he’ll be the first to know when she wakes up, and Alexis says, she’ll be the first to know; Robert can stand in line behind her.

Elizabeth says, Reiko meant a lot to Finn, didn’t she? and Gregory says he wishes he could tell her stories about Finn and Reiko’s time together, but the truth is, he wasn’t around when they were married. That’s what he calls the dark period; he and Finn weren’t in contact. She says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to bring up difficult times. He thanks her, and says he hates that he and Finn missed out on all that, but he mostly hates that he wasn’t there to support Finn when Reiko died. She says, but he’s here now, and he says, something he’s grateful for every day. If she doesn’t mind him asking, what brought all this up? She says she’s been thinking a lot about the past lately, and he says, the past is a tricky thing. Even when you think you’ve let it go, it has a way of hanging onto you.

Spencer asks how he’s Book’s problem, and Book says, Spencer used his connection’s to steal his job. It took him 12 years to be assigned to the library, and Spencer shows up and he’s out? Spencer says, that’s a long time, and Book says, it is. Pick it up. Spencer says, okay, and gingerly reaches for the book, when Book steps on his hand. Spencer says, sorry. He didn’t mean to offend Book. Book says, anything useless offends him, and it doesn’t get more useless than Spencer. Rumor has it Spencer’s daddy wanted to buy this place last year. Now hardworking citizens have to pay to feed and house Spencer. He thinks maybe he should give them a tax break. Cyrus walks in, and says, he who commit’s violence against his brother shall be covered in shame, and destroyed forever. Book tells him to take his bible thumping somewhere else, and Cyrus says he’ll stop the proselytizing, but only if Book lets Spencer up. Book takes his foot off Spencer’s hand, and Spencer gets up. Cyrus says, conflict disheartens him, and he abhors violence. Book says, from convict to convert. He’s a regular walking after school special. Cyrus says, it’s not too late for Book. If he changes his mind, he knows where to find Cyrus. Book says he sure does, and tells Spencer, he got lucky with the save. Next time, he’ll make sure they’re not interrupted. He leaves, and Cyrus asks, how’s the hand? Spencer says he had that under control, and Cyrus says, not from where he was standing. Spencer says, and now? Cyrus did him a solid. What does he want for it?

Carly tells Drew, she can’t believe Diane was stabbed. She looks at her phone, and says, she has messages from Josslyn, Michael, and Sonny. Boy, she’s mother of the year. He says, the fact that she wasn’t glued to her phone first thing in the morning, most people would think is a good thing, but she says, not when your family’s in danger. The hell with this. She doesn’t care what Sonny says; she’s going back to Port Charles. He asks if she really thinks it’s a good idea. He and Sonny don’t necessarily see eye to eye on a lot, but when it comes to her safety, there’s a murderer loose in Port Charles, and the only common denominator… She says, is Sonny, she knows. Her kids are in danger. He says, Sonny has the kids guarded, but he only has so many resources. So one less person to guard means more protection for everybody else. She says, so if she stays she’s protecting her kids? Come on. He says, in a way, that’s true. Not to mention the fact she has unfinished business here, and he happens to know it’s hugely important to her. She says she doesn’t know, and he says he can send for Josslyn and Donna; have them close if it will make her feel better. She says, that leaves Avery, and Ava and Sonny are never going to let them bring her here. And she doesn’t want to disrupt Josslyn and Donna’s lives. Josslyn is just starting school again. Ugh. They’re safe? He says, they really are, and she says, thanks to him for making that video, she knows Donna and Avery are happy. He says so she’s not going to hop on the next flight out? and she says she’s going to stay put… for now.

Trina says she feels like she’s missing something. Why is Josslyn trying to find Dex? Josslyn says, forget she said anything. Trina’s right; it’s none of her business. She heard Ava is close to getting discharged. Is she going back to the gallery soon? Trina says, no, and neither will she. Ava fired her. Josslyn says, why? and Trina says, maybe fired is a little extra, but Ava thinks it’s safer if the gallery stays closed. Josslyn tells her, she can’t believe she’s saying this, but Ava might be right. Trina says, and she’d be fine with it if Ava had come to the decision all on her own, but Curtis convinced Ava to pull some strings at The Chuck. Josslyn says, the actual art museum? and Trina says, yes, and now she’s the proud recipient of the Murphy-Katz Fellowship. Josslyn says, that sounds like a pretty big deal, and Trina says, it is; it’s a huge honor. Which is why she fully intended on applying next year. But now it’s been given to her as a distraction to keep her away from the gallery. Josslyn says she knows Trina doesn’t like how it came about, but she’s going to take it, right? but Trina says, no way.

Gregory says he doesn’t think Elizabeth has anything to worry about, and she says, meaning? He says, his son lives in the here and now. As important as Reiko was, he’s moved on. He’s lived a whole life in the years since Reiko died. He fathered a child, and now he wants a future with her. Finn doesn’t smile like that at just anybody. He’d venture to say, Finn saves that smile just for her. Finn and Alexis join them, and Gregory asks Alexis, how’s her friend? Alexis says, she’s going to be okay, thanks to this guy, and Gregory says, my son, the hero. Finn says, nah, it was a team effort. Speaking of which, will Elizabeth help him check Diane’s vitals? She says, of course (🍷), and she and Finn leave. Gregory tells Alexis, she’s okay, and Alexis says, she’s okay.

Kristina tells Sonny, Dex blends in with the clientele at Charlie’s, and he has the unique ability to carry on a conversation. She tells Cal, no offense again, and Sonny says, his concern is Kristina’s safety; he doesn’t care whether she’s entertained or not. She asks why Dex can’t keep her safe, and Sonny laughs. She looks at Dante, and says, oh. He’s flexing his big brother muscles? Dante says, what? and Kristina says she gets that Dante doesn’t like Dex, but just because he’s a cop… Dante says he has no opinion about Dex one way or the other, but until he’s ruled out as a suspect, he shouldn’t be around. She says, that’s ridiculous. Dex didn’t attack anyone. She looks at Sonny, and says, tell him, but Sonny says, he’s doing his job. What does she want Sonny to tell him? She tells Dante, okay. Do it faster. Clear Dex so he can get back to work. Dante says, aye-aye, captain, and Kristina asks if that’s really why she hasn’t seen Dex around lately. Since when is Sonny swayed be the PCPD? Sonny says, until they know who’s behind these attacks, she’s going to trust whoever’s assigned to her. Got it? She says, no. She don’t got it.

Finn says he’s had a kind of interesting afternoon, and Elizabeth says, do tell. He says, her buddy Nik informed him about her telling Ava that his alibi was a lie, and she asks what he said. Finn tells her, he said a lot of nonsense, but the main point was that Finn put her at risk. She says, that doesn’t make any sense, considering they decided to tell her together. Finn says he guesses Nikolas doesn’t see it that way, and she says she’s sorry Nikolas got on his case; he shouldn’t have done that.  She guesses in his own misguided way, Nikolas is just looking out for her, and Finn says he’ll take her word for it. She says, at one point, she and Nikolas meant a lot to each other. That kind of connection never really goes away, does it?

Sonny says, Kristina’s safety is not up for debate, and she asks why Dex would hurt Ava, or Diane, or kill Brando. Sonny tells her, he never said Dex did, but she says she’s not an idiot… even if he and her mom doesn’t think she’s living up to her potential. He says, he and her mom just want to keep her safe and breathing, and she says, maybe he does. Mom had a lot more to say on the subject. Dante says he hears that. His mother still tries to tell him how to live his life to this day. She says, please, it’s not the same with sons, and he says, maybe, but he bets his mother could give her mother a run for her money in the opinionated mother department. Maybe they could make a drinking game out of it (🍷 wild card). Kristina says she has to get back to work, and Sonny asks her to do something for him. She says, yep, she’ll take the bruiser with her, and kisses Sonny on the cheek. She says, come on, Cal, let’s go to Charlie’s, and they leave. Sonny and Dante sit down in Sonny’s office, and Sonny asks if Dante thinks Kristina is right about Dex. Dante says, maybe. They did a search of Dex’s place earlier. Sonny asks what they found, and Dante says, nothing; not even Dex. Sonny wouldn’t have anything to share about that, would he? Dante’s phone rings, and Sonny flashes back to introducing Dex to Carver, and saying, he’s well-known for getting people to talk – by any means possible. Dante says he’s on his way, and tells Sonny, Diane is out of surgery. They both dash out the door.

Alexis says, Gregory should go home; he doesn’t have to stay. She thanks him, and he says, she’s welcome. He did what exactly? She says, he kept her company, and kept her from losing her mind. She’s sure he has better things to do now, like lecture people… give lectures, and grade papers. She’s really good, truly.

Josslyn asks if Trina is really going to turn the Fellowship down, and Trina says she doesn’t want to. Josslyn says, then don’t, but Trina says she can’t. Is this how it’s going to be when her mom and Curtis get married? Will he ever stop hovering and making preemptive decisions about her life, or is this her world now? And if it is, there are going to be problems. Trina’s phone dings, and she says, Rory. Josslyn asks what Mr. Cutie Cop has to say, and Trina says, he wants to know if she’s available. Josslyn says, available for what?

Cyrus returns a book to the shelf, and Spencer quickly slides away from him. Cyrus looks at another book, as the guard returns, and says, the new English version just came in. He finds it more elegant than the King James, doesn’t Spencer? Spencer says, he wouldn’t know, and Cyrus says, that seems to be a theme with Spencer, including with the man Spencer just managed to make into an enemy. Spencer says, Book. Why do they call him that anyway? Because he works in the library? Cyrus says, because he once beat a man into a vegetative state with an Oxford Dictionary. But he’s sure Spencer had it under control. Cyrus sits down with his Bible, and Spencer says, Cyrus still hasn’t answered his question. What does Cyrus want in return from him?

Maxie hangs up a garment bag, and says, Sasha’s all set. She didn’t even need a fitting. Sasha asks if Maxie is sure they shouldn’t have asked Nina, but Maxie says, Nina loves Sasha. Of course (🍷) she’d want Sasha to have this. She asks if Sasha needs a bag or shoes. She can have Crimson send up some options. Sasha says she has everything she needs… except Brando. She misses him so much. She misses everything she thought their life was going to be, and doesn’t know what she’s supposed to do now. Maxie takes her hands, and says, what Sasha is going to do is go home, and hang the dress on the back of her closet so it doesn’t get any wrinkles. Then she washes and dries her hair, so she doesn’t feel rushed tomorrow. And do her nighttime beauty regimen because routines are important. With any luck, tomorrow, Sasha will feel like she’s in a bubble where nothing can get to her. But if that bubble breaks, and it all comes rushing in, just look around her and see the people who love her, and that includes Maxie. Then she focuses on the next minute, and the minute after that. Don’t worry about what happens in the next hour, or even a week from now. Just take it one minute at a time. Sasha asks, what if she can’t do it? but Maxie says, she can. Maxie survived it, and Sasha can too. They hug.

Carly calls out, perfect timing; breakfast is here. Drew comes out wearing a towel, still wet, and says, thank God. He’s ravenous.

Dante and Sonny come out of the hospital elevator, and Dante tells Robert, he got the word Diane was out of surgery. Robert says, she’s in recovery, and Dante says, that’s good news. Robert says, the best, and Dante asks when they can talk to her. Robert says, not until she regains consciousness, and Dante says, that would be helpful. Sonny asks if Alexis is there, and Robert says, she’s probably off harassing the staff, so they let her in to see Diane. It’s interesting. All the victims have one thing in common. Sonny says, Robert wishes it was the mob, doesn’t he? but Robert says, he wishes he would find this guy before he does it again. Sonny says, can Robert believe it turns out they want the same thing?

Carly says, really? and Drew says, sorry. She says, uh-huh, and he goes to change. He tells her that he talked to one of the top media consultants at Aurora. They recommended a colleague, a reporter at a local news station who can interview Carly at the cemetery. She says, that’s great. If the public can really see how this project is affecting people and their families, maybe they can stop this parkway in its tracks. He says, that’s the best case scenario, and she says, she can hear hesitation in his voice; what? He tells her, they’re talking about turning the dial on public opinion, and they have to remember that dial can turn two ways. She asks if he thinks they’ll have to deal with some backlash, and he comes out, saying, he just wants her to be prepared. In order to maximize impact… She says, she has to shame the Jacksonville elite. He says, she has to get personal. She’s got to be vulnerable. Maybe talk a little bit about how much Virginia meant to her. She says she can do that, and he says, good. She also has to withstand scrutiny. They’re going to shine the light on her past, and they both know, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Is she going to have a problem with that?

Gregory tells Alexis, he could be grading papers right now, or planning his next lecture, and she says, exactly. He says, but nothing is more important than supporting a friend, and she says, are they friends? He says he’d like to think so, and she says, her too. Sonny joins them, and asks if there’s any update, but Alexis says, they’re just waiting for Diane to wake up. She introduces Sonny to Gregory, and says, Diane has been representing Sonny and his family… Sonny says, for a long time now, and Alexis introduces Gregory as a colleague and a friend. Sonny says, nice to meet him, and Gregory says, likewise. He’s going to go track down his son. He’ll be back. He leaves, and Sonny asks if it was something he said, but Alexis tells him that she has no idea.

Cyrus says he doesn’t want anything from Spencer; they’re family. Spencer says, they may be related, but they’re not family. If Cyrus thinks coming to his defense is going to make him overlook everything Cyrus as done… Cyrus says, he saw a fellow child of God was in trouble, and he stepped in. He would have done the same for anyone. Spencer says, what a good Samaritan he is, and Cyrus says he’s sensing sarcasm. Spencer asks if Cyrus really expects him to believe he didn’t know Spencer was in Pentenville, but Cyrus says he’s sorry. He guesses he missed Spencer’s big entrance. Spencer sits across from him, and says, bull. Cyrus orchestrated that whole thing with Book, so he could fly to Spencer’s rescue, and Spencer would owe him. He hasn’t changed at all. Cyrus says, oh, but he has.

Trina tells Josslyn, there’s a comic book convention out of town. Rory is into graphic novels. Josslyn says, that’s cool; she didn’t know that. So if it’s out of town, will they stay in a hotel? Trina says she guesses, and Josslyn asks if she and Rory are there yet. Trina says she doesn’t know; maybe. It’s hard to think about after her last weekend getaway. Josslyn says, that weekend getaway will live on in infamy for all of them, and Trina says, except for Esme, who seems to have gotten off scot-free. Josslyn says, Dante told her there are still precincts in Europe looking for Esme, but Trina wonders how likely it is they’ll find her, especially if she’s not in contact with anyone at home. Josslyn says, not even Spencer, and Trina asks if Josslyn and Cameron have gone to see him. Josslyn says, they talked about it, and Trina says she bets Spencer would really like that. Josslyn asks if Trina would want to come, but Trina says she doesn’t know. She thinks it’s better to leave things where they are. Josslyn tells her, right, but Trina said she missed the opportunity to speak to him before he was shipped off to Pentenville. If she’d made it on time, what would she have said to him?

Carly says she thinks she’s a little offended, and Drew asks, why? She says, he doesn’t think she can handle a couple of questions from a reporter? and he tells her, that’s not at all what he said. She says, when the reporter looks into her background and her connection to Jacksonville, a couple of things are going to come up. She’s the grand-niece of the notorious madam Ruby Anderson, and there was a car accident involving Peyton’s daughter, and she was somewhat involved. She doesn’t think it’s going to come out that she had sex with Peyton’s husband. She doubts Peyton wants to publicize the man was sleeping with a sixteen-year-old, and committed suicide. Drew says he’s guessing Peyton would want to exert her influence without revisiting the scandal, and she says she doesn’t get it. Peyton suffered a terrible tragedy. Where’s her empathy? How can she just go around steamrolling families who have no means to fight back? He says, all they have to do is focus on the message the parkway is unnecessary. When the opposition tries to discredit her, or however the other news outlets try to spin it, they have no control over that. She says she’s not afraid; let them come at her. He says, good. So the answer’s no. She doesn’t have a problem with the possible use of her past against her. She says, no. She has a problem with their food getting cold because she’s really hungry. He says he’ll fix her a plate, and goes to the table. He says, it looks incredible, and she looks at him and says, it really does.

Kristina arrives at Charlie’s and Josslyn asks how she is, hugging her. She says, it’s good to see Kristina, and Kristina says, her too, and says hi to Trina. Josslyn says she can’t believe Kristina found Brando, and Kristina says, and Josslyn found Ava. Josslyn asks how Kristina is holding up, and Kristina guesses she’s okay. The whole thing is so surreal. Josslyn says, tell her about it. Kristina says she just wants the PCPD to find out who’s doing this, so they can put it behind them, and Josslyn says, and the people under suspicion can move on. Kristina says, people like Dex? and Josslyn says, Kristina heard? Kristina says, not in so many words, but she figured. Dante definitely hasn’t ruled him out, but the weirdest part is, she thinks Dante’s suspicions are starting to get to her dad.

Gregory asks how Finn is doing, and Finn says, when he’s not worried about his patients, he’s probably worried about Elizabeth. Gregory says he can’t help Finn with the former, but as far as Elizabeth goes, he thinks she just needs a little reassurance. Finn asks what makes him say that, and Gregory tells him, she was asking about Reiko earlier. Finn asks, why? but Gregory says he’s not sure. Maybe after all they’ve been through, and all Finn has supported her through, she’s feeling a little insecure.

Kristina tells Josslyn that she basically begged her dad to reinstate Dex as her bodyguard, and he flat-out refused. Josslyn says, so she thinks Sonny’s concerned because he believes the police are right to suspect Dex? Kristina says, feels like it, and Trina asks if they’re going to order. Her stomach is growling, she’s so hungry. Kristina says, give her one second, and she’ll take their order. She goes in the back, and Josslyn tells Trina, Sonny was so weird when she went to see him about Dex, and Trina says, Josslyn went to see Sonny? Josslyn says, yes, and now Dex is nowhere to be found. If Sonny thinks Dex is guilty, Dex is in serious trouble. Trina asks, what happened to Dex being none of Josslyn’s business? and Josslyn says she has to go. Trina asks if Josslyn wants her to come, but Josslyn says, it’s probably better if she stays. Stay, eat; she’s sorry to bail. Trina says, please be careful, Josslyn says she will, and leaves.

Carly says she needs to get dressed, but Drew says, no one’s making her. She says he’s already been on a run and taken a shower. She needs to start her day. He asks if she wants him to step out, but she says she can use the bathroom. She thanks him for being here, and says she couldn’t have done it without him. He says, yeah, she could, and she says, she could, but she’s glad she doesn’t have to.

Cyrus tells Spencer that he’ll spend the rest of his life atoning for his mistakes, and yes, he has more days behind him than in front. But the way Spencer is going, the same could be true for him. Spencer asks if that’s a threat, but Cyrus says, Spencer has nothing to fear from him. Allow him to give Spencer a word of advice. Don’t let his disdain for Cyrus cloud his instinct for survival. Spencer says he’s doing just fine, and gets up. Cyrus says, yeah he is, and that fact makes him assume Spencer has some protection in here. The word is out about Spencer’s powerful relations. That scares some, but not all. Take Book for instance. Nothing to lose, and no qualm taking chances. That’s a lethal combination. Spencer is lucky Cyrus has ways of handling people like that. Spencer says, baptism? and Cyrus laughs. Cyrus says, joke if you must, but the Old Testament has many lessons for us. This is a dangerous place. Spencer says he’s noticed, and Cyrus says, despite his past issues with Spencer’s grandmother, he thinks they can agree Spencer needs to be protected. And like our Creator is for all of us – he taps Spencer’s chest with the Bible – he’s here for Spencer. All Spencer has to do is call. He leaves, and Spencer ponders this.  

Dante says, he’s more and more convinced that Dex isn’t their attacker, and Robert suggests they look at what they’ve got. We see Diane, hooked up to machines, and Alexis and Sonny looking through the window. Robert says, first and foremost, all of our victims share a connection to Sonny. Coincidence? Doubtful. Dante says, next up, they have the clanking metal sound Josslyn and Brando heard at their crimes scenes. Robert says, could be jewelry, could be dog tags. It could be something they haven’t even considered yet. Dante says, this perp is careful. No bloody clothing, or slaughterhook found at the Quartermaines’ or Brando’s garage. Robert says, and the venom used in two of the attacks; clearly our killer is honing their technique. Dante says, whoever it is, has one nasty modus operandi.

Finn tells Gregory, he lost Reiko a long time ago. He’s had relationships since then. Why would Elizabeth be asking about her in particular? Elizabeth walks up, and says, sorry to interrupt, but Diane’s vitals are improving. She should be awake soon.

Josslyn walks into Pozzulo’s, and Carver is there with a big knife in his hand. He asks if he can help her, and she looks at the knife.

Wow. A little messy for a guy who’s supposed to be such an expert. But then again, he hasn’t been great at his job in general so far.

Tomorrow, Josslyn tells Michael that she thinks she knows why no one has seen Dex; Ava tells Ryan that Esme overstayed her welcome, and she’s gone; Sonny says he’s going to do what he has to do to see Diane gets justice; and Drew asks why Carly is still blaming herself.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Jason tells Storm, he’s censured himself 80% in the way he talks and acts, and Storm says, still sometimes he doesn’t click. In Jason’s interview, he says he didn’t want to quit, but if he’s that much of a cancer, end it for him. He’s closer to the fish in the water than the deck crew. Dave tells Tasha about how he wants to do a pop-up restaurant in the states. She can do the cocktails and coffee. In Tasha’s interview, she says, since she was 15, she’s been in one relationship or another. She’s kind of worried about the issues going on with her boyfriend. She doesn’t want to go down that road again, but she craves someone to be there for her. Storm talks to Captain Sandy, saying, he has an issue he’s trying to address, but there’s a lot going on. He had a chat with Jason about his attitude, but Jason says he’s not going to change, and wants to go. Storm told him that he didn’t want him to leave; that’s why they were having the conversation. The captain says, if Jason wants to quit, she needs details, and Storm tells her, Jason is grumpy, and ignores him and Courtney. He said he didn’t want Jason to feel like a victim, and he wasn’t ostracizing him, but they need a good vibe. He said he appreciated Jason’s work, but the last few charters, he’s been affecting everyone. He just doesn’t jive with the team. Captain Sandy says, when people say they don’t want to be here, she doesn’t want them to stay, but until she can find someone, they may need Jason for the next charter. Storm says, they’ll get through it, and he’ll try to diffuse the situation. The captain calls Jason to the bridge. Natalya asks Storm how the chat went. Storm tells her and Mzi that Jason doesn’t want to be here, but until they find someone, the captain wants him to stay. They’ll see. Captain Sandy tells Jason, Storm said he wanted to leave, and Jason says, his personality came into play, even though he’s been biting his tongue. She says, sometimes people just don’t gel. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with his personality; it’s just a conflict. Sometimes it happens. They crew needs to have a rhythm, and the guests pick up on it. He’s always been respectful, and she’s asking him to continue to do the job until she can find a replacement. He says he’s running at capacity, but doesn’t want to leave her high and dry. In his interview, Jason says, he’s taking a risk. He doesn’t know how to behave. The captain says, the next charter starts in an hour. They need to focus on the job, and find a way to navigate. Mzi tells Courtney about Jason saying he doesn’t want to be here, and Captain Sandy calls Dave, Storm, and Tasha for a preference sheet meeting.  

She tells them, it’s charter number six, and it’s going to be shorter. Primary Myiesha is a project manager, and she’s bringing along her successful girlfriends. They want to let loose and be three sheets to the wind by the end of the cruise. Translation: They want to be drunk five minutes into the cruise. Dave says, one of them is vegan, and the guests would like a  surf and turf dinner, even though some of them don’t like fish. In Dave’s interview, he says he has no idea what to do. It’s a shorter cruise, so it’s harder. If he f***s up, there are no second chances. Captain Sandy says, the cool part is, Myiesha is friends with famous Maltese pop star Destiny, and they’re going to surprise the guests with an appearance. Tasha asks Dave about lunch, and he says he’s doing a Moroccan theme. Storm talks to Natalya in her cabin, and we flash back to her telling him to take it slow. She tells Storm that she just broke up with someone, and it’s still fresh. Storm says he appreciates the chat, and in his interview, he says, it’s not the first time he’s been told to slow down. So much is happening with the team, he’s going to have to compartmentalize. If it goes sideways, everything could go to sh*t. He needs this to be his main focus. Captain Sandy tells the crew, 30 minutes, and they do a last minute spiff-up of the boat. Storm says, they’re still a team, right? and Jason says, right.

The guests arrive, and Captain Sandy welcomes them to their home away from home, which is her standard spiel. She tells them, Tasha will show them around,  their luggage will be brought on board, and then they’ll take off for their vacation. Kyle passes out champagne, and Tash gives the tour. Tasha gives them the lunch menu, and guest Whitley checks for the not meat option. The captain radios that the lines are all free, and Myiesha says, the inside has great energy. Whitley asks Mzi his sign, and when he says, Libra, she says she loves that for him. He’s a beautiful being. In Mzi’s interview, he says, so beautiful, and laughs. Kyle thinks he should be the 8th guest, and Natalya says, he already acts like it. Why not continue? Tasha’s boyfriend harasses her with texts, and the drop anchor in Ghadira Bay. In Dave’s interview, he says, he needs to be focused more, instead of just focused on Tasha. He just wants to keep the vibe going from the last charter. The eating preferences aren’t ideal, but he wants to try and give the guests some variety. Natalya does unpacking, and isn’t sure what to do with a vibrator she finds. In his interview, Mzi says, Jason is leaving, someone new is coming in. There are a lot of moving parts right now. Lunch is served, and after tasting the entrée, Myiesha says, lamb is her favorite – hell yeah. The water toys are put out, strawberry mojitos come, and the guests approve. Captain Sandy calls Norma to find a deckhand, and Norma already has someone for her. Courtney tells Storm that Jason is being strangely nice, and Natalya and Kyle discuss the Hawaiian theme for the surf and turf dinner. Some of the guests are taken out on jet skis, and Mzi shows Myiesha how to use the slide. It all looks so fun. In his interview, Dave says, the surf and turf confuses him. Some of the guests don’t eat meat, and three don’t like lobster. It’s a tough one since he’d normally make beef and lobster. The dinner decorations are gorgeous; bright colors, faux flowers and faux parrots hanging all over the place, and soft yellow light coming out from under the big lazy Susan in the middle of the table.

Storm tells Captain Sandy that he knows he’s expected to delegate, and wants to put someone in the lead position. Mzi is his good friend, and he’s been working hard, but Courtney blew him away, and he wants to go with her. He doesn’t want to cause any upset, but he’s doing it based on experience and performance. In Storm’s interview, he says, he doesn’t want to hurt his friend. It’s hard, dude. It’s going to be a f***ing nightmare. Kyle tells Natalya, the table is their best work so far; he’s proud of himself. Dave decides to make sea bass as back-up, since he’s not sure what any of them eat. The sound technician arrives, and Tasha radios the crew to help with the equipment. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Destiny better be good at singing, and Kyle wonders if there’s a body in one of the cases. Tasha asks if Kyle can think of a distraction, while they get Destiny upstairs, since it’s a surprise. He suggests he flash his penis. Destiny arrives, and Kyle distracts the guests with taking group photos. Tasha greats Destiny, and says, they managed to make it a surprise. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s not much of a singer, but she did majorettes for nine years. She carries her baton everywhere. We see a demonstration of her twirling. I took baton lessons, but I was mediocre at best. One of the guests says, a luau, ooh-la-la, apparently confusing Hawaii with French Polynesia. Destiny gets ready, and somehow Kyle gets confused, and tells the guests that sea bass is one of the choices. In Dave’s interview, he says, he might not have explained it properly. The turf is meat, and the surf is scallops. Kyle offered the sea bass as an alternative, and added another course, when it was just for the one who didn’t eat meat.

Kyle apologizes to Dave, and dinner is served, with Whitley just having vegetables. Dave has several orders of sea bass to cook, and tells the filets, cook, mother***ers. The guests talk astrology, as Dave plates the fish, and Tasha tells Destiny, sorry for the wait. After the last course, Tasha tells the guests to come to the sundeck. She has something sweet for them. She radios for all crew to come to the sundeck, the guests sit, and Destiny comes out. She says she’s performing a very special song to very special ladies, and sings Je Me Casse (I break). She’s very good; reminiscent of Lizzo. Kyle films on his phone, and the guests dance. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, holy cannoli, she’s f***ing awesome. To kill short charter, they need to create memories with moments. She was one them. The crew helps get the equipment back in the boat, and Destiny leaves. The guests have tequila shots, and Natalya whines that Kyle isn’t helping. In Natalya’s interview, she says, the majority of the time, the two of them aren’t doing anything. It’s laziness. She’s such a jerk. It’s not like they’re not working. Tasha says, she’s making drinks, and Kyle says, the main priority is the guests. In his interview, he says, what the hell is she talking about?

Natalya says she’s just asking them to help; cut the bullsh*t. Kyle tells Tasha, she’s mental, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya isn’t the easiest person, and trying to undermine her whenever she has the chance. Stop it already. Kyle snarks that Natalya is the one who maintains the pantry so lovely. Natalya cuddles with Storm for a millisecond, and the guests continue drinking. Kyle says his energy levels are crashing, and he and Tasha clean the pantry kitchen, while the guests dance. Kyle says he’s getting too old for this sh*t, and the guests finally dance their way to bed.

In the morning, Courtney hands out yoga mats, and a couple of the guests do yoga. Storm frets over choosing a lead deckhand, and breakfast is served. Captain Sandy sees bad weather coming right for them, and tells Storm that she wants to stay anchored next charter. It’s time for the guests to depart – that wasn’t a vacation; it was a party – and the crew gets in their whites. When Tasha clears the table, Myiesha says she noticed a change in wardrobe. One guest doesn’t want to pack, but another says, they never really unpacked. Natalya tells Kyle to listen before speaking, and in his interview, he says, it’s not his first rodeo. It only gets worse. He feels Natalya needs to be put in her place. She wants to talk sh*t, and he doesn’t have the time. The crew lines up to say goodbye, and Myiesha says, Captain Sandy’s people are wonderful, patient, and serves with a smile. It was beautiful to see. She thanks the captain for having them, and says she hopes they meet again. She gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, and when the guests are gone, the captain tells the crew to meet in the main salon for the tip meeting. Fastest. Charter. Ever.

Captain Sandy says, from interior to exterior, they killed it. Jason was awesome on deck, and she’s grateful, but they’ve found someone who will be here before the next charter. She thanks him for working hard. The tip is $14,000 or $1,272 each. Not bad for one night. Jason volunteers for anchor watch while the crew goes out. The crew does some clean up, and Tasha’s boyfriend texts her that he loves her, but hopes that’s the case in a few hours. What’s wrong with this guy, and why is she hanging onto him? In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s trying to ignore it, but she’s a person and has feelings. As a leader, she doesn’t want anyone to see her break down. She cries in the bathroom, and Kyle asks if she’s all right. She says she feels lost. She doesn’t want any men in her life. She’s fed up. Kyle asks what she feels she needs to do, and she says she feels like running away. She doesn’t want to face it. Kyle says she’s got a job to do. Eyes are on her, and that has to be her main focus. He hugs her, and says, no more tears left to cry, only happy penises. The crew gets dressed to go out.

Kyle says, vamos, and they take a water taxi to shore, then a regular taxi to a restaurant called 506. Natalya asks if the deck crew is nervous about getting someone new on the team. Storm mumbles about appointing a lead deckhand, and Natalya says she’s the lead deckhand. She’ll watch while they clean windows, and she drinks iced coffee. Storm is triggered by this, and says, they’re going have this conversation tonight. He asks Mzi and Courtney to step aside with him, and Natalya tells the others, it’s about lead deckhand. Storm tells Mzi and Courtney, they’re going to get a new person. It might throw them a new spinner, so he’s making Courtney lead deckhand. It’s nothing against anyone, and was a hard decision. He tells her to make it what she wants to make it, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, they’re obviously outside, Storm is somewhat drunk, and she’s scared to believe it. Courtney says she knows Mzi is Storm’s boy, and they bounce off each other. Everything will stay the same. Storm continues to stammer, and Mzi – who is the nicest guy on the planet – says, no need for explanation; there’s no hard feelings. Storm asks if he wants to cuddle, and they have a three-way hug. In Mzi’s interview, he says, it’s disappointing and unexpected, proving what I just said. When Storm gets back to the table, Natalya berates him for doing this at the bar. She says, Mzi is taking it hard, and Storm’s been drinking. Funny, since she kind of egged him on. I think this chick is problematic. Storm says, Mzi isn’t upset, and Natalya says, it was a sh*tty thing to do. Storm asks if he should lie, and she says, no. She’s saying he should have had the conversation tomorrow. She asks if he feels lighter, and he says, clearly not. He was until he sat down. He gets up, and walks off, saying, he can’t take her anymore. Get out of his life. He’d done with this sh*t.

To be continued…

🌾 Bringing In a Sheaf…

Come see me tomorrow to get the soap skinny and a cup of tea or two. Until then stay safe, stay encouraging inclusivity, and stay remembering, nothing is more important than supporting a friend.

October 2, 2022 – The First Episode Of the Last Season Of the Last Season & They Don’t

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

The Walking Dead

When we last left, the headline in the Commonwealth newspaper said: Milton is lying to you. The gates were closed by troopers, and Lance had the women in Oceanside rounded up. He flipped his coin…

In a voice over, Judith tells us, they heard stories about when the world fell, and how there were more dead then living. It looked like the world would grow cold, and they were almost there. People made found families, and others gave into the darkness. That was a long time ago, and it’s now. Will it be tomorrow?

Still running from Lance and his troopers, Daryl stabs some zombies under a bridge, and yells, clear. Maggie says, clear, and joins him. They hear gunfire, and Lance arrives with the troopers, and tells them to fan out. It ends here. Daryl tells Maggie, they’ll take them out one by one, and they get on either side of an entrance, nearly killing Gabriel, who comes out followed by Aaron, then Negan and Annie. Negan says, they’re here to take out sh*thead and his d*ckless troopers, but Gabriel wants Negan to go back to the Commonwealth. Aaron says, the authorities at the Commonwealth know all of their faces, and Gabriel tells Negan that he needs to warn Carol that Lance is going to kidnap the children. Daryl says, they’ve never seen Negan before, and Negan asks if he’s just supposed to walk in there. Daryl says, exactly, and Annie says she’s going too, but Negan says, no. Only one of them is going into the belly of the beast. He needs her be safe. Besides, they’re f***ed either way. What’s the plan? And yes, they said the F-word again, because it’s the last season of the last season, and no one cares about the FCC and their stupid rules anymore.

Out in the used-to-be city, a couple of troopers shoot zombies, but the zombies latch on to one of them. As the other moves to help, a zombie comes up behind him, and bashes him over the head, tossing the trooper’s radio and gun toward a nearby car. Negan takes off his skin mask, and gets in the car. Daryl opens the door in the back, and gets out, grabbing the radio and gun, and Negan peels out. The zombies fight over trooper guts. Lance tells a trooper to get on the radio; no one’s got eyes on the goddam car. The trooper tells him that the signal isn’t strong enough. Daryl tells Negan, the Calhoun contingency protocol, and Negan doubles back to where Lance is. Lance tells the troopers, shoot to kill, and gets shot in the arm himself. The troopers shoot back, and Lance tells them to take Daryl down now; kill him. Lance then takes out a tiny gun, and goes around the car to where Daryl was, but he’s not there. That’s because he’s on the other side of the car, and he gets in, and takes off. The troopers shoot right into the windshield, but Daryl can’t die since he has a spin-off coming up. Negan flies all around the place, and troopers shoot at him. He’s definitely into it, and having a good time. Other troopers chase after Daryl, and there’s a huge car chase. As everyone gets to an intersection, Negan T-bones one of the trooper’s cars, and it collides with another trooper’s car. Daryl gets the hell out of there.

At the Commonwealth, a crowd stands outside city hall with picket signs, shouting that they want justice, and to deliver Sebastian now. Yumiko looks out from Pamela’s office, while Pamela gets on the microphone, telling the public that the so-called report is lies. She knows they’re scared and angry, and the people have suffered enough. She knows her son couldn’t have done the horrible things he’s accused of. He’s a good young man. Kelly signs to Connie, is this what we wanted? and Connie signs back, they had to start somewhere. There are people still missing and they have to find them. Ezekiel tells Magna, this could get could ugly. What if it goes sideways? He thinks they should go, but she says she doesn’t want to leave when there are people who need their help. Mercer says he’s going to secure the station, and asks what Rosita is doing. She says, she has a personal day today, and this is not her problem, or his. A trooper radios Mercer, saying, there’s something he needs to see, and Mercer tells Rosita that he needs her. Suit up. Still trying to CYA, Pamela says, they intend to find the real culprit, and bring them to justice. She’ll answer written questions submitted by citizens. On the side, Yumiko asks Stephanie if she thinks Pamela knows where Sebastian is, and Stephanie says, he’s probably hiding. Yumiko asks if she’s okay, and over the loudspeaker, Pamela says, they’re following leads. Stephanie says she wants to keep going, and Yumiko says, then they will. Pamela tells the people, rest assured, whoever has been spreading these lies will be brought to justice.

Mercer walks into an interrogation room to see Negan, and asks if Negan knows him. Negan says, word gets around the wasteland. A friend told him about Mercer, and said to ask for him when he came looking for her. Her name is April. Mercer sits down, and asks if Negan knows what happened to her. Negan says he thinks because Mercer is asking, that means it can’t be good. Mercer asks why Negan is really here, and Negan says he ran into some trouble with a shirt and tie wearing sh*t and his clamshell a-holes, and Mercer tells the trooper with him to get Negan some water – now. The trooper leaves, and Mercer asks who sent Negan. Negan says he thinks Mercer knows him; Daryl. That Hornsby pr*ck is cutting them up. They’re dealing with it, but the problem is, they have people in there to protect too. Mercer says, that’s his job, and Negan says, yet he was sent here anyway. Mercer says he can’t just let Negan in; they have rules. Negan says, if no one else is playing by them, why is Mercer?

Carol looks at photos of the Commonwealth while the kids sit at the kitchen table studying. Judith tells her that the pancakes are burning, and Carol tells her if she doesn’t like them that way, she’s missing out. Judith checks out the photos, and asks why Carol is looking at them. Carol tells her, to learn about this place, and Judith asks when Daryl and Aaron are coming back. Carol asks if Judith likes their cooking better, and she says, not unless it’s around the campfire. Carol tells her, they’ll be back soon. She looks outside at the people with the signs, seeing a man and woman headed for the building, and Judith asks, what is it? Carol says, maybe nothing, but they’ve got to move. They’ve got to play the quiet game. The man and woman walk into the apartment, but it’s empty. The woman asks if he’s sure they didn’t say anything else, and he says, Dixon was the only name that came through. She looks out the window, and we see Carol out on the ledge with a BIG knife, but she doesn’t. Judith looks out in between cupboard doors. The woman suggests the check the school, and the couple leaves.

Outside, Negan sees Jerry, and says, dude. Jerry asks, what the hell is Negan doing here? and Negan says he’s here to save their asses. Where’s Carol? Jerry nods for Negan to follow him.

A trooper tries to fix the radio signal back where we started. A hubcap rolls out near him, followed by Annie. While he’s distracted, Maggie comes up from behind, and stabs him. She tosses the radio away.

Carol tells the kids that they’re going on a little adventure. She tells them to go to the bedroom, and don’t come out until she tells them.  Jerry comes to the door, and Negan walks in with him, saying, it turns out, Carol might have been right. They should have stayed in that goddam cabin. Lance tried to scare Maggie by interrogating Herschel, trying to draw the kids out. Carol asks if Jerry still has access to the attic, and Jerry says, yes, and it’s stocked with supplies. Carol tells him, they’ll keep the kids there until they’re ready to move on. She tells the kids to get ready at Jerry’s signal, and Negan says, they can’t just stroll out. Carols says, that’s why they’re going to get some insurance for the both of them.

The protestors storm into city hall, and Pamela tries to bullsh*t them. She says she can’t bring their loved ones back, but she’s going to get to the bottom of this. One of the men says, her son did this, and asks where he is, but Pamela says, that’s not the truth. The group gets louder, and the guy asks if she’s going to disappear them. Yumiko says, they’re being heard. What’s happened is unthinkable, and they’ll be updated on every step of the investigation. This appeases them, and they start to leave. Pamela wonders if Connie has any idea who wrote the article, and Yumiko says she’d be surprised if Connie didn’t. Pamela goes outside, flanked by guards, and sees a sign graffitied with Down with the Miltons. She gets in an armored car, looking pretty upset, and radios, B14. Do it right away. The car pulls out.

Sitting on a bench, Yumiko tells Magna that Connie suspects it’s Sebastian, but has no proof. She should have told Connie to talk to her first. Magna says, Connie has never run from a fight, and Yumiko asks if Magna thinks she will, but Magna says, Yumiko has seen this place for what it is from the beginning. She never stood for bullsh*t. They’ve made it through a lot, knowing when it was a good time to go. Yumiko says, they need a strong exit plan, and she can’t leave Tomi, but Magna says she’s not going without Yumiko. If the time comes, then they’re all going, even if she has to drag Yumiko and Tomi. Until then, she’ll help everyone can wait, and wait for the other shoe to drop. Yumiko says, Magna is so stubborn, and Magna says, not one of her better qualities, but Yumiko never seemed to mind. Over the loudspeaker, a voice says, lockdown procedure. Remain inside until further notice. Yumiko says, that might be the other shoe.

Lots of zombies walk in a field toward the Commonwealth. Still restless, the crowd wants Sebastian. A guy with a bullhorn tells them, a swarm has been detected five miles out. Anyone out after curfew will arrested for their own safety. They crowd reluctantly disperses, and Jerry herds the kids together, telling them to keep up with him. They run, and the couple that were checking out Carol’s place run after them, but protestors get in the way, and they lose Jerry. Carol and Negan go to an office, and Negan asks what they’re looking for. She tells him, blueprints or schematics. She thinks the person they’re looking for is in the building, and she wants to get to him before people are calling for his head. Negan says, he must have one hell of a hiding spot, and they look through files. Negan asks if he told Carol that he got married, and she wonders why he’s telling her. He says, because she’s out there and carrying their child, and Carol says, she’s going to be okay. Negan thanks her.

Maggie and Daryl hear troopers coming, and hide as the troopers run down an alley. Daryl asks where they others are, and Maggie says, they’ll be here. She says, what he did… She knows what Leah meant to him, and she’s sorry. He says, Glenn would want him to look out for her. She doesn’t every have to say she’s sorry to him. Gabriel and Aaron show up, and tell Daryl that Lance is dug in with his men; they can’t get close. Maggie asks if there’s any way they can go behind them, and Anne says, not without being spotted… unless they never see them coming.

Jerry pulls down a fire-escape ladder, and the kids go up. Jerry follows, and pulls up the ladder. The couple has nearly caught up to them, and they look around. The guy tries a door, but it’s locked. They start to leave, and the guy looks up at the fire-escape landing, but sees nothing, and continues on. Jerry breathes a sigh of relief. Me too. A woman looks out her window, and Jerry says, hello there. Could she do them a small favor, please? She nods.

Rosita meets Mercer, and he says she made it. She says she couldn’t resist. A man tells Mercer that the swarm is past the 2nd checkpoint, and Mercer says, tell them hold their position; they’re on their way. He and Rosita leave in a jeep.  

Down in the sewer, Maggie asks if Anne wants to take a minute, but Annie wants to keep going. They hear growling, and a couple of zombies pop out, but they dispatch them, and keep on walking. Annie says, if they keep going, they should come up behind Lance and the troopers. Daryl kills another zombie, and says, maybe they should get them to come down. Gabriel fires some shots up through the grating. Back at the Commonwealth, Negan tells Carol, he hates to say it, but they’re running out of places to look. Carol looks at a diagram, and says, there should be a door here. Negan moves a bookcase, and there’s an outline of a door. Carol pries at it, and slides it out. Sebastian is asleep, face down on a mattress on the floor, and it looks like a frat house room. He wakes, and says, what the hell? How did they get in here? Negan rolls him off the mattress, and picks up his gun. Sebastian asks if Negan knows who he is, and Negan asks if Sebastian knows who he is? Sebastian asks, what do you a-holes want? and Carol tells him, get up. They’re taking him home to his mother. Sebastian says he’s not going anywhere until this blows over. His mother doesn’t care about him. The Commonwealth is her kid; he’s just a prop. Negan says, Carol is a goddam magician. He’s seen her pull bunnies out of her ass with his own two eyes. She’s offering Sebastian a life-raft, and he recommends Sebastian jump in and save himself. Sebastian says he really wants help.

Outside, the troopers are told to stop any violation of curfew. The people lingering are told, the swarm is past the 2nd outer checkpoint. Go home immediately. A guy says, they’re not moving until Sebastian is brought to them. Some guy named Henderson tells the guards that they have a situation. Carol and Negan bring out Sebastian, and a guy announces, they found him, but Negan says, he’ll take care of this. A trooper says he’s mistaken, and knocks him down. He says, a final warning. Go home; it’s not safe. The group starts yelling, Pamela lies, and Sebastian kills, and Henderson says, it’s for their own protection. Shut the hell up and listen. They can hear the rumble of the zombie horde in the distance, and Henderson tells the troopers to clear them. Tear gas is released, and everyone starts coughing and running.

Out in the field with Rosita, Mercer is told the zombies have passed checkpoint 3. Rosita asks, what happened? and he says, somebody’s not doing their job. She says, it happens a lot around here, and he says, about the other week; it shouldn’t have happened. He appreciates her having his back. Having sh*t upside down around here, he needs people he can trust, like her. She says she can’t. She’s sorry. If he needs help out here, she’s his girl, but in there is not for her. Her daughter and family come first. He says he respects that. If the time comes, and she needs help getting out, he’ll get her a vehicle. They see another jeep overturned, and two troopers shooting at zombies. Rosita uses the machine gun to mow some of them down, and one trooper makes it into the back of the truck. Mercer tries to grab the other one, but the zombies pull at him from the other side, and he gets literally torn in half. Mercer looks stunned, but I laugh. The trooper in the jeep says, they’ve got to go, and the zombies eat the downed trooper as they drive off.

Yumiko sees Pamela, and says, Pamela teargassed her friends. Pamela says, only those who were in defiance of lockdown. It’s about what could happen. Yumiko says, so it’s about safety, and Pamela says, it always is. Yumiko asks if Pamela doesn’t care if it makes her look guilty, and Pamela says, if Yumiko has an accusation, make it. Yumiko asks if Pamela can really sit there and say there’s no way her son did it? Pamela says, he was always a renegade. His grandfather and uncle were the same way, but as they matured, they mellowed and became leaders. It’s youthful rebellion, but he’s not a murderer. She points out that Yumiko is friends with the most prominent journalist, when they’re interrupted by Carol bringing Sebastian into the office. Pamela immediately hugs him, then slaps him across the face. saying that he humiliated her, and himself. She asks what he had to do with this, and he says, nothing. The story is a lie. They want someone to blame, and he’s an easy target. She says, he’s going to need more than that to save his ass, but Carol thinks she can help. She’s hunting for a friend that needs help. Pamela says she doesn’t see how that helps her, and Carol says, someone did what Sebastian is accused of.

The troopers walk through the sewers, and see a zombie all hung up in some lines of rope, keeping it at bay. The walk past a hidden Aaron, who cuts a trooper’s hamstring through the joint in his armor. The rest come out with guns, and Lance says, this ends now. He tells them to drop their weapons, but Daryl quickly comes up behind him, grabbing him by the hair, and holding a knife to his throat. Daryl tells the troopers, guns on the ground now, and Lance smiles at Maggie.

Next time, Gabriel says, the end of the story is important. And, you know, the usual.

🥳 Having a Kiki…

Join me tomorrow for soap and what’s going on in the Mediterranean. Until then, stay safe, stay never being the first to arrive or the last to leave a party (unless it’s yours), and stay jumping in and saving yourself if someone offers you a life raft. Especially if it’s someone who can pull bunnies out of their ass.

September 30, 2022 – Victor Visits Spencer In Prison, Temp Brook, Arisen, He’s Dancin’, Reimagined, New Kitchen, NYC Horror, Dead Return, Explanation, Below Ten Quotes & September

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook bangs on Chase’s door, and says, open up. She knows he’s in there. He’s got a big… He answers in his boxers, and says, a big what? She squeezes the to-go cup she’s holding, and her drink squirts out the straw and spills over top. And I can’t believe they just did that, even though I’m laughing.

Valentin wakes Anna up, and they speak in French. He kisses down her body.

Victor sits down to visit Spencer. Spencer comes in, looking scruffy and wearing a too big shirt. Victor says, my God, what happened? Excuse me if I think this is the best Spencer has ever looked.

Nikolas approaches Finn at the hospital, and Finn asks how he can help Nikolas. Nikolas says he can start by minding his own damn business. Finn says, which is what he was doing before Nikolas stopped him, and keeps walking, but Nikolas grabs his arm. Finn breaks away, and says, whoa. Nikolas says, Finn’s been talking to his wife about their private matters. That was a big mistake, and it will cost him.

Elizabeth comes to Ava’s room, as Ava is packing to leave. She says she hears Ava’s being discharged, and Ava says, not a moment too soon. She’s grateful for the care she received here of course (🍷), but she’s glad to leave. Elizabeth says she’ll put a rush on the paperwork, and they’ll get Ava out of here. Ava says, there’s something she and Elizabeth need to settle first.

Alexis sees Gregory in the waiting area, and asks if he’s slept at all. He asks, why? Does he look exhausted and bedraggled? She says, they were at The Invader until the wee hours, so she thought he’d slept in, and he says, he knew she’d be pulling a literal all-nighter with the op-ed, so he came back here. He wanted to keep an eye on her friend.

At the MetroCourt, Sonny looks at the headline on his phone: Port Charles’s Spirit Is Stronger Than A Hook. Nina comes along, and asks if he’s okay, hugging him. He says he’s fine; he’s just worried about everybody else. She asks if there’s any word on Diane, and he says, he’s going to check on her at GH later. He asks if she’s seen The Invader, and she says, Alexis took a brave stand, letting that psychopath know that Port Charles is not a community to be messed with. What does he think? He says he thinks she’s doing it because she thinks the attacker is targeting people connected to him, and she says, and he and Alexis have a daughter who happened to see the killer in action. She’s sure he has eyes on both Josslyn and Kristina. He asks, how’s her bodyguard? and she says she’s getting used to it, but she did feel safer having him there last night. She thanks him, and he says he hopes it doesn’t last too long. She asks if he knows who’s behind these attacks.

Glad to see they’ve changed some of the photos in the opening, in particular Ava.

Still in bed, Valentin and Anna kiss. He says he wants to remember all of this, and she says, name three things. He says, being in her bed… She says, that’s one, and he says, being in her bed with her. She says, that’s two, and they’re very general. He says, all he wants to remember is the two of them doing this… always. They begin to get busy, but his phone dings. He asks if she minds, and she takes it from the nightstand, giving it to him. He looks at it, and places it face down on his chest. She asks, what’s wrong?

Victor says he’s worried about Spencer. It looks like he hasn’t eaten since he got here. Spencer says, this is the work of his fellow inmates who go out of their way to make sure that he never has the right clothes. Victor says he was assured Spencer would be protected, and Spencer says he is… physically anyway. Victor says, go on, and Spencer tells him, on his second day here he had a run-in with a guy. He said he wanted to rearrange Spencer’s face. Fortunately, a guard arrived before the he could do that, and that was the end of that. Victor asks, what’s this business with the clothes? and Spencer says, the other inmates know he’s a rich kid who’s under protection from important people, and whose cop friend got him a cushy job, so they find other ways to mess with him, like not having a uniform that fits. Stealing food and supplies he buys from the commissary, and threatening him with all manner of horrible fates. Victor says he’ll speak with the warden, but Spencer says, please don’t. It will only make things worse.

Finn says, if Nikolas is referring to him being with Elizabeth when she told Ava that Nikolas lied about his alibi… Nikolas says, Finn had absolutely no right, and Finn says, Nikolas lying to his wife is none of his concern. By which he means he literally does not care. Nikolas says, why should Finn care? and Finn says he won’t let Nikolas take advantage of Elizabeth. So find someone else to give him a fake alibi. Finn walks away, but Nikolas follows, saying, he gave himself and Elizabeth an alibi, because Elizabeth can’t account for her whereabouts when Ava was attacked. He did what he did to protect her. Finn says, Nikolas was covering his own ass. Him giving Elizabeth an alibi was just working in his favor. Nikolas says he doesn’t care what Finn believes, but does he have any idea the amount of damage he could have caused by telling Ava the truth? It’s like he doesn’t care about Elizabeth at all.

Ava says she just wants to thank Elizabeth for telling the truth about Nikolas’s so-called alibi. She knows Nikolas is one of Elizabeth’s closest friends, and knows it couldn’t have been easy. Elizabeth says she should be grateful Nikolas gave her an alibi, and Ava asks if she thinks he would have if it hadn’t provided him with one as well. Elizabeth says, the Nikolas she grew up with would have done it in a heartbeat, and Ava says, what about the Nikolas as he is now? Elizabeth says, after Ava was attacked, and everything was so uncertain, she did have her doubts about his motives. Ava tells her not to beat herself up about that. None of them were sure about Nikolas. Elizabeth says, exactly. They are now.

Nina says, from what she read the police are hoping Diane makes it through surgery to see if she can identify her attacker, but if Sonny’ s learned something new… He tells her, let’s just say, he’s working on it, and she says she heard Michael went to Pozzulo’s last night. He says, what about it? and she says, did they come to some kind of truce? He says, they just talked about what happened with Brando, and… How’s Sasha? She says, fragile, and he says, and Gladys? She says, Gladys is Gladys. She’s in a lot of pain, but she’s enduring. He says he admires that, and she says, Gladys actually convinced Sasha to start making funeral arrangements for Brando, but Sasha’s credit card was declined. He asks how that’s possible, and she says, because Sasha’s not in control of her finances right now, and it’s still unclear who is. He says, if she’s having financial problems, he’ll do what he has to do to help, and she says, she knows he will, but he doesn’t have to worry about this. She already put her credit card down for the deposit. Sonny says, let Sasha know he’s going to help her, and Nina says, Sasha does know that. Right now, she’s more concerned with Sasha’s state of mind. She’s already carrying so much, and now with this guardianship, Nina doesn’t want this to be the straw that breaks her. He says, Sasha is going to be okay, and she asks how he knows that. He says, because Sasha has her.

Alexis asks how Gregory was able to get updates if he’s not family? and he says, he has a secret weapon. She says, Finn, and he says, Diane’s still in surgery, and she says, still? He tells her, Finn says, sometimes these things can take a while, and she says she hopes that’s all it is, because she needs Diane to be okay. She guesses now they just wait and see how their op ed page pans out, and if it brings the killer out into the light. He asks if she’s eaten, and she shakes her head. He says, let’s get her some sustenance, and while they’re at it, maybe they can track Finn down and finagle another update. She says, lead the way.

Chase cleans up the mess, and Brook says she really needed that caffeine. He says he’ll make them some coffee, and she says, he can definitely make her some coffee, and she’ll definitely thank him for it, but he can’t have any caffeine. He asks, why not? and she says, because it’s murder on your vocal cords. Didn’t his vocal coach ever teach him that? Tonight, he needs to be in peak form. He asks if she’s saying he’s not, and she says, vocally. They need to get him ready. Everything they’ve been working toward is all riding on tonight. He says, all right, peak form, and moves closer to her. She says, good, but it’s really important that they stay focused. He moves even closer, and says, he’s laser focused. Is she?

We see a picture of Charlotte on Valentin’s phone, with a text that says: Bonjour, papa. I miss you. Je t’aime. Anna takes it from him, and says, she looks happy. He says, Charlotte still has no idea she’s being used as leverage. She misses him. She can’t understand why they’ve been apart so long. Anna says, he will see Charlotte again; trust her. He says, more than anyone, and she says, damning her with faint praise. He says he trusts her implicitly, and she says, believe her when she says they’ll bring Charlotte home. He says, Victor’s playing the long game; so far, he’s winning, but she tells him that she didn’t say it would be easy. Victor is a formidable opponent, and Valentin has carried this alone far too long. He has her now, and they’re changing the game, together. Is he with her? He says, to the ends of the earth, and kisses her. He asks, what’s the move? and she says, unfortunately, the best way to get to Victor is through Lucy, but he says, she’s proven to be a wild card, in every sense of the word. Anna says, the sooner they find another way, the better. He says, any thoughts on what that might be? and she says, no, but that’s okay. They’ll figure it out together. They kiss some more.

Victor says, as head of this family, it’s his responsibility to make sure Spencer is taken care of, and Spencer says, he and Uncle Sonny have people who are taking care of him, but they can’t be around him 24/7. This place is like 15 times bigger than Spring Ridge, and it’s full of angry, violent people. The best thing he can do is keep his head down and stay out of everyone’s way. The best thing Victor can do… Victor says, assassinate anyone who looks at Spencer cross-eyed. He’s sure Spencer’s Uncle Sonny would agree. Protecting Spencer is probably the only thing they agree on. Spencer says, what part of don’t is unclear? but Victor says he can’t just sit back and watch Spencer suffer at the hands of… convicts. Spencer says, Victor owes him, and Victor says, all right, but if Spencer changes his mind… Spencer says he won’t, and asks, how’s life in Port Charles? How’s Ava’s recovery? Victor says, she gets discharged today. Spencer can ask about him. Spencer says, who? and Victor says, his father.

Finn tells Nikolas, let’s get one thing clear. Elizabeth is her own person, and she decided to tell Ava that Nikolas’s alibi was a lie. She thought Nikolas might pose a danger to his wife, and decided to err on the side of the truth, a concept Nikolas isn’t familiar with. Nikolas says, Finn is the only person who’s a danger to Elizabeth. This whole thing started with him. Alexis and Gregory come out of the elevator, and Nikolas says, Finn is the reason Elizabeth is so messed up. Finn tells Nikolas, say it again, and strides toward him, but Gregory holds him back. Alexis asks Nikolas, what is he doing?

Ava says, as long as there’s a lunatic running around with a hook, she doesn’t think she’ll be sure of much, and Elizabeth says, at the risk of overstepping, at the Quartermaine picnic, Nikolas told her that the two of them were having trouble. She’s under the assumption they worked things out, but in case she’s wrong, can she say something? Ava says, of course (🍷), and Elizabeth says she’s sure Ava knows that Nikolas went through some really dark times growing up. He’s not an easy person, but he is capable of love and devotion. And honestly, she’s only seen him in love one other time before he met Ava. Only Ava can decide what she’s willing to accept, but as for Nikolas, it’s not always pretty, but it is love, unwavering love.

Nina tells Sonny, she has to get to the hospital because Ava is getting discharged. She wants to make one last pitch for Ava to stay with her. Sonny asks why Ava’s not going to Windymere, and Nina says, Ava wants to go to Windymere, but she’s worried that living with Nikolas too soon will be stressful for her. He says he wishes Ava would kick Nikolas to the curb. Nikolas is not a good person. She says, it’s okay. Nikolas and Ava have a powerful connection. He says, she calls it powerful; he calls it toxic. She says, Ava and Nikolas’s marriage is more complicated than they know. Wish as much as he wants, but she wouldn’t assume they’re done. He says, she can’t tell him that they’re good for each other, and she says, a lot people think they’re not good for each other.

Brook says, stop it, and Chase says, stop what? She says, being all sexy. They need to stay focused on the plan. He says, sexy? and she says, he needs to perform flawlessly tonight. He says, right. The more successful he is, the more Linc will want to sign him. She says, and the angrier Linc will be with her, and it will make him want to sign Chase even more. Then when they’ve got Linc exactly where they want him… Chase says, he fires her, signs with Linc, retires, and leaves Linc high and dry. She says, looking like the loser that he is, and Chase says, hopefully, he can be a cop again someday. If they’ll have him. She says, they will. He’s the best guy that’s ever been on the force, and one day, they’ll wise up to that. He says, she thinks so? and she says she knows so. He says, how? and she says, she just does. They kiss, and head for the bedroom. I think, so much for being focused, but Brook breaks away, and says, as much as she wants this – he says, they want this – they need to take this energy and put it into the show. He says, huh? and she says, and all the leftover energy will fill other arenas. Go get dressed, and they’ll talk strategy. He holds up his hands, and leaves to get ready.

Elizabeth says she’ll go get Ava’s paperwork, and Ava asks if Elizabeth is all right. Nikolas mentioned to her that Elizabeth blacked out the night she was attacked, can’t remember where she was or what she was doing. Elizabeth says, sorry. She probably should have told the police all that. Ava says she doesn’t blame Elizabeth for anything; she’s just asking if Elizabeth is okay. Elizabeth flashes back to Reiko at the bottom of the stairs. She says, she just has way too much on her mind, and leaves.

Alexis says, this is a hospital, for Pete’s sake, and Nikolas says he knows. He’s on the board. She says, really? Because he’s acting like he’s on the playground. Come with her – now. I laugh at how she orders him around. Gregory asks if that isn’t Alexis’s nephew, Nikolas Cassadine, and Finn asks how Gregory can tell; the overwhelming smell of jerk in here? Gregory says, and he’s a friend of Elizabeth’s? and Finn says, the word friend might be a little subjective. Gregory remembers Finn said he didn’t think Nikolas had Elizabeth’s best interest at heart, and Finn says, he’s only got his own best interest at heart. Gregory asks why they were going at it about Elizabeth; did Nikolas do something to her? Finn says he doesn’t like Nikolas, and doesn’t trust him. Maybe in his own ultra-privileged narcissistic way, Nikolas does actually care for Elizabeth; he said he was looking out for her. Gregory asks if Finn is taking Nikolas at his word, and Finn says, for now.

Spencer says he’d rather discuss literally anyone else, and Victor says, like his stepmother? He didn’t know Spencer cared so deeply for Ava. Spencer says he doesn’t, and Victor says, she’s the first person he asked about. Spencer says, because she’s important to people he does care about. Victor says, like his father, who Spencer refuses to discuss? but Spencer says, like Trina. Victor says he sees, and Spencer says, speaking of Trina, how is she? Victor says, Spencer should probably as his friends, and Spencer says, he would if they’d visit. Victor says, they haven’t? and Spencer says, Victor’s his first. Victor says he’s sorry, and Spencer says, why? What did Victor do this time? Victor says he should have been here sooner. He got wrapped up in other time-sensitive matters. He’ll try to do better. Spencer says he brought this on himself. The only people who care about him are Victor, maybe Britt, and his grandmother. Of course (🍷) she’s in Italy still. (Um… He left out Sonny.) Victor says, nothing is more important to him than family. If he’d only known what Spencer was going through… Spencer says, it’s not Victor’s fault, but Victor says, let him make it up to Spencer. He can get a message to Trina if Spencer would like him to.

Nina says, granted, their history… Sonny says, is nothing like Nikolas and Ava, but she says, their cheering section is roughly the same size as theirs. Sonny says he doesn’t care what people think; they’re good for each other. She says, he doesn’t have to convince her of that, and they kiss. Selina comes in, and says she was so sorry to hear about Sonny’s cousin’s passing. He thanks her, and she says she understands Nina is close to his widow. Nina says she and Sasha are very close, and Selina says she can’t imagine what that poor woman is going through, especially when her husband’s killer still roams free. If she can be of further assistance in these trying times, please let her know. Sonny says he will, and Selina says, in the meantime, she was wondering if she’d see him at The Savoy tonight. The young talent Sonny mentioned to her is performing, Harrison Chase. He says he was thinking about it, and Nina says she’s got to go. She tells Selina, it was a pleasure to see her, and she’ll see Sonny later. She leaves, and Selina tells Sonny, she’s quite lovely. He smiles, and says, she is. Selina asks if he’s convinced he can keep her safe.  

Selina tells Sonny, Diane is a formidable woman. She’s confident this is not how Diane’s story ends. She sits at the bar, and she says she supposes he has a guard watching Nina, and he says he does. She says she hopes her supposition doesn’t offend him, but it would seem these attacks are related to him. He says, it’s crossed his mind, and she says, and the police? He says, it’s crossed theirs too, and she says, it could be bad for business. Since they share a bottom line, her resources remain at his disposal. He thanks her for her cooperation, and says, anything else? She says, just one more thing. In keeping him apprised per their arrangement, there’s a game scheduled for tonight. Sonny says, she knows the place is going to be crawling with friends of the PCPD; Chase was a cop. She says, it provides her players with a convenient cover, and as an added benefit, they can watch the entertainment. Word of the game has spread, attracting even more influential players and raising the cost of the buy-in. Would he like a seat at the table? He says, it’s an interesting offer, but he already gets a cut of the door. She says he stands to gain so much more. From what she hears, he’s quite a skilled player. Can she deal him in?

Spencer says, thanks, but no, and Victor says he doesn’t know if it’s pride or obstinance, but they both know Trina is important to him. Spencer tells Victor, he never said she wasn’t, and Victor says, if he didn’t want to reach out to her, why bring her up? Spencer says, because he read an article in The Invader that there was another attack by that psycho with a hook, and he wanted to make sure she was okay. Victor says, Spencer needn’t worry. The prevailing wisdom is that these attacks are related to Sonny. Spencer says, Uncle Sonny will take care of and protect his family. He just wishes he could help. Victor tells him to just focus on helping himself. As for these gruesome attacks, there is some good news. His father is no longer… Spencer says, for the last time, he doesn’t want to hear anything about his father. He told his father that he was done with him, and he meant it. If his father is capable of betraying him the way he did, Spencer doesn’t want anything to do with him. Victor says, come on, and Spencer says, where is he? He hasn’t even tried to visit. Victor says, he takes it Spencer wants Nikolas to visit, only so he can turn Nikolas away. Maybe Nikolas is doing Spencer a favor by skipping that part. Spencer says he told Nikolas to stay away, but the man he grew up with, the father that raised him, he wouldn’t have listened. Victor says he’ll talk to Nikolas, but Spencer says, don’t waste his breath. He thanks Victor for visiting him. He has to get to the library. He doesn’t want to be late for his work detail. Victor says, very well. He’ll be back soon. In the meantime, keep his chin up, and watch his back. Spencer hangs up the phone, and leaves.

Alexis reminds Nikolas that her best friend is in the OR fighting for her life, and he says he’s genuinely sorry to upset her, especially when she’s worried about Diane. Has there been any news? She says, Diane is still in surgery, and will be there a while, and he asks if there’s anything he can do to help. She says, he can not brawl in the hospital for starters, and he says, done. Anything else? She says, there’s nothing anybody can do, and he says, he saw The Invader, her op ed, a united front in Port Charles. She says, too much? but he says, it’s perfect. She’s showing this monster that they can’t be intimidated. She thanks him, and says she needed that. He asks if she thinks the attacker is going to answer the challenge, and she says, they’ll find out soon enough. She hopes her instincts are right, and his ego is his downfall, because if it doesn’t work, she’s poked the bear, and set the bear on this path of destruction that’s going to put everyone in danger.

Gregory asks how Elizabeth is doing, and Finn says, good. All things considered, he thinks she’s making progress. Gregory says he’s glad to hear it, when Finn’s phone dings. Finn says he’s sorry, but he has to check on a patient, and Gregory tells him, go save lives. He asks if Finn is going to be at Chase’s show tonight, and Finn says, of course (🍷). He’s coming with Elizabeth, and they’re bringing Terry. Chase is going to be great, but if he bombs, it’s okay to tease him, right? Gregory says, always the supportive brother, and Finn says, always.

Now dressed, Chase calls to Brook. She comes out with a garbage bag, and he says, what’s all this? She asks if he knows how much hidden sugar is in his food, and he says he knows how much he spent on it. She says, that’s beside the point, and he says, she’s throwing out his oranges? She says, does he want to pepper spray his vocal cords; citrus is too acidic. He assumes she got rid of his peppers, and she says, nothing spicy, come on. He looks in the bag, and says, yogurt? She says, a dairy, and he says, eggs? She tells him, she said no dairy, and he says, eggs aren’t dairy. She says, they’re in the dairy section (yeah, I don’t get it either), and he says, his soy milk? She says, don’t even get her started with soy milk and singers; the phlegm. He says, so this bag basically contains everything in his kitchen, and she says, he’s right. There’s nothing in this house for him to eat. She’s got to stop by Deception, and then she’ll treat him to breakfast. Is he coming or not? She pulls him out the door, and I wonder what he’s going to eat for breakfast, since pretty much everything is out. Dry toast?

Valentin and Anna sit down in the MetroCourt restaurant, and Valentin says, he considered bugging Victor’s room, but he takes extensive precautions and would have found it immediately. If he’s learned anything, it’s that Charlotte would have been put in greater danger. They need to get Victor to lower his guard. They need to get someone he won’t see coming. Nina walks over, and says she didn’t know they’d made it official. Valentin asks if it would kill Nina to act a little jealous, and Nina says, oh yeah, and tells Anna, get your hands off my man. Anna says, no, and Nina says she’s glad she ran into Valentin. She’s been thinking about Charlotte. He says, that’s funny. He just heard from her this morning. He shows Nina his phone, and Nina says, look how grown up she is. He says he can hardly believe it himself, and Nina says she knows Charlotte is busy with her fancy school and her friends, but she misses her. Valentin says he misses her too, and Nina says, tell Charlotte to give her a ring. He says he will, and Anna tells Nina, congratulations on being the new co-owner here. Nina thanks her, and says, it’s an adventure. Valentin says, it suits her. She looks happy. She says, he looks happy too; both of them. Anna thanks her, and she says she needs to go. It was good seeing them. Nina goes to the elevator, and Valentin says, he thinks she’s the answer

Sonny tells Selina, it’s an interesting offer, but with everything going on, he doesn’t think he can make that game. She says, the seat is always available to him, when Chase walks in. She says, Mr. Chase. She’s looking forward to hearing him sing tonight. She leaves, and Sonny says he heard about Chase’s gig; congratulations. Chase thanks him, and asks if Nina’s around. He was hoping to thank her. Sonny says, for what? and Chase says, for putting in a word with Curtis about getting him an audition at The Savoy.

By she, Anna hopes Valentin is referring to Lucy and not Nina. Valentin says, Lucy’s already got an assignment. Nina’s the one. She can help them get to Victor.

Alexis asks how things went with Ava. Did Nikolas figure out what to do for her? Nikolas flashes back to Ava reading his confession letter, and says he took Alexis’s advice. He gave Ava total and complete power over him. She says, that wasn’t her advice. How did take a risk and show you care turn into, I’m turning all my power over to you? He says, it was the right thing. It was the only thing he could do. She says, never mind. She doesn’t need to know. She hopes it works. He says, there’s only one way to find out, and they get up. Alexis tells him, good luck. He’s going to need it. He says, it never hurts with Ava, and they hug. Alexis sees Victor, and says, oh look, her cue, and jets. Victor comes over to Nikolas, and Nikolas asks, what brings him by? Victor says, Ava of course (🍷). She is family. He’s here to support the both of them, and Nikolas’s son. Nikolas says, his son’s not here, and Victor says he knows; he just came from visiting Spencer. Nikolas asks, how is he? and Victor says, a visit from his father would do him a world of good. Nikolas says, Spencer made it very clear he doesn’t want to see him, but Victor says, it’s time Nikolas stepped up as a father. His son needs him more than ever.

Elizabeth looks at folders as she walks through the hospital, and flashes back to Reiko again. She nearly walks into Gregory, and says, sorry. She was… He says, somewhere else? and she says, yeah. Between work and everything else, she has a lot going on in her mind. He says he understands. He knows she’s been going through a rough time lately. Finn hasn’t told him any details or betrayed Elizabeth’s confidence, but he wants her to know Finn cares about her a great deal. She says she cares about Finn too, and he starts to leave, but she stops him, and says she needs his help.

Nina says she’s here to spring Ava, and Ava says, thank God. She needs a long hot bath and a big strong drink. Nina says, both of which Ava can get at her place. Come on. Nina knows Ava can go wherever she wants to from here, and Ava believes she can co-exist with Nikolas at Windymere, but she’s worried it’s more challenging than Ava thinks. Ava says, things are definitely still less than ideal, but she hates the idea of being thrown out of her own house. She didn’t do anything wrong; she didn’t screw up. Nina says, that is right, and she’d be more than happy to put Ava up at her place for however long she needs. Nikolas and Victor are at the door, and Nikolas says, that won’t be necessary. He and Ava are going home together.

Spencer puts some books away in the library, and the guard walks out. An inmate comes in, rolls up his sleeves, and looks through a book on the table. As Spencer walks by, he slaps the book Spencer is holding out of his hands. Spencer says, what the hell? and the inmates says, it was long overdue.

Spencer tells Sonny, remember, at the pool, Nina said she was going to talk to Curtis about booking him at The Savoy? Then the two of them left, Chase thought to go talk to Curtis. Sonny says, they went to The Savoy, but he doesn’t think Nina had a chance to talk to Curtis. Chase says, maybe she spoke with him later? but Sonny says he doesn’t think so. He thinks Nina would have told him if she’d asked Curtis to book him. Chase says, if Nina didn’t talk to Curtis, how did his gig get arranged? Sonny flashes back to talking to Selina about Chase, and Selina smiles at him as she gets into the elevator.

Elizabeth says she was hoping Gregory could answer a question, and he says, absolutely; he’d be happy to. She says, how well did he know Finn’s wife Reiko?

Finn sees Alexis, and says he was looking for her. He has news about Diane.

Anna says she has no intention of including another civilian in this, but Valentin says he’s not going to put Nina in harm’s way. But she can help them without being put at risk. She asks what he’s thinking, and he says, to save Charlotte, they need access. Nina could be the key.

Nikolas says he’s made arrangements for every comfort and amenity to await Ava at Windymere. Shall we? Nina folds her arms, and stands next to Ava, and Ava says she’s not going with him. He says, Windymere is her home, and she shouldn’t be driven away because of something he did. She says she has no intention of giving up her claim to Windymere, but she’s not ready to live under the same roof as him… yet. He says he thought after everything they’d discussed… and she says, they’re not there yet. An orderly comes with a wheelchair, and Ava says, perfect timing. She’s ready to go home. Nikolas tells her, he just said… and she says, her old home. Her first home in Port Charles, where she felt safe before she got mixed up with him. If Nina’s offer still stands. Nina says, it certainly does, and Ava says, then let’s go. Nina struts out next to Ava, and Victor puts his hand on Nikolas’s shoulder.

The inmate says, pick it up, but Spencer says he’ll get it later. The inmate repeats, pick it up, and Spencer says, dude dropped it. Pick it up himself. The inmate whacks Spencer in the head with a book, and Spencer falls to the floor.

On Monday, Trina asks why Josslyn is so interested in Dex; Elizabeth tells Finn, the connection never really goes away; and Robert wishes he’d find this guy before he does it again.

📋 Interim Manager…

When someone uses the phrase scene partner, you know they went to acting school.

👻 Knew It…

Like any of us thought she was really dead.

🕺 Terry’s New Squeeze…

Who knew?

📽 New Perspective…

I love stuff like this.

https://ew.com/books/black-hollywood-reimagining-iconic-movie-moments-book-preview/

🍳 Preview Of Hell…

A new season of cooking and yelling.

https://ew.com/tv/gordon-ramsay-hells-kitchen-season-21-preview/

🗽 Start Spreading the News…

Premiering October 19th. The cast looks great. Zachary Quinto is one of the most underrated actors ever.

⚰️ While We’re At It…

Premiering October 2nd.

https://collider.com/the-walking-dead-season-11-part-3-trailer-norman-reedus-jeffrey-dean-morgan/

🦸🏻‍♂️ Leaving You Laughing…

These two are the best, and I love Deadpool.

https://ew.com/movies/ryan-reynolds-hugh-jackman-explain-how-wolverine-alive-in-deadpool-3-timeline-concerns/

🧙🏽‍♂️ Quotes of the Week

The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself. – C. JoyBell C.

The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.Walt Disney Company (Did you expect someone like Gandhi, the way I did?)

The healthy being craves an occasional wildness, a jolt from normality, a sharpening of the edge of appetite, his own little festival of Saturnalia, a brief excursion from his way of life. – Robert MacIver

The final test of a gentleman is his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him. – William Lyon Phelps

Love is never wasted, for its value does not rest upon reciprocity. – C. S. Lewis

Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work. – Gustave Flaubert

In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself. – Jiddu Krishnamurti

The healthy man does not torture others – generally it is the tortured who turn into torturers. – Carl Jung

Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul. – Mark Twain

🌫 Sensing Kenneth’s Frequency…

Meet me for a condensed recap of Dead people Walking on Sunday, really Monday morning, or two days from now if you’re counting. Until then, stay safe, stay willing to look at things from a different perspective, and stay remembering only you can decide what you’re willing to accept.

September 29, 2022 – Josslyn Tells Sonny That It Wasn’t Dex, Craig Kicks Leva Out Of His Gala & Paradise

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia tells Jordan, they’re getting down to the nitty gritty. If that’s the case, then Jordan owes her an answer. If she doesn’t tell Curtis about Jordan’s theory that he’s Trina’s biological father, is Jordan going to tell him herself? Jordan says, believe it or not, she doesn’t want to blow up Portia’s relationship with Curtis. She and Portia may never become the best of friends, but she wants Curtis to be happy. Portia says, so does she, and Jordan says, then Portia can see she’s right. It’s up to Portia to tell Curtis herself.

Marshall and Epiphany come out of the elevator laughing, and see Curtis. Curtis asks if Marshall is here for a check-up, and Epiphany says, her break is over. She’ll see him later. She leaves, and Marshall says he’s not here to get checked out; he’s here to help. Thanks to Epiphany, he’s been asked to provide some music therapy to the GH patients. Curtis says, that’s a good idea. Maybe Marshall can start right here in this room with a patient who’s lucky to be alive.

Ava tells Trina, she knows this is upsetting. Let her explain. Trina says, no need to explain. Working side by side with Ava kept Trina going during her trial. It gave her something to focus on other than her fear of being found guilty and sentenced to prison. She intends on working at that gallery until Ava is back on her feet. Ava takes Trina’s hand, and says, listen to her. Whoever did this to her, whoever put her in the hospital, is still out there. As long as she’s a potential target, she’s got to close the gallery. It’s just not just not safe there right now; not for her and not for Trina.

Cody tells Maxie, he never said he wanted Leopold Taub to be his biological father, and she says, from what she understands, Leopold Taub was a misogynist tyrant. Mac, who raised her as if she was his own daughter, is the absolute best. So she thinks, if Mac was his dad, it would be a huge step up for him. Cody says he’s always lived life on his own terms. No strings; no expectations. So let’s just say the last thing he needs is a cop for a dad. She asks, what’s Mac’s job have to do with it? and Austin says he thinks it has to do with everything.

Sam says, so Spinelli is behind Society Set-Ups? and he says he’s doomed. He’s destined to rot in a federally funded supermax. She tells him, calm down. Everyone knows he’s prone to exaggerations. So he used his cyber skills to create a matchmaking service. There’s nothing illegal about that. He says, except when there is. His one and only child is going to be seeing daddy on visitation days. And trust him when he says orange is not the new black. She tells him, stop, please. Tell her everything, and start from the beginning. He says, before or after he violated the computer fraud and abuse act?

Sonny says, he asked Michael a question. What does he care what happens to Dex? Michael says, he was on the scene either before or after all three attacks, and Sonny says, and the point is? Michael says, they both know what Sonny does to someone he suspects is targeting his friends and family.

Carver says, as Dex can see by his tools, he has options. Dex can answer his questions, and they can proceed the easy way, or Dex can play tough guy and keep evading, and they can do it the hard way. It makes no difference to him. He holds one of the knives, and says, sooner or later, Dex will start talking. Dex looks at the knife.

Austin says, to be clear, he’s not taking any sides here, but he knows what it’s like to come from a family you have to look up to… or look down, one of the two. Cody says, see? He’s not the only one leery about family. Maxie says she assumes Austin is talking about the Quartermaines. She knows they treated him unfairly, but isn’t he still guided by the memory of his father? Austin says, sure, and other things, and she says, they’re going to circle back to the other things later. Her point is, if Cody gives Mac a chance, he won’t regret it.

At the hospital, Felicia tells Mac, she takes it there are no updates on Diane Miller, and he says, she’s still in surgery. She says, he’s been here for hours, come home with her, but he says he can’t do that. She takes his hand, and says, okay. How can she help him? He says, if she really wants to help, tell him what happened after he got the call about the attack on Diane, and left her at the MetroCourt with Cody Bell. She says she has a better idea. Come on.

Portia asks Jordan, what exactly is she supposed to tell Curtis? That according to Jordan, he may be Trina’s biological father? Curtis asked her that question years ago. Jordan asks what Portia told him, and Portia says, she told him no, he wasn’t. Jordan says, and Portia knows that for a fact? and Portia says, what she knows for a fact is that they wouldn’t be the only ones affected by such a thing. Trina is Marcus’s whole world. Jordan says she realizes that, and Portia says, does she really? Because when things were bleak with Marcus, the thought of Trina is the only thing that kept him going. And Trina adores him. She remembers how bad Trina was grieving when she thought he’d been killed. She will not turn their world upside down because Jordan keeps inserting herself into her life. And Curtis’s life, when he’s made it clear Jordan has a minimal role in his.

Marshall buffs his clarinet, and Curtis says, look at that; good as new. Marshall says, even better. Those punks who tried to steal it from him did him a favor. Leon Purdie. He fixed her up some kind of good; look how she shine. Wait until Curtis hears how she sounds, sweeter than Tupelo Mississippi honey. Curtis asks if they’re still talking about the clarinet, or is Marshall talking about Epiphany? Marshall says he barely gets to see that woman. She’s busy studying for them MCATs. Curtis says, the way Epiphany was smiling at Marshall when they walked in, he doesn’t think she’s ever too busy for him. Marshall says, what about Curtis? He figured by now, he and Portia would have set a wedding date. What’s the hiccup?

Trina tells Ava, her dad taught her to stand up bullies, and her mom has never been afraid to do the right thing, no matter what the cost. Ava says, that’s very commendable, but they’re not talking about a schoolyard bully here. They’re talking about a killer. She could never live with herself if something happened to Trina. Trina says she gets it; there’s a dangerous person out there. But she carries pepper spray with her, always, and never misses any of her classes at PCU. Why is the gallery any different? Ava says she forgot to tell Trina the exciting part. She takes Trina’s hand, and says she helped Trina get a different internship. Trina says, what internship? and Ava says, only the most prestigious one offered by the Port Charles Museum of Fine Art. Trina says, the Murphy-Katz Foundation Fellowship? and Ava says, mm-hmm. Trina says, at The Chuck? She was too late to apply; she couldn’t have gotten it this year. Ava says, well, this letter says differently, and hands Trina an envelope.

Dante goes through a folder, looks at a rendering of the hook, and frowns.

Sonny tells Frank to take a break, and asks if Michael is telling him that he can’t protect his own family right now. Michael says his problem is with how Sonny is protecting his family, and Sonny says, Michael has made it clear how many times he doesn’t want Sonny in his life. Unless he’s rethinking that, then they can talk. Michael shakes his head, and Sonny says he figured. But make no mistake the kind of father he’s going to be taking back. He’s the kind of guy who’s going to make sure his family’s safe, no matter what Michael thinks. He’s going to make mistakes. Michael doesn’t have to agree with everything he does, but he is who he is, and he’s going to do what he’s always done. And that’s make sure Michael, Willow, the kids, and Carly are safe. He’s going to make sure nobody he cares about again is left to bleed. And he’s sorry, but he doesn’t give a damn if that offends Michael’s delicate sensibilities.

Cody says, he and Maxie have clearly led very different lives. In his experience, when someone promises something that’s guaranteed, that just means you’re going to be disappointed, every single time. Austin’s phone dings, and Maxie says, let her guess. The hospital needs him. Austin sees a text: You know what you have to do. He says, something like that. He has to go. He tells Cody, hang in there. He understands, sometimes family can be a pain. He opens the door, and Felicia is there with Mac. She says, they know it’s late, and don’t want to wake up the kids. Is this a bad time? Austin says, he thinks that depends on who you ask, and leaves. Mac says, they just want… He sees Cody, and says, oh, you’re here.

Sam says, now that she knows Spinelli’s not exaggerating, and might be in real trouble, can he please back it up and walk her through it? He says she may understand this better than anyone. He and Ellis just parted ways, and Jason was killed. He’s self-aware enough to know he’s quirky and not everyone’s cup of tea, but losing two of his guiding lights in such a short span, he was lost… and lonely. So those dating websites and apps he mocked when he was with Ellie, he suddenly fell prey to, but no one he met was… She says, quite the right fit? He says, so few people have actually read Stephen Hawking or a Wordsworth poem. A true connection is incredibly rare. She says, she and Dante know how incredibly lucky they are to have found each other, and he says, alas, he hasn’t had the same good luck. So he built a better mousetrap, if you will. He wrote an algorithm that takes a subject’s personal data and transforms it into a unique, completely objective profile, and it matches them with their mathematically perfect fit. She says, she may be lost here, but it sounds like an amazing matchmaking service, and he says his invention may be worthy of a Nobel Prize for love. If only… Sam says, if only what? How is he breaking any laws? He moves closer to her, and says, he realized, in order to find someone’s perfect match, he needed to cast a wider net of possible matches. What good would it be if someone’s perfect match wasn’t a member of Society Set-Ups? In order for this to work, he had to have access to the digital footprint of the lovelorn all over the world. She asks if he’s saying he learned how to hack everyone? He says he’s equally proud and somewhat horrified by his invention that he calls Cupid’s Arrow. The program can penetrate every password, every firewall, so that he can learn every aspect of someone’s life. Not just their favorite color, and yes, their social security number and bank account, but what kind of ice cream they prefer, what teams they root for, who’s online at 3 am; literally every aspect of someone’s life. She says, wow. Spinelli… you’re screwed.

Curtis says, he and Portia hit a few speed bumps on their way to the altar, and Marshall says he hopes Curtis isn’t considering letting that girl go. Curtis says, of course (🍷) not. It’s just that technically, he and Jordan are still married. Marshall asks how that’s possible, and Curtis says, there was a mix-up with the divorce papers; they never got filed. Once it’s worked out… He’s got to go. Good luck with the music therapy. Curtis leaves, and Epiphany asks if everything is okay. Marshall says he doesn’t know. You tell me.

Trina reads, the Port Charlies Museum of Fine Art is pleased to offer you a Murphy-Katz Fellowship for the fall semester at PCU. She doesn’t know how to thank Ava. Ava says, it’s her pleasure; it’s her honor. But it wasn’t originally her idea. Curtis set all of this in motion. Curtis walks in, and Ava says, he’s one Trina should thank.

Dex tells Carver, he didn’t do this; let him go. Please. I’m kind of surprised Dex is so naïve he thinks he can beg this guy for anything. There’s a knock at the door, and Carver rolls his knives back up, and answers. Frank comes in, and says, let him guess. Their guest wants an upgrade. Carver says, more like an early checkout. Frank says, Dex isn’t going anywhere. So what does Carver think? Time for a break? Carver says he could use some fresh air. Really? I want his job. He scared Dex with words for ten seconds, and now he’s going on break. He and Frank leave.

Michael says, Sonny’s not protect anyone by finding a convenient scapegoat. Some unlucky guy he can blame based on flimsy circumstantial evidence. But he feels like a hero, showing the world he’s willing to throw his associates to the wolves. But that doesn’t make him right. Sonny says, it also doesn’t make him wrong, unless Michael knows something he doesn’t. Why does Michael think Dex is innocent?

Mac asks if Felicia knew Cody was here, but she says, no; absolutely not. This is not an ambush. She just thought a visit with Maxie would take his mind off the investigation. Cody says he was just leaving, unless of course (🍷) the Chief of Detectives still considers him a suspect. Mac doesn’t say anything, and Cody says, okay. Felicia asks him to wait, and Cody turns around. Felicia says, Mac asked her what happened after he left the MetroCourt and she was still there with Cody. The truth is, they talked. Mac says he’s listening, and Maxie says, this is Cody’s chance. Man up. Cody says, fine. When he found out Mac was asking questions about him, he assumed it was because Mac was trying to nail him for attacking Ava Jerome, but then, thanks to Mac’s wife – she tells him to call her Felicia – he realized Mac was asking questions because he used to be involved with Dominque Stanton, who was his mother. And Mac wanted to know… Mac says, if Cody is his son.  

Amy asks what Austen is doing at the hospital. She didn’t see his name on the work schedule. He says he’s covering for somebody; he forgets who. He excuses himself and goes over to Mason, who’s sitting on bench. He says, Mason doesn’t get to summon him like this. He doesn’t work for Mason. Mason says, Austin is right. He doesn’t work for him, but they have the same employer. Austin says he quit that, but Mason says, that’s the thing about a  family business; you don’t get to quit. Tonight it’s his turn to do the heavy lifting.

Jordan wonders if Portia has asked herself what happens if she says nothing, and Portia says, things will go on as they have been. Jordan says, that’s wishful thinking. Curtis doesn’t just share a home with Portia; he loves Portia and her daughter. Portia says, which means nothing has to change, and Jordan wonders if Portia’s asked herself what happens if Curtis finds a reason to suspect Trina is his daughter too. Portia doesn’t have to answer Jordan’s questions, but she won’t have that luxury with Curtis. She knows from her own experience how Curtis deals with secrets and lies. Don’t repeat her mistakes. Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but one day this will come back to haunt her. Portia tells Jordan to stay out of her business. She’s going to handle her life her way. Jordan says she can’t predict what will happen if Portia comes clean with Curtis, but she knows for sure what will happen if Curtis finds out on his own, and Portia leaves.

Curtis asks if Ava told Trina about the Fellowship, and Ava says she did; she couldn’t wait. She needed something to lift Trina’s spirits after telling her that she’s closing the gallery. Trina tells Ava that she doesn’t know what to say, except thank you, and Ava says, like she told Trina, it was a team effort. Trina says her mom never told her that Curtis was into art before, and he says he’s more into keeping her safe. She asks what that means, and he says, he and Ava had a conversation about how the gallery lacks proper security. Such is not the case at The Chuck. Trina asks if Ava minds if she and Curtis step outside to talk, Ava says, of course (🍷), and they leave. In the hallway, Curtis asks, what’s up? and Trina says, she appreciates the opportunity, but can’t accept the Fellowship. She hands the letter to him.

Michael says he barely knows Dex, but he’s seen how he acts around Sonny, and Sonny asks, how’s that? Michael says, like a dog who’s been in the shelter for too long, and now he’s eager to please Sonny. So killing Brando makes no sense. Sonny says he doesn’t know. There a few people who he’s done good things for who have turned their back on him. They’ll see how it shakes out. Michael asks what he means, and Sonny says, he wants the guy with the hook, and Michael says, exactly. Not some wannabe who’s willing to deck Michael for talking back to the boss. What if Sonny targeting Dex leaves the killer out there with a free pass? Then someone else from the family Sonny claims to love is next on the list.

Sam says, shut Society Set-Ups down now before it’s too late, and Spinelli says he knows it’s the right thing to do, but his program actually works. She should see some of the testimonials that come across Zelda’s desk… Okay, his desk. Zelda’s just a figurehead; it’s not even her real name. People are grateful, they’re happy, and they’re satisfied, romantically, and in every other way because of him. She asks if the money is that good, and he says, yes, but it’s not just that. He feels like in some small way he’s helping to change the world for the better. She says, why doesn’t he tell that to Britt Westbourne and her string of losers? and he says, that was an earlier version, a beta version. He’s refined the program. She tells him, so he’s saying Britt’s perfect match is Cody?

Mac says, it took him a while to accept the possibility Cody could be his son, but he’s not afraid anymore. It sounds like Cody is; why is that? Cody tells him, who says he’s afraid? and Mac says, he’s been a cop long enough to recognize when somebody is hiding something. Maxie says, come on. Mac can’t seriously think Cody is some serial killer? Mac says, he’s not accusing Cody of having a hook up his sleeve, but he is a card player, right? Cody asks, who told him?… Yeah, if the stakes are high enough he’ll play. Mac asks what he’s playing for now, and Cody says he’s had enough of this. He starts to leave, and Felicia says, Cody could do worse than be a member of this family. As Maxie. Maxie says, they’re all right… She’s kidding; they’re the best. And there’s more of them. Felicia asks what Cody has to lose by finding out.

Austin tells Mason, when this is over, he’s done, understand? Done is done. All his debts will have been repaid. Mason says, it’s cute that Austin thinks it works like that. Amy calls over to Austin, and Mason says, showtime. Austin comes over to a man who’s waiting, and tells Amy, let’s get this gentleman into an exam room. She says she’ll call for an orderly, but Austin says he’ll take the man himself. Can he walk? The man says he thinks he can manage. He asks the man’s name, the man says, Gordon, and Austin leads him away as Mason watches.

Curtis tells Trina, the Murphy-Katz Fellowship is very prestigious, but she says, that’s not the issue. She can’t leave Ava right now; the gallery needs her more than ever. He says, Ava is going to close the gallery until whoever attacked her is caught, so what’s this really about? She sighs, and says, he didn’t ask her first, and he says, that’s fair. He was Trina to do something nice for her while keeping her safe. Ava realizes the guy with the hook is still out there, and it’s not safe for either one of them. She says she understands he meant well, but why didn’t he talk to her first? She’s a sophomore in college. She lives at the dorms. She’s not a kid. He says he understands that, but all he could think about was her working late nights at the gallery with no one to look out for her. Portia comes down the stairs, and Trina says, she looks out for herself. She knows he had good intentions, but he doesn’t get to make decisions about her life. Her dad doesn’t even get to do that anymore, and he’s certainly not her dad. Trina turns to see Portia.

Dante pours through a file, and Jordan asks, how’s it going? He says, good. He was just going over the forensics report, does she know how much blood Ava lost? She says, about one and a half liters? and Dante says, her attacker would have been covered in her blood. She says, that’s her assumption. Is this about a potential suspect? He says, Dex Heller, and she says she thought Dante questioned him. He says, he did, and he doesn’t think Dex is their guy, but there was that sound that Brando said he heard right before he was stabbed. He hands her a paper from Brando’s folder, and she says, some sort of metallic clicking. What about it? He says, Josslyn heard the same thing in the alley behind Charlie’s.

Dex moves the cart toward him with his foot, and kicks the knife roll to the floor. He keeps working at the rope around his wrists (my bad. The rope is black and I thought it was duct tape.) He’s suddenly doused with water, and Carver says, Dex is working too hard. It could be the death of him.

Sonny tells Michael, Dex is his employee. If he’s innocent, he has nothing to worry about. Ray says, Josslyn is here, and Sonny says, let her in. As she walks in, Josslyn says she told Ray he’d let her in. She hugs Michael and says she’s happy he’s here. She tells Sonny that she needs to see Dex.  

Cody says, funny how he might be part of a whole new family. It’s a lot to take in. He missed out on a lot growing up; things he wanted and couldn’t get. As soon as they seemed like they were within reach, they either turned out to be wrong or a complete disappointment. So he doesn’t know if he wants to go down that road again. Maxie says she knows she’s not completely objective here, but he could do a lot worse than being related to Mac. If he is a part of this family. She stands between Felicia and Mac, putting her arms around them, and Felicia says, and she’s completely prejudiced, but he couldn’t do better than being a part of this family. Cody says, the three of them look pretty cozy, but still… Maxie says, but still what? and he says, what difference does knowing make? Maxie says, it makes all the difference in the world.

Ava asks Epiphany, what’s the latest? When is she going to get the hell out of here? Epiphany says, she’s anxious to get home, huh? and Ava says she doesn’t even know where that is. Epiphany tells her, they say home is where the heart is, and Ava says, for now she would settle for a breath of fresh air and a bit of moonlight. Epiphany says she thinks that could be arranged. Would Ava like a little light jazz music going in? Ava says, it sounds heavenly, and Epiphany laughs on her way out the door.

Portia says she doesn’t know what she just walked in on here, and Curtis says, just a difference of opinion. Trina says, Curtis was trying to help her, which she appreciates, but it wasn’t his decision to make. Curtis says he understands why Portia’s daughter feels this way, but he’s not going to apologize for wanting to keep Trina safe. If he overstepped his boundaries, he’s pretty sure that’s what her dad would have done. When he and her mother finally tie the knot, he’s going to be her stepdad. And honey, that comes with responsibilities.

Jordan asks if Dante thinks Dex’s dog tags could have made the sound Josslyn and Brando heard, and he says he thinks it’s a possibility. On the other hand, Joss is pretty positive that when Dex found her and Ava at the Quartermaines, he was wearing a clean white T-shirt. If he was Ava’s attacker, he would have been covered in blood. She says, what if he ditched his clothes? and he says, he thought about that, so he has people recanvassing the Quartermaine property. He’s also got a search warrant to check Dex’s apartment. She says, he doesn’t sound optimistic, and he says, the timing is off. And Joss is pretty positive that Dex didn’t do it. She asks if Josslyn has proof, but Dante says, she has good instincts, and he thinks in this case her instincts could be right.

Sonny tells Josslyn to have a seat, and they sit in a booth. He asks why she wants to see Dex; who is Dex to her? She says he found her and Ava when Ava was stabbed and bleeding at the Quartermaines. She screamed for help, and Dex was the first person to show up. He said they had to get Ava to the hospital, that they didn’t have time to wait for an ambulance, and that’s the difference that saved Ava’s life. She heard he left the PCPD with Sonny. Sonny says, she knows Dex works for him, and she says she also knows Dex was near all three of the attacks, but he’s not the person Sonny is looking for. Sonny asks, what makes her so sure? and she says, when Dex came over to help her with Ava, he was wearing a clean white T-shirt. Of course (🍷) when they got to GH, they were both covered in blood, but if Dex had been the attacker, he would have had blood on him from the start. Sonny says, he could have changed his clothes, but she says she doesn’t think he had time. She found Ava moments after she’d been attacked, and Dex showed up a minute later. He didn’t do it. He didn’t do it to Ava, Brando, or Diane.

As he wipes one of his knives off, Carver asks Dex, where were we? Right. Dex was going to answer some of his questions. He walks closer to Dex, and Dex kicks him in the stomach. Carver falls back, slamming against the door.

Epiphany brings Ava out of the elevator, and Ava says, there’s a full moon tonight. Epiphany says she bets it’s shining over Spring Harbor too, but Ava says she doubts it. Nothing ever shines bright over there; not for long anyway. Near the door, Marshall plays his clarinet, and Ava smiles sadly.

Trina guesses she has a lot to think about, and Curtis says, please don’t turn down this opportunity because she’s mad at him, or because he tried to help her. She says, noted, and leaves. Curtis tells Portia, be honest. Did he overstep? She says she doesn’t really know… and he says, she knows he likes Taggert. He’s not trying to take Taggert’s place. He just wants Trina to know she can count on him too, as they start to build their family together. They hug, and Portia flashes back to Jordan saying, she knows from her own experience how Curtis deals with secrets and lies. Don’t repeat her mistakes. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day this will come back to haunt Portia.

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Dante says he wanted to let her know he’s taking off for the night. But he’ll have his cellphone handy if she needs him for. She says, there’s nothing more they can do tonight, except hope Diane wakes up, and tells them something. She’ll see him in the morning. He says, goodnight, and leaves.

Sam asks Spinelli to tell her the truth. If his algorithm is so foolproof, how could it match two obviously mismatched people like Britt and Cody? He says, his program’s not at fault. Forgive him. He knows Cody is an old friend of Dante’s, but Cody coerced him into matching him with Britt. And he’s not sure Cody’s reason are entirely romantic.

Felicia says, there’s only one way to answer the question of whether Mac and Cody are father and son, but they both have to agree on it. Maxie says, it’s time for the DNA test.

As he puts gloves on, Austin asks Gordon, before they start, is there anything he needs to know about Gordon’s medical history? Mason walks in, and says, Austin doesn’t have to worry about doing the doctor motions. He knows what to do. Austin tells Gordon to lie down, and he does. Austin gets a syringe ready, and says, lucky him. He’s not going to feel a thing. I’m hoping they’re vampires or something, but I doubt it.

Sonny says it’s nice of Josslyn to look out for Dex. He’ll let Dex know the next time he sees him. He asks if Ray will drive Josslyn to Carly’s, or her dorm, or wherever she’d like to go, but Michael says he’ll make sure his sister gets home safe. Ray lets them out, and Michael lingers for a moment, looking around, but leaves.

Carver says, Dex surprised him, but it won’t happen again, and Dex says, stay away from me, freak. Carver says, Dex has a somewhat limited range of motion, and he can always call for back up. At times, he really enjoys his work; this is one. There’s a knock at the door, and Carver rolls his knives up again, and opens it. It’s Sonny, and Carver asks, what’s going on? Sonny says, they’re in a holding pattern. He’s doing some fact checking. Stay on call. Carver says, understood, closes the door, and tells Dex, saved by the bell… for now anyway. But don’t worry. He’ll be back to finish what he started. He leaves, and in the restaurant, Sonny ponders.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Chase, everything they’ve been working for is riding on tonight; Ava says, there’s something she and Elizabeth need to settle; and Victor visits Spencer and says, my God, what happened to you?

Southern Charm

It’s Christmastime in Charleston, and Craig is excited. He tells his employees, the tree is permanently on for the season. He tells them about the gala, and says he hopes they don’t get sick of Christmas music too soon. Everyone shops for what to wear to the party, and Olivia calls Leva, who’s setting up her new office. Olivia asks how she’s doing, since she didn’t go on the trip. Leva says, it was like she didn’t have the energy, and she wanted to be home with her kid. She heard bits and pieces from Naomie. Olivia says, the moody tornado named Craig got mean, and Leva says, that’s another reason she didn’t want to come. Thanksgiving hurt her feelings. When Craig goes for Naomie, she’s innately protective, but she doesn’t want to fight. She doesn’t think you should talk to people like that. Olivia asks if she’s going to the Winter Wonderland party. Olivia wants to have a good time, and dip in one piece, but Leva thinks that’s wishful thinking with this group.

Paige and Craig have cheese and wine before the fire, and he shows her mockups for the event. In Craig’s interview, he says he loves Christmas, and he’s dreamt about having a company big enough to have a company Christmas party. Paige asks if he’s doing a seating chart, but he says, no. Almost everyone knows each other, and they’re grown up enough to pick where to sit. Paige says, a seating chart is a way to control the chaos, and avoid random situations like Madison sitting with Olivia. She also wants the people around her to be who she wants. He tells her that he uninvited Naomie, and she says, she feels like if he doesn’t invite Naomie, it will become a bigger thing. She thinks it’s harsh, and makes him look petty. In his interview, he says he wants the gala to be happy and a celebration, and not deal with sh*t from the past. Paige thinks Craig should call and reinvite Naomie. It will be an olive branch, and show they can co-exist, but don’t need to be friends. Craig says, if Naomie wants to come, fine. They don’t need to interact.

Naomie and Madison visit Patricia to try out a chambong. In Patricia’s interview, she says, she’d never heard of it, but a friend gave it to her. You drink it all at once, and she thinks Madison is the perfect person to do it with, but she never gets high on champagne. She’s sure she could do five of them, and it would have no effect. Whitney joins them, and Patricia says she wants to see the girls do one first. They practically inhale the champagne, and Patricia says, it’s just a gulp. Whitney says he can’t look. Of all the indignities he’s suffered, this raises the top spot. They have some caviar, and Whitney dips his cracker into it. Naomie remarks that he treated the caviar like it was salsa, and they do another chambong.  Patricia says, it’s a piece of cake, and Whitney hands them normal flutes of champagne, telling them, have fun, and getting out while he can. Naomie gets a call from Craig, who says he’s been going over final things for the winter gala, and he’d love for her to come. He’s sorry for the way he said those things. He should never elevate or raise his voice to anyone, let alone her. She’s more than welcome to come. She says she feels like they’ve had this conversation before, and it’s going to happen again. She doesn’t want to put herself in that kind of situation anymore. He says, it’s up to her, but he wanted to clear the air. She thanks him for calling, and he says he’ll see her if she comes. Patricia sits on the floor and says, don’t mind her. Madison asks what Naomie is going to do, but Naomie says she’s still not 100% sure she should go. Patricia says she would. Naomie’s friends are going to be there, and um… She thinks the champagne hit her and Madison says, they’re litty titty, about as lit as the Christmas tree. Patricia says she prefers sh*t faced, and Madison says, that works too.

Craig and Paige check out the venue, and agree it looks good, like an upscale prom. Craig thanks his business partner Amanda for doing this, and she shows them around. She asks where he wants everyone, but he says, it’s not like an event where no one knows anyone. They’re all friends. Amanda says, as long as he doesn’t think it will create drama, but Craig thinks having a seating chart will. She says, whatever keeps it calm, peaceful, and lovely, and Craig says, with this group, who knows? Little Craig! Taylor shows her dress to Shep, and they look at his rental tux. They go out on the patio, and Shep says he wants to talk. He’s genuinely happy, and thinks she is too. There are things he needs to work on. They’ve talked about it, and he wants her to be there with him. She says she will, and he says, her love and encouragement mean the world to him. He feel positive about her in his life. He likes not knowing what the future holds, but likes being with her not knowing. Everything that’s happened so far has gotten them here. It’s like a dream, and she’s the star of his dream. He wants to go places and have adventures, and what better way than with her? It sounds crazy, but he’s been thinking about it. Um… She waits, and he says he loves them together. He wants her to quit her job. He’ll take $30K of his money, put it in a joint account, and they’ll travel the world go until they run out, and then they’ll come home. Disappointment hangs heavy on all of us, except clueless Shep. In Shep’s interview, he says, traveling is the ultimate barometer. Bill Murray gave a speech here, and said, if you love someone, travel to places that are hard to get to and hard to get back from. If you still love each other when you get back to the airport, ask her to marry you. He tells her that it’s an investment in their future, but she says, that’s a lot. She doesn’t want to look like she’s traveling on his dime; she likes her independence. He says he knows it’s a leap of faith, but she’s into faith, and he thinks it will benefit their relationship. In Taylor’s interview, she says she thinks it’s every girl’s dream, but if Shep wants her to uproot her life and put all her eggs in one basket, she’ll have nothing to lean on except him. She doesn’t know how she feels about that. She tells him, it’s a lot to unpack, and she thinks she should think about it. What a d-bag Shep is.

Everyone gets ready for the party. Austen has underwear that looks like a tux, and he says, it makes his d*ck look huge. Craig says, Paige looks like a hot Cindy Lou Who. They go to the venue, and Paige tells him that he should be proud of himself. In Craig’s interview, he says his mind is still processing a lot. There are a lot of images going through his mind right now. We flash back to his pillow fails, and Naomie telling him that it’s stupid. He says, a lot of people that doubted Sewing Down South are going to be in this room tonight. It’s a little bit fun to be like, ha-ha. Who didn’t believe in him? Look at this. Venita arrives with friend Tati, and everyone admires each other’s outfits, especially Marcie, who looks fabulous two weeks after giving birth. Olivia calls Austen from the limo, and he says, this is how he always dreamed it would be; her picking him up for a big party. She tells him, his chariot awaits. In Austen’s interview, he says, he likes Olivia a lot, and thinks they can be something. He says, tell Robin she ain’t coming home tonight. At the party, Madison brings best friend Erika, and Marcie shows off pictures of Baby Edie. She says, Edie is a sweet baby, but people are saying, just wait. Craig tells Whitney that he invited Whitney’s girl. Whitney says, that’s magnanimous of him. Shep says he heard Patricia got drunk with the girls, and Patricia says she got sh*t faced. Shep says, welcome to our world. Craig says he’s taking it all in, and Austen says, a lot of people are eating crow at this moment. Naomie comes in with the other Madison, and in his interview, Craig says he has to laugh. Naomie thought him leaving law to sew was the biggest clown idea ever. Now she’s walking into his company Christmas party. I hate to tell him, but having a company party doesn’t mean you’ve made it. He thanks her for coming, and apologizes for the disinvite. He tells her, no one is on the blacklist, and in Naomie’s interview, she says, it feels awkward, but she came on the principle that she’s not allowing Craig to force her out of a friend group they’re both in.

Craig mingles, and everyone is astounded at how Marcie has bounced back after having the baby. Naomie goes to the bar, and Venita follows her. She says she’s happy Naomie came, and Naomie says, it was dodgy there for a second. Venita asks how they are, and Naomie says, they’re good. She drifts away, and Venita tells Tati that she thinks Naomie is avoiding her. Tati says, 100%, and thinks Venita needs to pull her, as uncomfortable as it is. Kathryn arrives with friend Jake, who she calls her new best man. I have no idea what that means, but I don’t think it means boyfriend. Craig tells Leva his ideas are impulsive, but he knows they’re going to work, and she says, ideas are the easy part. Marcie talks babies with Kathryn, then asks Taylor if she’s going to travel with Shep. Taylor says she has a house with a mortgage she needs to pay, and Marcie suggests she rent it out. Taylor says, it’s a lot, but he gears are turning. Shep tells the guys that he wants to show Taylor the world until the money runs out; then they’ll come home. Craig asks, then what’s next? When the money is gone, Taylor doesn’t have a job, and has no independence. Shep thinks it’s a great step. Venita asks Naomie for a second, and says she cares about Naomie, so cut the sh*t. If Naomie thinks she’s being a pet, tell her. Naomie says, another time, but Venita (as usual) keeps going, saying, they’ve known each other a long time. Naomie says, but it’s not a deep friendship. She was in an uncomfortable position at dinner, and Venita did nothing because she only cares about herself and how she feels. She’s being honest. Venita says, don’t shut her down. She’s coming to Naomie as a friend, and Naomie is walking away. Naomie says, right now, they’re not friends, and in Naomie’s interview, she says she was feeling hurt and attacked at the dinner table, and Venita showed her true colors. In Venita’s interview, she says, she and Naomie have history. It’s not going to be an easy one to get over. She hugs Tati.  

Patricia says, they’re just here for cocktails; she has to go. Whitney says he’ll drive her, and then come back. Craig notices seats have been  claimed with purses, and says, maybe they should have done a  seating chart. Um… yeah, since everyone is really confused. Craig shuffles people around to seat Austen with Olivia. He moves some more people, and Naomie says, it’s so annoying. Craig says, she didn’t have to come, and Naomie thanks him for making her feel awkward. He says he can only do so much, and in Naomie’s interview, she says, one would think even if there’s no seating chart, there would be room for people at the table. She feels it’s tit for tat. He’ll invite her to the party, but she can’t sit with them. It feels fishy. In Leva’s interview, she says she’d never have an event with a seating chart. It’s like Craig is deliberately making his ex-girlfriend feel stupid. She, the other Madison, and Naomie sit at their own table, and Leva says she wonders why she’s friends with some people; they’re f***ing toxic. Craig tells Shep, they’re throwing a hissy fit, and Shep says, it’s the seating. In Craig’s interview, he says, this is his party and he’ll have fun if he wants to. They’re trying to keep him from having fun. He tells Shep, it’s fine; they can sit by themselves. The food is served, and Craig says, sh*t happens. Madison says, Leva (who is wearing a midriff-baring outfit) didn’t get the memo. It’s Winter Wonderland not slutty ho. WTF? She and Kathryn talk smack about Leva, and Olivia says, she doesn’t like the mean girl energy. How about 14-year-old mean girl energy? That wasn’t even a sophisticated insult. Shep asks Taylor to say the blessing, but she passes the ball back to him. He wonders if they should hold hands around the table, and they awkwardly do. He says, God… um… Are you listening? Thank You for all the friends here, and thank You for the beautiful setting, and wonderful drinks and food. Shep asks that they all be happy, and get to the new year, and have an even greater new year after that. Long time, no see, God. Leva says, it’s the dinner from hell.

Craig gets up, and tells the room that he’d like to say a few words to the people from his past, his present, and the people who will be in his future. He thanks the people who helped turn his vision into a brand, and says, Shep said he was an idiot, but stuck with him and pushed him through. Shep says he’s welcome, and Craig thanks them, and says he loves sharing what he’s built with everyone. Everyone applauds, and Olivia says, he didn’t thank the wife. Naomie gets a drink, and sees Whitney. She tells him that she probably should leave; it’s awkward. Taylor and Shep come close to arguing over whether dessert is crème brûlée or flan. Leva tells Amanda that Craig is out of line, and Craig whines that Leva is talking to his business partners, Amanda and Jerry. He yells over that Amanda doesn’t have to talk to her. Leva can leave. She’s acting like a child. It’s his business and she’s making it about her.  

I realize I have the same sparkly reindeer that are in one of the displays. Craig says, Leva threw a hissy fit, as he throws a hissy fit, and she says, he’s so rude. He tells her, if she’s not happy, she can leave. In Leva’s interview, she says, he’s not Elon Musk. Keep it real. People who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into a business, aren’t screaming at a business gala. He looks like an a-hole. She tells him that he went from 0 to 100, and he says, no, you. She says, everyone here has seen him go from 0 to 100, and he says he’s kindly asking her to leave. Why is she at his party? She wasn’t invited. She says she has a business on the same street, and she’s talking to the people who actually run his business, which is not him. She calls him a clown, and he says he’ll have security escort her out. She says she’s leaving. He says he’s sorry it got to this point, sounding like someone’s dad, telling her, go home, go home, and pointing at the door. She asks if he wants her to run, and calls him a loser as she leaves. He says, what an embarrassing way to go out, totally ignoring the fact that he just embarrassed himself all over the place. What was it Naomie said about his self-awareness? Oh yeah, he has none. Paige says, it was rude of Leva. That’s Christmas. Madison says, it was awesome, and Olivia says she’s such a bitch, and gets up. She tells Madison, good talking to you, and when Madison says, you too, Olivia gives her the finger as she leaves. Naomie follows, and they see Leva outside. Naomie asks if Leva needs someone, but Leva says she’s done, and keeps walking. Naomie tells Olivia, they can’t force her to stay.  

Ten minutes later. Whitney sings Silent Night badly into a microphone, and Olivia tells Austen, she loves this band. Shep says he doesn’t understand, and Taylor thinks maybe it’s telling them to get out of the country.  

Three months later. We see Shep and Taylor posting on Instagram about their trip. The text tells us that Shep convinced Taylor to quit her job. But when they returned to Charleston, there was trouble in paradise. We see headlines saying, Shep and Taylor broke up after two years; he refused to commit; it’s assumed he was unfaithful. We read, good thing Shep never deactivated his dating profile, and we see that too. Good luck to whoever gets stuck with him next. Taylor deserved better, and I hope she finds it.

Next time, the Reunion, Craig rips his pants, and he doesn’t wear underwear; Andy says he heard Austen was boring in bed; Madison says, Thomas and Olivia once hooked up, and Olivia asks if she pulled that out of her fake ass; Madison tells Venita, f*** you; Kathryn throws a mini fit; and Taylor says, there were 300 whores, and she’s the whore who stuck around. I see Madison is just as delightful as she was the last Reunion.

🚶🏽‍♀️ Emigrating the Building…

Make a return appearance tomorrow for soap, tea for as many as you’d like, words to take heed of, and something to listen to. Until then, stay safe, stay treating all people with dignity, and stay making a seating chart. It’s a way to control the chaos, and avoid random situations.

September 27, 2022 – Drew Finds Carly In Jacksonville, Soapy Memoir, Visiting, Tuc Update, a Tribute, Buh-Bye, Andy’s Excuse, Piecing It Together, Pets (!) & Need To

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny gives Gladys lavender tea to help her relax. She asks what he knows about tea; he’s a coffee importer. He says, maybe he’ll branch out, and she apologizes, adding, it does smell good. Sasha comes out, and Nina asks if she got any sleep, but Sasha says, every time she closes her eyes, all she can see is Brando in that hospital bed. Nina hugs her.

Curtis goes to the hospital, and Portia hugs him, saying, she’s so glad to see him. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, Diane Miller was brought in with a stab wound tonight. He says, wow. First Ava, then Brando, now Diane. She says, looks that way, and he asks if Diane is okay. She says, they’re operating right now, and that’s all she knows, but it’s got her really on edge. He says, of course (🍷) it does. She says she wanted to tell Trina, but she was with Rory, and Portia didn’t want to tell her then. He says, it’s going to be okay, but she says, how? When? He says he doesn’t know, but thanks to that Invader article, at least they’re all watching their backs. She says, speaking of that, Jordan feels some type of way about whoever leaked it to the press, and he asks if Jordan said something to her. Jordan comes out of the elevator, and Portia says, Jordan wasn’t very happy that she defended the source. Jordan says, because she’s trying to capture a violent criminal. And to that end, she needs Portia’s help.

Dante comes into the interrogation room, and sits across from Dex. He says he’s been briefed on the Diane Miller attack. Dex was the first person at the scene? Dex says he got there just before Miss Davis and Mr. Chase. He’s sorry; he won’t be able to tell Dante much. Dante says he doesn’t know about that. He bets Dex has plenty to tell him.

On the phone, Carly tells Olivia, she feels so bad… Because her family was going through hell and couldn’t get in touch with her… She already talked to everybody, and wanted to jump on the first plane home when she heard about Brando… Yeah, she and Sonny agreed it’s probably safer if she stays here… She knows. There’s a knock at her hotel room door, and she tells Olivia that she’ll call her back; someone’s at the door. She opens it, and Drew asks if someone ordered room service, holding up a six-pack. Yes, we could make a lot of jokes here.

Josslyn, Cameron, Trina, and Rory go to the hatchet throwing place, and Trina says, wow. She didn’t even know places like this even existed. Josslyn says, her mom told her about it. She said it’s super fun. Cameron tells Rory that they should start collecting their weapons, or can he even say that to a cop? Rory says he’s off-duty, and they go to make their selection. Josslyn says, finally they get a little double date action with the guys, and Trina says, it’s so cute. Josslyn says she likes Rory. She’s so happy Trina ended up with him. Trina says, as opposed to Spencer? and Josslyn says, Rory’s definitely preferable… isn’t he?

Dex says he wants to speak to a lawyer, and Dante says, that’s his right, and he should. Dante points to his neck, and asks what Dex has here, and Dex takes out his dog tags, asking if they quality as a lethal weapon. Dante says he certainly hopes not, but you tell me. Dex says he doesn’t know what happed to Miss Miller. He doesn’t know how many times, or how he can say that until they actually believe him, and Dante asks, what makes Dex think he doesn’t believe him? Dex says, the way Dante came at him just now, and how he questioned Dex at the hospital. It’s clear Dante’s made up his mind. Dante says, so far, Dex is the only person who could have seen what happened, and Dex says, but he didn’t. When he came in, she was on the ground bleeding. Dante asks what Dex was doing in the garage in the first place. This is his chance to go on the record and clear up any misconceptions. Dex says he was working, and Dante says, doing what? Dex says, Dante’s father asked him to lock up behind Diane while he took Sasha home, and Dante says, so Dex was there when she was attacked? Dex says he must have been, and Dante says, the garage is a big open space; how could Dex not have seen it? Dex says he was outside, and Dante says, Dex is good at his job, right? Dex says, ask his dad, and Dante says he will, but right now he’s asking Dex. When Sonny ordered Dex to stick around, how could he not see someone enter the garage? It feels to Dante like Dex is lying about something. What is it?

Trina says, now that Spencer’s not in her life, she’s happier than she’s been in a while, and Josslyn says, with Rory. Trina says she’s ready for a fun, uncomplicated relationship, and Josslyn says, Trina deserves it. Trina says, Josslyn’s turn. She and Cam went through a rough patch, and Josslyn says, yeah, but they’re out of it. Trina asks if Josslyn told Cam about the dumpster thing with Dex, and Josslyn says, just because they’re together doesn’t mean they have to tell each other everything. Didn’t Cam prove that by keeping Spencer’s secret? Cameron and Rory come back, and Cameron asks what they’re talking about. Josslyn and Trina both say, nothing, and Cameron tells Rory, nothing means them, right? Rory says, 100%, and Josslyn says, the egos on these two.

Sasha says she really appreciates Nina and Sonny being here, but please go; get back to their lives. Sonny says he can stay, but Gladys says, he’s done enough. The truth is, nothing’s going to make this better. They just have to live through it as best they can. Sonny says he’ll go, but if she needs anything, call him at any time. That goes for Sasha too. He hugs Sasha, and Nina says she’ll walk Sonny out, but she’ll be back. They can’t get rid of her that easily. In the hallway, Nina says she didn’t want to broach this in front of Sasha, but what are they going to do about the guardianship? He says, Diane’s filing a continuance with the judge right now, but the thing is, Sasha is still under guardianship. She asks what that even means without Brando. Is the court going to appoint some interim person, a stranger? Sonny says, no. They’ll give Sasha some time to grieve before they get into the details. Nina says she just can’t believe on top of everything else, Sasha has to contend with that. Sonny’s phone rings, and it’s Alexis. He says, whoa. Hold on… What?

Jordan says she knows Dr. Finn was on hand when Diane was brought in, but he was called on a patient emergency. She was hoping, since he and Portia worked together on Brando’s case, Portia might be able to provide some helpful information. Portia says, Finn did brief her, so she thinks she can help Portia, and Jordan says, and this conversation will stay at GH this time? Curtis asks what that’s supposed to mean, and Jordan says, he saw the article in The Invader. The leak came from the hospital. She’s just reiterating the need for discretion to keep important details under wraps. He says, that was always her area of expertise, wasn’t it? He’ll leave them to it. Portia tells Jordan, sorry. The divorce paper situation has him a bit… Jordan says, Portia doesn’t have to explain Curtis to her, and suggests they go somewhere private to discuss Diane.

Carly asks what Drew is doing here, and he says, what is he doing here as in, it’s so good to see you? She says, of course (🍷) it’s good to see him, and he says, phew. She says, but she told him that she was fine, and he says, he was already on the plane at that point. She says, to Jacksonville? How did he know she was here? He says, it wasn’t easy, but lucky for her, he’s got skills. She says, he’s got Spinelli on the case, and he says he was going to call Spinelli next, but he called Mia. She says, at the seminar, and he says, Mia told him that Carly’s flight had an emergency landing in Jacksonville, and here he is. She says, he came all the way down here for her? and he says he came all the way down here for her. Is she going to invite him in or what? She tells him, come in

Sonny tells Alexis, thanks for letting him know, and Nina asks if it’s another attack. He says, Diane. He’s got to get to GH. She says, of course (🍷), and he tells her to stay safe. She says, him too, and he leaves.

Drew gives Carly a beer, and says, he’s assuming she spoke to her family, and she says she knows about Brando. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, so is she. She feels so awful for Sasha. First her son, now this? He says, it’s unfathomable, and she says, it is. She’s so sorry she was out of touch. He says, she lost her phone; it happens. She says, during a family emergency? She was going to be on the first flight home when she found out about Brando, but she talked to Sonny, and he thought it was safer for her here. He says, he’s sure she hates that, but Sonny’s right. With a violent psychopath on the loose, it’s better she stays here. She says, but just hearing that, she feels like she’s abandoning her kids, and he says he gets that, but Sonny’s never going to let anything happen to them. She says she knows. He’s got security on Michael, he’s doubled security on Josslyn, and Donna and Avery live with him. Drew says, the penthouse is like a fortress; it’s fine. She says she knows. She still can’t believe he tracked her down just to tell her about Brando. He says, it’s not just that, and she says, okay. What else?

Gladys shows Sasha some photos on her phone, and Sasha says, Brando as a baby. Gladys says, a baby who was so proud to serve his country. That war made a mess of him. She barely recognized him when he got back. They lost so much time. If only she’d known how little time they had. Sasha says, but when they did reconnect, she’d say they made the most of it; woudn’t Gladys? Brando loved her. Gladys says she drove Brando crazy, and Sasha says, he didn’t love her any less. Gladys says she just wishes she had one more chance to tell him how much he meant to her, and Sasha says she wishes that too. Gladys gets to pictures of Brando and Sasha in Niagara Falls, and says, their wedding… which no one was invited to. Sasha says, if she could do it again, she’d celebrate with the whole world, all their friends and family… It’s just hitting her that she’s completely alone now. Without Brando, she has no family left. Gladys takes her hand, and says, listen to her. She and Sasha became family the second Sasha married her son, and that doesn’t change now. She’s got news for Sasha; Sasha’s stuck with her. Sasha says she’s so glad.

Sonny goes to the hospital reception desk, and asks where Diane’s room is, and what condition she’s in. The nurse says she can’t share information with anyone but family, when Curtis comes along, and says, Diane is in surgery. Sonny asks how he knows, and Curtis says he has his sources. Sonny says he’s surprised Curtis is sharing that with him. The last time they saw each other, it was a one-sided friendship.  Curtis says he owes Sonny for what Sonny did for his father. His father told him that Sonny knew he was on antipsychotic meds and kept quiet. Sonny says he knows something about that diagnosis, and Curtis says he appreciates it. Sonny says, the truth be told, he wasn’t just looking out for Marshall. He respects the hell out of Curtis.  

Trina gets a bullseye, and says, it’s so satisfying. Josslyn suggests they make it a friendly competition, and Trina says, here we go. Josslyn says, what? and Trina tells Rory, if he hasn’t picked up on it yet, Josslyn is totally extra in the competitive department. Josslyn says, what is the point of throwing these things unless someone is keeping score? and Rory says he’s game. Josslyn says, see? She told Trina that she liked him. Why don’t they do a tournament? They’ll pair up, and the winners get to compete for the ultimate glory. Trina says, sounds good, and Josslyn says, let the games begin.

Jordan and Portia go to Portia’s office, and Portia looks through some folders. She says, Diane’s wound was consistent with how Ava and Brando’s presented, and Jordan says, so it was likely a hook was used too. Portia says, the only difference was, the doctors noticed when they were operating that the wound was more precisely inflicted. Jordan says, the attacker is improving their technique. Was a tox screen run? Portia says, it confirms the presence of the same venom that was found in Brando’s system. Thankfully, Finn found an anti-venom, and was able to race it over to the surgical team quickly. The last she heard, Diane was stable and the procedure was going well. Jordan says, thank God for that, and Portia says, it seems like something is still weighing heavily on Jordan’s mind. Jordan says, the last time their victim survived, the assailant made sure the next attack would kill. She doubts this will be any different.

Dex says he’s telling Dante the truth. Sonny told him to lock up, not to keep watch, so he didn’t have eyes on the door. Dante asks, then what was he doing? and Dex says, working; answering texts and emails. Dante can check his phone; there are time stamps on everything. Dante says, good. At the Quartermaine picnic, no one can verify Dex’s whereabouts before he found Ava and Josslyn. Dex says he was bringing paperwork for Dante’s father to sign. The front drive was crowded, so he parked on the access road. Dante says, what about Charlie’s? and Dex says, what about it? Dante tells him, Josslyn said she followed him out to the back alley, but when she got there, Dex wasn’t there. Dex says, because he wasn’t there, and Dante says, Dex has been on the scene of all three attacks; that’s a pattern. Dex says, you know what else is a pattern? He gave Diane and Ava first aid, and hopefully, it helped save both their lives. Dante says he doesn’t know if that’s enough for him, and Dex says, time stamps? Dante starts to leave, and Dex asks if he’s being arrested. Does he need to make a call? Dante says he thinks Dex should call his lawyer, and leaves. Dex makes a call, and says he’s in trouble. He needs their help. Sonny asks where he is, and Dex says, the PCPD. Sonny tells Dex, he’s on his way.

Rory gets a bullseye, but Trina’s hatchet bounces off the target. Rory and Cameron chest bump. Cameron’s hatchet bounces off the target, and Josslyn says, sorry. Cameron says he doesn’t even want to talk to her, and she gets just inside the middle circle. Cameron says, you’re joking, and Trina and Josslyn do a happy dance. Rory and Josslyn are the winners.

Dante asks what Sonny is doing at the station, and Sonny says, Dex said he was in some kind of trouble. Does Dante know anything about that? Dante says, he’s being questioned. He thought Dex was calling a lawyer. Sonny asks if he needs one, and Dante says, he was on the scene of Diane’s attack. Sonny says, he asked Dex to lock up, and Dante wonders if Sonny asked Dex to stand over Diane’s body with her blood on his hands.

Jordan says she’s going to arrange for somebody to stand guard over Diane, and Portia says, good idea. Portia leaves, and Jordan calls Rory. She says she’s sorry to bother him on his night off, but she was hoping for a favor. He says, of course (🍷), and she says, there’s been another stabbing. The victim’s Diane Miller. Dex Heller was at the scene. He’s been brought in for questioning. Rory says, wow, okay, and Jordan says she’d like him to come to the hospital and stand guard over Diane. He says, absolutely. She can count on him.

Drew says he knows Carly doesn’t have the best memories of Jacksonville, and he figured something big must be going on to get her to stay here. Before she can protest, he says he knows she can take care of herself. He just wanted to make sure she was okay, and offer his support if needed. She says, that support of his… He says, completely unnecessary? but she says, completely appreciated. The fact that he flew down here, she can’t tell him how much that means to her. He says he thinks she just did. Her phone dings, and she looks at it, saying, oh no. Come on. He says, more bad news? and she says, that something big he was referring to? He was spot-on. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, they’re clearing out the cemetery Virginia is buried in to put in a parkway to the beach. He asks if she’s talking about moving the bodies, and she says, yeah. He says, for beach access? That’s unbelievable. She says, it is. That spot was so perfect for Virginia, and it was so important to Carly that she be buried there… for many reasons. He says he remembers, and she says, oh, right. She decided to fight it. He says, of course (🍷) she did, and she says she hired a lawyer, and filed an injunction. Apparently, she has no legal standing because she’s not a resident. He says, so now what? and she says she doesn’t know what to do. He says she has to keep fighting, but she says, that injunction was her Plan A, B, and C. He says, there’s got to be other options, and she says, like what? He asks if she trusts him, and they sit down with some beers. He says, she may not have legal standing, but there are other ways to enact change. She says she’s listening, and he says, hi, I’m Drew Cane, holding out his hand. He says, and you are? She says her name is Carly, and he says, that’s such a beautiful name. She says, thank you, and he tells her to ask him what he does for a living. She asks, and he says, he owns a media company. The lightbulb comes on, and Carly says, a media company they can use to raise some hell. He says, exactly. He’ll stay one or two days; he’ll help her make some noise; they lay into the Guild and the developers. She says she can’t ask him to do that, and he says, she didn’t. She says he has a family back home who needs him, but he says he’s talking about a couple of days; they’re not even going to miss him. He’d never offer if it wasn’t something he wanted to do. She asks if he’s sure, and he says, 100% positive. She says, okay, and he says, let’s make this town sorry it ever crossed you. They clink beer bottles, and she says, Jacksonville, you have no idea what’s coming.

Nina tells Sasha and Gladys, bit by bit, it will get easier. Every week that passes, the pain will lift a little more. Sasha says, but does she really want that? Then it will be like Brando will truly be gone. Nina says, no. Brando will never be gone. She feels the people she’s lost every single day. Jay (Nathan), her daughter… Sasha feels Liam, doesn’t she? Sasha says she does, and Nina says, it’s no different. Gladys says, there’s a step they can take if Sasha is ready. They can make arrangements for the funeral, and put their boy to rest.

Curtis asks how things went with Jordan, and Portia says, it was tense, but it was fine. Curtis says he sensed a little tension with her as well, and Porta says she saw that. Um… I did too, and it was because Curtis made a snide remark. Are they in the same show I’m watching? Curtis wonders if it will always be this way even if they get their divorce issue dealt with, and she says, he was going to tell her about their talk. He says, Jordan swears she didn’t deliberately sit on those divorce papers, and Portia says, but what else? He tells her, Jordan also started saying some pretty strange things, and Portia says, strange how? He says, she asked if he and Portia were on solid ground, and then she fed him a line that you can never really know someone even if you’re married to them. It felt off, like she thought they were keeping secrets from each other. But he’s sure she’s just projecting, right? Portia says, mm-hmm, and he says, because they’re about as solid as it gets.

Sonny asks if Dante is sure, and Dante says, Alexis and Gregory found Dex in the garage. He says he was helping Diane. He says he didn’t see anyone or know what happened. Sonny says, Dante doesn’t believe him? and Dante says, Dex has been on the scene of all three attacks, and hasn’t seen or heard anything. Sonny asks what Dante’s implying, and an officer says, they have the forensics report Dante wanted. Dante thanks her and says, one second. Dante tells Sonny, he knows Sonny likes this kid, but he has to ask himself, how well does he know Dex Heller?

Rory says, sorry about the forfeit, and Josslyn says, a win is a win. Rory says, there was another attack; Diane Miller was the victim. Trina says, oh my God, and Josslyn asks if she’s okay. Rory says, all he knows is that she’s in surgery. He’s supposed to go to GH and stand guard, and make sure no one gets in to see her who shouldn’t. Trina says, this is so awful, and Rory says, there is some good news; a suspect was brought in. Josslyn asks, who is it? and he says, that still doesn’t mean things are safe. Trina says, they’ve got hatchets. This is the safest place in Port Charles. Rory asks them to promise to go home together, kisses Trina on the cheek, and leaves. Josslyn follows him, and outside, she says she knows there are certain things he can’t tell her, but this feels really personal. She’s been at two of the crime scenes, and Diane’s a close family friend. Who’s the suspect? He says, all he can tell her is, it’s someone who’s been questioned before, and has been spotted at all three crime scenes. Josslyn flashes back to telling Dex the police are looking for him, and Dex saying he already spoke to Dante.

Dex thanks Sonny for coming, and Sonny asks how they’re treating him. Dex says, so far no arrest, but they think he did it. Sonny asks, what happened? Why did they bring Dex in? Dex says, they think he’s behind it because he happened to be in the vicinity of all three attacks, but he’s innocent. Sonny believes him, right?

Gladys gets on the phone, but Nina says she doesn’t think they have to do this right now. Sasha says, Gladys is right. How long can they wait? Brando deserves a proper goodbye. Gladys says, now he’s just sitting in the morgue, and Sasha says she can’t think about it. They can’t leave him there. And this will be good for them too. They’ll have somewhere to go and visit and talk to him, right? Nina does that with her brother. Nina says, and Nelle. On the phone, Gladys says she’s sorry. Are they sure?… She understands. She’ll be in touch. Nina asks, what’s wrong? and Gladys says, nothing that can’t be fixed, she’s sure. Sasha asks, what is it? and Gladys says, the funeral home won’t take Sasha’s card because there’s a hold on it at the bank. Sasha says she has more than enough… Brando was her guardian. She needs him to sign off on purchases. Nina says, there’s no problem. Why don’t they call back and use her card? Sasha says, no. He is her husband… was her husband. She’s the one who should… She cries, and Nina holds her. Sasha says, oh my God. What do I do now?  

Curtis tells Portia that when he was with Jordan, he could just feel it. There was a part of her that she was holding back from him. He doesn’t feel that with Portia. Portia says she’s glad, and he says, the poor thing must think just because she’s keeping secrets, everyone does. Portia looks uncomfortable, and I question Curtis’s P.I. skills. Portia flashes back to Jordan saying she’s glad to hear they’re both on the side of truth. She remembers she and Jordan being trapped in the basement, and saying she needs to tell Trina the truth about her father. Curtis says, what is it? and she says she’s so sorry. She just remembered something she needs to take care of that’s very important. Does he mind if she… He says, of course (🍷) not, and she kisses him. She says she loves him, he says he loves her too, and she leaves.

Trina says she can’t believe it’s Diane, and Josslyn says, this is all just hitting too close to home. Trina asks if they can just get out of here, and Josslyn says she wants to check on Diane, and report back to her family. Cameron says, they’ll go with her, but she says, no, it’s fine, okay? Cameron says he won’t have her go out alone, but she says, thanks to Sonny, she won’t be. She has a guard 24 hours. She’ll have Reed take her, but please, get home safe. She leaves, and Trina and Cameron sit down. Trina asks if they should get out of here too. There’s no point in hanging around here. Cameron says, or they could talk about what’s going on between them. She says she doesn’t know what he means, and he says, she’s been avoiding him since she found out he was covering for Spencer. He gets it. She has every right to be mad. She says, good. Because she is.

Drew says he forgot. He has something he wants to send Carly. Does she have her tablet? She says, yeah, and it’s one of those looking at the camera like Jim from The Office moments. If Carly had her tablet, couldn’t she have sent everyone messages? Hell, she could have called them using it. He says he stopped on the way to the airport to send her a little message. She looks at her tablet (😐) and sees a video of Drew with Donna and Avery. The girls say they miss her, and good luck. Drew tells them, what else? and they say they love her, and can’t want to see her when she gets home. Drew tells them to blow Carly a kiss, and counts to three. He, Donna, and Avery blow a kiss to the camera, and Drew tells Carly, he was hoping she’d like that. She says she loved it, and he says, it’s getting a little bit late. She asks where he’s going, and he tells her, there are some conventions in town, and a lot of the hotels are booked. He’ll probably get a hotel out of town, but he’ll be back in the morning. She says, that’s crazy, but he says, it’s no big deal. She says she’s sure this couch pulls out. Really? I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a hotel room with a pullout couch. She tells him to stay here, and he says, with her? She says, yeah. She’s going to be here too. He says he doesn’t know. He’s not sure it’s the best idea considering… She says, it’s fine. They’re adults. They can have an adult friendly sleepover. It’s the least she can do. Please stay. He says, okay.

Dex asks if Sonny isn’t going to say something, when Jordan comes in. She says she didn’t know Sonny was a lawyer now, and Sonny says, far from it. He came to check on Dex, and found out he has no lawyer present. Dante joins them, and says, Dex chose not to call one. Sonny asks if Dex is arrested, and when they don’t say anything, Sonny says, that’s a no. Let’s go. They leave, and as Dex passes Jordan, she says, don’t leave town. He says, got it, and she closes the door. She asks if Dex gave Dante anything, and Dante tells her, Dex swears he didn’t see or hear anything. She asks how that’s possible, and Dante says he doesn’t know, but they don’t have anything to hold him on. All the evidence they have is circumstantial. She asks if she’s wrong. There’s something about him; something off. Dante says, she’s not wrong, and she tells him, keep digging. He says, will do, and she leaves.

Outside, Dex thanks Sonny, and Sonny says he’ll give Dex a ride. Dex says, he doesn’t have to, but Sonny says, let’s go. They leave, and Dex looks worried. I’d be worried too.

Drew puts blankets and pillows on the couch, and Carly tells him that she’s sorry. She thought it pulled out. He says, it’s fine, and she says she can call downstairs for a cot. He says he thinks she’s forgetting he spent two years in a cell. This is like heaven compared to that. She says, noted, and they say goodnight. Carly goes to bed a few feet away, which seems really awkward, and Drew lies on the couch. Carly turns out the light, and tells Drew, she knows she said it before, but thanks for coming. It really means everything. He says she’s welcome. They’re going to fix the situation with her mother. She knows that, right? She says she does now.

Sasha thanks Nina for being here, and Gladys says she hasn’t always been the kindest or the most welcoming to Nina. Nina says, for legitimate reason, and Gladys says, but what Nina’s done for them, it hits her right here. Gladys touches her heart, and Nina says, well, get used to it, because she’s not going anywhere. The three of them join hands.

Portia storms into Jordan’s office, and slams the door. Jordan asks what she’s doing, and Portia says, Curtis told her about their little divorce papers chat. How dare she?

Cameron says he hated every second of lying to Trina. It’s just that he and Spencer had this history… She says, so do they. It may not be as long, but it’s pretty important. He says, so important, and if this messes it up at all… She says, it won’t. She’s not planning on holding a grudge, but it might take time to get past it. He says, that’s totally fair. He doesn’t want to give an excuse, but he wants to explain himself. He was torn between two people he care so much about, and that’s… She says, hard, and he says, extremely. Has she ever experienced something like that? She flashes back to Josslyn telling her that Cameron assumed she was alone in the dumpster, and she didn’t correct him. She tells Cameron, yeah. She guesses she has.

Josslyn strides into the PCPD, and Dante asks, what’s going on? She asks if Dex is here, and he wonders why she’s asking. She says she heard he was a suspect in all the attacks, and Dante says he can’t comment, but where did she hear that? She says, it doesn’t matter. He really can’t tell her anything at all? Dante says, Dex was brought in. He left with Sonny a while ago.

Dex gets in the car, but Sonny doesn’t look at him. Sonny just continues to look out the window, and Dex says, thanks for the ride home. Sonny finally looks at him, and says, they’re going to make a stop first. Then he stares straight ahead with an odd smile.

Tomorrow, Sam asks what Spinelli isn’t telling her; Maxie tells Austin, she’s glad it’s finally out in the open; Josslyn tells Dante that she’s got some evidence of her own; and Dex asks, how can he make Sonny believe him, as he hangs from the ceiling. It’s not looking good for Dex.

📖 Coming Soon…

She doesn’t just edit The Invader.

👨🏻‍⚕️ From the Ashes…

I forget. Did they ever find Griff’s body? Maybe he ran off with Esme. Or maybe he’s the Hook.

🏐 Playing Catch-Up…

I always liked him in OLTL, and he was fun in Desperate Housewives.

Star Studded…

This sounds pretty cool. October 8th on YouTube, 2 pm EST.

💃🏻 Tango Back To Your Love Bubble…

Of course it was because a judge didn’t like her. It couldn’t possibly be that the other couples were more talented.

💩 Calling Doctor BS…

What does he mean, the cameras were down for the night? How do they film all those other wee hour confabs and meltdowns?

🤿 Diving For Drama…

There seem to be some contradicting viewpoints here, but it all boils down to Kathy being a spoiled brat. Billie Jean must be a hot button issue though. I have a friend who once argued with a music store clerk over the lyrics. My friend thought they couldn’t possibly be that stupid.

🦥 You May Now Squee…

Kind of old news, obviously before Queen Elizabeth’s passing, but who cares? They’re still cute. And now I want a kinkajou.

https://collider.com/celebrity-pets-too-cute/

🪑 Now Leaving the Desk Chair…

Come back tomorrow for Dex’s dilemma and those too-old-for-this Wives. Until then, stay safe, stay learning all the information before weighing in, and stay never being spotted at more than one crime scene. It could leave you hanging.

September 26, 2022 – Dex Saves the Day – Again, Beach Club All Day Off Deck, That’s It, Most Recent House, It’s Back & Bye-Bye

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna and Valentin go to her place, and she suggests he start a fire, and she’ll get them a couple of brandies. He says, good idea, and she says, consider it a down-payment; she owes him a pair of shoes. They were very nice shoes. He says, not to mention comfortable. But no mission is without sacrifice. She says, yeah, they failed, but he says he doesn’t know. She says, Lucy is still in Victor’s clutches, and he says, her own choice, but they got off and on the Haunted Star undetected. They returned the stolen zodiac… She says, borrowed, and he says, borrowed zodiac, and here they are; slightly damp and missing a shoe, but otherwise none the worse for wear. And they’re together. He’d call that a win.

Nikolas tells Ava to take the envelope; it’s hers. She says she doesn’t care if it contains a cashier’s check for a million bucks. It can’t buy back her love and trust, both of which he threw away when he had sex with Esme Prince. He says, it’s not money. He’s not trying to buy back her love. Like he said, this is proof of just how much he loves her. She opens it, and takes out a paper. She asks, what is this? and he tells her, you might say, it’s his life, and as she can see, it’s now in her hands.

At the MetroCourt, the hostess asks if she can get Robert a drink, and he asks for white wine. Mac and Felicia come in, and Mac says, they’re two minutes late, and Robert already has his nose buried in his emails. He told Felicia Robert needed a break. Robert tells him to speak for himself. He’s been looking for Brando’s killer since he got out of bed. He’s thinking, this guy probably sharpened the hook on Ava first. Felicia asks if they can agree both Scorpio brothers need a break. She needs a break. She’s not squeamish, but can they talk about something else besides hooks? Mac says, of course (🍷). He can’t deny her anything, and she flips Robert’s phone over, saying, that’s better. Robert says, now that she’s got her way, what are they going to talk about? She says she can think of one topic for sure, and they look at Cody who’s sitting at the bar.

Cody orders a bottle of beer, and the bartender says, foreign or domestic? He says, always domestic. And also, could he make sure to have a bottle of champagne chilling for when his date arrives? She’s a bit more upscale than him. He looks over at Mac’s table, and says, oh great, him? Is Mac stalking him now? He tells the bartender, on second thought, hold the beer and the bubbly.

At the hospital, Britt tells Terry that she’s officially off the clock. Wish her luck. Terry says, from the looks of things, Britt’s luck is already improving, and Britt says, she’s going on another date with Cody. The last time they saw each other was at the Quartermaine picnic, and they all know how that ended. Terry says, tonight is a new night. Have a good time. Britt thanks her, and they see a vase of roses on the desk. Terry asks when those were delivered, and Britt says, more important, who are they for? She reads the card, and says, lovely Terry, til we meet again. When did Terry get a secret admirer? Terry snatches the card, and says, it’s not a secret. His name’s Yuri, and she met him at the Quartermaine barbecue, which just goes to show the night wasn’t a complete disaster. Finn runs up, and says he needs her. Britt says, it’s too late; she’s off the clock. Finn says, not her. He needs to talk to Terry. It’s important.

Alexis tells Gregory, if Brando was specifically targeted, they need to figure out why. Was it someone he worked with? Was he in a dispute with someone? Anything to give them a clue as to who Brando’s killer is. He asks if they’re following clues now, and she says, if it’s any kind of inconvenience for him, she’s perfectly capable of following up on her own. He says, and cut him out of what might be an important article? Not a chance. When do they start? She says, now, and gets up.

At the garage, there’s a bloody handprint on the desk. On the floor, Diane lies unconscious in a pool of blood.  

Anna tells Valentin, it’s good get out of those damp clothes. Sorry she didn’t have a robe for him. Does he want a blanket? She hands him a drink, and he says, it’s not necessary. She says she ran out of brandy, so scotch. Is that okay? He takes a sip, and says, always, especially when it’s this good. They clink glasses, and she asks, how is he? He says he thinks he’s dreaming because she’s even more beautiful by the firelight, and she thanks him, but says, that’s not what she was asking. In the space of nearly two years, he was raised to believe a lie, that Helena was his mother and Victor was his father, and now Charlotte, the one person he loves without reservation has been taken from him as leverage. He wants to maintain everything is fine and he’s handling it. She’s been where he is, or close enough. Keeping a cool façade when her life was literally blowing up in flames. She wanted to scream and cry, but she was to afraid, because if she started, she didn’t think she would know how to stop. And then if she was broken, truly broken, what would happen to her child? Or she could just be projecting all that. He says, sometimes he thinks his fear for his daughter and his rage for Victor Cassadine is the only thing that’s keeping him sane.

Mac asks if Cody is following them now, and Felicia says, he’s probably wondering the same thing about them. Robert says he doesn’t have the slightest idea what they’re talking about. Who’s the dude at the bar? Mac says, he’s new in town. As a kid, he went to camp with Dante. He works at the Quartermaine stables now. Felicia says, come on. Robert’s going to find out sooner or later. Robert asks what he’s going to find out, and she says, his name is Cody Bell. Robert says, his name was on the list of 50 people still at the Quartermaines’ at the time Ava was attacked, and Mac says, that’s not all he is. Cody takes out his phone.

Britt says, Finn seems more serious than usual. Did he identify the venom that killed Brando Corbin? Terry says, Britt is off the clock, and has a date waiting for her, and Finn tells her not to let them keep her. Britt’s phone rings, and she tells Cody that she was just on her way to meet him. He says, good thing he caught her. He thought maybe they could try something different. Maybe they could meet up at the PC Lanes and go bowling. She says, excuse me? and he says, drink a couple beers, roll a few frames. What’s her size? He’ll rent her a pair of bowling shoes. She says she’s in a dress and heels; she’s not going bowling. They either stick to the plan and meet at the MetroCourt, or she’s going home – alone. He says, the MetroCourt it is. He’ll see her soon. Terry says, change in plans? but Britt says, no. Bye. She leaves, and Terry asks if Britt is right. Did Finn want to talk to her about the toxicology report? He says he pinpointed the venom, and he’s waiting on a supply to treat the venom, so they have it on hand, just in case. She says, if it’s all settled, then why did he want to… It’s about Elizabeth, isn’t it?

Outside the garage, Gregory asks why the door is open, and Alexis says, Brando’s assistant is probably still working. He says, with all the crime that’s been going on around here, he doesn’t have a good feeling about this, but she says, it’s just a garage. Let’s go inside it. They walk in, and Alexis says, oh my God. Gregory says, what the hell? and we see Dex kneeling next to Diane.

Valentin tells Anna, Charlotte is in this world because of him. He knows every parent can say that, but this was different. Helena made an embryo, but it was his call to go with a gestation host. He chose the surrogate. He’s solely responsible for her being alive. It might have been the most selfish thing he’s ever done. He knew the laws he’d broken, the crimes he committed, the people he’d wronged. He made so many enemies. He can hide her all he wants, but she’s always going to have a target on her. She asks if he had to do it over, does he think he’d make a different choice? and he says, of course (🍷) not, and she says she feels the same about Robin. Apart from the fact she’s spectacular, Anna can’t imagine a world without her. Until she became a mother, she lived her life for herself, and as he knows, that led to a series of terrible decisions. She basically sold her soul to the highest bidder. Robin changed all that; Robin changed her entire perspective. She wanted to be a better person, for Robin, the way he wants to be a better person for Charlotte. He says, the only difference is, she succeeded. His case is still very much in doubt.

Nikolas tells Ava, go on. Read it. She reads, I, Nikolas Cassadine, being of sound mind and body – that’s debatable – do hereby acknowledge and confess that I, and I alone, am responsible for the disappearance of Esme Prince. I know this because I killed her.

Robert says, the way Mac is looking at Cody, you’d think he had something on him, but Mac tells him, forget about it. He questioned Cody about the Quartermaine picnic. He has an alibi. Robert asks, then why so interested? when Britt comes in. Felicia asks if Britt wasn’t with Cody on the night of the attack, and Robert asks, since when does Britt Westbourne qualify as a legitimate alibi? Mac has already had a crack at him. Maybe Robert should go over and rattle his tree.

Britt says she’s definitely ready for that champagne cocktail, and Cody asks if she’s sure. Maybe they should relocate to that cool, new burger joint off the highway. She says, first it was bowling, now it’s a burger joint. If he doesn’t want to go on a date with her just say so. He says, it’s not her; it’s them. He nods toward Mac’s table, and she says, the Scorpio brothers? He says, the Chief of Detectives has a brother? and she says, law enforcement runs in the family. Robert’s the DA.

Mac’s cell phone dings, and he tell Robert to wait. There’s been another attack; the details are minimal. Robert says, anything to do with a hook? but Mac says, no. Robert says, then they don’t know if it’s tied to Brando or Ava. It could be totally unrelated. Mac says, it happened in Brando Corbin’s garage, and Robert says, Sonny’s cousin was the second victim. Mac says, they could be looking at victim number three. He needs to take Felicia home, then get to the scene. Felicia tells him to go; she’ll take a Ride Share. Robert tells Mac, then he’s going to the hospital. He wants to be there when the victim gets there.

Finn tells Terry that he’s been worried about Elizabeth, but she’s finally wanting to understand the root cause of all the things she’s been experiencing; the memory loss, the blackouts, all of it. Terry thanks him for telling her, and says, it’s a relief to hear. Ever since Biz found them talking about her, it’s like a wall went up between her and her best friend. He says he knows, but with Doc’s help, she’s finally remembering things from her past she’s been repressing for years. Terry says, about her family? and he says he thinks so. She says she knows better than to push for more. She doesn’t want him to betray Elizabeth’s confidence. She’s just really glad if Biz goes looking into her past, she won’t be going alone.

Gregory tells Dex, whoever he is, step back, but Dex says he needs to do this. He swears he came in and found her like this. He needs to stop the bleeding. Gregory tells him to step back, and put his hands where Gregory can see them, and tells Alexis to call 9-1-1. Dex continues to work on Diane, and says, he’s already called 9-1-1; the paramedics are on the way. Alexis asks who he is, and he says he works for Sonny Corinthos. She’s his lawyer. Are they going to help him or not? Please. Gregory goes over to Diane, and says he can barely feel a pulse. Dex says, they need to stop the bleeding, and Alexis makes another call.

Valentin asks if Anna believes the ends justify the means, and she says she’s not supposed to. He says, but she does, doesn’t she? and she says, yeah, on occasion. He says he thinks it’s his guiding principle. The desired outcome is worth whatever he has to do to get it. He wants to be a better man for Charlotte, but what he wants more than anything is to keep her safe. And if that means he has to murder his own father, so be it. She asks if this is a disclaimer, because she knows who she’s dealing with; she has no illusions about him. He says he enjoyed their evening on the Haunted Star, but he could make the argument that it was a missed opportunity. He had Victor off-guard; he could have cut Victor’s throat. She asks why he didn’t, and he says, for one, there would be a fail-safe in place. Victor lives; Charlotte lives. If Victor dies… She says, yeah. He couldn’t take that chance, and he says, there was another reason he couldn’t kill his father tonight – her.

Ava says, so Nikolas wrote a letter claiming he killed Esme, something they both know isn’t true. He says, the truth is, Esme accidently fell off the parapet and drowned in the water. That accident happened after Ava found out he slept with Esme, and no jury will believe that was an accident. He made that confession to protect her. She asks if he really thinks this is going to work. Does he really think this melodramatic gesture made at the 11th hour is going to change how she feels about him? This so-called confession is just a reminder that he did indeed have sex with his son’s girlfriend. And should it ever be made public, the whole world would know about that. If he expects her to see it as something heroic, he’s just delusional. He says he can do a lot of things, but he doesn’t have a time machine. He can’t undo his errors in judgement. She asks if that’s a polite euphemism for adultery, and he says, the only thing he can do is make sure she doesn’t suffer the consequences. She says, look at her. She’s suffering every day; she suffers all the time. She’s not talking about the wound from the hook. She’s talking about the pain she feels over how he hurt her; the betrayal, the loss of self-esteem. The sheer humiliation that she ever bought into his promises of love and fidelity. Those wounds are never going to heal. He says, if nothing else, he can protect her from what Esme can do to her, even from beyond the grave. His confession might not mean anything to her today, but keep it. Put it in a safe deposit box, and consider his life on deposit as well. And if the day ever comes she needs to withdraw it… She says she’ll keep it under lock and key, but she’s going to need more than a piece of paper. She’s going to need much more.

Britt says, Cody saw Mac and Robert rush out of here. Does he feel better now that their gone? He says, not really, and she asks, why not? Why does he break out in hives at the mere mention of the Scorpio name? He tells her, let’s just say, he and law enforcement don’t make a good match. She says, let her guess; he’s against it. He says, no. They just tend to be against him and people like him who don’t always play by the rules. It’s something he and Britt have in common. She says she’s reformed, and he says, is she? She says, she made a deal, got a clean slate, and she’s sticking to it. Felicia approaches the bar, and asks the bartender for a glass of water. While he’s getting it, she says, another date night. She’s glad the Quartermaine picnic didn’t them off. Cody says, her husband isn’t going to scare him off either. He’s tired of Mac looking at him like he’s hiding some hook up his sleeve. Now he has to deal with Mac’s brother, who’s the DA? Is this is the locals idea of an investigation; there’s a killer running around, so let’s just blame the newest guy in town? Felicia says, Mac is just doing his job. If Cody has nothing to hide, he has absolutely nothing to worry about. Britt suggests she and Cody take a table, and Cody asks Felicia why it feels like her husband is investigating him for personal reasons. She asks what makes him say that? and he says, you tell me. Is it just because he knew Cody’s mom?

Diane is carried out of the garage on a stretcher, and Mac runs in. He asks Alexis to catch him up, and she says, Diane. He says, Diane Miller? and Gregory says, she’s hanging on, but just barely. Mac sees Dex, and says, him? Again? Gregory says, he was the first one on the scene. He found Diane and called 9-1-1. If it wasn’t for him, she’d be dead now. Mac asks what Dex was doing here in the first place, and Alexis says she needs to go to the hospital and be with her friend. Gregory asks Mac if it’s all right for them to leave. They’ll answer any questions he might have. But just for the record, what he saw Dex doing saved Diane’s life. Mac says, of course (🍷). Go ahead, but they’re going to want to question them. Alexis thanks Dex. She says she knows he works for Sonny. Mac is a good man. Listen to him and tell him the truth. She and Gregory leave, and Mac says, Alexis just gave Dex some good advice. The question is, is he going to take it?

Anna asks if Valentin thinks she’d have a problem with him killing Victor, but he says he doesn’t know. Maybe; maybe not. But she’d have a problem with him killing her good friend Lucy, which he’d have to do; he couldn’t leave a witness. Anna says she’d be a witness, and he says, there is that. He’d be asking her to stay quiet about the death of her friend, and he knows she wouldn’t do that, so he’d have to kill her too. She says, could he?

Nikolas asks, what more can he do to prove himself to Ava? If Esme’s disappearance is ever investigated by the police, his confession proves her innocence and his guilt. She says, he has a history of making grand declarations that come to nothing. She needs proof that can’t be faked or forged. He says, fine. What else does she want him to do? If he’s able, he’ll do it. She takes out her phone, and says, here’s what’s going to happen. He’s going to take his confession, look into the camera, and read every single incriminating word. She holds up her phone, he gets ready, and she says, action.

Felicia says, like they told Cody the night they met him at the Quartermaine party, back in the day, they ran in the same circles with Dominique. The person Cody really needs to talk to his Mac; he knew Cody’s mother much better than she did. Cody says he already talked to Scotty, and Scotty was married to his mother. So arguably, he knew her better than anyone, and he claims she never said anything about him. Britt says her champagne is getting flat, and Felicia says she’s so sorry; she’s ruining their date. Britt says, she kind of is, and Felicia almost leaves, but stops and says, Cody really should talk to Mac. Cody asks why he should make it easy for Mac. Her husband’s been asking a lot of questions about him, even though he’s relatively new in Port Charles, and he never even met Ava Jerome or the other victim. Is Mac laying the groundwork to frame him? Felicia says, that’s not fair; he doesn’t know Mac. Cody says, but it’s fair for Mac to assume he knows him? and Felicia tells him, like she said, Mac and Dominique were close once. He says, oh yeah? How close?

Mac says, if Dex knew the garage was closed because the owner was murdered, and his body is in the funeral home, why did Dex just happen by? Dex tells him, he didn’t say that; Mac did. Mac says he’s just trying to help Dex. His fingerprints are all over the place. Diane’s blood is on his hands, literally. Dex also showed up just after Ava Jerome was attacked, and to top it all off, he was seen at Charlie’s shortly before Brando was attacked in the alley outside the pub. Either he has the worst timing in the world, or he knows a helluva lot more than he’s saying. Dex says, his boss always told him not to talk to the cops without a lawyer present. Is he under arrest? Mac says he’s questioning Dex. Dex either answers him here and now, or at the PCPD. What’s it going to be?

Finn says, got it, and hangs up the phone. Robert says, there’s been a report of another stabbing? and Finn says, Mac’s bringing them in now. The paramedics wheel Diane in, and the doctor says a bunch of medical stuff as she’s wheeled past the desk. Gregory and Alexis come in, and Finn asks how they got here about Diane so quickly. Gregory says, they were going to Brando’s garage to speak with his assistant. They were trying to get information as to why Brando was targeted by the attacker, and they found Diane on the ground. Robert joins them, and says, Brando Corbin, Diane Miller, and Ava Jerome. They’ve all got one thing in common – Sonny Corinthos.

Valentin says, yeah, he’d kill Anna, if he had to, to save Charlotte. Just like she’d kill him to save Robin. She says, yeah, she would. She’d miss him though. He moves closer, and says, anything short of that, he wouldn’t harm a hair on her head. He’s loved her since he first saw her. An insane, crushing love that never stood a chance. Now look at them. On the floor of her townhouse. He’s baring his soul in front of the fire, and the look in her eyes doesn’t look like pity. She says, it’s not, and kisses him.

Nikolas reads as Ava films: I, Nikolas Cassadine, being of sound mind and body do hereby acknowledge and confess that I, and I alone, am responsible for the disappearance of Esme Prince. I know this because I killed her. The means? My own two hands, by pushing her off the parapet at Windymere, my family’s estate on Spoon Island. The motive? Revenge… justice, guilt; take your pick. Esme Prince was my son Spencer’s girlfriend, and I had sex with her. To be very clear, it was consensual, and if anything, Esme initiated things, but I shouldn’t have given in to my worst instincts. My behavior was indefensible. However, Esme used that lack of judgement to destroy my marriage. Not only that, she used it to destroy the relationship with my son, and any chance of reconciling with Spencer was ruined. In effect, Esme destroyed my life, and when she taunted me on the turret, in a fit of rage, I grabbed her and pushed her to her death. Honestly, my only regret is not dong it sooner, to spare the ones I love the pain that I caused. This I solemnly swear. Ava says, cut, and he asks if she got all that.

Felicia says she has to go, and asks the bartender for her check. She tells him that she interrupted Britt and Cody’s date. Put the drinks on her tab. Britt says, that’s very sweet, and Felicia says, of course (🍷), but Cody says, no. He doesn’t want her charity. If she wants to give him something, tell him what she and her husband are hiding from him, especially if it’s about his birth mother. She says she understands his frustration, and understands the questions he wants answered, but it isn’t her story to tell. If he wants answers, he has to talk to Mac. It’s not like it’s some state secret. He says, if it’s no big deal, why not tell him now? Why does he have to hear it from her husband? She writes something down on a napkin, and gives it to him, saying, it’s Mac’s personal cell phone number. However, before he makes that call, he needs to ask himself if he really wants to know the truth. Felicia leaves, and Britt says, this date got way more intense than she expected.

Terry tells Finn and Robert that Diane’s wounds are similar to those found on Brando and Ava. Dr. Dempsey has to operate immediately. Diane is wheeled past, and Alexis says, she looks so helpless. Gregory takes her hand, and she thanks him. Finn tells Terry, if the hook was soaked in the same venom that killed Brando, they don’t have much time, and they head for the OR.

Anna and Valentin finally get busy, and Valentin says he’s wanted this for years. He doesn’t want to rush. She says, they can go slow next time.

Ava says she appreciates Nikolas putting his words into action, but if he thinks she’s just going to fall back into his arms, think again. She asks what he’s smiling at, and he says, she rejected him – tonight. But he can see he made progress. So no, she won’t be back in his arms this time, but she will be in the future, and that’s enough for him. He’s leaving her with the recording and the and letter. He’s literally leaving her with his life in his hands. He starts to leave, but comes back, and says, one more thing. He puts a Ferrero Rocher chocolate on her blanket and says, a chocolate truffle for her. He leaves, and she eats it, smiling.

Britt says, whether Cody is willing to admit it or not, this date is pretty much over for her. He says he’s sorry. He really didn’t want tonight to go like this. She says she believes him. Dominique is his biological mother. Of course (🍷) he’s going to have a million questions about her. She understands that, and she’s guessing if Felicia is that eager for him to talk to Mac, it’s for good reason. So why don’t they quit while they’re ahead? She gets up, kisses him on the cheek, and says, bye. He’s about to leave, when the bartender asks if he wants the phone number. He says, yeah. and takes it.

Mac says, back to Dex. Is he going to talk now or talk later? Dex asks if Mac sees an attorney here. No attorney, no talk. Mac says, Dex leaves him no choice, and tells an officer that they’ll be taking Dex down to the station. He doesn’t think they need handcuffs. Right, Dex? Dex says he’s not going to talk, but no, he’s not going to resist arrest by not going to the station. Mac says, smartest thing Dex has said all night, and the officer escorts Dex out. Mac follows, pausing to look at the blood on the floor.

Robert says, any change in Diane’s condition, he wants to know right away, and Finn says, got it. Gregory asks how Alexis is doing, and if she wants him to call one of the girls, but she says, no. Then she’ll have to tell them what happened to Diane, and she’s not ready to do that. He says he understands that, but… She says she was just thinking about how long she’s known Diane; it feels like forever. Diane is the one person who’s been there for her for everything. He says, and if Diane lives, her, him, and Dex made a difference, but she says, that’s not good enough. He says, she’s not a doctor. There’s nothing more she can do here. She says she’s not talking about here. She’s talking about the paper. It’s time to have a conversation with the killer. She starts to leave, and asks if he’s going to just stand there, or is he going to double-check her spelling. He follows her out. Terry gives Finn the results on the lab tests he asked for, and he says, Diane’s system is tainted with the same substance that killed Brando. His phone dings, and Terry asks, what is it? He says, confirmation that the anti-venom just arrived. He has to prep an injection. If there’s a chance of saving Diane, he’s taking it.

There’s a song part, and Anna and Valentin get busy… then busier… then busiest.

Tomorrow, Jordan needs Portia’s help; Josslyn suggests a friendly competition; Drew goes to Jacksonville, and finds Carly; Curtis thanks Sonny for what Sonny did for his family; and Dante bets Dex has plenty to tell him.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy calls Tasha to the bridge, and says she doesn’t want to crush Tasha’s spirit. She’s awesome at service, but when she comes downstairs, it’s filthy. She asks if they really need two people on service when the guests are winding down, and Tasha says, last night, she also had to make food for the guests. The captain asks if one person can’t clean the floor of the pantry while the other is tending to the guests. It should be cleaned before they go to bed, so when she wakes up, it’s not a sh*tshow. Tasha says, physically, there aren’t enough hours inf the day, but Captain Sandy says, they don’t have to be with the guests 24/7. Before they go down, she wants the floors cleaned. She doesn’t want Tasha to think she’s not doing a good job; it’s just dirty. Tasha promises to get it done, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, it’s a kick in the stomach, but it’s her job to take criticisms like this. She’s going to try her best because she cares about her job. She tells Dave about what happened, and he says, she works hard, the guests are happy, and they adore her. She does an amazing job. Tasha says, they’re not just cleaners, and Dave says he couldn’t do it without her. The captain radios the crew that they’re going back to the dock. As soon as the anchor is home, they get underway.

Natalya says, it serves Tash right, and I’m really starting not to like her. As they dock, Captain Sandy curses the wind, and Mzi saves the boat from hitting a dolphin by using a fender. In Mzi’s interview, he says he thinks they’ve made progress. He’s getting in the rhythm, and thinks Storm is becoming a good bosun. He trusts Storm more than Storm does. The captain tells Mzi, good job. The wind was blowing the bow all over. Tasha’s boyfriend continues to pummel her with texts, and Captain Sandy calls for the tip meeting. She says, charter five is down, and they did an awesome job. They haven’t had one service complaint all season, which is unusual, but at the same time, they have to maintain the vessel. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each, and the captain says she has another surprise. They’ve been doing such an amazing job, the owners gave them the day off tomorrow. Dinner tonight on the owners, and the beach club tomorrow all day. Champagne is poured, and Captain Sandy wishes Mzi a happy birthday. As she leaves, she tells everyone, don’t forget to turn the boat around.

Kyle and Tasha start organizing the pantry, but take a break in their cabin. Tasha tells Kyle, they’re human beings; they need a half hour. In the laundry, Natalya makes up a song about Kyle and Tasha not getting things done, and annoys me further. Storm works on the waterline, and in his interview, he says, it’s Mzi’s birthday, and he wants to have fun, but they need to get things done. He made mistakes during the last charters. We flash back to those, and he says he wants Captain Sandy to see he’s committed to the job. Kyle and Tasha go back to pantry organizing, and Kyle says, it grinds his t*ts. Tasha says, she never wants to be on anyone’s sh*t list, but she is. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the only way for them to catch up is to not go out. We see a clip from earlier in the day, and Kyle volunteers to stay and help. Everyone starts to get ready for dinner, and Kyle tells Natalya about staying behind to do the pantry. She tells him, it’s bullsh*t; it’s ridiculous. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s Mzi’s birthday, and they’re being selfish. They could have sorted it out in the five hours they just had. She bitches to Courtney, and Kyle says, winge, winge, winge. Natalya goes on and on about the pantry because she’s an idiot.

Jason asks if Tasha and Kyle need help, and Natalya says, this is rubbish. It’s the crew night out and Mzi’s birthday. They can do it tomorrow. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya should be thankful. They’re doing her a favor using their fun time to organize. But if Natalya wants to moan about it, Tasha can’t win. Agreed. Still working, Storm says he’ll see them at the bar. They get to a museum that’s been opened for them, and go up a million steps to a large balcony overlooking the water. The waiter asks if they’d like wine, and Storm says, yes, and tequila. Courtney tells the waiter, what he says, goes. It’s his birthday. Mzi says, it feels quiet, and they toast to his birthday. Back on the boat, Kyle says, he’s spent more time on his knees scrubbing floors than… Well, you know. They finish up, and Tasha, Kyle, Jason, and Storm leave to join the others at the restaurant. Natalya asks, who’s single? and Dave says, Tasha is back with her boyfriend. Natalya takes this opportunity to smack talk Tasha, and says, you shouldn’t mess with how someone feels. Courtney says she’s been in that situation, but Dave says, he and Tasha are good. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s not going to be all caring. She’s done with it. The others get there, and Natalya tells Storm that he should have come with them, since it’s Mzi’s birthday. Msi says he’s not upset, and I have serious doubts that Natalya is all caring about Mzi’s birthday like she’s pretending. Storm says he and Courtney are homies, and flirts with Natalya. Kyle predicts them having wild sex. Courtney says, let’s bounce, and in Jason’s interview, he says, the rest of the crew are just co-workers to him. When he was in business, he avoided corporate events, and still had better friendships.

The crew moves on to a club, and Natalya tries to get Dave to trash talk Tasha, but he’s not having it, and says, they worked it out. Mzi works at making eye contact with a woman he sees across the room, and in his interview, he says, it shows intent. She gave him a vibe. He dances with her, and she brings him back to her table. In Storm’s interview, he says, happy birthday. Everyone dances, and then it’s time to go. Mzi says, it’s his birthday, and he’ll do what he wants. Courtney and Dave stay behind with him, while the rest of the crew goes back to the boat. Tasha is very proud of the pantry, and shows it off. At the club, Mzi’s new friend Mariana says, she’s married, but not dead, and Mzi says he has a big day tomorrow. In Mzi’s interview, he wonders where she got a husband all of a sudden, and Courtney tells her, goodbye forever. On the boat, everyone is either eating or sleeping, and Storm says he got Natalya a watch, and shows it to Kyle, Jason, and Tasha. In Kyle’s interview, he says, personally, he wouldn’t purchase material items for someone until he knew them better, but he wants to be a witness when Storm gives it to her. Storm hunts Natalya down in her cabin, and when he tells her that he has a present for her, she gets all weird. She asks why he’s buying presents, and tells him to take it back. She opens the watch, and asks, why? Kyle calls her an ungrateful hoe, and says she needs to start facing her feelings and realize what she needs. In the taxi, Mzi says, he’s in love with a married woman, and Courtney says she’s not married. Natalya tells Kyle that the gift stressed her, and he says, she’s insane. When she gets older, she’s going to hate herself for wasting time. After years of holding back, even though he felt like Quasimodo, he talked to Frank. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s too intense too soon. She’s never been around a relationship that lasted. Her mom just moved out one day, and after a while, she wondered where her mom went. Her brother explained their parents were getting divorced, and she felt like an idiot. Well… She might love someone then and there, but it’s always a short and sweet thing. Tasha and Kyle giggle over texts back and forth with Frank, talking about making babies. Tasha says she can’t wait to see and have their babies. Mzi has trouble hoisting himself to the upper bunk.

The crew gets up around 8:30 for their day off. Storm admits to Mzi that he actually bought the watch for his sister, and decided to give it to Natalya. In Storm’s interview, he says, Natalya is beautiful, but so full of attitude. She’s crazy, but he likes it. She grounded him. He knows it’s early for gifts, but that’s how he is. They all have mimosas, everyone gets ready, and they leave.

They get to the Surfside Beach Club in Sliema, and Courtney says, it’s like heaven. She can’t wait to be hungover tomorrow. Kyle says he’s just going to sleep, and Natasha’s boyfriend sends more texts. Dave goes into the water, and Kyle says he’s moving her. Tasha tells him that she’s still upset. What Captain Sandy said hurt her heart. In her interview, she says, she can’t get out of her head. Between that and the horrible messages from her boyfriend, she’s in a bad head space. She tells Kyle that it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. Jason separates himself, and is eating lunch, when Mzi asks him to join them. Jason says he’s good, and in his interview, he says, it’s best to break it into math terms. There are 8 yachties; 2 have a toxic relationship, and 4 hate his guts. That equals 1 day that f***ing sucks.

Natalya tells Mzi that she’s freaking out; it’s too soon. She loves the watch, but in the car, Storm told her to cancel her trip to Mexico, and go to South Africa for two weeks with him. OMG – NOT A WHOLE TWO WEEK COMMITMENT! Mzi says, Storm is emotional, and she says, that’s what’s freaking her out. One moment, she thinks this could go somewhere, but then she wonders how he can get so emotional when he’s only known her for a few days. Kyle tells Tasha that he thinks the dynamic has changed, and Natalya feels guilty. I think, highly unlikely. Dave says, the pantry is very neat, and Tasha says she’s proud of it. Natalya twerks, and Courtney joins her. Jason sleeps. Kyle says, Natalya is always on fuse because she doesn’t face her emotions, and Tasha tells Dave that she’s upset about Captain Sandy’s comment. She has a lot of respect for the captain, and loves working for her. She feels like she’s let her down. Dave says he doesn’t agree, and thinks Tasha is incredible. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave seems himself now; like the person she first met. She didn’t like when he was putting her through all the drama, but he does make her feel better. Natalya tells Storm that the watch is too much. She loves it, but is concerned about the meaning behind it. Storm asks, what meaning? and says, there’s no hidden agenda; don’t read into it. She says she’s worried, since she doesn’t want to settle down, and he says he’s not asking her to, but if she’s getting that vibe, he’ll back off. Kyle says he’ll have to go for a piercing after all this drama, and Storm tells them that he doesn’t get it. He’s been respectful, and hasn’t said anything about commitment. Kyle says he would die for a man like Storm.

They change for dinner, and Storm walks down to the beach. Natalya says, drama, drama, but goes over to him, and asks if he’s okay. He says he’s not jumping into the sea; he’s just having a moment. Natalya hugs him, and Kyle says, they’re making him sick. He doesn’t know where he is, Malta or Love Island. Storm tells Natalya that he didn’t ask her to check on him. He’s not doing what he’s doing for that reason. Natalya says, he wants her to care, then he doesn’t want sympathy. Storm says he didn’t throw a tiff, and Natalya says, they’re supposed to go out to dinner. He can throw his tantrum by himself. I’m wondering if she’s in the same show I’m watching, or is she trying to gaslight him? He’s not throwing a tantrum by any stretch of the imagination. He was just walking on the beach by himself, and she acts like he’s doing something loud and wrong. He says, it’s the first chance he’s had to release any emotions. Don’t feel like she needs to come after him. He’s not asking her for anything. Natalya says, that’s confusing. Again, is it me? She seems like the confusing one. He’s been consistent and she’s been all over the place. She tells him that she’s been trying day by day, but they need to take it slower, and he says he doesn’t understand what he did to make it fast. She says she’s never had a relationship, and he says, they’re not in a relationship. She says, so it’s chill then, and in Storm’s interview, he says, if she’s thinking it’s too fast, they’re of different mindsets. He doesn’t want to ruin what they do have, so he’ll slow down. Like her, he doesn’t want to get hurt. Natalya says, they’ll rip the Band-Aid off and have a fresh start. Clearly she doesn’t understand what ripping the Band-Aid off means, and they join the others. The crew finally leaves for dinner, and Courtney says, the beach stuff was so fun. Natalya thinks Jason should make an effort to be part of the group.  

They get to a restaurant, and Courtney says, no shots. She points out that Jason is so quiet and so serious, and Kyle says, despite the hate, exclusion, and inclusion, it’s been an absolutely fantastic time. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Natalya is like the Tasmanian Devil; cute to look at, but hella annoying. The crew toasts to a great day off, and Kyle and Courtney go for a smoke. Courtney says, her dad’s struggling. He’s gone to a home, but she’s been so busy, she hasn’t had time to think about it. She gets teary, and in her interview, she says, last season, her dad was supportive and amazing. We flash back to her video chatting with him, and she says, it’s been a bad year for her. Last year, her dad went in a home. She cries, and says, now he can’t talk, and can’t walk. He’s just lying in bed. She was working, scrubbing toilets, and wondered what she was doing with her life. She loves working on deck. It makes it easier to be here. Kyle tells her that she’s a strong woman, and hugs her. They go back to the table, and the crew goes back to the boat.

Storm tells Mzi that he’s going to be causing drama tomorrow, and in Storm’s interview, he says, the last couple of charters, Jason was insubordinate. We flash back to that, and he says, now he’s doing the same thing to Courtney. It’s the first time he’s had to deal with something like this, having a conversation with someone about their work ethic and personality. He doesn’t know what to expect, but Jason’s attitude stops tomorrow.

In the morning, Captain Sandy says, the pantry looks great, and Storm says, time to talk to Jason. Everyone gets up, and the captain tells Tasha, nice work on the pantry. Kyle and Tasha do the cabins, and the boat is turned over. Provisions come, and Dave asks Tasha if he’s being helpful, or overstepping his boundaries. She says he’s helped a lot, and Storm tells Natalya that he needs to have a conversation with Jason. She tells him, good luck, and in Storm’s interview, he says, managing and understanding people is new to him. He’s learning the position, and understanding his responsibilities. He wants to try and make Jason feel like he’s part team of the team. Hopefully he takes it well. He asks Jason if they can chat.

Storm tells Jason that he wants to see if they’re on the same page. He feels tension between them, and Jason and the crew. He wonders where Jason’s head is at, and has some things to say, but wants to hear from Jason first. Jason says he’s trying not to step on toes, and Storm says, Jason gets in a mood, and they all feel it. He becomes snappy, and it becomes difficult to work in an environment when Jason is like that. He wants to challenge Jason to be proactive, and show he wants to be here. Jason says, it’s baffling when Storm says he should be proactive. He’s been carrying more than his load. Storm says he feels it’s the other way around, and being the quitter he is, Jason says he doesn’t want to leave them high and dry, but replace him. Storm says, Jason sounds like he doesn’t want to be here, and Jason says, that’s literally what he’s saying. Storm says he’s not here to make Jason the victim, and wants him to stay.

To be continued…

⚰️ Last week was the finale of Tales of the Walking Dead. Gee, that was quick.

🐉 Jumping Dragons…

This week’s latest on House Targaryen.

https://people.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-recap-the-princess-and-the-queen/

😱 Not Again…

Oh God. Winter House is coming back Octomber 13th. The house that turns middle aged people with decent jobs into 14-year-olds with serious behavioral problems.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/winter-house-season-2-cast-premiere-date-trailer

🌊 Riding the Wave…

Stop in tomorrow, when there will be soap and a roll of the dice. Until then, stay safe, stay practicing forbearance, and stay always having a fail-safe in place.

September 22, 2022 – Finn Pinpoints the Toxin, Another Charming Fight At Dinner & Salsa

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina goes into Charlie’s and sees Sonny. She asks if he’s doing all right, and when he doesn’t answer, she says, Brando? Anything else happen? He says he and Alexis got into it with Kristina. Mostly Alexis. Kristina witnessed the attack on Brando; they’re just trying to keep her safe. Nina says, they express it in different ways, and he says, Kristina is an amazing young woman. He loves how she stands up for herself… Drew comes by, and says, sorry to interrupt. He just wanted Sonny to know how sorry he is about Brando. Sonny thanks him, and asks how Carly took the news, but Drew says he has no idea. He hasn’t spoken to her in a couple of days.  

In the hotel restaurant, Carly downloads her information to a new phone, and sees all the missed calls and messages. She says, wow; that’s a lot. She calls Josslyn, and leaves a message, saying, she’s still in Jacksonville, but she has a phone. She could have used Josslyn when she was trying to download everything from the cloud, but so far, so good. Call her when she gets this. She listens to a message from Drew, asking her to call, and then Sonny, saying, call him back. Peyton walks in, and asks why on earth Carly is still here.

Anna asks if Lucy was expecting Victor, and Maxie says, she seemed surprised to see him, so she doesn’t think so. Anna asks if she knows where they were headed, but Maxie says, no, and Valentin asks, how long ago did they leave? Maxie says, a little bit ago. To be honest, Lucy was definitely trying to get rid of Victor… Anna says, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Maxie says, let’s just say he was persistent… Okay. What’s going on, and how worried should she be?

On the Haunted Star, Victor brings Lucy over to a beautiful lunch spread, and she says, it’s too much, but he says, nonsense. For a woman such as herself, the whole world would not be enough. She says she used to believe that, then she saw the whole world, but this is amazing. She thought when he said a business lunch, he meant salads and Arnold Palmers. He says, if that’s all she expected in an afternoon with him, it’s high time they got that requited. The boat lurches, and Lucy asks, what was that? He says, it’s probably the ship unmooring, and she says, why would the ship unmoor? He says, to set sail. Soon, they’ll be miles from Port Charles.

Doc is about to leave his office, but Elizabeth is there when he opens the door. He asks if she’s all right, and she says she’s better. He says, good. He’s looking forward to picking up where they left off, but she says, that’s why she’s here. She was thinking about their session, and how she remembers the man she thinks is her father at the top of the stairs when the woman fell; that was a huge breakthrough. He says, they made a lot of progress. Unfortunately, memories can be a little tricky. The only way to verify what really happened is for her to reach out to her father. She says she will if she has to, but right now she has a better idea. But for it to work, she needs his help.

Jordan says, she’s only conferring with Portia and Finn on the toxicology report because they were Brando’s doctors, and they could be of help to this investigation. So no discussing with family or friends; no leaking to the press. She looks at Finn, and says, let’s keep this between them. Are they good? Portia says, of course (🍷), and Finn says, yes. Jordan says, good. Someone killed Brando using a poison hook. Any thoughts? Finn asks to look at the report, and Portia says, the toxin seems vaguely familiar. She just doesn’t know why. Finn says, the assailant didn’t use just any toxin. Whoever Jordan is looking for has a real imagination for murder. Most toxins are found in big cities, right? Portia says, why? Is this a country poison? Finn says, you could say that; it’s a venom. Jordan says, like venom from a snake? and he says he can’t determine the genus or species, but it’s definitely a reptile. Jordan says, and he knows this why? and he says, he’s never run into this in a modern clinical setting, but in the past, there have been warrior cultures who use venom to poison their spears; untouched and indigenous cultures still do to this day. Portia says, to protect themselves from missionaries and interlopers. Finn looks at her, and she says, what? She watches the science channels. Jordan says, but they’re not talking about ancient warfare or indigenous tribes. She’ll check the databases, but she doesn’t recall any serial killer profiles that have any of this. Portia says, so Jordan does believe this is the work of a serial killer.

Drew tells Sonny, he called Carly a couple of times yesterday; he just never heard back. He takes it they haven’t heard from her either. Sonny says, he called her; she never called him back. Drew says he’ll check in with Michael, and see if his mom reached out to him, Sonny asks if Drew has the contacts for the leadership seminar Carly went to, and Drew says he does. He’ll call Mia. She’s the leader of the program, and set the whole thing up. He’ll just tell her it’s a family emergency. He steps away, and Sonny tells Nina that he’s only worried because Carly wouldn’t ignore him in a dangerous situation. Nina says he doesn’t have to explain why he’s concerned about Carly. Neither does Drew.

Carly tells Peyton, she’s a guest at this hotel. She has every right to be here. Peyton says, this place used to have better standards, and Carly asks if she’s still working on her Gala. Or is Peyton and the other ladies who lunch meeting about community resources? What’s next? A designated picnic area for those making under six figures? Peyton says, actually, Jacksonville Beautification Guild is known for their charity work, and Carly says, when they’re not digging up souls from their eternal resting places. Peyton says, she had no idea Virginia was buried in that cemetery, and Carly says, great. Since Peyton has no vested interest either way, she can reconsider. Peyton says, she’s afraid it’s too late, and Carly asks, why? The measure to move the cemetery wasn’t unanimous. All they have to do is hold another vote.

Valentin tells Maxie, he doesn’t think there’s any reason to worry. He knew Lucy and his father were acquainted, but he didn’t realize they were lunching together these days. Anna asks if Maxie can reach her. Lucy’s not picking up her calls, and they need to have a chat. Maxie asks if this is about Deception, and they both say, yes. Valentin asks if Maxie knows when Lucy will be back. He doesn’t suppose there are any important business meetings Lucy has to be back for. Maxie says she’ll check with Lucy’s assistant, and picks up the phone. She asks if Lucy has any appointments today, and Anna tells Valentin, this is on her. She never should have done this; pushed Lucy to get information from Victor. He’s too dangerous. Valentin says he thinks Lucy can handle herself, and Anna says, what? Robert’s people wouldn’t take the case, and they’re professionals. Maxie tells the assistant to check sticky notes, scratch paper, napkins… Sometimes she writes things on there. Anna says Valentin knows his father better than her. So this unexpected lunch date, could it be because he’s figured out if Lucy has an agenda? He says, if he did, Victor certainly could.

Victor asks what Lucy thinks of the venue, and she says, the Haunted Star… it’s interesting. He says, just interesting? and she says, rather inspired. Isn’t this the very vessel that brought him to Port Charles… He says, shhh, and she says, so many, many years ago, before the dearly departed Helena Cassadine gifted it to his nemeses Luke and Laura on their wedding day? He says, of course (🍷). She literally wrote the book. She says, you bet I did. Here they are. If she didn’t know better – and she’s not saying she does know better – she would think he just abducted her. He asks if that’s a bad thing, and she says, she hasn’t been kidnapped in very a long time. She supposes she could use a refresher. He says, she’s a charmer, and pulls out her chair. She thanks him, and says, he’s a master of understatement, and sits. So do tell. What are they doing here on this particular vessel? He says he’s rented out the entire ship, so they could have no interruptions, and she says, how gracious of him. Johann walks in with champagne, and she says, she sees he brought his goombah. Hello goombah. Victor says, champagne? and she says, of course (🍷), and thanks him. She’s curious though. Do all his business lunches include bubbly and boat rides? He says, neither one of them is what he would call traditionalists. It’s one of the reasons they’ve been drawn to each other. So shall they enjoy their champagne? She says, they shall indeed, and they clink glasses. He says, they can watch the sunset over the water from the main deck, and she says, sunset. How long is this lunch? He says he’s taken the liberty of checking her schedule, and she’s free for the rest of the day. She says, he’s correct. She really doesn’t have any plans, except work. He says, and her lawyer acquaintance is still out of town, so it’s settled then. They clink glasses again, and he says, she’s all his.

Maxie tells Valentin and Anna, there’s no meeting in Lucy’s day planner, sticky notes, scratch paper, or napkins. That really doesn’t mean anything. She frequently doesn’t write things down, and just tends to show up. Anna asks if Brook caught where they were going, but Maxie says, she wasn’t in the room when Victor was here. Now that she’s thinking about it, it is really weird that Lucy actually went with him. They’re kind of in crisis mode with everything going on with Sasha, and it’s really not like Lucy.

Sonny tells Nina, of course (🍷) Drew’s concerned; he and Carly are friends. Nina says, from the look of what happened at the picnic, they’re more than friends. He says she’s mentioned that before, and she tells him, she’s just saying it again because maybe Drew’s investment in Carly’s well-being is more than he’s letting on.

On the phone, Drew says, so Carly didn’t even check in? Does Mia know what happened?… Where did the plane land?… All right. Thanks. He’ll find her. Here’s hoping she didn’t get in too much trouble.

Peyton tells Carly, the process of moving the cemetery has already begun. Carly was given ample notice, the same as the other families. Carly’s phone rings, and it’s a call from Drew, but she ignores it. She says, that’s not the point. Her mom had one burial request; to be near the water in her hometown. Peyton says, Virginia also probably wanted her grave tended to on a regular basis, and they know what happened there. Peyton wanted a healthy, happy marriage, and Carly spoiled that too. We can’t always have what we wanted. Carly says she was trying to be nice, but if Peyton wants to do it the hard way, that’s fine with her.

Elizabeth says she still hasn’t been able to recall that woman’s face, and Doc says he knows it’s frustrating. She says, if he hypnotizes her again, and they revisit that memory, she thinks what she saw will become clearer. He says, they can concentrate on recognizing those faces at their next session, but she ask if they can do it now. He says he has an appointment in ten minutes, and she says she knows it’s not an emergency, but she can’t sleep or eat. She hasn’t lost any time since their last session, but who knows when it will happen again? He says he understands; this process can really take a toll. She wonders if the man she can’t see is her father, and whoever it is, is that person still a threat to someone? She feels like they should figure out these answers as soon as possible. Please. She wouldn’t ask if she wasn’t desperate. He says he’ll cancel his appointment, and she comes in, closing the door behind her.

Jordan says she doesn’t want to jump to conclusions, especially since the hook used in Ava’s attack wasn’t poisoned… Portia says, Jordan thinks it’s the same assailant, and Jordan says, The Invader’s anonymous well-placed source seems to think so, but it’s too soon to say. A serial killer may have as few as two victims, but they’re usually defined by a cooling off period between attacks. These were very close together. Finn wonders why a perpetrator would use different methods in attacks, and Jordan says, in her analysis, whoever did this was disappointed that Ava survived, so they upped the ante to make sure their next victim didn’t. Portia says, all this pleasant chatter has given her the need to check on her daughter. Don’t worry. She won’t mention any details of the case. She wants Trina to be able to sleep at night. She leaves, and Jordan tells Finn, they’re dealing with a violent repeat offender. His modus operandi is growing more lethal. Which is why she believes whoever furnished the quote to The Invader was simply trying to warn the public. Finn says, all any of them want is to mitigate risk and injury, and she says, of course (🍷), but crucial information needs to be kept under wraps. This helps them separate the lunatics who confess from the real perpetrators that might want to toy with them. He says, they got phony confessions? and she says, since The Invader article, but they don’t know about the venom on the hook. He says, nor will they. He doesn’t want to compromise her investigation. She says, they’re all worried about their families, and he says, he imagines this hits pretty close to home. He’s seen TJ and Brando around the hospital. They got in a fight in the hallway one day, but they seemed to have gotten pretty friendly, so he guesses they worked it out. She supposes they did, and says, seeing a young man so close in age to her son, cut down in the prime of his life, makes it personal for her.

Carly says, she and Peyton can continue to escalate, or they can search for some common ground. Why doesn’t Peyton let Carly buy her a drink, and they can discuss this? Peyton asks if Carly is sure she can afford it, and Carly says, excuse me? Peyton says, they have Google here in Jacksonville too. It was nice, the hotel Carly used to own; the kinds that would attract visitors. She imagines at some point, Carly was even a leader in Port Charles society, someone who would understand the need for civic improvement. Look how the mighty have fallen. She tells the bartender to get the lady what she wants – it’s on her tab – and she leaves.

Sonny says he wants to discuss something with Nina; she needs security until they catch the guy. She says she’s fine, and he says, famous last words. She asks if she can just hire her own security, and he says, she’ll have to do a background check anyway, so just humor him. Drew comes by, and says he tried Carly again; still no answer. Sonny thanks him for trying, and Drew says, of course (🍷). He’ll see them around. He leaves, and Nina tells Sonny, he never said if he talked to Mia. Sonny says, it’s none of their business, and she says, she knows it isn’t, but Sasha is her business and she’s worried about her. He says, so is he. She’s gone through so much, and now Brando is gone. She says, Sasha needs all of their support, and he says, if Sasha needs anything, he’s here for her. Nina says, part of Sasha’s support team is Carly. So does he know when she’s going to come back from Aruba? His phone rings, and he says, let’s find out right now. He answers, and says he’s been trying to get ahold of her; he was worried. Where is she… Nina gets up to leave, and Sonny tells her, take one of the guys with her. She goes out the door, and I have the feeling she’s going to ignore that request.

Maxie says, Brook has no idea where Lucy is headed, and Valentin says, thanks for checking. Maxie tells them, Brook did say Lucy tweeted something about twenty minutes ago – follow your stars, accompanied with a jack-o-lantern emoji. Not a pumpkin, a jack-o-lantern, with no stars, in September, a month before Halloween. What does that even mean? Anna says she doesn’t know, and thanks Maxie. Valentin says, she’s been a big help. They jet, and Maxie says, Halloween… hmm.

Lucy tells Victor that Valentin is a brilliant strategist, and she’s so fortunate to be working with him. She also thinks he’s extremely handsome, and charming, and savvy, and sometimes a tad bit ruthless. She can certainly see where he gets that from. She bets Victor is so proud of him. Victor says, Valentin does take after him in some respects, but he’s afraid even family can disappoint. Lucy says, that’s horrible. She doesn’t see how Valentin could possibly disappoint him. That’s sad. He says, one would assume blood engenders unwavering loyalty, but sadly that’s not always the case, which is why it’s so important to forge other bonds; with her, for instance. He brings a covered try over to the table, and she says she couldn’t possibly eat another morsel, but she could use a power walk to work off all this amazing, delicious food. Will they be heading back to dry land soon? He says he certainly hopes not. Their afternoon is just getting started. He lifts the cover, and opens a box with a beautiful bracelet inside.  

On the phone, Maxie tells James, that was his Halloween costume last year. A pirate will be so much more fun… Of course (🍷) he can wear a fake parrot. Nina comes in, and she asks if they can talk about it later. His Aunt Nina just got here. Nina says, fake parrot? and Maxie says, like Nina has ever said no to James. They hug, and Nina says, never. She needs Maxie’s opinion. Maxie says, fall fashions, she’s Nina’s gal. Advice on her love life? Nina should know better. Nina says, no. She’s been trying to figure out the best way to help Sasha. Maxie says, in that case, she’s the last person Nina should talk to.

Sonny says, if Carly is in Jacksonville, why did she take so long to respond to her messages? She says she left her phone on the plane, and he says, she knows their numbers. Why didn’t she borrow a phone? She says she called Josslyn, and figured everybody else could wait until she got her replacement phone. What’s going on? Is everything okay with Donna and Avery? He says, the girls are fine. Brando isn’t.

Finn tells Jordan, in the spirit of full disclosure, it’s kind of personal for him too. She asks, how so? and he says, when he was just out of medical school, he accepted a Doctors Without Borders post near the Canary Islands. She says, Malaysia? That’s a very remote location, and he says, it is. He was with his wife, his late wife Reiko; she was also a doctor. They both felt very strongly that they could do some good work there. While they were on the island, a good friend, a good doctor, died a very painful death from a snake bite. So what they discovered about Brando brought it all back up.

Doc asks if the person is still there at the top of the stairs, and Elizabeth, now under hypnosis, says, yes. He says, can she see their face? and in her mind, she looks up to the next landing, but the man’s face is in the shadow. She says, not clearly, and he says, in their last session, she told him that she might know the woman at the bottom of the stairs. Can Elizabeth try to see her face again? Take her time. In her mind, she goes down the stairs, and looks closer at the woman, and Doc says, is she moving? She says, no. She still can’t see her face. He asks if she can get closer; try to see her face now… Elizabeth…?

Valentin hops over the railing of the Haunted Star, and then helps Anna. He asks, what it was they just took? and she says, it was a zodiac. He says, okay. Does she know who’s zodiac they took? She says she knows people, and he says, really? They grabbed it so quickly, he assumed they had no permission. She says, he sounds disappointed, and he says he is a little. She promises they’ll steal a boat next time. She’s really worried about Lucy. He says, his father is a despicable person, capable of horrible acts, but he’s not going to take advantage of Lucy, because he’s the type who prefers his conquests surrender to him. She says, eww! Does he honestly think Victor sailed Lucy out into the open waters with her permission? He says he thinks it’s a grand romantic gesture. As long as Victor hasn’t discovered Lucy’s deception, she’ll be fine. She says, his father is like a bloodhound, sniffing out people’s weaknesses, and Lucy… He says, practically advertises hers, and Anna says, he’s perfectly capable of exploiting her worst instincts.

Victor puts the bracelet on Lucy (it is gorgeous), and she says, it’s staggering. It’s simply stunning, and shiny, and sparkly, and some other S word. What has she done to deserve this? He says, that remains to be seen, and she says, oh. She’s not sure what kind of impression he has of her, but she’s had a colorful, imperfect past – a real page turner, if she does say so herself. But she was always, and still will be, always a lady. he says, without question. He apologizes if he implied otherwise, or if his intentions appeared anything other than… She says, honorable? and he asks her to accept this gift as merely a tangible token of the alliance they’re about to forge together. She says, an alliance, do tell, and he leans forward. He says he’s sure she’s noticed by now, he’s not a man who does things in half measures, including his plans for the future. She says, what kind of plans? and he says, something big is coming. One might even say, earth shattering. She says, tell her, is he going to be the man steering the ship, so to speak? and he tells her, let him say this right now. They’re heading into rough waters, and the only way to save all the souls on board is with him at the helm. He was hoping his ship would be crewed by fellow Cassadines, but it seems they can’t be relied upon. He needs a first mate, and thinks it could be her.

Portia asks Jordan if there’s anything else she can do to help regarding Brando’s case, and Jordan says, no, but she wanted to thank Portia for requesting the tox screen. Without it, they wouldn’t have determined Brando’s cause of death. Portia says she’s just glad she followed her instincts. Jordan says, this latest but of information is so distinct; it’s like a signature. Hopefully, it will help them identify who the killer is. Portia says, if there’s anything else she can do… and Jordan says she’ll let Portia know. Portia says, whatever it takes to get to the truth, and Jordan says she’s glad to hear they’re both on the side of truth.

Doc tells Elizabeth to answer him. Does she want to end this session? In her mind, she moves closer to the woman. The woman’s hair is covering her face, and Elizabeth bends down. Doc says he’s going to count backwards from five. When he gets to one, he’ll clap his hands, and she’ll wake. She kneels next to the woman. Five… four… three… two… Elizabeth reaches to move the woman’s hair. One. Doc claps, and Elizabeth opens her eyes. He says, nod if she’s with him, and she does. He says, she gave him a bit of a start. Is she okay? She says she knows exactly what she needs to do, and jets.

Maxie says, lately, all she’s done is hurt Sasha, not help her, and Nina asks how she can say that. Maxie says, things started going downhill when Lucy decided it would be best for Deception if Sasha took a major step back, especially as spokesmodel. She’s not blaming Lucy; she’s blaming herself. She wasn’t on fully board with the idea, but she went along with it. Nina says, they all know Sasha needs more help than she’s willing to accept, so maybe not having to focus on work is a good thing. Maxie says, yeah, but that’s not why they did it. They did it for the bottom line, not to help their friend. Yes, Sasha needs help, but what if the help she needs is a purpose, not a kiss-off? Nina says, she didn’t kiss Sasha off, and Maxie asks how Nina knows that. Nina says she knows Maxie. She doesn’t kiss people off. Maxie says, even so, they professionally pushed Sasha away when she personally needed them most. She wasn’t there at the meeting; Lucy had to do it alone. Sasha was so upset, she had another public meltdown. So now, on top of losing a child not even a year ago, Sasha lost Brando. How many times can this poor woman’s heart be shattered?

On the phone, Carly says, poor Sasha, and Gladys. How are they doing? Sonny says, devastated. They’re all doing the best they can to take care of them. Carly says, it doesn’t make sense. Brando was one of the good guys. She’s so sorry. She knows how close Brando and Sonny were becoming, and how much they both loved Mike. Sonny says, at least they’re together now, and she says, first Ava, now Brando; why? He says, Jordan thinks this nutjob might be targeting people close to him, and she says, what? She’s on the first flight home. He says, no, she’s not.

Elizabeth gets out her sketchpad, and begins to draw.

Finn looks at pictures of him and Violet on his phone. He scrolls through his photos, until he gets to a picture of himself with another man and a woman. He frowns.

Elizabeth finishes sketching, and it’s the woman in the picture with Finn. Hayden maybe?

Nina says, Maxie couldn’t have known this was going to happen. She’s been helping Sasha through this really tough period. Maxie says, but everything she does seems to make matters worse because of this company. She feels so cold-blooded. Nina says, look at it this way; she’s protecting Sasha’s livelihood during this crisis. Maxie says, there’s got to be something else she could do to help; something to show she actively supports Sasha. Nina says, there is. Do whatever Sasha needs, even if Sasha pushes her away. Maxie says, trust her. She knows what it’s like. When Nathan was killed… Nina remembers. So much needs to be done. Nina says, there’s one thing that’s going to be too difficult for Sasha and Gladys to do. Something that requires a master planner, like Maxie. Maxie says, right. This is horrible. A week ago, she was drafting a guest list for Sasha and Brando’s wedding reception. Now she’s going to use that list for his funeral.

Sonny tells Carly, the girls are safe; Josslyn too. He has around the clock security on all of them. She asks about Michael, and Sonny says, Michael gets his own security. He doesn’t need Sonny’s help, but Sonny’s looking out for him. Peyton walks into the restaurant, and Carly says, it’s really hard not coming home when there’s a homicidal maniac targeting their family. He says, she’s safer where she is, and she says she’s in Jacksonville, Florida. He says he knows he can’t stop her from coming back, and he knows she hates Jacksonville, but do him a favor. Do not come back until he gives her the all-clear. She says, he’ll keep her posted? and he says, always. She thanks him, and Peyton says, a homicidal maniac; sounds like her family needs her. It’s a pity Carly must go. Carly says she’s not going anywhere until she’s sure Virginia is going to stay where she is in that cemetery, and Peyton says, it’s not up to her. Carly gets up, and says, I know it’s been quite a few years since you knew me, Mrs. Roberts, and Peyton says, that’s no longer her name. Carly says, but she’s not impressed or intimidated by Peyton. And the one thing that hasn’t changed is, she’s still really good at raising hell. So if Peyton thinks she regretted knowing Carly then, just wait.

Lucy tells Victor, she does so love a man with plans and a vision. Can he share his nefarious plans with her? She’s excited to hear them. He’s got her curious, and she doesn’t even know what they are. He says he’d like nothing more. He just wishes he knew who he could trust. She says she did think they were building a rapport, and he says, and so they are. He pours them brandy, and says he looks forward to deepening their connection, but she has to understand, a man in his position needs to be judicious. She says, especially with his grand designs, and he says, speaking of designs… He calls Johann in, and suggests he enjoy some air outside. Johann leaves, and Victor says, alone at last.

Anna says she thinks they’ll find Valentin’s father and Lucy in the main room, and Valentin says, unless they find them in a stateroom. She says, eww! and he says, she said it herself; his father’s very persuasive. They go inside, and Anna asks if he thinks they should split up. They suddenly run, doubling back, and going down a different hallway, Valentin shutting the deck door as they pass it. Johann comes out on the deck, drinking a beer, and suddenly, Valentin needs to sneeze. Anna puts her hand over his nose and mouth, and pushes him against the wall. Johann hears them, and takes out his gun.  

Tomorrow, Sasha wonders if she’s going to prison; Elizabeth remembers the woman at the bottom of the stairs; and Victor says, Lucy must always be honest with him, no matter what.

Southern Charm

Craig goes to the bar, and Taylor tells him to stop being a diva, and not be in such a crappy mood. At the table, Naomie says, Craig is annoying, and Austen says he wishes Naomie was his ex. Shep says, that’s nice, but also weird, and in Craig’s interview, he says he’s more irritable when Naomie is around. She’s condescending, but they broke up, and she doesn’t get to tell him anything anymore. Shep suggests they go back to the house, and they go to the girls’ (and Shep’s) rental villa. In the driveway, Craig gets Austen in a headlock, and they both fall. In Austen’s interview, he says, Craig is like a f***ing bull in a china shop. He asks Craig what’s wrong with him. Naomie sits with Shep and Taylor, and in Taylor’s interview, she says, Shep acts entitled, especially when he’s drinking. He has the mentality of a twelve-year-old. Taylor says she’s going to hang out with the others, and Shep says he doesn’t like her hanging out, but she leaves anyway. Naomie tells Shep to be nice. Taylor joins Olivia and Austen in the kitchen, and Craig calls Austen. He says he went to their room, and Austen asks if he’s sure he’s got the right one. Craig says, 383. He’s got popcorn, chips, and Doritos. He knows everyone wants to come. Tell them to come. Austen hangs up, and says, shut up, Craig. Whitney joins Shep and Naomie, and asks what they’re talking about. Naomie says, Shep and Taylor, and Whitney says, Shep needs to treat Taylor better. In Shep’s interview, he says, it’s like an ongoing saga about them, and he’s not feeding that monster. He tells Whitney, at the end of the day, we’re punished for our kindnesses, and Whitney frets over the plural of kindness, thinking it doesn’t sound right. In the kitchen, Austen says, Shep is tooting his own horn, and Olivia suggests they play a drinking game. Any time Shep says, crazy or happy, they take a drink. Austen says, they don’t have enough alcohol. Shep tells Whitney, this is crazy. Everyone has an opinion. Whitney says, Shep is deflecting, and just when Olivia adds done to the drinking game, Shep says he’s done. Whitney says he’s just trying to help Shep navigate, but Shep says he doesn’t need help. Whitney begs to differ, but Shep says, he’s happy, happy, happy. Leave him alone. In Shep’s interview, he says, they’re like piranhas taking chunks from them. He tells Whitney, it’s driving him crazy, and Naomie says she thinks it’s time to go downstairs. In her interview, she says she thinks this isn’t being constructive. Shep will just get mad, and she doesn’t want Shep mad at her. They hit 12 in the drinking game, and Shep joins Taylor in the kitchen, whispering to her that it’s sick. People are attacking him for no reason. He’s never loved anyone more than he loves her. It’s insane, and he doesn’t know what to do. Taylor says, he’s freaking out, and he says, damn right. She tells him, those are her friends; they’re his friends. Try what she does – pray – which is probably the last thing Shep wanted to hear. Austen says he can’t with the whispering, calls Shep a p*ssy, and walks out. Shep follows, yelling that he can’t believe he’s sharing oxygen with Austen; he’s an a-hole. Austen says, Shep wants to control the situation, and that’s what the whispering was about. Shep says he wasn’t whispering, and Austen says he just watched Shep whispering, as we all did. Shep asks why Austen is upset about what he does, and Olivia listens in. Austen says, Shep isn’t a bad guy, and he doesn’t want to fight. Whitney suggests Shep STFU and chill, and in Austen’s interview, he says he’s done enough being Shep’s relationship counselor. Nothing he says seems to stick, and it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Whitney says he’s out of here, and they’ll revisit this in the morning.

Leva bakes with Little, and in her interview, she says, being a control freak has served her in a lot of ways, but it’s not good for the long game. That’s what motherhood teaches a person. At this point, she’s just going to show up with what’s left of her, and get things done. In St. Simon’s, things are a mess in the morning, and Olivia wants to know if she won the bet about Naomie waking up at Whitney’s villa. Venita says she has money on this, and they go to Naomie’s room. After getting nothing out of listening at the door, Venita finally knocks, and Naomie is there. Olivia says she lost, and Naomie has no idea what she’s talking about. At the hotel, Austen tells Craig, last night was explosive. First Craig at dinner, then him with Shep. Shep was going on about how he hates everyone. Craig says, that’s what happens when you yell at your girlfriend in front of people, and Austen says he thinks Shep sees his control spiraling out of his grasp. He wants to ask Taylor to quit her job. It’s like Britney Spears dad taking control of her life. Craig says, free Taylor, and Austen says, it’s like holding on to a bird too tightly. A bird lands on their balcony, and Austen says, it’s an omen. Craig says, Shep’s  spying on them with birds.

Shep says he’s bad for Taylor, and she says he has to walk away instead of yelling. He says he feels like he’s caught in the loop of a video game, and can’t get out of a level. Taylor says, her best advice is for him to set his ego aside. Say he’s rough around the edges, but willing to change. He has to control it. Everyone thinks she’s trying to defend him, but she can only take so much; it’s his thing. Venita and Olivia start making breakfast, and Naomie comes downstairs. Shep is next, and Naomie says, she’s the only one that got a full night’s sleep. Shep says, it was an unfortunate end to the night. He points to the bottle of Maker’s Mark, and says, that didn’t help. Venita says, it’ll be fine, and Naomie asks what they’re doing. Shep says, some of them are golfing, and everyone else is going shrimping; they’re going to eat what they catch. They sit for breakfast, and Naomie says, if anyone walked in, they’d think they’re normal people. Craig says he doesn’t want to golf with Shep, and Austen says, then come shrimping. In Austen’s interview, he says he just wants to chill out for the day. He doesn’t hate Shep, but he doesn’t want to be around him. Whitney arrives, and says he looks more like he’s going squirrel hunting than shrimping or golfing. Austen and Craig ride a tandem bike over to the house, and they all leave for their activities. Shep says, he and Craig will be eating crow tonight, and Naomie says, self-awareness is difficult for Craig; he doesn’t have any. And that’s the problem.

At the Let’s Go Shrimpin’ boat, Captain Cameron welcomes them, and they meet with naturalist Jeffrey. He says, they’re going to trail the net behind the boat, and drag it, and hopefully, it will scoop up the shrimp. In Austen’s interview, he says, he’s never gone shrimping… unless he went with Chelsea. We flash back to Chelsea and Austen wading in the water with nets, and Chelsea saying, Austen sucks. They’ll have to stop at Chick-Fil-A on the way home. In his interview, Austen says, no; it was crabbing. Back on the shrimpin’ boat, Austen and Craig do a Titanic pose on the bow. In Naomie’s interview, she says she doesn’t know sh*t about golf, but her ass is not going on a boat and being stuck with Craig all day. Craig tells Olivia that Naomie will always have a place in his heart, but he hated how she put him down in front of people. Olivia says, from that perspective, his outburst makes sense, and in her interview, she says, it makes Craig derail himself. Reel it in. Craig says he was crazy to go on vacation with her, and Olivia says, 100%. Shep tells Naomie, loosey, goosey, and confident, whatever that means. Whitney asks what the plans are for tonight, and Shep says, they’re going to change and have a nice dinner. Hopefully, they caught a lot of shrimps, and they’ll have a feast. As the net is brought up, seagulls try to steal shrimp. In Venita’s interview, she says she doesn’t feel like fighting. She’s getting along with everyone, but it’s eye opening. Craig doesn’t seem to be the same Craig that Naomie is talking about. The captain gives them a bucket of shrimp when they get to the dock, and they shotgun some beers.  

Back at the house after golf, Whitney and Shep talk in the kitchen, while Naomie takes a shower. Shep says he’s pleased to observe Whitney and Naomie’s relationship, and asks if they’re seeing other people. Whitney says, no labels and no rush, and Shep says, the best thing is to remain friends. Craig is driving him crazy. Whitney says, Craig is cool and funny, and then he’s the Terror of Tiny Town, screaming at everyone. Shep says, Naomie dumped Craig, and Whitney says, so there’s the ego aspect. He feels bad for her. Shep says, him too, and Whitney leaves to get dressed. The shrimpers get back, and everyone gets dressed up. Shep says, they need to get the shrimp to the chef, and thinks they should get going; everyone is getting restless. He tells them to go to the main lobby of the hotel, and they’ll be eating on the lawn behind it. Austen and Craig stroll over, and Austen says, they’re next to the beach, but they’re dressed like they’re going to a fox hunt. There’s a beautiful, candlelit table ready for them, and they meet hostess Natasha and banquet captain Davia. Davia explains it’s a fancy name for supervisor. Whitney gives props to Shep for the floral display, and Shep wonders why it’s assumed he was in charge of the flowers. Taylor says, he’s a floral guy, but he says he’s a fun-gi. He asks if Craig has been in the food and beverage industry, and Naomie says, let’s not go back there. We flash back to Craig asking her the same question last night, and Craig says, he’d be relieved if someone said they were pregnant. Olivia says, Austen told them? and they all ask if she’s pregnant. Austen says, yes, and Olivia says, just kidding.

The first course is crab cakes paired with prosecco, and I’m in. Naomie says, Shep is getting better. He now asks before taking food off your plate. The entrée is beef strip loin, and the shrimp on skewers, using the shrimp the group caught, paired with cabernet. Olivia picks up a shrimp, and says, it’s the one she named; it’s little Jerry. Craig invites everyone to a Winter Wonderland party to celebrate his company. He’s going to have cocktail hour, a catered sit-down dinner, and dancing afterwards to a ten-piece band. It’s determined that Craig and Austen would beat anyone at The Newlywed Game, and in Olivia’s interview, she says, if Craig was a woman, she’d be jealous. She’d have a lot to worry about. Venita says, they made it halfway through dinner, and no one is screaming. Naomie says, the mood is different, and Craig is being sweet. Craig says he blew his load last night, then realizes that’s not the appropriate term to use. Whitney says, this is the Craig they love, and hopes Craig can maintain it. Craig says he’ll try to stay at the table. Shep asks if he’s inviting Madison, and Craig says he is, not to f*** with Austen, but because he thinks she doesn’t care anymore. Austen says he won’t be sitting at the same table with her, and Craig says, forgiving people is the power. Naomie says he needs to apologize for yesterday, and he says he did, last night. She tells him that he wasn’t civil with her last night; she’s just saying. In Venita’s interview, she wonders if Naomie is trying to pick a fight with Craig. Keep your sh*t together. Naomie says, Craig shouldn’t have called her a psycho ex, and say she doesn’t exist without him. It’s not nice. Craig says he’ll work on being kinder, but last night, she told him how to act in a restaurant. She says she didn’t; she said, guys… Whitney tells Craig to settle down, and Naomie says she has the tools; she’s been in therapy. Craig says he should never yell at anyone, but at the end of the day, they probably shouldn’t interact too much. She’s in his past. Shep suggests they get rid of the negative, and Venita asks if they can acknowledge that this bothered Craig. In Olivia’s interview, she says, Venita is on Craig’s side, and they’ve been friends with Naomie for decades. What is she doing? Venita says, it would be helpful if they acknowledged Craig’s feelings, and Naomie says, shut up. I laugh, and Craig tells Naomie that she’s not welcome at his party. It’s one of those moments where it’s hard to believe these people are as old as they are. Naomie says she doesn’t have to be there. Craig gets up, and says he’s sorry, but this is why they don’t hang out. It brings him to a level he doesn’t like, and he doesn’t want to act like Shep, and yell at girls. He just wants to go home. He leaves, and the table gets exceptionally quiet. Venita finally tells Naomie, she’s not saying Naomie was wrong in what she said, but she was told to shut up, so she didn’t get everything out. Naomie says, what Venita did was fake as sh*t; taking Craig’s side. Venita says, Naomie could have just said she felt hurt and didn’t appreciate that. She didn’t have to say shut up.

Venita tells Naomie not to talk to her like that, but Naomie says, she needed to shut up. Venita says, Naomie has all this class, then tells her to shut up. She gets it. In Venita’s interview, she says, she and Naomie go back ten years. They played tennis all the time, and she went through Naomie’s break-up with Metul with her. They were friends. She would never talk to anyone like that. Of all people, how dare she? The last course is dessert, a lemon fruit tart with crème something, paired with port (not my favorite; skipping dessert). In Naomie’s interview, she says she thought Venita would defend her, but she guesses Venita’s friendship with Craig is better. She’s disappointed and hurt. Shep says, they both have a point, but it’s a long standing emotional issue. Venita says, tell her not to butt in, but not shut up, and Shep says, right. Let’s forget it. Austen says, they almost got to dessert, and Olivia says, they made it longer than last night. Austen says, that’s what she said. Shep says he’ll bring Craig some pudding, and asks Austen to bring a glass of port. Austen wonders how he keeps from drinking it on the way. In Olivia’s interview, she says, it would be easier to enjoy these trips if they could figure it out, but she’s still having fun… ish.

Back at the villa, Venita tells Olivia that she doesn’t want Naomie thinking she’s taking Craig’s side. She just wants Naomie to apologize, so they can be done with it. Naomie comes in, and Venita says, sit next to her.

Craig tells Shep and Austen that the Naomie factor shouldn’t be a factor. He doesn’t like acting like that. Shep says, they all have breaking points, and they’ve all seen each other break. Austen tells Craig not to let Naomie dictate his sh*t, and Craig asks, what happened after he left? Shep says, Naomie and Venita got into it. He wants no more yelling and craziness. Venita tells Naomie that she wasn’t saying Naomie was wrong; she thought Naomie was right. She was just saying, calm down. Craig’s feelings were hurt, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Naomie says, okay, but in her interview, she says, so much for loyalty. Olivia says, it’s okay. She thought they were friends. She hopes they are.

Next time – the finale – Patricia smokes a cham(pagne) bong; Shep tells Taylor that he wants to…; Craig’s Winter Wonderland party happens; and Craig says he’ll have security escort Leva out.

🥼 Putting On My Coat Of One Color…

Make a return appearance tomorrow for soap, a variety of tea and quotes, and music to soothe your soul. Until then, stay safe, stay emotionally intelligent, and stay always asking before you take the food off of someone’s plate.

September 21, 2022 – Portia Gets Brando’s Lab Results Back, Crystal Brings the Roaring 20s To Beverly Hills, Latest House, Newest Tale & Bon Twice

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In a dressing room, someone puts makeup on Chase. Brook says, enough. He’s perfect as he is. Curtis’s voice says, ladies and gentlemen, and others… Coming to the Savoy stage is a hot new star who’s on the rise, so kick back and enjoy what you see with your eyes, and what you hear from his captivating production. Without further ado, or more introduction, put your hands together, and let the music do the talking. The audience applauds, and Brook says, they’re ready for him. Chase gets up, wearing a David Bowie type suit and sunglasses. He takes the sunglasses off, and he has makeup to match. He tells Brook, they can wait. Whereas he can’t wait another minute to be with her. He kisses her, and Lucy says, earth to Brook Lynn. Brook says, she’s sorry. Can Lucy repeat that? Maxie asks, where were you just now? and Lucy says, right. Because she certainly wasn’t here.

Finn is walking while looking at a tablet, when Chase reaches out and pulls him around the corner. Finn asks, what’s wrong with him? and Chase says, you tell me. What happened to Brando?

Curtis calls Portia from the closed club, and says, any word on Brando’s cause of death? She looks at the hospital computer, but cause of death is blank. She says, nothing yet.

Alexis meets Sonny outside Charlie’s, and says, sorry she’s late; work. He says he assumes she was up all night. Hard to stop the press when you have late-breaking news. He holds up The Invader, and the headline says: 2 VICTIMS, 1 HOOK, with a picture of the same type of spear-hook the attacker used.

On the phone at Pier 54, Anna says she has feelers out. They knew this wasn’t going to be easy. It appears to be more dangerous than she anticipated. We see someone in dark clothing, with a hook, not far behind her. She says, of course (🍷) she’s being careful. A black-gloved hand holds out the hook. Anna says, Robert, stop worrying. Take that energy and channel it into finding the person who attacked Ava and killed Brando. The gloved hand turns the hook back and forth, and Anna says she’ll be in touch. She turns, and sees the hook, then realizes it’s Jordan. Jordan says, sorry for startling her. She didn’t want to interrupt Anna’s phone call. Anna says, maybe in order to avoid any future misunderstandings, she might want to leave the sharp objects at home. Jordan says she just picked this up from the marina shop. It’s the same brand and type that was missing from the Quartermaine property. Anna takes it from her, and says, the same type used on Ava and Brando? Jordan says, that’s the theory. She’s on her way to GH to speak to the medical examiner. Anna says, if she needs any assistance, Jordan knows how to reach her. Jordan says, thanks, but the matter she needs off her plate is something she needs to handle herself.

Curtis tells Portia, as soon as he gets this mess sorted out with Jordan and the divorce papers, they will get married. She asks if there’s anything she can do to help, and he says he spoke with Jordan last night. She asks how it went, and he tells her, let’s just say, the divorce papers won’t be an issue. She says, he still didn’t answer her question. Does Jordan feel as he does? She doesn’t mean to be intrusive. He says, she isn’t. His relationship with Jordan isn’t just theirs; she’s a part of it too. He’ll tell her all about it when he sees her. She tells him, just be careful out there, and he says, always. He turns around, and Selina is there with her bodyguard. She says, it seems that things are getting dangerous in Port Charles.

Chase says, Michael called him last night and said Brando was attacked, but they thought he was going to be fine. By the time he got through to Sasha, Brando was dead, and she was in pieces. Finn says, everyone here is in shock as well. One minute, Brando was conscious and in good spirits, and the next thing you know, he was coding. Chase asks how it happened, and Finn says, they’re trying to find out. Portia sent his bloodwork to the lab to try to find the cause. Chase says, and until Finn does, if he does, Brando’s family is suffering, and that mystery is only going to add to their grief. The Invader quoted an anonymous General Hospital source, which means somebody here knows enough to talk to the press about the fact that Ava and Brando were attacked with a hook. He wants to find that person and talk to them himself, so he can find out who killed Sasha’s husband. Finn says, that’s a job for the cops, and Chase is no longer a cop.

Brook says she got the last sparkling water. They’ll have to tell the runner to get another case. She takes a sip, and wonders why the fridge in the breakroom can’t adequately chill a simple sparkling water. How can they be their best and most creative when they’re not sufficiently hydrated? Lucy says, speaking of their best… and Maxie says, they were just discussing Brando. Brook says, poor Sasha… Poor Gladys. Lucy says, it’s horrible, and poor social media response from Deception, or lack thereof, and Brook says she did draw up something. She can send it right over before they publish it. Maxie says, Brook doesn’t have to send it to her or Lucy; just send it out now. Brook asks if they don’t want to weigh in on something this sensitive regarding a partner, and Lucy says, no, that’s the point. With something this sensitive, timeliness is crucial. Brook says she just found out about Brando this morning, and Lucy says, and why is that? They called her last night. They texted her, emailed her, then called her again. Brook says she turns her phone off at night; work/life balance, right? Maxie says, that’s true, but isn’t it possible Brook is focusing more on her life, and not work? and Lucy says, like maybe 101% for life and minus 1% for work? Maxie says, they feel like maybe Brook’s heart isn’t totally with Deception, and Lucy says, like maybe it’s totally with Chase.

Alexis says she’s sorry about Brando, and Sonny says, him too. She asks, how’s Sasha? and he asks if this is on the record. He just doesn’t want to be blindsided. She says she meant to give him a heads up, but time got away from her. What can she do to make amends? He says, Sasha’s having a hard time, so maybe she can keep that in mind, and she says she’ll do her best. He says, they always agree on what’s best for their daughter, and she says, absolutely. Speaking of which, let’s go. They go into Charlie’s, where Victor is telling Kristina, in England if you mispronounce that word, you’re sent to the Tower of London, and your head’s cut off. Kristina laughs, and Victor says, it’s true. Alexis tells Sonny that she thinks they should agree on a plan of action first, and Sonny walks over to Victor and Kristina. Alexis is about to follow, when Valentin grabs her arm, and says, the two of them are going to stay out of this. She says, that’s her daughter, and he says, and Victor is her uncle; that makes him Kristina’s great uncle. He spends more time than he wants to as his father’s lieutenant. It’s better to stay on Victor’s good side, trust him. Let Sonny take care of the bad. Kristina says, Victor is so totally wrong, and Sonny asks what Victor is wrong about. Sonny and Kristina hug, and she says she was just teaching Uncle Victor the correct pronunciation of the word scone. Victor says, and he was just telling Kristina, in Europe, they call it sconn, and Sonny says, in America, his daughter’s correct. Kristina says, back work for her. She’s glad Victor enjoyed his scone. Kristina leaves, and Victor says, always a pleasure, but he must be off. Sonny says, Victor, Victor, Victor. How many times does he have to tell Victor to stay away from his family? Victor says, like it or not, Kristina is his family as well. He greets Alexis, says, ready? to Valentin, and leaves. Outside, he looks at his phone and frowns.  

Chase says, way to kick a guy when he’s down, and Finn says, sorry. He didn’t like saying it any more than Chase liked hearing it, but Chase isn’t part of this investigation. Chase says, he and Sasha bonded when they were trying to help Michael and Willow, and now she’s going through hell. There’s got to be some way he can help her. Finn says, in a way the police can’t. Does he have a lead? Is there somewhere he can go that they can’t? Chase knows the drill. Say he does some digging around and finds something. Without a badge, without a warrant, without jurisdiction, that piece of evidence gets invalidated, and it can throw the whole case out. Then Chase can really kiss his law enforcement career goodbye. Chase says, if Finn thinks he wants to solve this to make himself look good to the higher ups, he couldn’t be more wrong. He’s not angling to use Brando’s death to get his job back. Finn says he knows that. All he’s trying to say is, the PCPD needs a good cop like Chase back on the force, not out in the cold for good. Chase says, who knows when or if he’ll be reinstated. What is he supposed to do in the meantime? Finn says, be there for Sasha, but Chase says, she has plenty of people to be there and comfort her; all he has is time, and frustration. Finn says, if he was Chase, he would spend time with someone he cares about, and channel that energy into a cause that makes a difference. He knows Chase has both.

Brook says, they’re accusing her of shirking her work duties for a guy? and Lucy says, yesterday, Brook spent all morning looking at Chase wallpaper to select it for her computer screen, and somehow their call waiting music is Chase’s demo. Brook says, everyone who’s had to wait on hold has thanked her for it. Since when is it a crime to enjoy a relationship? Maxie says, she and Lucy are happy for her and Chase, and Lucy says, so, so, so happy. It’s okay to focus on her boyfriend sometimes, but Brook is spending more work time promoting Chase’s career and music. So if she doesn’t start promoting and taking care of Deception, and stop mooning over Chase and doing everything for his work and his career, then they’re going to just part ways and fire her. Maxie looks shocked, and Brook says, they want to fire her? Maxie says, no, they’re not going to fire her, and Lucy says, okay, but Brook better get her head back in the game now. Brook’s phone chimes, and she reads: Chase’s Audition 15 Minutes. Brook says, duly noted. She has to run now. Maxie says, no, where is she going? and Brook says, to get her head back in the game.

Anna says she’s guessing the matter on Jordan’s plate is the life changing information Jordan gathered on Curtis. Anna thought she wanted to disclose it to Curtis. Jordan says, her self-examination derailed after a tough question from Curtis. He asked if she was trying to hold on to their marriage. Anna asks, what gave him the idea she might be? and Jordan says, a volunteer postal worker. Anna says, okay. What did Jordan tell him? Did she lie? Jordan says, she told the truth. It just wasn’t the answer to the question he asked.

Curtis asks if there’s a poker game going on in the back he’s not aware of, and Selina says, it’s a bit early in the day for a high stakes poker game. He says, then he can’t imagine another reason she might be in his nightclub, and she says, she does have a reason. Just not a good one.  

Valentin says he hopes Victor knows what he’s doing, and Victor says, apart from a lesson in pronunciation, he was offering Kristina his professional assistance in the wake of her close brush with a murderer. Valentin says, it would be a mistake to provoke Sonny Corinthos, and Victor says he can’t believe Valentin is intimidated by a local mob kingpin. Valentin says, Sonny pursues his own ends quietly, but he’s dangerous when provoked, and Victor says, that’s why he’s keeping Valentin around, amongst other reasons. Nice seeing him. Let’s reconnect soon. Valentin says, Victor was going to give him a date when he can visit Charlotte, and Victor says he will, but right now he a more pressing issue to attend to. Adieu.

Curtis asks what Selina wants from him now, and she flashes back to Sonny saying, Chase is a good singer, a good guy, and he thinks Chase would make a good fit for The Savoy; and Selina saying she appreciates Sonny making the connection, and thinks Curtis will too. She tells Curtis, an apology. She’s seen him twice since his engagement, and he never said a word. She had to hear about it from her nephew. Apparently, that’s all anyone is talking about. He says she exaggerates, and she says, Dr. Robinson is a very lucky woman, but she wishes Curtis had shared his intentions with her. She could have connected him to a fine jeweler she knows. He asks how much that favor would have cost him, but she says, no favor; a courtesy from one partner to another. He says, partners are equal; they’re anything but. She says she’s open to expanding his role in her organization, but he says he prefers his independence. She says, independence is an illusion. She’d still like to honor his engagement. He says, she’s done enough, but she says, he doesn’t know what it is yet. Brook and Chase walk in, and Brook says she hopes they’re not late.

Jordan tells Anna, of course (🍷) she still loves Curtis. The divorce wasn’t her choice. He couldn’t forgive her from keeping too many things from him. Anna asks why Jordan is still keeping secrets, and Jordan says, if she told Curtis what she knows, it could destroy his relationship with Portia. And what does that get her? Gratitude? A second chance with him? She’s unlikely to get either. Anna says, what about her own self-respect? and Jordan says she wouldn’t be proud of herself for hurting two people in love. So she’s decided Curtis and Portia’s relationship is no longer her business. Anna says, perhaps not, but is Curtis’s happiness her business? They had a great marriage when they were together. Doesn’t Jordan still love and respect him? By withholding this information, she’s basically decided what Curtis can and can’t handle; what he should and shouldn’t know. is that fair? Valentin shows up, and Jordan tells Anna, thanks for listening. Anna says she’ll always listen, and Valentin says, forgive him for intruding, but is there something Jordan wants to tell them? Jordan says, as a matter-of-fact, she does. Be careful. They know the how of Ava and Brando’s attacks, but they don’t know the why. Which makes it harder to predict who might be the next target. She leaves.

Finn sees Portia, and asks if she isn’t off today. She says, she doesn’t know. Is it today, yesterday, tomorrow; she has no idea. He says, she never left the hospital, and she says, Britt and Terry had their hands full with the police, so she volunteered to take over. He says, she should have told him, but she says she knew he had a prior commitment with his daughter. Besides, Trina’s back in the dorm, Curtis is working late, and with everything that’s going on around here… He says, she needed the hustle and bustle of the hospital, and she says, focusing on work keeps her mind off things. Like what really happened with Brando. She went over everything; his vitals, the post op reports. He should have made a full recovery. Finn says he’s hoping the tests from the lab provide the answers, and she says, if not, maybe they can get some answers from The Invader. She read the article linking the attacks, and disclosing that a hook was used in both. She also happened to notice they cited an anonymous GH source. She wonders who spoke up.

Alexis asks what went on with Sonny and Victor, and he tells her, hold on. He goes over to the bar, and asks if Kristina is okay. She says she’s fine. Save his concern for Sasha and Gladys. Alexis says, their concern is for her right now. She witnessed the attack. They have every right to be concerned. Kristina says, Great Uncle Victor thought so too. He had some pretty good advice. Alexis says, Victor was checking up on her too? and Kristina says, he offered to hire someone to protect her after the attack on Brando. Great guy, but overreact much? Alexis says, in this situation, her Uncle Victor has it sized up correctly.

Lucy scarfs gummi bears, and Maxie tells her not to choke on her gummies. Take nice, even breaths, and breathe away her frustration over Brook. Lucy says, BLQ just might be BFE – bye forever. Maxie says, Brook is in love, and it’s not worth firing her over. They just spoke to her. Let’s give her a chance to do better. She wrests the bag of gummies from Lucy’s hand, and Lucy says, okay. Maybe they should check with the headhunters to just see if there’s some social media talent out there. Maxie asks if they can put a pin in that, and give Brook a second chance. Think of all the mistakes they’ve made for love. Victor walks in, and says, and he hazards a guess that Lucy is long overdue another chance.

Brook asks if Curtis has time for Chase’s audition. It seems like they’re interrupting. Curtis says, apparently there was a mix up. He didn’t realize there was an audition on the books today. Brook says she knew she should have come in person to confirm, and not rely on her assistant, and Chase says, Curtis seems busy. They should come back another time. Brook says she’s sure a successful entrepreneur such as Curtis can eke out two minutes to hear Chase cut loose. Curtis says, he knows from the Nurses Ball that Chase has a set of pipes on him. He could do with a refresher. He always has time for a star on the rise.

Portia tells Finn that she even saw an item on the news this morning, which means the national outfits are sniffing around. That’s all thanks to the Invader story. Whoever decided to speak to Alexis’s reporter, may have been responsible for bringing additional attention to the case, which is such a good thing. Finn says he really doubts the party in question was looking for any kind of attention, when Jordan comes around the corner. Portia says, otherwise, it would have gone on record. She’s sure this civic-minded individual’s only goal was to alert the public to a killer in their midst. Jordan says, the best of intentions. If only they didn’t threaten to disrupt an investigation that barely started. If either of them have any idea as to the identity of this civic-minded individual, please let her know.

Sonny says, he and Kristina’s mother are going to keep her safe, not Victor. Kristina says, she appreciates the concern, but focus on Molly. She had a thing with Brando. She must be feeling awful. Alexis says, Molly didn’t witness the attack, but Kristina says, she’s hardly a witness. It was dark and raining, and she’s not even sure if the attacker was a male or female.  Sonny says, Brando’s killer doesn’t know that, and Kristina says, if she’d gotten a good look, Jordan would have made her sit down with a sketch artist, and the likeness would have been posted on social media and the news outlets, and every lamppost and telephone pole in Port Charles. But there’s no posted likeness, so the attacker knows she’s not a threat. Alexis says, Kristina can’t read the lunatic’s mind. Neither can she or Kristina’s father. That’s why they talked about it, and think it’s best if she came and stayed with one of them, just for a little bit. Kristina says, hard pass, and Alexis says, it won’t matter if she takes a little break. Kristina says she’s not quitting her job, and Sonny says, no one’s suggesting that. Kristina says, PCU is back in session, and Phyllis is slammed with students at night. She’s not going to leave Phyllis hanging. Sonny says, Phyllis will understand, and Alexis says, of course (🍷) she will. Just tell Phyllis she’s scared. Kristina says she’s not scared, and Alexis says she has so much respect for Kristina’s courage; it’s so admirable. Kristina says, this has nothing to do with courage. It’s an objective evaluation of the situation. Alexis asks if Kristina really wants to risk her life for minimum wage slinging beer in a dead end job. Isn’t Kristina a manager? I would hope she’s getting more than minimum wage.

Lucy says, Victor is such a flirt, and he says, guilty as charged. He was merely referring to her wayward companion. Marvin, isn’t it? Lucy and Maxie both say, Martin, and he says, any word on a return date? Lucy says, not just yet, and he says, it’s criminal to allow such a beautiful woman to go unchaperoned. Maxie cough/laughs, and Victor asks if she’s all right. Maxie says, she’s just trying to wrap her head around Lucy and a chaperone, and Lucy says, hey! Victor tells her, don’t engage; it’s not worth it. He asks if there’s somewhere they could talk more privately, and she says she would absolutely love that, but they’re in a huge, very important business meeting. Maxie says, they are? and Lucy says, yes, they are. They were discussing the marketing of the Cunning Concealer. Maxie says, they had that meeting yesterday, and Lucy says, she’s right. They were talking about testing the Bluffing Blush. Maxie says, it passed with flying colors, and Lucy tells Victor, lunch? He says, on him, and on her way out the door, Maxie says, enjoy. Should be fun. Victor says he thought she’d never leave. Now at last he has Lucy all to himself.

Valentin says he’s sorry; he kept Anna waiting. She says, she figured he was with his father. Anything relevant to Charlotte? He says, no. Victor keeps putting him off. Victor’s more concerned about Kristina; she witnessed Brando Corbin’s attack. Anna says, she knows; horrible. So Victor’s playing family man. He says, he’s very devoted to family, as the Cassadines define the term. They eat their young. She says, not him, and puts her hand on his chest. She says, they’re going to bring Charlotte home, and he tells her, when she says it, he almost wants to  believe it’s true. They sit, and he says, the moment he decided to have a child, from the moment Charlotte was born, her life was in danger just because she was his daughter. There were forces, people, enemies who would be tempted to use her as leverage against him. He had to be careful. He just wasn’t careful enough. His own father it turns out was more lethal than anyone. She doesn’t even know to be scared of him. He’s so frightened. Anna says, good. To be brave, sometimes you need to be frightened. Now they need to be brave. He says, why? What happened? She says, she engaged one of Robert’s contacts to surveil the so-called school where Victor is holding Charlotte. Less than 24 hours after taking the assignment, the operative wanted out. Apparently Victor’s name produces a chilling effect. So if Robert’s people are going to back out, they may be on their own. He says, they have Lucy, but she asks if now isn’t the time to reconsider Lucy’s involvement. It was one thing when Anna thought Lucy could get them in the door, but if Robert’s people aren’t going to take the job because they’re afraid of Victor, she can’t in good conscience put a civilian’s life at risk. He says, then they may have to cut her loose before she gets in deeper.

Victor says he’s worn himself out trying to reach Lucy for the last couple of days. He left messages, he sent telegrams, both the written and the singing variety. She says she didn’t get any of that. She’s going to have to fire her assistant. He suggests they do it together; it will be a bonding experience. She says she has the feeling that might be a bit of a violation of HR rules, and he says, then they’ll just have to rewrite the rules over their long-awaited lunch. She says, about that… and he says he’s sensing bad news. She says, Sasha Gilmore’s husband died; he was murdered. So she would feel uncomfortable having lunch with him. It would be tempting, but under the circumstances, not a great idea. Does he understand? He says he understands nothing of the sort.

Kristina says, that escalated quicky, and Alexis says, technically moving the conversation from Kristina’s life being threatened to her career would qualify as a de-escalation. Sonny says, they’re not here to discuss Kristina’s career; they’re here to discuss her safety. Kristina says, a subject that seems to provide her mom a segue into her life choices, and Alexis says, if Kristina had made different life choices, and take a different path, they wouldn’t be… Kristina says, a path more reputable and less dead endy? and Alexis says, she meant limited. This is a great job in the short term. Kristina says, but it’s not law school, and Sonny tells her, no one said anything about law school. Kristina says, here’s their chance, and tells Alexis, go ahead. Does Kristina embarrass her? Alexis says, of course (🍷) not, and Kristina says, Alexis just thinks she should quit her job and do something more productive. Go ahead. Say it. She’ll feel better. Sonny says, that’s enough, and Alexis says, what she meant was, she just wants Kristina to live up to her full potential. Kristina says, and working at Charlie’s is doing anything but.

Portia suggests, if Jordan wants to know who the anonymous source is, give Alexis a call, and Jordan says, so she can get a freedom of the press and we protect our sources speech from Alexis? Why waste her time? Finn says, she thinks one of the doctors here leaked the story? and Jordan says, prior to that article, it wasn’t public knowledge that Brando and Ava had been stabbed with a hook. She’s here to lay down the law with their Co-Chiefs of Staff about disclosing important details. Finn says, Jordan must have bigger priorities than tracking down the source who leaked the information for the article, and Jordan says, believe it or not, she can juggle several priorities at once. Portia asks, how much damage could acknowledging Port Charles might have a serial killer actually do to the investigation? but Jordan says, they won’t know until the damage is done. Remember when The Invader leaked Franco’s brain tumor, and Alexis tried to kill him, and almost killed Dante instead? She wanted to keep the perp guessing. Now this person has an edge, which they can exploit. A nurse tells Portia, this is for her, and hands her some papers. Portia says, it’s the test results from last night. This is Brando’s cause of death.

Selina says she hopes Brook and Chase don’t mind if she stays. She’s considering renting the club for a private party. She’d love to get a sense of the acoustics and how the music plays. Brook says, it’s up to Chase, and he says, whatever. He’s got to get used to an audience at some point. Selina thanks him, and sits down. Brook says, Chase hates her, and he asks where she got that. She says, he’s distracted, thinking about Sasha, and she’s dragging him to an audition that she doesn’t know if he wants. He says, is now the perfect time to sing? No, but does he hate her? Absolutely not. She asks if he’s sure. She know he wishes he could do something for Sasha right now. He says he can’t deny that, and she says, so they’ll go. Forget the audition, and go see Sasha. They’ll both feel better. She starts to leave, but he grabs her arm, and says, Sasha’s got Brando’s mom and Nina hovering over her. Him foisting himself on her might be more about him feeling useful than being of real use to her. Brook says, he won’t know until he tries, and he says, later. Right now, he wants to do something useful for her, for them. They kiss, and Chase sings a song I’d guess is called I’m Falling Into Place.  

Victor tells Lucy, it’s absolutely the right time for their lunch, but she says she doesn’t know if she’d be very good company. She’s so distracted worrying about Sasha. He says, fortunately he’s the master of distraction. He’ll keep her mind off these gruesome events, and focused on their shared interests; hers and his, and ways of increasing her profit potential. She says she’s always looking for a good corporate partner, and he says he thinks he can do a little better than that. Give him her undivided attention, and he may surprise her with a more than satisfactory Cassadine infusion… of capital of course (🍷). He holds out his hand.

Chase finishes his song, and everyone applauds. Brook asks what Curtis thinks, and Curtis says he thinks there’s a Savoy debut in Chase’s future. Chase says, really? and Brook says, of course (🍷) there is. He has the voice, and so much more. She kisses him, and Chase tells Selina, the kid’s got talent. She says, and he has taste, and he says, this private party of hers. The place is hers for 50… thousand. She asks if he accepts checks, but he says, sorry. Cash is king.

Valentin and Anna go to the Deception office, and Anna tells Maxie that they’re looking for Lucy, but she’s not in her office. Maxie says, they just missed her, and Valentin asks if Maxie knows where she went. Maxie tells him, they didn’t say, and Anna says, they? Maxie says, Lucy and Victor; they left together. Anna and Valentin look at each other.

Sonny says, he and Kristina’s mother only want what’s good for her, and she asks if what’s good for her includes her happiness. He says, of course (🍷) it does, and she asks if that includes Alexis too. Alexis asks, what kind of thing is that to say? and Kristina tells them, then the subject is closed. She doesn’t intend on working at Charlie’s until she dies, but right now, working here makes her happy. And she doesn’t intend on dying anytime soon – by crook or by hook. She stomps off, and Sonny tells Alexis, she’s all you. Alexis nods in agreement.

Jordan asks what the tests results say, and Finn wonders if they made the call on Brando’s cause of death. Portia says, the stab wound didn’t kill Brando. The weapon was laced with a toxin; a poison. She hands Jordan the papers.

Tomorrow, Jordan says she’s glad to hear she and Portia are both on the side of truth; Maxie asks what’s going on and how worried she should be; Nina tells Sonny, Drew’s investment is more than he’s letting on; and Carly says, if Peyton wants to do this the hard way, that’s fine with her.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

When we left last week, the women were headed to another bar at Kyle’s insistence. In the car, Kathy said, if she didn’t get in (referring to the dress code), she wouldn’t be mad. LisaR said, she’s Kathy-F***ing-Hilton. She can get in anywhere. I think that’s the crux of a lot of the problems with the world. Nobody should be able to get in anywhere on their name alone, unless they’ve come up with a cure for cancer or something equally important.

We see Aspen at peace, and the snow covered hills. It must know the women are packing to head home. Kyle asks if LisaR is almost ready, and in LisaR’s interview, she says, her head is in a fog after what happened last night. It’s worse than a hangover. They were at the club, and Kathy was having a meltdown. She’s never seen anything like this. She tells Kyle that her face is puffy; Aspen does a number on your filler. Kyle says, her face is puffy from crying, and we see a clip of her getting tissues from the bartender at Kemo Sabe. She tells LisaR that she cried at Kemo Sabe, then she cried talking to Erika. She can’t. In her interview, LisaR tells us, she’s not saying a lot. She’s still in shock. It was nothing she would have imagined coming from anyone in the group, let alone Kathy. Here’s where, were there a camera in my house, I would stare at it like Jim from The Office. In Kyle’s interview, she says, her sister doesn’t want to come out of her room. She can’t believe she’s leaving her sister behind in Aspen because she doesn’t want to go on the plane. If Kathy is this upset, somehow it will be her fault.

Everyone meets at the airport, and they get on the plane. Mauricio says he went skiing, and can’t believe he had to wait for them. LisaR says, after what she’s been through, she’s having a Bloody Mary. Erika says she doesn’t want to fight with Sutton, and Sutton says she doesn’t want to fight with Erika. Erika says, she can’t give Sutton the answers she wants, and when she screams out, it’s pure anger. She’s sorry to everybody on the receiving end. She’s f***ing mad because she doesn’t feel heard. In Sutton’s interview, she wonders why Erika is saying she’s sorry. Is the plane going down? They had good a conversation when they went snowmobiling, but can she trust it? She’s going to try, but she looked out the plane window for the smoke. Kyle says, Kathy was sleeping when they left. She’d texted, saying she wasn’t going on the plane. In Erika’s interview, she says, Kathy’s not on the plane because she had a breakdown in the nightclub, and they all saw. In Kyle’s interview, she says, everybody knows, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, Kathy asked everyone to do a conga line, but no one wanted to. The next thing she knew was Kathy was in her face, said she wanted to go home, and if Sutton didn’t go with her, she was not Kathy’s friend. In Crystal’s interview, she says, she didn’t see it, but there was a commotion. She’s known Kathy a long time, longer than most of the women, and knows how bad her behavior has been. In Diana’s interview, she says, she saw Kathy raging, screaming, mostly at Kyle. Kathy wanted to leave now, and Kyle said she wasn’t doing that; they just got here. In Dorit’s interview, she says, LisaR said she’d take Kathy home, and in LisaR’s interview, she says, it got worse in the sprinter (car). Kathy was screaming that she was going to take down NBC, Bravo, and take down the show. She was going to single-handedly ruin all of them. When they got back to Kyle’s house, it got even worse. Kathy threw her glasses on the floor, and was jumping on them, and pounding the walls. She said, she made Kyle, and she’d destroy Kyle and her family if it was the last thing she did. Why isn’t Bravo showing us this? I’d actually pay money to see this tirade. On the plane, Kyle says, she and her sisters grew up fighting. She and Kim would draw blood. In her interview, she says, LisaR was texting Erika a play-by-play, and she saw Erika’s phone. She didn’t want to go home. LisaR tells Kyle, they’ll have to talk about it at some point, and in her interview, she says, Kyle is more famous and successful than Kathy ever was. Clearly, Kathy is holding on to the anger. We see flashbacks of Mauricio talking about opening his own agency, but being concerned about the family; and Kathy telling Kyle that American Woman will show their mom in a bad light. LisaR says, it’s hard for Kathy to have it all, and then have her sister have more. LisaR tells Kyle not to worry about her sister. It’s not her problem.

LisaR and Sutton go shopping for Crystal’s birthday present, and we see a clip of Crystal inviting everyone to her 39th birthday party. She tells them, it’s going to be a Great Gatsby/Roaring 20s theme. Sutton and LisaR choose an orchid plant, and decide to have it delivered. Crystal tells Rob, the party is tomorrow, and says she’s going crazy. Rob says, it’s going to be fun, but Crystal says she has no idea. In Crystal’s interview, she says, the 20s was a beautiful era, and she wants to dress up with everybody and have a good time. She tells Rob that she’s scared. She wants to have fun, but in Aspen, there was fighting every night. In her interview, she says, they’re not going to ruin her birthday, and crosses her fingers. She suggests they get a shed to lock them in, just in case, and Rob says, they can be given time out. Kyle tells Portia that she’s unpacking then packing again. She asks Portia to find some good crystals for her. She’s going to need good energy after Aspen. In Kyle’s interview, she says she’s filming Halloween Ends. She’s going to miss Crystal’s birthday, but the last thing she wants to talk about is Aspen. Thank God she’ll be being chased by Michael Myers. She hasn’t seen or spoken to Kathy since Aspen. She thinks Kathy went from her house to a hotel, then back to L.A. She’d believed she and Kathy would never go to a bad place again. We flash back to the Reunion where Kathy was crying, and then they hugged and made up. She says she doesn’t know how she can fix this. Um… Pay for Kathy’s therapy? New pup Smokey chews on Kyle’s suitcase, then grabs a sweater, and runs out on the deck, where Kyle has to chase him around until she gets it back – with a hole in it. Once again. Pets, the great leveler. Even Kathy-F***ing-Hilton can’t do a damn thing about an unruly pet.

Erika and Dorit go to a chocolate place, and Dorit says, it would be her five-year-old’s dream come true. Erika says, it smells like heaven, and the manager (or whoever he is; I missed it) says, the thing with chocolate is, no matter what you’re going through, chocolate will make you happy. Erika says, unfortunately, she knows that, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she wanted Erika to have some fun, and what better way to lift her spirits than chocolate? In Erika’s interview, she says, chocolate is like therapy. Real therapy is expensive. She just got her bill. They put hats on to cover their hair for making chocolate, and the manager says, they’re Lucy and Ethel. They dip Oreos in pink chocolate, and make chocolate hearts. Afterward, Dorit tells the manager, their girlfriend is going to be 39, and asks if he can whip up something super special. He says, anything for them. Dorit says she knows Erika must have seen Garcelle on The Real, and Erika says, it was devastating. We see a clip of the show where Garcelle says, giving up the earrings would be a way of saying she has compassion. Dorit says she was talking to Kyle, and it seemed like if she chose to support Erika, in some way she was supporting the alleged crimes. We see a clip of Kyle telling Dorit, what Erika said was disturbing and wrong, and wondering if Dorit agrees with Erika. In her interview, Erika says she can’t deal with these chicks who wonder, what will the neighbors think? Sometimes the ones that are doing the best are hiding the most. She tells Dorit that she’s tired of being the whipping boy while others display not their best behavior. Dorit asks who she’s talking about, and in Erika’s interview, she says, this town has different rules for the hyper-elite. Kathy’s family has a lot of strength, wealth, and connections. People think twice if they want to challenge them.Erika tells Dorit, they’ve seen each other at their worst, and she’s heard things that aren’t the best. If they thinks she’s their whipping boy for the entire group, they have another thing coming.

Everyone gets ready for Crystal’s party, and Erika tells makeup artist Preston and hairstylist Clyde that she misses the old days. They toast, cheers to old school. In Sutton’s interview, she says she doesn’t really like costume parties, but she has an authentic 1920s dress, so she’s kind of excited. Garcelle tells her team that there might be dancing or there might be hair pulling. Sheree comes over while Garcelle is still upstairs, and signs her name on the gift card, saying, this is from us. Garcelle comes down the stairs, dressed in pants with suspenders that say Chanel, dark shirt, and a fedora. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, her inspiration was Josephine Baker. She feels strong, glamorous, and don’t mess with me. Sheree tells Garcelle that she kind of signed her name on the card, and Garcelle says she will f*** Sheree up. She says, they have a lot to talk about. They discussed the $750K earrings on The Real, and she taped it before Aspen. We flash back to Garcelle and Crystal talking about it prior to the taping. She tells Sheree that she hasn’t seen Erika since then, but she thought Erika was wearing the earrings in Aspen. Sheree says, it would be a hard thing to give up, but Garcelle says, stop it right now. You have other stuff. Sheree tells Garcelle, she’s just saying it would be hard, and asks what the consensus was. Garcelle says, hers was, give up the earrings. She can’t imagine Erika hasn’t seen it. In her interview, Garcelle says, everybody is talking about it, but she won’t say anything unless Erika brings it up. She says, it’s Crystal’s birthday, they’re going to celebrate, and they look the part.

Needless to type, the party looks fabulous; food and drink everywhere, a magician, a crescent moon to take a photo with, or on. In Crystal’s interview, she says, she and Rob have an affinity for the 20s. Rob had the same thing for his birthday, but it was a huge party. Because of covid, they minimized the group. She wants to leave the tension behind and give good party. Crystal is dressed in a traditional embroidered Chinese dress with a mandarin collar, but most of the women are flappers. Erika looks like a Ziegfeld Follies girl, and LisaR shows up in a tux. In LisaR’s interview, she says she wanted to be here for Crystal, but it’s hard to get past what she went through with Kathy. She’s in shock. She’s putting on a brave face, but she has PTSD. Please. Like she hasn’t given anyone PTSD. It’s not like Kathy hit her, and a fit is pitched at least every other episode. She should get a load of RHONJ. Kathy arrives, surprising everyone, and makes the rounds, acting like everything is fine. In her interview, LisaR says she’s surprised to see Kathy. She didn’t think Kathy would show, but she’s here and decked out to the nines, acting like nothing happened. It’s so f***ing weird. They all sit down for a moment, but before it gets too awkward, Crystal tells everyone to go down to the parlor, which is what she’s now calling the finished basement. We see before photos, and not a big shock, it’s amazing. In Crystal’s interview, she says, it wasn’t a small project. She doesn’t know the exact amount – she chose not to look – but they were in budget, and she’s proud of that. In her interview, LisaR says, it’s excruciatingly difficult to watch Kathy act like nothing happened. It’s building in her, and she’s super uncomfortable. If everyone knew what Kathy had said about them, they wouldn’t be happy. It’s so f***ed up on every level. We see Rob’s Wurlitzer jukebox, and he says, it’s from 1942, and rare, since they were only made for a year. He paid $30K for it, and considering how pristine it looks, I’m thinking that’s not bad. I also think Quentin Tarantino has that same jukebox.

Erika has a mint julip, and asks if Sutton wants to try it, but Sutton says she doesn’t drink bourbon even though she’s Southern. She takes a sip, and is like, yeah, no. In her interview, she says, it’s going well with Erika. Maybe the Aspen air is still with them. Maybe there’s not enough oxygen and Erika’s not thinking straight. Erika talks to Rob about reconstruction on the house, and tells him that the house she lived in with Tom was built in 1928, so she knows how it is. We flash back to her and Tom discussing redoing the grounds. She tells Sutton that she went by it the other day. It was empty, and the windows and drapes were open. She sat in her car and looked at it. She thought, all right, and drove on. There’s no returning, but she knew that when she left. She’d catalogued it as a chapter in her life, and she’s closed the book. We flash back to Erika giving the women a tour of her house, and she tells Sutton that she can’t be attached to things like that. In Erika’s interview, she says she can’t stay in a place of loss and grief. She has to transcend the negativity, the pain and suffering, and criticism. Let it go and go on to the next chapter.

Rob gets everyone’s attention, and Crystal says, it’s another year of celebrating with them, and it’s special. This is the last year of her thirties. LisaR says, what a brag, and in Diana’s interview, she says, Crystal hasn’t even had her first Botox yet. See you in ten years. I love how it’s a given she will get Botox. Crystal thanks them from her heart, and blows out the candle on the cake, which is decorated like part of a crime scene; a knife sticking out of the top, and blood cascading down it. Everyone gets a beautiful cookie decorated with their name, and Dorit asks Garcelle about The Real. Garcelle says, it’s her job, and in Dorit’s interview, she wonders if Garcelle feels guilty about throwing a grenade masquerading as a place of concern. LisaR tells Crystal that she loves her, but needs to go home. She’s still upset after what happened in Aspen, and can’t sit there. In LisaR’s interview, she says she’s trying, but she feels like she’s seen the devil, and its name is Kathy Hilton. Crystal asks if it’s that bad, and LisaR nods.

In LisaR’s interview, she says, Kathy is polished, a loving mother, a socialite, and a pillar of society. To hear these things coming out of her mouth… She can’t believe anyone would think, feel, or say that about their own family. She leaves, and Erika asks Garcelle if they can talk. Garcelle says, absolutely, and Erika says, she would have loved a heads up about The Real. She knows it was shot before Aspen, and had thought they had a nice time. Garcelle says, they did, and Erika says she thought they’d connected at dinner. Garcelle says, they did, and Erika says, they had a nice moment snowmobiling, and Garcelle could have said, hey girl, I want you to know what’s going to happen. When she saw it, she thought, here we go again. She’d rather find out from the source. Garcelle says she obviously hurt Erika’s feelings and she gets it. She’s sorry. Crystal comes back, and tells them LisaR left. Everyone is like, what? and Garcelle says, without saying goodbye? Crystal tells them, she said she had to go. She was still shaken up about what happened in Aspen. She doesn’t know what that means, but LisaR looked like she saw a ghost. In Kathy’s interview, she says, LisaR has gone through a lot, losing her mom, but she doesn’t believe what she shared with LisaR in Aspen would upset her. LisaR listened, and by no means was there any indication she was upset. If she was the toe [sic] that broke the camel’s back, she apologizes. Kathy says, LisaR is tough; they shouldn’t worry. Garcelle asks Erika to call LisaR, and Erika goes into another room, saying, in the 20s, this would be a soup can and a rope. Not quite. Apparently, she’s never seen Downton Abbey. Diana follows her, and Erika calls, but LisaR doesn’t pick up. Diana says, that’s not like her, and Erika says she thinks LisaR is mad that some behavior might get swept under the rug. They all drank and had a good time, but then Kathy got upset and wanted to leave. She saw Kathy yelling, and LisaR took her home. She thinks LisaR should tell the group what went on. In Erika’s interview, she says, LisaR was texting her as she took Kathy home. She reads some of the texts, and LisaR says she went into the sprinter, and Kathy had an absolute meltdown. Then, after they got back, LisaR texted that she’s never seen or heard anything like it. Anger, screaming, throwing things, crying. Diana tells Erika, they’ve all said ugly things, and Erika says, everybody is quick to condemn her behavior, but if they talk about her behavior, they’re going to talk about everybody in the group.  

Diana says, the Kathy she knows is put together, but not in Aspen. She was raging. She didn’t know who this person was. Erika says she doesn’t know what’s going on, and in her interview, she says, Kathy did what she did in the nightclub. They all saw it. All Kathy has to do is, admit it, apologize, and move on. Diana says, they all saw the wrath, but LisaR saw more wrath. Erika says, the sprinter wrath, then the home wrath. She thinks she feels torn. Diana says, she doesn’t want to get between two sisters. You never want to get between family. Erika says, it’s not about being sisters; it has to do with being Kathy. Erika says, LisaR has her own story, and Diana wonders why she’s not here. She makes clucking noises, and tells Erika, just saying. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s not used to a chicken LisaR. She doesn’t want to be judge and jury, but they don’t know what went down. Everyone should be held to the same standard, and bad behavior should be called out. Everyone else decides to call it a night, except for Dorit, who sits with Erika and Diana. Erika says she was having a conversation with Diana; they were talking about Aspen and Kathy’s behavior. She was running in and out, being angry. Dorit asks if they think that’s why LisaR, and Erika says, LisaR took Kathy home. It got worse in the sprinter and in Kyle’s house. Dorit says she’s never seen Kathy like that, and in her interview, Erika says, be careful of those who have a lot to protect. She has nothing to protect. She says she doesn’t know why LisaR is afraid; they’re not here to protect anybody, and she certainly hasn’t been protected. The game turns on everybody, and it’s Kathy’s turn now. Dorit says she’s afraid if Kathy is outed, Kyle will suffer the most, and Erika shrugs.

Next time, a Pretty Mess hair event; Elton John; LisaR says she’ll never forget it; Kyle feels like Kathy hates her; and LisaR tells Kathy that she’s not getting away with it.

🗯 I dunno. Maybe Kathy’s anger isn’t that far-fetched. She sent Paris to that pseudo school where they beat her. There must have been a reason Paris never told anyone until she was well into her adulthood. It doesn’t sound like Kathy was the best at parenting, but we really don’t know why. I can’t imagine she’d keep her temper under wraps at home where she can actually be herself.

🐉 This Week’s Throne Goes To…

What happened in Dragonstone this week.

⚰️ Deadly Tale…

This one was pretty creepy. The moral: Maybe you’d better listen when an old lady tells you to get out of her house.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1060992/tales-of-the-walking-dead-finale-recap-la-dona/

💃🏽 Cha-cha-cha-ing Off…

Let’s meet tomorrow for soap, Charm, and audio. Until then, stay safe, stay standing your ground, and stay not mispronouncing scone in England. If you do, you’re sent to the Tower of London, and your head’s cut off.

September 20, 2022 – Portia Suspects a Sinister Explanation, Unexpected Exit, a Scare, New Gig, Yummy Preview, Protective Bro, Revenge, The Queen’s Corgis & Breathe

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly puts flowers on Virginia Benson’s grave, and says, it’s been so long since she’s been here; too long. She meant to come by many times, but something always came up. Excuses, excuses, right? It seems so fitting that after everything she’s been through, she would end up here in Jacksonville with her mother.

Jordan says she doesn’t even know how to respond to this, and Curtis says, the truth would be a great start. She asks if he thinks she’d sabotage his happiness and his upcoming wedding like that? and he says, if she still had feelings for him, maybe. She says, of course (🍷) she still has feelings. They just don’t up and disappear. He’s moved on with his life, and he and his fiancé are sharing a new home now, so… He says he’s still not hearing an answer; yes or no?

Elizabeth says she’s scared, and Doc says he understands. It’s all right. He’s here with her. She was talking about the staircase. Is the woman still at the bottom? She says, yes. Elizabeth was so angry with her, telling her to stay away from her father. Now she’s not moving. Elizabeth gasps, and Doc asks what she sees.

Gregory says he knows Finn’s thoughts are with Elizabeth, and Alexis says, she’s in really good hands with Doc. Finn says he knows, but Alexis has her own stuff going on. How is Kristina? She says, Kristina’s unsettled, but she’s not hurt, and Brando seems to be out of danger, so she’s grateful. Gregory says, but it won’t stop there, will it? and Alexis says, not if the same person who attacked Brando attacked Ava. Finn says, the real question is, does the public have the right to know a lunatic is out there with a hook, and could very well strike again?

Nina says, Sonny can finally breathe, and he says, Brando is out of surgery; he’s going to be okay. She says, he’s a strong guy; it’s probably in the genes. He says, his dad loved Brando. Who wouldn’t? Brando is amazing, loyal, generous… Gladys joins them, and says, and he’s alive. She’s never been more relieved. She thought she lost him. She thought she lost her boy. Sonny says, Brando is with them right now. He’s where he belongs. He hugs Gladys.

Sasha runs out of Brando’s room, yelling, please help! She tells Brando, it’s okay, and Portia, Deanna, and another nurse run in with a crash cart. Sasha says she thought everything was okay. What’s happening? Portia tells Deanna, get her out of here, and Deanna gently pushes Sasha out the door. She tells Sasha, they need room to work, and Sasha asks, what’s happening? Please save him. Deanna closes the door, and Portia says, check his stats. The other nurse says, his pulse is 30 and dropping, and Portia says some medical stuff, and asks for lorazepam.

Carly says she couldn’t wait to get away. From Virginia, the condo, all the mistakes she made. Get to Port Charles and claim the life she knew was hers. She had it for a while. A husband, family, money, a career. Even that social status she was so fixated on. She had the right car, the right clothes, and the right address. No condo for her. She had an estate on the lake, until it all came crashing down like a house of cards. She’s fine; she’s not destitute or anything. But she’s here, back in this place; like a round trip ticket to where she started.

Jordan says, she signed the papers, put them in an envelope, and left them on her desk, and Curtis says, but they never got them. Jordan flashes back to Stella, saying, she took the papers, but doesn’t know what happened to them, and Jordan and Curtis are still married. Jordan tells Curtis that she never saw them again. They can sign new ones and move forward. It’s what she wants. He says, okay. If she says she doesn’t know what happened to the papers, he believes her. She says, hallelujah, and he says, but he does have another question. If there were no papers, and he hadn’t asked for a divorce, would they still be married? Again, Superman fighting the dinosaurs.

Stella sees TJ in his lab coat, and asks if he’s wearing his dinner attire or is dinner off. He says he meant to text her back; it’s been crazy around here. She asks if everything is all right, and he says, it is now. She knows his friend Brando… She says, of course (🍷), Mike’s cousin, and he says, they almost lost him tonight, but he pulled through. She says, thank goodness, for Brando and his family, but also for TJ. Good friends are hard to come by. He says, so are wonderful aunts.

Alexis says, on one hand, there’s the people’s right to know, and Gregory says, on the other hand, there’s getting involved in a police investigation, and everything that comes with that. Finn says, and here he thought medicine was complicated. He looks at his watch, and Gregory tells him to go meet Elizabeth. We’ve got this. Finn says he’ll check in later and leaves. Alexis asks, who is this we that Gregory is speaking of?

Doc asks if the woman is someone Elizabeth knows, and she says she thinks so. He says, but Elizabeth still can’t see her face, and Elizabeth says, no. He tells her, it’s all right; she’s safe. She’s doing great. Look up at the top of the stairs. Is someone there too? She says, yes; someone’s there. In her mind, she runs up the stairs, and sees Peter lying on the landing. She says, no! and Doc asks who else she sees.

Sonny leaves a voicemail for Carly, saying, the kids are fine. There’s a lot going down right now. Can she call him as soon as she can? A man sitting nearby says, bad news? but Sonny says, no; just the opposite, really good news. The man says, at his age, you have to wonder if there’s a difference, and Sonny laughs.

Portia says, Brando needs another round, and Deanna says, his heart rate’s plummeting. Portia says some more medical stuff, and that he has to be prepped for a dopamine drip. Outside, Sasha is looking through the window, and says, fight for us. Remember what we mean to each other. Everything they’ve been through, good and bad. There’s a song part – Sia’s Breathe Me – and Sasha goes down Brando Memory Lane. She remembers them meeting, Brando saving her after her overdose, a kiss under the mistletoe, their first time having sex in the garage. She flashes back to telling him she’s pregnant, and Brando saying he wants be part their child’s life. She remembers Liam being born, and the end of Liam’s life, telling him, Liam Mike Corbin. You were here for such a short time, but you made quite the impact. She flashes back to Brando saying he loves her, getting married in Niagara Falls, and telling him that he’s her family. He’s all the family she needs. (breathe me)

Portia says, this makes no sense. Brando was trending up after surgery. It’s like his body’s been hit by something else, and it’s wrecking his whole system. Deanna says, they’re losing him, and she says, the hell we are, and tells them to start chest compressions. Brando flatlines, and Portia says, come on, as Sasha watches.

Carly says she’s never going to escape it, is she? It doesn’t matter that she clawed her way to the top in Port Charles. In Jacksonville, she’s always going to be Caroline Benson from the wrong side of town. The tacky little wannabe, trying to pretend she belongs with the kids who go to the country club. She can hear Virginia now; be content with what you have, Caroline. It’s more than what you think. As a kid, she resented that. She took it as though Virginia wanted to hold her back; that Virginia didn’t think she was good enough to want more or better. But she understands now what Virginia meant was, she was wonderful just the way she was. She’s sorry she couldn’t hear it, for Virginia’s sake and hers.

Doc brings Elizabeth out of her hypnotic state, and she says she’s sorry. She can’t do this. She gets up, and he says, it’s all right. Is she sure she doesn’t want to try again? It seemed they were getting somewhere. She says she’s positive, and he says, they’ll pick it up again on Tuesday. She can’t get out fast enough, and closes the door behind her.

Curtis says he’s not accusing Jordan of anything. This is a legit curiosity. If things had been different… She says, yes. As far as she’s concerned, they’d still be together, but she’s not the one who ended their marriage. And it’s not an accusation or condemnation; it’s just a fact. Despite all the things that pulled them apart, she still loved him. He says he loved her too. It’s just… She says, there were things he couldn’t live with, and he says, the lies, the secrets. He knows that goes into marrying a cop, but it was bleeding into their personal life. He just never felt like he was on solid ground with her. She asks if that’s how he feels with Portia; like he’s on solid ground? He asks if she’s saying he’s not.

Gregory hands Alexis some coffee, and says, his treat. She says, big spender, and he says, that’s him. She says, he can spend a lot of money on her when they attend the panel at PCU, and he says he’s so glad she agreed to attend with him. She says, actually, she’s speaking on the panel, and he says, she just forgot to mention it? She says she’s mentioning it now, and he says, of course (🍷) she is. Always in a position of control. She says, look who’s talking. Finn, go take care pf Elizabeth. We got this. We? Who is this we? As in, we work on the paper – her paper – together? He says, she doesn’t value his opinion? and she says, when she asks  for it. All right. She’s asking for it. Don’t gloat. He tells her, stick to the facts. She doesn’t want to frighten her readers, just inform them. Appeal to their reason, not their emotions. She says, that right there is the problem; this is emotional. His son was thisclose to the boathouse where Ava was attacked. Her daughter was in the alley where Brando was hurt, so this is scary. And it’s making people angry. They need to channel those feelings into action. He says, such as? and she says, they write an open letter to whoever is terrorizing the town. They appeal to that person’s sense of vanity. He says, and then what? and she says, they wait for them to write back.

Elizabeth sees Finn, and hugs him. He asks how it went. Learn anything new? She says, she did. That she’s an excellent liar.

Sonny asks if he knows the man. He reminds Sonny of someone. The man says he gets that a lot. He’s George. And he is… Sonny says, his friends call him Sonny. He notices a racing form in George’s hands, and says, George may know his old man. He used to bet on the horses. George says, he just found it in the trash. He’s never been to a racetrack. What was his old man’s name? Sonny says, Mike, and George tells him, what he said before about good news? Don’t mind him. He’s overstayed his welcome, and should have checked out a long time ago. Sonny tells him that he shouldn’t say that. Everybody’s life matters. George asks if Sonny is a priest, and Sonny laughs. George asks, what’s so funny? and Sonny says, he’s not a priest.

Gladys asks if Nina wants to find Sasha, and join the party. Nina says, let’s do it, and they leave.  

Sasha looks at pictures of her and Brando on her phone. She says they wasted so much time together… No, actually she’s wasted it. She closes her eyes, and says, please give her another chance. Stay with her and she promises they’ll have a beautiful life together, making only happy memories. Please. She opens her eyes, and the lights dim for a moment. She says, Brando? and Portia comes out of his room.

Carly says, Virginia will never believe who she ran into; Reese’s mom, Mrs. Roberts. Of course (🍷) she goes by Mrs. Wade Honeycutt now. Carly didn’t recognize her (me neither). She has a different name, and she’s older, but there was something familiar about her. Carly remembers how she used to talk about her. Her car, how a great a tennis player she was, the amazing parties she used to have. She prays she never said the words she’s better than you, but that was the message. She was so wrong. Oh my God. She was so wrong about so many things. She’s so sorry. Sorry she didn’t see how amazing Virginia was. A light shines in Carly’s face, and a man asks what she’s doing here. She says, visiting her mom. Can he get the light out of her face? Who is he, and what is he doing here? He says he’s the night watchman, hired by the developers, and she asks, what developers? He says, she’s not from around here, is she? The land has been repurposed. The city declared eminent domain. Ugh. Don’t get me started on that. She says, they can’t just shut down a cemetery, but he says, it’s already happened. The graves in the north section have already been moved. They’ll move this section soon. She asks, why? and he says, to put in a parkway for better access to the beach. She says, can’t they just go around the cemetery to get to the beach? and he says he guesses not. She says, that’s crazy, and asks if the Jacksonville Beautification Guild is involved in any way. He says, they got the ball rolling, yeah, and she asks what’s going to happen to her mom. He says, Carly will need to move her.  

Jordan says she’s not trying to cause trouble for Curtis and Portia, but can you ever truly know a person to their absolute core? He says, maybe not, but you can sure get damn close. She says, believe it or not, she’s rooting for him. She hopes he gets everything he wants. He says he hopes the same for her.

Finn asks if Elizabeth wants to elaborate on this lying thing, and she says, Doc helped her reconnect with her memory. He says, on the staircase, and she says, not only the one from when she was a teenager, but a more recent one. He says, Peter, and she says, when her mind went there, she shut it down. Obviously, it’s not like she can tell Doc about that. Finn says, it’s his fault, but she says, no. He says he pushed Peter down the stairs, not her. If that’s preventing her from getting the help she needs… She says, he’s missing the point. She thinks the incident with Peter triggered her memory from when she was younger. He says, so she thinks she witnessed who pushed this woman down the stairs, and what happened with Peter brought it all to the surface, and she says, doesn’t he?

Sonny looks at the racing form, and tells George, his dad and Brando understood each other, despite the age difference. Or because of the age difference. That’s life. The longer you live, the more lives you touch. George’s eyes are closed, the lights dim, and he opens them. Sonny says, welcome back, and George asks Sonny, what’s his cousin’s name? Sonny says, Brando, and George says, don’t ask him how he knows, but Sonny is needed, and Sonny jets.

Sasha says, no… no, and Portia says she’s so sorry. Sasha says, no. They don’t get to take both Liam and Brando. They just don’t. Portia says, they did everything… but Sasha says, no. He was fine. He was laughing and talking. Brando wouldn’t leave her. Nina and Gladys arrive, and Gladys asks, what’s going on? Portia tells Gladys that she’s so sorry. There were complications. Her son didn’t make it. Sasha starts to cry, and Nina says, what? Portia says, she was telling Sasha, they did everything they could. Sasha falls to the floor, crying and calling out, Brando! and Nina runs to her. Everyone is crying, and I want to cry. Not that I’m particularly attached to Brando, but poor Sasha.

Sonny gets to Brando’s room, and sees everyone distraught. He says, Brando… and Nina says, she’s so sorry. Gladys tells Portia that she doesn’t understand. His eyes were open. He regained consciousness. Sonny asks, how did this happen? and Portia says, there were unforeseen complications. They might never know what really happened. Sasha says she can’t believe it. She doesn’t want to believe it. Nina says she knows how much Brando meant to Sonny, and wishes there was something she could say or do to help him. Portia goes back to Brando’s room, and Sonny says he wants to see Brando.

Gregory says, Alexis is actually going to invite a killer to write a letter to the editor? She says, it worked for Jack the Ripper, but Gregory says, except they never caught Jack the Ripper. It’s the longest cold case in history. She says, think about it. His ego wouldn’t allow him to remain silent. He was proud of his craft. He boasted about the killings. He taunted the police to the point where he dared them to catch him. He says, and she thinks she’ll have success where Scotland Yard couldn’t, and she says, it’s a different time now. Law enforcement has a lot more tools at their disposal. They’ve got DNA; they’ve got digital footprints. That sort of thing. He says, she’ll either get a Pulitzer or get indicted. He honestly doesn’t know which. She says, but he’s intrigued, and he says he is.

TJ and Stella see Curtis and Jordan, and TJ asks if everything is okay. Curtis says, they were catching up, but at the same time, Jordan says, they were consulting. TJ asks, which was it? and Jordan says, a bit of both. She was picking Curtis’s brain; drawing off those rusty P.I. skills of his. Curtis says, rusty? TJ’s mom is determined to find who tried to kill Brand. Jordan says she will. She looks at Stella, and says, even the darkest secret can’t stay secret forever. Portia runs up to TJ, and says she’s been looking for him. There’s something he needs to know.

Sonny goes into Brando’s room, and Deanna says she’s so sorry about his cousin. He thanks her, and she says, she knows it’s cold comfort, but that doesn’t make it any less true; Brando’s at peace now. He says he’s just worried about the rest of them, and she says she’ll give Sonny some time with him. The nurses leave, and Sonny tells Brando that he left them way too soon. Him, Liam, and Mike, take care of each other, up there, and he’ll take care of Sasha and Brando’s mother, and everybody else. He promises Brando that.

TJ says he should call Molly, and fumbles to find his phone. Curtis says they can take that off his plate, but he says, Molly should hear it from him. It just doesn’t make any sense. Stella says, what doesn’t? and he says, the surgery was successful. The damage to his lung was repaired, and all the bone fragments removed. And the symptoms Portia described weren’t even consistent with sepsis. Jordan asks what he thinks went wrong, but he says he doesn’t know, and leaves.

Elizabeth tells Finn, she could see the woman at the bottom of the stairs. She just couldn’t see who pushed her. He says, there’s no pressure, okay? It’s like a hike or climbing a mountain. You don’t race to the top; you take it one step at a time. She asks what he just said, and he says, mountain climbing. You put one foot in front of the other, and that’s… She says, how you reach the summit. He says, what just happened up there? and Portia runs up. She says she’s so sorry to interrupt, but she needs a consult. It’s very important. Elizabeth says, it’s okay. They can finish this later. There’s something she has to take care of anyway. She leaves.

Carly tells the watchman, she’s sorry, but this is insane. Her mom gets dug up like she’s some kind of potted plant? He says, most of the families have already made arrangements, and she asks why she wasn’t notified. He says, Virginia Benson, and takes out his phone. He says, the records on file have Jason Morgan. They reached out, but never heard back. She says, Jason is no longer with them, but she’s here, and these people aren’t going to get away with this. She strides off…

And walks right into the hotel restaurant, where Peyton is on the phone. She whips the phone out of Peyton’s hand, and Peyton says, what on earth…? Carly says, if Peyton thinks for one second her mother is leaving her resting place, she’s lost her mind.

Elizabeth knocks at Doc’s office door, and walks in. She says she thinks she remembered something.

Finn asks, what’s going on? and Portia says, it’s about Brando Corbin. He asks how Brando is doing, and she says, they lost him. Finn says, what? and she says, she’s hoping he can tell her why, handing him her tablet.  

Sonny comes out, and Deanna tells the others that they can go in now, but Gladys says she doesn’t know if she can. Sonny says, no one’s making either of them. If they want to take their time before they go in, or if they decide they don’t want to go in, that’s fine. Deanna leaves, and Sasha says she’s ready. Will Sonny come with her? He holds out his hand, and I love Sonny at this moment. He takes her in, and Gladys and Nina follow them.  

Peyton says, Carly is invading her personal space, and backing Peyton up while she talks, Carly says, and Peyton is invading the cemetery where her mother is buried, but of course (🍷) she is, because all the good people are buried at Briarcliff. She doesn’t see Peyton trying to dig that place up. Peyton says, Briarcliff is not blocking beach access, and Carly says, Peyton is unbelievable. She’s so bizarrely entitled, she actually thinks it’s her right to trample all over people, anything to get what she wants. Peyton says, I don’t know what to tell you, Caroline, and Carly says, it’s Carly. Peyton says, everything was done according to the bylaws. She’s sorry Carly is upset by this sudden shocking news. Maybe Carly should have come back and seen her mother in the last ten years or so. Do herself a favor, and hop on that flight to Aruba, and never come back. Carly says, screw Aruba. She’s staying right here and fighting for her mother. She dares Peyton to try and stop her.  

Doc says, have a seat and take a breath, but Elizabeth says she’s fine. Doc says, if he’s being candid, she doesn’t seem fine, and she tells him, Finn just said something to her, and it’s like she was struck by lightning. Doc asks what Finn said, and she tells him, Finn mentioned mountain climbing, something she used to hear a lot in Boulder. Doc says, there are a lot of mountains in Colorado, and she says, those exact words were spoken by someone else – her father. What if it was him? What if he pushed the woman down the stairs?

Alexis tells Gregory, maybe this open letter strategy is wrong. Maybe she should just write an article. Let people know the weapon used in both attacks was a hook. He says, letting people in on there being a potential serial killer is a big deal; one with reverberating consequences. She says, but there’s consequences if they sit on information. If Gregory lived in this town where this were happening to people he loved – he says, which he does – wouldn’t he want to be informed so he could be prepared? He says, and if being informed comes at the cost of a police investigation? and she says, maybe it will help the investigation. Isn’t that what they want? Assuming any of this would help. Deanna is walking by with the other nurse, and says, watching Sasha Gilmore walk into that room… she was about to say goodbye to her husband. Alexis and Gregory listen, and the other nurse says, it was just so wrong. Brando Corbin seemed fine, like he was going to be okay. Deanna says, then suddenly he wasn’t. They go into the elevator, and Alexis says she’s running with the article. Does he still object? He says, hell no. They need to nail this bastard before another family has a funeral.

Finn tells Portia that he’s happy to help, but his expertise is in infectious diseases, not forensics. She says, that’s exactly why she came to talk to him. Even the most experienced medical examiner might assume that Brando died as a result of his wound… Or they were led to think so. The symptoms he had at the time of his death… Finn says, the seizures, the coughing up blood, and she says, which came out of nowhere. They don’t track with his injuries. She can’t help but think there might be another, more sinister explanation.

Jordan hugs TJ, and asks if he talked to Molly. He nods, and she says she hates that he’s hurting. Is there anything she can do? He says, what he’s feeling is nothing compared to what Brando’s family is going through. He doesn’t understand how it happened or why it happened, and Stella says, sometimes there’s no reason. The Lord give, and the Lord taketh away. She hugs him, and suggests they pray for his friend, and for all those who loved him. They join hands, Jordan and Curtis exchanging glances before they do, and Stella says, dear Lord… Grant Brando eternal tranquility, and relief from all pain and suffering. We see Sasha bending down to Brando on the bed, and Gladys sitting on the other side; Sonny and Nina standing. Stella says, and relief from pain and suffering. Let light perpetual shine upon him, and may his soul, and all the souls of the departed, rest in peace. Amen. Sasha strokes Brando’s face.

Tomorrow, Brook asks if she’s being fired; Valentin tells Victor, it would be a mistake to provoke Sonny Corinthos; Selina says, it seems things are getting dangerous in Port Charles; and the hook strikes again.

🚑 Like You Didn’t Know Already…

About Brando’s exit.

And why… maybe.

https://soapdirt.com/why-is-brando-leaving-general-hospital/

🏥 The Long Fight…

Now we know why OG Michael keeps coming and going.

💉 Life After GH…

V.C. Andrews, the cash cow that keeps giving milk even after death. This does sound pretty good though.

🥪 Something About Sandwiches…

They look mighty tasty, but what’s with the twine wrapped around them? Do I have to unpack the sandwich?

https://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rules/style-living/katie-maloney-ariana-madix-show-something-about-her-sandwiches-preview

🍸 Family No More…

One question. How expensive was that whiskey?

🥊 Duking It Out Socially…

Is it me? I’m Team Joe here. Teresa has acted like a lunatic as long as Joe and Melissa have been on the show. She topped herself this season though. I think her love bubble destroyed what little brain cells she still had.

🐶 About the Dogs…

In case, like me, your first question was, what happens to the dogs?

https://www.today.com/pets/pets/queen-corgi-funeral-windsor-castle-rcna48347

👑 The lessons from the peace process are clear; whatever life throws at us, our individual responses will be all the stronger for working together and sharing the load. – Queen Elizabeth II

🍡 Blowing This Pop Stand…

Luring you back tomorrow with promises of soap, my disgust with Beverly Hills, and of course some music. Until then, stay safe, stay not making snap decisions unless you have to, and stay not keeping secrets. Because even the darkest secret can’t stay secret forever.

September 19, 2022 – Brando Answers Jordan’s Questions, Guys and Dolly’s On Deck & Conga

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia asks, had Jordan been honest with Curtis about everything, would they still be together right now? He says, she wasn’t, so what does it matter? but Portia says she thinks it does. Humor her. He might think it’s silly, but she needs to know this. He says, he and Jordan may still be legally married on paper, but they haven’t lived their lives together for over a year. She says, that’s not what she’s worried about, and he asks what she is worried about.

As they walk to the pool, Trina tells Josslyn, it was the best of summers; it was the worst of summers. She can’t believe it’s already over. Maybe it’ll start snowing tomorrow. She sees Josslyn is distracted, and asks if she’s thinking about Brando. Josslyn says, Brando… Ava… and whoever attacked them both. We see a guy with sunglasses is watching them.

Alexis sees Gregory at the hospital, and says, hello, professor. He says, good to see her, and asks if they’re here for the same person, pointing at Finn’s office. She says she’s here to see her friend who’s an infectious disease specialist. Him? He says, coincidentally, he’s here to grab lunch with the same infectious disease specialist. He’s early. Will she wait with him? She says, actually, she has a… sure. They sit, and he says he read the news this morning about Brando Corbin. He gathers Brando is a relation. She asks why he’d jump to that conclusion, and he says, like any good journalist, he pays attention to details. Is he correct? She says, no; he’s Kristina’s cousin. He says he’s sorry to hear what happened to Brando. He knows all too well how it feels when tragedy strikes close to home. She says, this was a lot closer than he thinks.

Finn walks Elizabeth to Doc’s office, and says, nervous? She says she has no idea what to expect when she walks in there, and he says, she’s going to do great. He’s meeting his dad for lunch, but before he goes, he’ll check in. She thanks him, and he kisses her, saying, she’s got this. He leaves, and she knocks on Doc’s office door. He tells her to come in.

Sasha kisses Brando’s hand, and says, he came back to her. She strokes his hair, and he brushes a tear from her cheek.

Sonny comes out of the elevator with Jordan, and says, they both know the same person who attacked Ava, attacked Brando. She says, he knows she can’t discuss the investigation with him, but he says, she’s the one who told him both the victims are connected to him. Can she give him anything she found out? She says he has the resources to protect himself and his family – use them. He doesn’t need any help from her. He says, they worked together before, and she says, and she made it clear when she came back to Port Charles, those days are over. He says, even if sharing information is the only way to stop a madman?

The tubes now removed, Sasha asks Brando how he’s feeling. He says he’s tired, and his throat hurts, but he doesn’t care, and she says, that’s the morphine. He says he thought it was seeing her, and she laughs, saying, that’s also the morphine. At least he’s awake love. She loves him so much. He says he loves her too, and coughs. She says she’ll see what’s taking Dr. Robinson so long, and he says, he’ll be here. She leaves, and in the hallway, she tells Nina, Brando’s awake. They hug, and Sasha asks if Nina has seen Gladys. Nina says, Gladys was feeling a little lightheaded, so she walked her to the cafeteria. Sasha says she’ll text Gladys in a minute. She needs to find Portia. Nina tells her to stay with her husband; she’ll find Portia. Sasha says she feels like their prayers were finally answered.

Jordan says, if she brings Sonny in on this case, and they catch the person, all a good defense attorney needs is a technicality to get the murderer back on the street. Sonny says, at least they’ll know who it is, and she says, her people are working on it. She’s sure he has people on it too. In the meantime, let’s hope Brando wakes up soon, and can tell them something. Nina comes by, and says she has good news. Brando’s awake. Jordan asks if he’s talking, but Nina says, Sasha didn’t mention that. She’s looking for Dr. Robinson. Jordan tells her, keep looking. She’s going to talk to Brando right now. She leaves, and Nina hugs Sonny.

Elizabeth says, she asked for this appointment, but now she doesn’t know where to start, and Doc says, there’s no right or wrong way to do this; take her time. She sits down, and says, her problem went deeper than she was admitting. Ever since she checked herself out of Shadybrook, it’s been getting worse.

Sunglasses guy watches Josslyn, and Dex walks in. Trina says, looks like Josslyn’s dumpster diving partner is here. Isn’t he the reason Josslyn was in the alley when Brando got attacked? She followed him out of Charlie’s, right? Josslyn says, yeah, except she didn’t see him there.

Portia tells Curtis, Finn is on his way to examine Brando right now, and Curtis says he supposes she wants to check in on Brando as well. She says she has a few minutes before Finn is done; long enough for him to answer her question. Is there any world where he and Jordan still would have been together? He says she knows what it’s like to be married to a cop, and she says, that you’ll have to accept there are some things you’ll never know. He says, which is what he did, except what Jordan kept from him weren’t the casual details of a case. The secrets she kept from him were personal. If she had just shared them with him, it would have strengthened their foundation, and brought them closer together. She tells him, so he’s saying, if Jordan had been honest, they wouldn’t have separated. IMO, this is kind of dumb. Like a, what if Superman fought the dinosaurs thing. It didn’t happen; it doesn’t matter.

Finn goes into Brando’s room, and Sasha says, Nina went to get Dr. Robinson, but Finn says, Nina found her. She requested a consult. He puts on gloves and asks how Brando is feeling. Brando says, peaches, and Finn tells him that he needs to take it easy. He’s still at risk for sepsis and other post-op infections. Jordan asks if she can have a word with Brando, and Finn says, when he’s done with his consult. She tells him, time is of the essence. The sooner she gets a statement, the sooner they can get the attacker off the street. Brando coughs, and Finn says, as soon as he’s done, Brando is all Jordan’s. Jordan leaves, and Finn asks if Brando is experiencing any chest pain or shortness of breath, but Brando says, nope.

Curtis tells Portia, nobody’s perfect. They all have things they don’t tell one another; if it’s an embarrassing situation from their past or a big mistake they’re not proud of. She says, true enough, and he says, but all of those things have no bearing on who they are now or where their lives are now. Maybe they forget them, and leave them buried, but what about the secrets that have a bearing on their relationship, and influence who we are to each other? Those have to be shared because every good relationship, the basis of it is honesty. Without that, they have nothing. She says, he’s right. You have to tell the truth, no matter how hard it may be. He says, it is how he feels. In reality, Jordan lied to him. Her secrets did break them up. All he can tell her is the truth of now. Does he regret the way things went down with him and Jordan? Of course (🍷) he does, but if she’s asking if he wants to be with Jordan, the answer is no. He loves Portia. He loves their life together, and can’t wait to marry her. She says, same here, and he says, good. Now can they stop with all the what ifs? She says, sounds good. She has to check on Brando. He says, just to be sure, they’re good, right? She says, they’re good, and he says, because if she needs to hear it again, he and Jordan are over. She says, does Jordan know that? and leaves.

Alexis tells Gregory, she’s not going to lie. When she found out how close Kristina was the to the attacker, her heart stopped. He says, there’s nothing more terrifying for a parent than realizing you can’t protect their kids every moment. He asks how Brando is doing, and she says, Kristina texted, and he’s out of surgery. Gregory says, that’s good news, right? Speaking of news, he was impressed with The Invader’s coverage of the attack. She says, do go on, and he says, people have a morbid fascination with these crimes, and he commends her for resisting the urge to sensationalize to sell more papers. She says, it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. These families of the victims have been through enough. It’s certainly not going to help if she turns their stories into sideshows. He says he couldn’t agree more. In fact, he has a proposition for her.

Elizabeth tells Doc, she wanted to believe so badly her problem was over, she checked herself out, but the behavior didn’t stop. He says, she’s had more incidents? and she says, at the Quartermaine picnic, she blacked out. One minute, she was alone, and the next, Nikolas was asking if she was all right. It was only 10 or 15 minutes, but she can’t account for the time in between. She could have been doing anything.

Nina’s phone rings, and she steps away to take the call. Sonny tells Jordan, now it’s just them. He gets why she doesn’t want the general public to have this information, but he’s not the general public. He needs her to protect his family, just like she needs him to figure out who did this. She says, why is that? and he says, because they’re not just talking about a psycho. This person attacked the mother of his child and his cousin. He’s not going to be left in the dark on this. She says she’s sorry, but because he was at the crime scene, he already knows too much. Finn comes out of his office, and she tells Sonny that she’s asking him not to tell anybody that Ava and Brando were attacked with a hook. He says, he won’t tell the general public, but that’s it. Finn comes over to them, and says, he’s sorry to interrupt. Brando’s all hers. Jordan thanks him, and goes in to Brando’s room.

Jordan says she’s glad see Brando is doing better. Is he up for a few questions? He says, fire away, and Sasha says she forgot to text Gladys. She’s going to be so happy. She’ll see if she can track Gladys down. She leaves, and Jordan says she’ll cut to the chase. Does he know who did this to him?

Doc tells Elizabeth, the Quartermaine picnic is a big event with a lot of people, but right before she blacked out, she was alone? She says she’d just had an argument with Finn, and he asks, what about? She says she felt like he wasn’t respecting her boundaries, and Doc asks if her other blackouts were also precipitated by an argument. She says, yes, and he asks if every time she’s blacked out, she had an argument with Finn, but she says, no. A couple of times, she’s had this memory. She’s not entirely sure what it’s about. All she knows is, it has something to do with her father.

Alexis asks, what kind of proposition? and Gregory says, PCU is sponsoring a panel about the history of ethics in journalism. She says, how niche, and he says, since she’s currently running a newspaper, he thought she might imagine herself to be part of that niche, and accompany him.

Jordan asks Brando to tell her the first thing he remembers, and he says, he walked into the alley, and someone else was there. Their back was to him, then the sky opened up. When that happens, it’s a total downpour; he could barely see. Then that person turned around, and he saw the hook. The next thing he knew… She says she’s sorry. She knows it’s difficult for him, but she has to ask. Did Brando see their face? He coughs, and says, no. It was raining and they had their hood pulled down over their face. She says, even so, could he tell if it was a man or woman? but he says, no. She asks the color of the hoodie, and he says, black. She asks if he could tell how tall they were, but he tells her, it’s hard to say. He saw them turn, he saw the hook, and it was in his chest before he could react. Portia comes in, and says, if Jordan is done, she’s like to examine her patient. Jordan says, of course (🍷). If there’s anything else Brando can think of, let her know. He says, there was a noise; like a jingling sound. She asks if he can be more specific, and he says, it sounded like when Sasha wears these bracelets that clink together. It sounded like that. She says, so he thinks this person might have been wearing jewelry? and he says, yeah; it sounded like that anyway. Does she think this will help find whoever did this?

Dex takes off his shirt, and lies back on a chaise. We see he’s wearing dog tags that jingle. Frankly, I don’t think it’s him. Mostly because that’s what they want us to think. Josslyn approaches, and asks if he forgot something. He says, probably, but can she be more specific? She hands him his sunglasses, and says, he left these at Charlie’s. He says, he wondered what happened to them. Thanks for getting them back to him. She says, actually, she tried getting them back to him yesterday. She followed him out the back exit into the alley, but didn’t see him anywhere. It’s a good thing she didn’t double back. She barely missed seeing Brando get stabbed. He says he heard about that; he’s sorry. She says she wanted to let him know the police are looking for him to find out if he saw anything. He thanks her for the heads up, but says, Dante already questioned him. It’s scary, a near-miss like that. She says, it is, and asks if he saw anything, but he says, no. Unfortunately not. If he had, he would have intervened. She says, it’s so weird, isn’t it? They were both right there in the alley, and neither one of them saw anything. He tells her, you know what they say; timing is everything. She says she feels so helpless, and so surrounded. He says, surrounded? and she says, two stabbings, and she knows both people. Both times, she was so close to the scene and couldn’t do anything to stop it. He says, she saved Ava’s life, but she says, he saved Ava’s life. He says, only because she was there. He couldn’t have done it without her. She says, he’s right, and laughs. He asks, what is it? and she says, nothing. She thought… She should go. She has to talk to Trina. He thanks her again, and we see sunglasses guy still watching. Trina asks if Josslyn is okay, and Josslyn says, she feels totally paranoid, like someone is watching her. Trina says, Josslyn has had a couple of traumatizing events that were near misses. No wonder she’s freaked out. Josslyn says, don’t look now, and Trina says, don’t look at what? Josslyn says, the man behind her; is he staring at them? Trina can look now. Trina says she sees him. The good news is, Josslyn’s not being paranoid. The bad news is, that guy is definitely staring at them.

Nina says, any news? and Sasha says, Dr. Robinson just went in. Nina asks how Sasha is doing, and Sasha says, fine. Updating Gladys gave her something to focus on. Nina says great, but how is she doing – honestly. Sasha says she’s better than she was last night. She’s been so upset about the guardianship. First at Brando for wanting to do it at all, then accepting it’s necessary to get her the help she needed. Then this happened, and all she could think about was what would she do without him? She’s barely surviving losing their baby; how would she survive losing her husband? Nina says, does Sasha know what she sees right now? and Sasha says, a train wreck? but Nina says she sees someone who’s shaken, but deep inside of her, she’s solid. Sasha says, last night, she was falling apart. Now Brando is awake, and all that matters is him getting better. She’s not going to give him any more reasons to worry about her. Nina says she knows Sasha is going to do whatever her husband needs, but no one expects her to carry all this on her own. If Sasha needs a shoulder to cry on, she’s here. Sasha takes Nina’s hand, and thanks her.

Doc says, tell him about the memory, and Elizabeth says, it comes in fragments. She’s young, maybe a teenager, and he says, like she was when she was estranged from her family. She says, yes, and he asks, what happens in the memory? and she says, there’s this woman. She reaches out, and… Elizabeth flashes back to being in the stairwell, and the woman asking what she’s doing. She grabs the woman’s arm, and tells her to stay away from her father. The woman tells her, stay out of it; her father wouldn’t want her involved. Elizabeth grabs both of the woman’s hands, and says, don’t talk about her father. She’ll see what happens if she does. Doc asks if she knows who this woman is, but Elizabeth says she doesn’t remember the woman’s face, or anything about her really. All she knows is, she’s confronting the woman over her father. She gets up, and says she doesn’t know where this memory came from or what it’s all about. Obviously, it’s something she’s buried for a really long time. And if grabbing and threatening this woman are the parts her mind is ready to show her, how bad is the stuff she can’t remember, and why is this memory coming back to her now?

Josslyn and Trina stomp over to sunglasses guy, and Josslyn asks why he’s staring at them. He takes off his sunglasses, and says, he wasn’t. She says, yes, he was, and he has 30 seconds to explain why before things escalate. He asks what her problem is, and she says, him. Was she not clear? Dex comes over, and says he’s got this, but Josslyn says, she’s got this. If she wanted his help, she’d ask for it. Sunglasses guy says, Dex heard her. This is none of his business. Dex says, sunglasses guy just made it his business. Trina says, speaking of business, and pulls Josslyn aside. She says, Josslyn’s mother doesn’t own this, and she’s making a major scene. Does Josslyn want to give Nina a reason to throw her out? Josslyn says, fine, and tells sunglasses guy, but she still wants him gone. Dex says, he’ll take it from here, and points to the door. They walk out to the hallway, and Josslyn and Trina go back to their chaises. Dex asks sunglasses guy, what happened? He was supposed to be guarding Josslyn discreetly. Sunglasses guy says he was. He doesn’t know how she caught him. Dex says, she’s got good instincts. Sunglasses guy should head out; he’ll keep watch. Sunglasses guy says, Dex has been up all night keeping an eye on he, but Dex says, it’s fine. Sunglasses guy has been made, and he’s already here. He’ll call Sonny; just go. Sunglasses guy leaves, and Dex goes over to tell Josslyn that he won’t bother her anymore. She says, great. What did Dex say to him?

Jordan sees Curtis going by, and asks him to wait. She says she’s glad she ran into him. There’s something she has to tell him.

Portia says she concurs with Finn. Brando is still at risk for infection, and they’re keeping an eye out for sepsis. But the fact he pulled through surgery and regained consciousness so quickly is a good sign. Brando tells Sasha, see that? He’ll be home in no time. She says, just when she thought she was going to have some peace and quiet, and he says, with his mother around? Sasha says, she’d turn Gladys out, and he says, not possible. She laughs, and says, wouldn’t it be great if it were? Portia says, Brando is in good spirits too; that’s even better. His blood pressure is a little elevated, so she’s ordered something to bring that back down. The nurse will be in shortly to give it to him. He says, goodie, and Sonny walks in. He asks if Brando can have another visitor, and Portia asks if Brando is up for another guest. Brando says, the more the merrier, and she tells him, let’s not to get carried away. She tells Sonny to take it easy on Brando, and he says, she’s it got it. She leaves, and Sonny says he was worried about Brando. Don’t do that again.

Doc says, if Elizabeth is willing, they could use hypnosis to retrieve the memory in its entirety. She says, if they unlock this memory, will she be able to remember what she was doing when she blacked out at the Quartermaine’s? and he says, it’s possible. Frankly, he’s more interested in the original memory. That seems to be the cause of her unexplained behavior. The sooner they uncover the cause behind that, the sooner she can heal. She says, that’s why she’s here, so… He says, they don’t have to do this today, but she says, yes, they do. She needs to know. It’s the only way she’s going to get her life back.

Gregory asks if Alexis is busy or just not interested, and she says, she’s fine. She’s happy to go with him. He says, excellent. He looks forward to the debates they’ll have about it. Finn joins them, and asks, how’s Kristina? Alexis says, hanging in, and Finn tells Gregory, sorry he’s late. He got called in for a consult on Brando. Alexis asks how he is, and Finn says, he’s awake. He’s alert and stable. She says, Kristina will be happy to hear that, and Finn says, Commissioner Ashford stopped by to ask Brando some questions. Alexis says, it’s a good sign if he’s able to answer some questions, and Gregory says, if Finn’s friend is doing so well, what’s wrong? Finn says, it seems that both Ava and Brando were attacked with a hook, and Alexis says, sorry? What did he say?

Dex tells Josslyn that he reminded sunglasses guy that sexual harassment is a crime; one that he didn’t want to find out the penalty. Trina thanks him for having their back, but he says, Joss had it handled. She knows him; he can’t help getting involved. Josslyn says, it’s nice to know there are still decent people in the world, and he says, she’s welcome. He goes back to his chaise, and she smiles.

Sonny asks if Brando saw who did this, but Brando says, like he told Commissioner Ashford, it happened so fast, it could barely register. Wrong place, wrong time. Sonny asks what Brando was doing out there, and Brando says, he went looking for Dex. He knows Sonny trusts him, and respects Sonny’s judgement… Sonny says, he trusts Brando and respects his judgement. Why was he following Dex? Brando says, they were all at Charlie’s, and he saw Dex talking to Josslyn. Dex left out the back, and not two minutes later, Josslyn went after him. He doesn’t know. Something was nagging at him to make sure she was okay. Sonny says he appreciates Brando looking out for Josslyn, and Brando says, Sonny accepted him into his family as soon as he came to Port Charles. Sonny says, Brando is definitely family, but Brando says, Sonny didn’t have to bring him in the way he did. It meant the world to him. He’ll always be there for the Sonny and the family. Sonny hopes Brando knows that’s a two-way street. Brando says he knows. Besides, he still owes Sonny for bringing Gladys back into his life. Sonny laughs, and says, it’s a lifetime debt. He hopes Brando is good for it. Brando says, he sure is, and coughs.

Curtis says he’s listening, and Jordan says, she doesn’t like the way they left things before. She wanted to say she was sorry. He says he accepts, and he said that. She says, right. She knows he’s upset with her for misplacing the divorce papers, but she doesn’t know what else to say. He tells her, what else is there to say? They should just move on. She says, the three of them? Portia’s mad at her too. He says, Portia has been busy all night. Between Trina’s party, and learning he and Jordan were still married, it’s been a crazy last few days. There’s no hard feelings. She says she hopes not. It means a lot to her that they can still be friendly even though they broke up. She really hopes they can remain in each other’s lives. He says, if that’s the case, then can they clear the air? She says, about? and he says, please tell him the truth. Was it really an accident, or did she hang on to the divorce papers on purpose?

Doc says, Elizabeth is standing in front of a door, and she says she sees it. He says, when she steps through that door, she’ll be on the stairwell, and she’ll remember what happened there. It may come back a little at a time, a little more and a little more, or it may come back all at once. Is she ready? She says she is, and he tells her that he wants her to reach out and open the door. She raises her hand as if turning a doorknob, and he says, step through. What does she see? She says, it’s just like before. She’s on the stairs with the woman. She’s grabbed the woman, and they’re arguing. She flashes back to saying, don’t talk about her father, and Doc says, what then? She says she doesn’t know, and he tells her, just relax. They were talking about the stairwell. Feel herself there. Feel the floor beneath her feet. She says she can feel it, and he asks how she feels emotionally. She says she feels… wait. We see the scene as she talks, and she says, the woman is at the bottom of the stairs now. In Elizabeth’s mind, she walks down the stairs, and she tells Doc, her arms and legs are sprawled out around her. She’s still; unconscious. Elizabeth thinks the woman is hurt. Doc asks where she is, and Elizabeth says, she’s standing right over her.  

Finn says, Kristina didn’t tell Alexis? and she says, not that part. The police did tell her to keep some details to herself, so she guesses that hook thing was one of those details. Gregory asks how Finn found out, and Finn says, he thinks he heard the Commissioner talking about it. He figured Kristina would have told Alexis. Alexis says, that’s a reasonable assumption to make, and Gregory says, so what the police are keeping from the public is, the same weapon used was used to attack both Ava Jerome and Brando Corbin. Alexis says, the same type of weapon doesn’t prove it’s the same assailant, and Gregory says, it’s a good element to establish reasonable doubt, but what’s the most logical conclusion based on what she knows? Alexis says, the most logical conclusion is, the same person was behind the attacks, and Gregory says, until they’re caught… She says, it could very well escalate, and the person will most likely do it again.

On the phone, Dex tells Sonny, they have a problem. Joss spotted Norman. Sonny says, damn it. That’s because Josslyn is just like her mother; suspicious. Does she know Norm was working for him? Dex says, no, he made sure, and Sonny says, good. Does Dex have eyes on her now? Dex says he does. He’ll keep watch until she and Trina leave. Then Sonny can have someone else pick up surveillance. Sonny says, good job, and Dex thanks him. Dex asks if there’s any update on Brando, and Sonny says, he woke up. Dex says, that’s great, and Sonny says he’ll get back to Dex when he gets out of the hospital. Keep an eye on things. Dex says, Sonny can count on him.

Jordan says, is Curtis is asking if she lost the divorce papers on purpose? and he says he knows her. He knows she’s not careless. In fact, she’s very much the opposite. If she was going to clinic out of town, she would have made sure every I was dotted, and every T was crossed. She says, even if the carbon monoxide in that basement hadn’t scrambled her brain a little, why would she avoid filing the papers? He asks if she thought he’d change his mind about the divorce, and hang on to their marriage.

Nina asks what the call was about, and Sonny says he’s just trying to keep his family safe. He’s grateful Brando is okay, but somebody is out there going after people who are close to him. He’s going to have to beef up security. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, that includes her. He doesn’t want to scare her… She says, he’s not, and he says he doesn’t want her to have second thoughts about his business and things like that. She says she knows what she’s getting herself into, and kisses him.

Sasha says she knows Brando is supposed to be taking care of her now, but she can handle her treatment and recovery. He says she shouldn’t have to do this alone, and she says she won’t let him down, she promises. He says, she never could. It’s him and her versus the world; they’re a team. And he wants to be the one looking out for her, helping her get better. Getting her back on her feet, and standing with her. He promises he’s going to heal as fast as humanly possible, and give her the amazing life she deserves. She says she’s so lucky to have him, and he says, they’re lucky to have each other. She says, she’s been thinking – he says, uh-oh – for their first wedding anniversary… She knows they’re only halfway there, but she wants then to take a long vacation somewhere beautiful. He says, anywhere with her is beautiful, and she says, and isolated. He says, that’ll be a nice change, and she says, where they can celebrate each other all day and all night. He says he likes where her head is at. March 10th can’t come fast enough. They kiss, and he starts coughing. He says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to ruin the nice moment. He coughs some more, and when he takes his hand away from his mouth, he sees there’s blood on it. He suddenly goes into a seizure, and the alarms go off. We see his blood pressure dropping quickly.

Tomorrow, Jordan tells Stella, even the darkest secret can’t stay secret; Portia says, there’s something she needs someone to know; Sasha prays for another chance; and Doc asks who Elizabeth sees.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we last left, Storm was dealing with a tangled pair of anchors. In Jason’s interview, he said it was dangerous work. If you get hurt, it’s not a nick; it’s an arm that’s gone.

Storm dives down, and Captain Sandy waits. When he comes back up, she tells him that he needs to tie a line on the chain. He can’t physically lift it. Kyle tells Natasha that he’d pay money to go back to bed. He was on the phone with Frank for an hour and a half last night. We see a clip of that, and the captain tells Storm nautical stuff. Storm ties the line, and the guests finish with their yoga class. Captain Sandy says they’ll use the windlass (whatever that is) to relax the chain. Courtney asks the guests how yoga was, and they say they’re relaxed. The anchor begins to come up, but it’s still not free. Storm goes back down, and fiddles with it. He comes up, and tells the captain, it’s free. She tells him, nice work, and in his interview, he says he’s seen worse tangles, like a hair scrunchie, but everything worked out. It’s all about the journey, but it was stressful. Kyle wails about Frank, and Natalya asks what he’s done today; fluff a pillow? In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s getting frustrated with Tasha and Kyle. They’re distracted, and need to get their heads in the game. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Natalya feels like she’s pulling all the weight in interior. He’s on both service and housekeeping, while Tasha is on service, and Natalya is on housekeeping. She wants to be a martyr. The guests come back, and Jason bitches about the tender being on the wrong side of the bimini, and in his interview, he says, they’re working hard, not smart. At this point, he’d rather figure out the Dewy Decimal System than figure out how to not argue with this yacht crew. He asks when was the last time we heard a joke about the Dewy Decimal System (google it), and I’d have to say, never.  

The guests have breakfast, and one asks if the chef plates the food too. Kyle says, he does everything; they just serve it with a smile. Storm gives Jason some tasks to do, and the guests rave about the food. Tasha’s boyfriend sends her annoying texts, and she tells him, not now, since he has zero respect for the fact that she’s working. Tasha tells the guests that Dave is making sushi rolls for the picnic, and Kyle says, they want to do the last day properly. Guest Shelby tells him not to last day her. Storm tells Jason that everything is all over, and Jason says, there was nowhere to put it. Storm gives him several suggestions, and says, it’s the 6th charter. He’s asked Jason not argue. In Storm’s interview, he says, that’s not how they do it. He thinks Jason likes arguing, and he’s doing more work than he wants to be doing because of Jason’s attitude.  

The guests go in the water, then sun themselves on deck. Dave makes sushi, and Kyle serves cocktails. Captain Sandy sees the pantry, and Says, it’s not good; it’s disgusting. They have to manage this chaos. She radios Tasha, and asks her to get the pantry clean. Storm tells the captain that he’s going with Courtney and Dave to the beach, and she says, there’s going to be more wind tonight. She wants the water toys in before sunset. In Storm’s interview, he says, he was thinking about the captain telling him to delegate more. He plans to name a lead deckhand. With Mzi and Courtney, he has a good team. Choosing is tough, but what makes it easy is that he’s definitely not choosing Jason. Courtney reminds Mzi that his birthday is tomorrow, but she’d set the bar high with her lap dance last season. We flash back to that, and they  load the tender for the picnic. Storm drops them off along with the supplies, and the guests get ready. In Dave’s interview, he says he’s enjoying the charter. He has a good vibe with Tasha, but he’s not putting on any pressure. He’ll keep it here, and see where it goes. Um… I guess he’s still holding out hope then? They set up on the beach, and Tasha shows Mzi and Dave how she can squeak her eyeballs, and I’m freaked out. The guests board the tender, and Courtney asks, who rule the world? They all yell, girls! and she takes off for the beach. Captain Sandy says, that’s girl power right there.

The guests are impressed with the beach and the set-up, saying, it’s beautiful, and the crew has outdone themselves. Courtney brings Mzi back to the boat, where Kyle and Natalya are decorating for the Guys and Dolly’s party, featuring pseudo Guy Fieri and Dolly Parton. Natalya says she googled Dolly Parton, and found out she owns a bar in Nashville; it’s all pink and white. In Natalya’s interview, she says she had no idea who Dolly Parton was. She doesn’t do well with going back in time. Captain Sandy stops by, and says, it’s very pink. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s more confident driving the tender now. In the beginning, she was nervous. We flash back to that, and she says she feels like a Bond girl; a boss bitch rocking out. Dave makes sorbet on the beach, and it’s served in ice cream cones. One of the guests says, he’s an exceptional human being. Mzi says he’ll dress up with Natalya tonight; the things they do for tips. Natalya puts on four bras to get the Dolly look, and give Mzi a blonde wig and a sexy outfit. In Mzi’s interview, he says, he does not work 9 to 5.

The guests return, and Natalya and Mzi meet them in costume. Captain Sandy says she doesn’t know who Mzi is, but she loves it. Storm asks Courtney how the beach went, and she says, it was cool. The guests loved it. In Storm’s interview, he says, Courtney is a fantastic deckhand. She’s killing it. She’s had two lessons and drives the tender better than he does. If she sees something needs to be done, she does it before being asked. He has his eyes on her to be lead deckhand, but Mzi is a personal friend. He’s going to be bummed. Courtney and Storm go back to the beach to pick up the crew and the supplies. The guests get dressed up, some as Guy, some as Dolly. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s happy with her boobs. She was called flatty Natty, then bam. The captain looks around the pantry/service area, and says, it’s not a good way to leave the boat; it’s a mess. Natalya whines to Courtney that she has to do cabins plus laundry. How come she has to do everything, while Kyle and Tasha just put out plates? She enjoys doing the setups, but it’s getting too loungy. Courtney says she knows how Natalya is feeling. It’s frustrating, but she needs to say something. Courtney tells Storm that she’s on her last nerve with Jason; he ignores her. Storm tells her, if Jason is disrespectful, come to him. Kyle tells Natalya, this charter of girls giggling is driving him up a wall. This trip is not his kind of day. Natalya says, it’s not anyone’s. Storm tells Courtney that she’s a rock star, and she goes to bed. Dave finishes the birthday cake, and the crew comes out with sparklers, singing Happy Birthday to guests Monique and Aurora. Storm tells Natalya that he needs to have a conversation with Jason, and Natalya says, if he hasn’t changed his attitude halfway through the season, he probably won’t. She’s behind him 100%.

Natalya gets in Storm’s bunk with him, and they cuddle. The guests change into more casual clothes, and Kyle serves shots. Storm asks how Natalya’s day was, and she says, as good as it could be. Kyle tells Tasha that he’s distracted. He’s constantly over-thinking Frank. He thanks her for her patience, and says, it shows what kind of a leader she is. The guests do the Worm, and ask for Purple Rains and tequilas. One complains that they’re slow making drinks, and says, this is the worst bottle service ever. They order more drinks, and ask for pizza bites or something drunk friendly. Tasha tells Kyle that she’s not waking Dave up, and asks if he can help make something. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s 4 in the effing morning. He wonders if these girls are aware they’re supposed to leave tomorrow. One of the guests suggests a hot tub time machine, apparently too drunk to know that’s not real. Kyle brings them nachos, and Tasha says, she’s going to bed; they can clean in the morning. Natalya stumbles to her own cabin, and the guests finally call it a night at 5:47. Kyle says, thank God, and goes to bed, leaving the dishes and whatever other mess there is.

In the morning, Natalya says, the floors need vacuuming; this needs to stop. Mzi says, the guests must have gotten lit last night, and in his interview, he says, when he was at university, they celebrated his National Birthday Week. Then it became his International Birthday Week. Every day was a different activity. He’s not sure how he feels about keeping it to one day. Captain Sandy asks who’s laptop is on the bridge, and Natalya says, it’s Tasha’s. The captain says, tell her to keep it in her cabin. She saw Natalya working this morning. The pantry is a mess, and it’s freaking her out. Natalya says, when she got up, everything was a mess, and there were dishes; she felt overwhelmed. Kyle and Tasha were only up until 3:30. Nice assumption, since it was more like 6. The captain says, this is not okay, and Natalya says, every morning, she thinks it’s like a one-off party. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the pantry should never be left like that. The night person should deal with it. It should be immaculate. The floors should be clean, and the decorations put away. In Natalya’s interview, she says, maybe she shouldn’t say anything to Captain Sandy, but she’s fuming. Get it done. The captain says she’ll take care of it.

Tasha’s boyfriend sends more annoying texts, and in her interview, Captain Sandy says, this is not good. She’s witnessing Tasha slipping in areas she doesn’t normally. Come on; put things away. She sees Tasha and Kyle in the crew mess, and tells Tasha to get organized. It’s driving her insane. The pantry is a disaster. The guests begin to get up, and guest Lisa says, she’s fine. She didn’t behave like a lunatic last night. Storm asks if they had a good night, and they say, it was great. He suggests putting the jet skis in the water, and they enthusiastically agree. Tasha tells Natalya about the captain being pissed at her, and Natalya says she’s been getting up to a mess from the first night. Tasha says, she wasn’t even on the boat yesterday, and Natalya says she doesn’t have the time to do both cleaning and breakfast prep in the morning. Tasha offers to help clean, and Natalya says, she doesn’t need Tasha  to clean, but somebody needs to prep the breakfast or make sure things are clean. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the way Natalya is speaking to her isn’t respectful. She doesn’t realize the extra hours Tasha puts in to make sure the guests have everything. She does it for their tip as a team. She thinks Natalya wants to be chief stew, and is trying to make her look bad, so she looks better. Mzi takes one of the guests out on a jet ski, some use the water toys, and others loll in the water on floaties. Tasha tells Kyle, it’s the worst morning ever. Captain Sandy started screaming at her. Natalya says, they need to stay up and clean or pull for breakfast. It’s bad management style. Kyle tells her, don’t even joke. The guests sit down for their final breakfast, and Tasha and Dave blow up balloons. The captain tells Storm to get the toys in the boat, and Courtney asks Mzi to talk to Jason about putting away the jet skis. Mzi asks if she and Jason aren’t vibing, and she asks if anyone’s vibing with Jason. Mzi asks Jason to pull in what he can, so they can get going. In Mzi’s interview, he says, Jason is an asset, but he blows hot and cold. How do you control that? Since he’s easy to get along with, maybe he can help the team by dealing with Jason. Breakfast is served – mushroom eggs benedict. It doesn’t get any better than that. Captain Sandy runs into Kyle near the pantry, and says, they need to be organized. The pantry is a mess every day. There’s a stain on the floor  that’s two days old, and it makes her want to throw up when she sees it. They’re great on service, but this needs work. Natalya is always cleaning, and it’s not fair. In Kyle’s interview, he tells us that he doesn’t know what to say. What the f*** is happening? He doesn’t know.

The crew gets into their whites. Kyle tells Tasha that the captain said the pantry disgusts her, and Natalya is always the one cleaning. In his interview, he says, Natalya making verbal complaints is fishy suspicious. It’s a fish market at the moment. Tasha looks in the pantry, and says she didn’t leave this stuff here. She’s not going out tonight. She’s going to do the pantry. Kyle says he’ll do it with her. Kyle tells Natalya that she threw interior under the bus, and she says, the only person cleaning is her. He says he’s busting his ass every time to maintain things, and they get messed up. Tasha says, if the captain wants it sparkling, that’s what she’ll get. In Natalya’s interview, she admits she’s the snitch, but it was either that, or she was going to knock someone out. Their minds are elsewhere, and she’s not apologizing. Enough is enough.

Captain Sandy radios Storm about departure, and tells the crew, 20 minutes. The guests pack, and interior is very quiet. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the one thing she can’t stand is a snitch. There was no reason to betray her. The guests’ luggage is taken out to the tender, and the guests say their goodbyes. Co-primary Shelby says, the trip made her feel happy. They kept killing it, and she thanks the crew for making them feel at home. She gives the captain the tip envelope, and says, see them in America. Everyone waves goodbye as the ferry takes the guests to the mainland. Captain Sandy says, they’ll do the tip meeting at the docks, and asks to see Tasha on the bridge. Kyle tells Tasha, it’s just another test to see how strong she is. She can do it.

Natalya tells Courtney, sh*t is going down. Tasha got called to the bridge. In her interview, Tasha sighs, and says, Natalya is complaining about stupid things. Tasha goes to the bridge, and sits down.

To be continued…

🚙 Changing Lanes…

Pop in tomorrow for soap and whatever else I can come up with. Until then, stay safe, stay cheering for the underdog, and stay sharing secrets that have a bearing on your relationship. Because every good relationship, the basis of it is honesty.