What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In the nook, Olivia yells, status report! and Dante says, coolers are full. He’s got meat in there, he’s got drinks in there, for kids and grown-ups alike. I hope not in the same cooler. Brook says, dining tent is up, the tables are set, and Michael says, and the parking valet is ready to go. Willow will be here soon. She definitely does not want to miss… They all say, the first annual picnic to support the GH children’s wing.  Dex knocks at the door, and Olivia asks, who’s this now? Dante says, he works for Sonny, and Michael opens the door. Dex says he hopes he’s in the right place, and Dante says, we’ll see about that. Michael asks what Dex is doing here.

Spencer joins Ava at Kelly’s, and she says she doesn’t appreciate being kept waiting. He says, sorry. He’s a little busy since he has to report to Pentenville soon. She says, because he admitted on the stand he broke out of Spring Ridge? and he says, he was trying to give Trina an alibi. They needed all the reasonable doubt they could get. She says, that’s very noble, but since he never does anything that doesn’t benefit him somehow, the question is, what is his angle?

TJ sees Willow at the hospital, and says he thought she’d be at the picnic. She says she will be, but she needs to meet with Dr. Westbourne first. Here’s hoping she’s still in the mood for a picnic when she’s done. He says, she doesn’t have to answer this of course (🍷), but… She says, no. She hasn’t told Michael yet. It seems pretty simple, right? It’s four words; Michael, I have leukemia. He says, it’s going to be difficult, but she deserves all the support she can get. If he was in Michael’s place, he’d want to be there for her. Jordan comes by, and says hello to Willow. Willow moves along, and TJ asks what brings Jordan by. She says she was following up on a case, and thought, since she’s there, maybe they could have lunch. He says, that sounds great. How about if he meets her at the MetroCourt in… She asks why she has the sense he’s trying to get rid of her, and he says, maybe because he is.

As they relax in the pool, Curtis asks Portia if she hears that sound. She asks, what sound? and he says, of contentment and peace. It’s almost as if… She says, all things are right with the world. And now that Trina is free, and she doesn’t have to worry anymore, they can enjoy some sun. He says, yes, they can. This whole ordeal has take a toll on her and Trina. Not just because of the trial… She says, the things they had to do to get the results they wanted, and he says, but she took most of the risk. She got Oz to testify before the jury rendered its verdict. She says, that’s all because of him, and thanks him for his support. There’s no way she could have gone through with that without him standing by her side every step of the way. He says, if it was up to him, that’s exactly where he’d be for the rest of their lives.

Sonny and Nina walk through the park, holding hands, and she says, he’s being very mysterious about what they’re doing today. He says, that’s because he wants her to guess, but she says, she can’t guess, because she doesn’t have a clue. He says, the GH fundraiser picnic is today at the Quartermaines, and she says she knows that, just like she’s sure he knows she was blatantly not invited. He says, but he was, and he wants her to come as his date. She says, he wants her to be his date at the Quartermaines, and he says he’s one of the hospital’s largest donors, and he can bring who he wants. She says, and the fact that her presence would really stick it to the Q’s… Is that why he’s really inviting her, or is that just an added bonus?

Portia says, the rest of their lives? She likes the sound of that. Curtis says he’s glad, because it’s time they started talking about their future, and she asks what he has in mind. Marshall walks in, and says he’s glad he ran into them. Curtis asks if he’s here to enjoy the pool, but Marshall says, no. He’s here on business actually. He picked up a gig at the MetroCourt Gardens. He’s going over some last minute details, and there’s some pretty fine details in there, if Curtis knows what he means. Curtis congratulates him, and they bro hug. Portia says, that’s wonderful. They’ll be sure not to miss it. Marshall says he always plays better for family. He’s going to leave them to their rest and relaxation, but Curtis suggests he stay. Marshall says he’s not dressed for this. Besides, he has an appointment over at GH. Curtis asks if everything is okay, but Marshall says, it’s just a check-up. What the heck; he can sit for a minute. They sit down, and he tells Portia that he can’t wait to celebrate Trina’s victory in court. She says, it’s going to be amazing; a party to remember. Trust that. Marshall says, anything he can do to help, let him know, but Portia says she thinks he’s done his part. She talked to Trina, and she told Portia how Marshall spoke to her, and influenced her to plead not guilty, and stand up and fight. He says he’s glad he could help, but he only told Trina the truth. The biggest mistake of his life was running away from his family.

Britt asks how Willow is coping with the news, and Willow says, that she has cancer? Terrifying… surreal… Britt says she knows it’s a lot to take in, and Willow says, but it’s not all bad news. They did catch it early; they can do something about it. She knows chemotherapy is the recommended course of treatment, and Britt says, starting as soon as possible. Willow says she did some research on her own, but online or in her studies, one thing was consistent across the board. If she starts chemo now, she could harm or even lose the baby. Is that right? Britt says, yes. That is true.

Sonny says he doesn’t want to fight with Nina. He just wants her to come as his date. That’s what they’re doing, right? She says, that party is going to be full of people who despise her, and he says, it’s not a family event; it’s for the hospital. She has every right to be there. She says, if it means so much to him for her to be there, he’ll fight for her, and he says he’d never let anyone disrespect her. She says, she knows that, and that’s exactly the reason why she’s not going with him.

Dex says, he’s here with the raffle prize, donated by Corinthos Coffee, and Olivia asks what Sonny sent them. Dex says, it’s a state of the art espresso machine and a year’s worth of coffee. It’s out in his car. Leo says, he has a year’s supply of coffee in his car? and Dex says, it’s an SUV actually, but no. He has a few bags and a gift certificate for the rest. Does Leo drink a lot of coffee? Leo says he doesn’t drink any, so a year’s supply would be… zero. Dex says, good math, and Michael says he’ll walk Dex to his car, and bring in the machine, but Olivia says she’ll get someone to unload it. Dex works for Sonny? Have something to eat. Dex comes inside, and Brook’s phone dings. She says, great. There’s an issue with the sound system in the tent. Dante says he’ll fire up the grill, and Brook says, nice meeting Dex. Dex formally introduces himself, and she says she’s Brook Lynn. He says, cool name, and she says she knows. She leaves, and Michael says he told Dex not to come here, but Dex says, it’s an emergency. Sonny’s pissed. After all that work, Michael’s plan could be going down in flames.

Spencer says, what was his angle? and Ava says she knew he was up to something; she just didn’t know what it was. He says, she asked what side he was on, and good news, he was Team Trina the whole time, and she says, that’s obvious now, but Trina didn’t know. Does he have any idea how much he hurt her? Did he know, from the moment Trina met him, she insisted there was good in him. Despite the lies, despite Esme. despite all of it, she believed in him. If Trina had known he returned that faith, it would not have been as difficult for her. He says he thought he was doing the right thing, and she says, of course (🍷) he did. Spreading chaos seems right to him, so that’s what he does. Cassadine men. It’s what they all do; hurt somebody they claim to care about. Then they swear they’re sorry and had good reason, but it’s too little too late. He asks what Ava wants from him, and she says, how about some honesty? He asks if that’s a joke. She’s the most deceitful woman he knows. She lied to him when he was a child. She promised him that she’d testify against Valentin. She says she didn’t lie; she changed her mind. And when half your face gets melted off, pretty boy, then you can tell me that you wouldn’t have done the exact same thing. He says he can only hope his father doesn’t give in when she inevitably comes crawling back to him. She says, he wants honesty? She’s got some truths that will lay him to waste. He tells her, take her best shot, and she says, just remember he asked for it. He asks what she’s waiting for, and she says, he has this fantasy that without her, he and his father would be as close as they were when Spencer was a boy. But she’s not the problem. She never has been. The fact is, Esme and his precious daddy… Nikolas has walked in, and tells her, don’t say anything she’s going to regret, but she says, she’s not going to regret it; she’s going to savor it. Spencer asks what they’re talking about, and Nikolas says, whatever Ava’s reasons. it’s only going to hurt her, not Spencer. She says, is that a threat? If it is, she thinks he needs to walk it back. He says, it’s not a threat; it’s just some perspective. He sits down, and says, his son is going to a maximum security prison for three months. She’s been to prison, and he’s sure she’d never want to go back. She says, it depends on the alternative, and he says, whatever animosity exists between her and Spencer, the one thing they need to remember is, Esme is gone. Spencer says, good riddance. He’s only sorry she’s not going to pay for what she’s done.

Curtis says, Marshall’s mistakes are water under bridge. He just wants them to move forward. He and Portia were just talking about the future earlier, and he’s so glad to be a part of it. Portia says, so is she, and Marshall says, that’s what he wants too. He’s been so worried, terrified, for so long that his schizophrenia would pose a threat to everyone he holds dear. Even though he wasn’t having any symptoms, it hung around his neck. Like the meds could stop working at any moment, which is possible. If they did, he couldn’t risk hurting, or even embarrassing anybody. Portia says, he doesn’t have to worry about any of that anymore, and Curtis says, even if it got worse – not that it will – Marshall knows they’ll always be here for him. Marshall says he appreciates that. All in all, he’s been lucky. He asks if Curtis has thought any more about genetic counseling, but Curtis says he’s been busy lately. Portia says, even if he inherited the genetic predisposition for schizophrenia, Curtis is far past the usual age of onset. And there’s no reason to think of Curtis getting symptoms. A predisposition is no guarantee that the illness will actually develop. Marshall says, thank God Curtis was spared that, and Curtis says, it looks like he’s in the clear. The only reason he would get tested is if he wanted to have children; they could be affected. Marshall asks if that’s the plan. Are they going to give him more grandchildren? They all laugh.

TJ says, Marshall told him that he made an appointment for today, and he figured Marshall and Jordan shouldn’t cross paths considering… She says, considering the tragedy of Tommy’s death? She assumes his grandfather won’t be too pleased to meet her. TJ says, Marshall has been in town for a while, but the two of them have never been in the same place at the same time. Obviously, that’s not a coincidence. She says she’s kept her distance. She didn’t want to get in the way of TJ getting to know his grandfather, but it looks like he’s here to stay. TJ says he hopes so, and she says, so she doesn’t think it’s practical to keep avoiding Marshall. Unless that’s what TJ wants.

Leo asks if Dante is coming to his play. It’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Dante says he wouldn’t miss it, and asks Olivia if that isn’t an adult kind of play. She says, the entire show is only 30 minutes, and no one kid is one stage for more than ten minutes. Leo says he plays Bottom; that’s a funny name. Dante says, it sure is, and Leo says, he turns into a donkey, so he gets to wear a donkey head. It’s really cool. Olivia says she’s totally loving this theater therapy. The kids get to use their God given communication skills to ask clearly for the things they might want or need. It might be nice if they had something like that for neurotypical adults. He says, really, ma? And she says, sorry. Sam is out on the front lawn with Danny and Scout setting up the games. Maybe he wants to help. Unless he thinks that’s moving a little too fast for Sam. He says, maybe he will, and leaves. Olivia takes a deep breath, and Brook asks, what was that all about? Olivia says she’s not saying anything, and Brook asks if she promised not to say anything. Olivia says, that’s a good point. Dante wants Sam to move in, and she’s afraid that’s moving too fast; she doesn’t want to take that next step. You know what the two of them need? Brook says, no, no, no. She doesn’t mean… Olivia says, they need to be hit by a good old fashioned… They both say, Sicilian Thunderbolt. Leo asks if they want Dante to be hit by lightning, but Olivia says, it’s not an actual thunderbolt. Her Nonna Tuccia had a very special recipe – the Sicilian Thunderbolt. This very simple concoction had the power to unite reluctant lovers, and make them see they were destined to be together. He asks what she means, and she says, if two people – let’s say Sam and Dante – if they’re really meant to be together, they drink the Sicilian Thunderbolt, and suddenly clouds are lifted from their eyes, and they’re able to see the undeniable true love they have for each other. He says, a love potion, like Oberon gave to Titania, but Brook says, the love potion in the play made them fall in love with the next person they see, which would be a no-no. We don’t want that. But the Sicilian Thunderbolt will work if the two people are right for each other. He asks, then why do they need the Sicilian Thunderbolt? and Olivia says, sometimes people are taking their own sweet time, when what they need is a good swift kick in the… Brook clears her throat, and Olivia says, they just need a little push, and he says, encouragement. She says, that’s exactly it, and he asks how it works.

Britt tells Willow, because the fetus’s organs are developing the first 12 to 14 weeks, chemotherapy during the first trimester can cause birth defects or even miscarriage. Willow says, Terry told her that her cancer is in the earliest stage. She thinks chemotherapy will have to wait until her baby’s further along. Britt says, that would be ideal, but delaying treatment can be extremely risky, but Willow says, they’re only talking about a matter of weeks. Britt says, when dealing with cancer, conventional wisdom is that any delay is dangerous. If it spreads, Willow could not only lose her baby, she could lose her life. Willow says she won’t accept that. She’s already lost one child. She will not lose another. Thus speaketh Willow.

Sonny asks if Nina is making him go to the picnic alone, and she says she thinks he’ll survive. He says he’ll have a better time with her there, but she says, he won’t. Here’s what will happen. Michael is going to confront him; one, because Sonny showed up at all, and two, because Sonny showed up with her. Carly will pretend not to care they’re together, but inevitably find some reason to confront her about something. Sonny says, it’s none of their business what guest he brings, but she says she thinks it is. Because Wiley will probably be there, and Willow and everyone else will do everything possible to keep her away from him, which will hurt. Meanwhile, people will be watching and whispering, and Olivia will be waiting in the wings for her chance to give Nina a piece of her mind. He’ll be there, fighting this non-stop battle to make sure no one disrespects her. It’s not her idea of a good time.

Spencer says, let’s hear this big truth, and Ava says, the guards can’t protect him at Pentenville. Prison is a dangerous place, especially for a young man of means, which he is. He says she can’t scare him. Besides, Uncle Sonny has people on the inside looking out for him. She says, no one can look out for him 24/7; he has to be careful. He tells her watch out. If she keeps talking like that, he’ll start to think she cares. She says, he did try to help Trina, even though he messed it up. He says, she was so close to being a human being. He’s heading out. He gets up, and she says, they were supposed to talk about his trust fund, but he says, do what she wants. She will anyway. It’s not like he’s going to need it behind bars. Spencer leaves, and Nikolas thanks her for not telling Spencer about him and Esme. She says she didn’t do it for him. She did it because of those not-so-subtle hints he was dropping. What’s he going to do? Turn her in if she doesn’t behave? He tells her, that’s not what he’s saying at all. If Esme’s body is ever found, her knowing he slept with Esme gives her motivation to have killed her. Her only hope is to convince the world that they’re in a happy marriage, which means she moves back to Windymere today.

Jordan says she’s touched by TJ’s concern, but she takes responsibility for her part in the confrontation between Tommy and Shawn. Honestly, she’d rather clear the air between her and Marshall. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, TJ wants Marshall in his life, which means she and Marshall are going to bump into each other; on holidays, on special occasions, and randomly. He says he loves having more family, but she’s his mom, and he never wants her to feel uncomfortable in his home.

Olivia tells Leo, the Sicilian Thunderbolt recipe was passed down from generation to generation. She thinks she still has a copy in her hope chest. Brook says, as she recalls, it was pretty simple. A bunch of fresh herbs, and some kind of blessing over the mixture. Leo says, and a flower, like in the play. Olivia says, that’s a good guess. How did he guess that? He says, it only makes sense, and she says, fair enough. And you know what kind of flower it was? A very special flower she grew in her garden. It was called… Brook says, a cupid carnation, and Olivia says, yes. And it had to be picked fresh, just before you combine the ingredients. Nonna Tuccia swears that’s what gave Nonno Tuccia the guts to propose to her. Brook says, good for her. She can see how it could be scary taking the next step. It would be nice to get a little nudge.  

Michael brings Dex to the boathouse, and says, they can talk privately. What’s going on? Dex says, Sonny went through the roof when he found out he was given a discharge to avoid court martial. Michael says, he’ll be fine, and Dex says he warned Michael that Sonny was digging into his background, but Michael says, it was all part of the plan. Dex’s past was part of the reason Michael hired him. Dex asks if almost being court martialed for striking a superior officer is such a big selling point, and Michael says, in this case, yes. Knowing Dex protected a family the way Sonny wishes he could have protected his mother from an abusive stepfather will only further Sonny’s opinion; he’ll trust Dex more. Dex says, he was really pissed, but Michael says, he’ll cool down. And once he does, this is what Dex will do next…

Britt says, cancer doesn’t care what Willow will or won’t accept; it’s trying to kill her. They have to stop it. Willow asks, what is the rate of miscarriages during chemotherapy during the first trimester? and Britt says, some studies indicate nearly 38%. Willow says, and the second trimester? and Britt says, close to 10%. Willow says she’s willing to accept the risk to protect her child. They need to wait until the second trimester. They can’t say for sure the cancer is going to get worse. Britt says, it will definitely get worse. Can she say with any certainty that this gamble will or won’t pay off? She can’t; there’s no way to know that. Willow asks if Britt wants kids, and Britt says she doesn’t think kids are in her future. Willow says she’s always wanted to be a mom, and Wiley is her greatest joy. With all due respect… Britt says, no one ever said anything nice after saying that, and Willow says she doesn’t mean to be harsh, but if Britt doesn’t want kids herself, and has never lost a child, she can’t possibly understand. Britt says, Willow’s course of treatment is her personal choice. It’s Britt’s job to help her make an informed decision. Willow says she wants to give her baby the best chance at life as possible, and Britt says, then Willow should also know that if she waits, there’s no guaranty her body will be able to carry a baby to term. Willow could go through all this, she could risk everything, and lose the baby anyway.

Ava says, as much as she hates to admit it, she sees Nikolas’s point. Outside the castle, they’ll pretend to be the happy couple. Inside the castle, he’ll leave her the hell alone. (Hmm… Not much different than some marriages IRL.) Agreed, daring? He says, agreed, darling, and she gets up. She says she’s headed to the gallery, but he tells her, wait. She says, why? and he says, because she’s going with him to the Quartermaine picnic.

Dante asks Brook if the coast is clear, and she tells him, come in. Olivia’s not here. He says he loves his mom, but holy… When she thinks she’s right about something, her boundaries go out the window. Brook says, she’s nothing like the rest of the Quartermaines; we really respect boundaries. He says he didn’t notice that, and she says she can’t imagine how he missed it. Why all the pushing? He and Sam seem solid. He says, they are. What’s going on with her and Chase? She says, same as always, and he says, she’s still using Chase to get back at Linc? She says, she would never use Chase. Never.

Curtis says, Marshall doesn’t beat around the bush, and Portia says, he makes Aunt Stella seem demure. Curtis guesses they haven’t talked about having kids, and she says, kids, plural. He says, yeah. His brother Tommy was his best friend, and he always wanted that for his children. Siblings you can count on. She says, like Trina, and he says, can she imagine how fiercely protective Trina would be? She says she can, and asks if that’s the future he’s wanting to talk to her about. Does he want to have kids? He says, there’s some other things he wants first.

Willow asks if Britt is saying she has to choose between herself and her baby, and Britt says she strongly recommends Willow not delay treatment. Willow gets up, and Britt says, she can get a second opinion, but it won’t be different. Willow says, if she waits, the chemotherapy could still be successful, and both she and the baby could survive. That’s possible too, right? Britt says, yes, it’s possible, and Willow asks if Britt has ever had a patient in this situation before. Britt says, again, every case is unique… but Willow says, please… Britt says, yes. A few years back, she had a patient in a similar situation; she chose to delay treatment. Willow says, and? and Britt says, the baby survived; she died. Willow says she thinks she needs time, but Britt says, the one thing Willow doesn’t have is time. The longer she waits, the fewer options she has. She’s sorry. it’s just the reality of Willow’s situation. And while the choice is hers, fortunately she doesn’t have to make it alone. Willow says she needs to talk to Michael.

TJ tells Jordan that he has to check some labs, but he’ll only be a minute. Is she still free for lunch? She says she’ll make the time, and asks if there’s any chance Molly can join them. He says he wishes. He just talked to her. She had lunch with her mom and sisters, and now she’s back at work. Jordan says she’s glad she’s Commissioner. Otherwise, she’d never see Molly at all. Marshall walks in, and says he was hoping to run into TJ. He sees Jordan is there, and TJ says he’d like Marshall to meet his mother, and tells Jordan, this is Curtis’s father Marshall. Marshall says he’s been waiting for this day to come, and TJ tells them, before anyone says anything… but Jordan tells him, go ahead; do what he needs to do. She’ll meet him at the MetroCourt. She and Mr. Ashford will be fine. TJ leaves, and she says she’s sure Marshall has some things he wants to say to her. He says he does. She did not do right by his son, but then again, neither did he.

Britt looks at a photo of herself with a baby on her phone, and says, Ben, Ben, Ben. He’ll always be Ben to her. Why Dante and Lulu gave him that stupid name she’ll never know – Rocco. There’s a knock at the door, she gets herself together, and says, come in. Spencer says he comes in peace. Has she got a minute? She tells him, come in, and he asks if she’s okay. She says she’s fine. What’s he doing here? It better not be for another favor. He says he’s here to apologize, and she says he did that already. He says he knows, but not as much as he should have; not nearly enough. She says, go on… and he says, back then during his first apology, he wasn’t able to tell her what was going on. Now he’s finally able to tell her truth.

Dex heads toward Sonny in the park, and Sonny says, this better be a coincidence, but Dex says he called Frank; he said Sonny might be here. Sonny says he’s going to call Frank. Dex is supposed to be staying out of his face. Dex says he wants to apologize about the misunderstanding, but Sonny says, it wasn’t a misunderstanding; Dex withheld information. Does Dex know what that’s called? It’s a lie. Dex says he’s sorry he didn’t disclose the trouble he got into when he was in the service, but he didn’t think it was relevant. Sonny says he decides what’s relevant, not Dex. Knowledge is power. Don’t ever keep anything from him again. Dex says he won’t, he swears. Sonny starts to walk away, and Dex says, Sonny told him, again. Does that mean he still has a job?

Portia asks what Curtis wants that’s so urgent, and Curtis asks, did she see that? There’s something in the pool. He takes his shirt off, and jumps in.

Ava says, go to a picnic at the Quartermaines with Nikolas? and he says, the Cassadines have always supported General Hospital. If they don’t make an appearance, people will comment. She asks why he didn’t say so. They can’t have people commenting. He says, maybe she’ll have fun. Stranger things have happened. She leaves, and he smiles.

Leo puts a carnation on the table, and looks at a recipe card. He says, Sam and Dante deserve to be happy, and he’s going to help.

Britt says, Spencer did all that for Trina? Talk about no good deed going unpunished. He’s paying one heavy price. He says he can handle it, but she says, Pentenville’s no joke. He’ll need to watch his back – quite literally. He says he’ll be okay. He just wanted to make sure they were good, again before he leaves. She says, they’re good, and he goes to the door. She asks what Trina said when she found out what he did for her, but he says, she doesn’t know, and she’s never going to. Britt says, all that, and he’s not getting her back? but he says, she was never his to lose. He never had her; he never deserved her. What Trina deserves is to forget about him and to be happy.

Sonny says, Dex isn’t fired… yet. Dex thanks him, and says he really appreciates the second chance. He won’t let Sonny down. Sonny says, good. Because Dex is going to spend every day proving to Sonny that he didn’t make a mistake. Understood? Dex says, got it, and Sonny says, he can go.

Willow walks into the living room, and Michael says, here she is. He kisses her, and says, what’s wrong? She asks if they can sit down. She needs to tell him something.

Jordan says she thought Marshall would be angrier at her for what happened to Tommy. He tells her, don’t get it twisted. When he’d heard she betrayed his son, and Tommy lost his life in the process, his thoughts of her were far from Christian. She says, that’s fair, and he says, except he’s in no position to judge. There’s a whole lot of sumthin’-sumthin’ she doesn’t know about. He believes he might have been responsible for Tommy’s death.

At the MetroCourt Gardens, TJ’s phone rings, and he asks Molly, what’s going on? Nina starts to walk in, and stops. He says, no worries. He’s accepted that they may never share a meal again. Nina flashes back to seeing Willow hug TJ.

Portia asks Curtis if he found it, and he says, yeah, swimming over to her. She asks, what was it? and he holds up a ring, saying, their future. She says, oh my God.  

Tomorrow, Chase tells Brook that he could use her help; Curtis asks Portia to marry him; Drew tells Carly, prepare to be amazed; and Sonny tells someone to take their best show, and they’ll see what happens.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we left last week, it looked like Home had hit a dolphin, but Storm tells Captain Sandy, they’re touching. She asks if they sustained any damage, and he says, no. He tells her, they’re three meters off, but she says, he’s garbled. Mzi finally goes over to Storm, and tells him that he’s not coming through. He has to press the mic, then talk. Storm apologizes, and tells the captain, the stern is clear. The fenders are pulled up, and Storm tells the deckhands, well done. Kyle tells Natasha that he was drooling blood all night; that’s why he’s doing housekeeping. Natalya says she’s going to flip laundry. Whatever that means. Captain Sandy calls Storm to the bridge, and says he did well… He says he understands where he went wrong. He was pressing the mic too early, and she wasn’t getting full sentences. The captain says she knows there’s a lot of pressure. Relax and breathe. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, before this season, she never hit anything. Storm is still provisional. She needs to make sure he can run the deck, and lead the team. Tasha brings primary Kristina coffee, and Kristina says, it was a birthday to remember. Tasha says, they looked fabulous, but Kristina says, they don’t feel fabulous. In Courtney’s interview, she says, she’s finally a deckhand, and she wants to be good. She wants to show Mzi that she’s a good deckhand, and also Captain Sandy, who’s got some weird faith in her. Tasha is busy texting her not-so-ex-anymore boyfriend, and Natalya tries talking smack about her to Kyle, but he tells Natalya, STFU.

Captain Sandy radios the deck crew to be ready for water sports, and they anchor in a gorgeous spot. Natalya complains about Kyle not being on service, but he says he’s in massive pain, and he doesn’t want to be around the guests while he’s in pain. Natalya asks how she was supposed to know that. Tasha sees them, and says she’ll come back when they’ve chatted it out. Kyle tells Tasha that his teeth are painful, so he said he’d be on laundry, but Natalya’s there again. Natalya says, Kyle is starting stuff out of nothing, and in Tasha’s interview, she says she feels like a schoolteacher. They can’t afford not to get along. Kyle says, Natalya gets defensive when she knows she’s wrong, and Dave tells them to quiet down. The toys are brought out, and Storm takes the guests for a ride on the inflatable banana. And no, that’s not a euphemism for anything. It’s literally an inflatable banana that seats quite a few people. Captain Sandy says, yay! The guests are having fun. Tasha texts her boyfriend, and Dave asks, what’s going on? but she says, nothing. In Tasha’s interview, she says she feels like Dave would be upset if she told him that she was getting back together with her boyfriend. He’s so unpredictable. The captain says she doesn’t know where the wind is coming from; it wasn’t predicted. She tells the deckhands to bring in the toys, and Storm asks Courtney to hook up the jet ski to a crane so they can bring it back on board. She says, the last time she did that in a swell, she got smacked in the face with a crane. Captain Sandy radios for them to wrap it up; the wind is 20 knots. Courtney misses the crane on the first try, but gets it on the second. Storm says, good job, and in her interview, she says, thank God.

The wind starts whipping, and the swell comes. I’m guessing these are like rogue waves. I’ve experienced those, and they’re not funny. The captain can’t get the stabilizers to work, and it’s like last time. Everything careens, and smashes. Captain Sandy tells them, hang on, and says, it’s a f***ing nightmare. She tells everyone, hang on; the boat is gonna roll. There’s crashing and smashing, and the captain radios for someone to find the engineer. Engineer Carlos says he’s working on it, as guest Michelle falls on her ass. There’s also an alarm blaring the entire time. Captain Sandy goes over mechanical stuff with Carlos, and it seems like the air conditioner is the main culprit. She tells everyone, from now on, the doors are closed. Like the stalker he’s become, Dave asks Tasha if she’s all right, and she says she’s fine. The captain says, they’re going back to the dock, and in her interview, she says, the stabilizers aren’t working, and it’s not safe for the guests. Her decision is based on safety. In Mzi’s interview, he says he’s happy Courtney is on board. She’s good energy. Jason can monotone, and she balances things out. The captain says, tonight is decadent night with the Studio 54 party.

As they near the dock, Captain Sandy says she can’t see sh*t, and we see it’s seriously dark. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s nervous. He hit a dolphin, and his first docking was a failure. He hates failure. The captain tells Jason that she can’t see his hand signals, and Storm asks Mzi to being a fender just in case. They manage to dock without hitting anything, and Captain Sandy says, excellent job; they didn’t hit anything. Storm thanks all of them, and asks how Courtney feels. She says, relived. Kyle is in severe pain, and Tasha tells him to lie down. She asks if any of the deckhands are available, and Storm tells her to give him 20 minutes. In Dave’s interview, he says, Tasha can’t box it up. He still enjoys her presence, and doesn’t want to make it hard to work as a team. He doesn’t know how to act; it’s weird. Tasha and her boyfriend text a bunch of cringy Hallmark type stuff. Storm says he hates putting her back there, but will Courtney help the interior? In Courtney’s interview, she says, she’s happy to help. She understands; she’s been there. We flash back to her being a stew, and asking the deck crew for help, and she says, at the same time, she wants to move forward and progress on deck.

The guests are seated for dinner, and Tasha tells Captain Sandy about Kyle. The captain goes to find him, and the guests complement Courtney on doing double-duty. Captain Sandy asks Kyle how he is, and he says he has an infection, and he’s so sore. She says, it’s the worst pain (agreed), and he needs to see a dentist. Guest Michelle talks about doing Cabo for Thanksgiving, while the captain calls marina doctor, Dr. Tea. She tells Dr. Tea that she thinks Kyle should go to the hospital. For some reason, Storm walks around wearing deedly-boppers, what you might call antennae on a headband. Creeper though he may be, Dave makes food that I’m sure surpasses anything Studio 54 ever churned out. He tells them the octopus dish was inspired by Tasha; it’s super tender. Kyle leaves for the hospital, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t want to let the team down, but he feels like he’s being punched in the face by a professional boxer. That would have been preferable. We see him enter the hospital.

For dessert, Dave brings up a false apple ganache, with a banana caramel inside. It looks like a green apple, but everything is edible, and I’m sure incredibly rich. I don’t even like caramel, but I’m in. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she was engaged to someone she worked on a boat with. They’d been together for three years, and engaged for a year and a half. She broke up with him on a crossing, realizing that she still loved him, but not in that way. Afterward, they shared a cabin for a month, and it was awkward. There’s nowhere to run and hide on a boat. Kyle texts Tasha that his tooth is severely infected, but he can’t see a dentist until morning. He has to spend the night at the hospital. The guests go upstairs to the pseudo Studio 54, complete with streamers and disco ball. They demand more alcohol, but in a nice way. Mzi explains nautical stuff to Jason for future reference, and in his interview, Mzi says, things are taking shape. He wants a bit of structure in place. Growing up, he did the dishes after dinner, and books on holidays. In order to have progress, they need structure to make them more efficient. The guests do The Running Man, and Mzi helps Courtney with the dishes. The guests go to bed by the time Studio 54 was probably just getting rolling for the night. Natalya sits with Storm, and says she’s exhausted; they lost Kyle. He tells her that she crushed it, and asks if she’d be keen to have dinner on their night off, then join the crew after. She says, it’s not called a date, and he tells her that she’s paying as well. In Natalya’s interview, she says, 99% of the men she had relationships with cheated on her. She’s hoping Storm is different. It’s hard to find good people. She tells him, don’t even think of kissing her.

In Jason’s interview, he says he’s not in sync with the deck crew. His jokes are not landing, and Mzi is laughing at everything Courtney says. At this point, he’s strategizing how to fit in, because right now, he’s 100% not. The first one up for breakfast, guest Kimberlee says she’s barely alive. As they pack, guest Gina says she doesn’t want to leave. The crew gets into their whites to say their goodbyes, and Captain Sandy explains that Kyle had to go to the dentist. Kristina says, they expected a lot, and the crew exceeded their expectations. The guests leave, and the captain tells the crew to meet for the tip meeting. Kyle returns, and tells Tasha that he had two of his back teeth removed. The pain was next level, and he’s so relieved. He can’t wait to eat certain things and suck on certain things. Hey, he said it, not me. I’m just reporting the facts.

They sit down for the meeting, and the captain says, they did well with a man down, and a new crew member. She says, it’s great having Courtney on board, and Storm accepted her challenge, telling her that he was ready. When they came off the dock, she was worried, but when they came in last night, he did a superb job. She tells them, the envelope is thick. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each. Everyone applauds, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, her first charter is over, so she can relax more now. A producer asks if she thinks Coco is coming out tonight, and we flash back to Courtney’s drunken alter-ego. She says she’s not getting as drunk as she used to, but she’s letting her hair down, so who knows… Storm makes reservations for dinner, and Natalya tells Kyle about a guy who broke up with her at 2 am over text. She just doesn’t think love lasts. In Storm’s interview, he says, his last relationship lasted  8 months. He was prepared to leave his job for her, but she lost feelings for him. Anything that’s worth doing is worth overdoing, and that’s how he is with work and love. Tasha asks if she can speak to Dave, and tells him, right now, she and her ex are sorting things out. They got their dogs together; they bought a home together; they’re friends with each other’s friends; and have so much in common. They make each other laugh. Dave says, to him, he thinks she’s taking the easy way out. She doesn’t know what she wants. She says, she’d been running away from problems that were hard to face. Now she has to face them. In Dave’s interview, he wonders, WTF is she doing? She told him about her ex; she spoke openly about him cheating on her. She told him they’d had difficulties for years, and he didn’t seem like a great guy. It doesn’t make sense.

Everyone gets ready to go out, and Storm and Natalya go to the restaurant. Tasha tells Kyle that she wishes Dave would back off. Courtney says, it’s her first night out with them; yay! Natalya asks if Storm has ever hooked up with a crew member, and he tells her, no, then starts talking about the work schedule he made. In his interview, he says, he’s stoked. She’s beautiful, but he’s thinking about work. He’s nervous, since this is a trial period. He tells her that he’s stoked (his WOTD) to see where this goes. They meet the rest of the crew at another restaurant, and Kyle tells them, don’t get comfortable. They’re going to a club. They move on.

Dave whines to Storm about Tasha getting back with her boyfriend. Tasha and Natalya talk in the ladies room. Natalya tells Tasha about her date with Storm, and asks how it’s going with Dave. Tasha says, just awful. Back at the table, Storm says, not in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d be bosun. Mzi says, he’s killing it. Natalya comes back, and yells for shots. Storm tells Mzi, if the docking hadn’t gone the way it did, he’d be done. Natalya suggests ending the emotional pity party, and in her interview, she says, Storm overthinks things. Keep work chat in the workplace. It’s very draining. Some of the crew gets up to dance, and Storm asks if he pissed Natalya off. She tells him not to be emotional; he’s ruining the vibe. In the taxi back, Storm tells Dave that he doesn’t know what he did, and Dave says, they’re f***ed up.

Back on the boat, Tasha makes some food, and Dave creeps around, staring at her. Jason tells Storm that he didn’t do anything wrong. Natalya takes her bedding, and hides in a guest cabin. Storm wails that she wanted nothing to do with him, and Mzi says, let her deal with her sh*t. Storm’s not here for a relationship; he’s here to work. He’s been promoted. Tasha tells Kyle that she thinks Dave’s in a strange place, and Kyle says, he knows it’s tough, but she came her for a bigger purpose. (Like what? Serving margaritas? She’s not curing cancer here.) Dave says, the Tasha situation is over with. F*** Natasha. F*** it all.  

Next time, Kyle flirts with a guest; Natasha says, Kyle could lose his job over this; Jason tells Storm to f*** off; and Dave tells Natasha that she’s on her own.

🛥 Don’t Need a Bigger Boat…

As the captain says, your home away from home. Packing as we speak.

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/home-yacht-below-deck-mediterranean-season-7

🧂 Looking For My Lost Shaker Of Salt…

Don’t hesitate to drop by unannounced tomorrow for soap, and some hot tea. Until then, stay safe, stay making new friends, but cherishing the old, and stay keeping work chat in the workplace. It’s very draining.