In watching this, I understood what it is about Diana that I don’t like. She expects others to be empathetic of her without really knowing her, but she’s quick with judgements about people she doesn’t know. There was a poll on Twitter asking if she was soulless – which I think was just a dramatic word Sutton used, and not to be taken seriously – and I read she blocked people who said yes. Why? Is she afraid she might learn something about herself?
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. – Dale Carnegie
Never try to outstubborn a cat. – Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love
But instead of spending our lives running towards our dreams, we are often running away from a fear of failure or a fear of criticism. – Erin Wright
Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness. – Steve Maraboli
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. – Revelation 21:4 (NLT)
One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man. – Elbert Hubbard
I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace. – Thomas Paine
If you don’t like my shade, get out of my shadow. – Shereé (yes, that one) Whitfield, Real Housewives of Atlanta
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie
I have more in common with a three-toed sloth or a one-eyed pterodactyl or a Kalamata olive than I have with Winston Churchill. – Boris Johnson (What?)
Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. – Jimi Hendrix
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.- Annette Funicello
🦛 Taking My Hunky Dory and Going…
If all goes according to plan, we’ll all be filling the next two days with activities that are gratifying and/or productive. Or not, if that’s what you like. Then we’ll reconvene on Monday for soap and yachting on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay doing everything in moderation, but allowing for a splurge now and then, and stay trying to understand where others are coming from. You might not like them anyway, but you won’t hate them. Don’t be a Diana J.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
🎢 Soap Roller Coaster…
Don’t worry. I got the whole thing, but first, I put GH on, and it looks like the news broke in, but only a few minutes of the beginning has been preempted. Then, the first thing I see is Marshall in an exam room, and Epiphany calling him Mr. Ashford. I think, this isn’t a new episode, and find this:
But apparently, it was shown in some places, so through the magic of the internet, here you go. Be forewarned though, it looks like they’ll be showing the same thing tomorrow if it was aired in your state today.
General Hospital
Britt says, all Cody’s been telling her is what she wants to hear. So why? What does he want from her? He says, to get to know her better, and she says, so instead of asking her what she’s looking for, he’s selling a version of what he thinks she wants? He says he’s rusty at dating, but she says, no. He’s as smooth as they come, but at least he’s transparent. Even an idiot would be able to see what he’s really after.
Linc says, congratulations, detective; that was a great performance. Chase asks what he wants, and Linc says he wants to know if Chase has considered a career in music. Brook watches from a distance, and Chase says, only recently. Linc says he sees something in Chase. It’s good, raw material. It needs refining, but it’s still there. Lucky for Chase, he was here tonight. In fact, he thinks it’s fate.
Spinelli says, perhaps he’s been a tad overprotective, and Maxie says, yes, he has. Austin is a good man, and Spinelli needs to start being nice to him, now. Spinelli says, very well. Consider it done. Maxie says, why? What is going on? He says, nary a thing, and she wonders why he so easily agreed to do what she asked. He says, she knows he can refuse her nothing, but she says, that’s absolutely not true. So he’s going to get along with Austin? He says, yes, and she says, and lay off her relationship? He says he’ll neither interfere, nor opine, and she says, thank you. She waits, and he says, with great reservation of course (🍷)… She says, there it is. Back off. He has no reason to doubt Austin. He says he has an inconvertible reason, and she asks, what is it? He says, Austin isn’t who she thinks he is.
Austin asks bald guy what he’s doing here, and bald guy says, Austin stopped responding. As such, he forced their hand. (Not sure if he means there’s more than one, he’s nuts and thinks he’s more than one, or that’s his pronoun.) Austin says, okay. If he’s more responsive, will they stop doing things he needs to respond to? but bald guy says, unfortunately, it’s too late for that. He’s here to deliver a message. Austin says, which is what? and bald guy says, Austin’s time is up.
Curtis asks how Trina is, and Portia says, she’s resting. Finally. Today in court really rattled her. Curtis says, DA Arden certainly knows how to twist the narrative to fit her purposes, and Portia says, she’s doing her job… and Curtis says, she doesn’t have to be so damn good at it (which is a matter of perspective). Portia says, the reason she’s good at it is, she actually believes she’s right. They just need to prove otherwise. Marshall comes in, and says, they should have heard Epiphany sing tonight. Man… Oh. He takes it things didn’t go too well today. Portia says, Diane did great. It looks like their side is the one that’s going to need a miracle. She asks Curtis to please tell her that their bartender lead isn’t dead.
Esme says, what is this place? as Oz lets her in. He asks her to try to hide her distain, calling her princess, and saying, we can’t all live in a castle on an island. She says she won’t be there for long. Which is why she came here to tell him in person. She no longer has a boyfriend or access to his money. He says, is that right? Then she can’t afford his silence.
Chase says he doesn’t believe in fate, and Linc says he knows Chase isn’t his biggest fan. Chase says, that’s an understatement, and Linc says, but Chase doesn’t have to like him to trust he knows the music business, and he doesn’t just throw out idle compliments. Chase says he knows; he hears how Linc talks to Brook. Linc says, she’s a big girl; she can take it. Chase asks what he wants, and Linc says, a joint venture. Chase says, between Linc and him? and Linc says, being a musician is a lot of hard work, but the rewards, the money, the women, any life you want to live… When you’re a star, anything is possible. With the right management, that’s what Chase will be. Brook says, then it’s a good thing Chase has her.
Curtis says, so Ava believes Esme showed the bad guy a way off the island, and Portia says, so he could be anywhere. Curtis says, they know where he’s not. He never went back to his apartment, and he didn’t go to the motel. Portia asks how he knows for sure, and Curtis says, they have eyes on the apartment. Marshall says, and Curtis paid off a clerk to spy for them at the motel. Curtis says, according to the clerk, before the bartender took off, he left a lot of personal belongings behind. For a few more dollars, he agreed to leave the door unlocked so Curtis could do some searching. Portia says she doesn’t mean to sound impatient, but what are they waiting for then? and Marshall says, they went there earlier, and a different clerk was on duty. Curtis says, but their guy works tonight, so he’s about to head there now. There’s got to be something they can use. She says, but what if there isn’t? She’s trying to have faith, but what if this doesn’t pan out? Curtis hugs her, and says he knows.
Oz says, your break-up sounds like a you problem, but Esme says, it’s also his problem, if she no longer has access to Spencer and his family’s money. He says, what about her own money? but she says, it’s tied up in a trust. He says, cry me a river, and she says, he’s all heart. He says, she’s whining about her trust fund while he’s holed up in this place, all to take cover from the people looking for the goods on her. Hell, at this point, he might just let them find him. She says, that would be very stupid. He could go to prison. He says he’d cut a deal, and she asks what he could possibly have to offer them. He asks what she thinks. She can let herself out.
Austin says, his time is up? Seriously? Has bald guy been binge watching film noire? Bald guy says, laugh all he wants. He can laugh all the way back to Pautuck. Austin says he’s not going anywhere, and bald guy says, this is non-negotiable. Austin says, good, because he’s not negotiating. He doesn’t answer to bald guy. Bald guy says, no, he doesn’t, but Austin does answer to his boss.
Maxie asks Spinelli to tell her, who is Austin Gatlin-Holt, MD? He says, Austin Gatlin-Holt, MD, is… a perfectly decent man with an above average intellect, and an admirable FICO score. She says, and? and he says, that’s it. She asks how he’s making this sound like a bad thing, and he says, she has absolutely no future with that sort of man. She says, that makes no sense, and who is he to decide that for her? He says he just knows, even if she thinks she knows otherwise, and she asks what is really going on with him? He’s been acting squirrely for weeks, and she’s not the only one who’s noticed. He says, that’s where he takes his leave. Being compared to rodents is where he draws the line. She says, since when?Come on. She knows him better than he thinks.
Cody says he can explain, but Britt says, don’t bother. In fact, allow her to explain him to him. He says, okay, give it to him, and she says, he actually thought those tired clichés about marriage and babies would get her between the sheets with him? Man did he have this wrong. He laughs, and she asks, what is so funny? This is funny? He says, no, making me laugh at how fast he makes a serious face. She’s just so way off. The truth is – and this is going to blow her mind – he was just trying to impress her. She says, her mind is not blown. He was trying to impress her by being someone even more banal than he really is? He says, she honestly doesn’t date much, and she says she can’t imagine why. She’s just going to call it. This so-called date, time of death, right now. He’s a counterfeit Casanova, not to mention, a complete waste of her time. So crawl on out of my life, cowboy. You and the horse you rode in on. He says, it’s funny she doesn’t like horses, considering she’s such a nag… He’s sorry. He shouldn’t have said that. She dumps her drink on his head and leaves.
Esme says, she’s sorry, and Oz says, for filming that couple having sex and making it go viral, or stiffing him? She says she’s apologizing because she’s been acting like a spoiled little rich girl. She’s been handed things in life, and someone like him… He says, careful, and she says, someone who supported himself through law school, and managed to still graduate at the top of his class. That is what she meant. He says, she looked into him? and she tells him, like he said, thank God for social media. And she must say, what she found was very impressive. He says, seems to him, she’s mistaking flattery for cash, but she says, she’s not. She’s simply asking for a little time. He says, she may not have it. Those guys who tracked him down before seemed pretty determined. She asks if they were cops, but he says, no. Well, one was an ex-cop; tall, built dude. They said they were friends of his buddy Jack, so Oz gave him a ring. The guy Jack vouched for was named Marshall. She says, last name Ashford?
Portia says she’s so sorry. She knows they’re doing everything they possibly can to help. She’s just… Marshall says, a parent, and she says, and she’s terrified for her daughter. Marshall says he hates to break it to her, but when this is over – and it will be over – Trina is going to be just fine, but the worrying? It’s not going to stop. She thanks both of them, and Curtis says, she never has to thank him for looking out for Trina. He’ll always protect her as if she were his own. He’ll tell he what he finds at the motel. Marshall asks if Curtis wants him to drive, and Curtis asks if he can talk to Marshall. They step away, and Curtis asks if Marshall would mind staying. Marshall says he’ll help however he can, and Curtis says he thinks the best way for Marshall to help is by keeping Portia company. Marshall says he’s got it, and tells Curtis to keep them posted. Curtis leaves, and outside, his phone dings. He looks at it, and gets a grim look on his face.
Brook asks why Linc is still here, and Linc says he had a talk with her buddy Chase. She says she heard him going on and on about how he thinks Chase could be a star, and Linc says, she doesn’t agree? She says, she doesn’t think Chase has star quality; she knows he does. Chase says he guesses he’s the odd man out, and Brook says, honesty is part of his appeal. Linc says he agrees, which is why he thinks they can market the hell out of this wholesome, aw shucks vibe Chase has got going. Brook grabs Chase’s arm, and says, he’s not interested, pulling him over to her. Linc asks if she’ll let the man speak for himself, but she says, all business talk should go through his manager. Linc says, Chase is repped; he didn’t say. Who is he signed with? Brook says, hello. Linc is looking at her.
Curtis gets in the back seat of a limo, and sits next to Selena. He says, Miss Wu, but she insists he call her Selena, and he says, very well. Why is she at his house? She says, they’re at least 500 yards away, and he says, a distinction without a difference. She says, football players, architects, and surveyors would all disagree, and he says, fair enough, but she still hasn’t told him… She says she instructed her driver to park far away from the home Curtis shares with Portia, Trina, and Marshall. She respects Curtis’s family. It’s unfortunate there are others who don’t feel as she does.
Bald guy says, she sent a message; Austin’s gambit in Port Charles has failed. It’s time to return to the fold. Austin says, bald guy is here to make sure that happens, and bald guy says, physically if he has to. Austin asks, what if he’s not ready to go? and bald guy says he guarantees there will be consequences. Austin’s friend Maxie is right inside, isn’t she? Britt is about to walk into the Haunted Star, and sees them.
Maxie asks if whatever Spinelli is into is a threat to their daughter, but he says, this has nothing to do with Georgie. She asks, what exactly is this? She needs to know he’s not into something dangerous. She needs to know he’s not chasing some adrenaline rush that will get him into trouble, and yes, she’ll continue to badger him until he tells her, so he might as well. He says, he’s behind Society Set-Ups.
Britt says hi to Austin, and asks if he’s seen Brad around. He says, no, and bald guy says he’ll see Austin around. He leaves, and Britt asks, who’s his friend? Austin says he doesn’t know that guy; he just asked for a light. She says, it seemed like one intense casual chat, and he says, well, he is a doctor, so he gave a little bit of a sermon on the ill effects of smoking. Nobody wants to hear that they should stop doing a bad thing. She says, at least he was straight with the guy; that’s more than she can say about some people. He asks if she’s talking about anyone in particular, and she says she might be. Is it too much to asks for a man to be open and honest these days?
Spinelli tells Maxie, Society Set-Ups is owned and operated by yours truly. It’s his brainchild. She says, if this is his company, who is this Zelda person? He says, she’s just a figurehead, an outward face; the methodology is all his. She asks if he’s telling her that he’s combing through thousands of dating profiles and matching them, and he says, not quite. He developed an algorithm designed to find someone’s perfect match, and his success rate is above average of all similar services. That’s how he knows Maxie and Austin aren’t a match. She says, how would he know that when they haven’t even signed up? Don’t answer that. And if an algorithm is so great, how come Britt keeps meeting losers?
Cody asks the horses if they saw that. Who does she think she is? Granted, he shouldn’t have called her a nag; that was a little mean. Also, she’s a little unworthy of being compared to a horse. They can back him up on that. He tells Comet, she didn’t keep an open mind. She’s clearly never tried to love a horse, much less a cowboy. And to top it off, she called him a counterfeit Casanova? Although given what he’s up to, she may not be wrong.
Britt tells Chase, they have a contract, but he says, they haven’t signed it. She says, they have an agreement, and Chase says, they do. Linc asks if it’s on a napkin, and Chase says, it’s a verbal agreement. Linc says, like a handshake? and Brook says, like Chase’s word, which actually means something, unlike Linc’s. Linc tells Chase, you know what they say about verbal agreements; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Brook says, Chase’s word is his bond… unless he’s having second thoughts, and Chase says he’s sorry, but he’s not entirely convinced this is what he wants. She says, they’ve been over this. This isn’t the time or place to have this conversation. Maybe they should go somewhere private to discuss it. Linc says he knows he and Chase got off to a bad start, but Chase is a good guy; he’s a loyal guy. He’s got a knight-in-shining-armor vibe going on. Him? He’s got none of that. Brook says, no, he’s full of slime. Why doesn’t he go glide off? Linc says, what he does have is an ear and a head for business, and she says, like she doesn’t? He says, you tell me. Who owns most of her songs?
Selena says she assumes Trina’s trial is keeping Curtis occupied, and Curtis says, The Savoy is being looked after, but he has other priorities. She says, as he should. What’s happening to his family is terrible. By all accounts, Trina is above reproach. He says, she’s done her homework, and she says, reputation, good or bad, precedes us. He says, Trina is an admirable young woman. Now at the risk of seeming impolite, he has somewhere to be. So what business brings her here exactly? She says she’s not here on business. She’s here to help.
Oz looks at Esme’s phone and says, that’s him, and Esme says, Curtis Ashford, ex-cop, ex-P.I., now owner of The Savoy. He says, fancy. How does she know Curtis? She says, he’s involved with Trina Robinson’s mother, and he says, the girl on trial. She says, the entire family has it in for her. They can’t accept Trina did this awful thing. He says, right. Let him ask her. If she’s so innocent, what is she doing here? She says, if he admits he sold her a phone, any phone for that matter, they would use it against her. He says, definitely a you problem, and she says, just when she thought they were becoming friends, under different circumstances. He says, she was trying to work him, and she says, he was trying to extort her. He says, stay here, and brings her a drink. He says, sorry it’s not top-shelf, but she says, it gets the job done. They clink glasses, and Oz asks if her boyfriend dumped her over this whole phone business. She tells him, who says he dumped her? and Oz says, he lives in a mansion on a private island, stands to reason she didn’t get rid of him. She says, he’s faithless and weak. She’s done with boys. She puts her hand on his knee, and kisses him. They kiss some more, and he says his room is in the back. She asks if he can top her off first, and he says, she won’t run off? She says, not a chance. She woudn’t want to miss what comes next. He leaves, and she wipes her mouth. She looks at his glass, and smiles.
Marshall asks if he can get Portia a drink, but she says she doesn’t think even that will help her at this point. He says, it might not help her, but it might show these poor floors some mercy. She’s about to wear a tread in them. She says she just thought they would have heard from Curtis by now, and he asks how long she thinks Curtis has been gone. She says, longer than she’d like, and he says he doesn’t know if she’s ever seen his son in action, but he got to watch Curtis today, and he was a sight to behold. He must have made a damn fine P.I.So if there’s anything out there to find, he’s going to find it. She says, Marshall was a pretty upstanding citizen when he was arrested, wasn’t he? He says, no, he was a troublemaker, and she says, good trouble though. He says, that depends on who you ask. He didn’t have any legal representation. Trina’s in a much better position than he ever was. She says, but what concerns her a whole other level more than the legal aspect, is the emotional toll that this is taking on Trina. She knows her little girl; she’s strong. But is she equipped for the emotional stress of all of this? He says, why wouldn’t she be?
Selena says, Curtis was asking questions at The Highsider about a certain bartender-slash-black market goods stealer. She can point Curtis in his direction. He asks how she knows all this, and she says, has she surprised him? He says, just a little bit, and she says, he still doesn’t understand how far her reach is. He says he’s starting to. He takes it she has informants at The Highsider, but she says, even better; she owns it. He asks if there’s an enterprise in Port Charles she doesn’t have a stake in, and she says she sees she’s impressed him. How gratifying. Out of respect for their partnership, she had her people look into this. If he wants to know where this man is, just say the word. He asks, what’s in it for her?
Britt tells Austin, she knew she shouldn’t have gone. She knew it would turn out terrible, but she went against her better judgement, and he was completely disingenuous. Austen says, maybe he was just… She says, shoveling manure her way because he ran out of room in the barn? He says, she’s a beautiful, accomplished woman. It terrifies guys. She says, then what’s the point? More specifically, why bother her? He says, call him crazy, but maybe she’s a catch, and she says, he’s crazy. He says, if she doesn’t want to date anybody, just don’t date anybody, and she says, try telling that to her mother. They lean on the railing, and he says, you know the trouble with people? She says, there’s too many to pick just one, and he says, a lot of times, we allow people’s expectations to dictate our lives, but the good news is, they don’t owe anything to anybody but themselves. She says he sounds like he speaks from experience.
Spinelli tells Maxie, his framework is sound, but there are a few bugs, which is why he’s still in beta. And he refuses to go to the next version until he cracks it. She asks, why keep this a secret? and he says, clients trust companies more than they trust people. She says, does he think people wouldn’t use the service because they knew it was his? and he says, he’s awkward and idiosyncratic. She says, those are good qualities, and he asks how awkward is good. She says, it beats being arrogant. He’s also the kindest, smartest, most perceptive person she’s ever known. And just because she wants to make up her own mind about Austin, doesn’t mean she doesn’t trust his judgement. If she were single, she would totally trust him with her heart. Austin comes back, and asks what Spinelli and Maxie are up to, and Maxie laughs.
Brook says, this is just like Linc. First he poaches her songs, now he’s trying to poach her singer. Linc says, he can’t take something from Brook that isn’t hers, and Chase says, that’s enough. His hesitation to sign with Brook isn’t about a lack of faith in her. He completely believes in her. Linc says, so what’s the hesitation? and Chase says he doesn’t know if he believes in himself, but he knows one thing for sure. He would never, ever sign with Linc. Linc says, never say never. His friend here has a talent for scribbling lyrics, but she’s not ready for the big time. She never will be. She says, if a parasite like him can do it, how hard can it be? She tells Chase, with his voice and her vision, what more do they need? Linc says, so much more. Chase needs established industry contacts and resources, both of which, he has access to. With the right A&R development team, wardrobe, and a while cadre of experienced songwriters, he thinks Chase will be amazed what Linc can do for his career. Chase says, that is a good argument, and Brook looks at him. He says, then again, Linc is an amoral, unrepentant sleaze, and Linc says, which is exactly what it takes to make it in this business. Along with everything else he brings to the table, none of which Miss BLQ has. Brook says, Chase can’t honestly be considering this, and Linc says, how about this. Don’t sign with either one of them. Give him 30 days – give them 30 days. Let them show Chase what they can really do, then decide. Brook says, Chase, please, but Chase says, fine… if it will get Linc off his back. 30 days. Linc says he’ll be in touch, and walks away. Brook looks at Chase and smiles.
Maxie says, they were just talking about childcare, and tells Britt that she looks really nice. Britt thanks her, and says she was on a date, from Society Set-Ups. Maxie asks how it went, and Britt tells her, let’s just say she’ll never get those two hours back. Spinelli asks if she was receptive to the gentleman in question, and Britt says, what gentleman? Where’s Brad? She wanders off, and Maxie asks Austin if everything is okay. He was on that call for a while. He says he had to check in with a patient, then got to chatting with Britt. Did he miss something? She says, no. Just Spinelli being Spinelli.
Britt yells at Spinelli, asking why he keeps supporting this stupid service. He says, let him just point out as an old member, that the fine print pledges to keep sending matches until you’re 100% satisfied. She says she refuses to spend another moment on this. She’s going to do what she should have done after that disastrous mixer. Sue Society Set-Ups, and put them out of business. Forever.
Portia tells Marshall, it’s just that, too often we acquaint strength and wellness, and she can’t assume this isn’t going to have a negative impact on Trina’s well-being. He says, having schizophrenia doesn’t make him an expert on mental well-being, but it does make him more in tune with people who are struggling, and he hasn’t sensed any of that in Trina. She says, he told her that he didn’t have any symptoms before his breakdown; is that right? He says, paranoia, and of course (🍷) thinking the government was coming to get him. But those symptoms only became obvious when he looked back on them. She says, but what if Trina is burying her emotions, and she’s covering up her trauma?Sooner or later, it’s going to blow up on her, right? He says, if that happens, they’re just going to have to put her back together. In the meantime, they’ll annoy the heck out of her with their concern. He puts his hand on hers, and says, if Trina needs our help, we’re going to make sure she gets it. She says, we, huh? and he says, we. We’re family, right?
Selena says, family is important. This man is the key to helping Curtis’s family. He says he appreciates the offer, but he has leads of his own, and she says, and only so much time to follow them. She can give him an address tonight. The trial is well under way. While she respects his caution, time’s of the essence. The gentleman in question could be gone again tomorrow, and then, where will Trina be? Isn’t it worth weathering any compunction to save her?
Oz is all over Esme, but she tells him, drink up. Then he can show her his room. He asks if she’s sure her ex won’t storm in here, and downs his drink. She says, Spencer doesn’t care about her; not anymore. Besides, it doesn’t matter now. He was just a means to an end. Oz rubs his head, and says, what end? She asks if he’s feeling all right, and he says, it’s nothing. Never trust a cheap tequila. She says, or a woman scorned, and he says, what? She says, her ex had the audacity to think he could play her, but she was on to him. People constantly underestimate her; it’s so frustrating. He puts his arm around her, and says, level with him. Did she shoot that video? She asks what he thinks, and he says he thinks she’s the type who’s always looking out for number one. She says, they have that in common, and he says, you never know what… – he suddenly seems really tired – what people are capable of. She says, ain’t that the truth.
Chase asks how he was, and Brook says, just right. Her? He says, perfect. If there’s anything they can do convincingly, it’s argue. She says, they’ve certainly had enough practice. After that display, Linc knows Chase is up for grabs, and there’s nothing he won’t do until he gets Chase. Chase says, it’s nice to be wanted, and Brook tells him, like he said, they make a good team. He says, they sure do.
Spinelli tells Britt, matchmaking is not an exact science, and Maxie says, Britt’s not seriously thinking of suing the dating service, is she? Britt says, why not? Someone should sue them for false advertising. If she had her way, they’d all go to prison for fraud. Spinelli says, fraud? and Maxie says, but they won’t. Britt won’t even get a good payout. Austin says, it might not even cover her court costs, and Maxie says she knows from experience that leaving all those negative feelings and thoughts behind you will attract what’s right for you. Austin says, they’re living proof, and Maxie says, so instead of dwelling on that negativity Britt has going on, maybe she should just give dating a rest for a while. Austin says, it’s her life. She doesn’t have to share it with anyone if she doesn’t want to.
Cody leaves a voicemail for Britt, saying, he’s got no excuses. He screwed up. Just call him back when she gets this message. He’d like the chance to make it up to her.
Marshall tells Portia that Curtis was asking him about his time in the institution. He thinks Curtis is worried that his illness could be hereditary. Of all the legacies he wanted to leave his children – love of family, love of music – schizophrenia wasn’t one of them. She says, for what it’s worth (🍷), schizophrenia does tend to run in families, but no single gene has been found to be responsible. She doubts Curtis was asking Marshall about it because he was afraid he was going to inherit it. She’s sure Curtis was asking out of genuine concern for his father. Marshall says, why not both? and she says, he does have a point there. But as far as Curtis is concerned, there’s a good chance they’d know by now if he was affected. Marshall says, it’s funny. Before he told Curtis, it was his biggest secret, his greatest shame. Now that it’s out, all he wants to do is set the record straight. Answer questions; find answers to his own questions. He can finally allow himself to be seen. And isn’t that what everyone wants, just to be seen? She says, absolutely. And she just hopes the jury can see Trina for the good person that she is, and the wonderful young lady, and not for the Esme narrative that they’re trying to put on her. He tells her not to worry about that. If anyone can track down that bartender, it’s his son. And Curtis will compel him to testify. This time tomorrow, Trina’s nightmare could be over.
Oz takes off his jacket, and Esme says, he really doesn’t look well. His vision is getting weird, and he asks what she did to him. He passes out on her shoulder, and there’s a knock at the door. It’s Curtis. Esme looks like she’s in full panic mode.
There was no preview for tomorrow. Probably because this is the same show that’s going to be on tomorrow.
Southern Charm
When we left, Patricia had said, no F-words, please, and Venita asked what Kathryn needed from her to get back to where they were. Kathryn said she didn’t need sh*t, and Venita said, got it.
Leva says, she thinks sometimes the issue gets muddled, since they don’t know each other. She sees how Kathryn is receiving what Venita is saying, but she doesn’t know Venita. Kathryn says, Venita doesn’t know her either, and Venita says she’s not here to attack Kathryn. Kathryn says, Venita told her that she hoped Kathryn wasn’t raising her kids as racists, and she didn’t f***ing like that. She says, sorry, an F-word. She doesn’t give a sh*t. Patricia says, no sh*t words either, and Leva says she feels guilty for starting this, as well she should. Patricia asks Marcie to pour her some champagne before she starts drinking out of the bottle, and Venita moves on to Olivia, saying, she hopes they can understand each other. They step away from the table, and Venita tells Olivia that she wants to make sure everyone is good at her party. She’d thought she and Olivia were good, but then at Naomie’s party, she got a different Olivia. Olivia says, she got the Olivia who walked out of the bathroom and was attacked by three girls. Venita says she didn’t appreciate Olivia telling her to calm down, but Olivia says, she didn’t yell, and kept it cool. It was uncomfortable, because Venita threw out the word racist, so she walked away. Venita asks if Olivia was uncomfortable because she’s racist or because she’s not. She was coming to Kathryn’s defense. Olivia says, she didn’t like hearing that word so easily tossed out in a conversation that involved her. Venita doesn’t know her, and it’s not okay. Venita isn’t going to cancel culture her out on this. Venita says, if she had that culture, Kathryn wouldn’t be here. Patricia has Madison get Whitney on FaceTime, and she tells him that his mom is ready to go. He says he’s at a barbecue place, but she tells him that he’s going to leave and come get her. Venita tells Olivia that she won’t understand it, but as a black individual and have heard Kathryn say things, it’s hard to be in her presence. Olivia says she has nothing to do with that, and Venita says, some things don’t match up with them. Olivia says, Venita’s only known her for five minutes, and Venita says, Olivia’s known her less than five minutes. Olivia tells her, she’s not the one talking about things not matching up. Venita keeps interrupting, but says Olivia keeps interrupting and she wants to say her piece. Olivia says she’s done. She thinks Venita had her own agenda, and this isn’t the place. She suggests they get back to the party, but Venita says, they need to have a real conversation. Olivia says she’s down for that, because this conversation was weird. They go back to the table, and in Venita’s interview, she says, none of this would have happened if Madison hadn’t invited Kathryn and Olivia. They could have had a Southern moment if they hadn’t been there. How about this? None of this would have happened, and they could have had a Southern moment, if 1) Leva hadn’t decided to fix things, and 2) Venita hadn’t decided to try and orchestrate fixing thing, and saved her concerns for a more appropriate time. It seems to be the way of reality. If you have something heavy to discuss or something you’re angry about, bring it up at a party or on vacation. Little cakes with sparklers come out, and in her interview, Venita says she just wants to go home and cry on the couch. Everyone sings Happy Birthday.
Paige and Craig brush their teeth together, which creeps me out. My husband and I have never once brushed our teeth side by side. Ew. They take a golf cart to a bar, and in Craig’s interview, he says, having Paige here is the best. He’s been missing her more when she’s gone. He’s never felt this way before, and when he thinks of someone walking down the aisle to meet him, it’s her. At the bar, Paige asks about Austen, and Craig says, Austen wants him and Shep to go with him to Charlotte. She asks about Madison’s engagement, and Craig says, Austen took it well. She says, Charleston is a weird place. If she breaks up with someone, she never has to see them again. She thinks Craig going to Naomie’s party is weird. Being cordial and being friends are two different things. Craig says, they’ve been broken up for five years, what if they went to lunch? Paige says she would never have a one-on-one with someone she’d slept with, and he says, what about a drink? She says, she thinks it’s inappropriate, and he says, maybe it’s the lawyer in him. She says, the Italian in her says no. He says he likes the Italian; there are cute things about it. She says, like murder? Is there something we don’t know about Paige’s family? Did she have relatives on Mob Wives?
Austen meets Olivia, and she says he looks handsome. Her weakness is sneakers and hats on backward. No comment. They get food, and wonder what they’re going to do without Shep and Taylor. Olivia tells him about the joint birthday party, which turned into Madison’s engagement party. He says, no surprise Madison made it about her, and then goes on and on about Madison. In Olivia’s interview, she says, note to self, never bring up Madison on a date. Austen says, Madison had him convinced he was an unworthy a-hole (I’m paraphrasing), and he got emotional whiplash. In Austen’s interview, he says he and Madison were together three years, and it sucks. To show he’s bothered is a sign of weakness. He looks like a petty, weak bitch, and he f***ing hates it. He tells Olivia that it spilled into his dating life. He wants to take it… She says, slow? and in her interview, she says she likes Austen, but thinks it’s presumptuous. It’s their first solo date, why is he talking about taking it slow? They just got here. He’s over-complicating the part that should be simple, carefree, and fun. They’ve all had bad breakups, but you can’t let past issues creep into the next chapter.
Marcie tries put together a baby swing, and in her interview, she says she’s hormonal and nesting, and going crazy. If the nursery is put together, she’s prepared. Her mom Nan calls, and she says she doesn’t know what she’s doing. She has the crib set up, but no mattress. She can’t put the baby on coils. She asked the doctor about breastfeeding, and she recommended a 500 page book, but Marcie is too ADD right now to read it; she can’t focus. Nina tells her not to stress. Women have been doing it for years without a book. In Marcie’s interview, she says she’s close to her mom, but her mom is more into what other people think, and Southern traditions and ways. When she got pregnant, she wasn’t married yet, and her mom wasn’t happy. As soon as they were married though, she ran around saying she was going to have a granddaughter. Nan suggests Marcie think about a registry, and in her interview, Marcie says, there’s a double standard in the South. Everyone was worried that she wasn’t married with children, but no one said anything about Shep. She’s still the same person, but she gets respect, and they act like she won a Pulitzer Prize. Nan promises to get Marcie a stroller, and Marcie tells her to get the most expensive one.
In her interview, Venita tells us that she’s very particular. She needs to know where everything is. If her spices aren’t alphabetically correct, they need to be before she can cook. She doesn’t think she has a problem. She just likes things to be super neat. Leva comes by for tea, and tells Venita that her place is a single girl’s dream, like Sex in the City. Venita says she turned her dining room into a closet, and I identify, since I did the same thing with an extra bedroom. She shows Leva her Barbie collection, and in Venita’s interview, she says she’s been collecting Barbies for a while, and has 27 of them. You don’t take them out of the box; you just admire them and aspire to be them. Again, Venita and I do match up. I, too, collect Barbies, although I think 27 is a low number. One of my neighbor’s children wondered why I don’t take them out and play with them, and I told her, resale value. She looked at me like I had two heads, and I told her she’d understand when she’s older. Venita and Leva go out on the patio, and Leva apologizes for what happened at the garden party. She’d seen Venita was upset; that’s why she suggested talking to Kathryn. In Venita’s interview, she says, she wasn’t the best version of herself, but it was the most open she’s been. She wishes it had gone better with Olivia though. She tells Leva that the only time she gets to speak to anyone is at a party, and I think, for someone glued to her phone, she doesn’t know how to call people? Leva says, it doesn’t have to be perfect, and in her interview, Venita says, it’s okay if someone doesn’t like something regarding her. It doesn’t mean they don’t like her. She tells Leva that she wants to know if they’re just going to keep it cordial or have a friendship.
Austen, Shep, and Craig take a 3 hour, 45 minute drive to Charlotte, with Craig doing the driving. In Craig’s interview, he says, Shep is an awful driver, and in Austen’s interview, he says, Shep’s driving terrifies him. It’s herky-jerky. He goes, slams on the brakes, and goes. In Shep’s interview, he says, Austen and Craig are effing liars. Austen says, they’ll check into the hotel, and then he has to leave for a couple of hours. He has a meeting with Harris Teeter. There are 158 of them in North Carolina, and it will really expand his business. Shep says he’s going to having lunch with his nieces while they’re here, and Craig asks if he’s going to tell them that they almost had a new cousin. They joke about how funny it would be to see Shep married with a baby carrier, and Austen says he wants the bachelor party Craig says, no one would survive Shep’s bachelor party. They get to The Ivey’s Hotel, and check out their rooms and the minibars in them. Austen gets ready for his meeting, and says, his hair is pissing him off. In his interview, Austen says, it’s the biggest meeting he’s had. It will be a huge next move; Charlotte is a bigger market than Charleston. Shep calls Taylor, and tells her Craig is like Rain Man; he’s an excellent driver. Craig calls Paige, who says she’s going to see her parents. After the call is over, Craig says he almost said, I love you. Shep tells Taylor, they’re going bowling, and there are seven or eight bars in the vicinity. She tells him to have fun, but you can tell she’s not thrilled. In his interview, Shep says, Taylor is skeptical of their time apart because of the past. We flash back to the Reunion, when he admitted to some texts with an old flame and kissing a girl he met. He says he’s over it. He’s told her over and over again, he’s not going to stop going places. Taylor says she never wants to be the woman who leaves a man because of his wandering eye, and Shep tells us, when he can’t be himself, that’s a sure-fire way for things to end.
Craig gets to the bar first, and chats with the bartender, saying he’s with a friend who’s on a goodbye tour of where he grew up. Shep shows up next, and Craig says, Shep is bouncing his leg more than usual. He asks if everything is going okay on the home front, and Shep says, Taylor is always worried he’ll cheat when he goes away. He senses angst when he goes somewhere. Craig says, those are the scars of infidelity in a relationship, and in Craig’s interview, he says, Taylor has anxiety because Shep keeps cheating. How’s she supposed to be? Shep says, if there’s a problem every time he goes away, it’s going to be a problem. As ever, he’s got a way with words. Craig wonders if there’s a way Shep can regain her trust, but Shep says, if he hasn’t by now, he never will. Craig says, only time will tell, when Austen arrives. Shep says, the beer baron is here, and Austen says, drinks are on him. He got the deal, and his top priority was to have a beer in their market. In his interview, Austen says, it’s how you prove yourself to bigger markets, and how you move to other territories. That’s the goal. Shep wonders if they asked about him, and Austen says, they asked if Shep would be part of the deal. Craig asks if Shep wants to talk about it now, or after he’s drunk, and Shep says he wants to be drunk. Austen wants to know what’s up, and, ignoring what Shep just said, Craig tells Austen, Shep had a convowith Taylor, and her insecurities are showing. They do a shot, and Shep asks if he’s going to black out. Austen says, the magic 8 ball says, highly possible.
Madison (bleh) meets Kathryn, and her friends Christy and Amy, at a bar. Kathryn says, the last time they were there, they went to Chippendale’s, and Kathryn was pulled up on the stage. We see a clip of Kathryn enthusiastically twerking on stage, and Madison says, those were the days. The drinks come, and Madison asks what they’re toasting to. Kathryn says, she’s single now, so new beginnings; to the new-new. The waitress asks if she can get them anything else, and Kathryn says, some big spenders. Kathryn tells the others that she needs to learn how to flirt; they have to teach her the ways. Madison asks what Kathryn’s type is, but Kathryn says, historically, she doesn’t have a type. She’d like a man who’s loyal, has kind eyes, and is fit enough to look like he cares about his health. Madison says, she wants someone who can pick her up, and Kathryn says she’s never had that. Is that a thing? In Kathryn’s interview, she says, tall, dark, and handsome; Hayden Christianson. They show a picture of him, and I’m like, uh… no. Madison says, Brett legit makes her a better person, and in her interview, she says, Austen told her that she was picking the wrong guy. Who does that instead of just saying, congratulations? What does he have to offer? Ramen in a trap house? She tells the others that Brett is in Sacramento, so they’re going to do bicoastal, and they’re not moving in together until they’re married. In Madison’s interview, she says, when she found out he was a Mormon, she asked if she had to wear those undergarments. She usually doesn’t wear any. She tells the women that they’re not having sex for a month before they’re married.
The guys go to the next bar, meet Austen’s friend Whitley (not to be confused with Whitney), then go bowling. Shep says he needs to get out of a mood, and they order a ton of food. Craig tells everyone to remember what Shep says, ignore the problem, and it will go away. In Craig’s interview, he says, Shep is a one-man band, a solo performer. He goes where he wants when he wants. Shep’s not a relationship guy. He’s not cut out for it. Shep shows them tons of texts from Taylor, saying, she loves him, and she’s not against him; she’s worried he’s angry; and she’s anxious about how she acted. In Austen’s interview, he says, once you stray, trust is broken, and it’s an ongoing battle. Taylor has proved it’s going to bother her forever. Austen tells Craig that Taylor is acting on her insecurities, and Craig says, Taylor thinks it’s a campfire, but to Shep, there are landmines and gasoline all around. If the fire keeps getting stoked, it’s going to explode. Yeah, I have no idea what he’s talking about either. Shep chats up a girl at the bar, and Austen says he knows sh*t. Craig says, everyone knows sh*t except Taylor.
Next time, Austen goes to his childhood home; Venita isn’t invited to someone’s oyster party, and she says she’s never not been invited to something in her entire life; Chleb tells Naomie that he feels gaslighted; and Olivia is waiting for the day Austen stops paying attention to Madison.
☎️ That Answers That Question…
Finally, Taylor decided to dodge the bullet that is Shep.
I’ll check to be sure, but it sounds like the soap tomorrow will be the same as today’s. But still stop by for tea time, words to ponder, and a thoughtfully chosen tune. Until then stay safe, stay considering the cost before making your choices, and stay always remembering, everybody wants to be seen.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook says, voicemail again? and wonders why Chase isn’t calling her back. She leaves a message, saying, she hopes he isn’t having second thoughts. It’s important. She fully expects to see him at the Haunted Star in a half hour. Be there. She goes inside to the nook, and Michael and Willow are coming in. She asks if they’re still coming. Tonight is open mic night at the Haunted Star. Michael says, that’s tonight? and Willow says, they’re so sorry. Brook asks how they could forget. This is Chase’s big debut.
Finn holds the heavy bag, as Chase punches, and we see Chase has a number of missed calls and messages. Finn asks if Chase is done yet, but Chase says, not yet. Finn says, they’ve been here a few hours. Unless Chase has a personal vendetta against this bag, he’s guessing there’s something Chase doesn’t want to do. Chase makes a face, and Finn says, and by Chase’s reaction, he’s guessing it has something to do with Brook. Chase says, he told her that he’d sing at the Haunted Star on open mic night. Finn says, great, what time? and Chase asks if Finn isn’t meeting Elizabeth. Finn says, no, and Chase says, but she’s back. Finn says, she is, but she needs to spend some time with her boys. Chase asks if it’s Elizabeth’s way of keeping Finn at arm’s length, but Finn says, no. He thinks this time, things are good. Nice diversion, by the way. They were talking about Chase. So when is this open mic thing? Chase says, it doesn’t matter. He can’t go.
Spinelli answers his phone, greetings and salutations, and Cody says, Spinelli. Spinelli asks, to whom is he speaking? and Cody says, his buddy, Cody Bell. Spinelli says he has no desired acquaintance who bears that moniker, and starts to hang up, but Cody says, whoa. Tonight’s his date with Britt Westbourne, so he needs the 4-1-1. Likes, dislikes, what does she look for in a man? Spinelli says, so he can deceive her? but Cody says, so he can get another date. Spinelli says, he cannot… Nay, he will not abet Cody’s deceptions. Lose this number. He ends the call, and Cody says, fine. He guesses he’ll just have to wing it. There’s a knock at the stable door, and Britt says, hello? He says, she’s early, and she says, all the better to get this over with. Who is he talking to, and what does he have to wing?
At the Haunted Star, Maxie asks if Mac is excited about MC’ing tonight, and he says he is. He knows her mom really wanted to be here tonight, but since she’s feeling under the weather, he had to dust off his old skills and pitch in. She tells him, break a leg, and he says, thanks… he thinks. Austin arrives, and Maxie thanks him for rolling with the change of plans. She knows it’s not exactly the super romantic date they talked about. He says, it’s going to be super fun, and he loves how she supports her family. She says, that’s great, and promises they’ll go on a date with just the two of them very soon. They’re about to kiss when Spinelli says, buenos noches. Maxie says she didn’t know he was going to be here tonight, and Spinelli says he couldn’t pass up a chance to mingle. Austin asks Spinelli to join them, and Maxie suggests Austin grab them a couple of drinks. Surprise her. Spinelli says he’ll have a beer, and Austin says, of course (🍷). He leaves, and Spinelli says, it looks like it’s going to be a smash. Maxie asks why he’s stalking her.
Elsewhere on the boat, Epiphany says she appreciates Marshall bringing her out, but the MCATs are really soon, and she needs to study. He says he knows she agrees music is good for the soul. So he’s guessing it’s got to be good for the brain as well. She laughs, and he says, come on. She says, fine. One drink. He says, one drink… and a song.
Sasha asks Brando to check on her discharge papers again; they’re taking forever. He says he doesn’t think they’ll appreciate him checking every five minutes, when Nina walks in. She says hello to them, and hands Sasha a bag, saying, she brought some clothes and toiletries in case Sasha needs them. Sasha thanks Nina, and says she can’t tell Nina how much she appreciates this. Brando says he’ll go check on the discharge papers, and leaves. As Brando goes past the elevator, Sonny comes out with Dex. Sonny says he was hoping to run into Brando, and Brando says, Sonny… Dex, and I laugh because it’s so obvious from his change in tone, he doesn’t like Dex. Sonny gives Dex a look, and Dex moves along. Sonny asks how Sasha is doing, and Brando says, Dr. Sheffer recommends they transfer Sasha to Shadybrook (all things to all people) for rehab. Sonny asks what Sasha thinks of that, and Brando says, she insists all she needs is rest, and that she can get at home. Sonny asks what Brando thinks, and Brando says he just wishes he understood how his wife got here in the first place.
Sasha says, Nina thought of everything. She’s going to get changed. Nina says she thinks that can wait. She’d like to talk to Sasha first. Sasha says she loves Nina, and appreciates everything Nina is doing for her, but she’s going home tonight, so do not try to stop her.
Chase says he knows he’s not a detective anymore… Finn says, right at the moment, and Chase says, but it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to see Finn is still worried about Elizabeth. Finn says he sees a bag; he’s going to go punch it. Chase says, Finn… and Finn says he admits he was a little thrown when Elizabeth checked herself out of Shadybrook, but she came back and they talked, and she says she really wants to be with him. Chase says, that’s great. What’s wrong? Finn says, nothing’s wrong. It just seems fast, that’s all. Chase says, for them to get back together? but Finn says, for Elizabeth to be back to normal. It seems almost too good to be true.
Michael asks if Willow is up for a night out, and Brook asks if she’s not feeling well. Willow says, she’s fine. In fact… Does Michael want to tell her? Michael says he’d be honored. He and Willow are having a baby. Brook squeals, and hugs Willow, saying, congratulations. She’s sorry. Did she just hug Willow too hard? The only pregnancy she ever had was a complete fraud, and she only pretended to read the books. Willow says she’s great, and Brook suggests they go out and celebrate, like tonight. It’s never too early to expose your kid to some culture. Michael says he’s not sure amateurs covering top 40 pop songs is considered culture, but Willow says, babies love music in utero. Michael says, all right. Then they’ll be there. Brook says, great. She just hopes Chase doesn’t get cold feet. She dashes out the door.
Sonny and Brando sit, and Sonny asks if Brando has to get back to Sasha, but Brando says, Nina is with her. The drugs are out of her system, and the doc said there’s no damage to her heart this time. Sonny says, thank God, and Brando says, but the drugs are just a symptom. They might have been a factor in Sasha’s breakdown, but not the cause. Sonny asks if he’s talked to Sasha about Liam, and Brando says, he’s tried. She just shuts down. He wants to tell her everything is going to be okay, but it feels like a lie every time he does. He’s trying to be supportive and honest at the same time, but it’s impossible. What is he supposed to do?
Nina says she fully supports and understands Sasha’s desire to go home, and Sasha says she’s sorry. She thought Nina was going to try to force her to go to rehab. Nina says she’s not, but it’s worth a conversation, doesn’t she think? Sasha says she’s not addicted. Those pills were just supposed to take the edge off. It was obviously a mistake to take them. She just didn’t want… Nina says, to feel. That’s it, isn’t it? She understands the pain you go through when you lose a child; she lost her daughter twice. It can really mess you up. If Sasha feels like she needs a break from the stress and pressure of the world – and there’s a lot out there, isn’t there? – a place like Shadybrook might help. It helped Nina more than she can tell Sasha. Sasha says she appreciates Nina’s understanding, but she doesn’t need a break. Nina asks if she’s sure about that, and Sasha says she can’t think of anything worse than sitting around obsessing about her problems. That’s why Dr. Sheffer has scheduled outpatient therapy sessions for her. Nina says, that’s wonderful, and Sasha says she knows she needs help, and she’s getting it. The worst really is over.
Mac asks Austin how to pronounce a name, and Austin says, Muh-zush-ka. Mac says, all he sees are consonants, and asks how Austin knew. Austin says, a Ukrainian arachnologist popped up once to study a spider; Nina Muzushka. Spelled it the same way. Mac says, maybe he’ll run it by her just to make sure, and Austin says, that’s always a good strategy.
Spinelli says he’s not stalking Maxie. He’s aghast. The very idea is an anathema. She says, when he starts using words she doesn’t understand, that only means one thing; Spinelli is hiding something. Spinelli says, very well. If he may be perfectly honest, he doesn’t think she and Austin are a perfect match.
Cody tells Britt, not important; he was just on the phone. Welcome to his not-so humble abode. She says, it looks great, and he says, it is great. She says she just can’t imagine living with horses, and he says he does have a little apartment upstairs. They don’t make him sleep in the hay. She asks where they’re going to dinner, and he says he thought they could eat here; outside, underneath the stars. He ordered from the MetroCourt. She says he ordered for her, and he says he knows how hard doctors work, and tonight, he just wants her to relax. He’ll take care of everything
Chase and Finn walk back into the gym, and Chase wonders, if he were a phone, where would he be? He sees it, and says, there you are. He looks at it, and says, and there you are. He shows Finn, who says, wow. That is a lot of missed calls… and voicemails… and texts. Chase says he’s been dodging Brook. Oh look, lucky number 11. Finn reads, don’t make me hunt you down. Be at the Haunted Star or else. Normally, he’d recommend Witness Protection, but knowing Brook, she’d probably find him. Chase says, if he gets up there tonight, he has to prove to everyone that he’s worth listening to. What if the audience doesn’t agree? Finn says, all Chase’s dreams will vanish, and he’ll have to go back to being a singing waiter. Chase says he’d rather be a singing waiter, and Finn asks, what’s the problem? Chase flashes back to telling Brook, Linc owns her songs. He punched Linc in the face. Linc’s not going to want anything to do with them, and now Brook wants Linc to manage him? She says, Linc is dirty. Once Linc buys out Chase’s contract, they’ll be in the perfect position to get the goods on him. Chase tells Finn, Brook has a plan, and Finn asks, when doesn’t she? Chase says, to get back at her former music producer that he punched, and Finn asks how he can help. Chase says, Finn can give him a doctor’s note to get out of it, and Finn says, done, but if Chase doesn’t want to sing for Brook, why doesn’t he just tell her?
Maxie tells Spinelli, she doesn’t need a matchmaker. She decides if she and Austin are a perfect match, not him. Be nice. Austin comes back with the drinks, and Spinelli thanks him for the ale; much appreciated. Brook comes in, and Maxie waves. Brook says she’s looking for Chase, and keeps moving. Mac gets on stage, and says, good evening, and welcome. He tells them to settle in with their favorite beverage, and get ready to be impressed. Open mic night is the night that might change someone’s life.
Cody asks if Britt is ready for that riding lesson, but she says she didn’t think he was serious. He says, obviously, she doesn’t have to ride, but come meet Comet. She says she can see him fine from here, and he says she doesn’t have to be nervous. The Q’s bought Comet for a child to ride; Comet is perfectly safe, he promises. She says she told him, she doesn’t like horses, and he says, so she’s made up her mind and that’s it? She says she knows what she likes and what she doesn’t like. Why won’t he let this go? He says he just wants her to try… and she tells him, she said no. He says, all right. They’re supposed to be on a date, right? They’re supposed to be putting forth their best effort to get to know each other, or at least try to. She says, and by choosing not to listen to her when she says she doesn’t like horses, is refusing to get to know her. He says, if you’re opposed to new experiences, you might as well be dead, and she says, maybe he’s not wrong. Maybe she has been a little stubborn. He says, so she’s telling him… and she says, let’s meet this Comet, and approaches the horse.
Sasha says, she knows she thanked Nina before, but that wasn’t enough. She really picked the perfect outfit. Sasha’s phone rings, and Nina hands it to her. She says, she can leave if Sasha wants to talk to Willow, but Sasha says she’s not ready. Nina asks if something happened between them, and Sasha says, no, nothing like that. She found out Willow is pregnant. Nina says, that must have been hard to hear.
Sonny says he hates that Brando is going through this tough time, and Brando says, Sasha is in so much pain. Whatever he’s going through or needs to feel can wait. Sonny tells him not to forget to take care of himself. Whatever pain he’s feeling doesn’t just go away. Brando says he hears Sonny, and Sonny says he hopes Brando does, because at least he feels like he’s giving Brando something helpful. Brando says, whatever Sonny tells him is always helpful. Talking like this… Sonny says, if Brando needs anything, he’s here; he promises.
Mac says he’s sure everyone will recognize their first performer from her show stopping performances at the Nurses Ball. Epiphany sings, and everyone gets totally into it, Marshall bopping to the music. Me too. She’s fabulous.
Britt backs away from Comet, and says, Comet wants to eat her, but Cody says, no. She says, he tried. She thinks she should go, but he says she can’t leave. They haven’t had dinner yet. She says, it’s obviously not working. According to him, she’s bad tempered, judgmental, and devoutly allergic to fun. Why does he want her to stay? He says, because underneath all that attitude, every once in a while, he sees a glimpse of a woman who’s whip smart, wickedly funny, and passionate about life. He just wants to get to know her a little bit better. Will she let him?
Michael tells Willow, the nanny is reading My Truck is Stuck to Wiley, and he seems very quiet and happy. He says they make a run for it. She says she’s ready, and he says, before he forgets, when is her next OB/GYN appointment? He wants to block out the time in his calendar. She says, he doesn’t have to come to every single appointment, but he says he wants to be involved. Jonah and Wiley births were very traumatic. This time, everything’s going to be different. She says, no cult leaders or sociopaths, and he says, just them and Wiley. She says, and 300 other members of his family, and he says, exactly. It’s crazy there’s no craziness. No threat lurking out there to ruin everything. So far, so good, huh? They hug.
There’s applause for Epiphany, and Marshall asks how she feels. She says, he was right. Music is good for the soul. He says, not only does she feel better, she lifted up every person in this room, and she says, he’s a smooth talker, but he says, he only speaks the truth. Brook looks at her phone, when Finn and Chase come in. She asks if it would kill Chase to return a phone call, and what is he wearing? He can’t go on stage dressed like that. He says, about that… when Linc comes over to them. Linc says, Brook Lynn… Detective… Is he still a detective? Brook tells him, get lost, but he says he just came over because he’s concerned about Brook. Does watching other people perform remind her of the talent she lost forever? She sure had a set of pipes on her. It’s a tragedy she can’t sing any longer. Why do some of these characters sound like they came out of a 1940s movie? She thanks him for his phony concern, but she’s better than ever. He says, is that so? and she says, it is. She found something she wants more than fame. Linc says, really? Would that be Chase?
Sasha says, Nina saw her meltdown on Home & Heart, didn’t she? and Nina says she did. Sasha says, it’s funny. She barely remembers it. But she does remember seeing Liam… She means, thinking she saw Liam. She knows he wasn’t there, but in the moment, she was so happy. And she knows it wasn’t the pills. They were responsible for the hallucination, but the feeling… Nina takes her hand, and says she knows the feeling. That you would do anything just to stop the pain. Sasha asks if she can tell Nina something, and Nina says, anything. Sasha says, part of her wishes she could live in that mirage. The feeling of him in her arms; he had weight, and warmth, and breath… and such a beautiful smile. She cries, and Nina holds her.
Brando thanks Sonny for everything, as usual, and Sonny says, anytime. Brando says, whenever Sonny needs him, and Sonny says, he may need Brando for something. Brando says, name it, and Sonny says he wants Brando to give him the name of the paparazzi scum who gave Sasha drugs. Brando says, his name is Felty, and Sonny says, he and Felty are going to have a little talk. He’s going to make sure Felty never gives drugs to Sasha or anybody again. Brando says he wants in on that talk.
Linc asks if Chase is taking a turn on the stage, and Chase says, that’s why he’s here. Linc says, he’s a brave man. Crowds like this can be brutal. (Friends and family mostly?) He tells Chase, break a leg, and wanders off. Brook says, Chase is really doing it? and Chase says, that was the plan, right? She says she got the impression that he only showed up to turn her down, and he says, her former manager is probably the most disgusting person he’s ever met. He wants to give her the satisfaction of nailing him. She thanks him, says, come with her, and drags him over to the stage. Willow and Michael walk in, and Willow says, she had no doubt that Chase would come here for Brook, but why is this performance so important to her. Michael says he doesn’t know, but with Brook, he’s learned it’s best not to ask too many questions. Spinelli babbles to Austin, and Maxie kicks him under the table. Austin asks if Spinelli is all right, and Spinelli says, he is indeed well. He asks if Austin was ever a Trekkie (isn’t it Trekker?), but Austin says he didn’t watch a lot of TV. He did see one of the movies he thinks. The one about the whales? Spinelli says, an excellent film.
On the patio, Cody says, this better is better, right? and Britt says, it certainly smells better. He says he guesses riding isn’t for everyone. He’s sorry. He shouldn’t have pushed her. So why don’t they just stay here and talk. That’s why they’re here, right? To get to know each other better? Britt says, okay. She’ll go first. So he’s lived in a lot of places. He says he has, and she asks, where? He says, any place that has mountains or prairies. How about her? She says she’s seen a lot of the world, and he says, it sounds like she’s had some adventures. She says she’s traveled for leisure, for education, once as an international fugitive, so yeah. He says he sees how that could wear down on you, and she says, it can… She’s not like him, enamored of the nomadic lifestyle. He says he used to love the life of a nomad, but he’s done his wandering. He just wants to put down roots. Maybe get a little house of his own. She says, white picket fence, SUV, a wife to bring him his slippers, but he says, his mom would tan his hide if he ever expected a woman to wait on him. She says, smart lady, and he says he just wants an equal partner; someone to grow old with, maybe raise a couple kids. She says, he wants kids? and he says, yes? She gets up, and he asks where she’s going. She says, home. This is a complete waste of time. What the hell was Zelda thinking, saying they were a match?
Sasha says she wants Nina to know she realizes having Liam with her was a fantasy, and Nina says, a beautiful fantasy. Of course (🍷) she understands why Sasha would yearn for that. Sasha says, so Nina doesn’t think she’s crazy? Nina says, if Sasha were to ask around, the majority opinion would be she’s not the perfect judge to define crazy or sanity, but no. Sasha isn’t crazy for wanting her baby back. Sasha says, as long as she knows that it can never happen, and Nina suggests it might be something Sasha should talk to Dr. Sheffer about. Sasha says, good idea. She’ll do that.
Sonny tells Dex, let him know when Felty is located, and Dex says he’s on it. If Sonny needs anything… Sonny says, don’t get carried away, but this is the time to impress him with how well he follows orders. Dex says, got it, and leaves. Brando asks if Sonny is going after Felty now. He’s sending that bastard? Sonny says, Brando said he wanted to go; he has every right. Brando says he wants to, but Sasha needs him more than he needs revenge. Besides, he trusts Sonny to take care of it. Sonny says, oh he will. He promises.
Brando goes back to Sasha’s room, and she says he was gone for a while. Is there a problem? He says, no. He just ran into Sonny, and they got to talking. Nina says, Sonny’s here? but Brando says, no, sorry. He’s got to take care of something. Nina says, as luck would have it, she has to get going too, and Sasha thanks her for everything. Nina says she loves Sasha, and she’s just a phone call away. Sasha says she knows, and Nina leaves. Sasha asks if Brando was really just talking to Sonny. They haven’t hit a snag with her discharge papers? He tells her, Deanna said her paperwork is on its way up, and she says, good. He asks why she would think there was a problem, and she says she knows he thinks it’s too soon for her to come home. He says he is concerned they’re jumping the gun, but it’s her call. And he’d never go behind her back like that. She says she knows; she’s sorry. He says, they’re a team, right? and she says, 100%.
Cody asks what he missed, and Britt says, he’s not at all the man she thought he was. He says he knows he didn’t make a great first impression, and she says, he’s so boring. (We hear crickets, and I wonder if it’s on purpose or coincidence.) She thought at least he’d have some good stories, traveling around like he as. He says he has great stories, and she says, it seems like they’re all in the past. All he wants to do now is sit on his porch and rock himself to sleep. He tells her, he never said any of that, but she says, and yet, he made it perfectly clear. So once and for all, goodbye. She hopes he finds a nice boring wife, who gives him lots and lots of kids; at least a dozen. She starts to walk out, and he says he doesn’t even want any kids. She asks what kind of game he’s playing.
We return to the Haunted Star, and more applause. Austin gets a text: Come to the starboard deck, or I come in and get you. Maxie says she hopes it’s not the hospital, and Austin says he’ll be back. Mac says, let’s hear it for Kathy Muzushka, and there’s more applause. He says, now for another one of the Nurses Ball favorites – Harrison Chase. Chase sings, and Brook smiles. It’s a weak start, but then he gets into it, and everyone claps along. He finishes to much applause.
Sasha says she just wants to fall face down on the bed with Brando, and stay there forever. Or until she gets hungry; then she wants pizza. He asks if she’s saying she missed him, and she says, he has to ask? It’s been a long, long 72 hours. He says he thought maybe she was mad at him for sticking her in there, but she says, he did exactly what she needed him to do; she just didn’t know it. He says, so they’re good? and she says, always. He says he really missed her too. He promises, no matter what, he’ll always be there. She says, he’d better, and they kiss.
Epiphany says, this has been fun, but she really needs to get back to studying, and Marshall says he hopes she learned the most important lesson tonight. She says, what’s that? and he says, never listen to a jazz man. They’re a bad influence. She laughs and says, but jazz men are known to have a good time, so she thought it was worth the risk. They leave, and Chase goes over to Brook and Finn. He says, was he…? and Brook says, amazing. Finn says, he wasn’t terrible at all. Chase says he started off a little shaky, but Brook says, trust her, performing is all about a strong finish. If you wow the audience at the end, no one cares how you started out. Finn says he’s so proud of Chase, when Willow and Michael join them. Willow says, Chase was fantastic, and hugs him. She says, he owned the stage, and Brook says, the best part is she was right; she loves being right. Michael says, they have to take off, but it was a helluva performance. He congratulates Chase, and Chase thanks him, saying, it means a lot. They leave, and Finn says he has to go too, but next time, he’s bringing dad. Chase says, if there is a next time, and Brook says, there will be a next time. Chase says, then bring everybody, and Finn leaves. Chase asks, did the fish take the bait? and Brook says, here’s to hoping. She’ll make herself scarce, and they’ll see what happens. She leaves, and Linc saunters over.
Spinelli asks where Dr. Gatlin-Holt disappeared to, and Maxie says, he had to take a call. Why does he ask? Itching for more Trekkie talk? He says, Austin is a good listener. Perhaps he’s been a tad over protective. She says, yes he has. Austin is a good man, and Spinelli has to start being nicer to him. Now.
Austin steps out on the deck, and sees a bald guy. He backs bald guy up, and says, they can’t be seen together. Bald guy says, careful. Austin is going to hurt his feelings. Austin says he was really clear about that when bald guy visited the campsite. What the hell is he doing here?
Cody says he’s not playing a game, and Britt says, he doesn’t want kids. Why did he say he did? He says, because, while having kids isn’t a high priority, he’d be open to it if his wife wanted them. She asks if he has a bridge he’d like to sell her while he’s at it. All he’s been doing is telling her what he thinks she wants to hear. Why? What does he want from her?
Sonny’s phone rings, and he says, talk to me. Dex says he found Felty, and Sonny says, good. Dex knows what to do. He’ll be there. Dex says, Sonny’s got it.
Linc tells Chase, congratulations, detective. It was a great performance. Chase asks what he wants, and Linc says, he wants to know, has Chase considered a career in music? Brook watches.
Tomorrow, Britt tells Cody, the time of death is right now; Portia tells Marshall, their side is going to need a miracle; Austin says he doesn’t answer to bald guy; and Selena tells Curtis that he doesn’t know how far her reach is.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Dorit calls LisaR, who says she’s better, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, just when you think you’re done with covid, here comes omicron. Erika, LisaR, and Garcelle all have it, but Dorit managed to dodge a bullet. It’s time. LisaR tells Dorit to let her know the gossip after she goes to Kyle’s lunch. Jamie Lee Curtis comes to Kyle’s house, and Kyle tells Jamie that she’s the most unrelaxed human being ever. She just colored her roots, her skin is dyed, and she’s running around like a chicken. Jamie says she doesn’t give sh*t about grey hair; she only cares about Kyle’s heart. That’s why she’s here. Not for any other reason. In Kyle’s interview, she says she’s known since 1978 when they did Halloween together. Although Jamie’s a big star, she’s down to earth, kind-hearted, and thoughtful. She’d reached out about Kyle doing some charity work for the Children’s Hospital of L.A. We see a clip of Jamie announcing that Kyle and Mauricio have joined First Families, which is a new level of giving. Kyle tells us, Jamie founded a company called My Hand in Yours, and 100% of the proceeds go to the hospital. Right now, they’re working on a fundraiser.
The women arrive, and in Diana’s interview, she says, she’s not in the mood for Sutton; not at all. Crystal says, three of their friends are sick, and Jamie says, it’s hard times. In Dorit’s interview, she says, oh my God, Jamie Lee Curtis! and pinches herself. They sit down for lunch, and Sutton sees she’s seated next to Diana. She tells Kyle, really? and Kyle makes a surprised face like it just dawned on her. In Kyle’s interview, she says, let’s be honest, Sutton was going to have an issue with someone somewhere. Somehow it gets switched – I guess by Diana – and Jamie says she’s learning a lot about the group already. Sutton tries to help Sheree (not that one) put an eyelash back on, but gets glue all over her eye. Jamie swoops in to the rescue. I’ll bet she’s a combination of Martha Stewart and Bob Villa at home. Dorit tells Diana that she heard Diana had lunch with Sutton, and asks how it went. Diana says, terrible, and we flash back to that. She shrugs, and tells Dorit that she’s repulsed by Sutton. She went home and scrubbed herself. In Diana’s interview, she says, it’s the truth. She exfoliated. She says, Sutton offends her space.
Dorit gushes over Jamie, who suggests she talk about why she’s here while they eat. She tells them about My Hand in Yours, and shows them the various products. Dorit exclaims some variation of that’s so chic! as each product is shown. Jamie shows a dog leash that has a cute My Paw in Yours charm, and I’m in. Luckily, they have a website. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Jamie found herself a new best friend in Dorit. At this point, Jamie could show them a dirty old tissue, and Dorit would say, it’s so chic! Kyle says she gave $25K to the Kyle Richards and Jamie Lee Curtis Fund for the hospital, and Diana says, she’ll match it. In her interview, Kyle tells us that she should have said a higher number. They open their gifts, and Dorit says she’s excited about the gift bag. Jamie tells them to use everything in good health, and Diana thanks her for giving them the opportunity of being part of the charity. Kyle walks Jamie out, and Sheree sits with Sutton. Dorit joins them, and says, she heard Sutton had lunch with Diana, and Sutton says, Diana is angry. We flash back to that horrible, horrible lunch (said in Sophie from 2 Broke Girls voice), and Sheree asks why Sutton is always in trouble. Sutton thinks it’s because she says what she thinks, and Sheree asks, how’s that working for Sutton (hearing Dr. Phil voice in my head)? Sutton says, not too good. I’m going to be quiet, and ya’ll will be sad. Sheree says she understands, but when someone is bitchy at your lowest moment, it carries a different weight. Sutton asks if that excuses mocking her miscarriages. She would never make fun of anyone’s miscarriage. Dorit says, Sutton questioned Diana about being on bed rest, which wasn’t quite the same thing, but we flash back to that. Dorit says, had Sutton led with empathy, she would have gotten a different reaction. Sutton says, Diana hurt her feelings, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, it’s a pattern. It’s always about Sutton. If you can’t see your own mistakes, you’re going to have trouble. She asks if Sutton wants to try and fix things, and Sutton says she might…
Kyle thanks Diana for the contribution, and she, Diana, and Crystal clink glasses. Kyle asks how Crystal is doing. She saw Crystal’s Instagram post about her eating disorder. Crystal says she hasn’t nailed down what the cause is, and Kyle asks if it’s a control issue, and Crystal says, it’s definitely not appearance. It’s an internal feeling. In Crystal’s interview, she says, the holidays are triggering. She was going to post a family picture, and felt like crap, so she decided to be super real and post how she was feeling. Kyle asks if Crystal just doesn’t eat, or does she eat and throw up, and Crystal says, Kyle is asking the hard questions. Kyle says, that’s because she knows what it’s like, and we flash back to Kyle telling the women she used to heat up a bowl of V8, and that was her food. She tells Crystal, she would eat very little, but worry about what little she ate. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it seems like a cry for help. Crystal says she wakes up thinking about what she’s going to eat. She never eats pasta because it’s a trigger, yet she envies people when they eat it. In her interview, Crystal says, in every school picture, she’s in the back row. She was not just the tallest girl, but the tallest kid in the class, on top of looking different as a minority, which made it more apparent. She’s worked hard to be accepted, and appreciates how she looks, but it’s still hard. She tells Kyle that physically being in her body sucks. She feels like sh*t all the time; it’s exhausting. Diana says she’s sorry. She knows how much Crystal loves food too. Crystal says she wants to eat a meal, and be okay with it. She doesn’t want to hate what she’s eating every day. Kyle hugs her, and Crystal says she’s tired. In Crystal’s interview, she says, the scariest thing is passing it on to her kids. She doesn’t want them to suffer this much. It’s an ongoing battle. Diana says, because Crystal is being so open, for sure she’ll get there; 100%. Kyle says, the more she talks and is open, she won’t be in her head. In her interview, Kyle says, since she went through her own issues, she educated herself and daughters. She made a conscious effort to make sure they didn’t go through the same thing. Opening up and talking about it can be a good thing if Crystal seeks help.What she’s been doing so far isn’t helping. They join the others, and Kyle asks if they were talking about Sutton and Diana’s lunch. Sutton says, they were, and Kyle says, that sounds… Diana says, awkward.
Sutton says, Diana isn’t ready to accept anything from her, and Diana says, Sutton is right. Kyle asks what Sutton means, and if it involves an apology, but Sutton says, she doesn’t think Diana is ready to ponder any type of friendship with her. Diana says, when she came to L.A., the baby was due soon, and she didn’t want to count the weeks to the birth. So she flipped her life upside down, so she doesn’t go to that dark place. She tried to have fun in Mexico with them, but she shouldn’t have done tequila when she was taking blood thinners. On the way back, she started bleeding again. She’s not happy with her treatment of her own body. She was in a bad place, and sent a rude message to the group. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s still raw emotionally and physically. Sutton’s behavior was hurtful, and Sutton should know better than to talk to her like that. Uh… I dunno about Sutton knowing better, but maybe Sutton should have just stayed out of it, since she doesn’t really know Diana. Sutton says she appreciates Diana’s honesty, and she’s trying. They had a rough start, and she takes responsibility for 95% of it. Diana can take all the time and space she needs, and when she’s ready, Sutton is there to talk. Diana says, they’re taking a time out, and makes what I guess is supposed to be the hand signal for that, but it looks more like when you’re joking around to ward off evil. Sutton does it back.
LisaR calls Erika, and says she’s been decorating the tree, since she hasn’t done any decorating. Erika says, LisaR looks like she feels normal, but LisaR says she doesn’t feel quite normal yet. Erika says she’s out of isolation in two days, and Erika says she’ll see LisaR at Diana’s party on Tuesday. In LisaR’s interview, she says she’s ready for a Diana Jenkins Christmas party. Erika says, the holidays bring back memories of being with Tom and her son, and LisaR asks how much can they take? Erika says, you just keep taking the punches, and rolling with them. You wake up, make the best of it, and f*** it. LisaR says she brought home Erika’s L.A. Magazine cover, but she hasn’t had a chance to read the article. Erika says, there are no revelations; they’re like 365 days late. In Erika’s interview, she says, they recycled the same problems, and criticized her for being ambitious. They dehumanize her, and it hurts. She tells LisaR that she thinks it’s a low blow to call her ambitious. Would it be better for her to be a lazy wife? A polite wife? A staying-in-her-place wife? LisaR asks if she’s talked to Tom, and Erika says, he heard she had covid, and called. In her interview, Erika says, sometimes, he’s super present, but sometimes he thinks she’s someone else. Nothing about their conversations is good, except she knows he’s in a safe place. She’s been down this road with her grandmother, and it doesn’t get better; it only gets worse. LisaR asks if Tom’s brother is still representing him, but Erika says, they dropped their legal team. LisaR asks if Tom has a divorce lawyer, and Erika says, they’re legally separated, so she’s moved on with her life, but she can’t get a divorce with so much legal sh*t going on. In her interview, she says, if she got a divorce, she’d have to pay Tom alimony. She’ll stay married. She tells LisaR, it’s a weird time, and she’s ready for it to be over.
Diana and Asher meet with party planner Clare, and in Diana’s interview, she says, they didn’t celebrate Christmas when she was growing up in Yugoslavia. It was a communist country, so there were no religious holidays. When she went to London, they lit up the streets, and it was beautiful and festive. She enjoys turning the house into a winter wonderland, and likes to go over the top. Asher gets super involved, and in her interview, Diana says, even though Asher is younger, he’s more practical and sensible. She’s the one who’s the bigger dreamer and over-the-top. She doesn’t think anybody can match her over-the-topness.
Kyle visits Kathy, whose house is totally Christmased up. She says, it’s literally a winter wonderland, and looks around. She says, Kathy makes her feel like an underachiever, and Kathy shows her the tree that’s going to be in Architectural Digest, made of vintage fabric. In Kyle’s interview, she says, there’s a different style of tree in each room, and she thinks they’re up year round. She asks if Kathy is doing Christmas this year, but Kathy says, after the wedding, it’s too much. They sit on the terrace for lunch, and Kathy says, trying to get ahold of Kyle is liketrying to pull a hemorrhoid out of a bull’s tush. Something I’m sure she knows a lot about. Kyle asks where Kathy’s phone is, and Kathy says she lost it. Kyle says, don’t make her pull out receipts. She brings up her texts to Kathy, and shows Kathy that she has no missed messages. She puts it on speaker, dials Kathy’s number, and it goes straight to voicemail. She says, she’s been telling Kathy this for three years, and in her interview, she says, Kathy uses an iPad to comment on her Instagram, saying, she can’t find her phone and to call her. She has 100,000 people telling her to call her sister. House manager Paola brings out baked potatoes, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, the lady actually has a name. We flash back to Kathy calling Paola the lady who works for me, but in Kathy’s defense, I don’t think she remembers much of anything. Kathy puts sour cream and loads of caviar on her potato, and Kyle asks if it’s the entrée or appetizer. Kathy says, it’s the entrée, and in her interview, Kyle says, unless it’s a baked potato bar, she’s never seen one be a meal. (She’s clearly never been a broke, single person.) She tells Kathy that she’s never seen a person have so much caviar, and in her interview, concedes that if there’s thousands in caviar on the potato, it’s going to be a meal. Have lunch and come over for a baked potato, said nobody, but my sister. Kathy says she’s overwhelmed. She’s wrapped gifts until her hands hurt, and she can’t drive every gift to the recipients. You can’t find ribbon, and somebody peed on her sofa. Kyle asks if she means a pet, but Kathy says, no; a person. All of her carpets are ruined, and she feels like the house is falling apart. Kyle laughs, and so do I. Not only are they rich people problems, who peed on her sofa???
Clare and photographer Carlos are ready to roll, and in Diana’s interview, she says, the pandemic is messing with her. She usually has more guests, so she’s trying to make things cozy to fill up the place, so it doesn’t seem so empty. It will be a covid Christmas miracle. The closest I can come to equating that to something in my own life is, Halloween 2020. The women get ready in their respective houses, and LisaR says she’s excited to see everyone. Crystal calls, and says, Dorit isn’t coming; PK tested positive for covid. Erika tells Micky that she’s been having good time; maybe too much of a good time. We flash back to her incredibly inappropriate behavior at Garcelle’s party, and Mikey asks if she wants a drink now, but she says, no.
First to arrive are Innis and girlfriend Ava. Eneya is there, and they joke that it will be just them. In Diana’s interview, she says, Ava is going to be with them for a month. Having all her kids together is her favorite thing in the world. The women arrive, along with other friends of Diana and Asher’s, and everyone looks sparkly and festive. In LisaR’s interview, she says, it’s a winter wonderland in Beverly Hills. Money was spent for sure. Cash. Lots of it. Erika says she started drinking champagne at home, so she should stick to it. Hmm… I guess Mikey twisted her arm. Kyle says she’s never seen so many Christmas tress in her life. She tells Diana that her house looks to die for, and makes a production out of giving he a hostess gift. She says, Sutton isn’t coming; she tested positive for covid. LisaR says, we’re dropping like flies.
Everyone mingles, and Kathy arrives. In Diana’s interview, she says she met Kathy because of Paris, and knows her more as a stricter figure. Kathy introduces herself all over the place, and hugs the people she knows. We find out Innis knows Paris, and Kathy tells Crystal to put her hands on her head, because that’s how you tell if your dress is too short. Crystal already knows how short her dress is, and declines, but Kathy says, her dress is too short. Garcelle comes in with a unicorn tucked under her arm, and I think, what the… until she presents it to Diana for her daughter. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, the last time she saw Diana was at her birthday party, and Diana was out of control. We flash back to that, and she says, it’s the holidays, and it’s a festive mood. Her gift to Diana is coming to the party and not bringing bad energy, which Diana didn’t do at her party. Garcelle tells Crystal that she looks good, and Crystal says her food issues are plaguing her. Garcelle says, there’s a lot of food during the holidays, and Erika asks if that’s triggering to Crystal. Crystal says, it is, and Erika asks if she eats and feels guilty or denies herself the food. Crystal says, she eats it, then feels bad, and Erika wonders why she just doesn’t take a laxative, and get rid of it. Garcelle – the audience in us all – looks floored, and in her interview, she says, Crystal has an eating disorder. Erika isn’t a doctor, and you don’t prescribe laxatives to someone with an eating disorder. It’s the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate time. Sheree says she’s never had covid, and Garcelle says, Sheree is too beautiful to have it. Meanwhile, Erika is still being inappropriate, asking, what happens when Crystal purges? and Crystal says, she feels relief. Erika asks if Crystal enjoys the food when it’s going in, and Crystal says, she does, but then the guilt comes. When she looks aloof, it’s because she’s thinking about it. Erika asks if she’d rather throw it up or poop it out, pushing the laxative idea again, and in Crystal’s interview, she says she doesn’t know if Erika’s trying to be helpful, or she’s had too many drinks. Erika asks if Crystal has sought treatment, and Crystal says, it’s time. She doesn’t know what will come out of it, and Erika says, what will come out of it is a better Crystal. An appetizer involving chicken tenders comes around, and Erika loudly says, Crystal can’t eat it. Crystal looks lost, and Erika says she needs a drink.
Too bad Bette Davis is gone. She could have played Erika in the movie.
To be continued…
🦵🏼 Doing the Hokey Pokey…
Come with me tomorrow to investigate some soap and what’s Charming in the South. Until then, stay safe, stay present in conversation, and not just waiting for your cue, and stay remembering, if you can’t see your own mistakes, you’re going to have trouble.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
TJ lets Willow into an exam room, and she says she assumed it was about work, but this is medical? She didn’t even know he was on an OB rotation. He says, this isn’t an OB visit, and she says, okay, then what? He says, after she fainted, he ran a series of tests. She says, that’s how they figured out she was pregnant, and he says, yes, but they have to go over the rest of the results. She has an elevated white blood cell count. She says, that’s it? She knows from nurse’s training that it’s normal to have an elevated white blood cell count during pregnancy. He says, that’s true, but from what he sees, he doesn’t think it’s related to her pregnancy, and she says, he thinks she’s sick while she’s pregnant.
Michael and Dante spar at the gym, and Dante says, Rocco can do better than that. Just because Michael’s having a baby, he’s taking it easy on him? Michael says, Dante couldn’t be more wrong. Willow’s good news makes him feel like he can take on the world. Even losing the ELQ merger with Aurora, seems way more manageable now. Face it, your brother is one happy guy. Cody walks in and says, I’ll have what he’s having.
Britt walks past the elevator as Brad comes out, and he says he knows he’s early, but he figured they have time to get a drink at Charlie’s before they head over to the Haunted Star. She says she’s sorry. She should have called him, but the day got away from her. She has one more appointment. He says, that’s okay. He guesses they’ll have to start drinking when they get to the Haunted Star. Now go tell her patient to take two aspirin and call her in the morning. She says, yeah… That’s the thing. She can’t join him tonight. Something’s come up. He asks if she forgot she had plans, and she says, not exactly. He asks if she double-booked herself, and she says, sort of. He says, and it’s not work related? and she shakes her head. He says, oh my God. Does she have a date?
Esme tells Spencer, even if she could guarantee Trina goes free, why in the world would she? Trina, Joss, and Cam have been badmouthing her all across town. Why would she do them any favors? He says, because if she ever wants to know who her birth mother is, she’ll make sure that the judge knows the truth. She’s the only person who can do that.
On the stand, Josslyn says, she knows Trina was in her bedroom the entire time before she and Cameron went to their bedroom, and Arden asks if she can prove that. Were there security cameras all over the cabin? The cabin belongs to Josslyn’s stepfather Sonny Corinthos, so she can see that as a real possibility. Josslyn says, there are no security cameras inside the cabin, and Arden says, which means what exactly. Josslyn says, which means she doesn’t have proof that Trina didn’t leave her bedroom, and Arden says, to be clear, she can’t account for the defendant’s movements from the moment she went into her room to the moment she and Mr. Webber went into theirs. Because of that, won’t she concede that there was plenty of time for her so-called friend, who has already been established to have been filled with jealousy and resentment, to make sure the phone was set up to record Josslyn’s most intimate moments without her knowing? Diane objects, saying, this is pure conjecture on the ADA’s part, and the judge sustains. He tells Arden to watch her step, and Arden says, no more questions. Rory walks into the courtroom.
TJ says, he was there the first time Willow fainted at GH, and that was months before she got pregnant. That’s what prompted him to run this battery of tests; just to be on the safe side. She says, so he thinks there’s a chance something’s wrong with her? but he tells her, all he’s saying is, they need more information. He knows she just finished nursing school, and she’s been under a lot of pressure. So they might be able to chalk this up to anxiety or stress, but there’s also a chance there’s another medical explanation. They have to explore all possibilities. She says, obviously, he thinks there’s a good chance something is wrong. What isn’t he telling her?
Dante starts to introduce Cody to Michael, but Cody says, Michael’s the one who gave him the tour of the Quartermaine stables; made him feel right at home. Michael says, it’s funny Cody calls himself a mere stable hand, because to Leo, he’s already a legend, and Cody says, Leo is a great kid. He’s positively fearless with that horse of his, unlike some people that he knows. Dante asks if Cody is talking about him. He was a city kid; he did great. Michael says, that’s enough for him. They can stay and beat each other’s brains in if they want. He has to meet Willow at GH. In case Cody can’t tell by the big grin on his face, he and Willow are having a baby. Cody congratulates him, and asks Michael to give his best to Willow. Michael says he has to hit the showers. If he’s late he could catch a hard time. Cody says, really? Willow seemed like such a sweetheart to him. Michael says he wasn’t talking about Willow. He was talking about her OB, Britt Westbourne. Cody says, no kidding; small world. Michael asks if he knows Britt.
Brad says, normally he would be upset about Britt blowing him off, but since she’s practically on the verge of spinsterhood, he’ll give her a pass – this time. She says, she’d love to argue his characterization of her love life, except he’s spot-on. He says, some friendly advice. All she needs to be is the charming, vivacious woman he knows she can be. She says, thanks for the pep talk. She feels so much better about her date tonight. He says, if she’s not excited about her date, why is she doing it? Is she jumping back into the dating pool because she’s looking for love, or is she just tired of holding on to all her secrets? She asks what that means, and he says, whatever’s weighing on her; what she can’t tell him about? Maybe it’s past time she did.
Diane reminds the court of the difference between a sex tape and revenge porn. A sex tape is made with consent; revenge porn is made without consent. She asks if Josslyn or Cameron ever consented to being recorded, and Josslyn says, no. Neither one of them knew anything about the video; not until it popped up on the screens at PCU. Diane says, yet despite the prosecution’s best efforts to put words in Josslyn’s mouth, Josslyn claims to know her best friend could never have done this. Josslyn says she knows Trina couldn’t, and Arden objects. She says, to use Diane’s words, it’s pure conjecture on the witness’s part. Josslyn says, it’s not conjecture, because she knows exactly the type of person Trina is. She’s known Trina since middle school. Trina is her best friend in the entire world. Josslyn tears up, and says, Trina is there for her on her good days, and more important, Trina is there for her on her bad days. Trina knows right from wrong, and Josslyn knows exactly the type of friend Trina is. She is the type of friend to stick by you when everybody else turns and runs. Diane says, so knowing her best friend, could Josslyn ever imagine that Trina would go to such extreme lengths to humiliate her and Cameron? Josslyn says, never. She doesn’t think Trina would even know how to get a black market phone, let alone use it against them. Diane asks how Josslyn knows it was a black market phone, and she says she doesn’t. All she knows is, a second phone that was a black market phone was found in Trina’s purse, identical to Trina’s real phone; same model, same case. Diane says, but it’s Josslyn’s belief – her conviction – that someone, anyone, could have purchased that phone, and Josslyn says, not anyone. One person did this, and she knows exactly who that person is.
Esme tells Spencer, once Trina recorded Joss and Cam having sex for the first time – which is mind bogglingly horrific– she made it go global. Those are facts; all the evidence says so. He says he agrees with her that the evidence is stacked against Trina, but there’s one catch. Esme asks, what’s that? and he says, they both know Trina didn’t record that revenge porn or distribute it, because Esme did.
Diane says, if Trina Robinson did not make that revenge porn, who did? and Josslyn says, it’s Esme Prince. When Esme’s boyfriend, Spencer Cassadine, wanted to break up his father’s marriage to Ava, Spencer began to stalk Ava, and asked for Esme’s help. Esme lit Ava’s car on fire, and left the hospital ID badge of Ava’s dead daughter Kiki beside the car. That seems like the kind of demented mind that would make revenge porn, don’t you think? Arden objects, and says, she’s aware of Spencer Cassadine getting convicted for stalking his stepmother, but his girlfriend was never charged with anything. Can the witness provide any shred of proof of her claims? Judge Young sustains, and tells Diane, no more speculation; he just wants facts. Diane says, absolutely. She just has a few more questions. She asks what Josslyn’s GPA was her freshman year of college, and Josslyn says, 4.0. Diane congratulates her, and asks who her dorm roommate was. Josslyn says, Trina, and Diane asks who if Trina will be Josslyn’s roommate her sophomore year. Josslyn says, absolutely, and she and Trina smile at each other. Diane has no further questions.
TJ says he’s not keeping Willow in the dark about anything. There are questions though, and that’s why he’s booked her for another series of tests tomorrow. She says, to be clear, this doesn’t concern the baby. This is about her health, correct? He says, correct. Her issue, if there is one, predates the pregnancy. It’s likely the two situations aren’t related. She has an appointment with Dr. Westbourne later. Keep that, and whatever it is, they’ll deal with it.
Cody tells Michael, you might say, he and Britt ran into each other the other day, and Dante says, what Cody means is, he parachuted into the MetroCourt pool, landed on Britt, and they both fell into the water. Michael says, that was all over social media, and Cody says, to be fair, she was standing in his landing zone. Michael says, skydiver, stable hand; is there anything Cody can’t do? Cody says, plenty. Pay a mortgage, ride sidesaddle blindfolded, make babies. He’s never been able to achieve any of those things, so don’t let him keep Michael from that appointment. Dante tells Michael, good luck, and tell Willow he said hi. He’s sure mom and baby are going to be fine. Michael leaves, and Cody says, Dante’s brother seems like a nice guy. Dante says, the best, and Cody asks if he’s chopped liver, but Dante says, no. Cody is the guy who dogged Britt after he told Cody not to.
Britt tells Brad, all she wants is to give this matchmaking thing a chance. If for no other reason than to get her mother off her back. He says, fair enough. So is her date someone he knows? Someone he doesn’t know? Is he hot? She says, he’s rough around the edges, and he says, on the right person that could be hot. Is he hot? She says, he doesn’t seem trustworthy, and Brad says, not to be redundant, but that could be hot on the right person too. She says, fine. He’s hot, in a rough, rustic, scruffy way. He bruises well, and by that she means, he’s one of those guys who actually looks good beaten up. Weird. And then there’s the fact they have nothing in common, and they don’t even like each other. Brad asks how she knows, if they haven’t even met… O.M.G. It’s him, isn’t it? It’s parachute guy.
Jordan is now on the stand, and Arden asks her how this illicit video came to the attention of the PCPD. Jordan says, they received a report from PCU, where the video was first distributed. Then in the course of their investigation, their office got an anonymous tip on their hotline as to the alleged perpetrator’s identity. Arden says, by alleged perpetrator, she’s referring to the defendant, correct? and Jordan says, yes. Arden asks, what happened when they brought Trina in for questioning? and Jordan says, Trina agreed without hesitation, and never asked for legal representation. She said she would do anything to find the person who humiliated her closest friends, Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber. Arden asks what Jordan found in Trina’s possession, and Jordan says, she had two cell phones in her purse; one that was hers, and one that was nearly identical that she couldn’t account for. Arden holds up the phone in a plastic bag, and says, this is the unaccounted for cell phone, and this is the forensics report on this phone. She gives the report to Jordan, and asks if Jordan can tell them what it says. Jordan says, the digital footprint confirms this cell phone was used to upload and send the video, also known as the revenge porn, to the PCU community. Arden says, anything else? and Jordan says, after its final usage, this phone was never turned on again. Arden asks if there’s anything else that ties the phone to the defendant, and Jordan reads, Miss Robinson’s credit card information was encrypted and used to purchase images of the artist Richard Molineaux. Arden says, in other words, according to Jordan’s own forensics department, the only person tied to that revenge porn video is the defendant Trina Robinson, and Jordan says, the evidence seems to suggest that, yes.
Spencer tells Esme, at first, he didn’t want to believe it. There was a time when he had deeper feelings for her than he ever knew possible. When he brought her home to Port Charles… She says, he means when he asked for her help with his plot to destroy his father’s marriage, and he says, and when she agreed, she raised the stakes by a thousand. He never asked her to torch Ava’s car, and would have never suggested she put Ava’s dead daughter’s hospital ID beside it. That is just so incredibly cruel. But that’s who she really is, isn’t it? Cruel. Joss warned him about her; Trina warned him about her. Hell, even Cam, who gave her the benefit of the doubt, went out of his way to warn him that she was dangerous, and even still, he wanted to believe in her. But then when that video of Josslyn and Cam came out, she couldn’t wait to show it to him. She pretended to be horrified, but he could see it written all over her face how happy she was. Then she insisted it had to be Trina who made it. That’s when he started to wonder and waver, and when he decided to voice his fears that maybe she was the one behind the revenge porn, she instantly came up with a pregnancy scare. She says, he thinks she made that up? and he says, not then. He still wanted to believe in her. But when Trina was arrested, he couldn’t look the other way anymore. Everything Josslyn was saying, and that Trina had done her best not to say, it was all true. Esme was the one who made that video, and she was the one who distributed it to the world. He yells in her face, it was you all along.
Michael finds Willow at the hospital, and says he wondered if he had the wrong time. Is she okay?
Britt tells Brad, go on, say it. She’s going out with the bum who parachuted into her life, and couldn’t even apologize for almost drowning her. He says, honestly, he’s happy for her. She’s a smart woman. If she decided to give parachute guy a second chance, good for her. She thanks him for saying that, but they both know this will probably end in disaster, and he says, sure seems like it. So he has to ask again, why is she even doing it? and she tells him, he’s supposed to say, it’s going be great, but right now, she’s late to see a patient.
Cody and Dante go into the steam room, and Dante tells Cody to fess up now. He saw Cody all over Britt on the 4th. What’s going on with that? He warned Cody away from Britt, and first thing, his interest level goes through the roof. It’s classic. Cody says, about Dante’s warning about Britt. Given how Dante feels about Britt, his guess is, Dante isn’t going to feel too good about them going on a date.
Esme says, Spencer is right. When they first met, he was an angry, lost self-centered little boy, and thanks to her, he not only lost his virginity, he turned out to be an angry, lost, self-centered man. She can’t believe, after everything she’s done for him, standing by his side when even his own father turned his back on him, this is how he repays her. He says, all she ever did was work her own agenda, and she says, enough. He had his say, now it’s her turn. If he thinks he can just go riding back to Trina, he’s an even bigger fool than she thought. He’s even sadder and more pathetic than when she first met him. They were together at that cabin, remember? She couldn’t have planted that phone even if she wanted to, because when she’d had enough of Josslyn’s holier than thou attitude, they left – together. His precious sweet Trina could have planted that phone and did. There’s simply no way he can get around that. He says, of course (🍷) there is.
Diane says, so an anonymous tip claimed Trina Robinson filmed and distributed the revenge porn. Is there any way to identify the source of that anonymous tip? Jordan says, no. If people thought their identities could be made public, they wouldn’t get the number of tips they get. That’s why it’s anonymous. Diane says, of course (🍷). So anyone could leave a false tip and suffer no repercussions whatsoever. So how did Trina behave when Jordan hauled her into the PCPD for questioning? Jordan says, there was no hauling her in; she came in voluntarily. Diane says, voluntarily? That’s interesting. Jordan already testified that Trina asked for no counsel to be present, but when Jordan began to question her, was she defensive? Jordan says, no; she was very cooperative. She kept repeating that Josslyn and Cameron were her close friends, and she wanted to do whatever was possible to catch the person responsible for the revenge porn. Maybe it’s because her dad was a officer, but she was very eager to do the right thing. Diane says, so when Jordan opened Trina’s bag, and found the other phone… Jordan says she didn’t open Trina’s purse; Trina did. Diane says, Jordan is saying Trina herself opened her bag and produced the other phone? and Jordan says, that’s correct. Diane asks, in her many years of public service as Police Commissioner, in Jordan’s experience, is that the way a guilty person behaves? Arden objects, and says, they’re not doing a composite sketch of a common criminal. Jordan says, actually, she’d like to answer the question. She thinks it’s relevant. Judge Young says, she may answer the question, and Jordan says, Trina did not act anything at all like a guilty person. As she said, Trina’s main goal was to be helpful. Diane has no further questions, and Arden calls Rory to the stand.
Willow tells Michael, there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s just nervous about their first consultation with the OB. Britt comes around the corner, and congratulates them. She takes it from the way they’re smiling, this is welcome news. Willow says, they weren’t trying to get pregnant, but yes, it’s exciting, and Michael says, they can’t wait to welcome the newest member of their family. Britt says, in that case, she asks the expectant father to wait here while she does a brief exam. Willow hangs back, and Britt promises it won’t take long. And she hopes to give them both a very pleasant surprise. Willow goes follows her into the exam room.
Dante says, he should have known better. Warning Cody to stay away from Britt is like catnip; it’s like forbidden fruit. Cody says, it’s just one date. What’s the big deal? She’s Co-Chief of Staff at the hospital. She can’t be that bad. Dante asks if Cody remembers when the counselors took them hiking on Olsen’s Peak, and Cody says, of course (🍷) he does. Dante was always a few steps behind him. Dante says, there was a sign that said, in big red letters, do not veer off the path. And what did Cody do? He veered them off the path, and they almost got mauled by a bear. Cody laughs, and says, he’d never seen Dante run so fast. Lighten up. There isn’t any danger, there isn’t any fun.
Esme says, at least Ava tried to buy her off. All Spencer can do is try and bluff her. He says, the truth is, he thought to himself, how can I try to twist Esme’s arm? Then it hit him. What would Esme do? For weeks she’d been pretending to sympathize with Joss because she and Cameron hadn’t slept together yet. She even made a major production of insisting they get the master bedroom at the cabin. And when they got back from skiing, before she came in with the drinks, she was the only person not in the living room. He, Trina, Joss, and Cam were all there, but she was off by herself. He figures that would give her plenty of time to go into the master bedroom and set up that black market phone. Her back is to him, and she smiles. She says, that’s a clever theory, but he doesn’t have proof. She turns to him, and he says, but he’s not done. When they got back to town, he realized he’d forgotten something, and that gave her the very convenient excuse to go back to the cabin to pick up what he’d forgotten, as well as retrieve the phone that she’d recorded on. Once she retrieved it, she sent the video to the PCU server, and planted it in Trina’s purse. She says, okay, Agatha Christie. How could she have known Trina couldn’t handle her booze well and go to her room. Is he accusing her of being a psychic now too? He flashes back to finding the pills in Esme’s closet, and says, no, not psychic. He tries to touch her, but she backs up, and he says, she’s psycho for sure, but he doesn’t think she’s psychic. The reason she knew Trina would pass out is because Esme spiked her hot toddy with those pills of hers; the ones he found in her closet. He showed them to Britt Westbourne, and she told him what could happen if they’re mixed with alcohol. Esme drugged Trina to set her up, and Britt told him if the dosage had been off, even by a little, she could have injured Trina; maybe even killed her. He strokes Esme’s arm, and asks if she still thinks he’s bluffing.
Arden asks if, when Rory was on duty recently, he was called to a disturbance at a notorious biker bar, The Highsider. He says, that is correct. It was a fairly routine complaint; a fight had broken out. She asks what he found when he got there, and he says he’s not sure he understands the question. There was a bar fight. He arrived after another unit had broken it up. Arden tells the judge that she’s submitting an eyewitness statement from another member of the PCPD. They reported two underage girls who were caught up in this brawl. She asks Rory if they’re in the courtroom, and Diane objects, asking, what does any of this have to do with the charges against her client? Arden says, when Officer Cabrera answers the question the connection will be obvious, and Judge Young allows it. Arden repeats the question, and Rory says, yes, they’re in the courtroom. She asks him to state their names, and he says, Josslyn Jax and Trina Robinson. She thanks him, and says, there’s an even more important question she needs him to answer. Why were Josslyn and Trina in the bar that night? Um… won’t this ultimately hurt Arden’s case?
Britt lets Michael into the exam room, and says, Willow is a bit early, but there’s a good chance they can detect a fetal heartbeat. Willow asks Michael to hold her hand, and Britt puts the gel on her. They hear it, and Willow says, that’s the baby’s heartbeat. Britt says, sure is, and Michael says, she had him worried there, but it’s strong and steady. Everything’s okay now.
Cody asks Dante why he wouldn’t date Britt. She’s beautiful, she’s successful, and she scraped him up in an alley, and gave him a ride to Dante’s place. Why can’t Dante just be happy for him? Dante says he is happy for Cody, but he’s just looking out for him, since he seems to be incapable of doing it himself. Cody says, so he’s a charity case, and Dante says he’s Cody’s friend. He gave Cody a couch, kept him out of jail, Dante’s mom hooked him up with a job at the Quartermaine stables; what does that say? Cody says, that Dante put in a good word for him, and Dante says, he didn’t do it out of charity. He did it because they’re friends. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time, but he minute he saw Cody falling out of the sky, he knew Cody hadn’t changed a bit. Cody says, Dante has. Maybe it’s because he’s a dad, or maybe it’s the badge, but Dante is different from the kid from Bensonhurst he used to know. Dante says, yeah, he is; he grew up. Maybe Cody should try it sometime.
Spencer says, Esme set up an innocent woman who could potentially go to prison, not to mention what she did to Joss and Cam with the sex tape. He backs her up as he’s talking, and says, he’ll give her this much; she was thorough in her revenge. She found a way to take them all down. She pushes him back, and says, he thinks he’s got it all worked out. What does he expect her to do, walk into that courtroom and trade places with Trina? He says, no, he doesn’t expect her to do that. Doing that would require a conscience, something she clearly doesn’t have. But if she was smart enough to frame Trina, then she’s smart enough to clear Trina without incriminating herself. She says, Trina really means that much to him, and he says he thinks the more pertinent question is, how much does Esme’s mother mean to her? She throws the paper on the table, and says, oh my God, you ass. After all the lies he told her, he expects her to believe he found a match for her DNA. He picks up the paper, and says, he has the evidence. She can look for herself. He can tell her the name. Or she can walk out and let Trina take the fall. It’s up to her. What’s more important to her; ruining Trina’s life or finding her mother?
Rory says, Josslyn and Trina were carrying fake IDs. He confiscated them, and let them off with a stern warning never to try that again. Arden says, very understanding of him, but were they only at that bar that night to drink alcohol as minors? He says he’s not sure what she means, and she puts a folder on the stand, saying, that document is a rap sheet for a bartender, Oz Haggerty, who was working at that same bar. Can he read off the crimes that bartender was arrested for? He reads, petty theft, and he had a prior for trafficking in stolen electronics. She asks if he can be more specific. What kind of electronics? He says, mostly black market cell phones, and she says, he sells black market cell phones. The kind that Trina’s best friend Josslyn, according to her testimony, said the defendant would never know how to buy. Again, Arden might be enthusiastic, but she’s not real bright. Although, outcomes aren’t always logical in Port Charles.
Michael asks if Willow is okay, and Willow says, they just heard their baby’s heartbeat. She’s never been better, or happier. They hug.
Britt thanks TJ for referring a new patient to her. Willow’s pregnancy is progressing nicely. They just heard the baby’s heartbeat. He says, that’s great to hear, but he needs her to keep him in the loop about Willow. She asks why, and he suggests they go to her office, and he’ll fill her in.
Cody tells Dante, he doesn’t have a kid or a steady career, but he’s growing up in his own way. Believe it or not, he’s already making plans for his future. Dante says, by being a stable boy? Come on, man, it’s even got boy in the title. Um… Michael said hand, not boy. Cody tells him, make as many jokes as he wants. He’s going to prove Dante is wrong about a lot of things. Dante says, including Britt Westbourne? and Cody says, the matchmaker herself matched them up. Dante says, here’s hoping the match doesn’t turn into a dumpster fire. If it does, remember his old pal warned him otherwise.
Esme says, Spencer is doing all of this because he thinks he can win Trina over? She clears Trina’s name, and Trina’s all his? Who is delusional now? Even if Trina did have feelings for him, she’s moved on. Or hasn’t he seen her with the hot rookie cop? He asks if that’s her final answer, but she says, he’s given her a lot to think about. He tells her, don’t think long, because this deal isn’t going to be on the table indefinitely, and she says, as a reminder, she’s not the one on trial. And as for him, if she hears he tried to play hero on his own, and go to Trina with this conversation, he will never get what he wants. He holds up the paper, and says, neither will she. She says, if it comes to choosing finding out who her mother is, and hurting him the way he hurt her, don’t be so sure he’ll know what she’ll choose. She leaves, and Spencer drops the paper on the table. Esme paces in the foyer, then leans against the wall, looking sick.
Diane says she just has a few questions for Rory. When he confiscated Josslyn and Trina’s fake IDs, did he ask why they were there? He says, yes, and she asks what they told him. He says, they were looking for the bartender who sold Esme Prince a black market phone, and Diane asks if it was a referral deal. Esme Prince got a groovy phone (ha-ha) off this guy, and they wanted one too. Arden objects, saying, counsel is leading the witness, but Judge Young says he’ll allow it. He tells Diane to get where she’s going, and she asks Rory if Josslyn and Trina were in The Highsider to purchase a black market phone. He says, no. They were looking for the bartender to ID Esme Prince. Diane says, and did he? and Arden objects, saying, hearsay. Officer Cabrera wasn’t present when Miss Jax and Miss Robinson allegedly spoke to Mr. Haggerty. The officer has no idea what was said, if anything. The judge says, sustained, and Diane says she has no further questions. Judge Young calls for an adjournment, and the bailiff says, all rise, as he leaves the courtroom.
In the hallway, Curtis says he thinks there’s reasonable doubt for sure, and Josslyn says she hates the way the ADA twisted her words. Trina says she doesn’t blame Josslyn. She knows Josslyn is just trying to help her. Jordan comes out, and she and Curtis nod to each other. Rory follows, and he and Trina exchange a look. Portia tells Trina, just hang in there, and hugs her.
Tomorrow, Cody wants to get to know Britt better, if she’ll let him; Finn tells Chase that something is too good to be true; Brook tells Linc that she’s found something she wants more than fame; Sasha insists she’s not addicted; and Sonny tells Brando that he’ll take care of something.
👠 I Loved Her Too, But…
Lois was better than LisaR on her best day, but she wasn’t a cast member, nor is this The LisaR Show. I totally understand her grief, but this is going overboard with being demanding.
But Jill claims she’s not the source. They were on Watch What Happens Live together tonight, so they must have kissed and made up. I wasn’t really listening.
I think Erika is a little smarter than Teresa Giudice, who I believe signed things just because Juicy Joe told her too. I wouldn’t say she was in on it, but I think she turned a blind eye.
🦘 I’ve been watching Below Deck Down Under, and while it’s entertaining enough, I’m a little disappointed. Some of the crew could vie with Jax Taylor and the most recent Sailing Yacht cast for worst people ever. It looks like mostly the deckhands are d-bags, one being a very entitled bad sport. I haven’t absorbed enough of it to get a good handle on the interior, except that they flirt shamelessly with the captain. I can’t say I blame them, since he’s movie star handsome. I also love Aesha, originally from Below Deck Mediterranean. She’s the chief stew on this one, and I remember her as always being positive and fun. And of course there’s the Barrier Reef. I don’t think it gets much more beautiful.
Join me tomorrow for soap and those awful women from Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay not beating yourself up over the past, and stay being the type of friend who sticks around when everybody else turns and runs.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
In the steam room, Brando tells TJ that he’s going out of his mind. TJ says, he gets that, but it’s no good for Brando to be so stressed. Sit, breathe, sweat. Brando says, one out of three ain’t bad, right? His wife has been lying to him for months. What is he supposed to do with that?
Carly walks into the courtroom, empty except for Diane, and says she can’t believe this is happening. Trina is going to trial for a crime she didn’t commit. Diane says, fear not. She’s willing to poke so many holes in the ADA’s case, it will look like a doily when she’s done with it. Josslyn comes in, and Carly asks how she is. Josslyn says she’s terrified, and angry, and frustrated. She still doesn’t understand why this is even happening. Diane says, her mother just said the same thing, and her response? Carly tells Josslyn, Diane said not to worry, and Diane says, Scotty did an amazing job with the prep work. Now she’s going to bring it home. Carly says, she knows Josslyn is worried about Trina – so is she – but when she asked Josslyn how she was, she was asking about Josslyn. Josslyn says she answered, and Carly says, she answered and told her about Trina. She knows it’s going to be really awful to relive that experience. Josslyn says, obviously, she doesn’t like it, but they could play that video in open court for all she cares. Anything to exonerate Trina. Carly hugs Josslyn, saying, she’s such a good friend, and Diane says, the best kind. Josslyn says, this is such a waste of time, prosecuting Trina when the real criminal is out there, thinking she got away with it.
Esme says, Spencer does know her every desire, and she’s been aching for him to give it to her, but he says, that’s not what he’s talking about. She says, but it’s been ages. Doesn’t he want to be together again? He says, of course (🍷) he does, and she asks, then what is it? Is he still worried about Trina’s trial? He says, yes, but that’s not what he’s focused on right now, and she says, then talk to her. They used to be a team, remember? She kisses his neck, and he says he remembers everything about their time together, which is why he’s been focused so hard on this surprise for her. It took some doing, but it’s finally ready. She says, don’t keep her in suspense. What is it? He says, he found her birth mother.
Trina arrives at court, flanked by Portia and Taggert. Portia asks if she’s okay, and Trina says, what if she goes in there, and when she comes out, the only place she’s headed is prison?
Sonny spars with Dante at the gym, and Dante says, time out. What’s going on? Sonny asks, what’s the matter? Is Dante tired? Dante says, no, he’s not tired. He’s wondering why Sonny is so intense. Is Sonny trying to kill him?
Nina puts coins on Nathan’s headstone, brushes it off, and sighs. Her phone rings, and she says, Olivia?… What?… Hold on. In an hour? Why didn’t she say something earlier?… No, it’s not a problem. Olivia’s new partner wouldn’t dream of missing her first MetroCourt staff meeting. She’ll be there. She thanks Olivia for giving her ample notice, and says she’ll see Olivia soon. Obrecht walks into the cemetery, and asks if her ears are deceiving her, or has her niece made a career change?
Portia says she knows this is terrifying, but Trina is a strong, kickass young woman. Taggert says, a strong, kickass, innocent young woman, and Portia says, her father is right. She can do this. Trina says, they know she’s innocent, but what if the jury finds her guilty? Portia tells her, don’t say that. She doesn’t want Trina to even think that, but Trina says, it’s a possibility. Portia says, any sane person would take one look at Trina and know she didn’t do what she’s being accused of. Taggert says, not that it even matters. They’re going to find the evidence to clear her name. Curtis is still out there, tracking down a lead that will tie Esme to the phone she planted on Trina. Curtis joins them, and Portia asks, did it work? Did he find evidence to prove Trina didn’t do this? He says, the lead didn’t exactly pan out, and Taggert thanks him for trying, but Curtis says, they’re still working on it. Trina says, her trial is about to start; they’re out of time. Taggert asks if she’s ready to go in, and then adds, sorry, dumb question. She’s got this. He and Trina go into the courtroom, and Curtis tells Portia that he’s sorry. He really thought they were onto something. She says, he did everything he possibly could, and she’s grateful. She thanks him.
Spencer says, surprise, and Esme says, surprise is a massive understatement. She didn’t even know he was looking for her birth mother. How did he find her? He says he wishes he could take all the credit, but it was actually his Uncle Victor. He asked if Victor could use his connections from his WSB days. She says, and he was able to track down the woman who left her in the church as a baby? He says, that’s right, and she says, but she contacted that church, and was told there was no information. So how did Victor…? He says he guesses everyone has a price, and Uncle Victor spared no expense. He said he was eventually led to a nun who remembered her mother’s name. Her mother lives in Portugal now. She laughs, and says she doesn’t know why it seems fitting, but it does. Her smile drops, and he asks, what’s wrong? She asks if Victor was able to find her father too.
Diane asks how Trina is holding up; give her an honest answer. Trina says she’s freaking out, and Diane says, that’s natural. Of course (🍷) she is, but don’t lose hope. No matter what ADA Arden said yesterday, it’s far from an open and shut case. Ava comes in, and says, Diane is right. Trina is going to beat these charges, and put this entire nightmare behind her. They hug, and Ava says she brought this, showing Trina her necklace. Diane asks if it’s Trina’s lucky charm, and Trina says, yeah. Her dad gave it to her on her 18th birthday. Ava puts the necklace on Trina, and Trina thanks her for going back to Windymere to get it. Ava says she’d go to the ends of the earth for Trina, and don’t forget it.
Josslyn asks, how was Carly’s last day at the MetroCourt? Was it brutal? Carly says she doesn’t want to talk about that. She wants to focus on Josslyn right now. Josslyn says she’s ready. They can ask her anything, and her only answer is, Trina didn’t do it because she didn’t. Carly says, and that’s what the jury is going to hear, and Josslyn says she can’t even think about what will happen if they don’t, but Carly says, Trina is going to get through this. How could she not with amazing friends like Josslyn and Cameron by her side. Josslyn says, where is Cam anyway?
Dante says, Sonny must have had quite the morning, and Sonny says he got into it with Nina about Carly. Dante says, that explains it, and Sonny asks if Dante’s mom told him that Carly lost her half of the hotel. Dante says, yeah. He kind of assumed she and Ned were going to buy it back for Carly, and Sonny says, Olivia offered, so did he. Not to buy it personally but to give Carly the asset so she could do it herself. She turned them both down. Dante says he’s sorry to hear that; it sounds like they made a reasonable offer to help. Sonny says, Carly’s not interested in being reasonable. He hates that it’s come to this. Dante says, the divorce? and Sonny says, not just that; it’s the lack of understanding. Obviously, he has feelings for Nina. He just wants to move forward, but Carly thinks he’s siding against her, and her attitude is starting to spread, especially toward Michael. Dante says, Sonny didn’t choose what happened to him. He didn’t chose to lose his memory. He didn’t choose to separate himself from his family. He does get to choose what the aftermath is; what he gets to do next. He chose to hold Nina accountable, but stopped short of hating her. Dante admires that because it’s the only way to heal. Sonny asks how Dante got so wise, and Dante says, he had his own homecoming, remember?
Nina says, Obrecht heard correctly. She’s the new co-owner of the MetroCourt. Obrecht asks, who’s out, Olivia or Carly? and Nina says, Carly. Obrecht says she never thought she’d see the day Carly parted with her precious hotel, but Nina says, she didn’t give it up willingly. They sit on a bench, and Obrecht says, she needs details this instant. Nina says, Carly made a bad business deal and lost her half of the MetroCourt in the fallout, and Obrecht asks where Nina fits in. Nina says, she bought Carly’s half of the stake, with the full intention of gifting it back to her, and Obrecht says, a very generous gesture. She’s sure one that stood to benefit Nina as well. Nina says, it sort of backfired, and might have ended her and Sonny before they even started.
Cameron says he’s so sorry he’s late. He got held up at home. Aiden is a little bit sick right now and his mom is taking care of him. She’s so sorry she can’t be here; she sends her love. Trina says, if he needs to be with his brother… but Cameron says, there’s no other place he’s supposed to be than right here. Josslyn says, they’re with her all the way to the end, and Cameron says, and whatever comes after. They have a three-way hug, and Carly tells Portia, those three have stuck together through some really tough times. Taggert says, a bond that can’t be broken, and Portia says, it has to turn out okay; it has to. Carly says, it will, and Esme Prince will regret the day she ever messed with our kids.
Spencer says he doesn’t know anything about Esme’s father; the only name Uncle Victor discovered was her mother’s. Esme says, it’s just… She can’t believe it, after all of this time. He says, it’s a lot to process, isn’t it? and she says, it’s like she doesn’t know what emotion to feel first. She thinks for a moment, and asks, why did he do this for her?
Brando says, TJ is a good friend, and TJ says, Brando would do this for him. Brando says he’s a recovering addict. How did he not see Sasha was using again? TJ tells him not to blame himself, and Brando asks, was he blind to it, or is she just that good at hiding it? And which of those options is better? TJ says he doesn’t know, and Brando says he really thought he and Sasha were getting their relationship back on track after they lost Liam. He really believed they were on the same page. TJ says he’s sure in a lot of ways they were, but Brando says, she was lying to his face. What does that say about their marriage? Is he supposed to trust her again? TJ says he’s sorry, and Brando says he loves Sasha more than anything. He just wants her to be okay. She’s in denial, and of course (🍷) his instinct is to run in and fix everything for her. TJ says, Brando can’t help Sasha unless she helps herself, and Brando says he doesn’t know where to go from here, but TJ tells him, it’s like he said; he loves Sasha and she loves him. He’s not saying it’s going to be easy, but he believes everything will work out. Brando says he hopes TJ is right.
Nina says, once Carly shot her down, she decided to keep her half of the MetroCourt, and Obrecht asks how Sonny feels about that. Nina says, not great. He says it will make her look like she’s spiteful. He insists they’re together and wants to move forward with their relationship, but the minute Carly is in trouble, he rushes to her rescue. Obrecht takes Nina’s hand, and asks, then why keep the hotel? Surely she’s busy enough with Crimson. Nina says, don’t call her Shirley she is busy, but it’s an amazing business opportunity. The MetroCourt is hugely profitable, and it’s a huge success. Obrecht says, not to mention, owning half lessens the chances of Crimson being evicted from its office space, and Nina says, exactly. She never intended for this to happen, but now that it’s fallen into her lap, is she supposed to just back away from it because Carly’s feelings got hurt? She offered to give it back to Carly, but Carly said no. So if you look at it from that perspective, 50% is Carly’s doing, and 50% is hers. Obrecht says, but the satisfaction is 100% Nina’s.
Dante says he really struggled when he came home; Sonny of all people knows that. Different circumstances obviously, but they both know what it’s like not being able to fit back into their old life. Dante’s was self-inflicted. He volunteered for that op that set everything in motion. Sonny says, Dante wanted to do the right thing, and paid a hell of a price, and Dante says, Sonny understands because he’s going through it. Trying to piece together a new life; trying to figure out what matters to you now, because everything changes based on your experiences. It did for him, and now Sonny has feelings for Nina which he can’t deny because that would be a lie. A lie is a crappy foundation to build a life on. Sonny says, the truth comes with its own problems, and Dante asks if Nina is pissed because Sonny offered to help Carly. Sonny says, that’s part of it, and Dante asks, what’s the other part? Sonny asks if Dante’s mom told him that Nina is her new partner at the MetroCourt, and Dante asks how that happened. Sonny says, Nina bought Carly’s half of the hotel intending to give it back to make amends, and Dante says, and Carly shot her down? Sonny says, yeah. Now Nina owns half of the MetroCourt. She could have sold it to someone else, which would have been really bad, but she’s keeping it. Dante says he understands how that could make Carly feel, and Sonny says he told Nina that people are going to think she’s sticking it to Carly. Nina got all upset, and said, it feels like there are three people in the relationship. Dante says, thereare, and Sonny says he doesn’t want any trouble with Carly. Dante says he’s not talking about Sonny and Carly, but Nina and Carly.
Diane tells Josslyn and Cameron that ADA Arden is going to call them as witnesses to try to get ahead of her defense. Answer truthfully, and she’ll make it work during the cross-examination. The bailiff says, all rise. The honorable Judge Young presiding. Arden tells the jury, they’re here today to obtain justice for two victims of the insidious crimes of revenge porn and illegal surveillance. Opposing counsel will have them believe the defendant is above reproach, a straight A student from a good family. That may be true, but does that give her a pass to act out of jealousy when things don’t go her way? No, it doesn’t. And as they’ll see, the defendant had the means, the motive, and ample opportunity, which she intends to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
Spencer says, he got the idea when he saw Esme’s letters to Maggie, and she says, her private letters, that were never meant for his eyes. He says he told her it was an accident. He wasn’t snooping around, but he’s glad he read them. He thought she’d made peace with not knowing who her birth parents were, but those letters made him realize that he was wrong. Ever since, he’s been looking for a way to find them. She says, even though he accused her of filming Joss and Cam? but he says, it’s because of that. He never should have attacked her the way he did, but he can’t think of a better way to make it up to her. Can she?
Obrecht asks if Nina wants her opinion, and Nina says, uh… Obrecht says, if Nina wants to be at peace with her reasons, don’t concern herself with optics. Zur holle nit(to hell with) to anyone who criticizes her decisions. This is her life. Nina says, but Sonny’s part of her life; at least she wants him to be. This whole hotel stuff doesn’t sit well with him. Obrecht is right; it’s her life, her choices. But what if this choice brings her nothing but misery?
Dante says, Michael is coming in a bit, and asks if Sonny is going to stick around. Sonny says, he’s not going to let his own son run him out of his own gym, and Dante says, good, and Sonny asks what Dante means about Carly and Nina. Dante says, Nina kept the fact that Sonny was alive away from all of them. Carly’s not going to forget that – ever.Neither is Michael. Toss in the fact Nina and Carly had their own stuff going on before this whole mess… Sonny says, and? and Dante says, whatever happens with Sonny and Nina, Carly and Michael are always going to be part of it. That kind of history you can’t untangle; it’s impossible. Michael comes in, and Dante says, good to see him. Michael says, him too, and thanks Dante for making the time. Dante says, always, and Sonny says he’s going to go, but Michael says he’d like Sonny to stay. There’s something he needs to hear. Sonny is going to hear about it eventually. Willow is pregnant, and he’s only telling Sonny this because he wants to make it perfectly clear, Sonny will have no role in this child’s life. He’s not their grandfather. For all intents and purposes, Sonny is a stranger to them. Dante says, don’t do this, and Sonny asks if Michael is just going to erase him from his life. Michael says, pretty much, and Sonny asks if Michael just had a set back in his business. Michael says, Sonny’s girlfriend took advantage of it to screw over his mother, but Sonny says, he offered to help Carly. Michael says, she doesn’t need his help. She’s not Sonny’s concern anymore; neither is he. So they need him to stay the hell out of their lives. Dex comes in, and asks if there’s a problem, and Michael says, is this where they’re at? He pushes back, and Sonny sics his attack dog on him?
Willow visits Jonah’s grave, and says she has big news. She’s having another baby, which is very exciting, but it also makes her think of him. She wishes she could have been a mother to him too; to love and protect him, and watch him grow up. Every single day she wishes he were here. He and Wiley would be thick as thieves, driving them all crazy… in the best possible way of course (🍷). She misses him, but the good news is, he’s always with her and will always be a part of her family. What does he think? Does he think he would have made a great big brother to the new baby? She does. Nina and Obrecht appear, and Nina says, new baby? Is Willow pregnant?
Michael tells Dex to take his best shot, but Sonny says, stand back. Michael says he doesn’t need Sonny’s protection. Come on, let’s do this. Dex says, Michael should respect his father, but Michael says he has a horse more worthy of respect. Dex lunges for Michael, but Sonny and Dante hold him back. Brando flies in, and gets in Dex’s face, saying, Sonny gave him an order. He suggests Dex follow it or deal with him.
Cameron is on the stand, and Arden says she understands he and the defendant are friends. He says, that’s correct, and she asks if their relationship ever turned into more than friendship. He says, briefly. They both went through something traumatic, and things got confusing, but in the end, they decided they were better off as friends. She says, and he’s currently in a relationship with the other victim, Josslyn Jax. Is that correct? He says, yes, and she asks if Josslyn is a friend of the defendant as well. He says, they’re best friends, and she says, so he and the defendant developed feelings for each other, then he ended up dating her best friend. Is that a problem for Miss Robinson? Diane objects, saying, Mr. Webber can’t speak for the defendant, and the judge sustains. Arden asks if anyone else was present the night Cameron and Josslyn were recorded, and he says, yes; Trina was there, along with Spencer Cassadine and Esme Prince. She asks if all of them were in the cabin when he and Josslyn were intimate, and he says, no. She asks who else was there, and he says, just Trina.
Spencer asks if Esme is okay, but she says she’s not sure. He says he thought this was what she wanted, and she says she just assumed she would never find her mother. Everyone told her to just let it go, but somehow he made the impossible possible. He says, nothing is impossible for a Cassadine, and she says, even when he fell out of love with her? Or at least she thought he did. It was like, no matter how hard she tried to reach him, it didn’t matter. He says he’s sorry. He’s been carrying around this secret for so long, he guesses it blended in with everything else. He didn’t mean to shut her out. She says she guesses he didn’t want to get her hopes up. Oh my God. Knowing who she is and where she came from… He’s right. It’s everything she ever wanted, but how does she know it’s real? That this name his Uncle Victor found is really her mother; anyone could say that. He says she’s right. He was worried about the same thing, so he had a DNA test done. He takes out the envelope, and shows her. He says, here is the only proof she needs… if she wants it.
Sonny tells Brando, everything is fine. He and Michael are finished here. Dante calls Michael over to the side, and Michael says, this is definitely not the way he planned on telling Dante he was a father again. Dante says, it’s Sonny’s gym. Michael knew there was a chance he’d be here, but Michael says he didn’t want to wait to share the good news with his brother. Dante says, okay, but maybe a part of Michael couldn’t wait to share the good news with his father. Brando says he takes it things haven’t gotten better between Sonny and Michael, and Sonny shakes his head. Brando asks if Sonny wants to talk about it, but Sonny says he’s done talking. It’s time for action.
Willow says, not that it’s any of Nina’s business, but yes, she and Michael are having a baby. Obrecht asks if that’s why Willow fainted at the MetroCourt, and Willow says, yes. She heard Obrecht helped, and thanks her. Nina says, congratulations. She and Michael must be thrilled. Willow says, they are, and Nina asks how Wiley reacted. Willow says she’s not talking to Nina about her son, and Nina says, her grandson. Willow asks if they’re really going to do this every time, when her phone rings. She steps away, and says, hey… Now?… Okay, she’s leaving now. She’ll be right there. She tells Nina and Obrecht, she has to go, and jets. Nina says, Willow is pregnant, and Obrecht says, that appears to be the case. Nina says, fantastic; another win for Carly. She may be down, but that woman will never be out.
Diane asks how long her client and Cameron dated, but he says, they never dated. She asks if they ever acted on any feelings the may have had for each other, and he says, they kissed twice, months apart, two years ago. They both decided they were better off as friends. She asks when he started dating Josslyn, and he says, last July. She says, so a long time after he and her client… She would have said, ended things, but they never really began, and he says, correct. She asks what his relationship is with Trina now, and he says, she’s one of his closest friends. He believes her, and believes in her. Diane has no further questions, and Cameron steps down. Josslyn is called to the stand, and Curtis tells Portia, this is going well. Diane’s got this. Arden asks Josslyn to describe events leading up to her and Cameron being recorded without their consent, and Josslyn flashes back to telling Cameron that she wants her first time to be with him, and him saying he feels the same way. She says, then tonight’s the night. On the stand, she says, they went skiing during the day, came back to the cabin at night, and played games, and Arden asks, what kind of games? Josslyn flashes back to playing Never Have I Ever, and says, a drinking game. Arden asks if the defendant drank, and Josslyn says, something very strange was going on, but Arden says, yes or no. Josslyn says, yes, and Arden says, while under the influence, did the defendant comment on Josslyn’s relationship with Cameron? Josslyn says, if this is going to make any sense, she needs to explain the rules, but Arden says, a yes or no will suffice. Josslyn says, one player says, never have I ever done something, and if you’ve done that thing, you have to drink, and all of the questions were designed to make Trina drink. Arden tells Josslyn to confine her answers to the questions, but Josslyn says, she’s not asking the right questions. Trina was set up by the person who actually did record them, and she’ll tell them exactly who that person is. Arden says she’d like permission to treat Josslyn as a hostile witness, and Judge Young says, granted, because nobody really cares about justice.
Esme snatches the envelope from Spencer, and looks at the paperwork. She tells him, it says it’s a match. He found her birth mother; this is really happening. She throws her arms around him, and asks if he met her. What’s she like? He says, not yet, and she looks again. She says, there’s no name here, and he says, she won’t find any names in the file; it was kept confidential. She says, because he wanted to tell her himself? She can’t believe he did this for her, but he says, no. She’s the last person he did this for.
Arden asks if, on the night in question, Trina was upset because Josslyn and Cameron were dating, and Josslyn hesitates. Judge Young says, the witness will answer or be held in contempt, and Josslyn says, they were playing a drinking game. They were supposed to be having a good time. She doesn’t remember every word Trina spoke. The judge says he’s directing her to answer the questions to the best of her ability, and reminds Arden that the witness isn’t on trial, and is in fact the victim. Get where she’s going, get there cleanly, or excuse the witness. Arden says, at some point in the course of the drinking game, did the defendant become upset? and Josslyn says, yes. Arden asks if Trina’s upset was the result of Josslyn and Cameron dating; that they were together, and she felt left out? Josslyn says, yes, but Trina wasn’t herself, and Arden asks, what happened next? Josslyn says, Trina went to her room, and Arden says, and the other guests, Mr. Cassadine and Miss Prince? Josslyn says she called Miss Prince out for the lying snake she is, Esme got upset, ordered a car, and took Mr. Cassadine with her. Arden says, so Josslyn, Cameron, and the defendant… Josslyn says, she has a name, and Judge Young says, careful. Arden says, so Josslyn, Mr. Webber, and Miss Robinson were the only people remaining inside the cabin, and Josslyn says, yes. Arden asks if Josslyn saw Trina after she went to her room, and Josslyn says she checked on Trina, and spoke to her through the closed door. Arden says, but to be clear, Josslyn didn’t see her? and Josslyn says, no. Arden asks, what about before Josslyn and Cameron got intimate? and Josslyn says, Trina felt sick, and went to sleep. Arden asks how she knows, and Josslyn says, because Trina told her and she believes Trina. Arden says, so she only has Trina’s word, and Josslyn says she trusts Trina with her life. Arden asks if that’s a yes, and Josslyn says, yes, but she would have seen Trina if she’d left her room. Arden says, so they were inside the cabin the entire time? but Josslyn says, no. They stepped out for a breath of fresh air, but… Arden asks if she can attest to the defendant’s whereabouts; not where Josslyn thinks she was, or assumes she was, but her actual whereabouts from the time Trina entered her room until the time she and Cameron entered theirs.
Esme tells Spencer that she doesn’t… Who else would want to know who her mother is? He says, just her, and she says, but he just said he didn’t do this for her, and he says, the reason he kept it confidential is so she’d have to go through him to get answers. He’s the only one who has this information. She says, aside from his uncle, but he says, Uncle Victor will follow his lead. Trust him. She says, what is this? and he says he gave her what she wanted. Now the only way she’s going to learn the identity of her birth mother is to give him what he wants. She says, which is? and he says, Trina’s freedom.
Brando says, it goes without saying, whatever Sonny needs, he’s here, and Sonny says, what Brando can do for him is stop worrying, and take care of himself and his family. Brando says, Sonny is his family, and Sonny says he gets it. Sonny loves Brando like a brother, but Brando has a lot on his plate. Let him deal with what he has to deal with. He pats Brando’s shoulder, and starts to walk out. At the door, Dex says he’s got some ice for Sonny’s hands; it should cut down the inflammation. Sonny says, good thinking, and Dex says he learned a thing or two when he was substitute manager here. Sonny gives him a thumbs up and leaves.
Dante tells Michael, it’s got to hurt underneath, or it wouldn’t have gotten as bad as it has. Is he sure he wants to cut that tie with the baby coming? Michael says, Dante is his brother and he loves Dante. And he respects that Dante wants to have a relationship with Sonny, but he needs Dante to respect that he doesn’t. Dante says he just doesn’t like seeing that it’s come to this, and Michael says, Sonny threw away his marriage to Michael’s mom with both hands, and he testified for Nina at the visitation hearing. He put Nina’s feelings above Wiley’s welfare. That’s not a grandfather he wants for his kid. It’s not a person he wants in their lives. Dante says, Sonny doesn’t see it that way, and Michael says, that’s why there’s no point in talking about it. And on the subject of a new baby, is there anything Dante would like to say to his little brother? Dante says, dad, be ready to get no sleep. Congratulations. Michael says, and there it is, and Dante says he’s really happy for him and Willow. Michael thanks him, and Dante says he gets to be an uncle again. Michael asks if he’s ready, and Dante says he can’t wait. They hug and exchange I love yous.
Willow sees TJ at the hospital, and asks, what’s going on? He suggests they go to an exam room to talk, and she says, she just assumed it was about work; this is medical? She didn’t even know he was on an OB rotation. He says, this isn’t an OB visit, and she says, then what? He says, after she fainted, he ran a series of tests. She says she remembers. That’s how they figured out she was pregnant. He says, yes, but they need to discuss the rest of her results.
Tomorrow (maybe), Josslyn says, one person did this and she knows who that person is; Esme tells Spencer, there’s no way to get around something; Cody says, there isn’t any danger, there isn’t any fun; and TJ tells Willow that he doesn’t think it’s related to her pregnancy.
Below Deck Mediterranean
I’m going to tell you right now, there’s a good chance I will be mixing up Natasha and Natalya this entire season. They look like twins. It’s unbelievable.
When we last left, the stabilizers were down, causing the boat to rock dangerously. Everything is flying, and Captain Sandy confers with Chief Officer Ray, who comes to the expert conclusion that something’s going on. He tells everyone, hang on, and they try, but it’s impossible to keep a grip on everything. The guests are freaking out, and in the captain’s interview, she says, the stabilizers are fins that stop the boat from moving side to side. Losing them is dangerous. A crew member could get hurt or a guest could fall. Anything can happen. Tasha says, oh my f***ing word, and Ray explains to Captain Sandy that the stabilizers run off the air conditioning. If one thing goes down, everything goes down. The captain says, they’re in a real pickle. They need a cold front. Interior tries to clean up, while Raygan takes a smoke break. Guest Leslie says, it’s crazy bonkers, and Captain Sandy explains they had a glitch. The boat is a hybrid, and when one cooling system starts to heat up, everything shuts down. She’s thankful no one was hurt, and apologizes. One of the guests says, this is a joke; they’re all pretty cranky. The captain tells Raygan to get the toys in the water. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she was on one boat that actually tipped. We see the newspaper article, and yeah, that’s tipped. It’s on its side. She says she thought she was going to die. She was calling the crew, and no one was answering. There were electric smells, and fuel everywhere. They finally started letting them off, three people at a time. It’s times like that, you put on a brave face and carry on; you have no other choice. Kyle cuts himself on broken glass, and Storm comes back from being out on the tender. He says he heard they had a bit of a tumble, and Captain Sandy asks if everyone is okay. In Dave’s interview, he says, he’s never experienced that before. A pot of water went into the fryer, and he tried to catch it. There’s food everywhere; it’s a nightmare. He’s going to have to work as quick as he can. Primary Chris says he’s living sex fantasies with a Walmart reality, which I don’t quite get. Jason introduces Tasha to the Americanism of using the word noodle for one’s head. In her interview, she says, she’s single, and can flirt, but it’s not too much different from when she’s not single. She’s just being herself. She’s a warm, bubbly person. We flash back to her asking if Dave wants to screw, and Dave sighs.
Kyle makes infused cucumber vodka, and in Natalya’s interview, she says she’s never been passionate about a career path. She doesn’t understand though, how people aren’t passionate about cleaning; it’s relaxing. Raygan oversees Storm hooking up a Nautiboy, and it’s starts floating away with him on it. He tries throwing her a line to pull him back, but keeps missing, and in his interview, he says, it’s so embarrassing. Jason comes to the rescue, and we see the guests have been waiting an hour and 25 minutes to get in the water. The guests cheer for Storm, and are finally able to dive in. Tasha tells Dave that he’s the quietest roomie, and Dave asks if she wants to share with Jason. She says she loves her roomie, and we flash back to them hooking up. Natalya does laundry, and Captain Sandy tells Raygan that she’s got to organize. When they get the slide and the pool, they’ll need a place to put them. She tells Jason to get the toys blown up fast. Tasha tells Natalya that they need to decorate for the Japanese party, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, her management style is trusting. She checks things, but she has a great team, and trusts them 110%. Raygan asks Mzi how it’s going, and he says he thinks they need to organize, and it would be better. Raygan agrees, saying, Mzi and Jason should be resting now. In Mzi’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what Raygan’s management style is. He’s put Malia on a pedestal. We flash back to his season with Malia, and he says, there’s no style or structure, but he doesn’t want to step on any toes. She’s the bosun. Kyle asks Dave, in what style are they serving dinner, and Dave says he’s doing sushi. Raygan sits down to do a schedule, and in her interview, she says, before she makes a schedule, she needs to know who’s capable of doing what. Figure out who has what weaknesses, so she can plan it out. I’m not sure how she’s observing this when she’s on smoke breaks most of the time, but okay. Kyle finds out the guests are going to Greece next, and says, he’s still searching for love. He asks how long Billy and Chris have been together, and they say they met seven years ago. Kyle says he had a 12 year relationship, but they left him for a woman. Guest Twanna says they need to unpack this, and Kyle says he just came out last year. They applaud, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s the first time he’s worked for guests in the LGBTQIA+ community; people like himself. And it’s a chance to celebrate their anniversary, finding true love as it was meant to be. He tells them that he’s jealous, but happy.
Ray discusses engine stuff with Captain Sandy in the crew mess, while the guests enjoy the sunset. Raygan shows the captain her schedule, and the captain pronounces it, awesome, probably just glad to get anything. Interior starts decorating, and Raygan goes over the schedule with Jason. In Jason’s interview, he says, it looks like a math problem with no solution. He’s done a lot of equations, formulas, and spreadsheets, but he can’t solve this puzzle Raygan’s constructed. He’ll just see what happens. Hmm… maybe see what happens is her style.
Some of the guests jump off the boat, and Tasha asks to borrow a deckhand to help with the decorations. Mzi puts together and hangs lanterns, and Tasha tells him, it’s a super romantic Japanese night. Raygan gives Jason some instructions, and in his interview, Jason says, he’s missing some aspects of skipping his own boat. He’s a strong type A personality, and wants someone to manage, but his position is low man on the totem pole, so he can’t. In Dave’s interview, he says his plan is for today to make up for yesterday, and we flash back to Billy expecting him to be a mind reader. Dave says, he’s suppressing his anxiety, and constantly battling himself. He grew up in a rough neighborhood, and he was the guy who was bullied. It gave him the drive and courage to keep fighting. Tasha flirts with Dave, and Kyle rolls his eyes. Mzi sets up the lighting for dinner, as Natalya sets the table. Captain Sandy takes a look, and says, the decorations are absolutely beautiful. The guests get dressed up, and Happy Anniversary is sung as they walk out on deck. Billy says, it looks amazing, and I die over the sushi platters. In his interview, Dave says, it’s a lot of pressure. He’s hard on himself, and has his fingers crossed that they like it. The guests say it’s delicious, incredible, and gorgeous. Dave gives Mzi some steak tartare, and says, if they ask for it to be cooked more, just say no.
In Raygan’s interview, she says she’s disappointed. It’s not the way it should be. It hasn’t been everything that everyone, including the captain, knows she’s capable of. Obviously, she knows what she’s doing, but she’s only one person; she can’t be everywhere. Translation: she can’t smoke while she’s working, so she just avoids working. Billy and Chris go through a list of gay movies that Kyle needs to watch. They find out he’s never seen Mommie Dearest, and Billy says he’d take Kyle’s gay card if he had one. They need to usher him into the community. The cake is amazing – red with the prettiest little decorations cascading down one side. The guests stand and applaud, and Dave nearly drops the cake.
Dave recovers nicely, and the cake is saved. More applause. Natalya (I think) says, the guests are so much fun, they need to step it up. She’s got feathers, eye masks, and edible underwear. She loves being around good vibes. After dinner, the guests are having a PJ party, and Billy and Chris are met with an eye masked Kyle, being stroked by Natalya with a feather. Kyle says, their every seduction will be tantalized, and luckily, they find this humorous, since it could have gone horribly wrong. Meanwhile, Captain Sandy tells Storm that the marina is tricky. She asks how he is with calling distance. In her interview, the captain says, it’s a narrow space with the dolphins close together. It’s basically a wind tunnel, plus there’s a current. She likes how Storm took charge, and wants to see how he does calling distance from the stern. There’s no room for error. Everyone goes to bed, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, her house is a party house. She loves keeping people up all night, and even though she’s not drinking, she’s having fun. She wants a boyfriend who has his own room and gives her space. She brings a lot to the table, so if someone can’t meet her halfway, she’s happy being alone. In Storm’s interview, he says, someone like Natalya is his kryptonite. Tasha tells Dave that he’s a champ.
Final day of charter. Captain Sandy tells the deckhands this docking is going to be difficult, and in her interview, she says she’s concerned about the wind and the current direction. Last year, they had tenders that could pull the dolphins apart so she could get in, but they don’t have that this year. She doesn’t hit things. Dave torches the eggs benedict, and I say, I’ll take three, please! In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s the first docking with this crew in a new marina. It’s critical everyone do their job. She needs to get this in without hitting anything.
There’s a crane shot, and wow, it is narrow. Billy says they need a valet, and it comes close, but the boat is docked. Captain Sandy says, well done, and Storm says, thank God. The guests pack, and the captain radios the crew to get in their whites and meet on the dock. There are thank yous and hugs, and Billy says he’s never had better food. He thanks them, and says, the interior was incredible. They travel around the world, and it’s the best service they’ve had. The deck, however, didn’t seem connected, and it took a lot of time to get the toys out. Regardless, he thanks them again, and says, bon voyage. Captain Sandy tells the crew to get into their reds, and meet in the main salon for the tip meeting. Champagne is poured, and the captain congratulates the crew. She says, they were down two deckhands, and the boat malfunctioned, but they pulled it off. The interior was incredible, and carried them; and Dave is an awesome chef. She’s grateful to have him. The crew applauds, and the captain says, the deck has training to do; the client made it known. She knows they were down two, and that’s not fair, but she feels they should have pulled it up another notch. Next charter, they need to be organized. The tip is a whopping $27K, or $2454 each. The captain says, that’s all they’re drinking; work.
Mzi tells Storm that he smells like updog, and Storm says, what’s updog? Mzi just laughs. Think about it. Tasha tells Dave, well done, and Natalya asks if Kyle is going glam. He says he is, and she says she wanted to make sure they were on the same page. In Raygan’s interview, she says she gets her crazy side from her mom. They sometimes club together. She’s interested to see what mischief will be going on. Most of the guys get in one taxi, but Kyle goes with the women in the other. Dave lets fly that he dated Tasha for a short time, but says they never hooked up. Like anyone would believe that. They go to a restaurant, and order tequila shots. Why does it always have to be tequila? Doesn’t everyone think it tastes foul? Storm tells Natalya that he has a thing for Australians, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm has a rugged, pirate, homeless, hot look to him. They toast to the crew, and Natalya says, everyone has a different vibe. The food comes, and Raygan goes to the restroom with Tasha. Dave tells the others that he wants to be a couple with Tasha, but they’re not a couple. In Dave’s interview, a producer says, Dave claimed he and Natasha were just friends, and now he’s telling people that he wants to be with her. Is more going on that he’s not telling? Dave says, it’s good, bro, and the producer asks what that means. Is something going on between them? Dave is very visibly uncomfortable, and says, on the last boat, they had a connection. When they got together, she asked him to keep it a secret because she was still with her boyfriend. They were basically broken up, and not getting on. Now he’s struggling to keep it a secret. It’s difficult. Tasha and Raygan come back to the table, and Natalya says, she’s going to do this, although it might take days or weeks. She tells Tasha that Dave has genuine feelings for her. They’d assumed it happened, but he said he wanted it to happen. In Tasha’s interview, she says, what is he doing? She made it clear she doesn’t want anyone to know. It’s only a matter of time before he tells everybody that they hooked up.
To be continued…
🤨 I’m starting to think to be continued is somebody’s lazy way of not editing a preview.
🛥 About That Kyle…
And the movie that I think he should see is Trick. Despite the title, it’s very sweet, and Christian Campbell and Tory Spelling are wonderful in it. Anyway, moving on…
Stop by tomorrow for what a hope is soap and a cup of tea or two. Until then, stay safe, stay being a visionary, and stay remembering, a lie is a crappy foundation to build a life on, but the truth comes with its own problems.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
There’s a knock at Carly’s office door, and she says, almost done. Drew says, then he’s right on time.
Olivia thanks her assistant Ashley for bringing something to her attention, and calls over to Nina. She wonders if she can have a word, and asks why Nina is pumping her staff for information. Nina says, she’s not pumping them for anything. She was just familiarizing herself with the operations around here. Olivia says, Nina has had her fun lording her half ownership of the hotel over Carly, but it’s got to stop. She and Ned are prepared to write Nina a check for every penny she paid, plus 3%. Nina says she’s not interested, and Olivia says, 5%, not a penny more. Nina says, Olivia doesn’t get it. Her half of the MetroCourt isn’t for sale. Sonny comes by and says, why not?
Curtis tells Marshall, Windymere is private property. If they take the launch the guards will tip off Esme that they’re coming. What they need is someone who lives there to help them out. Ava comes out onto the pier and says, hiya, gents. Going my way? Curtis says, they’re good, but maybe she can help Trina, and she says, done. Marshall says, she doesn’t even know what they’re asking, but she says, it doesn’t matter. If whatever it is, is for Trina, she’s in.
Josslyn says, Trina has to use this. This could be a real game changer. Portia walks in, and says, what’s a real game changer? and Josslyn says, new evidence that could help Trina’s case. Portia asks, what is it? Tell her; what’s the new evidence?
Oz (which we find out later is the bartender’s name) barges into Windymere, and Esme says, get out before she calls security. He says he remembers that high and mighty attitude, but he’d check himself before he called security. Because security may lead to the police, and something tells him, the PCPD will be more interested in what he has to say about her, than what she has to say about him.
At the hospital, Nikolas says he can have a plane fueled and ready by this afternoon, and Laura says she appreciates it. She can’t believe it. How much can one family take? (She’s asking that now?) Spencer comes along, and asks, what’s wrong? Laura says she just got a call from her mother in Italy, and Spencer asks if something happened to Great-grandmother Lesley. Nikolas says, the house she and Marcello lived in on Lake Como burned down. Fortunately, no one was there at the time, so one got hurt. Laura says, thank God, and Spencer says, still, that’s terrible. Is there anything he can do? Laura says, there is something he can do; actually, both of them. Spencer says, name it, and she says, put her mind at ease. They’ve both been through an awful lot in the past year. Promise her they’ll be okay with each other if she goes away.
Ava says, so Esme bought a black market phone from a bartender, and used it to record Josslyn and Cameron, and Marshall says, and incriminate Trina. Curtis says, they’ve tracked the bartender, Oz Haggarty, to Windymere. They may be conspiring to cover their tracks as they speak. She says, at Windymere… She’d love to stay and chat, but she has a witch to throw under a house
Esme says she has nothing to hide, from the police or anyone, and Oz says, impressive. She managed that with a straight face. They both know the phone he sold her is the same one she used to shoot her revenge porn. She says, he can’t prove that, but he says he doesn’t have to. That girl’s defense attorney will do it. Or at lease use the info. She asks what he wants, and he snaps his fingers, saying, what else? Cash. You. Owe. Me.
Trina tells Portia, it’s what she was saying before, that Marshall and Curtis are looking for the bartender who sold Esme the phone. Portia says she thought Trina had some new information, and Trina says, don’t worry. She has faith it will all work out. Stella comes in, and says, so does she. Faith is what we need when all of our efforts are challenged and exhausted. What else do we have?
Carly says, that’s a look, and Drew says he was going for friendly neighborhood mover. She says she can see it, although she’s out of a job, so she doesn’t know if she can afford him. He says he’s pretty affordable. In fact, he’ll move all these boxes for the cost of lunch. She says, that is affordable, although she hired actual movers; they’re going to be here any minute. He says, what? Outbid by the pros; that’s just wrong. He guesses that means lunch is off, but she says, not necessarily. But they can’t go to the restaurant because she doesn’t have a tab there anymore. What does he say to the hot dog vendor at Rice Plaza? He says, this is not a done deal, but she says, the MetroCourt has a new owner. You can’t get more done than that. He tells her, he’s just saying, Nina’s offer is still on the table. She says he knows she turned Nina down, and he knows why.
Sonny asks why Nina wouldn’t sell the hotel to Ned and Olivia. It sounds like the best solution for everyone. Olivia says, and whoever buys the hotel is going to be her new partner. She thinks she deserves some say in the matter. Nina says she thinks Olivia misunderstands her. She has no intention of selling her half of the MetroCourt to anyone. She’s Olivia’s new partner. Olivia says, not on your life, lady, and Nina says, there’s no reason this has to be hostile. She realized she needs to learn a lot about the hospitality business. She’d be really grateful if Olivia would show her the ropes. Olivia says, this is why Nina has been slithering around her hotel, questioning her staff? and Nina says, ourhotel. Olivia asks if Sonny is hearing this, and he says, every word. Olivia asks what he’s going to do about it, and Nina says, nothing. Sonny isn’t going to do anything about it, because her business dealings are her affair. Olivia says, emphasis on affair, and Nina says, running this hotel is between Olivia and her, but Olivia says, wrong. It’s between her, Nina, and their lawyers. And it’s going to be a cold day in hell before Nina fills Carly’s shoes; professionally and personally. She shoots Sonny a look, and tells Ashley that she’ll be in her office. Nina looks at Sonny, but he says, don’t look at him. She brought this on herself.
Drew says he wouldn’t expect Carly to let Nina gift her with the hotel, and she says she’s glad he’s listening. Drew says, but she can accept it from him, and she says, she got herself into this mess, and has to get herself out… or not, but either way, she doesn’t want to owe anyone. He says he knew she was going to be stubborn about this, but he had to give it a shot, and she thanks him. She says, and if there is a silver lining in all this, she knows she’s not in this alone, and he says, not by a long shot. So if she won’t let him buy her half the hotel, will she let him carry a box? She says, that she will, and puts one in his hands.
Stella says, she’ll be watching to see if any of those jurors looks at Trina sideways, but Portia says, no, she won’t. She won’t be stepping anywhere near that courtroom.
Outside, Trina asks Josslyn to promise her not to say anything about Spencer being in the cemetery. Not to anyone. Not yet. Josslyn says, sorry. She can’t.
Nikolas says he emailed his attorney in Como, and he’ll put Laura in touch with a good real estate agent. Laura can help Marcello and Lesley figure out where they want to move; if they want an apartment, or want to be out in the country. For whathis vote is worth (🍷 it still counts), it might not be a bad idea for them to be in town. Laura says, he’s absolutely right, and she’ll pass that along. What was it he was going to tell her earlier, something about Doc and Esme? He says, it can wait, when Doc joins them, and says, it’s handled; the Deputy Mayor will take a meeting. Laura thanks him, and asks if she can have a word with him. He says, of course (🍷), and she pulls him down the hall. Spencer says, Doc and Esme, what’s that about? and Nikolas says, Esme’s application to the psyche program at PCU. He takes it she didn’t tell Spencer. Spencer says, there’s a lot Esme doesn’t tell him, but that changes today.
Esme brings Oz into the living room, and he says he’s always wondered about this place. She closes the door, and says, people can’t connect them, but he says, too late; they already have. Did she really think he wouldn’t have an insurance policy? Ava comes into the foyer, and Esme says she doesn’t have any money on her, but she can get it to him. He says, don’t try to play him. Meet him tonight; he’ll text the location. He starts to leave, and she says, wait. Who followed him to the motel, and what did they look like? In the worst timing ever, Ava’s phone rings in the foyer. She says, hi to Avery… Yes, tonight… She’s looking forward to it too… Yes, cupcakes, any flavor she likes… Ava loves her. Ava hangs up, and walks into the living room. I’m loving Ava’s new haircut. She needs a better picture in the opening credits though.
Trina tells Josslyn, if the authorities find out Spencer left Spring Ridge, that could mean real prison; Pentenville. Admitting she was with Spencer at the cemetery the day the video dropped probably won’t even help her, but it will definitely hurt him. Josslyn says, but while Trina is tying herself in knots, deciding whether to save herself by outing Spencer as her alibi, consider this. Spencer already knows that he’s her alibi. He has decided to stay silent, so where is his compassion for her?
Laura tells Doc that she’s having major second thoughts about leaving. Now is not the best time to be leaving Port Charles. Doc says, but the recall was defeated; it’s over. She says, but is it really? There are still a large group of people out there who aren’t happy with her job performance. He says, yes, but fortunately Cyrus lost his voting privileges, and she says, but the detractors who remain still have theirs. Even though she’ll be working remotely, they could easily spin her absence as a dereliction of duty. Trina’s trial starts today, Elizabeth’s state of mind, not to mention Victor. He asks if she’s trying to talk herself out of leaving, and she says, no. She knows her mother needs her. He says, exactly. That’s why a pillar of strength like herself can carry the weight of the world on her own. So they just have to be practical. The first thing they do is go home and pack. Then they reschedule all their appointments for next week. Then he’ll call the bank and convert some currency, and she can call Lesley and make sure they don’t need them to bring anything. She says, he has everything under control, and he says, that’s what he does. She says, he’s amazing, and hugs him. She says, it amazes her how he can keep everyone’s needs in his mind. She’s so lucky to have his love and support. Which is why she hopes he understands… He says, that she needs him to stay here.
Stella says, of course (🍷) she’s attending Trina’s trial, but Portia says, think about it. The courtroom, the trial; it’s a very high pressure situation, and it’s not good for someone with Stella’s medical history. Stella says, Portia knows she loves Trina. She’s such an amazing young woman, and she feels like Trina is family now. Portia says, they love her too, and they love her support and appreciate it. That’s why they’d never forgive themselves if anything ever happened to her. Stella says, meaning she’s supposed to sit back and do nothing? and Portia says, she can pray, but she doesn’t want Stella to worry. Because Curtis, Taggert, and Marshall? They’re on it.
Marshall says, the trial is nerve-wracking, and Curtis says, that it is. They really need these leads to pay off. Marshall says he can see that, and Curtis says, he just doesn’t feel like he’s doing enough. Even if the bartender ID’s Esme buying the phone, that’s no guarantee it will secure Trina’s freedom. Marshall says, there are no guarantees in life. He should know that better than anyone.
Ava sees Esme, by herself, painting her toenails on the white couch. Esme says, something the matter? and Ava asks if Esme is alone; she thought she heard voices. Esme says she was listening to a podcast, and Ava asks if no one has told Esme that she shouldn’t paint her nails on the furniture. Esme says, nope, and Ava says, it doesn’t surprise her. Someone callous enough to destroy lives certainly doesn’t care about safeguarding fabric. Esme says, how wrong Ava is. She does appreciate what’s Ava’s. In fact, she’s so careful when she uses Ava’s things, Ava would never know. Ava asks, what the hell is that supposed to mean?
Drew asks, what are those? and Carly says, they’re pictures. She has a box of personal things she doesn’t trust with the movers. It’s mostly pictures of her kids over the years at the MetroCourt. She flips through them, and says, at the Nurses Ball and stuff. There’s Josslyn and Cam. Drew says, they’re all so young, and Carly says, there’s Morgan. His face… She tells Drew that she’s okay. There’s just a lot of memories here. Drew asks if she remembers when she hired him. New Year’s Eve, many years ago? She says she forgot about that, and laughs. He says, bartender. He made a mean martini; he still does. She says, he makes a terrible martini, and he asks what she means; he’s so talented. She says, their lives have changed so much since then. Drew says, lots of ups and downs, but they’re still here. That doesn’t mean change isn’t hard. She says she’s still working on that letting go thing, especially here. She was good at this. No matter what was going on in her life, the MetroCourt was her constant. He hugs her.
Nina asks if that’s Sonny’s way of telling her that she deserved the way Olivia spoke to her, and he says, she has to be realistic. She had to know there would be strong reactions to her keeping Carly’s half of the MetroCourt. She says, her half, and yes, she knew there was going to be resistance. He says, then why go through the hassle? Why not just give it to Olivia, and walk away? She says, power is the great equalizer, isn’t it? And she intends to keep hers. Not just for herself, but for Wiley. One day, all of this is going to be his. He asks if that’s all, and she says, isn’t that enough? He says, it’s just all this talk about power and Wiley’s inheritance. Is this just a business decision for her, or is this a way to… stick it to Carly. She asks if he thinks all she wants is revenge against his ex-wife. He really believes she’s that petty? He says, after everything she and Carly have been through, she’s going to tell him that she doesn’t want just little bit of revenge? She says, that’s not what this is about, and he says, let’s drop it then, but she says, he just accused her of being spiteful. He says, he didn’t accuse her of anything, and she says, let her remind him of something. She bought half of the hotel to give it back to Carly. So instead of standing here, scolding her, he should be lecturing his ex-wife for turning it down.
Carly looks at a photo, when Olivia comes in, carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She says, she knows Carly said she didn’t want them to make a fuss, but the staff insisted. They all wanted her to know how much she’ll be missed. Carly says, if Olivia makes her cry… and Olivia says, don’t cry; she can take them back. Carly says, don’t you dare take them back; they’re so beautiful. Thank the staff for her. Olivia says, it’s not too late for a proper send-off, but Carly says, no fanfare. The last box is almost packed, and Drew is bringing the car around. This office is no longer hers. Olivia says, it will never be Nina’s. She doesn’t know if Carly knows, but Nina has decided to remain co-owner of the MetroCourt. Carly says, of course (🍷) she has, and Olivia says, Nina may have half the hotel, but Nina will never have her loyalty. It belongs to Carly, first, last, and always. Carly says, even after she ruined their partnership? but Olivia tells her, she’d say that honor goes to her ever-lovin’ husband. If Carly thinks Olivia doesn’t appreciate everything they’ve been through here… Carly trusted Olivia as her operations manager, and backed Olivia as her partner, and loved Olivia as her friend. Carly says she’s always going to love Olivia as her friend; that’s never going to change. And Olivia is making her cry when she told Olivia not to. They hug.
Curtis says, an arrest at a demonstration shouldn’t have resulted in Marshall being held against will at an institution. Don’t worry. He’s not going to push Marshall to talk about it. Marshall fans himself with his hat, and says, in the old neighborhood, there was this guy, Bud the barber. He gave haircuts to anyone who couldn’t afford one; kids from poor families, guys with job interviews, the homeless. Curtis says, sounds like a good guy, and Marshall says, he was. He was respected. Then suddenly people started describing Bud as touched. Every now and again you’d see him wandering around, babbling to himself about some secret mission, or aliens. When the bad days started to outnumber the good, nobody wanted to get a haircut from Bud, even for free. Curtis asks, whatever happened to ol’ Bud? and Marshall says, he’ll tell Curtis what didn’t happen. Bud never got the help he needed. Being institutionalized… Maybe it wasn’t ideal. Maybe it wasn’t even fair, but he got a diagnosis out of it. Some of us wasn’t even that lucky.
Portia says, hopefully they can get the bartender to admit to selling Esme the phone, and Stella tell her to keep telling herself the truth is on Trina’s side. Portia says, but they both know, sometimes the truth isn’t enough.
Trina says she wants Josslyn to help her, but this is her trial, her future. Can Josslyn promise to let her make the decision when and if she tells Diane about Spencer? Please? Josslyn says she’ll stay silent about Spencer for now, but if it looks like Trina is going to be convicted, she’ll stand up in her seat, and tell everybody in that courtroom exactly where Trina was when that email hit those inboxes at PCU. Even if it means Trina never speaks to her again.
Esme tells Ava, she’s sorry. That came out all wrong. Of course (🍷) she respects what’s Ava’s. Ava says, Esme respects nothing. Now let’s get to it, shall we? Esme shrugs, and says, something on Ava’s mind? Ava says, yeah, Trina, and Esme says, it is incredible how many heads that girl lives in rent free. Ava says she’s glad Esme mentioned free rent. How would Esme like to go the rest of her life never worrying about a roof over her head? Esme says, in exchange for? and Ava says, her admission that she filmed the video and framed Trina. Esme says, but she didn’t, and Ava says, okay, but if Esme agreed she did, she wouldn’t have to spend a single day behind bars. She just has to sign a confession, and get herself a ticket anywhere; anywhere but here. Esme asks, what’s the catch? There’s no way Ava would be content with letting her evade justice – if she said she did it. Ava says, she’d be willing to forego justice in this instance. She cares about the greater good, and make no mistake, Trina is greater than Esme, in every way. So what’s the magic number that will make Esme do the right thing?
Laura tells Doc that she’s still worried that Nikolas and Spencer are vulnerable to Victor’s influence. Elizabeth needs him, and he’s one of the few people who can actually keep Esme in check. He tells her, say no more. If it gives her peace of mind, he’ll stay put. She says she adores him, and he says he adores her back. She says, it’s a good deal, and they hug. Nikolas says, they’re heading back to Windymere. He’ll send Laura the flight details when she’s ready. She hugs him, thanking him for coming through for her, and hugs Spencer, saying, remember his promise. He says he hasn’t forgotten. Safe travels. Spencer and Nikolas leave, and Laura asks why she has the feeling she shouldn’t go. Doc says, she’s getting on that plane, and they’ll all be here when she comes back.
Trina asks if Josslyn really thinks she’d stop talking to her bestie, just because she’s trying to save Trina’s life. Josslyn says, she’d better not, because Trina’s her bestie too, and they hug.
Stella tells Portia that she’s not naïve. She’s lived long enough in this world to know how elusive justice can be for people who look like Trina. It’s two steps forward, and one step back, but she still chooses to have hope, because not to, is to fall into despair, and she doesn’t want to live there. There’s still a fight, but she has seen some forward motion, and she has to believe that today, in 2022, that arc will bend the right way toward their girl. Portia says she prays Stella is right. Stella doesn’t know how hard she prays. Not only for her daughter to be vindicated, but to take away this anger… No, this hatred she has for that girl who did this to her baby. She doesn’t want to walk around with this bitterness, but she’s been sitting on it because Trina has so much to handle. But she knows in her bones this is more than jealousy about Trina and Spencer’s friendship. Stella asks if Portia is saying that girl targeted Trina because she’s Black, but Portia says, she was intimidated by Spencer and Trina’s relationship, but she felt the same way about Josslyn. Trina told her that Esme went after Josslyn harder than she ever did her. But who did Esme ultimately target? Stella says, that video was of Joss and Cam though, and Portia says, yes, they were the victims. And Trina was framed as the criminal, to face the criminal justice system in the midst of everything going on in this world, in this country, everywhere. Esme had to know the ramifications of that kind of action; that Trina would have a harder time with it. People pretend it’s not real, but that’s exactly what they’re doing – pretending. Stella says she knows, but there are good people with good hearts out there, and she’s clinging to the hope eyes are opening, and the world is wising up. Portia says, but not everyone wants to wise up with it, and she’s praying to God they didn’t past Diane Miller, and aren’t sitting in that jury and passing judgement on her daughter; her innocent baby girl who didn’t do any of this. She didn’t do anything wrong – Portia starts to cry – and she feels like she didn’t prepare Trina for any of this. She just feels like she failed Trina. Stella hugs her, and she cries.
Curtis leaves a message for Ava, saying, he just saw Spencer and Nikolas get on the launch. Just giving her a heads up. Call him. Marshall says, relax, and Curtis asks how Marshall can be so calm. Marshall smiles, and says, antipsychotics? I laugh, and Curtis says, he’s glad Marshall didn’t fall through the cracks like Bud. Were Marshall’s symptoms as severe as his? Marshall says, no. He didn’t have delusions or hallucinations, or problems thinking. He was prescribed treatment and meds, and if he hadn’t been, who knows? Curtis asks if Marshall is saying his arrest saved his life, and Marshall says, he’s not saying it brought doom upon him, but he’s had a long time to come to peace with it. Besides, nothing he can do now about it anyway. Curtis thanks him for talking about it, and Marshall says, there’s something about this pier. This is where they had their last breakthrough, isn’t it? Curtis says, pier or no pier, he appreciates Marshall, and he’s glad for the progress. They bro hug, and Marshall says, now they just need to make some more progress and help Trina. Curtis says, he hears that, and wonders why he hasn’t heard from Ava.
Esme says, what a hypocrite Ava is. Here she stands, trying to get Esme to admit to something she didn’t do… Ava says, come on. Don’t play a player. Esme says, Ava is unreal. Why risk everything for an employee? (I think Esme is more elitist than racist.) Ava says, Esme knows very well Trina is much more than an employee to her, and Esme says, Little Miss Perfect inspires such unwavering loyalty. Ava says she’s counting on Esme being as opportunistic as she is bitter. Tick tock; the trial’s about to start. What’s her number? Or should Ava throw one out there to get the ball rolling? Esme says, as someone who has lost their fair share of family, allow her to extend her condolences. Ava is about to lose Trina for five to ten years. Ava says, you insufferable little bitch, and Esme says, she’s finally found her family here, and all the money in the world won’t make her give that up. There is nothing Ava could offer to make her. Nikolas and Spencer come in, and Nikolas asks, just what is Ava offering?
Sonny says he doesn’t think Nina is spiteful, but when word reaches Carly… She’s going through a tough time right now. Nina asks if he hears himself. He’s more concerned about Carly than her. He says, that’s not true; he’s here with Nina right now. She says, but who’s on his mind? Before he got a divorce, he said Carly complained there were three of them in the relationship. Nina’s not so sure Carly was wrong.
Drew tells Carly, the flowers are so beautiful. Her staff really loves her. She says, the feeling’s mutual. It’s crazy. She did not set out to own a hotel, but she came to love the daily challenges; the strategizing, putting out the fires – real ones sometimes. The weddings, the Nurses Ball; she made so many incredible memories here. And she loved every minute. She’s going to miss it, a lot. He asks if she’s ready, but she says she needs a minute. He tells her to take as long as she needs. He picks up the last box and the flowers, and she says she’ll be right down. He tells her, take her time, and leaves. Alone, she says, oh wow. She looks at her name plate on the door, touches it, and slides her name out. She leaves, closing the door behind her. Geez. We don’t even get a MetroCourt Memory Lane?
Alone with Esme, Spencer asks what he and Nikolas walked in on, and she says, more of Ava’s wild accusations. She offered Esme money to admit to filming Joss and Cam. Spencer says, really? How much? She says, not enough to get her to lie; she’s innocent. He says, it’s too bad for Ava. She may have had a chance if she knew what Esme truly wanted… like him. She says, and that is…? and he says, it’s something she wants more than anything else in the world. And only he can give it to her.
Nikolas says he knows Ava wants to help Trina, but is it worth it getting into it with Esme? She says, yes, and he says, let him act as a buffer. Try to avoid being alone with her. She says, not to worry. Esme will be out of their lives pretty soon. Nikolas leaves, and Ava takes out her phone. She calls Curtis, and he asks if she caught the bartender making a deal with Esme, and she says she knows it happened. Unfortunately, she missed it. He was gone before she arrived. Curtis asks, how he could be gone? and Marshall says, the launch never returned. Ava says, there’s another way off the island. Obviously, Esme knows about it. Curtis thanks her for trying, and Marshall says, good Lord, they lost him? All right. Now what?
Stella says, Portia did a wonderful job with Trina. Why does Portia think she failed her? Portia says, all she ever wanted was to give Trina the best life she possibly could. Being a doctor, and her father in law enforcement, they were able to do that. She was proud, so proud she was able to give Trina a comfortable life. Trina grew up with a sense of security, but she lived a sheltered life. The friends she’s made, the schools she’s went to, maybe it was a little bit too sheltered. Maybe in her quest to give Trina this ideal life, she failed to inoculate Trina against the reality of being a woman of color. Stella says, Trina knows who she is, and she’s pretty savvy about the world. She knows they want what’s best for her children, but it’s impossible to completely shield them from pain and injustice. Stop torturing herself. Knowing Trina, Stella can already see Portia taught her what’s important. Portia asks, what’s that? and Stella says, to keep her head to the sky. The world’s gonna knock you down, but what matters is that you get back up, and don’t stay down. Trina’s a fighter, and whatever life throws at their girl, she’ll get back up on her feet.
Carly sighs, and looks around the lobby. Sonny walks over, and asks if she’s okay. She flashes back to finding out Nina is Willow’s biological mother, and says, she’s okay. She has her family. She leaves with Drew.
On Monday (I think), Portia asks if Curtis found the evidence they need to exonerate Trina; Spencer says he has the only proof Esme needs, if she wants it; Carly says, Esme is going to regret the day she messed with their kid; and Sonny says he’s done with talking. It’s time for action.
🏃🏻♀️ Skipping Town…
Laura and Alexis are taking a break from Port Charles.
Every time I drink, I break out in handcuffs. – guest on Dr. Phil
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. – Og Mandino
Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth. – Henry David Thoreau (Boy, was he off.)
You are not called to be a canary in a cage. You are called to be an eagle, and to fly sun to sun, over continents. – Henry Ward Beecher, American Clergyman and Author
To be nobody but yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. – e. e. cummings
I believe the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare. – Dr. Maya Angelou
He’s the smartest non-smart looking person I know. – Christine Alexandra Chiu, Bling Empire
But that’s what happens. Once the human tragedy has been completed, it gets turned over to the journalists to banalize into entertainment. – Philip Roth
Ask for help. Not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong. – Les Brown
Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. – Robert Louis Stevenson
The only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. – Miss J
Disability is what we perceive. Ability is everything we believe! – Tamela D’Amico
The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for. – Bob Marley
Common sense is not so common. – Voltaire
🏂 Sliding Into My Own DMs Like…
Enjoy the next few days, be they a break or the same old. Meet me on Monday for soap and the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay checking yourself before you read others, and stay keeping your head to the sky. The world’s gonna knock you down, but what matters is that you get back up, and don’t stay down.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Laura goes to Portia’s house, and Portia thanks her for doing this. Laura says, when Scotty asked her to make a statement attesting to Trina’s good character, she was more than happy to do so. She asks where Scotty is, and Trina says, actually, he’s not coming.
Curtis and Marshall approach an apartment, and Curtis says, they’ve been knocking on doors all night. If Marshall wants to take a load off in the car, he has waters in the trunk, and Marshall can kick back and listen to some jazz music on the radio. Marshall says, Curtis is talking to him like he’s some old man. Why doesn’t he go sit in the car, and listen to jazz on the radio? Marshall is going to keep knocking on all these doors, looking for that bartender. Curtis says, he forgot how feisty Marshall is, and Marshall says, not feisty, determined. Trina is like his granddaughter now. Ain’t no way she’s going to jail if he can help it. Curtis says, so they’ll keep knocking on doors until they find the bartender who sold Esme Prince the unregistered phone, and Marshall says, unless TJ and Taggert find him first. He asks if Curtis should do the honors, or should he, and Curtis knocks on the door. The bartender in question opens the door, and asks if he can help them. Curtis says, I believe you can.
Ava pours coffee, and Nikolas nuzzles her from behind. She says, good morning to him too, and he says he doesn’t suppose he could whisk her off to the bedroom. She says she wishes, and he asks where she’s off to today. She says, Trina’s trial is starting, so she’s off to Trina’s mother’s and they’re going to the courthouse from there. He says, of course (🍷); apologies for forgetting. She almost says something, and he says, what? but she says, never mind. He says, come on, and she says she was going to ask if he could maybe keep Esme from showing up in court so she doesn’t upset Trina, but she realizes that’s wishful thinking. He says, it’s not that he wouldn’t ask Esme to stay away, but he doesn’t have that kind of sway over her.
Esme comes up behind Spencer, and says, good morning. He jumps, shoving his phone in his pocket, and she says, sorry. She didn’t mean to spoil his day. He says, no; he’s sorry. She surprised him. She says, he doesn’t have to lie. She knows he’s been keeping his distance from her. First he missed the fireworks. Then when he returned to Windymere last night, he barely said a word to her. What happened? He flashes back to seeing Rory and Trina kiss.
Valentin gives Victor a mimosa, and Victor asks, what’s this? Valentin says, it’s champagne and orange juice; sorry Victor has never heard of it. Victor says, Valentin failed to do away with Laura, and is now coming after him? and Valentin says, by poisoning Victor? Don’t think he hasn’t thought of it. He takes a sip of the mimosa, and says, nope, still here. He sets it down, and closes the door to the terrace. Victor says, this isn’t some kind of a joke. May he remind Valentin… Valentin says, that Victor is holding his daughter hostage? Victor says, at a very luxurious European boarding school, with absolutely no idea it wasn’t Valentin’s decision to put her there. So. Why did Valentin want to see him if it wasn’t to kill him? Valentin says he has something in the works that will take the heat off of both of them, with no blood being spilled, but Victor says he’s afraid that’s a waste of time. Since Valentin failed to follow orders, he’s taken matters into his own hands.
Spencer tells Esme, nothing happened last night; he just has a lot on his mind. She says she thinks they both know what a lot on his mind is, don’t they? Trina’s trial. He says, that’s right. They might both be called to testify; their names dragged through the mud. Trina’s attorney and her friends will all say terrible things about them. She says, he makes a good point, which gives her an idea. Why don’t they fly somewhere for the week, avoid any possible subpoenas? Spend his monthly allowance someplace far away from here and Trina’s trial. He says, they can’t, and she asks, why not?
Laura tells Diane, the Faroe Islands? She’s never even heard of them. Diane says, it’s in archipelago in the Northern Atlantic. It’s semi-autonomous, but essentially the territory of Denmark. Trina and Josslyn come in, and Laura says, Scotty’s daughter was arrested there? Diane says, Serena is a committed environmentalist, and the Faroe Islands… Josslyn says she read about this. They have this annual hunt where they slaughter dolphins and small whales; it totaled like 1400 last year. Trina says, that’s disgusting; those poor animals. Diane says, agreed (me too). Serena got in a confrontation with some traditionalists who still support the hunt, and she was taken into custody. So Scotty is en route to the Faroe Islands, where he will secure his daughter a Danish lawyer and coordinate her defense. She knows he spoke to Trina and Portia about this, and Portia says, Scotty called her last night, explained the situation, and said Diane was willing to take over Trina’s defense. Diane says, absolutely. Scotty has done a masterful job with prepping the case, and she’s more than confident she can argue it. However, if this is all too last minute for them, she understands, and she’ll ask the court for a continuance. Portia asks how much time that would buy Trina, and Diane says, there’s really no way to predict. Judge Young might see Scotty’s disappearance as a stall tactic, and may not grant the continuance. But assuming it is granted, the trial could be delayed anywhere from three months to a year. Trina says she can’t spend a whole year with this hanging over her head.
Marshall tells the bartender, they’re friends of Jack’s. He said he was going to put in a good word for them with him. The bartender says he hasn’t heard from Jack in days, and Marshall says, they’re looking to buy some items… off the books. And Jack said he’s the man with the plan. The bartender asks how he knows they ain’t cops, and Curtis says, what if they are?
Trina tells Portia, these past few months have been hard enough. She doesn’t want to spend a whole year in limbo. She’s innocent and she wants to prove it. Actually, she wants Diane to prove it. Can she do that? Josslyn says, of course (🍷) she can. She’s defended Sonny for years, and gotten him off more times than Josslyn can count, and he was guilty every time. Laura says she’s sure Josslyn is exaggerating, but Josslyn says, no. Her point is, Diane is a rockstar in the courtroom. Trina couldn’t have anybody better. Portia says, that actually does bring up a good point.Will it go against Trina to be defended by an attorney who is… known to be… Diane says she thinks the phrase Portia is looking for is mobbed up. She can assure them that she has many, many clients who have nothing to do with Sonny or his family. Just a couple of years ago, she defended Willow Tate in a particularly tricky adoption case, and it’s ironic she’s with Michael now, but back then Willow had no ties to organized crime. Having said all that, the bottom line is, there’s no guarantee. Even with her admittedly excellent record, she’s had verdicts not go her way. She’s had clients convicted she knew were innocent. Portia says, but what about Trina’s case?
Victor says, he’s a little baffled by Valentin’s sudden outbreak of conscience with regard to their esteemed mayor. Laura has no love for Valentin. Valentin says, it’s not a moral decision. There were too many witnesses who had seen him and Laura together, including her husband. Laura would have drunk the iced tea, she would have collapsed, and all eyes would have been on him. Victor says he’s sure Valentin made the right call under the circumstances. Nevertheless, he’ll handle things from now on. Valentin says, don’t panic. Panic makes poor decisions. Victor wants Laura neutralized before she can deport him? He thinks Victor’s taken on more than he can handle. So let him suggest a change in tactics. Stop threatening him, and tell him what the hell is going on.
Ava and Nikolas kiss, and he says, is she sure he can’t tempt her? She says, how’s about a raincheck? and he says, whatever her heart desires. They kiss again.
Esme says, why can’t they leave Port Charles? and Spencer says, because he has a surprise for her. She says, really? What is it? He says, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he told her, and his phone dings. He looks at it, and says, in fact, he needs to pick something up related to her surprise. She says, how about a hint? and he says, okay, but only one. This is going to rock your world.
Valentin says, Victor stole the Ice Princess from Luke. He had Valentin plant it on Jennifer Smith. Why? None of the pieces fit. More people come out on the terrace, and Victor moves out of earshot. He says, that’s privileged information he’s not prepared to share, seeing it’s clear Valentin’s allegiance to him is solely predicated on Charlotte’s well-being. Valentin says, there’s a simple solution for that. Give him his daughter back. When Charlotte is safe, back with him, Victor will have his full allegiance, he promises. Victor says he’s afraid Valentin has to earn his trust, and until he does, Victor is keeping Charlotte as leverage. He’s also keeping details of his plan secret. Valentin says he has to find Anna before she comes looking for them. For the good of Victor’s long-term plan, let him handle Laura. Valentin leaves, and Victor says he’s afraid that’s a promise he just can’t make.
Diane says, the state can present some strong circumstantial evidence, and Josslyn says, but the evidence is the phone that Esme obviously planted. Diane says, unfortunately, she can’t stand Trina in front of a jury, and tell them Esme is a twisted little psychopath, who’s framing Trina. Laura says she can swear to that, and Diane thanks her, but says, sadly, Esme’s not on trial. Josslyn says, yet, and Diane says, it’s going to be her job to cast a negative light on all the evidence against Trina. Trina says, can she? and Diane says she does see some cracks in the state’s case, and luckily for them, they have one undeniable advantage. Trina says, what’s that? and Diane says, you. Trina is without artifice. She’s a good person and it shows, and Diane has no doubt when Trina tells her story to the jury, they’ll believe her. Trina asks what Portia thinks, and Portia says she’s in, but it’s totally up to Trina. Trina says, okay. No continuance. She goes through with her trial today.
Curtis and Marshall walk into the bartender’s, and the bartender says, hey. Marshall says, it’s all good here, and tells Curtis, there’s no need for all this hostility. He and this man were having a friendly conversation; true? Curtis says, his apologies. He was in law enforcement for a lot of years, and guesses old habits die hard. The bartender says, they’re not cops now? and Curtis says he got kicked off the force. Touchy subject. Marshall tells the bartender, like he said, Jack vouches for them. The bartender closes the door, and Curtis says, he’s a tough man to track down. They went to his apartment, he wasn’t at the bar where he works… and the bartender says, he needed to lay low for a while. Curtis says, until the trial is over, right? and the bartender says, what trial? Curtis says, the Trina Robinson trial, and you know what? He’d be worried if he were the bartender too. The bartender says, about? and Curtis says, testifying.
Diane reads Laura’s statement, and says, it’s excellent. It’s very compelling. Laura says, and every word is true, and Trina thanks Laura for speaking on her behalf. Everyone knows Laura won’t stand up for someone who’s guilty. Laura says, she woudn’t, and she wants to do everything to make right a horrible wrong. Diane says, making sure the jury knows that Trina’s family and friends are 100% behind her will go a long way in convincing that jury she’s innocent.Speaking of family, where is Trina’s father? He’s got to be in the courtroom today. Portia says, Taggert is following up on a lead. So are Curtis and his father. Diane asks if she wants to know, but Portia says, it’s best if she has deniability about what they’re doing, and Trina too. Diane says, actually, the less Trina knows, the fewer questions she’ll have to dodge on the stand, and Trina says, what if the DA’s office finds out, and they put her mother on the stand, or dad, or Curtis? Laura suggests they not worry about what hasn’t happened, and Diane says, there’s one thing she knows will happen. ADA Arden is going to attack Trina’s character, if only to undercut the fact Diane is putting Trina forth as a good kid who would never betray her friend. Josslyn says, she and Cam are going to make sure that doesn’t happen. They’re going to show the jury exactly the kind of person Trina is. Trina says she knows who she is, and she knows who her real friends are, and Laura takes her hand, saying, she knows Trina is going to do great today. She’s sorry, but she has to run. She has a meeting at the MetroCourt and she has to end up at the hospital Board. She hugs Trina, and tells her not to worry. Trina thanks her, and Portia thanks her for being there for Trina. She hugs Portia, and says, of course (🍷). Absolutely. Any time. She tells Diane, give them hell today, and Diane says, absolutely (WOTD). Laura leaves, and Diane says, well, ladies, let’s strategize.
At the hospital, Spencer smiles while looking at a document. We see it’s the DNA test, and when he turns, he bumps into Rory, dropping the paperwork. Rory apologizes, and Spencer says, watch where you’re going. Rory says, back at you, and bends to pick up the papers, but Spencer nearly dives onto them.
Diane says, a courtroom is like a theater, and a jury is quite literally a captive audience with nothing to do but listen and look. And they want to make sure the jury sees all the right things; that they see Trina taking this gross injustice seriously. That they see Portia standing behind her daughter, concerned, loving, and they see Josslyn, Trina’s dear, dear friend, who also happens to be one of the victims – not throwing attitude, not rolling her eyes, not shooting dirty looks at the prosecution. Respect is the name of the game. Portia’s phone rings, and she says, it’s the hospital; she’s not on call today. Trina says, it could be important, and Portia excuses herself. Diane says, while Portia is taking that, she’s going to check in with her office, and she leaves the room. Trina thanks Josslyn for coming by so early, and not holding it against her for ditching her last night, and Josslyn says, Trina didn’t ditch her. She practically had to force Trina out of there. She needed alone time with her mom, and Trina needed alone time with Rory. She hopes it was a good night. Trina tells her, you could say that, and Josslyn asks, how good? Trina says, they kissed, and Josslyn says, she knew it. She said Rory was into Trina, did she not? Trina says, she did, and Josslyn says, now they’ve kissed. Trina says, four times, and Josslyn asks if they’re a thing now, but Trina says, she and Rory can’t even talk about hanging out with the trial about to start.
The bartender says, testify? About what? He never heard of this Trina Robinson. He has nothing to do with her. Curtis says, then his mistake. They’re here to buy an unregistered phone. But this upcoming trial is all over the news, and an unregistered phone factors into the case. So he assumed, since the bartender’s the local seller, the cops are looking for him. The bartender says, funny thing. Curtis isn’t the first person to ask him about that phone. Unfortunately, he’s all out of inventory. Curtis says, so he doesn’t think he should be selling anything right now, and the bartender says, he’s got that right. Nice not knowing you. Curtis says they can see themselves out, and Marshall says, but… Curtis says, they’ll tell Jack he said hi, and they leave. In the hallway, Marshall asks, what was that all about? Now they’ve learned nothing. Curtis says, actually, that went according to plan.
Josslyn says, the jury is going to realize Trina had nothing to do with making this video, and she and Rory can do whatever they want. Trina says, that’s the difference between her and Josslyn. Josslyn has total confidence that she’ll be found innocent, and she knows there’s a chance she won’t. Then what does her future look like? Prison? Josslyn asks if she’s told this to Rory, and Trina says, he knows she needs to find out what happens with the trial first. Josslyn says, then what’s wrong with that? and Trina says, nothing. She wants to trust him, but she’s been trusting the wrong people lately. Josslyn says, what if Rory’s the right person? Portia comes back downstairs, and Diane asks if she has to go to the hospital, but Portia says, it was just a nurse who wanted confirmation on a change of medication for one of her patients; it’s fine. Let’s get back to Trina’s case. Who else can attest to Trina’s good character? Diane says, let her focus on the legal options. Portia can keep Trina focused; keep her from falling apart. Portia says, her daughter doesn’t fall apart, and Diane says, of course (🍷). She appreciates that Trina has such a strong support system. Portia asks, what happens to Diane’s clients when they don’t have a great support system? and Diane says, they’re getting a little off-topic. Portia says, her daughter is fighting for her future here, and she needs to prepare for every eventuality. Diane says, of course (🍷). The pressures of a trial, and the possibility of being wrongfully incarcerated could break anybody, and especially when you factor in stressors that could bring psychological issues to the surface.
Laura sees Valentin on the terrace, and he says, she’s not stalking him, is she? She says, hardly. She has a meeting here with her Deputy Mayor, but she’s glad she ran into him. There’s something she’d like to discuss with him. He says, please, and she says, the other night when he spilled that drink on her, what was really going on there? He says, she’ll have to forgive his clumsiness, and make sure she sends him the dry cleaning bill, but she says, he’s never clumsy; he’s always in control of himself. He has impeccable manners, so either he purposely spilled that drink on her, or he’s under incredible strain. Which is it? He says, his coordination really hasn’t been the same since he left the hospital, and she says, the only times she’s ever seen him really rattled is when it’s had something to do with Charlotte. Is there reason for concern? He says, if there were, she’d be the first to know. He will always prioritize Charlotte’s well-being, no matter what the cost. She says she doesn’t doubt that, and we see a sniper setting his sights on her. She tells Valentin that she misses Charlotte a lot, but she does seem to be enjoying her time in boarding school. Probably just as well she’s not in Port Charles right now. Valentin says, that was his rationale, but he’s surprised she agrees, and she says, she knows Charlotte got very close to the Quartermaines when they were living at their house. Now that he’s fighting with them about ELQ, she thinks it’s best Charlotte isn’t here to get caught in the middle of all that. He says, the Quartermaines have nothing to worry about. Under his watch, ELQ will continue to grow, and profit. She says, except he’s maneuvered them to fight with each other (like that takes a lot), and he looks up, seeing the sniper. He grabs Laura, pulling her across the room, and she asks, what the hell is wrong with him?
Marshall says, Curtis told their one and only lead that they suspect him of selling a phone to Esme. That’s a good thing? No. Curtis says, it was a long shot getting this bartender to give them anything. They need proof that he sold the phone to Esme. So people are asking questions, and he’s feeling the heat… Marshall says, bam. He’s going to have some questions of his own for the buyer. Curtis says, and hopefully lead them to him… or her, and Marshall wags his finger at Curtis, smiles, and says, boy… They hear something, and jet around the corner. The bartender comes out of his apartment, closes the door, and leaves. Marshall and Curtis nod to each other.
Portia asks if stress caused any of Diane’s other clients to develop previously undiagnosed mental issues, and Diane asks if Portia is actually concerned Trina won’t be able to handle the pressure of this trial, but Portia says, no. She’s just getting the facts. Remembering when she was in medical school, her psyche rotation. They didn’t really go over stressors. Diane says, anything she’d tell Portia would be purely anecdotal, and Portia says, but the psychological stress of a trial, that could bring about some serious mental issues. Diane says she gets it. Portia’s daughter has been unjustly accused; of course (🍷) she’s worried. But as they’ve already talked about, Trina’s got this astonishing support system, and there aren’t any family medical issues to worry about, right?
Spencer tells Rory, he’ll get them, and gathers up the paperwork. He asks if Rory is here to make another unjustified arrest, but Rory says he’s taking a witness statement. What about Spencer? Spencer says, it’s none of his business, and Rory asks if he’s sure about that. Spencer says he is, because Rory has done enough to insert himself into his life, and Rory asks what that means. Spencer says, forget it. Have a lousy day. He starts to walk away, and Rory says, that’s Spencer’s M.O., isn’t it? He talks tough, but when it comes time to step up, Spencer walks away. Spencer says, sometimes walking away is the best option. Instead of further complicating people’s lives. But Rory wouldn’t know a thing about that, would he? Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kissed Trina last night.
Esme is texting, when Nikolas walks in. He says he’s sorry to startle her, but he was looking for Spencer. She says, Spence had to run out. She doesn’t know where. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, Spence says he’s working on a surprise for her, but she thinks he’s just using it as an excuse to get away from her and deal with his feelings for Trina. Does she sound like a broken record? He says, she sounds like someone in pain (ugh), and she says she suggested they fly off to someplace romantic, but it’s not to be. He says, but she’s still hanging in there? and she says, of course (🍷). She loves Spencer. Nikolas says, that’s all the more reason not to tell Spencer what happened between them, and she says, then there would be no hope of salvaging her relationship. To say nothing of Nikolas’s marriage to Ava, and his relationship to Spence. He says, the fallout would be monumental, and she says, especially as long as they’ve kept their little secret under wraps.
Ava says she’d ask how Trina is, but she thinks she already knows, and Trina says she’s actually feeling a lot better now that Ava’s here. Diane tells Josslyn, once they’re in the courtroom, she has to keep her personal feelings about Ava off her face, and Josslyn says, don’t worry. She’s a pro at doing that by now. Ava says hello to Diane, and asks if she’s joined Trina’s defense team, and Diane says, she is the defense team. Scotty got called out of the country on a family emergency. Portia says, Miss Miller has agreed to take Trina’s case, and they’re very grateful, and Trina asks if Diane is calling Ava as one of her character witnesses. Diane says, no, Ava’s name is not on the list Scotty provided, and Ava says, she offered, of course (🍷), but Scotty was concerned her testimony wouldn’t have the desired effect, given certain elements of her history. Trina says, the important thing is that Ava is in court with them, and Josslyn asks if there’s anything else she can do to help. Trina says, Josslyn testifying on her behalf is enough, and Diane says, the evidence against Trina is circumstantial. No one saw her make the tape; no one saw her post it. So their best shot at convincing the jury that act was completely against Trina’s character. She tells them that has to appear before Judge Young and finalize the attorney substitution, and tells Trina, just remember, all they have to do is prove reasonable doubt. Portia says she’ll walk Diane out; she has a few more questions. Diane and Portia leave, and Ava says, but reasonable doubt isn’t Trina’s only option, is it? Josslyn asks what Ava is talking about, and Ava says, months ago, Trina told her that she has evidence that proves her innocence; evidence that she’s been keeping to herself. Ava thinks it’s time Trina told them what that evidence is, consequences be damned.
Valentin says, sorry. He didn’t mean to manhandle Laura. The sniper tries to get a bead on her again, and Laura says, if Valentin is keeping something from her, and especially if it has to do with Charlotte… He says, it’s just that he’s missing his daughter, and Laura’s phone dings. He asks if there’s a problem, and she says, uch. Yes. Her Deputy Mayor. There was a miscommunication, and she’s waiting for Laura with the hospital Board over at GH, so she has to go. Take care of himself. He says, you do the same, and she leaves. He walks away, and looks up at the sniper, making a cutting motion with his hand.
The bartender goes to Pier 54, and the ferry blows its horn. He practically flings himself onto it, and Curtis and Marshall come out onto the dock. Marshall says, he’s leaving town, but Curtis says, that dock is for the launch to Windymere.
Nikolas tells Esme, let’s hope the truth never has to come out. It happened, it’s over, let’s move on. She asks if there are any updates on her being able to see Ryan Chamberlain again, but he says, sorry. Spring Ridge wasn’t impressed by him throwing the Cassadine name around. She says, so there’s nothing else he can do? and he says, he has some connections on the GH Board of Directors. It’s possible they may have enough sway to override Doc. She thanks him, but he says, it’s a long shot. She says, it’s something, and it means the world to her that he even tried. She throws her arms around his neck.
Josslyn asks Trina what evidence Ava is talking about, and Ava says she doesn’t want to betray Trina’s confidence, but this is too important to keep a secret, right? Ava tells Josslyn, Trina told her that she has proof she didn’t send the tape of Josslyn and Cam to the PCU student body, but by bringing that evidence to light, she would also bring down an innocent party. Trina told her that she’d tell Scotty if her case went to trial. Well, here they are. Josslyn says she can’t believe she’s saying this, but she agrees with Ava, and Trina says, it’s not a magic bullet. It might be just wishful thinking on her part. She touches her throat, and says, oh my God. My necklace; the one my dad gave me on my eighteenth birthday. She wanted to wear it at the trial. She tells Ava that she bets it’s at the gallery, and Ava says she has it; she brought it to Windymere for safekeeping. She’ll go get it for Trina. Trina says she’ll owe Ava a thousand favors in return, but Ava says, just one. Tell Diane what she hasn’t told the rest of them. Ava leaves, and Trina asks Josslyn, what’s that look for? Josslyn says, Trina just very conveniently changed the subject to get Ava to leave. Why didn’t she say anything about finding evidence that could help her? Trina says, because it doesn’t conclusively prove her innocence, but Josslyn asks if she doesn’t think that’s for Diane and the jury to decide. Can it help her? Trina says, it might, and Josslyn says, Trina’s best friends and her family, and everybody who cares about her is going to bat for her, and this is how she thanks them? By holding back? What’s wrong with her? Trina says she has an alibi for when the sex tape was posted. She was with someone. Josslyn asks why Trina didn’t say anything before. Who was she with? Trina says, Spencer.
Rory asks what business it is of Spencer’s what he and Trina do? and Spencer says, it’s not like they tried to hide it. He was crossing through the park on the 4th of July, and he saw the two of them having a picnic. Rory is such a hypocrite. He comes off as Officer By-the-Book, and then he turns around and kisses a defendant about to go on trial. Rory says, he knows the rules; he’s not breaking any of them. Spencer says, no, just bending them into pretzels, and Rory says, Spencer’s obviously not worried about his career, so this is about Trina. But Spencer has a girlfriend, so why does he care who Trina spends her time with?
The bartender knocks on the front door of Windymere, and Esme opens it. He says, she got his text, and she says, only to say he was coming. What is he doing? He says he wants to know why everyone in town is asking questions about her.
Marshall says, Windymere, isn’t that where Esme Prince is? What are they waiting for? Why don’t they catch up with the bartender? Curtis says, Windymere’s private property. If they catch the launch out there, the guards will tip Esme off that they’re coming. What they need is someone there who can help them out. Ava joins them, and says, going my way?
Josslyn asks if Trina was visiting Spencer at Spring Ridge. She doesn’t understand. There would be a record of Trina’s visit. Why keep something like that a secret? Trina says, because she wasn’t at Spring Ridge, and Josslyn says, but Spencer was still serving his sentence when the video came out, so… Oh my God, that privileged little tool. Trina says she called him worse, and Josslyn says, Spencer wasn’t at Spring Ridge, right? Trina caught him, and he won’t come forward to give her an alibi, because then he’d be busted for violating his sentence, and then he’d probably get sent to Pentenville. God, what a coward. Trina says, it’s not like that. Besides, the prosecution can always accuse her of scheduling the release of the sex tape at the time. She didn’t actually have to physically post it at the time it was sent. Josslyn says, it still gives her reasonable doubt, and Trina says, she’s been sitting on this for months. She told herself she would only use it if it seemed like she was going to be found guilty. Josslyn says, Trina has to use it. This could be a game changer. Portia comes in, and says, what’s the game changer?
Spencer tells Rory, he doesn’t care who Trina spends her time with, but Trina was a good friend to him at one point, so if Rory hurts her, he’ll answer to Spencer. Rory says, last he checked, he’s not the one who hurt her, and walks away.
On the phone, Valentin says, a sniper? Are you insane? He told Victor that he could handle Laura. Victor had his flunky, the assistant mayor, lure Laura out here. That set up was so obvious, he should have hung a banner. Victor says, the situation was well in hand. Valentin should have stayed out of it. Valentin says, killing Laura is the wrong play. How many fires did Victor have to put out when Luke died? Does he think Anna and the PCPD won’t go to the ends of the earth to prove that Victor killed Laura as well? There are other ways to neutralize Laura; ways that don’t involve spilling blood. Victor says, how exactly does Valentin propose they do that? and Valentin says, it’s already done.
Laura sees Nikolas at the hospital, and asks if everything is okay. He says, everything’s fine. In fact, he’s glad he ran into her. He wanted to update her on everything that’s been happening between Doc and Esme. Her phone rings, and she says she has to take this, and steps away. She asks how her mother is doing… What?… Oh my God, no.
Tomorrow, Portia says Stella won’t be stepping anywhere near that courtroom; Ava walks in on the bartender talking to Esme; Josslyn tells Trina that she’s sorry, she can’t; and Sonny tells someone that they brought this on themselves.
Southern Charm
Austen talks to his parents Wendy and Tom on the phone about them moving. In Austen’s interview, he says, they decided to move 45 minutes outside of Charleston, so they’re selling his childhood home in Charlotte. He tells his mom that he hopes to grab some things. He’s been getting daily phone calls from his dad, telling him what he’s found. Wendy says, they have a bin of Austen’s childhood stuff that they can’t throw out, and in his interview, Austen says, it’s tough to say goodbye to the home he grew up in. His first kiss, high school parties he shouldn’t have been having, sneaking out. What doesn’t he think about when he thinks of his childhood home? It means everything to him. He just wants get it done, and not think about Christmas. Wendy says she saw Madison got engaged, and asks how Austen is feeling. Austen says, sorry for the poor son-of-a-bitch, and asks how Wendy feels. Wendy says she wishes Madison well. and Tom says, they’re glad it’s not Austen. Wendy tells Austen to put it in his rearview mirror, and Austen says he’s successfully moved on.
Patricia tells Whitney, it’s that hour. Champagne, please. Whitney says, the whole bar area is a mess, and Patricia says, they need to reorganize. Without Michael, she doesn’t pay attention. Whitney says, their supplies are dwindling, and Patricia says, Venita and Madison are coming over for drinks. He takes some champagne out, and Patricia says, she likes hers in a coupe; they’re more elegant. Since all I know about a coupe is that it’s a style of car, I’m confused. Whitney suggests they go out on the piazza, and Patricia says she should have gotten a bartender. This is clearly beyond. In Patricia’s interview, a producer asks her, how does Whitney fare as a bartender? and she tells them, let’s just say this; we’re a little more casual now. We flash back to Patricia saying, this is the proper way to make a martini, and Michael making one. She says, he has the magic martini touch. Madison arrives, and Patricia remarks on how beautiful she looks, and says, all the women in this town make an effort, and here’s Whitney in a grey T-shirt. He says, who cares? and Patricia says, she does. Venita joins them, and Patricia tells Whitney to look at how beautiful they are. Whitney says he’s the new Michael, and Madison asks where his apron is. Patricia says, it would cover the grey T-shirt. She checks out Madison’s ring, pronouncing it nice and big. In Madison’s interview, she says she knew she was going to lock Brett down as soon as she looked at him. She fell in love instantly. She tells Patricia that Brett planned the proposal with her son Hudson. Her mom always said, when you know, you know. Patricia says she got married after three months, and Venita asks how long it lasted, but Patricia can’t remember which one it was. Madison tells Patricia that she and Venita are doing a joint birthday party. It’s going to be a solo girls event. Super girly, pink and florals. Madison says, the joint birthday party is a true test of friendship.
Taylor rides her bike, while Shep skateboards next to her. They stop at a restaurant for date night. Taylor says, the table looks as barren as her ovaries, and Shep says, they had a scare, but now they’re out of the woods. For three days, he was getting ready to figure out how to change his life drastically. In Shep’s interview, he says, for three days, he was thinking, shoot me, and we’ll see where it goes. It was downright terrifying. He says he thinks she’s being flippant about his emotions, and she says, he didn’t even ask how she felt. He just thought they had a scare. He’s never said anything to the effect that, if things happen, she can trust him to be there; faithful and supportive. He asks where she thinks he’s going? What does she think he’s doing? We flash back to the Reunion, when Shep said he’d exchanged texts with an old flame, and kissed someone. In Taylor’s interview, she says, Shep is clearly not safe bet. If she was pregnant, she’d want the right steps taken, which would be marriage. She doesn’t know if Shep would step up to the bat [sic]. She tells him, that he’d said he didn’t want to get married and settle down, and he says, if he’s told what to do, he does the opposite, but he wants her. She asks, what if she wants those things later in life? and he says, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it.
Kathryn and Olivia meet for lunch. Kathryn thanks Olivia for being her date; she needs to be with someone who sees her in a positive light. Olivia hasn’t been bitten by the Charleston bug. Olivia says she hopped on some people at Naomie’s party, and we flash back to that, Kathryn thanks Olivia for having her back, and Olivia says, they have to take down the mean girls. Kathryn asks about Austen, and Olivia says, she’s attracted to him since he’s tall, but they’re taking baby steps. Olivia asks how it’s going with Chleb, and Kathryn says, after her party, they got in a big fight, and he was gone for six days. She invited him to dinner, so he could hear what she needed. She was trying to get him to open up about their issues, but it didn’t go over well. We flash back to that, and she says, they broke up. In Kathryn’s interview, she says she’s at a point in life where’s she’s looking for her forever person. She needs someone who’s looking at the big picture with her; the five and ten year plan. She tells Olivia that she needs a partner who can open up to her, support her, and listen to feedback. Chleb reacts like an athlete, and shows no emotions.
Meanwhile, Chleb is with cousin Chelsie, and says he appreciates the last couple of days. Chelsie gives him a drink, and Chleb asks if it’s 1000 proof. Chelsie says, he had to get Chleb right, and Chleb says, he’s concerned. Kathryn is in his head. They haven’t talked for the past few days, and they’d been going out a year and four months; it’s been a minute. He’s confused. In Chleb’s interview, he says, when he and Kathryn started dating, everything was happy. He felt like he was destined to be in her life. He misses her, being close to her, hugging and kissing her. He loves her. He tells Chelsie that he didn’t want to break up, but he has a hard time showing emotion. Kathryn wants him to have a sad face, and thinks he doesn’t care, but he does. He just doesn’t know how to show emotion, and nothing gets settled. Chelsie asks if it’s worth it, and Chleb says he’s trying to figure that out.
Madison calls Kathryn, who says she’s working on Halloween crap for her kids. Madison says her son is a total boy. He wants the scary stuff, and she wanted him to be an elephant. She asks if Kathryn wants to come to a garden party. She and Venita are hosting a party for their birthdays this weekend. It’s going to be super girly; no boys. Kathryn says she’d be happy to come, but does Venita want her to come. In Madison’s interview, she says she thinks the issues Venita and Kathryn have will linger, but it’s a joint party, and she didn’t ask who Venita was inviting. She tells Kathryn, from what she knows, Venita wants a clean slate with everyone, and to just have a good time. Kathryn says, then she’s excited, and Madison says she was hoping Kathryn would ask Olivia. She doesn’t know Olivia that well. Kathryn says, Olivia is awesome. Madison will love her.
Austen meets Craig at the golf range to practice. Austen tells Craig that he has a meeting with Harris Teeter from North Carolina this week, and it will increase the production of his company 10X. Then he’s saying goodbye to his childhood home. He’s going to need emotional support, and some help moving furniture. Craig says, moving furniture sucks, but Austen says, it’s not a lot of furniture, and Craig says, okay, he’ll come. He says, look at them. They’re both in healthy places in their lives, and business is going well. He’s in a relationship, and he’s happy Austen is over his ex. He is over her, right? It was a terrible time for all of them. Austen assures Craig that he’s over Madison, and Craig says, Olivia is cool. Austen says, she’s also chill. She’s levelheaded and tall. He thinks tall people go with the flow. Short people are angry little demons. He says he and Olivia hang out with Shep and Taylor a lot, but he doesn’t want to fast track anything. Craig says if he’s getting any vibes to the contrary from Olivia, and he says he thinks she’s confused as sh*t by him. He decides to text her about meeting for drinks, and they discuss one sentence for ten minutes. A decision is finally made, and Austen asks if he should put a period on the end, but Craig says, no punctuation, please. It’s worse than emojis in a text. Austen says, they’ll get out of the city for a while, and Craig suggests he tell Olivia how he feels, then run.
Madison gets to the party venue first, and is met with champagne. There’s a gorgeous table set outside, and Madison says, this is perfect. She tells event planner Erica that she did so good. She outdid herself, and Madison is speechless mad. Venita joins her, and sees the place settings for Kathryn and Olivia. Madison says she thinks it will be good; she’s hoping for positive vibes. In Venita’s interview, she wonders, if Madison knows how she feels about them, why invite them and not tell her? Whose side are you on? We see a clip of Venita and Madison discussing the guest list, with no mention of Kathryn or Olivia. They get dressed, and Madison says, let’s party, birthday girl. It’s Libra season. Venita asks what made Madison decide to invite them, and Madison says, Kathryn invited her to her party. She doesn’t know Olivia, but figured Kathryn would want her there. Venita says, it’s fine, and Madison says, Venita can change it if she feels some type of way. In her interview, Venita says, how non-Southern belle. She’s not pulling a Madison on Madison. Madison uninvited Austen to his own birthday party. We flash back to that, and Madison tells Venita that they’re going to have fun, and in Venita’s interview, she says, Madison can push buttons, but it never crossed her mind that Madison would try to push hers.
Outside, Madison and Venita toast each other, and the guests begin to arrive. Everyone gushes over Madison’s ring, and someone asks how Brett proposed. Venita looks left out, and says, like they haven’t heard it 500 times. In her interview, she says, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, making fun of Madison’s ring admirers. She says, it’s my party.
M-m-m… deviled eggs. Leva tells Madison, this looks like the vibe for her shower too, and Madison says, maybe this is her shower, pissing off Venita more. Guests continue coming in, and the temperature reaches 84 degrees. Fans are passed out, and Leva tries to use the analogy, birds of a feather flock together, and says everything but. Venita asks Leva how she deals with Kathryn; the stuff on her heart is still there. She’s thinking of asking Kathryn for a one-on-one chitchat, and Leva says, heal it up.
In the car, Kathryn asks if Olivia is excited about the party, and Olivia says, she’s making more of it in her head. Kathryn says, Olivia had her back, and when they try to take away Olivia’s voice, it makes her feel bad. Olivia tells Kathryn not to get triggered, and Kathryn says she’s not a dramatic person. I choke on my coffee. When they arrive, Venita admits Kathryn kills the theme with her pink hair. Madison talks about her engagement, and Kathryn says, mom to mom, she knows it’s hard to find someone. She’s happy for Madison. Leva tells Naomie, might as well say hi, and in Naomie’s interview, she says she’s tired of being the bigger person. She doesn’t want to be the bigger person. Naomie tells Olivia that she feels like they should chat. There’s unexplained history with her and Kathryn that Olivia doesn’t know. There are three sides to everything. Olivia says, she was trying to make it clear that she wasn’t coming in on sides, but out of decency. Naomie says, she respects that, and also that Olivia didn’t back down. Any problems with Kathryn have nothing to do with her. Olivia says she’s happy to move forward, and Naomie says, now they can move on. But in Naomie’s interview, she says she appreciates it, but sorry, she doesn’t trust Olivia. Marcie asks Olivia how it’s going with Austen, and Olivia says, they had a group date with Shep and Taylor, and they have another date tomorrow. Marcie says she wants to see this transpire. Leva asks Kathryn about Chleb, and Kathryn says, they broke up. Leva says, that’s sad, but Venita suggests they enjoy themselves, and manifest happiness and peace. Leva tells a story about her son playing tennis in a competitive way, then being distracted by a butterfly, and Kathryn says, the innocence of children is refreshing. They raise kids with the same problems they have, and the system works against changing that. In Venita’s interview, she wonders if Kathryn is just saying this for show. Venita is concerned that Kathryn’s small actions might trickle down to her kids, and she asks Kathryn if she’s taught her kids about not using the monkey emoji. Kathryn says, of course she has, and Venita says, that’s refreshing, since in a moment of anger, it’s easy to spread that to children. She wants to get to know Kathryn better, and have a relationship, but she needed to make sure that wasn’t happening. Kathryn says, absolutely not, and Venita says, they can cheers to that. She and Kathryn clink glasses.
Patricia pulls up in her Rolls Royce, with Whitney playing chauffeur, Kathryn tells Olivia that she and Venita talked, but she doesn’t know what to think. Patricia shows Madison how to feature her ring while holding a glass, and everyone sits for lunch. Venita wants everyone to take a second, and open their gifts. It’s a pair of earrings, and Venita says, in case they don’t have garden-themed earrings. Both Marcie and Patricia don’t have pierced ears, and Patricia tells them, her mother always said loose women have pieced ears. Madison tells Olivia that she thinks they’ll hit it off. Venita thanks everyone for coming, and Madison says, there’s nothing better than champagne and cupcakes. Patricia says, her motto is, eat, drink, and remarry, and announces to the table that she’d like to put forth from this time forward, no drama, and a clean slate. She’s never had a clean state, but starting now, here’s to whatever. Because having no drama is impossible, Leva says, there might be people at this table who have issues. So in the spirit of realness, let’s fix it. All these big feelings are being swept under the rug, and they should address some of them. Venita says, let’s do one and done. You first, then you, and she points at Olivia, then Kathryn. Kathryn asks if that’s a challenge, and says, they’re supposed to be adults, and trying to have results. Venita says she’d like to have a conversation with Kathryn second, but would she like to go first? Kathryn says, Venita is being condescending, and Naomie – apparently not learning her lesson from last time – says, Venita didn’t mean it like that. Kathryn tells her, f*** off, and Patricia says, no F-words, please! Venita says if she didn’t want to fix this with Kathryn, she woudn’t have said anything. What does Kathryn need to get back to this? Kathryn says, she doesn’t need sh*t, and Venita says, got it.
To be continued…
👟 Taking It On the Run…
Have a looksee tomorrow at some soap, what’s in the teapot, things other people said, and something from the music catalog in my mind. Until then, stay safe, stay hungry for more, but not at the expense of others, and stay not panicking. Panic makes poor decisions.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Sasha opens her eyes, and Brando says, hi, beautiful. She asks if she missed the fireworks, and he says she sure did. She says, that means he did too, but he says, being here with her, he ain’t missing nothing. She asks if she’s told him that he’s the best husband in the entire universe, and he says, no, but he just wants her to get better so they have decades of 4th of Julys ahead of them. She says, now that they’re past the worst of it, be straight with her, how bad is the fallout?
On the phone at the hospital, Portia says she called weeks ago to make an appointment with a genetic specialist. It was rescheduled and she wants to see if she can be fit in as soon as possible. It’s urgent. Curtis comes in with Marshall, and says, urgent? What’s going on?
Rory asks if he can make a confession, and Trina says, he’s the cop, not her. He says he’s been wanting to do that for a long time.
Sonny asks who bought Carly’s half of the hotel, but Olivia tells him, the real estate agent woudn’t say. She should have just gone with her gut. She offered to buy Carly’s half of the hotel, but Carly turned her down flat. She should have ignored Carly and done it anyway, and they wouldn’t be in this situation right now. He tells her not to blame herself, because Carly’s independent to a fault. Olivia says she knows that, but why couldn’t Carly have just said yes to her or to him. Now they’re stuck with some buyer who’s clearly not going to let Carly keep it. They see Drew, and Sonny says, unless she has a guardian angel.
Nina tells Carly that she just bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt; she just closed the deal. Carly says, Nina is unbelievable. Her petition to visit Wiley didn’t go her way, so she’s going to stick it to Carly and her family, and take away something else she loves? Nina says, just the opposite. She didn’t buy the hotel for herself; she bought it for Carly.
Portia says, this was a consult for a patient, and Curtis says, an urgent consult. She says she may have overstated just a bit, and Marshall says he bets that gets a quicker result. She says, it certainly does, and asks, what brings them by GH? Certainly not a fireworks mishap she hopes. Curtis says, nothing like that. He just wanted to give her an update. She asks if he found evidence that Trina was set up, and he says, no, but thanks to Marshall, they have a lead.
Trina says, Rory’s been waiting a long time to kiss her? She’s glad he finally did. Unless… He says, what? and she says she told him that she wanted a distraction. Was that all that was? He says, definitely not… actually, maybe… He doesn’t know. They should probably check and make sure, doesn’t she think? She says, it’s the responsible thing to do, and he says, exactly, kissing her again.
Brando says, the only thing Sasha needs to worry about is resting and recovering, and she says, so it’s that bad, but he says, no, it’s… She says she’s so embarrassed, and he asks, why? She says she had a breakdown on live television. Doc is holding her here. Maxie and Lucy must be fielding all kinds of questions. He says, they’ve got it covered, but she says she feels awful. This is the second time she majorly messed up; it’s not fair. Gladys comes in, and says, can they believe the cafeteria ran out of hot dogs on the 4th of July? and Brando says, that has to be illegal. Gladys says, Sasha is awake. How is she feeling? Brando says, she’s stressed, so please tell her, everything at Deception is fine, that Lucy and Maxie are handling PR, and everything will be back to normal in no time. Sasha says, it’s her mess. She should be there to clean it up. Gladys says, it’s being handled, and everyone is far more concerned about Sasha. Sasha says, this time out was much needed. She feels much better now. Tomorrow, she goes home, and it’s back to business as usual. Brando and Gladys exchange glances, and Sasha asks, what’s that look? Brando says, they’ll talk about it tomorrow, but Sasha says she wants to talk about it now. Is something wrong? What aren’t they telling her?
Olivia asks how the kids liked the fair, and Drew says, they loved it. They’re back at her place now, safe and sound. She thanks him for taking them, and he says, it was fun. He asks if Carly is around, and Olivia says she hasn’t seen Carly for a minute, but she’s sure Carly is around somewhere. Sonny says, they heard someone bought Carly’s share of the MetroCourt, and Drew asks if they think it was him. Sonny says, was it? and Drew says, he kind of wishes it was. He thought they had more time to strategize. Sonny says, Drew’s been doing a lot of that lately, strategizing on Carly’s behalf, and Drew says, but it hasn’t been doing anybody any good, has it? Olivia asks if they’re going to clue her in, or keep speaking in code, and Drew says, he tried to sell Nina Crimson, so he could reimburse Carly so she could keep the hotel. Olivia says, that’s a great idea, and Drew says, unfortunately not great enough to work though. Sonny says, but Drew had to try, and Drew says he did. Carly woudn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for him.
Carly says, Nina bought her half of the hotel, and Nina says she did, to give it back to Carly, no strings attached. Carly tells her, she doesn’t know what to say, and Nina says she doesn’t have to say anything. Nina doesn’t think it’s right that Carly lost everything just because she was trying to help her son. That’s not fair. Believe it or not, she just wanted to do this for Carly. Carly says, if Nina is sincere… Nina says she is, and Carly says, then something’s in it for her. What is it? Good PR? Does Nina want to reinvent herself being her financial savior?… Oh, Nina is just praying Wiley finds out about this one day. Nina says, no. She understands what she did to Carly’s family is unforgiveable, and Carly says, so Nina is going to give her back her hotel, and it’s going to make up for everything? but Nina says, no. Nothing she could ever do will fully repair the damage she caused Carly. Carly says, Nina means ripping her family apart, and turning Sonny into a man his kids don’t even recognize? She can never repair that. Nina says, okay. So Carly agrees she owes her. Carly says, hell yeah, Nina owes her, and Nina says, then let her do this
Portia asks, what’s the new lead? and Curtis says, one of Marshall’s band members, Jack, got the name and address of the bartender that Trina and Josslyn found. He’s the same man who sold Esme that burner phone. Portia says, the one that was planted in Trina’s bag; that’s wonderful. Curtis says, but when they went back to the bar and his apartment, he was nowhere to be found. Marshall says, they figure he’s lying low because the cops were called to The Highsider. Portia says, he hasn’t been back to work since then? and Curtis says, no. Shady, right? She says, very shady. But what if they don’t find him? It’s just another dead end. Marshall tells her, don’t lose faith. He and Curtis are nowhere close to giving up on exonerating Trina. Curtis says, there’s already another plan in motion.
Brando says, they need to discuss treatment options for when Sasha is released, and Sasha says, treatment options? She already told them, she’s feeling so much better. She was stressed out. Under normal circumstances, she would have been fine, but putting a baby carrier that soon after Liam’s death was not normal. He says he gets that, but she hadn’t seen the baby carrier yet when she took those pills. She says, the pills; he found them on her after he brought her in here. That was just a one-time thing to help her deal, she swears. He says, that wasn’t just a one-time thing, and Gladys says she told him the truth, that Sasha used uppers to get through the IPO. Sasha says, because she was stressed, and Gladys says, she told him that too. Sasha asks if Gladys also told him that she stopped, and Gladys says she’ll let them talk. She leaves, and Sasha tells Brando, listen to her; she’s okay. She doesn’t need any more treatment. He says he loves her and he’s worried about her, but she says, he doesn’t have to be. She’s done with the pills. He has to believe her. He says he wants to, more than anything in the world, but he can’t.
Olivia tells Drew that he can’t blame himself, but he says he set the whole thing in motion. He met with an executive consultant, who pitched him the idea of merging ELQ and Aurora. He thought it was a great idea. He got on board; he got Michael on board. Pitched it to Ned, which turns out was a big miscalculation. Olivia tells him, she thinks the less said about Ned switching sides, the better, and he says, in order for the strategy to work, he had to inflate the stock value of Aurora, which is a legitimate tactic. Had the merger gone through, the stock would have helped it’s value. With that said, he never should have let Carly get involved. Sonny says, as if Drew could stop her, and Olivia says, once Carly sets her mind on something, that’s it; they all know that. All they can do is support her and she’s going to need a lot of that right now. She’s got some tough times ahead of her. Dex walks in, and tells Sonny, the car’s ready; visiting hours are going to be over soon. Sonny thanks him, and says he’s going to check in on Sasha and Brando. Olivia asks him to give Sasha her best, and Drew says he heard what happened; it’s so awful. Sonny says, Carly isn’t going to take his help, but if she needs anything, he’s here. He leaves, and on his way out, his phone rings. Sonny thanks Brick for calling him back, and says he needs Brick to check some information for him… Yeah, right away.
Carly says, now, after months posturing, Nina wants to do what’s right now? and Nina says, that’s not fair. Carly says, Nina wants to talk fair? and Nina says, ever since she… we got back from Nixon Falls, she’s been trying make up for her mistakes. Carly asks if that’s what Nina calls sleeping with her husband, and dragging them all to court just so she can force herself on Wiley? Nina says, he’s her grandson, then composes herself, and says, can they try to think about this practically? She knows there’s nothing she can do to balance the scales, but maybe this will top it a little bit more toward the middle, and that’s all she wants. Carly says she’s sure Nina believes that. She’s sure Nina has convinced herself that she’s trying to make amends, because the truth is far less flattering. Nina bought her half of the hotel, so Sonny couldn’t. Um… wait a minute. Sonny tried, and Carly said no, so what the what? Carly says, Nina and Sonny have been inseparable lately. She’s sure Sonny told Nina that he was going to offer to help her. Nina says, he did, and Carly says, and that just kills Nina, doesn’t it, knowing Sonny ran to her rescue? but Nina says, it didn’t kill her. She expected it actually. She knows Carly and Sonny will always be connected. That’s what happens when you share children. Carly says, funny Nina mentions that, because Michael is Sonny’s son, and yet Sonny sat in that courtroom and listened to Nina’s lawyer attack Michael, and he did nothing. That is why she’s turning down Sonny’s offer to help her, and she’s turning down Nina’s. Nina had her attorney accuse Michael of being violent towards women, and nothing could be further from the truth. Thank God the judge could see through Scotty’s lies, and thank God Michael kept his cool and defended himself, but the fact that it happened at all is on Nina. What Nina did to her family, sleeping with her husband, that’s nothing compared to what she did to Michael. Carly will never forgive her for what she did to Michael in that courtroom. She’d rather crawl on broken glass than take anything from Nina. Nina says, Carly is such a saint, and Carly’s attorney attacked her for all the things she’s done in her past. She had to do what she did; Carly backed her into a corner. Carly puts her finger in Nina’s face, and says she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care if Nina believes her own lies, and doesn’t care if Sonny believes every single word. Nina can’t come in here, and cry a little, and say pretty things, and give her back her hotel, and expect everything to be okay. She opens the door, and says, this place is Nina’s. She’ll be out by the end of the week. Nina leaves, and Carly slams the door behind her.
Drew says he’s really sorry he cost Olivia her business partner, but she asks if he heard her; it’s not his fault. He says, she honestly doesn’t blame him, not even a little bit? and she says, things might have gone a little different, had Michael not tried to drive Ned out of the company… He says, the intention was never to ice out Ned, but she says, by the time they told Ned about the Aurora merger, it was done deal, with no place for him in the family business. Drew says, that’s not true, and she says, no place he wanted. Drew says, so Ned, the guy who led the charge to reclaim ELQ for the Quartermaines, sided with Valentin? She can’t be okay with that. She says she stands by her husband, and he says, fair enough. She says she just wishes the members of this family weren’t always at odds with one another, and he says, it seems to be the Quartermaine way, even before the vote. He told Michael the merger would be the thing to cement his place in the family. She says, he got that right; he’s a Quartermaine through and through. He says he was trying to protect the family from Valentin, and she asks how that worked out for him. He says, not great, but it’s nobody’s fault but Ned’s. What Ned did was incredibly selfish, and it burned a lot of people in the process. She says, Drew got burned by the Quartermaines for the first time. Don’t worry, it won’t be the last. Welcome to the family.
Curtis says, he was able to use one of his P.I. connections to access the known associates of the bartender. They should have the names and addresses any minute. Portia says, and he thinks that’s where the bartender is? and Curtis says, that’s the hope. She says, but why? and Curtis says, because he knows he’s connected to the crimes Trina is accused of. He’s sure the bartender is scared if he gets drawn in, it will be trouble for him. Marshall says, and who knows what else might be unearthed from his past? and Curtis says, so if they can get this bartender guy to admit he sold the phone to Esme, it could blow this case wide open. Portia says, the trial starts tomorrow, and shakes her head. Curtis’s phone rings and he says, here he is, right here. He steps away, asking, what’s he got? Portia thanks Marshall for trying to help Trina, and he says, she raised a wonderful young woman. The fact that she’s got all these people willing to go to bat for her is a testament to that. She says she prays it’s enough, and they can end this finally once and for all. He pats her arm, and says, of course (🍷).
Rory says, it’s official; not a distraction. Her? Trina says, definitely not a distraction. She really likes him. He says he likes her too, a lot, and she says, he’s obviously a great guy. He says, oh no, here comes the but, and she says she really wanted him to kiss her. She enjoyed it and doesn’t regret it, but… He says, see? and she says, this can’t happen again. He says, does she mind if he asks why? and she says, it’s complicated. He’s so awesome to her and her friends… except for the time he arrested Spencer and Cameron… He asks if she’s backing off them because she’s still hung up on Spencer.
Sonny asks Gladys, how’s Sasha? and she says, thank God he’s here. She messed everything up. He asks what she means, and she says she knew Sasha was struggling. Sasha asked her not to tell Brando, so she didn’t. If she’d been up front with him, it wouldn’t have gotten this bad. He says, she thought she was helping her daughter-in-law, but she says she only made everything worse. He says, they can only do what’s best in the moment. If you ask him, all she’s done is step up for Sasha. She asks, then why does she feel like she’s failing Sasha? but he says, she’s not failing; she’s trying. That’s not failing. Does she know who would be proud? Mike. She says, he thinks so? and he says, he knows so, hugging her. Aww. He’s being the other Mike.
Brando says, Sasha told him that his mom was overreacting about her using again, and Sasha says, she was. Like Gladys said, she just needed some help to get through the IPO. By the time Gladys found out, she’d already stopped using. He says, the point is, she lied to him. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do with that. She says, she lied to him because why worry him over nothing? She didn’t want to start their life together that way. He says, which brings him to the next question. Was she using drugs when they got married? She says she was not high during their ceremony. She did take some pills the morning she proposed, but that doesn’t change anything. He asks how she can say that, and she says, pills or not, she wanted to marry him, more than anything. Being his wife makes her so happy. He makes her so happy. He says, she makes him happy too, and she says, those drugs have nothing to do with her feelings for him. She just needed a little something extra to help with the stress and the pressure, but it’s over now. Brando takes her hand, and says, he’s an addict too, remember? The road to sobriety isn’t a straight line. She had a set-back. She says, that’s all it was, a set-back, and he says, he’ll be there to help her get through it, and make sure she’s fully comfortable with the rehab plan. She says, rehab? and he says, she can’t snap her fingers, and think she can get herself back on track. She says, she was stressed, and he asks if she thinks this is the last time she’s going to feel that way. There are therapists who can help her deal with those triggers. She says, okay, she’ll go to therapy, and he says, rehab therapists. She says, she just wants to go home with him, and he says, she needs more than he knows how to give. He cares about her too much to pretend otherwise. He’d ask her to do it for him, but they both know it’s something she has to do for herself. Gladys pops in, and says, Sonny is here, but she can tell him Sasha isn’t ready for visitors. Sasha says, Brando should go talk to him. Thank him for coming, but tell him she’s not ready. Brando asks her to think about what he said, and leaves.
Sonny asks how Brando is holding up, and Brando says, he appreciates Sonny coming by, but now is not a good time. Sonny says he understands, and asks if there’s anything he can do. Brando says he wishes Sonny knew how to get through to Sasha, and Sonny says, Brando will figure it out. Just keep showing her that he loves her, and he’s going to be by her side. Eventually, she will start listening.
Trina tells Rory, she and Spencer were never together. Spencer has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going on between them. Rory asks what that is exactly? and Trina says, let’s be real. Her trial starts tomorrow, and she’s no closer to proving Esme set her up. If she’s convicted… He says, that’s a huge if, and she says, if she is, what future can they possibly have?
Drew says, Olivia definitely loves her husband, and she says, damn right she does. He says he just hopes she sees he was trying to do what was right by the family. He didn’t deserve what Ned did. She says, that’s the thing. It’s not about who deserves what. These are Quartermaines. He says, for better or worse, and she says, a lot of times it’s for the worse. Do they love each other? Yes, they do, but they just can’t help giving in to their worst impulses. He says, he thought they could come together against Valentin. Instead, Ned turned against them. She says, that kind of thing is going to happen again and again. And when it does, Drew has a choice to make. He can either hang on to his bitterness and drive the family further apart, or choose to forgive. You bring together the people you love. He says, until the next time someone stabs you in the back, and Olivia says, that will happen. That’s just the way it is. She wishes that wasn’t the case, but she can accept it. So can he. Carly comes in, and Olivia asks how she’s doing, hugging her. Carly says she doesn’t know. The most surreal, twisted thing just happened.
Sonny tells Brando that he’s got go; he’s sorry. Is Brando going to be all right? Brando says, he thinks so, and they hug. He thanks Sonny again for coming, and Sonny goes to the elevator just as Nina is coming out.
Nina says she’s here to check on Sasha. She’s guessing that’s why he’s here too. He says he wants to talk to her in private, and tells Dex to give them a minute. She asks if something is wrong, and Sonny says, come on, taking her hand and walking her down the hall. Dex sits next to Brando, and says he’s sorry about Brando’s wife. Brando thanks him, and Dex says, she’s going to be okay. Brando says, no offense, but Dex doesn’t know that, and Dex says, the odds look good with the support system she’s got. Between Brando and Sonny, they’ll get her through whatever’s going on. Brando says he wishes he had Dex’s confidence, and Dex says, Brando’s a vet, right? Brando says, Marines; he fought in Iraq. Dex says, so Brando’s seen and experienced some rough stuff, and he’s still here. Brando says he heard Dex is a vet too, and Dex says, Army; Afghanistan. Brando says, whereabouts? He had a buddy who was stationed in Bagram for a while. Dex says, they were there too, which isn’t that big a coincidence, since most of them got sent there. Then they sent them to Kandahar. Brando asks how many tours Dex did, and Dex says, just the one.
Sasha says she needs Gladys to have her back on this. Gladys saw how she stopped taking the pills the first time. Gladys says, she didn’t stop for long, but Sasha says she’s learned her lesson. She can’t push herself at work anymore. Going forward, she’s going to make a point to take more downtime. Gladys says, Sasha is acting like it’s no big deal, and Sasha says, it isn’t. Gladys says, Sasha had a break in reality on national television, and Sasha says, that part was a big deal, but that was an isolated incident. They forced her to model a baby carrier. Gladys says, all right. So Sasha is just going to go through the rest of her life being triggered by infants and anything related to them? It’s clear Sasha hasn’t processed losing Liam, not to mention everything she’s been through since. Why is she fighting this? Get the help she so obviously needs.
Marshall and Portia sit down, and Marshall says he’s been meaning to thank her. She says, for what? and he says, for allowing him to stay with her and Curtis. He’ll be out of their hair as soon as he’s able. She says, there’s no rush, and he says, it’s a hell of a time. With Trina’s trial, and now all this… She says, it’s fine. They love having him. He thanks her, and she says, there’s something she wants to tell him too. She’s well aware of the stigma of mental illness, even to this day, and it took a lot of courage to open up to them about his diagnosis. He says, better late than never, and she says, she thinks so. Doesn’t he? He says he’s grateful things are finally okay with him and his son, and she says, schizophrenia usually presents itself in the early 20s, so he must have been living with symptoms for a while before he realized what they were. He says, mainly paranoid, thinking the government was watching him. And actually, that wasn’t going on that long before his arrest. She says, paranoia was his only symptom? and he says, it’s possible he wrote off some other things, but he doesn’t think anything abnormal. Curtis comes back, and Portia says, please tell her that his contact found something that can help Trina.
Olivia says, Nina bought Carly’s half of the hotel? and Carly says, as a gift for her. Isn’t that sweet? Drew asks, what’s the angle? and Carly says, there are tons. Mainly she wants to ease her conscience for the hell she unleashed on Carly and her family, but as always, all roads lead to Wiley, so she’s sure Nina is just doing this to ingratiate herself with him. Olivia asks what Carly said, and Carly tells her that she said hell no. Olivia says she figured, and Carly asks if she’s surprised. Olivia says, no, but part of her wishes Carly had taken Nina up on it. Carly says she’s sorry. They were partners, and she made a decision that left Olivia twisting, but no matter how bad she feels, she can’t accept Nina’s offer; she won’t accept Nina’s offer. Olivia says she sympathizes; she gets it. It’s just the thought of running this place with her… She’s got to go. She promised to tuck Leo in. Carly tells Olivia to kiss him for her, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). They’ll talk tomorrow. She leaves, and Drew says, Carly is committed, he’ll give her that. She said she was going to dig herself out by herself, and look at her; offer number three turned down flat. Carly says, Nina accused Michael of being violent towards women in open court. She could be starving and destitute, and she wouldn’t accept a damn dime from that woman. He says he gets that. So what’s the plan now?
Nina tells Sonny, stop freaking her out, and he finally stops walking. He asks if she bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt, and she says, yes, and she’s actually surprised he didn’t beat her to it. He says, Carly doesn’t want his help. Why? She says, why did she buy Carly’s half of the hotel? She wanted to give it back to Carly. He says, and? and she says, Carly accused her of being self-serving. Sonny asks, can Nina blame her?
Curtis says his guy emailed him a list of all the known associates of the bartender, and the addresses. Taggert is going to help him check them out. Portia says, that’s wonderful, and Curtis says, by tomorrow morning, they should have all the evidence they need to fight these charges against Trina and end this ridiculous nightmare. Marshall says they should get started, and Curtis says, it’s late. He suggests he take Marshall home and he’ll get started on the leads himself, but Marshall says, not happening, and Portia says, really? Marshall says he’s lost enough time with his family. He doesn’t intend to waste anymore, and she and Trina are part of that family now. Curtis says, how do you argue with that? Marshall says, you don’t, and they leave.
Rory says, everything will work out, and Trina asks how he knows. He says, because he has faith they’ll get the answers they need to exonerate her, and she says, that means more to her than he knows. But until the trial is behind her… He says, she’s going to take life one day at a time? and she says, it’s more like hours at this point. He says, so how about for the next couple of hours they just enjoy the here and now. No worrying about the future or what tomorrow will bring. Her, him, and the pleasure of each other’s company. What does she say? She tells him, she says yes. They hold hands, and look up at the sky. He asks if she knows anything about the stars or constellations, and she says, just that they’re beautiful. He says, they really are, and they gaze at the stars.
Sasha asks if Gladys knows how frustrating it is to keep telling people you’re fine and no one believes you. She doesn’t need to be shipped off to rehab. Gladys says, they just want what’s best for her, and both Brando and Doc think she would benefit from more specialized treatment. Sasha says, and it doesn’t matter what she thinks? and Gladys says, of course (🍷) it does, but maybe it’s a good idea to get some outside opinions; not to mention, professional ones. Sasha says she appreciates them trying to help, but they’re wrong. She does not need to go to rehab, and in 24 hours, it won’t be anyone else’s decision but her own.
Dex tells Brando, he enlisted right after high school. He doesn’t regret serving, but he almost died so many times, he lost count. Brando says he knows what Dex means. A guy near you that dies, and you didn’t; is there a reason, or was it just random? Either way, what are you supposed to do with the life you got to keep? Dex says he decided not to tempt fate. When his tour was up, he got out. He’s going to grab some coffee. Does Brando want anything? Brando says, no, and Dex leaves.
Carly says she doesn’t have a plan, but hell will freeze over before it involves Nina Reeves, and Drew says, copy that. She decided what was important to her, and she stuck to it. That takes guts. She says, or a serious stubborn streak, and he says, that too. She says, it’s just that her family is really all she has right now. She’s not going to risk losing them for anything or anyone. He asks if they need to do another toast to rising again, and she says she’d settle for just finding her way. Right now she’s feeling really lost, and she doesn’t like the feeling because it’s foreign, and it’s scary, and it’s not her. He says he knows, and holds her.
Nina says, she expects Carly to think the worst of her, but not Sonny, and he says, that’s not what he meant. She and Carly have been going at each other’s throats; that’s their history. Why wouldn’t Carly think she’s self-serving? Nina says, he has a point, but Carly’s not 100% wrong. She bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt because she was trying to repair some of the damage she caused. He asks if she’s being serious, and she says, yes. Which would not only make her feel better, but she wanted to maybe make things easier for them to move forward. All that pain. Wouldn’t it be nice if it was behind them? He says, it is better she bought it than someone else. They can’t undo the past; they can only make peace with it. She says, has he? and he says, he hasn’t been clear with her lately; things have been up in the air. But he does want to be with her. Whatever it takes; wherever it leads them. He’s all in. She touches his face, and he kisses her.
Tomorrow, Ava says, it’s time Trina told them what the evidence is; Laura asks if she has reason for concern; Victor says, since Valentin failed, he’s taken matters into his own hands; and Spencer tells Esme that something is going to rock her world.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
When we last left, LisaR was demanding if Sutton called Diana an MF’er and soulless. Sutton says, Diana was mocking her miscarriages, and we flash back to Diana saying, here we go with the big blue. Teary at the end, blah-blah-blah. LisaR says, all she heard about was the MF’er and soulless. Garcelle says, LisaR wasn’t at the party, and Erika says, LisaR talked to Diana. Sutton says, she and Diana had started to connect, but LisaR says she doesn’t think Diana got the same takeaway. Sutton says, for her, it felt real, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, they left the conversation in a good place, she thought. We flash back to that, and Sutton says, she was trying to relate to Diana. Kyle says, Diana thought her apology was phony, and that’s where she stepped in. Garcelle says, Kyle jumped ship pretty quick, and we flash back to the party, and Garcelle saying, Diana has a chip on her shoulder that has nothing to do with her, followed by Kyle saying, Diana does not have a chip on her shoulder. Kyle says she’s not jumping ship; they’re all on the same ship. Garcelle insists it felt like Kyle jumped ship, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she makes her own decisions based on how she feels. She doesn’t know where this is coming from. Maybe from the last 11 seasons, where Kyle’s feelings jumped ship every five minutes? They go inside, and mess with Sutton’s phone, finding her a match on Bumble. Sutton says she’s not looking to find a date on Bumble, and in her interview, she says, she’s not here to chat. She wants to see them face-to-face, in a crowded room, with Josh stalking her so it doesn’t get rapey. It happens. Someone says, they have a taker, and Sanjit appears on Sutton’s phone. They all say hi, passing the phone around, then put the phone in Sutton’s face. In her interview, Kyle says, it’s a recipe for disaster, but a fun disaster, and one she wants to be part of. Sutton says she likes Sanjit; he’s normal and smart. She tells the women, don’t scare him. Not until they’ve had at least one date. She apologizes to Sanjit, who seems to be a good sport, and they plan to talk later. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, not that she’s watching Erika, but she said she was going to have one drink. We flash back to Erika drinking, and Garcelle holds up three fingers. She asks if she and Erika can have a conversation, and Erika says, sure. Garcelle says, they were having a good time at her birthday, and Erika’s liquor level was beyond, but under no circumstances should she curse out, not just a kid, but her kid. In Crystal’s interview, she says, as a mother, she completely understands. Erika owes Garcelle a genuine apology. We flash back to Crystal hustling Jax away from Erika at the party. Erika says she agrees and takes full responsibility. She was sh*t talking, and treating the teenagers like adults. It was wrong, but it didn’t come from a bad place. It wasn’t vicious, but it was wrong. Garcelle says, seeing her on the boat in Mexico, then seeing her at the party, Erika needs to balance her meds and her cocktails. Erika says she’s on a new med that makes her sleepy, and Kyle jumps in, saying she’s never seen Erika lose her composure, so she should be cut some slack. Garcelle says, this is what she means by jumping ship. She’s having this conversation with Erika; she’s not talking to Kyle. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Garcelle isn’t 100% wrong, but is she happy Erika is letting her hair down, and not being as guarded? Absolutely. I guess it doesn’t occur to this dimbulb that Erika’s reasons for drinking like that might not be good. Sheree (not that one) says, in this moment, Garcelle needs Kyle to be neutral, and Erika admits to having a few too many sneaky margaritas. And before she insulted Garcelle’s twins, she’d complemented them, saying how well-spoken they were, and not acting like teenagers absorbed in their phones. Sutton says, they were raised right, and Erika says, it’s a testament to Garcelle, and I think, nice move. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s great when a stranger compliments you on your parenting, but even better when it’s a mom who knows what it’s like doing it alone. She’s still annoyed, but Erika scored a point. I’m actually surprised Garcelle isn’t thinking like me. Not only did Erika know she’d score a point, she steered the conversation in a different direction. Erika says she’d still do Oliver, and Sheree says, her too. Garcelle says she’ll have to watch both you heifers, and she’s not bringing him around anymore.
I miss what store it is, but it’s like athletic shoe world, a massive wall of shoes, and shelves upon shelves of shoes. Garcelle is there with Jax and Jaid, and in her interview, she says, labels are important, more to some than others. We flash back to a Dorit head-to-toe designer moment, and Garcelle says, Jaid is all about fashion, but Jax couldn’t care less. She sees a pair that are $2200, and tells Jaid, move away from the Diors. She sees a pair for $9800, and in her interview, she wonders, what does it do? Does it do the dishes? The laundry? She tells Jaid that he can’t go over $500, and in her interview, she says, she never in her life thought she’d pay $500 for a pair of shoes. When Jaid was 11 and asked for Gucci, she told him, absolutely not. We flash back to 2019, and Garcelle tells her sons, get a job, and Jaid says, but we’re 11. She says she can’t address her life now; it’s too big. She would never have thought of it. We flash back to some Garcelle moments, and she says, coming from where she does and now having money, she’s proud of what she’s able to do. Jaid picks out a pair for a conservative $300, and in her interview, Garcelle says, when she and Mike broke up, the odds were against her; an older mother with two babies, who didn’t have much. People thought she wouldn’t be able do it. Jaid keeps looking and finds a Yeezy pair for $650. In Garcelle’s interview, she tells us, she’s proud to say she raised three solid young men, who are sweet and compassionate. They deserve a splurge now and then.
It’s Christmastime in Beverly Hills, and we see all the lights. It’s also Hannukah at Kyle’s house. Mauricio dances in, and you know he’s high. Dorit and her kids join them, sans PK, who’s working in London. In Dorit’s interview, she says, it brings back scary thoughts. PK was in London when the home invasion happened, but it’s very important that she keep things normal for her kids, She’s grateful for Kyle being around the corner. It’s a safe environment, and keeps her anxiety at bay. Mauricio’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law arrive, and in her interview, Dorit says, Hanukkah is probably her favorite holiday. She grew up with the Jewish traditions, and now she wants her kids to experience them. One of the boys tells the Hanukkah story before they light the candles, and it’s very cute. In Kyle’s interview, she says, growing up, she didn’t know what the Jewish traditions were, but when she made a commitment to the faith, she wanted to bring them into her home, and celebrate the holidays. Seeing Dorit happy, relaxed, and enjoying Hanukkah makes it mean a lot more now to have these special moments with friends and family. Mauricio tells Dorit that they’re her second family, and Dorit says she’s grateful.
Diana’s son Innis comes by with his girlfriend Ava. Innis says, Diana’s dream is to have him live across the street, and in Diana’s interview, she says she loves having a full house. Her father was an orphan, and had no family. He talked about his loneliness, and how special family is. Losing her brother, she understood that time with her kids is irreplaceable. Ascher (her fiancé? Her husband? I forget) wonders if it’s a culture thing that Diana doesn’t want her kids to go anywhere. Diana says, growing up, there were a bunch of cousins, and everybody had a plot of land. Innis says, it’s an American thing for kids to move away, and in her interview, Diana says she’s glad her kids have seen how the rest of the world lives. They’re lucky to be able to visit her parents in Bosnia. They taught her kids the language and culture. Her daughter Eneya lives in England, where she does horseback riding. Eneya is different from her; she’s allergic to horses. They call Eneya, who says she’ll be riding for Bosnia in March. Her dad is with her, and Diana says, she has a good dad, and in her interview, she says, she selfishly loves having her family with her. She’s hoping Eneya rides in California, so they can spend time together. Her home is important; she likes it to be warm and welcoming. Despite some people thinking she’s rude and cold, her family wouldn’t agree she’s cold. Rude is questionable. See? I want to like her, but…
Kyle meets Garcelle and Sheree for lunch. Sheree talks about going to Sutton’s boutique, and says, they sat and had some girl talk. She’s trying to understand, and Garcelle says, she’ll catch on. Garcelle tells Kyle that she was having a one-on-one with Erika, and wanted a moment with her. It’s not about not wanting Erika to have fun. Erika’s drinking is becoming a lot. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Erika suggested a threesome to her older son, told her younger son to f*** off, and almost fell off the boat. We flash back to all those things, and Garcelle says, that’s not just, she’s a little tipsy, get her an Uber. What more does Kyle want it to be? Kyle says, Erika was being free and letting her hair down, but Garcelle asks if Kyle doesn’t think it could lead to alcoholism. Doesn’t she think it’s a problem? Kyle looks at her like Garcelle has two heads with her mouth hanging open, then says she thinks that’s dramatic. Garcelle asks if she doesn’t think Erika drinking when she takes meds is a problem, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she does have past experience on this topic. We flash back to the infamous limo scene, and LisaR saying, Kim is close to death. Kyle says she’s learned from those experiences, and those kinds of words hurt people. Apparently she can’t tell the difference between dramatics and actual concern. Garcelle says, Erika said she was on new meds, and Kyle says she takes Lexapro, but it’s a small dosage. It’s not a big thing. Since she doesn’t add something like, Erika’s on the same meds, I don’t know if this applies, or she’s just talking out of her ass. Sheree says, someone saying what Erika did to someone’s sons is a person not in control, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she dealt with Oliver’s addiction, and watching someone going down a dark path is hard, especially someone you love. Erika’s not at that point, but she thinks they need to do something before it gets bad. Sheree says she sees both sides. Erika’s been through a lot and she’s bringing the wall down, but Garcelle’s point is valid too. Garcelle says, it could be dangerous. If they see a problem, she thinks they should nip it in the bud.
Diana and assistant Lia are on a mission to get rid of Diana’s storage. Lia says it seems overwhelming, but it’s not that bad. We see pictures of Diana with Elton John and Lady Gaga, and in her interview, she says she lives a big life. She goes to a lot of parties, and has a lot of friends. A producer asks, what’s the craziest thing that’s happened at one of her parties? and she says she had a rock star beat up a prince. But she’s not going into names. Lia suggests, except for what she wants to save for her daughters, she donate the rest, and in Diana’s interview, she says, to help others is a huge honor. When she was a refugee, she was on the receiving end. Her parents were at the mercy of charities for years. She gets involved in things she doesn’t even understand, but as long as it helps someone, she’s in. That’s nice, but if she doesn’t understand it, how does she know it’s really helping someone? Erika comes over, and they give each other not-a-fake hug. Erika drools over the clothes and accessories, and in her interview, she says, there’s easily a million bucks in this room. She had things like this her entire adult life, and right now life has changed for her. She doesn’t feel jealous or bad. Life can’t be solely pinned on the value of material things. If she wants something, she can get it. She’s not broke broke. She sold a lot of her collection, but it’s fine. I dunno. It sure sounds like it’s really not. Erika says, Diana missed Sutton’s party, and Diana says she woke up feeling like her head was going to explode. Erika says, it was a topic, and they have champagne. She says, Sutton told them at the table what happened at the party, leaving out the part where LisaR brought the topic up. Diana says, she thought she’d seen it all, then met Sutton. Why does Sutton want to not like her? Erika says she got in trouble last year. Garcelle and Sutton were her biggest critics, but Sutton pulled the worst out of her. Diana says, in the first five minutes she was in the group, Sutton had a fight with nearly everyone; it can’t be her. In Erika’s interview, she says, Sutton poked a major f***ing bear. Sutton might think things are good, but they ain’t with Diana. She doesn’t think Sutton can survive that confrontation. She says she told Sutton that she thought she and Diana got off on the wrong foot, but she can fix it. We see a clip of Erika telling Sutton to give Diana the benefit of the doubt. Sutton says, she doesn’t tell a lot of people about her miscarriages, and Diana made fun of her. Erika tells her, try again. Erika tells Diane that Sutton was sh*tty to her, and she didn’t swipe it under the rug, but she can live with it. Diana asks how she learns to forgive and forget, but Erika says she doesn’t.
In Kyle’s interview, she says, when you’re born and raised in L.A., and it’s 90 degrees on Christmas, you get desperate for snow. She doesn’t have it, so she’s going to create it. We see a snow machine pumping snow into her yard. She calls Erika, and says she had snow brought to the house. She wishes Erika could be here tomorrow for the Children’ Hospital benefit with Jamie Lee Curtis. Erika says, Diana’s on her way to lunch with Sutton, and Kyle says, that’s interesting, twirling her mustache. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she’d thought she and Diana ended on a good note, but LisaR inserted herself, so now she’s going straight to Diana. She calls Garcelle from the car, and says she thinks Diana will be tricky. Garcelle says, you can’t be in this group and hold a grudge because someone yelled at you. Sutton says she can come across as harsh, but she’s complex, funny, witty, and a good friend. She promises to give Garcelle a full report.
Sutton and Diana hug, and I don’t know about fake, but it seems halfhearted. Diana asks what they do, and Sutton says, have some lunch and talk about what they need to talk about. She wonders where to start, and Diana suggests the beginning. Sutton says, they can Sound of Music this, but since she wants to go back, Diana had said her words were clumsy before she even knew Sutton. We flash back to Diana saying that, and Diana says she was trying to give Sutton the benefit of the doubt, thinking she doesn’t mean to hurt with her words. But she’s changed her mind. She thinks Sutton means what she says. Sutton says she’s there to make peace, and come to an understanding. She doesn’t want Diana to be mean and shoot daggers. She wants to be civilized. Diana says, the way Sutton provoked her at the party was inappropriate, and Sutton says, it was wrong of her to be sarcastic. Diana says, some things aren’t up for sarcastic remarks. Sutton says, what she did wasn’t right, and she’s willing to say that, but she needs Diana to say that what she did wasn’t right; mocking Sutton’s miscarriages. Diana says, it’s how Sutton said it, but Sutton says she was sincerely trying to bond, and Diana is rolling her eyes. Diana says, Sutton isn’t genuine, and she feels like she needs professional help to communicate with Sutton. Sutton says, if Diana doesn’t think she’s sincere, Diana has a problem. She doesn’t share her miscarriages with many people. Diana says, Sutton threw it in there like she was raising Diana two. It’s too heavy of a subject. Sutton says, how dare Diana? and Diana says, everything goes back to Sutton. Sutton says she was speaking on behalf of all women who have miscarried, and Diana asks if she’s the world’s miscarriage spokeswoman. Sutton says, Diana is delusional, and Diana says she gave Sutton the fakest hug in her life, and Sutton thought it was sincere. She couldn’t wait to shake Sutton off. Sutton asks, who’s fake now? and Diana says she is. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Diana has a problem with herself. She’d choose dealing with Erika over Diana, Sutton says she had no idea, and it was sh*tty of Diana. Diana shrugs, and Sutton says, shame on her. Diana says, for what? Not letting Sutton walk on her and abuse her? Huh? Diana asks if Sutton thinks she can provoke someone, and yell and say mean things, then hug it out 10 minutes later. She cut Diana deep, and if Diana said it was all good, it would be fake. Sutton asks if Diana wants to move on or not, and Diana says, tell her how to move on in a way that’s not fake. Who is Sutton? Sutton says, she’s reactionary. She’s a hot head, but she’s a good friend, and loyal to the end. Diana says, so you say, and Sutton says, so I know. They go back and forth for a few rounds with that, and Sutton finally says she doesn’t know what to do. They’re playing ping-pong. She gets up and says she’s going to go. She has lots of Christmas cards to do. They can be pleasant at Kyle’s thing. Diana agrees, saying, it’s a charity event, and Sutton leaves.
I swear, I’m starting to need Tums or something during this show.
Next time, Jamie Lee Curtis; Crystal struggles with her eating disorder; Kathy returns; and Erika drinks… and drinks… and drinks.
🍝 On Top of Spaghetti…
Come on by tomorrow for soap (she says with trepidation) and something to Charm you. Until then, stay safe, stay doing your part for the environment, even if it’s just carrying a candy wrapper around in your pocket forever rather than littering, and stay knowing we can’t undo the past; we can only make peace with it.
🌴 Taking the rest of the day off, or at least switching job gears. But here are a couple of nuggets.
🍳 Rate the Chefs…
Several of them were pretty bad, but IMO Leon was the worst. Repeat dishes, nasty remarks, attitude on attitude, not finishing the charter when he was let go. The best thing about him was, when he walked off, Ben replaced him. Not that Ben isn’t moody, but he’s a whole lot of fun.
Her attorney says, she’s a good woman who crossed the line. Please. Seems to me she crossed a lot of lines. And you’d think if she was smart, she might have been a little more low-key on the show, but I guess thieves never think they’ll be caught.
Check in tomorrow when we’ll hopefully have soap, as well as a report on those horrible Beverly Hills diamond holders. Until then, stay safe, stay never letting others limit you, and stay not crossing any lines where you’ll ultimately be pleading guilty.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Dante wakes up in a chaise next to Sam at the pool, and says, they’re losing sun. How long was he out? She says, about an hour. It’s been a glorious day in the sun. He asks, thanks to Drew, and asks if they had any SOS calls, checking his phone, but she says she thinks with Drew’s Navy SEAL training, he can survive a day with Rocco, Scout, and Danny. He says, don’t forget, they have a sleepover at the Q’s tonight too, and she says, ouch. All for this? They may have pushed it a little. He says he thinks they’re in good hands. Plus it gives them a chance to focus on nothing but them.
At the MetroCourt Gardens, Esme suggests she and Spencer snag a spot on the roof terrace to watch the fireworks, but he says, they’re already pushing it by being here. Carly banned them from the pool, remember? They could go to the park. She says, but it’s so much better on the terrace, and he says, which is reason number two to skip it. Joss, Cam, and Trina are probably already out there.
At a table by the pool, Trina tells Josslyn, sorry. Maybe coming to the pool was a bad idea. She can’t seem to get out of her own head. Josslyn says, her either. She can’t help thinking about the trial starting tomorrow. Trina says, it feels like it’s been looming over her for so long. Part of her is glad it’s finally happening, but she hate the thought of listening to that ADA trash her to the jury. Josslyn tells her, don’t worry about that. The jury is going to hear from her and Cam too. They’re the victims and they’re testifying on her behalf. That’s got to outweigh anything that over-eager ADA has prepared.
Valentin goes to Nina’s office, and says, this is how they’re celebrating the birth of the nation? When she called, he hoped she was meeting him with hot dogs and a marching band. She kisses him on the cheek, and says, the marching band was booked. She’s super busy, and he’s busy too. Congratulations on getting over on Michael and Drew, and maintaining control of ELQ. He says he thought she’d be pleased, and she says, pleased? Someone finally told Michael that he can’t get everything he wants? Absolutely. He says he was thinking more along the lines of Carly.
Money manager Reggie tells Carly that he doesn’t like what she’s proposing. Is she comfortable assuming more debt? She says, no, of course (🍷) not, but from what he’s telling her, she has no other option. She has to secure a loan to buy back her half of the MetroCourt. He says he’ll make some calls, but prepare herself. The interest rate on such a large loan is going to be quite high. Olivia comes in, and says, a loan? Is Carly out of her mind?
In the park, Maxie tells Austin, this is the perfect place to watch the fireworks. Port Charles always puts on the best show. No offense to Pautuck’s lightning bugs. He says, none taken, and she’s probably right. She says, he’s not even going to defend his home town? and he says, what’s the point? He’s a lucky guy. He’s here enjoying the holiday, and he’s so happy to be with her. He takes Maxie’s hand, and we see Britt is sitting with them. She says, kill me now.
Cody sits on the chaise next to Dante, and says, what a day. He can’t wait for the fireworks. Dante asks if he means the ones the city puts on, and Cody says, unless Dante has some cherry bombs hidden somewhere.
Temp Michael and Willow walk into the MetroCourt Gardens, and Michael says, his mom must be in her office. Willow suggests they go; she’s kind of tired. He says, they don’t have to stick around for the fireworks. They can grab Wiley, and watch them from the house. She says she’s a little tired, but just because she’s pregnant; nothing to worry about. He says, worried? He’s on top of the world, and she says she’s right there with him. Sonny walks in, and he and Michael lock eyes. Michael tells Willow that his mom might be in the restroom. Why doesn’t Willow look for her there? She says, fine, but first… She leads him over to Sonny, and Sonny says he’s glad to see her up and about. How’s she feeling? She thanks him, and says, much better. He asks if they found out why she fainted, and she says, yes. There’s something he should know.
Olivia says, please tell her that she misheard that. Carly can’t possibly be considering taking out a loan when she’s so deep in the hole, she can’t even see daylight. Carly says she knows it’s a big risk, but it’s the only way she can buy back her half of the hotel before Stillwater Venture Group gets better offer. Olivia says, and this is the only way. Carly can swallow her stubborn pride, and let her friends help her. Carly says, unless pride is the only thing she has left.
Valentin says he didn’t realize how heavily invested Carly was, and Nina says, it was a surprise all right. He says, they’ll just file it under unintended collateral benefits. When he stayed in power, Aurora stock tanked, and Carly lost big. Nina says, don’t expect a standing ovation, and he says, don’t tell him she’s softened toward Carly. She says, not her, but Sonny has.
Sonny says, Willow told him she’s fine; he hopes she’s better. She says she is, and she’s been meaning to thank him for his help at the pool. She understands he caught her when she fainted, and even went to GH to make sure she was all right. He says, of course (🍷). She’s family. Michael says they should get going, and catch up with mom. Willow thanks Sonny again, and they leave.
Britt says she’s out of here, and Maxie asks why; she said she’d stay. Britt tells her, she said she’d come for the picnic. Now that’s over, and sitting here watching them make goo-goo eyes at each other all night isn’t what she signed up for. Austin says he wonders what happened to all the other people, and Maxie says, they had no way of knowing no one else would show up. Britt says, maybe they had better things to do, and Maxie says, they still had fun, didn’t they? Britt says, so much fun, but now it’s time to leave. Spinelli struggles in, pulling a cooler, and says, celebratory greetings, friends. Apologies for the late arrival. Maxie tells Britt, look! Spinelli! and Spinelli smiles.
Dante says he doesn’t know what Cody is talking about. He’s an officer of the law. Cody says, how things change. Dante was the one who snuck fireworks into camp; impressive fire power. Dante says, it was. Cody was actually the one who told the counselors it was the Gallagher twins. Cody says, please don’t tell him that with maturity comes remorse, and Cody says, hell no. Those two little punks? They’re probably Wall Street hot shots by now. Sam comes back, and says, look who’s here. She asks what they’re talking about, and Cody says, illicit firework stories; got any? She says she pleads the fifth, and Cody says, good woman.
Trina says she should go, but Josslyn says, forget it. She won’t let Trina go back to her room and obsess about the trial. Trina says, she should obsess in public? and Josslyn says, she gets it. It’s like this black hole that’s a gravity well, and you try to think about other things, but somehow it all connects back to the trial and keeps pulling you down. Trina says, that’s it exactly. She’d give anything to forget about the trial, even for an hour. Rory joins them, and says, easy. He can make that happen.
Esme says she doesn’t see how Joss, Cam, and Trina have anything to do with their plans for the evening, and Spencer says, the last time she and Joss were face-to-face, they both ended up in the pool. Trina’s trial is tomorrow, and he’s sure emotions are running high. He’d rather avoid another confrontation… for her benefit. Carly’s probably up there anyway; she’d throw them out. Esme doesn’t need the aggravation. She says, so considerate, always thinking of her, and he says, night and day. She kisses him, and Sonny clears his throat, getting their attention. Esme gasps, and he says he’s glad he ran into them.
Spinelli wonders, where’d everybody go? Don’t tell him they departed before the fireworks? Maxie says, her mom and Mac took the kids home. They played so hard, they could barely keep their eyes open. Austin says, everyone else was pretty much a no-show, and Spinelli says, no Terry? No Amy? and Austin says, no. Spinelli says, Epiphany? and Britt says, no one; just the three of us. Spinelli says he’s sure a good time was still had by all, and Britt says, it was a blast. Now that Spinelli is here, the party can continue. Thanks for inviting her. She jets.
Sam asks how the job is at the Quartermaines’, and Cody says he loves it. She says, Danny keeps going on about how Leo just loves Comet, and she tells Dante, Comet’s one of the horses. Cody says, the Quartermaines couldn’t have picked a better horse for Leo. He’s calm, steady, he’s almost impossible to startle. The other day, Cody accidentally knocked over this metal bucket. It was so loud, it sounded like a firecracker going off. A couple of the horses shied, one started going crazy in its stall. Comet barely even noticed. Half the time, he pretends that he’s asleep, except when Leo is there. When Leo’s there, he’s totally engaged; he’s focused. Leo will groom him, and he’ll suddenly connect. Sam says, don’t let Leo get it in his head to take Comet out solo, but Cody says, another thing about Comet. If Leo were to hop up on him alone, no one grabbing the lead rein, he’s not going anywhere. That horse is smarter than most of the dudes he knows. Dante tells Sam, this guy is basically half-horse…Smells like one too. Cody says he took a shower after work, and smells his shirt. He says, oh my God, I’m sorry, and they laugh.
Trina asks what Rory is doing here, and he says, looking for her. Does she have plans for watching the fireworks? She says she was planning on taking off. He says he knows it’s short notice. Being one of the newbies, he had to work crowd control for the parade, and wasn’t sure he’d be done, but he’s free now and has plenty of time to take her mind off tomorrow. Trina asks what he has in mind, and he says, dessert in the park while they watch the fireworks? Josslyn tells Trina, go, but Trina says she doesn’t want to leave Josslyn all alone. Josslyn says, go, and she’ll hang out with her mom; she hasn’t talked to her in a while. This is Trina’s chance to escape gravity well. Rory says, sorry? and Josslyn says, Trina will explain. Take her, please. Rory says, Trina heard her girl. How about it? He promises to be as distracting as possible.
Esme says, please, Mr. Corinthos. You promised Laura you wouldn’t kidnap me again. Sonny says, first of all, he didn’t kidnap her, and Spencer says, he woudn’t have to. He had one of his people do it for him, but Esme’s right. His grandmother assured them that she had his word Esme had nothing to fear. Sonny says he did and she doesn’t. He just wanted to give Esme the opportunity to tell the truth, and since she doesn’t want to tell the truth, she’s smart to stay away from him. Ain’t that right, Esme? Will she do him a favor? Can she give him some time with his nephew? Spencer suggests Esme go to the park, and find them a good space to watch the fireworks. She tells him, be careful, and he says he’ll join her soon. She leaves, and Spencer asks what he can do for Sonny. Sonny asks Spencer, what the hell has happened to him?
Nina gives Valentin something to drink, and says, Sonny’s first instinct, once again, is to rush to Carly’s rescue. She’s the one who asked for the divorce. He shouldn’t feel guilty, but he does, and that guilt is making him feel responsible for Carly’s financial misfortune. Valentin says, well, he shouldn’t. She took the risk, she rolled the dice, and she lost. That’s not Nina’s problem. Nina says she’s sure Michael and Willow will blame her for everything, like they do all the time. He says he’s sorry to hear that, and sorry hear she lost her petition for visitation with Wiley. She says she doesn’t absolve herself of the mistakes she’s made, lying about Sonny when he was in Nixon Falls, but losing her grandson is an unbearable price pay. He says, soon enough,Wiley will be making his own decisions, won’t he? and she says, she’s holding out hope, but what are the chances he’s going to choose to get to know her, hearing how she’s the schemer who blew up his family? She’s tired of being the villain all the time. He says, maybe it’s time to change that.
Carly says she doesn’t appreciate Olivia barging into her office and making her second guess herself. Olivia says, she didn’t barge; she entered with urgency, because she cares. She doesn’t want to see Carly make another mistake that she’s going to regret. Reggie says, maybe he’ll wait outside while they confer, and Carly asks him to look into the loan, and let her know their best terms, and she’ll make a decision. He leaves, and Olivia says she’s only trying to help. Carly says she knows, and she’s sorry she snapped at Olivia. She’s angry at everyone; she’s angry at herself. Helping Drew and Michael is a great thing, but as usual she took it too far. Olivia says she talked to Ned. He’s completely behind the idea of buying Carly’s half of the hotel and holding onto it until she can buy it back. Carly thanks her, but says, she has no idea when that will be. Olivia says, however long it takes. She doesn’t care. Michael and Willow come in, and Olivia says, look who’s here. She asks Michael to talk some sense into his mother. Carly tries to stop her, but Olivia continues, saying, talk some sense in to your mother. Tell her the only idea that makes any sense is Olivia buying Carly’s half of the MetroCourt. Michael says, she’s selling her half of the hotel? and Olivia says, he didn’t know? She has a big mouth; she’s sorry. Carly says she didn’t have a chance to tell her family her plan, and Olivia says, or maybe she knew that her family wasn’t going to agree with her. Please, think long and hard about her offer. Please. She leaves, and Carly asks if Willow is okay; any more dizziness, fainting? Willow says, like she told Carly on the phone, she’s doing great, and Carly says she knows, but she felt like Willow was holding something back. Michael says, Carly is deflecting. What were she and Olivia talking about? He knows she took a financial hit when the Aurora/ELQ merger fell apart, but she can’t possibly be thinking about selling her half of the MetroCourt. Carly says, she can’t… because it’s already gone.
Spencer says, he’s the same as he’s always been, and Sonny says, really? He heard Spencer made a deal with Ava to loosen the purse strings on his trust, and he heard Spencer quit Kelly’s, and Spencer lost all his friends because of his shifty girlfriend. Loyalty and friendship are very important. He doesn’t take that lightly, and Spencer shouldn’t take that lightly. Spencer asks if that loyalty shouldn’t extend to his girlfriend, and Sonny says, his girlfriend is a liar. She made a sex tape on Josslyn and Cam, and framed Trina. They can’t forget that, can they? Spencer says, as long as the evidence proves otherwise, he’s staying by Esme’s side.
At the park, Rory opens a container, and Trina says, brownies; pretty basic. He says, not his brownies, and she says, so his amazing, stupendous, spectacular dessert is brownies. He says, try one. He made them himself. She says, they’re not special brownies, are they? (ha-ha; I was thinking that too) and he says, remember?I’m a cop.Just taste. She takes a bite, and looks at him, saying, oh my God. This is amazing. He says, and stupendous and spectacular. Best brownies she’s ever had, right? She says she’s in heaven. She’s sorry she doubted him. He says, it’s okay. Maybe she’s used to being let down. She can count on him. He won’t disappoint her.
Austin’s phone rings, and he says he’ll be right back. He leaves, and Spinelli says, Britt left in a hurry. Did he miss something? Maxie says, no; she was angling to leave the entire time. She’s actually a bit worried about Britt. He asks, why? Hasn’t she had any more matches? Maxie says, Britt hasn’t mentioned any, but she’s trying to stay positive with Britt about the whole Society Set-Ups thing. She’s afraid Britt’s soured on the idea, especially after the whole pool incident. She thinks Britt’s given up on dating altogether. He says, maybe that’s for the best for now, and she asks why he’d say that.
Cody brings Dante and Sam something to drink, as Britt walks in. She takes a look at them, and keeps walking. Cody says he forgot the napkins. He’ll grab a menu too, for appetizers. He goes over to the bar, and Britt says she doesn’t really need this right now. He says, good evening to her as well. He’s just here to get a menu and some napkins. Happy 4th, by the way. She asks if he wasn’t bragging that he had access to the Quartermaines’ pool? Why isn’t he there? He says, because he’s here, hanging with his friends, and she says, great. She’s sure Dante told him to stay away from her. He should listen. He asks what makes her think she knows what he and Dante talk about, and she says, because Dante hates her guts, for good reason. She hands him a menu and napkins, and says, bye, but he asks why he should leave now that he’s met his match?
Olivia asks if Sam and Dante are enjoying the holiday, and Sam says, yes, very much. She thanks Olivia for letting the kids crash at the Q’s, and Olivia says, no problem. Drew wore them out at the fair, and the nanny is an expert at getting them down. No work for her. Although she will be doing all the work around here pretty soon. Dante asks what she’s talking about, and she says she guesses she can tell him; he’s family. Carly lost her half of the hotel. Sam asks if it’s because of the drop in the Aurora stock, and Olivia says, she leveraged her half of the hotel, and now she can’t cover what she lost. And the woman is too damn stubborn to let her help. Dante says, Olivia is pretty stubborn too. Don’t let Carly tell her what to do; do what’s right.
Nina tells Valentin, she’s kept a low-ish profile, and she’s tried to make almonds amends to Sonny’s family. But when that didn’t work, she wanted to focus her attention on restoring her public image. That Invader article didn’t help at all, but she’s just going to keep trying, and maybe it will pay off in ten years or so. He says he’s no stranger to the court of public opinion. He tries not to pay too much attention to it. As long as Charlotte’s all right, the rest of the world can go hang. She asks if that includes Anna, and he says he admits there are certain people whose opinion matters to him; Nina is actually one of them. Nina says she’s glad they get to be friends. She forgot to tell him, Charlotte emailed her, and included pictures of her equestrian event. She’s ribboned? He says, she’s pretty competitive, and Nina says she never would have predicted it, but this boarding school seems like a really good fit for her. He says, seems that way, and she says she’s still surprised Charlotte wanted to live away from home, and that he could bear to see her go. He says he’ll do what he has to, to make sure Charlotte is okay, whatever the cost to him.
Carly says, Stillwater intends to put her half of the hotel on the market, and Willow says, that’s terrible, but Carly says she’s going to buy it back. Michael says he knew it was a mistake for her to buy in, just like it was a mistake to include Ned. Carly says, this is why she didn’t want to tell him. It was her decision to bet on the merger between ELQ and Aurora, and it didn’t happen, so she has to suffer the consequences. Michael says, so now she’s going to take out a loan. What’s she going to use as collateral? The house? No. Just let him give her the money, or he’ll buy her half and sign it over to her. She says, no. She knew he’d do that, and she loves him for it, but she just wants her family to be happy and safe. That’s it…What’s going on? She saw the look. Did something happen with Willow when she was in the hospital? Willow says, they hadn’t planned on saying anything this early… Michael says, he and Willow are having a baby. Carly gets all excited, and hugs them both.
On the phone, Austin says he was only in town for a couple of days; he’s not in Pautuk… Now they need to live up to their end of the bargain. Don’t contact him again.
Trina tells Rory that she was around six or seven, and was convinced her dad was a magician, and of course (🍷) he encouraged her. That 4th of July, he had a real wand, and he’d point it at the sky, and say, presto. The sky would light up with fireworks. He probably heard the whoosh when they sent it up, but she didn’t, and thought, wow, her dad is magic. She could use some of that magic now… She’s so sorry. She’s really trying not to think about the trial. He takes her hand and says, she can’t ignore reality; he doesn’t expect her to. He just wanted her to have a few moments where is wasn’t the only thing she thought about. She says she appreciates his efforts, but he says he wishes he could do more. She moves closer to him, and says, he’s doing just fine.
Carly asks why they didn’t tell her, and Michael says he thinks that’s what they’re doing right now. Willow says, keeping quiet is so much harder than she expected, and she certainly didn’t want Carly worrying she was ill. Carly says she’s so happy they told her. She really needed good news today. Josslyn walks in, and says, her too. What’s the good news? Willow says she’s pregnant, and Josslyn congratulates them and hugs them, saying, she’s going to be an auntie again. Reggie comes to the door, and says he has those numbers for Carly, and she tells the others to go to the Garden and she’ll meet them. Michael says, they’re still not done talking, and they leave. Carly invites Reggie in, and says, well?
Maxie says, she thought Spinelli was the champion for love and romance these days. He thinks it’s better for Britt to be alone? Spinelli says, alone is better than being with the wrong person. Austin returns, and Maxie asks if everything is okay. He says, it was just the hospital, and Spinelli says he thinks he’ll take his leave, but Maxie says, he just got here. Spinelli says, they should have an evening alone together. Farewell. He drags his cooler back out, and Maxie wonders, what’s up with him?
Sam wonders if Carly is coming back, but Dante doesn’t know. He asks if it matters, and she says, as much as she loves hearing stories about his outlaw past, she wants to go somewhere private to watch the fireworks, just the two of them. He asks if she has a place in mind, and she says she does. She was thinking, the view from her bedroom is spectacular, and he says he happens to know that for a fact. She says, the harbor lights up, and it’s so beautiful. She was thinking it would be incredible. He says, it probably would be incredible. Does she want to get out of here? He kisses her, and they jet.
Nina says, Valentin didn’t tell her what he wanted to see her about, and he asks if Victor has approached her. She says, no, why? and he says, Victor is determined to stay a part of his life. So much so, he’s reaching out to the people closest to him. She says, not a fan, and Valentin says, stay away from him. He’s a dangerous man, and Valentin doesn’t care how devoted he seems to be. She says, duly noted, and thanks him for his concern. It’s actually refreshing not to be the perpetually guilty one. He says, she doesn’t care that much what people think, and she says she doesn’t, but Wiley is a different story. She’s never going to be considered a saint, but she does want to be than the woman who destroyed Wiley’s family. Valentin says he knows a way she can balance the scales.
Sonny says, Spencer wants to be a better man, and have a better life? He respects that. Spencer says, but Sonny doesn’t respect him now, and Sonny says, Spencer is living at Windymere, standing with his girlfriend, he quit his job… is this about money? Spencer’s got to tell him. Spencer shakes his head, and Sonny says, tell him; what is it? Spencer says he’s still trying to be better. Sonny, of all people, should know you have to do what’s in your heart, not what other people are telling you to do. He knows how it looks, but he swears on his mother’s memory, he’s doing the right thing. He loves Sonny, and would never ever do anything to hurt or disappoint him. Sonny says, okay. He guesses time will tell. Just be careful. Understand him? Sonny leaves, and Spencer says, time’s running out.
Cody says, Britt feels it too, right? There’s something between them. She says, he’s delusional. He’s clearly fallen off a horse one too many times. He says, the first thing they teach you in riding is how to fall off a horse, and she asks why he’s pushing this. He can’t be that hard up for a date, and he asks if she just called him handsome. Charming? A catch? She says, he’d do in a pinch, and obviously, he keeps up with his physique. He thanks her for noticing, and says he feels she’s easy on the eyes as well. He bets if she didn’t treat every conversation like a prizefight, she’d have her pick of men. She wonders how she can put this… He’s not her type. He says, obviously, dating her type hasn’t worked out for her, and she says, he’s relentless. He says, she doesn’t know the half of it; he has a lot of stamina. If she really wants to be alone, he’ll respect that, but he thought they could have a few laughs and try to enjoy each other’s company for a change. She says, one date, and he says, sweet, let’s go, but she says, not tonight. She’ll find him on Society Set-Ups. He says he’s looking forward to it, and leaves.
Carly asks if that’s really the best offer she can get, and Reggie says, unfortunately, news of her sizeable investment in Aurora has made the rounds. The lenders know she’s over a barrel. She says, and sharks smell blood in the water, but it’s just business, right? He asks what she wants him to do, and she says, she just got the best reminder in the world that there are more important things than money. She can’t risk her house; she can’t buy back her half. She guesses she’s no longer co-owner of the MetroCourt.
As they lie in Sam’s bed, Sam asks Dante to tell her more about the cherry bomb capers. He says, it was his second summer at camp, and he was trying to make up for his first summer at camp. She asks, what happened? and he says, he was doing pretty good for a city boy out in the country, when the 4th of July rolled around. In his neighborhood, come 4th of July, everybody’s out in the street; the Falconaris, the Cerullos, the entire neighborhood. And there he was in this place he didn’t want to be in, surrounded by people he didn’t want to be surrounded by. So he found a spot by himself, and started to break down about everything. Then Cody comes looking for him, and he told Cody the whole thing, about his aunts and uncles and cousins and his grandmother, and the food, and the stickball games, and the fireworks. Even Cody started to get sad, thinking about their situation, because he said it sounded like the coolest 4th of July ever. She asks if the two families still get together, and he says, they’re probably out there, 100 tables strong, still in the street as we speak. She asks him to promise they’ll take the kids next year, and he says, it’s a date. She kisses him as the fireworks begin, and they watch through the window.
Carly starts to leave her office, but just puts her forehead against the door. There’s a song part, as everyone watches the fireworks. At the pool, Britt looks at Cody, who raises his glass to her. In the park, Austin and Maxie watch, lying on a blanket. Esme texts Spencer: You’re missing the fireworks! Where r u??? Rory and Trina kiss. Finally.
Cody sees Spinelli walk into the pool area, and says, my man. Come. Join him. He’ll let Spinelli buy him a drink. Spinelli asks, why, pray tell, would he do that? and Cody says, to celebrate his date with the lovely Dr. Britt Westbourne. Thanks for setting that up. He claps Spinelli on the shoulder, making him jump, and Spinelli says, Cody didn’t give him much choice. Cody says, Spinelli doesn’t want everyone to know matchmaker Zelda’s just a front, and the real man behind Society Set-Ups is Damien Spinelli. Spinelli tells him to keep his voice down, and Cody says, once that came to light, it wouldn’t take long for everyone to figure out how he matches one lovelorn sucker with another. He’s doing Cody a solid. Spinelli says, Cody got what he wanted. Spinelli engineered his match with Britt. Their business is concluded. Buy his own drink. Spinelli walks away.
Josslyn, Willow, and Michael go back to Carly’s office, and Josslyn asks why she didn’t come down. Carly says she got caught up in a few things here, and she kind of wasn’t feeling it. Michael says, they’re going to figure out something that doesn’t involve Carly taking out another loan, and Carly says, okay. He says, they’ll talk tomorrow; they’ll drop off Josslyn. Carly tells Willow, congratulations again, and everyone exchanges I love yous. They leave, Carly’s smile disappears, and she says, oh my God.
Maxie tells Austin, what a perfect night. Clear sky, not too muggy… Austin is lost in thought, and she says, should they have some more wine? He says, sounds nice, and she asks, where was he? Is everything okay? He says, everything’s fine. It’s just… some old memories, that’s all. She says, such as? but he says, nothing. He’s much happier being here in the moment with her.
Rory says, Trina is just so beautiful… If he overstepped… She says, he didn’t. They kiss again, just as Spencer is walking into the area. He sees them, and leaves quickly and quietly.
Britt takes out her phone, bringing up the email from Society Set-Ups. She hesitates, then accepts her match.
Olivia sees Sonny having a cup of coffee, and he says, why the face? She says, he knows about Carly and the hotel? She offered to buy Carly’s half and sell it back to her, but Carly’s too stubborn to let her help. He asks if she’s surprised. She wouldn’t let him help her either. She says she was going to do it anyway, but someone beat her to it.
There’s a knock at Carly’s office door, and Carly says, come in. Nina walks in, and Carly says, get out. They have nothing to talk about. Nina says, that’s not true.
Tomorrow, Trina tells Rory, this can’t happen again; Nina asks Carly to let her do this; Sonny wants some information checked out; and Sasha asks Brando how bad the fallout is.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Ugh. I hate when it’s all new people and I have to learn their names. Even better, this season there’s a Natasha and a Natalya – and they look alike. I don’t even mean similar. They could be twins. Moving on.
Captain Sandy says, they’re going to Malta this season. It’s a new place with a new boat, and new department heads. Challenge accepted. We see a preview of the coming season.
Grand Harbour Marina, Malta. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Malta is a small country off the coast if Sicily; a little piece of paradise, undiscovered by the superyacht industry. Chief stew Natasha (who later introduces herself as Tasha, so we’ll go with that) arrives first, and the captain says she loves that Tasha has had a lot of experience. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s been in yachting almost 10 years. She likes to lead by example, which she knows sounds super cringe. Bosun Raygan and Chef Dave are next, and we find out Dave and Tasha have worked together before. Captain Sandy tells Raygan, it’s nice to have a female bosun again, and in her interview, the captain says, she tried to get Malia again, but she’s Chief Operating Officer on another vessel. But someone once gave her an opportunity, so she wants to extend it forward. In Dave’s interview, he says he and Tasha are good friends. They get on like a house on fire, and her smile is unreal, so yeah… He says he’s trying to dig himself out of this hole. Hmm… a boatmance?
Raygan examines the boat, and Dave meets the captain. In his interview, Dave says, he’s been in yachting for 8 years, and owns his own restaurant in the south of France. He’s won the British Ski Championship, done skydiving, and climbed Mt. Everest. He’s cheated death so many times, it’s a joke. Deckhand Jason, and stews Natalya and Kyle show up. Natalya remarks that she and Tasha could be twins, and seriously, they could. In Raygan’s interview, she says, she was born in Essex, but moved to Turkey when she was 12, because her parents had a business there. It’s a Muslim country, so she calmed down, but she’s loud when she goes to Essex. They divvy up the cabins, and Captain Sandy calls Mzi, who’s the only repeat this season. In the captain’s interview, she says she saw potential and growth in Mzi. Bringing him back and watching him flourish will be incredible. He referred his friend Storm, who will also be a deckhand, but unfortunately, they’re both stuck in quarantine for another day. Mzi says, they’re being released at 8 pm, and Captain Sandy says, that’s a bummer. Tasha and Dave decide to share the one co-ed cabin, and in Dave’s interview, he says, it’s cool. He doesn’t know what to say. The captain radios the crew to meet in the main salon for the welcome meeting.
The captain tells the crew that the boat is a hybrid, a Motor Yacht Home; futuristic, white and stainless, and ultra-modern. She explains, they have two deckhands that are still in quarantine. It’s going to be challenging, since they have to pick up a charter tomorrow. With the turnaround time, it’s a disaster. In Raygan’s interview, she says, just her and Jason; that’s bad. Captain Sandy says, she likes the crew to help each other, and she’s there for them. They’re adults, and she expects them to act like it. She doesn’t tolerate hate comments or sexual harassment. If you fall in love, that’s not harassment. She introduces, Chief Officer Ray and Chief Engineer Carlos, and says they’ll be helping until the deckhands come. In her interview, she says, it’s been a while since she’s had a whole new crew, and we flash back to previous seasons. She says, how they handle pressure and can lead is critical. There’s no room for error. They ready the boat, except for Raygan, who goes for a smoke. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s not a scream-in-your-face chief stew. She’s worked a 107 meter boat, with 10 stews under her. She’s worked with people who scream and swear, and she doesn’t like negativity. When her parents divorced, she was the peacemaker. She tells Kyle and Natalya, she doesn’t think they need ranks, and Kyle jokes that he deserves his rank. In Kyle’s interview, he says he was a service queen from the get-go; an extreme personality and extreme service. He grew up around 18 cousins, and had to stand out. Provisions come in, and Kyle says, this is the most meat he’s ever handled. He’s no Josiah, but he might turn out to be fun. Jason says he’s not used to a mega-yacht, and in his interview, he says, his perception was incorrect. He did commodities training, and when his company was bought out, he was like a divorcee with a new lease life, and went into yachting. He’s one of the wild cards for sure. The captain calls Tasha, Dave, and Raygan for a preference sheet meeting.
The primaries are Billy, who has an ad agency, and his fiancé Chris. They met in Japan, and will be celebrating their anniversary with a Japanese themed evening. They’d also like a local drag performer to come out, and have an all-out drag night. They also expect all the water toys. Captain Sandy says, it’s a bummer (her WOTD) that their slide is still in customs. They need to pull out all the stops. Chef Dave reads that they like a lot of seafood, and beets taste like dirt. He says, you can’t beat a root, which the captain finds funnier than I do. She says, Ray will be helping when they pull out of the dock, and in her interview, she says, being down two deckhands, it’s a safety issue. She needs the Chief Officer to call out distances; they need the support. Natalya says, on her last job, she was the sole stew, and it was lonely. She was every department, and she’s super excited to have 8 crew members. Raygan sits on the dock, having a smoke, while everyone else readies the boat. The crew goes to bed early.
In the morning, Tasha tells Natalya that Dave brought her coffee. Natalya wonders if there’s romance, but Tasha says, they’re just like Musketeers. In her interview, she says, she just went through a break-up, and she’s focusing on herself. Captain Sandy thanks Jason for working so hard, when the floating dock arrives. Jason tries dealing with it himself, and the captain wonders where the bosun is. She ends up helping Jason herself, and I’m thinking Raygan seems lazy. In Kyle’s interview, he says he grew up in South Africa, where it’s not popular to be a homosexual. Plus, he went to an all-boy’s school, and hid being gay. He had a relationship for 12 years that was kept secret, and it damaged him, but he likes to make humor out of an uncomfortable situation. Don’t look at the gay guy, look at the funny guy. He tells Natalya that he wants to get married and have kids one day. They need to get all the provision boxes out of the guests’ site, and Kyle says, wherever you find a hole, fill it. The captain radios for the crew to get in their whites.
The guests arrive while everyone is still getting ready, but somehow they manage to be lined up in time. Captain Sandy tells them, welcome to Motor Yacht Home. Their goal is to make it their home, and give them the best holiday. They’ll head out as soon as the luggage is on board. Tasha says, they have blue Jolly Rancher shots (gag), as well as champagne. She gives them the tour, and it’s definitely a different boat design than we’ve seen before. Raygan tells Jason, the suitcases are too heavy for her, and in his interview, Jason says, she could help. The luggage is on board, and Tasha confers with primary Billy to have their fabulous Italian luncheon at 3. Sandy says, they’re ready to depart, and in her interview, she says, the current in this marina pushes the vessel starboard, and the dolphins (markers, not to be confused with the sea creatures) are really close. They get out of the marina, and Ray says, slow and easy wins the race. In Dave’s interview, he says he follows the preference sheet, but not recipes. He’s always bouncing ideas against himself. He shuts his eyes and envisions the plate.
Jason says he’s lifting more than everyone, but Raygan (who’s not lifting anything) says, he’s just not used to it. In Jason’s interview, he says, he’s trying to bite his tongue. He stands by his work ethic, but it’s easier to take it on the chin. Raygan tells him to get the toys out, and Jason says, she couldn’t lift a bag, but she has energy now. They eat, and Jason says, there’s only one of him. Raygan says, that’s because the other deckhands didn’t come. Dave tells Tasha that lunch is a family style Italian buffet, and she seats the guests, as Jason struggles with the water toys. Tasha tells Dave the food looks beautiful, and he says, she looks beautiful. Lunch is served, and the guests pronounce it delicious, although Billy says, it’s very peppery. Captain Sandy radios Raygan, telling her to get the toys out, and in her interview, the captain says, it’s difficult having the toys in the hull of the boat, but it’s so the guests don’t see behind-the-scenes work. It’s magic. You step outside, and the toys are there. The food keeps coming, including beef cheeks (Chef Leon would approve) made with cinnamon. Billy whines about the cinnamon, telling Kyle, it’s like his kryptonite. Kyle tells Dave that he hates to be the barer of bad news, but he needs some beef without cinnamon. Billy demands to look at his preference sheet, but when it’s produced, he can’t believe he didn’t put no cinnamon on it. In Natalya’s interview, she tells us that she can’t pronounce cinnamon or ambulance, and demonstrates. In Dave’s interview, he says, the first lunch is important, and sets the tone for the charter. And the beef wasn’t seasoned with cinnamon, it was just sticks to give it aromatic flavor. But if the guest doesn’t like his food, he’ll keep going until they do. Billy says he can still taste the cinnamon, and guest Twanna thinks they should be in the water.
Billy wants a Seabob, but one isn’t available, and Raygan suggests a kayak, but he says, that’s too much exercise. He tells Kyle that he’s not sure Raygan is his favorite. She gave him a stank face, and he thinks she hates him. In Kyle’s interview, he says he thinks Billy has had one too many, and he’s going to be overdramatic about everything, but at the end of the day, he’s the guest. Chris complains that Raygan is being a stupid bitch to him, and treating him like he’s stupid. Captain Sandy wonders what’s going on, and Billy says he’s irritated. He’s sure they think he’s a drama queen… but the captain lies assures him that no one thinks that. He says, Raygan wouldn’t put the slide out, and Captain Sandy explains, it’s in customs. Billy says, well, make up for it then, instead of realizing he is stupid. The captain says, they’re without two crew members, and Billy says he’s in customer service. Raygan isn’t rude, but she’s not warm and fuzzy. The captain says she’ll take care of it, but tells him, using the WaveRunner and drinking can’t happen. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she’ll shoulder the complaint, but she’s concerned about Raygan not getting the toys out. They need to work with what they have. She should have communicated, and not blindsided the client. Billy says, the captain is hands-on, and she says, that’s how she started; she didn’t start out driving a boat. In Tasha’s interview, she tells us, people say if you don’t laugh, you cry. She also doesn’t have time for it. The guests get in the water, and Raygan takes primary Chris for a ride. Using a paddleboard, Billy says he’s like a dolphin.
In Dave’s interview, he says, it’s not like he has all day to prep, but he puts pressure on himself. He grew up poor, and started working at 13. He’s afraid to fail. The dinner table is decorated, and Natalya steams the guests’ clothing. The guests come out, and Billy asks if he’s the only one wearing suit, and says the other guests are trash. Mzi and Storm are on their way, and Captain Sandy freaks over how disorganized everything is. The guests are seated, and Wagyu beef with wild mushrooms and mashed potatoes is served. I want some very badly, but Billy is already making faces. He tells Kyle that it’s more rare. More rare than what, he doesn’t say, but he wants it cooked more. Kyle takes his plate, and Billy says he can’t believe he had to send it back. Kyle tells Dave that he’s sorry. It’s perfect, but Billy wants it cooked more. In his interview, Dave says, you can eat Wagyu raw. It’s ridiculous.
Billy whines some more about how his steak wasn’t medium, and guest Crystal says, it was like it was a mooing cow, not exaggerating too much. Mzi and Storm arrive, and Captain Sandy says it couldn’t be better timing. She takes it back. It could have been yesterday. Billy gets his new steak, and the captain says she’s so happy. She meets Storm, who says, it’s been a long 14 days. She says she’s happy to have Mzi back, and in Mzi’s interview, he says, it’s like breaking out of prison. It seems like they’re chilling, but quarantine isn’t easy. He wants to hit the ground running. The captain says she’ll give Mzi the lowdown, and he can relay it to Storm, who she wants to start sorting out the mess; it’s a safety issue. Raygan goes for a smoke, which seems to be the only thing she does. Billy puts his placemat on his head, and in Storm’s interview, he says he’s a dirtbag pirate. Some people don’t enjoy him, but if everybody likes you, you’re doing something wrong. Dessert is served, and everyone loves it. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm is pretty fit.
Tasha and Kyle get dressed in drag, and discuss the drag themed evening. In Mzi’s interview, he says, Storm is a childhood friend. When Storm was 13, he looked 18, and they were petrified of him. The same mustache he has today, he’s had since he was 13. Drag queen Trihanna Wilde arrives, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, theme parties are her strong point. When she was growing up, they had no money, and her grandma would treat them to the theater. She wants to make other people feel how she felt as a child; it’s magic. Trihanna does a show, and in her interview, Tasha says, thank the Lord they pulled tonight together. She’s happy that they guests are happy. She says she’s had two long term relationships on boats. It’s nice to share a cabin, and blow off steam, and you can trust the other person won’t say anything. She asks Dave if he wants to hook up, and he nods.
Captain Sandy consults a chart, and says, they’re going to have a swell. In her interview, she says, every bosun should have their watch schedule on day one. She wants to see it and approve it, so she’s comfortable with who’s on anchor watch. She asks Raygan for her schedule, and tells her, the tender should be in the water. The toys are a priority, and she wants the tender and WaveRunner out. In Raygan’s interview, she says, the last boat she worked on was a private yacht, and it was more relaxed. This is the most demanding job she’s had in a long time. Well, that’s obvious. The captain tells her to get the tender in the water, and get the schedule done. The guests get ready to go in the water.
Around noon, the guests are back on board, and things start rocking. Captain Sandy realizes they’ve lost their stabilizers; they’re malfunctioning. Everything starts falling, and Crystal wonders what’s happening. The boat rocks like crazy, and the captain radios for all crew to hold onto everything. Everything is just crashing everywhere, and it’s worse than Sailing Yacht. A guest asks where the lifejackets are.
To be continued…
🦋 Catch You Later…
Join me tomorrow for soap, and who knows what else. Below Deck Down Under is on in the evening, and although I’ll no doubt be watching, too many Decks spoils… something. So until then, stay safe, stay fighting the good fight, whatever that is for you, and stay knowing that, being alone is better than being with the wrong person.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 