Category Archives: soap opera

Jul9

July 8, 2022 – Victor’s Plan Fails, NYC Sale, Awful Humans, Charm News, Disgusting Weasel, Where They Are, About Plath, Spicey, What a Doll, Good Deed, 8 Of Quotes & Under

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase calls Brook just as she’s walking into the pool area. He says, don’t hang up. He thinks they need to talk. She says, no time like the present, and he realizes she’s right there. She comes over to where he’s sitting, and he wonders why it feels like déjà vu. She says, maybe because they apologize to each other two or three times a day. You’d think they’d be used to it by now. He says, maybe that’s it, and she says, since they’ve played this scene before, could they just fast forward to the part where they’re friends again? He says, they could, but he doesn’t know if they should.

Alexis says, Gregory’s op ed is less of an opinion and more of a hit piece. The Invader’s interjection of opinion into the reporting of facts is not only lamentable, but an ethical slippery slope? He says, she issued a challenge; he accepted. Now the question is, can she set her ego aside and accept his? She says, his ego? and he says, his challenge.

Finn says, what does Doc mean, Elizabeth is gone? and Doc says, Finn just missed her; she checked herself out. Finn asks if that’s a good idea, but Doc says, she came of her own volition. She had the power to leave any time. Finn asks if Doc is saying Elizabeth left against his recommendation. Then Doc knows as well as he does that’s a mistake.

Terry asks if Britt can look at this, holding out her tablet, and Britt asks if it’s boring. Terry says, yes, and Britt says, then she lives for it. She takes the tablet, and Terry says, Epiphany made some last minute changes to the nurse’s rotation. Also, she wanted ask Britt about that Society Set-Ups mixer. Britt says, oh God, what now? A new GIF from another angle? Terry says, nothing like that. She was so impressed with the clientele, she signed up. Britt hopes Terry has better luck than she did, and asks if they have enough coverage for tonight. Elizabeth joins them, and says, problem solved. She’s back and reporting for duty. Where do they need her?

Olivia comes into the stables, and Cody says, Mama Falconari. She says, it’s Quartermaine now, and he says he knows, but he’s thought of her as Mama Falconari for all these years, so he hates to break tradition. She says, then don’t; she answers to both. He asks, what can he do for her? and she says, he already has. He’s made a forever friend in her son Leo. He says, Leo’s a great kid, and she says, he can’t stop raving about Cowboy Cody, and how he can answer any question about horses. He says, it’s nice to have an appreciative audience, and she says, it’s funny. He grew up making trouble with her one son, now he’s showing the ropes to her other one. He says, handling horses is a lot like getting to know people… Sometimes it’s a lot easier. She says, in regard to her son Leo, horses are a lot smarter than the men in her life, and Ned walks in.

Valentin comes into the MetroCourt Garden, and sees Laura texting. He says he’s glad he found her. Does she mind if he joins her? She says, not at all, and he sits. She asks if Charlotte is all right, and he says he believes so; why wouldn’t she be? She asks why else he’d be seeking her out, and he says, Charlotte is healthy and safe, and he promises there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure she remains so.

On the phone, Anna says, C-A-S-S-A-D-I-N-E, first name Valentin, as Victor lurks around behind her. She says, he was recuperating at their clinic several weeks ago. She knows they wouldn’t normally release that kind of patient information, but this is an ongoing official investigation with the WSB… Yeah, she can send over her credentials immediately. Could they please have the director call her back at this number… She thanks them, saying, she appreciates it. Victor says, good morning, Agent Devane, and she asks if he’s stalking or lurking. He says, out for a morning constitutional is all, and she says, an agenda-free stroll. Why doesn’t she believe him? He says he would have announced himself, but he saw she was preoccupied investigating his son.

Brook says, Chase doesn’t want to be friends? but he says, of course (🍷) he does, and they are. She says, okay, then what? and he says he just thinks they don’t bring out the best in each other; that maybe their friendship, as much as it means to both of them, isn’t healthy. She says, he may have a point. The pattern they’ve fallen into with all the fighting and apologizing. Not to mention it made him punch someone. You could say it’s… He says, childish? Co-dependent? She tells him, she was going to say tricky. Forget about being a cop; he could work for Webster’s. He asks how she’d benefit from that, and she says, ouch. He says he’s sorry, but she says, don’t be; she deserves it.

Gregory says he realizes Alexis hasn’t had time to do more than skim the op ed, and she says she can’t wait to sit down and take it all in. He says, the gist of it is, The Invader coverage blurs the lines between objecting reporting and editorializing. He challenged her staff to commit to objectivity at all costs. She says, first of all, The Invader is a newspaper, not a wire service, and he asks if she’s saying only wire services can be objective. She says, secondly, the newspaper has to have a point of view, and he says, still, The Invader is miles ahead of where it was when Peter August was at the helm. She asks if he’s damning her with faint praise, but he says, not at all. The Invader can become a journal not unworthy of respect, and she says, as an editor, she needs to point out the double negative, but he says he used it for effect. She says, sure he did, and he says, still, as far as The Invader has come, there’s still room for improvement – for both of them. She says, he’s just chock full of suggestions – she points to her phone – thousands of words of them, most of them scathing. He says, listening to her now, he’s reminded of a criticism he omitted, and she says, there’s more? He says, her penchant for hyperbole, and she says, you know what she thinks? He says he’s eager to hear, and she says she thinks the good professor is so accustomed to dusty dry tomes, and just isn’t used to contemporary journalism. He says, and if he may? and she says, by all means. He says he concludes, the humble – that’s irony, by the way… She says she recognizes it, and he says, the humble editrix is unused to being challenged.

Doc says, Finn knows he can’t discuss specifics of Elizabeth’s treatment, and Finn says, he doesn’t need to explain doctor/patient confidentiality to him. He doesn’t want the details; he just wants Doc’s honest determination. Did Elizabeth discharge herself prematurely? Doc tells him, look, all he can say is, if a patient no longer wants intensive therapy, it’s their call. As for Elizabeth, he takes heart in knowing she has a good support system at home. Finn says, as long as she doesn’t push everyone away, and Doc says, then he’s afraid it’s going to take time and patience. Finn says, he’ll hang back. He’ll give her time. It seems like that’s all he’s doing these days, but how does he know if he’s giving her the space to heal or the room to relapse? Doc says, he doesn’t.

Terry says, Elizabeth didn’t tell her that she was coming in today, and Elizabeth says, it’s time; she’s ready. Britt says, it’s good to see her, and Elizabeth thanks her, saying, it’s good to be seen. So how about it? Put me in, coach. Britt says she’d be happy too, as soon as she hears from HR that Elizabeth is cleared, and Elizabeth suggests they skip the red tape. It sounds like they’re shorthanded. Britt says, while she loves the enthusiasm, the hospital has policies, protocol where… Elizabeth says she knows what protocol is. She’s worked here longer than Britt. Terry says, hang on, Biz, and Elizabeth says, Britt was probably hoping she got rid of her for good. Britt says, actually she was hoping Elizabeth had a speedy recovery and returned to work soon. She’s an excellent nurse, and yes, they are short-staffed. Elizabeth says, then what’s the problem? and Britt asks if she needs flash cards. If Elizabeth wants to come back, then she needs to be cleared by HR. So go to HR and get cleared. Elizabeth says, this is so like Britt. She’s sure Britt has convinced everyone else that she’s turned over a new leaf, but she can see pretty clearly, the Britch is back, and bitchier than ever.

Victor asks what possible reason Anna could have for looking into Valentin’s private medical records, and Anna asks if he’s ever heard the quote, we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are. He asks her point? and she says, given his villainy, it makes sense he would ascribe nefarious intent to others. He says, cynicism is an ugly look on such an attractive woman, and she says, so is misogyny on such a dapper man. Yet here we are. He laughs, and says, she’s such a joy, and she says she tries. He says, always a quick rebut, and the appropriate literary reference. The question, however, remains, does Valentin know she’s a spy, in and out of the bedroom? She says, yes; why? He says he’s asking as a concerned parent. What exactly is the nature of her relationship with his son? She asks, what exactly is his?

Laura tells Valentin, she doesn’t say this often enough, but she’s actually grateful that Charlotte has him to watch out for her. He says, that’s nothing he’d expect to hear her say, and she says, they’ve had their difficulties in the past, but she can’t deny he’s an excellent parent. He thanks her, and says, coming from her, that means more to him than he can express. She says, if this little visit isn’t about Charlotte, to what does she owe the pleasure? and he says, just a drink between friends. He tells the waiter that he’ll have a bloody Mary, and Laura says she’ll have an iced tea. The waiter says, coming right up, and Valentin says, just an iced tea? She says, day drinking is not a good look for the mayor, especially after an attempted recall, and he says he’s glad that ridiculous attempt to oust her failed. She was a wonderful mayor, and Port Charles thrived under her leadership. She asks, why does he talk about her tenure in the past tense?

Brook says, when she offered to manage Chase’s singing career, she really did it to help him, and he asks, what percentage was to help him? She says, 90, and he looks at her. She says, 85, hand to heart, and he says he believes her. She says she hates that he’s out a paycheck, for defending her honor – again. He says, his actions were his own, and she says, but she put him in the middle of her mistakes… and two guys anyone would want to punch. He says, that is true, and she says, so even though it wasn’t her main goal when she was pitching the idea to him, the revenge part kind of slipped in. He says, so it wasn’t always there in the back of her mind? and she says, of course (🍷) it was. He says, then why not come out and say it; tell him the plan from the get-go. She says, because she didn’t want him to think she was using him, and he says, was she? She says she’s a Quartermaine. Self-interest is kind of in her DNA. She puts her hand on his knee, and says, on her word, nothing is more important than helping him.

Ned says, Olivia? and Olivia tells Cody, and here’s one of those men right now. Ned says he’s been looking for her. Can he speak to her about something? Cody says he’ll leave them alone, but Olivia says, they wouldn’t dream of interrupting his work, and tells Ned, she was just thanking Cody for being such a good friend to Leo. Ned says, Leo seems to think Cowboy Cody stepped straight out of a John Ford Western, and Cody says he’s lived a lot of places. Home is wherever you hang your hat. Ned says, about that. Since Cody will be interacting with his son, he took the liberty of going over Cody’s employment history. Seems like he doesn’t stay in one place for long. Should they already be looking for a replacement? Olivia says, Ned… and Cody says, no worries, Mama Q. He has been bouncing around for a while, that’s true, but their kind employment has gotten him doing exactly what he wants to do, exactly where he wants to do it. Don’t worry. He’s not going anywhere.

Britt tells Elizabeth, that’s enough, Nurse Baldwin. Clearly she’s still under duress. So leave now, while she still has a job. Elizabeth says, Britt can’t fire her; she’s union. Britt says she doubts Elizabeth’s union rep will come running to her defense, and as Chief of Staff… Elizabeth says, Co-Chief, and asks Terry if she’s going to let Britt threaten her like this. Terry says she’s sorry, but she has to agree with Britt. Elizabeth’s out of line.

Victor says, if Anna is curious about the deepening bond he has with his son, why ask him? Ask Valentin. Anna says she knows what Valentin’s intentions are when it comes to Victor; now she wants to know Victor’s. What does he want with Valentin? He says, what any parent wants. To see their child excel; to uplift and exalt the family. Most of all, to make him proud. Anna says, okay, and he says, she seems confused. She says, the relationship Victor is describing doesn’t sound reciprocal. It sounds like he’s using Valentin. And knowing what Victor is capable of, compels her to ask, to what end?

Valentin tells Laura that he’s sorry; he misspoke. He meant say, she is a great mayor, and Port Charles continues to thrive…  With all the machinations of ELQ, he’s not sleeping. She says, she’s not going anywhere, and he says he hears the all-stars gathered at Charlie’s to celebrate her. She’s much loved and very respected. Her phone rings, and she says she has to take this. She steps away, the waiter brings the drinks, and Valentin puts something powdered in her iced tea that’s probably not Splenda. After he’s done, with convenient timing, she comes back, telling him, it was Doc. A patient canceled, so he’s on his way over. Valentin says, he certainly won’t be a third wheel, so until Doc arrives, they should make the most of their time. They clink glasses, and as Laura is about to take a sip, her phone dings. She says, what a coincidence; it’s Charlotte. He asks if everything is all right, and she says, everything’s fine. Charlotte was just thanking her for the care package she sent. He says, he wasn’t aware Charlotte needed anything, and she says, it was hardly disaster relief. It was just the new book by her favorite author, and a couple little other fun things she thought Charlotte might enjoy. He says she’s sure she appreciates it, and Laura says, Charlotte’s mother is still not able to be present, so she tries to fill the void when she can. He says, Charlotte’s lucky to have her, and she says, and him. And Charlotte’s not the only lady in his life that feels that way. Anna seems to have grown very fond of him.

Victor says he’ll tell Anna what his plans are for Valentin, provided she tells him why the furtive call to check up on him. She says she’ll never explain herself to him. They can remain mysteries wrapped in riddles inside enigmas forever. He says, it’s obvious to him that she and Valentin don’t know each other nearly as well as they claim to. Nor do they trust each other, which is a pity. Because without trust, she’s nothing more to Valentin than a comely diversion.

Gregory says, for someone who takes issue with his subjective opinion, Alexis certainly prints a lot of them, and calls it hard news. She says, her paper takes stances on vital issues alongside fact-based articles, like the fact-based articles they did on city hall. He says, so will The Invader next be printing an interview with the exculpated mayor? and she says, she doesn’t see why not; they printed the petition against her. He says, she’s still relatively new to journalism. It’s a subject he teaches at university level. She says she’s sure it’s easy for him to sit on his high horse behind ivy walls, but while he’s talking about journalism theory, some of them are out in the field doing actual reporting.

Brook says she’d hoped Chase would see that his intentions were sincere, and when he didn’t… He says, she thought he was overreacting, and she says she did, until she talked with her dad. He helped her see that she probably should have run the whole plan by him, including the revenge plot. He says he also talked to his father. His father and brother urged him to give her the benefit of the doubt. She says, they did? and he says, they saw she was just trying to help him, and… She says, and what? and he says, they don’t seem to think her proposition is as crazy as he does. She gets up, and says, great. Then it’s settled. They move forward with her plan. He says, whoa. Pump the brakes, Quartermaine.

Elizabeth says she can’t believe Terry is taking Britt’s side, and Terry says, Elizabeth knows if she’s on anyone’s side, it’s hers. Elizabeth says, then let her come back to work, but Terry says, no; she’s not ready. Elizabeth says she’s fine. She just can’t stand the way Britt acts like she’s queen of this place. She’s Co-Chief of Staff, not God. Terry says, she is, and Britt asked Elizabeth to go to HR, the same as she would have. Elizabeth says, she was at that clinic voluntary. Why does she need to go to HR? Terry says, for liability purposes, she still needs medical clearance. Did her doctor at Shadybrook sign off? Elizabeth says, she signed herself out, which is her right, and Terry says, it is her right, but was it right for her? Elizabeth says she appreciates Terry’s concern caring for her doesn’t give Terry the right to question her decisions. She shouldn’t have to justify herself to anyone. She turns around and sees Finn.

Chase says he hasn’t agreed to Brook’s pop star scheme, and she says, but he will. It’s inevitable, so why waste time? He says, it’s doubtful it’s going to do either of the things she wants; get him paid or give Linc what he deserves. She says, maybe not, but they don’t know until they’ve tried, and he says, he’s not the pop star she’s envisioning. She says she’s not suggesting they put him in a Spandex onesie and throw glitter all over him, and he says, he doesn’t think the PCPD will value a singing detective as much as she does. She says, if after his suspension, he wants to go back to being a detective, she’ll totally support that. But while he’s in limbo, why not take the road not traveled? Maybe this setback will lead to a new passion. He says, a new passion can be a risky proposition, and she says, but the rewards could be greater than they ever dreamed.

Gregory says he didn’t write the op ed to insult Alexis. In fact, he admires what she’s done in such a short time. She thanks him for that, and says, she’s sure he understands that in the era where news is a click away, she has to distinguish the paper. He says, when she reads what he wrote, she’ll see he doesn’t fault her for that. He merely offers constructive ideas to help maintain integrity in reporting. She says she’ll read the whole op ed piece, put her wrath aside, and let him know if there’s a place for it. She starts to leave, and he says, if she stands by her vision for The Invader, she won’t have a problem printing every word.

Olivia says she’s glad Cody is sticking around. She’d hate for Leo to lose him. Cody says he’d hate to leave behind a brand new friend. Leo is stuck with him. Ned says, that’s good to hear. They’ll let him get back to work. Cody goes in the back, and Olivia asks if Ned is planning on alienating every single person in this house this week. He says he guesses he could have been a little more tactful, and she says, he couldn’t have been less. He says he was just looking out for Leo, and she says she knows that. He says, it looks like he’s been inconsiderate and self-centered all around, and she says, if that’s the road he wants to go down, she’s not going to stop him. He says, and because she deserves to hear this as often as possible, he should have looped her in on his decision making process about his ELQ vote. She says, yes he should have. It’s not like she’s asking for veto power over all his business decisions, but she does expect communication in the marriage. And she’s just going to pray for peace in this family. He says he let her down and he know that; he’s sorry. Now he needs to know they’re okay. She puts her arms around his neck, and says, they’re a team. If they stick with that, they’ll be fine. She kisses him, and he asks if there’s something else bothering her. She says, he picked up on that, and he asks if it’s anything he should know about. She says, things may be fine at home, but at work… it’s all falling apart.

Britt thanks Terry for the back-up, and says she knows Elizabeth is Terry’s friend. Terry says, Elizabeth is her best friend, and Britt says, great. Maybe Terry can tell her what the hell is going on with her BFF.  

Elizabeth walks with Finn, and he says, she looks good. She thanks him, and says she feels good. The pills are out of her system, so no more sleepwalking. He says, that’s a great start, and she says, start? She was at that clinic for weeks. She did the work, and she’s better. Believe her, if she felt like she was a danger to herself, her boys or her patients, she’d still be at Shadybrook. He says, he knows how committed she is to the people in her life. He thinks they’d just like to return the favor. She says she knows, and he asks, then why didn’t she tell anyone when she discharged herself? Or was he the only one who didn’t know?

Anna says, Victor doesn’t know the first thing about her and Valentin. They go back decades, and unlike Victor, his concerned father, she’s been there for him. He says, this isn’t a competition, and she says, if it were, he’d lose. He says, the difference is, unlike her, he trusts Valentin. He relies on Valentin to do what’s expected of him. She says she trusts Valentin too. She just doesn’t trust the people around him. He says, that makes two of us.

Valentin says, Anna spoke to Laura about him? and Laura says, she did. He says, anything she can repeat? and she says, it seems Anna has found a kindred spirit in him. He asks if that’s what she said, and Laura says, it’s not so much what she said, but how she said it, or how she didn’t say it, as the case may be. She does seem to have found the good in him. He says he told Laura it was there, and she says, he did. He seems to get Anna in a way most people don’t; kindred spirits. She just hopes Anna’s faith in him isn’t misplaced. She’s about to take a sip of her tea, and Valentin reaches for the pepper mill, practically shoving it in her face, so she spills her drink. She gets up, brushing herself off, as Doc comes in.

Alexis says, as she told Gregory, The Invader welcomes all viewpoints, even his. She’s sure after it’s proof read, it will be submitted into the next issue. He says, good to hear. Print and digital? She asks, exactly how many platforms does he need? and he says, it’s easier to read the commentary online; he likes the readers chiming in. She says, so he’s pretty sure the feedback will all be in his favor? and he says he suspects many will agree, with tweaks, The Invader is on its way to being a great source of information. She says she suspects the readers will already attest to what they’re doing right, and he says he looks forward to reading their reactions… providing the feedback is uncensored. She asks, what the hell is that supposed to mean?  

Anna’s phone rings, and she says she has to take this. She steps away, and Director Gibson says they received her credentials, and he can confirm Valentin Cassadine was a patient there. Anna thanks him, and says, that’s what she needed to know, but he says, however, his convalescence didn’t occur on the dates she provided. According to their records, he discharged himself after a week. The end date she provided… She says, exceeds that by a lot, and he says, exactly. He’s sure she can’t divulge the nature of the investigation, and that’s fine, but his priority is that the clinic not be held liable for any health implications caused by his early departure. She says, that won’t be a n issue, and he says, great, and asks if there’s anything else he can help her with. She says, no. He’s helped her more than he knows. Victor approaches her, and says, problem? but she just walks away.

Valentin says he’s so sorry, and tells Laura to send him her dry cleaning bill. She says she will, and Doc asks, what happened here? Valentin says he’s afraid Doc arrived to witness a rather inelegant lunch with the pepper. He tells the passing waiter, another iced tea, and says, as he was telling Doc’s wife, he hasn’t been sleeping well, and it’s made him clumsy. Doc says he’s never known Valentin to be clumsy before, but Valentin says, it happens. He apologizes. He looks at Laura, and says he’s so very sorry, and she says, just when things were going so well. Valentin jets, and Doc asks, what’s all this about? She says she wishes she knew. She’s just as confused as he is. Valentin asked to join her, and they had a surprisingly civil conversation. Doc says, he’s about as social as he is clumsy, and she says, today he was both. Doc asks why he doesn’t believe any of it, and she says, because he’s keenly perceptive and smart. He thanks her and kisses her hello, and she asks how things are with him. He says, today could have gone better, and she says, it’s not even lunchtime yet. (I know the feeling.) Is it Elizabeth? He says, she left Shadybrook, and Laura asks if she was his patient cancelation. He says, yeah, and she asks if she should be worried. He says he wishes he could say no.

Terry tells Britt that she’s sorry; Elizabeth’s not like that. Britt says, Elizabeth has been downright hostile to her since they met, and Terry says she knows they never liked each other. Britt says she was terrible to Elizabeth; to everybody. She earned all of her lovely nicknames, but now…? Today, this? Terry says, she’s been going through a lot, and Britt says, she understands, but her time away didn’t seem to have helped at all. Elizabeth seems to be the same… Terry says, again, best friend, and Britt says, challenging personality she always was. Whatever Elizabeth has going on, she can’t bring it to work like that. Terry says, agreed. She just hopes Elizabeth is okay. Britt says, oh, she’s in fine form.

Elizabeth says she’s sorry she didn’t tell Finn, but he says, it’s okay. He was just trying to figure out why she left him out of the loop. He knows he had a little trouble giving her the space she needed to heal, and for that he’s sorry, but he thinks he’s gotten better with that. She says, he has, and he asks if this is the way she wants things going forward; she doesn’t need him around? She says, no. She asked for distance when she was at Shadybrook because she had a lot to work through. She knows he wanted to be there for her and help her, and he did, by allowing her to have the space she needed to take this journey and figure things out on her own. He asks, how’d that go? and she says she learned a lot. The most important thing she realized is, her life is just better with him in it.

Brook and Chase almost kiss, and Brook says, so for what it’s worth (🍷), she thinks he’s the It Factor, and she knows Linc agrees. He says, two people; that’s quite the niche fan base. She asks him to give her his phone, and he does. She says, check this out, and she shows him the video of him singing. She says, whether or not he wants to be a recognized performer, he’s well on his way.

Ned says, if he’d known Carly had invested so heavily in Aurora… and Olivia says she didn’t even know until the morning of the vote. He says, anyway, it’s not going to be a problem, but she says she might end up owning he hotel with some oligarch who’s laundering his money; it’s a problem. He says, not if they buy Carly’s half of the hotel and give it to her, but she says she already floated that idea; it’s not going to happen. Carly said, no dice. He says, not even if they sell it to her at the same price she purchased it? and Olivia says, the history between Carly and the Quartermaines is too much; forget about it. He says, it’s going to be okay. The best partnerships cannot be torn apart. They’re proof of that. He kisses her, and they leave.

Elizabeth says she knows she kept Finn at arm’s length, but it was never meant to hurt him. He says he knows. He can be thick sometimes, and wanted to help. It took time for him to realize she needed some distance, and that’s on him. She asks, what if she told him what she really needs is him? and he says he’d probably tell her that he’s the luckiest guy on the face of the earth. Is she sure? Because everything that was wrong with him before is still there. He’s working on himself, but he has a long way to go. Is she sure she wants all that? She says, all of it, and they kiss. She says she’s sorry about everything she put him through. She promises it’s all behind them, and he holds her.

Cody puts away a saddle, and his phone chirps. A message from Society Set-Ups says they’ve found a match for him.

Britt looks at Elizabeth and Finn, and tells Terry, apparently, there is a lid for every pot, even the cracked ones. Terry says, if that’s true, maybe there’s hope for Britt yet (BA-DUM-CHH!) and walks away. Britt’s phone dings, she looks at it, and says, okay Society Set-Ups. Let’s see what unpromising loser you insist is my perfect match. She sees Cody’s name and photo, and sighs.

Alexis says, first Gregory maligns her leadership of the paper, and now he’s questioning her integrity? He says, he’s merely pointing out how tempting it is to confirm our own biases, and she says, she’s convinced the readers will reject his narrow suppositions. He says, care to make it interesting? and she says, like a bet? He says, unless she’s not as confident as she’s pretending to be, and she says, now his strategy is to call her chicken? She didn’t know they had playgrounds at universities, because that’s clearly where he picked up his tactics. He asks if his tactics are working, and she says, no, but she’ll take his idiotic wager. She’s in. He says, great. What are the stakes? She says, besides the massive hit to his ego? If the readers support him, then she’ll entertain his archaic notions. He says, is that all? and she says, he’s got her time and attention; take it or leave it. He says, done. And on the off-chance the readers side with her? She says, he’ll promise to pipe down, and stick to enlightening young minds. He says, it’s a bet, holding out his hand, and they shake.

Chase looks at the video and says, he can’t believe this. She says, they have to credit Leo. He’s the first one who liked the performance, and it sort of blew up from there. Chase asks how it has so many views, and she says she has an intern at Deception watching it on repeat, and he says, she does? She says, no. The numbers are all him. Face it. There’s an audience who wants him. All they have to do is cultivate it, and monetize it of course (🍷). He asks where they start, and she says, is that a yes? He says, it’s not a no, it’s a how. She says, don’t stress the details. By the time she’s finished these numbers will look quant in comparison. Leave it to her. She’s going to make him a household name.

Anna walks into the MetroCourt Garden, and Laura asks if she forgot something. Anna says she was looking for Valentin. He’s not in his room, so she thought she’d try here. Doc says, her instincts are good, but she just missed him. Laura says she doesn’t know where he went, and Anna says she was going to ask him something, but now that she’s here, she’s changed her mind. Laura asks if everything is okay, and Anna says she’s not sure, but she intends to find out.

Back in the park, Victor asks Valentin, is it done? but Valentin says, no. Laura remains in perfect health. Victor asks, why, pray tell, is that? and Valentin says, because he failed. Victor says, that’s a pity. He’s sure by now Valentin is aware, failure is not an option.

On Monday, Cody asks Britt why he’d leave, now that he’s met his match; Maxie asks why Spinelli would say something like that; and Carly says, it’s her only option.

🗽 Moving It Nice…

I’m not sure what her selling the apartment has to do with RHUGT. Doing it for an extra tag?

https://nypost.com/2022/07/01/dorinda-medley-sells-longtime-nyc-home-amid-ultimate-girls-trip-beefs/

💎 Those Horrible, Horrible Women…

This episode turned my stomach. I’m not sure which incident pissed me off more. Kyle accusing Sutton of lying about her miscarriages…

https://screenrant.com/rhobh-kyle-richards-apologizes-sutton-stracke-miscarriage-accusation/

Or Erika cursing out Garcelle’s son – after she hit on Garcelle’s other son. At least Oliver was of age, but still.

https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/erika-jayne-cursing-at-garcelle-beauvais-son/

🍹 Bring On the Charm…

This doesn’t sound much different from what we saw.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1337327/why-southern-charms-kathryn-dennis-and-chleb-ravenell-really-split

I was stressed too. I even said, no one makes/receives calls while they’re not driving?

https://decider.com/2022/07/08/southern-charm-fans-stressed-watching-cast-drive-phones/

🍸 As the Stomach Turns…

Whenever I see his name, all I can think is, that little troll. How dare he have done this to her and that cute little baby?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10996103/Scheana-Shay-blasts-Lala-Kents-ex-Randall-Emmett-reacts-allegations-against-him.html

⛴ While Surfing…

Actually, I was watching reruns of the first seasons, and thinking about what an a-hole Adrienne was. Then I stumbled on this.

Former ‘Below Deck’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

🏞 Meanwhile, In the Middle Of Nowhere…

All about Plathville, and a little speculation.

https://www.thelist.com/176645/the-untold-truth-of-tlcs-welcome-to-plathville/

https://screenrant.com/why-welcome-plathville-fans-suspect-kim-plath-unfaithful/

👠 Still Posh…

I love her. Can you imagine a woman being intimidated into getting on a scale in public today? Me neither. But she did end up winning at life.

https://people.com/health/victoria-beckham-recalls-being-forced-to-weigh-herself-on-live-tv-after-giving-birth/

https://people.com/health/victoria-beckham-says-being-thin-is-old-fashioned-talks-new-health-and-fitness-journey/

https://people.com/sports/david-and-victoria-beckham-mark-their-23rd-wedding-anniversary/

🩰 Outside the Dreamhouse…

All about the Barbie movie. I can’t wait.

https://people.com/movies/margot-robbie-celebrates-32nd-birthday-pink-barbie-cake-on-set-greta-gerwig-movie/

https://people.com/movies/barbie-movie-set-pictures/

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a23638293/margot-robbie-barbie-doll-film/

👍 Ending On a Good Note…

I’m not a Hallmark kind of person, but I still appreciate kindness.

https://nypost.com/2022/07/07/paul-rudd-reaches-out-to-bullied-boy-after-classmates-didnt-sign-yearbook/

👄 Quotes of the Week

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering. – Santosh Kalwar

Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change. – Thomas Hardy

The four hardest tasks on earth are neither physical nor intellectual feats, but spiritual ones: To return love for hate; to include the excluded; to forgive without apology, and to be able to say, ‘I was wrong.’ – Unknown

Faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to try to do something and fail than to try to do nothing and succeed. – Robert H. Schuller

Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies, and the character of his friends. – K@$H

Above all else, go with a sense of humor. It is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lip is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. – Hugh Sidey

You can roll manure in powder sugar, but that still doesn’t make it a jelly donut. – Berta (Conchata Ferrell), Two and a Half Men

👡 Shuffling Off This Internet Coil…

Enjoy formerly known as the weekend, but come back for soap and some Deck when it’s over. Until then, stay safe, stay giving without expecting a return, and stay keeping in mind, we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.

Jul8

July 7, 2022 – Valentin Tells Victor About Laura’s Plans, Kathryn Makes a Decision & Incense

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase gets out of the pool, and a girl waits with a towel. She says, he looks like he could use some help.

Brook comes into the nook, and sees Ned. She says she thought he would have left for the office already, but he says, since he’s the new Chairman of the Board, his office is wherever he is. She says she’ll let him get to it then, and heads for the shower, but he tells her, wait. It might help if she talked about it. She asks, what’s there to talk about? He made his choice by siding with Valentin. End of story. He says he wasn’t referring to ELQ. He thought there might be something else that’s upsetting her. She says, like what? and he says, like her friend Chase.

Chase says, thanks for the offer, but he already has a towel on his chair. She says, he’s spoken for. Gotcha. Finn walks in with Gregory, and she tells Chase, in case he changes his mind and wants a fresh one, she’ll be over there. She leaves, and Finn asks if that young lady was hitting on Chase. Chase says, what? No. She just asked him if he wanted a towel. Chase goes back to his chaise (ha-ha), and Gregory asks Finn, what do you think, doctor? Finn says he thinks there’s only one possible diagnosis; his little brother has it bad. Chase tells Gregory to let his big brother know there’s currently no one he has it bad for, and Gregory asks, what happened to Brook? Chase says, that’s a non-starter, and Finn says, since when? Chase says, since she decided to make him a pop star.

Elizabeth works on a jigsaw puzzle, when Doc comes in, and asks how she’s feeling today. She says she’s making progress… on this puzzle. He says, sorry for the interruption, but she has a visitor. She says she thought she made it clear she didn’t want to see Finn, and if it’s Laura, she knows Laura means well, but not today. He says, it’s not Finn or Laura, but he thinks it’s someone she’s going to want to see. Jake walks in, and Elizabeth hugs him.

Anna, Alexis, and Laura are at the MetroCourt Garden, and Anna lifts her glass of orange juice. She says she’s going to pretend this is champagne, and toasts to Laura’s success in fighting the recall campaign. Alexis says, to their once and future mayor, and Laura thanks them. They clink glasses, and Laura says, and thank you to The Invader for the editorial support. Alexis says, The Invader wasn’t the only voice of support. Once the people of Port Charles found out what was at stake, they were bending over backwards to defeat that recall. Anna says, absolutely, and Laura says she’s so grateful to everyone who stood up for her. Now they have to just keep going to make Port Charles a kinder, safer, better place to live. Alexis asks why she has the feeling Laura has that planned already, and Laura says she does. And she wants to start by eliminating a clear and present danger.

In the park, Victor tells Valentin, does your heart good, doesn’t it, to think of the wonderful future that lies ahead for these happy carefree children? Valentin says he never pegged Victor as an optimist type, but Victor says, the Cassadines were put on this earth to shape a better future. Not just for ourselves, but for all mankind. Valentin says, and Victor believes that? and Victor says, he won’t always be here to lead the family. He wants to know, when the time comes, there’s someone worthy he can pass the torch to. He knows Valentin has been having a crisis of conscience recently, which is why he got rid of the family ring. So he wants Valentin to consider this – he hands Valentin another ring – its replacement. Valentin thanks him, and says he has something to give Victor too.

Chase says, since his future as a detective is so uncertain, Brook pitched him a new career, as a professional singer. Gregory laughs, and Chase says, it’s absurd, right? In her mind, it’s goodbye PCPD, hello American Idol. Oh, and he pretty much buried the lead; Brook wants to be his manager. They look at him, and he says, that’s the reaction he had. She wants to pull the strings while he dances to her tune. Finn says, he dances now too? and Chase says, the point is, he told her that he’s not interested. Gregory says he has to admit going from cop to singing dancing pop star isn’t the most logical progression, but Brook has written songs before. Is he not even willing to consider her idea? Chase says, Gregory doesn’t get it; that’s not what’s happening here. Gregory’s first impression of Brook was the right one. Gregory says he’s confused. The other day when he was so hard on Brook, Chase convinced him that he was wrong. What’s changed?

Brook says she knows Ned and Chase have had their issues in the past, but Ned doesn’t need to worry about that anymore. Ned says, why is that? and she says, because when it comes to her and Chase, there’s nothing there. He says, really? The way he heard it, Detective Chase has been suspended for a second time, and just like the first time, he landed in the Commissioner’s doghouse for defending her honor. If it happened just once, you could chalk that up as an accident, but twice? She says, who asked him to defend her honor? Certainly not her. Does Ned think she enjoys being the reason Chase keeps losing his badge, because she hates it. He says, even if it proves Chase still cares about her?

Chase says he’s admitting he’s wrong. Why is that so hard to understand? Finn says, as a general rule, the guys in their family usually don’t admit when they’re wrong, and Chase says, there’s a first time for everything. He actually agrees with Gregory’s original assessment of Brook. She just keeps getting herself into these difficult situations; first it was Valentin, now it’s Linc. He’s the one who plunges in to rescue her, and he’s the one who pays the price. Gregory says, some people would call that heroic, and Finn says, doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result is also the very definition of crazy. Is it possible Chase is crazy about her? Chase says, if Finn has such keen insights on what makes people tick, why doesn’t he save them for someone who needs them? Finn asks if he’s referring to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth asks how Jake got here, and he says, it was Doc’s idea. Doc says, guilty as charged. He realized how badly Jake wanted to see her, and figured she’d want to see him, so he drove Jake over, and he’ll drive Jake home. Jake says, Doc can drive them both home. Please. All she has to do is pack her stuff and come home.

Alexis asks if Laura would care to elaborate on the danger, but Laura says, not at this time, but when she’s ready, The Invader will be the first to know. Right now, she and Doc have their hands full trying to wrangle Elizabeth’s sons. Don’t get her wrong; she’s not complaining. The house is so crowded now, but it’s never been so full of life. Even Cameron is making excuses to stay over. Anna says, since he’s the oldest, he probably feels responsible for Jake and Aiden, right? and Laura says, he does. He’s a very conscientious young man. She’s very proud of all her grandchildren. Anna says she hopes Elizabeth comes back soon, for both her sons’ sake and Finn’s, and Laura says, that’s what they’re praying for. In the meantime, she’s very grateful she has Doc to help her navigate the madness. Anna says, Laura is so lucky to have a partner to help with all that; the work and the fun. Laura says she hears what Alexis isn’t saying. It’s okay. A lot of people aren’t sold on having a partner. Alexis says, a lot of people don’t have a prince like Doc. For them, it’s mostly frogs. Anna says, and sometimes someone with a little of both.

Valentin puts on the ring, and Victor asks, what’s wrong? Does it need to be fitted for him? Valentin says, it fits, and Victor says, Valentin was born to wear this ring. It represents everything their family has meant through the ages, and will continue to mean for days to come. So, Valentin had something for him? Valentin says, Laura is working on having Victor deported.

Brook tells Ned, if Chase really cared for her, he wouldn’t have accused her of using him to get back at Linc. Ned says, Linc? He thought Linc was out of the picture for good, but Brook says, unfortunately, he’s like acne; just when you think he’s gone, he’s back. But this time she had a plan to stick it to Linc. Chase got upset because she didn’t discuss it with him first. Ned says he guesses it runs in the family. Olivia read him the riot act about voting to keep Valentin as CEO. She claimed he only voted that way to punish Michael and Drew. Brook says, didn’t he? and he says, his big mistake was cutting Olivia out of the decision. He should  have trusted her with this thought process, and they should have made the decision together. Instead, he acted alone, unilaterally, and she felt completely blindsided. Maybe that’s what happened between Brook and Chase.

Chase apologizes to Finn, saying, that was a cheap shot, but Finn tells him, it’s okay. He’d be happy to share his insights with Elizabeth, but she’s made it pretty clear she doesn’t want to hear them. Chase says, again, he apologizes. He should probably just take his foul mood and leave before he says something even more thoughtless, but Finn tells him, sit back down. He’s not getting off that easy. Gregory says, the two of them spent years avoiding each other, and Finn says, that’s mostly on him, avoiding not just Chase, but Gregory as well. Gregory says, think of all those family dinners they missed, where they didn’t get to experience what other families do, and Finn says, say a blessing, then criticize each other until dessert? Gregory says, since they’re making up for lost time, what’s wrong with Brook making Chase a pop star?

Elizabeth tells Jake, she wishes it were that simple. She came here to figure out what was troubling her, and until she does… She looks at Doc, and he tells Jake to remember what they talked about on the ride over. He wants his mother to get better, right? Jake says, of course (🍷) he does, but why can’t she do that at home? Elizabeth says, it helps her knowing Jake is there with Aiden, and Cameron is there supporting both of them. And even though Cameron is away at college, he needs Jake as much as Jake needs him. The same goes for Grandma Laura and Grandpa Kevin. They all just need to stick together. He says, even her mom and dad? and she says, what about them? He says, they’re family too, right? Does she think they can pitch in and help?

Alexis says, when the conversation turns to relationships, that’s when she goes to the pool. Laura says she guesses Alexis is going to do a follow-up on the Society Set-Ups debacle, and Alexis asks, why is it so hard for anyone to believe she takes breaks? She’s going to the roof. She’s going to get a little vitamin D, a little sun, and ice tea, and she’s going to read her book for 20 minutes. She gets up, says, it’s been fun, and tells Laura, congratulations. She leaves, and Laura asks, what’s going on with Anna? Anna asks what she means, and Laura says, she had that I know something you don’t look on her face a while ago. Tell her. How things going between her and Valentin?

Victor asks if Laura herself told Valentin these plans she has for him, but Valentin says, no. Martin Grey, Laura’s brother, told him that Laura is working with contacts in DC to have Victor deported on grounds of moral turpitude. Marty says, it’s only a matter of time. Victor says, no doubt Valentin told Marty to advise Laura to back off, but Valentin says, there’s no point. Laura’s determined and she has resources. He’d say it’s time for Victor to find a new base of operations, but Victor says he can’t possibly consider leaving. Valentin says, Laura’s giving him no choice, and Victor says, if he didn’t know any better, he’d think Valentin wanted him to go. Valentin asks, since when does Victor care what he wants? and Victor says he thought they’d worked through all this. Certain measures had to be taken for certain people – obstacles – to be removed, and that meant certain other people had to be implicated. Now all that was achieved, thanks to a certain dashing naval captain. Valentin says, Victor made his expectations clear. At the time, compliance was the only option, but things change. Victor says, do they? Why is that? Valentin flashes back to telling Anna that his intentions are very serious, and he says he can tell Victor, but he’s not going to like it any more. Suffice to say he’s done everything he can for Victor. Victor says, well, that’s a pity. Not just for himself; Valentin’s daughter is going to be very disappointed.

Brook says, her problems with Chase are nothing like Ned’s and Olivia’s. They’re not married; they’re not even a couple. He says, point taken, but he and Brook aren’t really that different. They’re both willful and ambitious. Brook says, she’ll give him that, and he says, they both wear their hearts on their sleeves, which translates easily into getting hurt, then makes them lash out and hurt other people, even people who matter the most to them. She says, they have another thing in common; their love of music. It was stolen from her, first when Nelle attacked her, and then again by her lying scheming manager. He says, so she was going to use Chase to get back at Linc, and she says she thought she and Chase could help each other. She could bring out his talent until some big producer came along, and then Chase’s career would be off and running. Ned says, and then Linc would be out of the picture for good, and she says, something like that. But does he know what Chase said to her? He says, he can guess. It probably sounded a lot like what Olivia told him – this is all about you.

Chase says, the whole thing is about Brook and her need to get back at her sleazy ex-producer, and Gregory says, and in the process, Brook could help Chase? Chase says, that depends on how you define help. She wants to turn him into a pop star, and even if there was the slightest chance of that happening, it was never on his list of prospective careers. In fact, it’s pretty much opposite of everything that interests him. Gregory says he’s not so sure that’s true, and Chase says, now he doesn’t know what interests him? Gregory says he’s simply pointing out that Chase couldn’t be as good at performing like he did at Nurses Ball if some part of him didn’t enjoy it. Alexis goes to the pool bar, and Gregory tells Finn to talk some sense into his brother. Finn says, me? and Gregory goes to the bar. He asks Alexis if she’s looking for a headline, but she says, The Invader doesn’t do headlines; they cover the news. Where’s his granddaughter? Too bad she’s not here; she brings out the best in him. He says, then she hasn’t seen his best yet. At the table, Finn says, on one hand, it’s very weird, but what’s so wrong with Brook believing in Chase? Believing in his talent, and wanting something for herself. Chase says, despite dad’s little pep talk, he’s not a singer; he’s a cop. That’s what he does. That’s who he is. What Brook is doing suits her own needs for her own reasons. What is he supposed to do? Just go along with it, no questions asked? What would Finn do if this happened to him?

Elizabeth says she can’t believe her parents went behind her back again, and asks what Jake told them. Do they know she’s here? Jake says he didn’t tell them anything, he promises. He didn’t answer their email. He knows how she feels about them, and wouldn’t want to do anything to upset her. She says, he doesn’t upset her. Just promise if they try to contact him again, let her handle it. He promises, and Doc says, before they go, he’d like to talk to Jake’s mother a minute alone. Would he mind waiting in the car? Jake says, that’s fine, and Doc says he’ll walk Jake down and be back. Jake hugs Elizabeth, and asks if she’s mad at him, but she says, never. He says, then come home soon, and she says she’ll see him soon. Tell his brothers that she misses them. he says he will, and leaves.

Anna tells Laura, it’s no secret that she and Valentin have a history. She feels like she’s known him forever. The thing is, he’s still a bit of a mystery to her. Laura says, it should give Anna a certain amount of trepidation, and Anna says, you’d think it should, but it hasn’t at all. She thinks it’s because they’ve both been  burned so much in the past, and Laura asks if that wouldn’t make her more cautious. Anna says, perhaps. The only thing she would say is, since Valentin was in the clinic, he’s changed somewhat. Laura says, for the better or the worse? Isn’t there an alarm going off in Anna’s head right about now?

Valentin asks, does Victor think he can buy his loyalty with a ring? Victor is keeping his daughter from him; he’s holding Charlotte hostage. She just doesn’t realize it. She’s adjusting to life in a boarding school Victor put her in, and only Victor can take her out of. Valentin can text her, and talk to her by phone, but he’s not allowed any physical contact, and Victor expects Valentin to bond with him? Let’s make one thing very clear, dad. He’s done everything he can to keep Charlotte safe, but if Victor threatens her again, not only will Victor not get what he wants, Valentin will cut his throat. Victor tells him, well said. Spoken like a true Cassadine. Don’t you worry. Charlotte’s life is almost as precious to him as it is to Valentin. Valentin says, no it isn’t, or Victor  wouldn’t be treating her like a bargaining chip; that’s all she is to him. Don’t think he doesn’t know that. Now are they done here? Victor says, not quite. While he’s very grateful to Valentin for letting him know what Laura has in mind for him, he’s now counting on Valentin to help him spoil those plans. One way or another, our beloved mayor is going to be leaving office. Now if Valentin is going to be the son he can trust and a loving father to Charlotte, he’ll help Victor by doing exactly what he says.

Laura asks if she has to remind Anna that Valentin fought Lulu tooth and nail over custody of Charlotte. Really he’s been a threat to her family since he showed up in Port Charles. And now he’s embraced his father, even though he knows full well what Victor is capable of. Anna says, she knows. Laura is right on every count. Maybe it’s because she knows who and what he is, that it makes her feel oddly comfortable with him. Laura says she doesn’t want to see Anna walk into a trap, and Anna says she understands; Robert warned her too. Laura says, and yet… and Anna says she doesn’t know; she just feels comfortable with him. What does that tell Laura? Laura says, it tells her, things are worse than she thought.

Brook says he sees Ned’s point. She probably should have included Chase in the process, instead of going to him with a finished idea, like everything was already decided. Ned says, that would have been a good start, and she says, it just felt like such a win-win. She wrote some really good material while she was under contract with Linc; personal songs that have a lot of meaning for her. Sometimes she even dreams in music, and when she wakes up, she has a tune stuck head, and she realizes that’s one of the songs Linc owns. He can sell it, he can rework it, he do whatever he wants to it, and there’s absolutely nothing she can do. What is she supposed to do, just give up? Ned tells her, he’s not saying that; far from it. He takes out his phone, and says, just look what Leo posted on his social media. Someone recorded Chase singing her song at Leo’s birthday, and posted it. Leo got the ball rolling by liking it, and linking it on his social media. And now thousands and thousands of likes. That’s how good her song is; that’s how good Chase is singing it. She looks at his phone, and laughs, saying, he’s not kidding. This post has over 50,000 likes, and people keep reposting it. Damn. She’s talented… What she meant to say is, she and Chase are talented.

Alexis says she’s disappointed. She was hoping Gregory would take up her challenge to write that op ed piece in The Invader. He says, about that… and she says, no worries at all. Just to be clear, no pressure. She just thought it would be fun to read about his perspective rather than hear about it. She sees he’s with his two boys. She doesn’t want to keep him. Big fan of both of them. He says, so he hears. In fact, if memory serves, she had a hand in bringing Finn and Chase together. She says she did what she could, and he says, then consider this a sincere, if tardy, thank you.

Chase says he’s sorry for comparing his and Finn’s situations. What Elizabeth is dealing with is so far beyond bickering with Brook. Finn says, that’s all right, and Chase says, any updates? Finn says, Elizabeth is convinced the only way she’s going to find any answers is if she does it on her own. She’s been pushing him away, and he’s starting to think he’s part of the problem.

Doc says, Jake’s in the car, and Elizabeth asks, how is he? Doc says, at the moment, he’s engrossed with his phone, but overall, he’d say Jake is a bit confused. She says, he’s not the only one. Ever since Franco died, it’s been non-stop confusion and chaos. Everything changed. She just loved him so much. Doc says he knows, and he knows Franco loved her too, but he thinks Franco would want her to move on with her life and find some happiness. She says she feels like maybe she moved on too quickly, and he says he understands. Be that as it may, he couldn’t help notice her reaction when Jake mentioned her parents. She says, what about them? and he says, clearly they’re a trigger for her. She tells him, if he says so; he’s the professional. He says he is, but Jake saw it too, and she asks what he wants her to say. Where have her parents been all her life? Absent, missing, focused on more important things. They weren’t here when she graduated from nursing school, when she got married, or when she had their grandkids. He asks if they offered any support when Franco died, and she says, they sent flowers, which was more than she expected, or wanted. He asks what she does want from her parents, and she says she wants them to respect her wishes and stay away from her kids. Cameron is older, but Jake and Aiden are at impressionable ages, especially Jake. He’s alone and vulnerable… Doc asks if that’s how she felt at Jake’s age, alone and vulnerable? and she asks what he’s implying. He says he’s not implying anything. She said it herself. The thought of Franco fills her heart with love, but the mere mention of her parents brings on a different reaction entirely. Is it anger? Is it fear? She says, forget her parents. They’re nothing to her. Nothing! She wipes the puzzle off the table onto the floor. She tells Doc that she’s sorry, but he says, no. He’s been waiting for her to do something like that. She says, embarrass herself? but he says, no. Look inside herself. Not in those comfortable places where we usually exist, but in those dark and winding ones that make us uncomfortable. She asks what he knows about dark and winding, and I laugh because I know what he’s going to say. And he does. He says, his twin is Ryan Chamberlain; he knows a thing or two. Clearly her relationship with her parents is… She says, there is no relationship with her parents. She already told him. They handed her and her sister off to her gram when she was a teenager. And when she didn’t turn out to be what they expected, or wanted, they washed their hands clean of her. Other than her gram, she’s been on her own ever since, and never looked back. he says, then has she really left that behind, or has it followed her everywhere she went? Buried deep, but it still haunts her, and he doesn’t mean Franco’s ghost; something much scarier. She says, like what? and he says he’s afraid only she can answer that question, but he’ll do everything he can to help her find the answer. She says, he really wants to help her? She’ll tell him how.

Chase says he knows Finn doesn’t like when he gives him advice, but he’s going to. Finn needs to turn his situation with Elizabeth around. Finn says, meaning? and Chase says, be direct. Ask her what the problem is, and see if she can articulate what’s troubling her. Finn says, for once, that’s not actually terrible. It’s pretty good. Tell dad he’ll catch up with him later. Does Chase mind if he says something? Don’t worry so much about what Brook wants. Ask himself what he wants.

Alexis tells Gregory, she remembers it was like pulling teeth to get those two to talk to each other. She wonders where they got their stubborn streak. He asks if she’s implying he can be stubborn, and she says, nothing wrong with being opinionated. He says he can’t believe she’s still upset about his critique of The Invader, and she says, she’s not upset. Does she seem upset? She was just wondering why he chickened out of writing that op ed piece. He tells her, as he started to say earlier… Her phone dings, and she says, lookee here. It’s a text from her op ed editor. She reads it, looks at him, and says, just in time. He smiles.

Ned tells Brook, nobody makes it alone. She wrote that beautiful song, Chase performed it really well, but it was her little brother’s initiative that caused it to be an internet sensation. Doesn’t that tell her something? She says, yeah. It tells her that Leo should be Chase’s manager and producer, and Ned laughs. He says, maybe one day. After he becomes the next Jacques Cousteau, or saves the world, whichever comes first. Brook says, the kid’s got some big plans, and Ned says, in the meantime, he thinks she has some fences to mend. She says, what if it’s too late? and he says, would that stop her? She says she needs to shower and change before she makes things right with Chase. And Ned needs to double Leo’s allowance.

Anna says she appreciates Laura’s concern, and promises, whatever happens with Valentin, she has her eyes wide open. Laura says, okay, and Anna reaches for the check, but Laura says, her treat. Just to clarify, she’s not telling Anna how to live her life. She’s reminding Anna that she said Valentin had changed when he came back from the clinic, but she didn’t tell Laura if it was for better or for worse. Anna says, it’s kind of a little of both. When he shows up, when he’s present, he’s very attentive. Laura says, and more committed to his father, and Anna gets up. Laura tells her, love can be intoxicating. Don’t let it rob her of her better sense. Trust, but verify. Anna says, okay, they exchange I love yous, and Anna leaves.

Chase is sunning himself, and looks over to see towel girl on the next chaise. She waves to him, and he gives her a weak smile. He takes out his phone, and calls Brook. She answers as she’s walking into the pool area, and he says, don’t hang up. He thinks they need to talk. She says, no time like the present, and he looks over, seeing her.

Doc is putting the puzzle away, when Finn dashes in. He says he needs to see Elizabeth, and Doc says, he’s sorry, but… Finn says, the last thing he wants to do is force himself into this situation, but he’s not just some guy who cares about Elizabeth. He’s a doctor, and before Doc goes, wrong specialty, just remember denial can be infectious too. Please take him to her. He just wants to help. Doc says he’s sorry, but Elizabeth’s gone.

Gregory asks if Alexis’s text said something interesting, and she says, the latest submission to the op ed page. He says he tried to tell her earlier, but he’s guessing she was the star of her high school debate team; she didn’t really give him a chance. She says, no need to explain. Turns out he’s accepted her challenge after all.

In a woodsy section of the park, Anna is on the phone. She says she’s calling regarding a former patient of theirs. Victor stands behind her, and he’s so obvious, I can’t believe she doesn’t notice. She says, his name is Valentin Cassadine.

Valentin walks into the MetroCourt Gardens and sees Laura still at the table, texting. He says he’s glad he found her. Can he join her?

Tomorrow, Britt says she hopes Terry has better luck than she did; Ned asks Cody if they should be looking for a replacement; Victor asks Anna what her relationship is with his son; and Laura wants to know why Valentin is talking about her mayoral tenure in the past tense.

Southern Charm

Shep takes Little Craig to play in the park, and meets Pringle. They bro hug, and Shep says, they need to watch Little Craig. When he was there with Danni, it was a disaster. We flash back to Little Craig going into the river, and Shep says, there’s a Jekyll and Hyde in there. Pringle says, like Craig and Austen.

Craig calls Paige from his car, and says he doesn’t know what to do about the Austen situation. Austen was trying to figure out if the time he and Naomie hung out overlapped when he was seeing Paige. We flash to Naomie telling Craig what Austen said, and Paige says, it’s mean to say to any girl. Craig says, Austen wants people to have a problem with him. He doesn’t know if he wants to stay friends. Paige says, the day Austen stops having Craig’s back, is the day he stops being a friend, and Craig says, that already happened.

Shep tells Pringle that he doesn’t care where you are in life; you need to foster friendships. He thinks he should invite the boys over for a barbecue, and Pringle says, let’s get the band back together. Paige tells Craig, if he and Austen don’t talk, their issues will just fester. Regardless of the outcome, he’ll feel better. Pringle asks Shep how Taylor is, and Shep says she gave him a scare. She said she was late, and for three or four days, he thought, f***; this is it. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. Pringle says, it’s an eye-opening event, and in Shep’s interview, he says he likes the autonomy, and doesn’t want it to come to an end. He asks how old Pringle was when he had his first kid, and Pringle says, 35. Shep says, when he was 35, there was no way he could have had kids, and we flash back to Thomas telling him that Kathryn is pregnant. Pringle asks if Shep wants kids someday, but Shep says he doesn’t know if he has that yearning. Once you have them, your life is gone; it’s like you played life wrong. The more it becomes a talking point with Taylor, the more he disengages. Pringle says, if Taylor wants kids, at some point, Shep will have to figure that out, and Shep says, why screw with it when it’s working? His life isn’t set in stone; he doesn’t know where he’ll be 6 months from now. Pringle says, if you have a kid you will.

Taylor meets Marcie for baby shopping, and Marcie shows her the latest ultrasound. Marcie says, she looks like John, holding up a picture of her husband for comparison, and by God, she does. Marcie asks if Taylor can imagine a baby Shep. Have they talked about it? Taylor says they had a scare, but she’s not pregnant, which is fine. Her family is traditional and religious, and she’d rather be married. Marcie thinks that concept in Shep’s head is foreign. It’s weird, since their family is also traditional, and it’s like, where did things go wrong in Shep’s brain? In Marcie’s interview, she says she thinks Shep is afraid of commitment. Nobody in their family has ever been divorced. She respects that they do it for the long haul, and believes Shep would be looked down on if he ended up divorced. Taylor says, at some point, she wants Shep to think about being serious, and if they can’t get there, unfortunately, they’ll have to go their separate ways. Marcie says, you can’t be a kid forever.

Madison (bleh) meets Venita for lunch. I think. It’s light outside. Madison says, their birthdays are coming up, and Venita says, Madison’s has passed, but as Libras, they celebrate all month. That’s a new one on me, but I’m Sagittarian. We celebrate all year. Madison says, one of her clients has a house, and will let them use it, and Venita says, they should do a joint party, which I thought was what Madison was implying in the first place. Madison tells Venita that she’s in love, and boyfriend Brett makes her want to be a better person. Wow. Now there’s a daunting task. In Madison’s interview, she says she and Brett met when she was at a bachelorette party. They made eye contact, and fell in love. She thinks he might be the one. She tells Venita that Brett has BDE, and asks if Venita is dating anyone, but Venita says she’s hyper-focused on her career. She can’t have someone in her space. In Venita’s interview, she says she’s had issues with boundaries in past relationships. She found out through her Instagram DMs that her ex had cheated. She has lots of guards up. She says, it was nice to see Madison and Austen getting along, and we flash back to them at Leva’s party. Madison says she’s retired from drama, but Kathryn’s party was interesting. She saw people screaming, and wondered what was happening. Venita says, Olivia was screaming at her when she was trying to help Naomie. Another wow. Exaggerate much? Olivia wasn’t even loud, although the other women were loud with her. Madison says she felt bad when she saw Olivia get attacked. Now I’m even more irritated, since I agree with her. Venita insists Olivia wasn’t attacked, but Madison says, they all caught her off-guard. Venita tries to fix this by saying she’s too much of a fixer, and was just trying to help. Madison tells her, Naomie speaks five languages; she’s not a dumbass. She’ll figure it out. In Venita’s interview, she says, Madison makes a good point. She’s not sorry for what she said, but the way she said it. Her communication skills aren’t always great. Madison says, if Olivia’s got thick skin, she’ll survive.

Olivia and mom Robin have wine and cheese. Their yorkie whines for some cheese, and it’s the cutest thing. They talk about Olivia’s parents being married 35 years, and Robin says Olivia will meet someone like her dad, but Olivia says she doesn’t know if there’s any more of dad out there. In Olivia’s interview, she says, her parents are a cohesive fit, and never got out of their honeymoon stage. Olivia tells Robin that Austen wants to Netflix and chill, and Robin says, he’s got the wrong girl. Olivia says, they’re in a feeling-it-out place, and in her interview, she says she wants someone sweet and considerate. She shouldn’t be Ubering. Pick her up. Olivia tells Robin about Kathryn’s party, and says, there was a bit of a hiccup with the girls. Robin says, as long as Olivia is being nice, don’t worry, but Olivia says, the conversation could have gone better. She was like, exit stage left. It doesn’t need to be an ongoing issue. In her interview, Olivia says, she’d rather walk away, and say what she needs to later, than say too much in a hurry, and get herself in trouble. She was put off by it, and she’s not done with Naomie and Venita just yet.

Whitney drives Patricia to the farmer’s market, and he tells her, the champagne is cooling in the back. He says, it’s going to be a bumpy ride, and insists Lauren Bacall said it. Patricia says, Betty Davis, and we flash back to her seeing Whitney’s old loft apartment, and saying, what a dump. They argue about it, and Patricia bets him $1000. We don’t see it, but I assume he looks it up on his phone, because he says he’ll write her a check. She says she wants cash. They also either didn’t show it or Patricia missed it; the quote is, fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night. Whitney says, it he feels like Driving Miss Daisy, and Patricia says she misses Michael. Whitney does too. Michael’s stroke after the unexpected loss of his dad; it was a horror show. We see a picture of Whitney and his dad Lon, and in Patricia’s interview, she says, he was a nice, kind, brilliant man. They were married 15 years, then divorced. He needed a corporate wife, and she was selling paintings to museums and traveling. They stayed friendly. She adored him and he was a great father. We see a video of him and Whitney, and she says, he was a fabulous man; attractive in every way. She tells Whitney, at least he was only ill with leukemia for a few weeks. They get to the market, and Patricia is unsure what winter squash is. She says, the domestic arts elude her, and in her interview, she says, Whitney cooks, but he’s vegan. It’s hard to make vegetables exciting every night. Does she want another cauliflower steak? No. She misses Michael, and wants bacon. We see a clip of Michael taking her to McDonald’s and her saying, don’t tell Whitney. Michael says, Whitney is the first person he’s telling. After shopping, they get back in the car, and Patricia says she’s going to open the Bible – i.e. pop open the champagne.

Craig calls Austen from the car, and says he was wondering if Austen wanted to meet up. Austen says he’s on Pitt Street, and Craig says he’ll meet him there. He hangs up, and says, it’s on. It’s amazing how middle school dramatic these dudes are. They meet at a park, and Craig says, he’s kind of bummed. He feels a disconnect, and thinks they should talk. Austen asks why Craig keeps pushing him away, and Craig says he feels like Austen keeps tearing him down. Austen says he’s a champion for Craig, and this makes no sense. Craig says, Austen was inquiring about the timeline of his hooking up with Naomie, but Austen says he doesn’t care about that. Craig told him that it didn’t happen, and he felt like an outsider. It made him look stupid. Craig says, if Austen had found out he cheated, what would he have done with the information? I’m surprised Craig isn’t bringing up Austen actually saying something to Paige in the first place. Austen agrees that it’s none of his business, and he shouldn’t have put his nose where it didn’t belong. Craig says, it seems like there’s underlying hared. What’s the resentment about? Austen says, Craig has been a sh*tty friend. He uses their friendship when it’s convenient. Craig asks when he did that, and Austen says, Craig hung out with him when Craig was single and didn’t want to be alone. We flash back to them hanging out over the years, and Austen says, then Craig found a girlfriend and bailed. In Austen’s interview, he says, even though they’re not dating, it’s the longest, most steady relationship he’s had in years. Craig asks why he should hang out with someone who throws him under the bus, and Austen says he doesn’t want to be that kind of friend. Craig says he’d love to rekindle their friendship, but asks Austen to try not to do anything to sabotage his relationships. Be nice and kind, and keep moving forward. Austen wonders if they should hug, but Craig says, they never have before, and the whole thing ends awkwardly and hugless.

Chleb’s mom Debbie calls Kathryn while Kathryn is driving. Is anyone not in the car when they get/make a phone call? In Kathryn’s interview, she says, Debbie brings maternal energy to her life. Since she lost her mom, it’s nice to be bonding with her boyfriend’s mom. She tells Debbie that when she has the kids, Debbie has to come over. She says she hasn’t seen Chleb since he left five days ago after their fight, and in her interview, she says, they had a fight over nothing. For him to leave triggered her abandonment issues. She tells Debbie that she doesn’t know if she and Chleb are growing toward the same thing. He’s not making the effort she wants him to. Debbie says, Chleb does care. He told her that he was trying to be there for Kathryn, but doesn’t know what else to do. Kathryn says she’d love to have a conversation with him, and Debbie suggests Kathryn make a dinner peace offering. Light candles, and suggest a do-over.

Shep invites friend Tony over for the barbecue, and tells him, the last barbecue was a disaster. We flash back to Craig not knowing how to grill when he said he did, and Shep tells Tony that he’s in charge. Shep takes some tuna out of the refrigerator, smells it, pronounces it funky, and makes the executive decision to jettison the tuna. The guys all come with something to contribute, and Chleb says he’s been laying low, chilling, keeping his head clear. Craig brings a bottle of rum, and tells Shep that he thinks Madison (ugh) is engaged, and is about to announce it on Amazon Live. He doesn’t think Austen knows, hence the rum. Shep says he thinks Austen will be indifferent, but freaked out deep down. Craig thinks Austen is in denial, and beleives he and Madison are still getting back together.

Pringle says, they’re ready to start grilling, and Craig says, Pringle has impressive meat. Shep tells Austen and Chleb about Taylor being late, and how he doesn’t want kids. In Chleb’s interview, he says he doesn’t know why Shep isn’t using protection. Pull out and pray is not reliable.  Austen wonders what if Taylor eventually tells Shep that he wasted years of her life. Olivia wants to go to Australia for several months, and Taylor can’t go. Shep says, she can go for a couple of weeks, and I wonder if he’s her keeper. I think Taylor should dump him pronto, but I’m pretty sure they’re not together anymore. Shep says he knows people who have dated for five years, then realize they don’t want the same things. Austen says, Shep and Taylor’s goals and life aspirations are different, and Shep says, his life is a moving target. He doesn’t know what he wants. Austen says, it’s going to get to the point where Shep will have to sh*t or get off the pot, and in Austen’s interview, he says, Shep won’t compromise. It took him forever to find someone who would tolerate him because he’s selfish. They guys eat, and then decide to play cornhole. Shep says, the professionals spin it, and nearly beans Little Craig, who grabs a cornhole bag and shakes it. There’s a hole in it, and it’s game over. They sit down, and Craig’s phone dings. He tells Austen that his ex is doing something crazy online; she says she has big news. We see a video of Madison, who says she’s been trying to keep this in. She is gaged [sic]. She flashes her ring, and says, he did good.  Austen says, poor bastard; a life of servitude to Medusa. Someone asks Madison about her exes, and she says, the ex who means the most to her is her son’s father, and he’s happy for them. He’s the only ex who’s meant anything to her. In Austen’s interview, he says, everything Madison does is a subtle jab at him. As if he needed more reason not to have her in his life. Shep what percent they have of making it to the altar, and in Shep’s interview, he says he hopes Austen feels relieved. He didn’t dodge a bullet; he dodged a cannonball. In Craig’s interview, he says, for a long time, Madison and Austen thought they’d end up together. Austen is starting to realize that chapter is closed. Shep says, Madison upstaged his barbecue, but it could be Austen. Chleb asks how Austen was with the stepdad role, and Austen says, he took Madison’s son to school and things like that, but his dad was very present. Chleb says, Kathryn has her kids every other weekend, but he works weekends, so he doesn’t get to see them much. Craig says he thinks Kathryn is nervous that if she gets more custody, Chleb will leave. We see a clip of Kathryn telling Craig that she has this turmoil with Thomas, but when she tries to talk about it, Chleb thinks she’s being dramatic or she gets a blank stare. Chleb says, Kathryn is a good mom, and Craig thinks telling her would go a long way. Chleb says he hasn’t been home for a few days. He’s been staying with his cousin Chelsie. His mom tells him to fix it, and it weighs on his heart. Shep says, Kathryn can burn a bridge like no one else, and Craig suggests they sit down and try. Chleb says, they’re supposed to have dinner tonight, and in his interview, he says, it was a little argument little gone too far. They should be able to work through it; he loves her. Shep says, Chleb has a lot going on. His head is still processing Madison.

Kathryn is still cooking when Chleb comes in. She says, he’s been gone almost an entire week. Where has he been? He says he was staying with Chelsie, and she says, he just ghosted her. He says, they got in a fight, that’s all, and in Kathryn’s interview, she says she thought Chleb was her forever person. Now she feels like he has one foot in the door and one foot out. She asks if he wants to be with her, and he says he came to make up. She asks what he planned to say, and he says, he wants to come home; he loves her. Kathryn says she feels he lacks empathy about what’s going on with her, and he says, it’s always about her feelings. She says she’s the only one opening up. All she does is try to understand him. Chleb tells her to listen to him. He loves her and wants to make it work. She says, she can’t have him react to a problem by abandoning ship because he doesn’t want to deal. He says he needed space, but he’s here now; let’s talk. She says, is he kidding her? She doesn’t know if she can. She suggests they sit and have dinner, and they both push their food around for a moment in silence.

Kathryn asks if Chleb thinks they can make this work, and he says, he’s obviously trying to make it work. Kathryn over the last several days, she’s thought about what she needs and isn’t getting. She feels he’s emotionally unavailable, and she hasn’t seen him taking the steps to fulfill the role she’d like someone to fill. He says, it’s hard to fill. He didn’t know what he was getting into (he’s never seen the show?), and she threw the kids at him three months in. When he sees the battle she has with Thomas, it makes him pull back. It’s a lot for somebody to go through. Kathryn says she’s got two kids and an ongoing custody battle. If he’s overwhelmed emotionally, maybe he shouldn’t be in a relationship. She’d thought they were building a solid foundation for a solid future, but it’s not working. Chleb thinks she should calm down and clear her head, but she says she can’t try if he’s not trying. She thinks it’s best for them to go their separate ways. In her interview, she says, after who she’s dated historically, her requirements were be kind and be a good human, but sometimes it’s not enough. Chleb says, this tough for him; he’s going to grab some stuff. As Kathryn tosses out dinner, I feel sad. They both quietly cry, he leaves, and she blows out the candles.

Next time, Craig says, punctuation is worse than emojis in texts (good to know); Chleb says he doesn’t know how to show emotion; Taylor confronts Shep; Madison (ugh) has a birthday party for Venita; Patricia proposes a clean slate, but no f-words please.

🛶 Denial Ain’t a River…

Come sit a spell tomorrow for soap, tea, quotes to ponder, and music to listen to. Until then, stay safe, stay engaged with the real world, and stay trusting, but verifying.

Jul7

July 6, 2022 – Sonny Gets a Refusal, New Low In Beverly Hills, Excuses & Given

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew says he did something, and Carly’s not going to like it. She says that’s her favorite opener to any conversation, and he says he wishes he had a different one. She says, lay it on her, and he says he had an idea to mitigate the financial hit she took on Aurora stock, and generate enough capital for her to hold on to the hotel. She says, that doesn’t sound too bad. What part is she not going to like? He says, the whole plan is contingent on Nina.

Sonny asks what Carly did, and Nina says she’s sorry; she just assumed he already knew. He says, knew what? and she says, Carly invested heavily in Aurora, and when the merger didn’t happen with ELQ, she lost quite a bit of money. He asks, what’s quite a bit? and Nina says, she lost her half of the MetroCourt.

At the stables, Willow tells Michael that she loves horses. When she was a little girl, she had one. Technically, he wasn’t hers, but she loved him like he was. He says, she’s been holding out on him; he didn’t know that. Just say the word and he’ll get her a horse of her own. She thanks him, but says, they should probably wait a little bit. She’s pretty sure horseback riding isn’t a recommended prenatal activity. He says, right, she’s pregnant, and she says she is. He says, with their baby, and she says, that’s correct. He says he doesn’t think he’s ever felt so grateful in his life, and she says, her either. They kiss, and Cody comes to the door, clearing his throat. He apologizes, saying, he’s never been known for his timing. He’s the new stable hand, Cody Bell.

At the hospital, Doc says he appreciates Britt’s help with this, and she says, it’s the least she can do after his clutch play at the all-star game. He says, it was pretty clutch, wasn’t it? It was fun. She says, probably because they were there for a good cause. No cynical ulterior motive behind it. He says, as opposed to… and she says, that nightmare – air quotes – charity mixer – end air quotes – Society Set-Ups put on. He says he hadn’t heard about that, and she says, he might literally be the only person. He asks what he missed, and she says, just the lowest moment of her life that now resides on the internet for all of eternity.

Flora holds up her papoose, and says, it keeps the baby secure, promotes mother/child bonding – Felty snaps more pictures – and it’s so easy to use, which many of you moms know, isn’t always the case. She asks Sasha to help her demonstrate, and Brando says he has to stop this, but Lucy says he can’t. This is live TV; he’ll only humiliate Sasha. Haven suggests Flora demonstrate it herself, but Flora tells Sasha, don’t be intimidated. It goes on in three easy steps. Haven says, it sounds amazing, doesn’t it Sasha? and Sasha says, it sure does. Please show her how it’s done. Flora puts the papoose on Sasha, and tells the viewers that she can’t say enough about the benefits of carrying your child close to your body; it actually soothes them. Maxie tells Lucy, this is more than Sasha can or should handle, and Lucy asks what they’re supposed to do. Maxie walks in view of Haven and waves her arms, but no one pays attention, and Haven asks, what inspired Flora to create this baby carrier? Flora says she just couldn’t abide some of the contraptions she saw well-meaning parents toting their babies around in. She knew she could come up with something better. Haven says, and she did. She asks if it’s Sasha’s first time wearing a baby carrier, and Flora says, she put it on like an old pro. Sasha says she might have practiced with another product, but this one is much simpler, and Flora says, now they’re going to show everyone how securely it holds the baby. She takes a doll out of the box, and asks if Sasha is ready for her little bundle of joy. Haven asks if Sasha is ready for the baby.

Britt tells Doc, she might have had a few too many cocktails; they were free. He says, understood, and she says, there she was, holding court about the romance industrial complex, when out of nowhere, a skydiver came down and knocked her into the pool. She could have drowned under that stupid parachute. He says she seems no worse for wear, and she says, maybe, but it was ugly, and now it’s a GIF; a never-ending reminder. He says, hardly ideal, and she says, no, it’s not. He says he takes it she’s cut all ties with that particular dating service, and she says, you would think, wouldn’t you? But no, she’s decided to give Society Set-Ups another try. It’s not their fault they hired a shoddy skydiver with lousy aim. He says, actually, that’s exactly what they did, when an orderly comes out, and tells Britt that a patient left this behind after an exam. He shows her Cody’s belt, and says, Britt was listed as a contact on his paperwork. She says, he’s got to be kidding.

Michael introduces himself and Willow, and Cody says, Olivia told him that they were going to show him around. Willow says she thinks the term Olivia used was, get him settled; make him feel at home. Michael says, always a mother hen, and Cody says, it’s a nice set-up. Michael says, Cody’s room and bathroom are upstairs. There’s a boathouse and a pool on the premises, so Cody can use either for his leisure. Cody says he appreciates the hospitality, and Willow tells him, Olivia said he and Dante went to summer camp together. Cody says, glory days. He thinks he’s actually the first person to get Dante up on a horse, and Michael says, and the last. Cody says, probably. He can’t even picture it. He asks if Michael and Dante are close, and Michael says, yeah. They’re half-brothers through adoption; it’s complicated. But since Cody and Dante are old friends, it’s no surprise Olivia trusted him with the family horses.

Nina tells Sonny, she guesses Drew feels guilty because Carly lost all that money investing in the success of Aurora. He’s trying to raise capital, and even asked her if she wanted to buy Crimson outright. Sonny says, and? and Nina says, she turned him down. She doesn’t feel it’s right to take advantage of Drew’s sudden reversal of fortune. She knows what he’s going to say. He says, doubtful, and she says she didn’t say no because the outcome would have benefited Carly, but he says, that’s not what he was going to say. She tells him, she said no because if she pays what Crimson is truly worth, she’d have overinvested in herself. He asks what that means, and she says, he knows she loves her magazine, but investing in print media right now is really risky, and there’s no guaranteed long-term return. Plus, on top of that, she doesn’t want to be editor-in-chief and owner. She wants Crimson to be taken seriously; not viewed as some vanity project for a real estate heiress with nothing better to do. Those are her reasons for saying no. He says, very astute, and she thanks him. He says, she clearly has a head for business. Carly used to as well. It looks like something has clouded her judgement.

Carly says, Drew is right. If Nina’s involved, she doesn’t like it. Drew says, don’t worry; it didn’t happen. Nina wasn’t interested. She says, in what exactly? and he says he offered to sell her Crimson. Carly asks, why? and he says, so he could use the proceeds to reimburse Carly for her losses. She asks if Crimson isn’t the most profitable title in their print division, and he says, yeah. She says, and Aurora’s stocks have flatlined, and he says he’s aware. She says he’s going to need every asset to stay in business, so why on earth would he try to sell his best one? He says, because he got her into this and it’s on him to get her out.

Willow introduces Cody to horse Comet, and Cody tells the horse, nice to meet you. She says, Comet belongs to Leo Quartermaine, and Cody says, Olivia told him that her son’s on the spectrum. He can’t imagine anything better than horses to help with a kid. Help anyone for that matter. Horses are a lot like people They have individual personalities, and when you gain their trust, it’s a bond like no other. Sorry. He gets sentimental when he talks about these things. Willow says she doesn’t blame him, and Michael says, his understanding of horses will be great for Leo. They’re glad to have him. Cody says, not half as glad as he is.

Carly wonders if she asked Drew to come to her rescue, and he says, is that what she heard? She says, yeah, and he says, the failed merger is on him. When the executive consult suggested it, he jumped at the idea. He pitched the idea to Michael, and they developed a strategy around it. She says, and Ned betrayed them, but he says, he should have seen that coming. Because in-fighting is what the Quartermaines do best. He should have at least factored in the possibility that Ned would turn. He and Michael probably wouldn’t have mentioned the merger to Ned in the first place. She says she doesn’t believe that because it would make him like Ned, who’s exactly like Edward, and they had this discussion. He’s Lila. He’s Lila’s side of the family. He says, maybe he needs to lean more to Edward’s example; look where his high ideals have gotten him. She tells him, don’t do that. Don’t take responsibility for her choices.

Nina tells Sonny that she’s surprised too, that Carly would risk her stake in the hotel. He knows as well as she does, that Carly and Olivia made the MetroCourt a five-star destination; it’s a huge success. He says, it’s definitely a bad business move, which makes him think Carly’s investment move isn’t just about business. Michael’s lashing out at him, and Carly wants to back Michael, so she overinvested. She asks how he feels about that, and he says, that Carly’s been drawn into Michael’s vendetta? Not good. He’s just trying to live his life, but he’s not going to let her twist. Nina says, of course (🍷) not, and he says, Carly is the mother of his children. She says she gets it, and knowing him, she’d expect nothing less. He thanks her for understanding, and says he’ll catch up with her later. She says, sounds great, and he leaves.  

The stage manager holds Maxie back, as Flora says the doll (now in the carrier on Sasha) weighs 15 pounds, but the carrier can hold 8 to 33 pounds; ideally covering infancy to age 3. Flora (who I consistently want to call Luna) asks Sasha to move a little bit, and Haven (who I consistently want to call Morgan) says, it looks secure. The stage manager keeps Maxie, Brando, and Lucy at bay, while Flora and Haven go on about the benefits of the carrier, and Sasha moves very slowly across the stage. Haven asks Sasha how it feels, and Sasha suddenly sees a real baby in the carrier. She says, she knew it couldn’t be true. Sweetheart, you’re alive.

Carly says, she knows Drew doesn’t mean to sound condescending, and he says, but he does. She says, it’s not his fault she bought all that Aurora stock. In fact, he went out of his way to discourage her, and she didn’t listen. In true Carly fashion, she went all in. He says, but this place… and she says, she knows. It’s heartbreaking, the thought of losing it, but it’s her loss, and it’s her fault; certainly not his. Sonny walks in and asks if she’s got a second, but she says she’s in the middle of something. Drew says, it’s okay; they’ll talk later. He leaves, but forgets his phone, and lingers outside. Sonny says, he heard she could lose her half of the MetroCourt, and she asks, who told him? Olivia? Nina? It doesn’t matter; the public will know soon enough. He says, they don’t have to. That’s why he’s here. Let him help.

Michael asks what Willow thinks of Cody, and she says she thinks he’s charming, and he knows it. Michael says, not more than him, but she says, never. He says, he likes Cody, and she says, her too. She doesn’t think you can fake how you feel about horses. It’s clear to her that Cody’s care and concern are real, and what he said about gaining their trust… She remembers how special that felt; that bond she shared with Hector. He says, Hector? and she says, he was an old cow pony, and he’d been through God knows how many riders, but she was 12, and fell in love with him. She gave him so much attention, it was ridiculous. And he came to the fence when she whistled for him. Other people would try, but he would only amble over for her. He asks, what happened to Hector? but she says she doesn’t know. When her mother became disenchanted with that community, they moved on. She got to say goodbye to him and give him one last apple, but that was it. She never saw him again. He asks how many times they moved, and she says, too many to count. He says he’s sorry. It’s not going to be that way with their kids; not Wiley or their new baby.

Cody says he’ll tell Comet a secret, if Comet will keep it between them. He’s a hustler. He’s in it for the money, but what he really wants is a place of his own, where no one can steal what he loves… assuming he ever lets himself love anything again. Britt walks in with his belt, and says, lose something?

On the phone, Nina says, just call her when it’s done… Thanks. She hangs up, and says, Sasha. She turns on the TV, as Sasha is saying, my baby boy, I’ve missed you so much… Liam.

Flora asks if Sasha is okay, and Sasha says, she’s perfect. Her sweet Liam. She almost forgot how beautiful he is. Brando says, that’s it. Stop the show. He walks onto the set, and Sasha says, it’s Liam. It’s okay; their son is here with her. He says he sees, and Felty tries to take pictures, but Lucy gives him the bum’s rush, saying, get out! Get out! Brando asks if Sasha knows where she’s at, and she suddenly freaks out, and says, where’s Liam? He tells her to look at him, and she cries as he holds her. Lucy and Maxie cling to each other.

Okay I just have to say it do you mean no one knew about the loss of Sasha’s baby? She was also the Face of Conception. Where do they think the baby went? This is pissing me off big time. I also doubt some big-time host would be so unprofessional.

Sonny tells Carly, it’s not a time to be proud; use her head. She asks what her head is telling her, and he says, she waived her claim to any community property, and walked away with just the house when she had every right to those assets. He’s going to have his accountant valuate them, and she’ll get what she should have gotten in the beginning, 50%. She says, no. They’re divorced. She got exactly what she wanted; what they agreed on in the settlement. She wanted the house and nothing more. He says, nothing more from him? Is she going to be that stubborn, and let her anger keep her from what she’s owed when she needs it? This is the MetroCourt; it’s her baby. She says, it’ll be fine, and he asks, how? She says she doesn’t know; she’ll figure it out. She doesn’t want to talk about this anymore. He says, okay, if that’s how she wants it, and she says, it is. Drew listens, and Sonny says, he just wants to say one thing. There’s going to come time a when she’ll have to come here and pay to sit at the pool she used to own. He offered; she turned him down. He walks away.

Flora tells Lucy, she’s so terribly sorry. She had no idea Sasha lost a child, and so recently. Haven strides over, and tells Flora, don’t apologize. Any responsible representative should have been able to improvise when Flora dropped in. Lucy assured her that Sasha was camera ready, that those problems with emotional instability and drugs were behind her. Lucy says, excuse me? It was never stated anywhere that Sasha was required to promote a baby carrier. They would never have agreed to it in a million years. Flora says, of course (🍷) not. She can’t imagine how much pain Sasha’s in, and Haven says she doesn’t have to imagine; Sasha just showed their entire viewership. Lucy says, Haven really has no heart, and Haven says, their fans tune in to enjoy themselves, to be cheered up; to escape from the hum and drum of the mundane and maybe acquire some beautiful and useful things. Right now, they’re showing reruns. This is a nightmare. People are calling in for items that were sold out months ago. This is a disaster, and it’s all Lucy’s fault. So buckle up, sweetheart, because Home & Heart is going to sue. Selina appears, and says, she’d strongly advise against that.

Michael says, while they have their flaw, and they are many, the Quartermaines are a settled family. She asks what he means, and he says, when Alan bought this property and built the house and gave it to Monica… Willow says, he did? She’s kidding. He laughs and says, Port Charles has been the Quartermaines’ home, and it’s going to be their children’s home… If she wants it to be; they’re not mandated to live here. She says she knows, and he says, their hearts aren’t going to break like hers did. They’re not going to have to leave what they love behind. She says she never dreamed in a million years that she’d get to live somewhere so beautiful. The lake, the homes, the gardens; it’s all so breathtaking. But the buildings and property mean nothing without the people in them. Her home is with him, Wiley, and Wiley’s little brother or sister. They could live in a bunker for all she cares. He says, this is better, she says, much better, and he kisses her.

Cody thanks Britt for bringing his belt back. It’s one of his prized possessions. He got it at a rodeo in Cheyenne. She says she can see how much it means to him, seeing he left it behind in an exam room, and he says, so sorry for being a tad distracted. Not knowing where you’re going to live, or where your next meal is coming from can do that to a guy. She says he seems to have solved that problem, and he says, sure did; room and board included. Comet whinnies, and he says, and he gets to work with the horses; it’s a win-win. He pets Comet, and says, right, bud? She asks, is it’s just her, or are horses fonder of him than humans? and he says, only certain humans. She says, like the ones who left him beat up in that alley? and he says, that was all a misunderstanding. She says, a misunderstanding that cracked his ribs? and he says, and look at him now; gainfully employed and doing what he loves. There’s a pool here, and a boathouse, and apparently, he’s allowed to use both. She says, living the good life. She’s out. That belt was her last goodwill gesture. For future reference, she’s not his emergency contact. He says, who else was he supposed to put down? (Um… Dante?) and she says, she barely knows him, and wishes she didn’t know him at all. She starts to leave, and he says, no wonder she has to rely on a matchmaking service. She comes back, and says, what was that? He says, her interpersonal skills could use some work, and she says, don’t put her name on his paperwork again. He says he’s sorry, and she says, which part? He says, all of it. He owes her big time for helping him in that alley, and now returning his belt. He just… actually, he thinks he has the perfect way to repay her.

Willow says, it’s amazing how different it feels this time, and Michael says, being pregnant? She says, the love is just as strong, but when she realized Shiloh had gotten her pregnant, she was so scared and so desperate to save her baby, every decision was about making sure Shiloh didn’t find him. Michael says, so she gave him up. It’s the bravest thing she could have done. She says, and the hardest, but now she gets to experience the good parts; the excitement and the dreams for his or her future. Because this time, she gets to be a part of that future. Their baby, conceived in love. He says, losing Jonah will be a heaviness they’ll always carry, but it’s also a reminder of how blessed they are. She says, with Wiley, and now this little one on the way, how lucky are they? He says, the luckiest.

Brando brings Sasha into the hospital, while Maxie follows, and Sasha says she swears, Liam was right there in her arms. Brando thanks Doc for meeting them, and Doc says, of course (🍷). He asks Sasha how she’s doing, and Maxie says, she was asked to demonstrate a baby carrier on live TV. Brando says, it was just too much for her after losing their son, and Doc asks if there were any indications before the broadcast that Sasha was struggling. Brando says, nothing that stands out to him, but his mom has been concerned Sasha was using again. Maxie says she doesn’t know if this is protocol, but here’s her purse. She hands it to Doc, and Doc says, he’d need the spouse’s permission to open it. Sasha says, no, please, just give it to her, but Brando tells her, it’s okay. He tells Doc that it’s okay to open it, and Doc takes out the pills. Sasha cries.

Sonny goes back to Nina’s Crimson office, and finds her crying. He asks, what happened? and she says, Sasha was doing an appearance on live television and had a complete meltdown. It was awful. Sonny holds her as she cries.

Carly looks at the pool and gets weepy. She sits at the edge, puts her feet in, and cries. Drew comes in, and holds out a beer. She takes it.

Cody asks if Britt likes to ride, but she says, no. He asks if she’d like to think about it for a minute, and she says, sure… yeah… no. He asks if she’s ever tried, and she says, when she was a kid. She ended up on her butt, and realized it’s one of those things that looks better in the movies than it does in real life. He says he can’t even begin to tell her how wrong she is about that, and she says, yet he just did. He says he can teach her to ride so she’ll love it, but she says she’s all set, thanks. He says, it will change her world, and she asks if he didn’t hear her say she didn’t want to. He says, what he heard was that she’s afraid to. Those are two very different things. Does she know the expression, get back on the horse? She says, everybody knows that expression, and he says, the only way to conquer your fears is try again. Lucky for her, he’s an experienced teacher. She says, he’s had this job all of 10 minutes, and he’s already offering lessons on a property and horse he doesn’t own. He says, excuses, excuses. If she’s ever willing to push past her cowardice and rise to the challenge, she knows where to find him. She says she’ll do that, and leaves. He tells Comet, she likes me. I can tell.

Selina says she admires Haven’s commitment to simplicity and sustainability, and apologizes for this unfortunate accident. Flora says she’s the one who should be apologizing. Had she known that poor woman had lost a child… Selina says, but she didn’t, through no fault of her own. Flora says she thinks she might take a break from Home & Heart altogether, and walks away. Haven asks who Selina is, and what she’s doing here, and Selina says, she’s a shareholder in Deception. Haven asks how she got access to the studio, and Selina says she was watching the broadcast and saw how Haven mangled the situation. Haven says, please. She did everything possible to stave off this disaster; one that Deception created. Flora is their biggest seller. Her appearances are always best sellers. She’s sure Selina realizes that’s a little more revenue her company has just cost them. Selina says, that’s nothing compared to the negative publicity Haven will receive when Deception calls her out for the callous treatment of a grieving mother. The way she sees it, Haven has two option. One; Deception can thank her for her support, and laud Home & Heart for its kindness. Or they can file suit for damages because Haven didn’t do her homework and subjected Sasha to emotional duress. Which works better for her? Haven says, please give Sasha her best wishes for a very swift recovery, and Lucy tells her, don’t you worry. I sure will. Haven leaves, and Lucy tells Selina that she’s actually speechless. Selina just saved their bacon. Selina says she was dismayed when she saw Sasha’s meltdown. She paid good money for her Deception stock. She expects an equally good return. Keep better control on her talent, or there will be consequences.

Brando asks how long Sasha’s been taking the pills, and she says, it was just to help her through; just a few. She’s sorry. He says, don’t be sorry, but she says she shouldn’t have lied to him. She’s just so tired. Can they go home? He asks what Doc thinks, and Doc says he recommends keeping Sasha for observation. Brando asks, for how long? and Doc says, they could start with a 72 hour hold. Brando tells Sasha, Doc thinks she should stay at the hospital for now, but she says, no. She wants to go home. She’ll be better; she promises. Doc says, as her husband, Brando can authorize the hold, and Brando asks if Doc thinks she needs it. Doc says, he does. It’s the best first step to starting to heal. Maxie says, they can trust Doc; he’s the best there is. Does Brando really think it’s safe for Sasha to go home? Brando says, okay, and Doc says he’ll take Sasha to her room. An administrator will walk Brando through the paperwork. Sasha reaches for him, and says, no, don’t leave her. She wants to go home with him. She doesn’t want to be here. She wails, please, as Doc wheels her away.

Nina tells Sonny, Sasha was demonstrating a baby carrier. The carrier had a doll in it, and when Sasha looked down, she started talking to Liam. She insisted that her little boy had come back to her. Heartbreak is not strong enough a word. Sonny says he’ll call Brando, but she says, Brando was there; he came from behind the camera to help her. Nina talked to Maxie, and Sasha’s at GH right now. He says, that’s good; they’ll know what to do, right? She says she’s just grateful Brando is there to support Sasha. She knows what that grief is like, waking up and finding out that your baby is gone. And she felt that feeling again when she found out Nelle was her daughter, and it was too late to help her. She cries, and Sonny says, Nina didn’t have anybody to help her her grieve. It’s okay. She doesn’t have to be alone anymore. He’ll be there for her every step of the way. He holds her while she cries.

Drew puts his feet in the water, and Carly says, he wasn’t supposed to see that. He says, nothing wrong with a good cry. He would even venture to say it helps. She asks if he cries a lot, and he says, all the time; every chance he gets. She says she put so much of herself in the MetroCourt, it’s hard to say goodbye. He says, but she didn’t have to. He forgot his phone earlier, and when he came back for it… She says, he heard her talking to Sonny. He asks why she turned Sonny down, and she says, does he really have to ask that? He says he guesses he doesn’t, and she says, it’s her problem. It’s her responsibility, and she’s certainly not going to let Sonny bail her out. Drew says, it wouldn’t be a bailout; she’s entitled to those assets. She says she doesn’t want them. Not after what Sonny did at the hearing. He comforted Nina after her attorney attacked his own son. That’s not a man she knows, and certainly not a man she wants to be indebted to. She’ll figure something out… He thinks she’s an idiot, doesn’t he? He says, that is literally the last thing he thinks. Carly Corinthos may be down, but she’s never out. She says, some people might say the same thing about him. he raises his bottle and says, to her. She says, to us, rising again. He says, hear, hear, and they clink bottles.   

Brook asks Ned if she’s just supposed to just give up; Laura tells Anna, she’s got to start eliminating a clear and present danger; Gregory says, Alexis hasn’t seen his best yet; and Victor says he’s counting on Valentin.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Garcelle’s party is still going on, and Erika wants to know where her drink is, while Kyle horns in on… whatever is going on with Sutton and Diana. Kyle tells Sutton that she can’t say Diana is soulless; she just lost a baby. Like one of those things must cancel out the other. Sutton says she’s sorry Diana lost her baby. She understands because she’s lost two. Kyle says, she’s never heard that before, and Sutton says she had two miscarriages. It’s a personal thing. Kyle says, she loves Sutton, but that feels like bullsh*t. Sutton says, Kyle is being strange (as compared to what?), and Kyle says, Sutton’s not being honest. She lost two babies out of the blue? Sutton says she was trying to reach Diana on a human level. Does Kyle want her to have compassion or not? Diana says, Sutton called her soulless, and Sutton says she was reaching out to say she was sorry, and Diana blew her off. Diana says, I see you, like she’s some kind of wicked witch, and Sutton says she’s being real. Kyle literally grabs Sutton, and comes short of shaking her. My mouth literally falls open. Kyle tells Sutton not to talk to Diana like that, and Diana laughs. This is apparently a thing with Diana. She laughs to show her superiority, but IMO, it’s creepy. In Diana’s interview, she tells us, like the Americans say, Sutton has hit a new low. I tell her, the only new low here is this entire show and it’s only five minutes in. Sutton says, Kyle is saying she didn’t know about her miscarriages, and Kyle says – wait for it – Diana lost a baby. Sutton didn’t. Maybe years ago. We don’t know. WTF??? In Sutton’s interview, she says, Kyle is insinuating she’s lying. It’s breaking her heart, and disappointing her about the friendship. Sutton says, Diana was looking at her like she was the devil, and Diana says, is she? Sutton says she’s so sorry, and Diana says, it’s all good. It takes time to know people. In Diana’s interview, she says, with her understanding of human nature, she feel something is off with Sutton. Until she figures out what it is, it’s best not to poke her. She does that weird laughing thing, and says, it’s all good. Sutton hugs her, but she just makes a snoring noise and doesn’t hug back. In her interview, Diana says, a fake hug. Bleh. Kyle says she can’t with these two, and leaves. I can tell Diana, who has less understanding of human nature than she thinks, what’s off with Sutton. One, her father committed suicide, and this has affected her a lot more than she lets on, because two, she’s a Southern belle, and approaches things differently. The same way say, someone from another country like Bosnia might look at things differently. And three, probably the most important, these idiot women are making her a nervous wreck.

Kyle goes back to where the others are sitting, and says, Sutton and Diana are fighting. Garcelle asks if Sutton is crying, and Kyle says, always. Diana and Sutton both try to escape in different directions, but Crystal intercepts Diana, who insists she’s great, and jets. Sutton tells assistant Joshua, get the f***ing car. Erika calls Garcelle’s son Oliver over, and says he’s hot. Garcelle says, they’re going to eat him up, and Erika throws her leg in the air. Dorit says, Erika is trying to hit on Garcelle’s son, and Erika asks if he’s married. Dorit says, he has four children, and Erika suggests he have his baby momma contact her in her DMs. They can have a threesome. Alrighty then. She tells him, be a man, and sit down. He comes over to them, and she says she just wanted to bullsh*t with him. Garcelle says, let’s go, rounding up her crew, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she gets it. Erika is letting her hair down and having a good time, but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s more like time to reassess her life. It doesn’t feel okay. Everyone is picking up the flowers, like they sometimes do at a reception, and Garcelle tells her son Jax to get them. He comes over to the table, and Erika tells him, get the f*** out of here. In Dorit’s interview, she says she knows Erika drunk and joking around, but Garcelle’s son is 14. Jax tells Garcelle that he just got violated (would Crystal agree?), and tells Garcelle what Erika said to him. Garcelle is like, she said what? but he says he’s okay. She tells him, hold on, and goes back to the table. She says Erika hurt her son’s feelings, and it’s not okay to talk to him like that. In her interview, Garcelle wonders how many of her family members Erika is going to go after tonight; first Oliver, now Jax. She’s done. She tells Jax, that’s not okay, and he says, it’s fine, but she says, it’s not fine.

Garcelle has two more shows of The Real left, and meets with her hair stylist Robear. He says, her birthday party was lit. Kyle was mopping the floor. We see a clip of Kyle doing the splits, and Garcelle says, it was so much fun. On the way home, Olivier said his brothers had aged years in one night. One corner was the good corner; then there was the Erika Jayne corner. Erika’s got to figure out her meds and cocktails. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, on the way home, she explained that Erika was drunk, and not paying attention to what she was saying. She’d like for Erika to apologize. She was wasted in Mexico, and wasted at Garcelle’s party, and Garcelle is sick of her. Robear says he loved seeing Erika lit, and Garcelle says, maybe he did…  

Crystal brings Dorit to a session with her self-defense trainer Rashad. In Crystal’s interview, she says she’s never been in a situation like Dorit, and Dorit is holding it together incredibly well, but trouble always catches up. She introduces Dorit to Rashad, and Dorit says, she’s a big believer in having the tools to defend herself. Rashad says he’s going to go through some simple self-defense moves, and they do some stretching first. Dorit tells Crystal that PK is leaving for London, and he was in London when the home invasion happened. Crystal says, it must be triggering, and Dorit says she has to get used to it. It’s still very raw, but for her kids, it’s a normal day. In her interview, Dorit says she doesn’t know if it makes any sense, but she can feel the trauma in her blood. Fear, anxiety, rage, hurt, and sadness. Rashad tells them to go for the eyes, and use their nails, but in her interview, Dorit says, even though she’s visualizing her attackers, she doesn’t think she’d hurt anyone. Rashad says, her inner strength is there.

Kyle and Sutton meet for dinner. I can tell you something else about Sutton; she’s more forgiving than I am. I’d be telling Kyle… take a hike. Sutton says her house is driving her insane. She hasn’t passed inspection yet. She will, but she’s waiting on a stove hood. Kyle says she wants to talk about the party, and Sutton says, Kyle came in halfway through a strange conversation she was having with Diana. Kyle asks how it was going, and Sutton says, not well, but it was just the two of them, and she wasn’t at the part she wanted to discuss with Diana. Kyle swooped in and was harsh with her. Kyle says, Sutton was talking about her miscarriages, and Sutton says, Kyle didn’t understand what they were talking about. She’d apologized first. Kyle says, she doesn’t think Sutton made it up, and Sutton says, and don’t push her. Kyle says, it was a knee-jerk reaction. She was just coming off some odd behavior on Sutton’s part, and she’d thought it was convenient timing. Sutton says, she was relating to Diana on a visceral level, and Kyle says she apologizes. Sutton tries to interject, but Kyle says she’s sorry she was insensitive; she’s apologizing. Sutton says, that means a lot to her. She’s a loyal friend. Kyle says, she doesn’t know, she’s seen moments, and Sutton says she told Diana that she was right. Kyle says, it’s hard to apologize to Sutton, since she doesn’t shut up, and Sutton tells Kyle to give her some love, hugging her. WTF? over and over.

The day before Thanksgiving. Kyle tells Mauricio that she needs to buy another small turkey, since Alex and his mom are coming. Their family is expanding. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Farrah and Alex had been dating a few years, and it was definitely time they got engaged. What are they waiting for? Kyle tells Mauricio that she’s going to make the top floor a playroom for the baby, but the baby will sleep with them. In her interview, she says, they were fortunate to have their grandmother living with them. She helped with transport when she and Kim had to be on film sets, and she grew up close with her grandmother. She’s not going to live with her grandchildren, but she wants a close relationship. She’s really going to be annoying. Is she kidding? She’s already annoying

We see some quick clips of everyone’s Thanksgiving. Garcelle and sons are dishing out Thanksgiving dinner at the Los Angeles Mission. Dorit’s father joins them for dinner, and Crystal also celebrates at home with her family. At Kyle’s, there’s also an anniversary for Kathy and Rick, and unaccountable Teddi is there.

LisaR visits Diana. It’s no surprise they’re friends since they’re both fake as hell. LisaR asks about Thanksgiving, and Diana says, it was Eli’s birthday. We see clips of that, and I have to admit, as much as I’m disliking Diana, that baby is very cute. She tells LisaR, when the party was over, she wanted everyone back, and in her interview, she says, Eli is a party animal. She loves ABBA, Dancing Queen in particular. Diana asks if LisaR hears the hummingbird; you hear them before seeing them. LisaR says, that’s Lois. She’s been invoking Lois a lot, even as an excuse to be nauseating (see below). She tells Diana that the holidays are hard. You don’t think about that when a death happens. Every day is different, and she’s processing differently every moment. She was in NYC for Harry’s show, but she only did it for him. She asks how Garcelle’s party was, and Diana laughs. She says, the party itself was good fun, but then Sutton caught her, and did her Sutton thing. She makes faces, and made one when she asked if Diana wasn’t on bedrest. In LisaR’s interview, she says, she knows that look. We flash back to Sutton saying she’d never something or other, and giving LisaR a pointed look. Diana says, Sutton called her soulless and a mother***er. If a foreigner literally translated that, it would seem stupid. Kyle was trying to tell Sutton that Diana had lost her baby, and Sutton said she’d had two miscarriages. It wasn’t like she was saying she understands, but like they were at a gambling table, and Sutton was raising her two miscarriages. LisaR says, narcissistic, and Diana says, Sutton is a grade up from that. In her interview, Diana says, how can someone behave like that and not understand they’re hurting others? It’s not empathetic. She tells LisaR that Sutton brings her down to her level. The next trip, they can go commercial. See? This is like a little I-have-lotsa-money dig, as well as obviously not knowing Sutton has enough money to get a PJ.

PK and Dorit go to Kyle and Mauricio’s for dinner. Kyle and Dorit discuss house décor, and Dorit says she wants to move, but Kyle says she doesn’t want Dorit to move, since they live close by. She was almost ready to move after the burglary, even though it wasn’t as bad as what happened to Dorit. We flash back to Kyle talking about it at the Reunion, and she tells Dorit, that she feels comfortable and happy now, and Dorit will too, in time. Dorit says, Kyle is the biggest reason she wants to stay, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she’s sure she’ll feel better eventually, but as for still feeling like she wants to move, she doesn’t know. Kyle tells them about Erika telling Jax to f*** off, and Mauricio thinks it’s great. He likes seeing Erika more relaxed. Dorit says, she agrees 100%. She gives Erika a major pass, but then again, it wasn’t her child. What’s wrong with these people??? Dorit says she doesn’t remember a time she saw Erika that loose. In Kyle’s interview, she says, the first few years, she wished Erika would loosen up. We flash back to a million years ago, when Kyle was questioning whether or not Erika was having fun. She says, clearly, Erika has been holding a lot in. Seeing this side, even if it’s not her best side, at least it’s genuine. PK says, Erika is entitled to a blow up.  

Sutton gets ready for her party, and in her interview, she says she thought it would be fun to have everyone over to see her new house, even though it’s not anywhere near done. It’s been two years and a lot of money, and she’s proud of what she’s doing. Garcelle’s friend Sheree (not that one) meet before the party at Garcelle’s house, and Garcelle asks if Sheree is ready for a luncheon with the ladies. Sheree says, as much as she can be, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she’s known Sheree for so long, it’s easy. They have a great time, and there’s no judgement, although Sheree will call you out if she needs to. She tells Sheree that Erika was crushing on Oliver, and talking threesomes, She asked Jax to pick up some flowers, and Erika told him to f*** off. She told Erika that she can’t talk to her son like that, but she wants to discuss it when Erika is sober and can hear her. It’s happening today. Sheree asks how old Jax is, and Garcelle says, he just turned 14. Sheree is like, oh no, and in her interview, Garcelle says, Erika was drunk, but it’s not an excuse. She doesn’t know if Erika is used to talking to people like that, but Erika’s not talking to her kid like that.

Sutton says, her yard is a mucky mess, and in her interview, she says, contrary to popular belief, it does rain in southern California. She’s trying embrace that not everything has to be perfect, but why does it have to rain on her party? Joshua says, someone’s here, and she says, let the fun begin. LisaR says she’s always the first one, and tells Sutton that her house has great energy. She loves the vibe. The others trickle in, and we get a semi-tour of Sutton’s house, which has Christmas decorations up, and of course everything is beautiful. Property manager Avi plays waiter, and Garcelle postpones having alcohol, saying, she wants to be clear before she talks to Erika. In Erika’s interview, she says she’s not worried about Sutton’s house; she’s worried about the Haitian mom she offended. We see a clip of Erika and Crystal on a hike, and Erika telling Crystal that she was sh*t talking, and treating the teenagers like adults, but Jax is 16, and no baby. Crystal says, he’s 14, and Erika says, that’s a new perspective. Back at Sutton’s party, Sutton is explaining her house was built in 1930. Erika arrives, and everyone is loving her leopard coat. I don’t think it’s real leopard, but who knows? Erika says, they’ll have to fight her for it. Erika says she’s only having one drink; one and done. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, they’ve all had many a drink. How you behave is really who you are. Erika sidles up, and Garcelle asks if they’re waiting for Kyle; Diana is sick and not coming. Sutton gives them the kitchen tour, where they have caviar and oysters, and I’m jealous. Kyle arrives last, and they head outside for lunch, Sutton apologizing for the muck. LisaR makes a huge fuss about her ridiculously expensive shoes, and Kyle tells Joshua, it’s like a swamp. In LisaR’s interview, she says, it’s a symbol for Sutton. A beautiful table that gorgeously set, sitting in the muck; that’s Sutton.

LisaR asks Joshua for flip-flops. They’re dealing with a swamp, and she doesn’t want to ruin her shoes. Joshua passes out heel covers and flip-flops to those who want them, but Kyle says she’ll walk on toes. In her interview, she says, she’s not about change into flip-flops with her look. She’ll deal with the mud later. LisaR calls to Joshua that she might need a coat with the flip-flops; something chic. Joshua brings out an armful of furs, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, that’s luxury. You get a fur coat, and you get a fur coat, a la Oprah. LisaR asks how Dorit has been, and Dorit says, there have been certain challenges can’t seem to overcome. She can’t drive. Garcelle asks how Dorit correlates that, and Dorit says she can’t be alone. She used to value her alone time in the car, but she’s not comfortable. In Dorit’s interview, she says, you know when you’re not in control of your own emotions, and when you’re vulnerable like that, you don’t put yourself in situations where you can hurt yourself or someone else. Dorit says she hasn’t taken her kids to the park, and won’t let them go. Sheree says, it’s a small moment in time, but worth it to take care of herself. In her interview, Dorit says, she hopes this mama bear can continue to allow her kids to live normal lives, despite what mom went through. Garcelle asks if Sutton knew Diana wasn’t coming, and Sutton says, no. LisaR says she spoke with Diana, and we see a clip of Diana telling LisaR, it’s one thing when your doctor tells you bedrest, but another when your body tells you to lie down. Garcelle says she calls that rude not to tell the hostess you’re not coming, and Kyle says she texted that she’d be late. Gold star for her. Sutton says she appreciated that. She doesn’t like passive/aggressive behavior. LisaR asks if that’s not the pot calling the kettle black, and Sutton says she doesn’t act passive/aggressively. LisaR asks if she called Diana a motherf***er and soulless.  

Yep, new low.

Next time, a $9800 pair of sneakers; Garcelle says, Erika’s drinking is becoming a lot; Sutton explains the conversation with Diana, and LisaR says, Diana didn’t get the same takeaway; and Sutton meets with Diana.  

👠 Can’t Help Herself…

Then after the apology that was nothing but an excuse, she called the naysayers hoes. Is this really how she’d like Lois to live on?

https://people.com/tv/lisa-rinna-says-grief-over-mom-lois-death-caused-online-rants/

🤸🏽‍♀️ While the Gettin’s Good…

Come by tomorrow for soap and some Charmers. Until then, stay safe, stay never saying it’s not that bad to anyone, and stay remembering that buildings and property mean nothing without the people in them.

Jul6

July 5, 2022 – Drew Makes Nina an Offer, Legacy Role, Changing Roccos, an Engagement, Celebrating, Post Yachting, Real Friends & Bikini

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha, Maxie, and Lucy dash into the Home & Heart studio. Sasha says, they’re finally here. It looks smaller than it does on TV. (It almost always does.) Lucy asks someone to pinch her so she knows she isn’t dreaming, and Maxie obliges, but Lucy yells, ow! That’s kinda hard. Maxie says, now Lucy knows she’s not dreaming, and Lucy tells her, admit it. She’s just as excited about this, and Maxie says, is Lucy kidding? Getting to show their products on Home & Heart? This show is like the holy grail of makeup sales. Lucy says, that’s why Enchanted Cosmetics makes a killing every time they nab a time slot. Sasha sees Felty, who holds up his press pass, and Maxie wonders if they’ll see Erica Kane. Lucy says she’d just die; she’d keel over. Maxie says, not before they make a killing and count their profits, which will be huge. Lucy says, of course (🍷). That is if their beautiful face of Deception is up to the task. Maxie asks Sasha if she’s got this, and Sasha says, absolutely; let’s do this. Felty lurks around.

Brook and Chase grab a table by the pool, and she says, they need to talk. He says, lately, every time they talk, his life goes sideways, and she says, she’s sorry. But not anymore. Drumroll please… Today is the day she changes his life.

Josslyn asks Cameron, what’s wrong with him? but he says, wrong? There’s nothing wrong. Why would there be anything wrong? Trina says, maybe because he keeps saying the word wrong, and Josslyn says, it’s his whole vibe. Trina says, look at his face, and he says, that’s just the way his face is. Josslyn says, it’s not his usual open and honest Cam face, and she wonders why.

Spencer tells Esme, what is he doing here? He’s looking for her, of course (🍷). He takes her hands, and she says, well, he found her. Now what is he going to do with her?

At the MetroCourt bar, Britt watches Dante, Cody, and Rocco balance spoons on their noses at a table. Spinelli comes in, and says, how serendipitous. He was hoping to avail himself of her counsel. She asks if he’s pregnant, and he laughs, saying, he never noticed how humorous she is. No, his problem’s not physical. It is in fact… roman…tical.

Cody says he gets another shot, and balances his spoon, but Dante says he’s not giving Cody the crown. Cody tells Rocco that his dad is afraid they’re making a scene, and Dante says, they are, and it is kind of a classy restaurant. Cody says, Rocco’s dad wasn’t always so classy. He used to be a hell raiser. Rocco asks if Cody is sure, and Cody says he taught Dante everything he knows, but Dante says, nah.

Nina walks into her office, and someone is sitting in her chair. She says, her assistant didn’t tell her that she had a visitor, and the chair swivels around. She sees it’s Drew, and asks if she can help him. He says he doesn’t think that’s going to be necessary, but he can help her.

Olivia says she understands Carly not wanting to take money from the Quartermaines, but what about her ex-husband? She’d say Sonny owes Carly a favor or 500. Carly sees that Sonny has come in, and tells Olivia, don’t say a word, but Olivia says, he’s going to find out. Carly says, okay, let him find out, but not now. Sonny walks over to them, and Olivia says, she’s going to go take care of that… thing, and jets. Sonny says, Olivia beat it out of here quick. She didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire? Carly says, the crossfire? and he says, or whatever bad news she’s going to tell him.

Chase tells Brook, his life doesn’t need changing; he just wants it back. The life he had when he was a police detective. She says she gets it. Things look bad now, but being temporarily barred from the PCPD is just that – it’s temporary. He will get his badge back. Until then, there are other ways to be productive. He says, like what? and she says, like a career change.

Felty comes up behind Sasha as she’s looking in the mirror, and takes a picture. She stomps off, and goes to the display table. She tells Lucy and Maxie, the selection looks great, but it needs to be rearranged. They’ll segue from lipstick to their cutting edge lip plumper to the lash lift, and they’ll probably go eyeshadow after that. Morgan Fairchild Haven De Haviland walks in with her assistant, and says, it’s not going to work. Can she have her 5 o’clock changed to 6 o’clock? She thanks her assistant, and Lucy says, Haven De Haviland. Okay, deep breath. She has to tell Haven that Haven is absolutely her idol. She curtseys, and Maxie says she never misses a chance to watch Haven. Haven thanks them, and says she’s a big fan of Deception, and the sales they’re about to rack up. And here’s the Face of Deception herself. She shakes Sasha’s hand and says, it’s an honor, but Sasha says, the honor is all hers. Felty suggests they take some photos for the fans, and as he snaps away, Maxie tells Lucy, Sasha told her that she hired some publicity for Deception. Felty says, how about one with just Sasha and Haven? and takes a couple of photos. Sasha tells him, that’s enough for now. They’ll take more later. She leaves, and Felty says, how about some of the queen on her throne? and Haven says she likes the way he thinks. Lucy asks Maxie, is it just her, or is something just a little bit off with Sasha?

Britt says, Spinelli would get better romantic advice from an amoeba, and he asks if he can draw on her experience then, specifically her experience with Society Set-Ups. She asks if the sermon at the pool didn’t tell him all he needed to know, and he says, Maxie told him she received six months of free service after her incident with the skydiver. She’s had no success since then? She says she’s been busy washing her hair, and he asks, why she doesn’t partake. She says, Society’s match-ups are either duds or no-shows, and he says, that’s unfortunate. He’d hoped if things had turned around for her, they’d bode well for him. She says, if he’s thinking of joining, don’t, and he says, it’s too late. He’s already scheduled date number three with match number one. He shows her a picture of a beautiful woman on his phone, and says, here she is; Brandi. Yeah… no.  

Olivia comes into the restaurant, and Dante introduces her to Cody. She says, the Cody? Cody Bell from camp? Cody says, the one and only, and hugs her, picking her up off the floor. He says, Mama Falconari, and she asks Rocco if he has any idea how many calls she got from their camp counselors about all the mischief these knuckleheads got themselves into. Dante says, this guy’s apparently turned over a new leaf, and Cody says, trying to at least.

Cameron says, his mom is sick, he has to take care of his brothers, he’s working two jobs, and he’s still getting creepy texts from randos about his sex life. So stop overthinking his Cam face. Josslyn says she’s sorry, but he says, no, he’s sorry. It could be worse, right? He’ll quit complaining. Josslyn says, he wasn’t complaining, and Trina says, he was just describing what’s going on with him. Josslyn says she wishes he’d do more of that instead of bottling it up, but he says, trust him. She has no idea how much he’d like to unload, and she says, why doesn’t he?

Spencer says he was thinking of going on a picnic, but Esme says she hates ants, and suggests they go back to the pool. Spencer flashes back to Cameron telling him, go to the pool first, sit with Joss, and don’t leave him hanging. He tells Esme, the pool scene is so bougie, and she says, or they could fly to Manhattan, get a suite, and go out, or… stay in. He says, tempting, but let’s enjoy what’s left of the sun, and she says, the pool it is.

Carly says, Donna’s fine, and Sonny says, and everything else in her life is irrelevant to him? She says, those were the terms they agreed on in their divorce, and he says, all right. If she reconsiders, she knows how to reach him. He leaves, and she seems puzzled that he gave up so easy. Because she always wants it both ways.

Nina says she doesn’t see Drew in these offices much since he took over for Jax (who?), and he says, she runs a tight ship; profitable, and he doesn’t like to micromanage when business is going well. She thanks him, and says, yet he’s here to offer her some help? He says she makes his help sound like a different four-letter word, and she says, he made it clear what he thinks of her, so it’s making her wonder if his help would be beneficial. He suggests they leave Sonny and Carly out of this. It’s not personal; this is just business. She says, but she’s hearing his business isn’t booming these days, after the Aurora/ELQ merger that didn’t happen, and he says, Valentin did get ahead of him and Michael. She asks what that means for his future, and he says, the stock is going to recover eventually; so will Aurora. Maybe even faster with a change at the top. She asks if he’s stepping down from Aurora, but he says, no. The shareholders aren’t very happy with him, so he does have to make some moves to placate them. She asks if his first move is to replace her at Crimson, but he says he has no intention of replacing her. He does intend to off-load Crimson. The shareholders will respond very positively to the sudden cash infusion from selling the magazine. She tells him, good luck to him, but please communicate to the future purchasers that her contract indicates she has independence; she can run the magazine how she sees fit. He says, they can avoid that issue altogether if she buys Crimson herself.

Sasha walks backstage, when Felty ambushes her. He says, no worries; he’s not going to take her picture. It wouldn’t be the most flattering. She asks what he wants, and he says he was about to ask her the same questions. Does she need more pills? She says she’s good, and walks away. He asks if she’s sure. It’s going to be a long day.

Haven sees Sasha, and says she assumes Sasha got her script notes. Sasha says, start with lipstick… and Haven says, keep it personal. Give their viewers a confidential glimpse into her life; make them feel like they’re in the know. Maxie and Lucy join them, and Haven says, but don’t get so specific she loses her appeal. Keep it warm, but not too effusive. Sasha has to maintain her credibility. Give the viewers something to aspire to, but don’t come off as conceited. Lucy says, their Sasha is never conceited, and Maxie says, Sasha’s got this, right? Sasha says, of course (🍷), and Haven tells them, just remember what Erica Kane always says… Lucy says, remember to have fun, and Maxie adds, and sell, sell, sell. She and Lucy high-five, and Haven tells Sasha, they’re on in 15, so just take deep breaths and don’t smear her lipstick. She asks Lucy to go over the products with her one final time, and they leave. Maxie asks how Sasha is doing, and Sasha says she’s good; maybe a little dry. Maxie says she’ll go find Sasha some water, and when she’s gone, Sasha goes in her bag, digging out the pills. Brando comes up behind her, and says, need a boost?

Josslyn asks why Cameron can’t unload like he wants. He knows she’s not going to judge. He sees Spencer come in with Esme, Spencer giving him a little shrug. He tells Josslyn, some people have it harder than him, and Trina says, like her? Don’t go there. She doesn’t have a monopoly on problems. He doesn’t have to strong or silent on her account. He asks if just strong is okay, and Josslyn says she’s fine with that, kissing him. Trina sees Spencer and Esme heading their way, and says, incoming. Esme says, isn’t that sweet. One last hurrah before the trial of the century?

Olivia says, Sam told her that Cody might be sticking around, and he says he might be. Her son has a couch with his name on it, just until he gets some gainful employment. Dante says, Cody can stay as long as he wants; they’ve got plenty of room. Olivia says, Dante told her that Cody has a way with horses, and Dante says, this guy wants to own his own ranch. She says, really? Her family happens to be looking for a new overseer for their stables. Cody says he’d love to hear more, he promises. He’s not trying to be rude, but he has to check on something real quick. Excuse him.

Britt says, this is Brandi, and Spinelli found her on Society Set-Ups? He says, Society Set-Ups found them. It’s probably too good to be true. If Society Set-Ups can’t find a match for someone as eligible as Britt, what success can he hope to achieve? Cody grabs Spinelli by the shoulders, and says, take heart. There’s hope for all of us, even the hardest of hard luck cases.

Chase tells Brook, he burned through his savings during his last suspension. He thought he aged out of ramen when he turned 25. She says, there’s an age limit for ramen? (Never!) He says he guesses he could go into private security, and she says, he would look hot in an all-black suit, but she can’t see him turning the other way when his billionaire boss does something shady. He says, then what? Should he become a P.I. and drive around PCU in a golfcart, busting underage drinkers? She tells him, she didn’t say job change; she said career change. He’s qualified for way more than cop without a badge work. He has assets. He says he’s not doing a Magic Milo act, but she says she’s not referring to his body; she’s referring to his voice.

Carly orders a glass of house white from the pool bar, and Cameron says, let him get Josslyn a fresh drink. Anyone want anything? No? Good. No trouble while he’s gone. People don’t come here for drama, but for diversion. He pats Spencer on the shoulder, and Spencer says, I hear you. Cameron leaves, and Esme says, if it will make Josslyn and Trina happy, she’ll move to the other side of the pool, and take a break from Trina’s constant puppy dog eyes at Spencer. Trina says, no drama, and Josslyn says, Trina sees right through Esme’s boyfriend as if he’s not even there. Meanwhile, Esme can’t seem to keep her hands to herself. Did she tell Spencer how she was all over Officer Cabrera the other day? Spencer asks what she’s talking about, and Esme says, Joss is just making up stories because it’s Trina who’s into Officer Cabrera, managing to contradict herself in less than a minute. The thing is, he’s just another guy who wants nothing to do with Trina. Trina laughs, and moves toward Esme, but Josslyn stops her. Cameron goes to the bar, and Carly asks how he’s doing. He says he’s doing okay, and she asks, how’s his mom? Has he been to Shadybrook to visit her? He says, a couple of times, yeah. Actually, he noticed she has lipstick on her teeth, and she says, we can’t have that, and thanks him, wiping her teeth with a napkin. Cameron looks at Spencer, and Josslyn says, Spencer needs to get his girlfriend under control. Spencer tells her, back off. The porno queen of PCU is in no position to judge anyone. Josslyn asks what he just called her, and Esme says, he called her the porno queen of PCU. Josslyn pushes Spencer into the pool, and Carly says, dammit. Josslyn tells Esme, she heard him the first time, and Esme says, hear this, you bitch, pushing Josslyn in. Trina says, the only bitch is Esme, and pushes Esme in. They splash water at each other, and it actually looks like a lot of fun.

Nina says, Drew wants to sell Crimson, and he wants to sell it to her, and Drew says, she has the institutional knowledge, and she has a great track record. She can take her chances with a new boss, or she could be her own boss. She says, how generous, and thanks him for coming to her first. He says, there is a deal to be made here, and she says, a deal that may just be too good to be true. Why does she have the feeling there’s another angle?

Spencer says, Josslyn pushed him in the pool again, and Josslyn says, please. He and Esme both deserve it. Carly walks over to the pool, and Cameron eyes the napkin she used.

Britt says she doesn’t recall asking Cody to weigh in on her love life, but he says, actually, he was referring to his love life, or lack thereof. She says, but he’s such a great catch; accident prone, uncouth, poor… He says, what’s not to love? and tells Spinelli that he’s free if Spinelli wants to talk riding lessons. Britt asks, since when does Spinelli ride? and Spinelli says, since Brandi suggested it for their third date. Britt asks if Cody wasn’t planning on riding out of town, but he says, not anymore. He’s sticking around. Yippee-ki-a.  

Sonny walks into the restaurant, and Rocco goes over to hug him. Sonny messes up Rocco’s hair, and says, now he likes it a lot better. He asks, what’s going on with Olivia’s business partner, and Olivia says, that’s none of his business. He asks if she’s looking out for Carly, but she tells him to worry about his own life, not his ex-wife’s. Dante asks if Sonny wants to join them, and Sonny says, he’d love to, but he’s got a meeting. He tells Rocco to remember their rematch with the video game. Rocco ain’t beating him. Sonny leaves, and Dante says he thinks Rocco will beat him.

Brook says, listen… and Chase says, when she starts making sense, he’ll listen. She says, but he’s a good singer, and he says, for charity events and Nurses Balls, maybe, but he can’t support himself. Does she know how long professional singers train before they sing in front of a paying audience? They’re entire lives. Does she know how much training he has? Zero, zilch, nada. She asks if he knows how many audiences pay to hear autotuning and lip syncing, and he asks which one he is; Chris Martin or Milli Vanilli? She says, he’s Harrison Chase, and he has what it takes… mostly. He says, mostly? and she says, it takes more than pure talent. It takes personality, charisma, tight clothes, not to mention the B Factor. He says, the B Factor? and she says, B is for Brook Lynn. She’ll be his manager.

Sasha says, Brando surprised her, and he says, good surprise or bad surprise? She says, good surprise of course (🍷). She thought he was backed up at the garage. He says, he was, but he ran into Michael, who told him about Willow going to the hospital, and he realized he couldn’t be away from her on her big day. Any day really. Sasha asks if Michael said how Willow was, and he says he’s guessing much better because Michael was in a damn good mood. Sasha flashes back to overhearing Deanna order an OB consult for Willow, and she says, of course (🍷) he was. Brando asks what she means, and she tells him to wish her luck. He says he’ll do her one better, and kisses her. He says, good luck, and leaves. She says, one minute, takes the pills out of her purse, and pops one.

Haven tells the television audience, good afternoon. She introduces herself, and says she’s the host of A Little Bit of Haven. Today she has a wonderful guest; Sasha Gilmore, better known as the Face of Deception. She welcomes Sasha, and says she’s so excited to hear about the amazing products from Deception. Where would Sasha like to start? Sasha just looks around like she’s not sure where she is, and Haven says, Sasha?

Cody asks, is it done? and Spinelli says, everything is prepared as he required. Cody pats Spinelli on the back, causing him to spill his drink, and says, good man. Spinelli says, hardly, and Cody says, come on. Don’t be sad. When all is said and done, the payoff is going to be Powerball sized. He just needs to be real cautious… Spinelli says, stop. He need hear no more. Their business is concluded. Cody says his feelings are hurt. Hasn’t he been taking good care of Spinelli, keeping his secret? Spinelli says, it’s called extortion, and Cody says, extortion is more impactful when the party being extorted is innocent, which Spinelli is anything but. Sonny joins them, and says he’s sorry he’s late. Who’s Spinelli’s friend?  

Brook tells Chase to take his best shot. Tell her all the ways she’d be a horrible manager; how it would never work, blah-blah-blah. He says, actually, it’s the first sensible thing she’s said. If anyone can make him a star, it’s her. Reality though? Picture him on a stage at some sleezy bar where peanuts stick to the ground, for a paycheck that doesn’t pay his rent. She says, that’s the beauty of her plan. If this thing works, he’ll make bank quick, or at least enough to cover his expenses until he finds out when he can get his badge back. He asks how they’re going to pull that off, and she says, he’ll never have to set foot on a real stage. All they have to do is present an aura of success, enough to attract a real manger; one who will pay through the roof for his contract. A manager like Linc.

Now out of the pool, Josslyn says, Esme ripped her hair out. Esme says, come closer and she’ll rip out some more, but Carly gets in between them, and says she doesn’t think so. She tells Spencer that she wants him and his girlfriend to get the hell out of here. They’re banned from her hotel. Out. They leave, and she looks at Josslyn.

Drew says he took the liberty of drawing up buyout if Nina is interested. Obviously, it’s just a bunch of legal jargon, but if she buys Crimson, she takes control of the magazine, and her destiny for that matter. But the only way this happens is fast. Have her lawyers take a look at it, but don’t take too long. He holds it out, and she doesn’t take it, so he tosses it on the desk. He leaves, and she picks it up.

Drew is about to go into the elevator, when Olivia comes out of it. She asks if Nina is in her office, and he says he just left her. She asks him to hold on one second. Carly told Olivia about her situation regarding her stake in the hotel. She’s been wracking her brain trying to figure out a way to keep Carly in business, and can’t think of anything. She offered to float Carly a loan, but she can’t finance it without help from Ned. He says, Carly probably wouldn’t allow that anyway, and she says she learned that the hard way. Any ideas he’d care to share? He says he has one, but it’s not a sure thing yet, and he doesn’t care to share. She says, remind her never to play the market with her half of the MetroCourt. This place is like a second home to her. It kept her sane even with all the craziness with the Quartermaines. She can’t imagine losing it, and she’s sure Carly feels the same way. Nina comes out, and says, Drew forgot his briefcase.

Sasha tells Haven, yes, the products; the Deception products she means. She knows she saw them here somewhere. Haven says, before she tells them about the products, why doesn’t she tell them how she got involved in Deception? Maxie gives Sasha two thumbs up, and Brando mouths, I love you. Sasha takes a breath, and says, beneath the Face of Deception is someone who’s incredibly nervous. She can handle a photo shoot, no problem, but being here live, in front of millions of viewers has thrown her. Haven says she remembers her first day on the set. She couldn’t stop clearing her throat. They laugh, and Haven says, they have their first caller. Please, rescue us from ourselves. Gladys asks if they can hear her, and Haven says, they can. What would she like to say to Sasha? Is she familiar with Deception’s products? Gladys says, is she? She’s seen Miss Gilmore’s face in magazine ads, and now, watching her on TV, she is gorgeous. She’d pay anything to look like Sasha. Haven says, that’s nice of her to say, and Gladys tells Sasha, she’s not getting any younger. Can Sasha tell her how the lip plumper works? Sasha says she sure can, and gets up, going to the display table. She picks up the product, and says, Deception’s lip plumper was designed by makeup specialists who understand the needs of a maturing woman. It’s state of the art; there’s nothing even close to it on the market. This color, pink rose, is her personal favorite.

Spinelli introduces Cody to his close, dear, very personal friend, Sonny Corinthos. Perhaps Cody has heard of him. Cody says, as in Corinthos Coffee? and Sonny says, the one and only. Cody says he’s actually friends with Dante. They went to summer camp way back when. Sonny says, no kidding, and Cody says he’s got some old photos if Sonny ever wants to take a look. Sonny says, maybe one night Cody and Dante could come to dinner, and they can go through the album. Cody says he looks forward to it. Dante knows how to get in touch with him. He grabs Spinelli in a bro hug, and says, well played. You got game, kid. He leaves, and Sonny asks what kind of trouble is Spinelli in with Cody. Spinelli says, there’s no trouble with Cody, and Sonny says, he’s got nothing to do with this wardrobe upgrade, the fact that Spinelli is spreading money around, that he’s hinting he’s doing things, but doesn’t say what. Spinelli says, he’s the skydiver that fell into Britt Westbourne at the pool… and Sonny says, just answer the question. Spinelli called him here for drinks, and introduced him to this guy. Spinelli didn’t want him to know they were close? How bad is it? Spinelli says, it’s handled; there’s nothing to worry about. Sonny says, if Spinelli doesn’t want to tell him, it’s none of his business, but his business is his name, and when Spinelli drops it, he needs to explain why. He’s going to take a raincheck on those drinks. Think about it. Sonny leaves, and Britt comes back in. Her phone rings, and she sees it’s Zelda. She asks, what’s up?  

Dante tells Cody that he’s got the tab, and Cody says he’ll pay Dante back. Dante says, if Cody wants to pay him back… and Cody says he knows; get off his couch. Dante tells him, he was going to say, if Cody wants to pay him back, hook Rocco up with a horse riding lesson. Cody says, maybe he can do better than just one lesson. Did the job Dante’s mom mentioned include room and board?

Chase says, Linc owns Brook’s songs. He punched Linc in the face. Linc isn’t going to want anything to do with them. Now Brook wants Linc to manage him? What’s that about? She says, Linc is dirty. Once he buys out Chase’s contract, Chase will be in the perfect position to get the goods on him. Chase says, so the PCPD can arrest him, and she says, don’t be so conventional. Then they can really blackmail him into relinquishing her songs. She sees Chase’s face, and says, not really. She means… He says he knows what she means. She doesn’t want to help him at all; she wants to help herself.

Sasha thanks Gladys for her purchases, and hopes she enjoys them. Gladys says she knows she will. That’s why she bought two of everything. Haven says, and Gladys isn’t the only one buying Deception’s products. They’re in danger of running out, so the viewers need to make those purchases while they’re still in stock. Brando gives Sasha two thumbs up, and Maxie says, Gladys will be excited; she’s finally getting a raise. Haven says, they have a surprise guest. Please welcome their star seller, Flora Gardens. Flora runs onto the set, and Maxie says, this wasn’t in the script, and Lucy says, let’s see what Sasha does with this. Flora says, with Deception products on sale, she couldn’t resist showing up early, and Sasha asks if she’s up for a makeover. Flora says she couldn’t… except she really wants to, and Sasha says, they should always start with a fresh canvas, which means Fresh Glow for the face. It’s a mild cleanser that softens the skin and makes it receptive to all the natural ingredients… Maxie tells Haven’s assistant that if they need more Deception products, they’re in the stockroom, and the assistant thanks her, but says she’s getting ready for Flora’s segment next. Maxie asks what she sells, and the assistant says, a whole range of products. This one’s really sweet. Maxie looks in the box, and gets an uh-oh look.

Nina says she wasn’t aware she and Olivia had an appointment, but Olivia says she came to see Nina’s assistant. Nina says, her assistant isn’t here; she’s at lunch. Can she help Olivia with something? Olivia says, from now on Nina’s invoices for rent and business lunches will be coming from her office, not Carly’s, so all payments should go to her. Nina says, anything for Carly, and Olivia says, thanks. She gets in the elevator, and Drew holds out his hand for his briefcase. Nina says, so now she knows why Drew is selling Crimson, and he says, she’s got him. Why is he selling Crimson? She says she thinks he wants to cover Carly’s bad bet on the merger. She stands to lose her half of the MetroCourt? Why didn’t Drew just tell her? He says, because he knew she would have rejected him if he did. Unless… She says, unless what? and he says, unless saving Carly is an opportunity Nina just can’t pass up. What does she say?

Josslyn thanks Carly for backing her, but Carly says she wishes she didn’t have to. Things are going to get worse now that she’s banned them from the hotel. Josslyn says, it’s not about them. There’s something else going on. What is Carly so stressed about? Carly says, life is stressful. Just go home and cool down. That would make her happy. Josslyn says, but… and Carly says, but nothing. Go. Carly leaves, and Trina tells Josslyn, let’s go before someone pushes me in the pool. On their way out, Josslyn says, wait. What happened to Cam?

Outside, Cameron asks Spencer if he got it, and he says, when Esme wasn’t looking. Please tell him that stealing Josslyn’s hair was worth making a lifelong enemy of his oldest friend. Cameron takes out a plastic bag with the napkin in it, and says, he’s not proud of it, but he told Josslyn’s mother she had lipstick on her teeth. So now they use her saliva as a DNA sample. Spencer says he hopes Cameron is right. This needs to fool Esme into thinking he knows who her biological mother is. Cameron says, so they can save Trina from prison. Esme comes out, and Spencer hides the samples behind his back. She says she’s so wet. She needs to get back to Spoon Island for some dry clothes and a hot shower. She asks if Spencer is coming, and Spencer says, she leads, he follows.

Brook asks why Chase doesn’t understand that she’s trying to help him, and he says, getting her songs back from Linc is just an added bonus? She says, actually, it just occurred to her right now, and he says, that’s because it takes a detective to connect the dots. Too bad he may never be one again. He walks off.

Britt tells Zelda, sure; send her the profiles… Yes. She promises to look them over. No promises beyond that though. Spinelli joins her, and she says she just told Zelda that she’d give it one more chance… One. He says he has a strong sense her luck is going to change, and she asks if he’s psychic now. He says he’s not jesting. He thinks this go-around with Society Set-Ups will be the charm. Olivia walks up with Cody and Dante, and tells Cody that he’s going to love the stables. The Quartermaines take excellent care of their horses. Britt asks if Cody’s found a new home, bedding with horses, and Dante says, Cody is going to run the Quartermaine stables. Cody says, and get a penny to his name, but Britt says, still accident prone and uncouth. He says, but not broke; one improvement at a time.

Sasha asks if the viewers are ready for the final results of Flora’s makeover, and Haven says, oh yes. Sasha says, ta-da! and Flora turns around. She looks in the mirror, obviously pleased, and Haven says, how marvelous. Maxie tells Lucy, they may have a problem, and Flora wonders how she can repay Sasha for making her look so beautiful. Haven says she’s sure Flora has a token of her appreciation handy, and maybe a sneak peek at her upcoming sale. She just happens to have it right here. Flora says she has a must have gift for all the ladies out there who are expecting. A one-of-a-kind baby papoose. She takes it out, and she and Haven gush over it, while Sasha looks troubled, and Maxie, Lucy, and Brando quietly freak out.

Sonny goes to Nina’s office, and says, sorry he’s late. Spinelli invited him to have drinks, and he ran into Carly. Nina says she can’t imagine how that went. She really did it this time, didn’t she? He says, what did she do?

Drew finds Carly with her feet in the pool, and she tells him, take off his shoes; the water’s fine. He sits on a chaise, and she asks, what’s wrong? He says he did something, and… she’s not going to like it.

Tomorrow, Cody thinks he has the perfect way to repay someone; Nina says, those are her reasons for saying no; and Brando says he has to stop this.  

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 It’s a Family Affair…

All I have to say is, he’d better get his sister an invite to the set.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/josh-kelly-reveals-why-being-on-general-hospital-is-so-special

👴 Aging Fast…

Seems like just yesterday, Rocco was a toddler. Oh, wait…

Finn Carr Is the New Rocco on GENERAL HOSPITAL

💍 Permanent Plus One…

Fake Nurse Chloe is getting married.

Kimberly J. Brown Is Engaged to Daniel Kountz!

🎇 They’re a Firework…

How the soap stars celebrated Independence Day.

See How Your Favorite Stars Celebrated the Fourth of July!

⛵️ Bleh…

It’s no surprise. Too bad Jax is already married. They could be the most awful couple on the face of the earth.

https://people.com/tv/ashley-marti-made-more-money-on-onlyfans-than-below-deck-sailing-yacht/

💸 Knowing Their Friends…

But I still don’t know what they do or did for a living.

https://okmagazine.com/p/todd-julie-chrisley-real-friends-during-trial/?utm_source=Jeeng

🌪 Twisting the Night Away…

Tomorrow, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming… I think. So join me for soap and the lowdown on Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay unplugging once in a while, and stay always making improvements, even if it’s just one at a time.

Jul2

July 1, 2022 – Spencer Tests His Story, If They’re On, Returning, New Gig, Salem 2, Woe Is NeNe, an Ending, a Sequel, a Holiday, a Dozen 4th Appropriate Quotes & Egg

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the MetroCourt Garden, Ava asks if Scotty has everything, and he says, two quickie divorces, hot off the presses. She thanks him for being so expedient, and asks if he has the division of assets from Nikolas’s lawyer. He says he does; 50/50, right down the middle. He has to say, she turned a nice profit here, but Ava says, she told him before, this divorce is just a gesture. Nikolas wants to prove how much he trusts her by giving her half of everything. Scotty says, ain’t love grand? but she says, that’s not funny. He says he’s not trying to be funny. Once she signs these papers, she’s going to get half of what Nikolas has, and there isn’t a damn thing he can do about it. Nikolas joins them, and says, which is exactly why they’re doing this. Their marriage, which started with blackmail and mutual distrust, is a thing of the past, and the only thing that will remain is their love. He kisses Ava’s hand, and Esme watches from a distance. She flashes back to… I don’t want to talk about it, okay?

Spencer comes into Kelly’s and tells Cameron, take a break. Cameron says, no can do. They’re short-staffed since Spencer quit on zero notice. Spencer says he’s sure Cameron can spare five minute; this is important. Cameron says he could argue that work is important, not that it means anything to Spencer. Spencer says, wow. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but he’s sure Cameron’s mood is going to improve when he tells Cameron about how he’s going to help Trina. Cameron asks if he has proof Esme filmed him and Joss, and Spencer says, no, but he has the next best thing. He found out who Esme’s biological mother is.

At the pool, Gregory tells Finn that Chase will be there in a little bit, but in the meantime, does Finn have any updates on Elizabeth? Finn says, she called and they talked briefly, and Gregory asks if she said anything about Finn visiting her, but Finn says, no. Gregory says he’s sorry. He knows how difficult it is for Finn to bide his time while Elizabeth is struggling. Finn says he’d do anything for her. He has to respect her wishes and stay away. Chase arrives, and Finn says, it’s about time. Chase says, sorry; he overslept. Gregory says, Chase better get that out of his system before he goes back to work at the PCPD, but Chase says, that’s not happening as soon as Gregory thinks. Gregory asks, why not? and Chase says, his suspension has been extended.

Trina meets Josslyn by the pool, and asks if she’s been waiting long. Josslyn says, no complaints. She’s actually been enjoying the downtime. Carly comes in, and Josslyn asks, what’s wrong? She seems distracted. Carly says she’s just dealing with some stuff right now, when Olivia joins her, and says she’s so sorry. She had no idea this was going to happen.

On the phone, Lucy asks how much time they get… Really? It’s not a lot, but they’re going to make it work. They’re so excited about this opportunity, truly… Of course (🍷). She hangs up, and tells Maxie, that was their segment producer, and she got to talk to the on-camera talent. Maxie says, Lucy spoke to Haven herself? What did she say? Did she love the Deception products they sent over? Lucy says, she loves, loves, loves it; she’s a big fan. She’s going to wear our Femme Fatale lipstick on air today. Maxie says, that’s amazing, and Lucy says, but she had a few teeny tiny changes she wanted to make in the order of the products. Lucy promised her it would happen, but it’s going to be really tight. Deception is going live in two hours on TV, and Sasha’s not even here yet. Maxie says, it’s fine; she’ll call Sasha.

At the Bistro, Sasha’s phone rings, and Maxie asks where she is. Sasha says she just stopped to get some coffee, and Maxie says, now is not the time for coffee. It’s almost show time. They have some product to move – STAT. Sasha says she’s on her way, and Felty says, she’s not leaving early, is she? Sasha says, yes, she’s leaving. What they agreed on was a mistake. He says, really? Because he thinks he has exactly what she needs. He takes a little bag of pills out of his pocket.

Sonny finds Brook at the park, and they hug. She says she can’t remember the last time they talked, and he says, when she asked to meet him, he knew she wanted something. She says, how dare he? She wanted to know how he’s doing. He says, as she can see, he’s doing good. Now tell him what she wants. She says, fine; she’ll get to the point. She wants him to take care of a sleazeball named Linc Brown.

Cameron asks how Esme’s biological mother can help them with Trina, and Spencer says, Esme has always wanted to know where she came from, and why her parents gave her up for adoption. Cameron says, which has nothing to do with Trina or revenge porn, but Spencer says, it will. Once he tells Esme that he found her biological mother, he’s not going to give her any information until she admits she made the sex tape. Cameron says, but she’s not going to do that; it will land her in jail. Spencer says, his plan is for Esme to record her confession. He’s going to give her a chance to skip town before he turns the recording over to the police. It’s known she was at the cabin before the sex tape was made, and she was on campus when it was uploaded. Her confession is going to cause reasonable doubt in Trina’s case. Cameron says, that might work, and Spencer says, it will work, but Cameron says, wait. Esme’s been looking for her biological mother for years, and boom, just like that, Spencer finds her? That’s pretty convenient. Spencer says, he didn’t find her; his Uncle Victor did.

Esme ducks away, and Scotty says, Ava and Nikolas have the weirdest marriage and divorce he’s ever heard of. Ava doubts that, and Scotty says, well, okay. Maybe it’s not the weirdest, but it’s up there in the top ten. Ava asks, where’s Martin? and Nikolas says, he’s running late, but they don’t have to wait. Scotty can walk them through the key points. Ava says, Nikolas knows his lawyer has to be here to look over the divorce before he signs it, but Nikolas says, don’t worry. Shall we begin? Scotty hands them the papers, and says, this is just your standard no-fault divorce, when Esme appears, and says, divorce? But she thought Nikolas wasn’t going to tell Ava.

Carly suggests she and Olivia talk about this somewhere else, like the gardens, and Josslyn asks if everything is okay. Carly says, it’s great; they’ll talk about it later. She and Olivia leave, and Trina says she doesn’t know; that sounded more like bad news. Josslyn says, it’s just business. As long as everybody in the family is okay, they can handle whatever the new issue is. Trina says she knows what Josslyn means. Her family has really stepped up with her. Believe it or not, her mom wasn’t even upset when Trina told her about them going to the biker bar. She said she supported Trina for taking steps to help herself. Josslyn says, that’s awesome. She just wishes that stupid bar fight hadn’t broken out, so they could talk to that bartender some more. Trina says, Curtis is looking into it. He said the bartender hasn’t been there since that night. Josslyn says, Curtis? and Trina says, he took over the investigation. Josslyn says she’s glad to hear it. She hates to say it, but they’ve run into another dead end. Trina says, maybe, but like she told Josslyn, Curtis is on it. Even if the bartender doesn’t pan out, something will. She swears she’s not going to let Esme get away with this.

Sonny tells Brook, he’s surprised Linc slithered his way back into town. What’s he done now? She says she thought she put Linc in her rearview mirror when Valentin bought out her contract, but unfortunately, Linc still owns the rights to her songs from when he was her producer. Okay, I guess that answers that question, sort of. She says, he’s selling her songs to push dog food and paper towels, using her beautiful love songs as jingles… But that’s not the reason she asked to talk to him. She’s here because of Chase.

Finn says, Chase’s suspension was extended; he has questions. Gregory asks if this is why Chase was upset the other day when Brook called him, and Chase says, yeah. He’s suspended until the Civilian Review Board investigation is completed. Gregory says, there’s a civilian complaint against Chase? and Chase says, Linc Brown filed one yesterday. Gregory asks, who’s that? and Chase says, Brook’s sleazy former producer. He used to harass her all the time when she was under contract, and his behavior hasn’t gotten much better. They got into it at The Savoy the other night. Finn asks what Chase did, and Chase says, he punched Linc in the face. Gregory says, he punched someone else, even though he got suspended for it the first time? and Finn says he’s sure the guy provoked Chase. Chase says, he did, but Gregory says, still, was it worth potentially getting kicked off the force?

Felty asks if Sasha brought the credentials that make him the official Deception photographer for today’s appearance on the Home & Heart Channel. She says she did, but she changed her mind, and he asks, why? All he’s looking for is access, and the publicity will be great for Deception too; it’s a win-win in his book. It’s not like they’re breaking any laws. (Um…) He holds out the bag, and says, everyone needs a pick-me-up now and again. Why is she so uptight about it? She says she doesn’t recognize those pills; what are they? He says, they’re prescription. They’re perfectly safe. They got him through Fashion Week last year. It’s great stuff. Trust him. If he can be frank, she looks a little run down, like she could use a boost. She says, all he wants are backstage photos, right? and he says, that’s it, and she wants these. So – he slides them over to her on the table – do they have a deal?

Esme says, Nikolas and Ava are getting a divorce? This is awful. Ava asks what Nikolas didn’t tell her, and Esme says, it’s just that she just thought… and Nikolas says, Esme. He and Ava are getting a divorce, but they’re still a couple. Esme’s head explodes. Not really, but that would be funny. He says, they’re still together. Their love for each other hasn’t changed. Ava asks what Esme thinks Nikolas wasn’t going to tell her, and Esme says she knew he was contemplating getting a divorce, but she also knew he wanted to fight for their marriage, and agreed to a separation. That’s all. Ava asks Nikolas, is that correct? and Nikolas says, both Esme and Spencer noticed the toll their rift has taken on him. Esme says, he’s been so upset, and Ava says she knows Spencer would be delighted if they split up for real. Is Esme saying she doesn’t feel the same? Esme says, deep down, Spence wants his dad to be happy, and you make him happy. Nikolas thanks her for her concern, and says, but she did interrupt something. Esme says she’s sorry, she’ll go, but first, can she have a moment with Mr. Cassadine?

Olivia tells Carly, she had no idea Ned was thinking of siding with Valentin. If she had, she’d have told Carly immediately. Carly says, there’s nothing Olivia could have done, but Olivia says she still feels terrible. She knows the news of the Aurora/ELQ merger being dead tanked Aurora’s stocks. How is that going to impact Carly with the hedge fund? Carly says, it already has. Not in a good way, but she’ll figure something out. Olivia says, my God. Could Carly lose her half of the MetroCourt?

Chase tells Gregory, Linc mouthed off to Brook in a really crude and cruel way, and he didn’t take the time to think about the consequences. Yeah, he decked Linc, but a cop shouldn’t go off the handle like that. Finn says, Chase is a good cop, and that should count for something, and Gregory says, they know how much Chase loves his work. Chase says, he’s right, but as Jordan said to him, it’s part of law enforcement’s job to keep his cool in tense situations, and twice now, first with Valentin, then with Linc, he hasn’t been able to do that. He can’t believe he’s back here again. Gregory says, back here? and Chase says he almost lost his career because of Janelle. It took him years to rebuild it. Finn says, that was a completely different situation, and Gregory says, when Chase was young, he didn’t know any better. Chase says, different circumstances, yes, but his reaction proves he follows his heart, and Gregory asks if that’s what Chase was doing when he defended Brook, following his heart?

Cameron says, Spencer got his Uncle Victor involved? That guy’s bad news. Spencer asks if he’s serious. Cameron is the one who’s constantly complaining his plan is taking too long, and says he doesn’t like lying to Joss. Cameron says he doesn’t like lying to Joss, and Spencer says, neither does he, so he went to someone who could get them results. His Uncle Victor is the former director of the WSB. He has the right connections to access privileged information. Cameron says, that makes sense. So what did he find out? Spencer says, Esme told him that she was left in a church when she was a baby. She later contacted that church, but the priest insisted he had no knowledge of the woman who left the baby. Cameron says, great, so dead end, and Spencer says, that’s what Esme thought. But then, Uncle Victor’s people tracked down the nun who said she remembered Esme being abandoned. They convinced her to share the name of the mom who abandoned her child. Cameron asks how they convinced her, but Spencer says he doesn’t know. Uncle Victor didn’t give him any of the details, but his people tracked down Esme’s biological mom. She lives in Portugal now. Cameron says, so that’s it? Esme’s not going to risk prison for a name and an address based on information she doesn’t even know is legit. Spencer says, of course (🍷) not. That’s why Uncle Victor got DNA.

Maxie tells Lucy, Sasha was only stopping for a coffee; she should be here by now. Sasha dashes in, and says, sorry; she lost track of time. Lucy says, that’s okay. Here you are; that’s all that matters. They really need to get started, because there’s a lot to go over before they head over to the TV studio. Sasha says she thought they settled everything last night. She’s been going over her notes; she knows them backwards and forwards. She sees them exchange a look, and says, what? Maxie says, the Home & Heart people called, and the host had some ideas about their line-up. It’s good news really. She’s very excited about their products. She just wants to start with the lipstick instead of the eyeshadow, so she and Lucy reworked the presentation. Lucy says she’ll get the script, and it will give Sasha time to memorize all of it. Lucy runs out, Maxie following and saying, make sure it’s version 3 not version 2. Sasha takes the pills out of her bag, but hears Lucy saying, got it right here, and puts them back. Lucy and Maxie return, Lucy holding a stack of cards. She hands them to Sasha, and Maxie tells her, the changes start on card one.

Carly understands Olivia’s concern about getting a partner she disagrees with, but Olivia says, she doesn’t care about that… Of course (🍷) she cares a little bit, but that’s not the main thing. This hotel is their scene together. Carly has put so much of herself into this place. The renovations, the pool, the garden, that’s Carly, that’s all her energy, and them together. Olivia doesn’t want to lose the spirit. Carly says she doesn’t want to lose the investment. When she invested in Aurora, it never occurred to her that the merger with ELQ wasn’t going to happen. She loves running this place with Olivia. She can’t imagine not coming here every day. Olivia says, that settles it. She’s buying Carly’s half of the hotel.

Ava asks what Esme has to say to her husband that Esme can’t say in front of her? and Esme says she was just planning a surprise for Spence this afternoon. She didn’t think Ava would be interested. Nikolas says he’ll be right back, and leaves with Esme. Ava asks if any of Scotty’s police contacts have given him anything that could help Trina’s case; some piece of evidence that they haven’t mentioned yet? He says, no. That Esme, she’s covered her tracks very well.

Outside, Nikolas says, okay, Esme has his attention. What is this surprise she’s planning for Spencer? Esme says she was planning on taking him on a day trip to the mountains. Would it be okay if they borrowed Nikolas’s convertible to take in the scenery? He says, of course (🍷), but she could have asked him that in front of Ava. She says, the truth is, she pulled him away because she needs his help.

Trina says she totally forgot to tell Josslyn who she saw here last night, and Josslyn says, who? Someone from PCU? Trina says, Rory, and Josslyn says, Officer Invisible was here at the pool? Trina says, with Esme, and Josslyn says, what? Has she found a new victim to prey on? Trina says, no. Rory let her know that Esme sat beside him. Trina didn’t like it at first, but Rory totally put Esme on notice. Esme knows that he’s on to her.

Spencer says, his Uncle Victor’s people got a DNA sample from the woman they believe is Esme’s biological mother, and he got a sample of Esme’s DNA, and he had GH run a paternity test. Cameron asks if Spencer just ordered a DNA test like he orders a hamburger, and Spencer tells him, what can he say? Money talks. Anyway, this woman in Portugal is Esme’s real mom. Cameron says, that’s huge, and Spencer says, this information is going to be way more valuable to Esme than just sticking it to Trina. Cameron says, Spencer found a way to save Trina, and Spencer asks if he really thinks so. Cameron says he was skeptical at first, but Spencer convinced him, and Spencer says, good. He hopes Esme falls for it as easily as Cameron did. Cameron asks what he means, and Spencer says, it’s all a lie. He made the whole story up.

Chase tells Gregory that he’s not following his heart to Brook; she’s his friend. Gregory says, he just means Chase went above and beyond for Brook. He pretended Bailey was his daughter, he punched Valentin and now this Linc to defend her. Chase says, this is nothing like Janelle. He spontaneously stepped up to say he was Bailey’s father. Brook never even asked, and as for punching those two losers… He knows he shouldn’t have done it, but in the moment, he couldn’t stand them insulting Brook. But those were his reactions. Brook in no way asked or wanted him to be involved. Gregory says, just to be clear, he’s not criticizing Brook. He knows Chase cares about her, and Brook cares about him. He was impressed when she reached out to him the other day to let him know Chase needed cheering up. Chase says, it’s funny. Brook tries to downplay her good qualities. She likes to hide behind her rich girl persona, and tough New York City attitude. He actually almost hit Linc a few weeks ago, and she beat him to it. Just another sign that he can’t control his temper. Finn says he’s used a lot of words over the years to describe Chase, but bad temper never came up. Gregory agrees. He’s always described Chase as passionate. He always has been. Even as a kid, Chase stood up for the little guy. It’s in his nature. Chase says, that was always his goal, but he has to figure out another way to do it.

Brook tells Sonny, Linc was totally disrespecting her. He was treating her like garbage, then he grabbed her arm. That’s when Chase stepped in and punched him, which in her opinion Linc completely deserved. Only thing is, Chase is already on suspension with the PCPD for punching Valentin a few months ago, who was also saying horrible things about her. So now, Chase is on suspension again, or still, or whatever. The bottom line is, Chase might lose his job. Sonny says, because of Linc, but she says, no, because of her. She can’t let that happen. Chase is a great detective, and really loves what he does. Any chance Sonny could have a, quote unquote, talk with Linc; get him to recant his complaint against Chase? Sonny says, as much as he’d love to, he’s sorry; he can’t do that. She asks, why not? Because Chase is a cop? That’s no reason not to help. Sonny’s son Dante is a cop. He says, she misunderstands him. If he gets involved, word’s going to get out; what did Chase do to deserve a favor from him? They’re going to see him as a dirty cop. She says she didn’t think about that, and he says, the best thing Chase can do is just go through the process, and hope it comes out in his favor.

Maxie tells Sasha to remember, they want their customer to feel empowered, and Lucy adds, strong, independent, and like she can do anything. Maxie says, or be anyone, but Lucy says, no, not just anyone. She wants to be Sasha. Sasha asks what that means, and Lucy says, it means Sasha is the ideal. She’s the Face of Deception. Maxie says, she’s strong, and Lucy says, but relatable. Maxie says, fearless, and Lucy says, but never ever harsh. Maxie says, Sasha just needs to relax and be her own natural and charming self. Let them see who Sasha really is. Lucy says, not totally though. She has to maintain an air of mystery. Sasha jumps up and says, stop it! They stare at her in disbelief, and Sasha says she’s sorry for snapping like that. It’s just that she put so much time into memorizing the original order, she just needs a minute to get the last minute changes. Lucy says, it’s really okay. They understand this is a lot. Maxie says, if they let their enthusiasm get away from them, they’re really sorry. Is Sasha sure she’s okay? Sasha says, she’s just a little nervous, that’s all, and Maxie says, who wouldn’t be? Lucy says, her butterflies have their own teeny tiny little butterflies, but it’s going to be okay. Sasha is going to be absolutely magnificent. Sasha thanks them for all their faith in her, and Maxie says, she’s got this. Lucy says, absolutely, and never forget, they are always by her side. Sasha says she knows they’ll be with her in spirit, but physically they’ll be standing behind the cameras. She’ll be the one in front of them.

Cameron says, so everything Spencer told him about Esme’s biological mom is a lie? and Spencer says he has no idea who Esme’s real mom is. Cameron asks, what the hell is Spencer doing? and Spencer says he had to test his story before he used it on Esme. He needed to know if it sounds believable. Cameron says, he’s an ass, and Spencer says he’s sorry, but he only gets one shot at this. As soon as he demands Esme confess to this, she’s going to know he believes Trina and not her, and it’s game over for him. Cameron says he sees Spencer’s point. For what it’s worth (🍷), Spencer’s story is good. Spencer asks, what part convinced him? and Cameron says, the DNA test. Can Spencer’s uncle fake one for him? Spencer says, no, not exactly. That’s where Cameron comes in.

Nikolas asks what kind of help Esme needs from him, and she says, it’s her internship at Spring Ridge. Her work there has convinced her that she definitely wants to major in psychology, and figuring out why people do what they do. It’s fascinating stuff. He says, she still hasn’t explained why she needs his help, and she says, Doc was being completely overprotective, and managed to convince the administration that they should terminate her internship. She knows he thinks he’s acting in her best interest, but he’s not. She’s hoping Nikolas can get her internship reinstated. Nikolas says he’s not sure how he would go about that, and she says she knows he has connections at Spring Ridge. After all, he’s the one who got Spencer and Alexis released early, right? She hates to bother an important man such as himself with something so small, but can he do this… for her?

Olivia says, she’ll buy Carly’s half, so she’ll own the entire hotel. Carly can pay her back slowly, like an old-fashioned instalment plan. Carly says, that’s a very generous offer, but does Olivia have the liquidity to buy her half? Olivia says she’d have to talk it over with Ned… and Carly says, no.

Spencer asks if Cameron doesn’t think it’s pretty genius, but Cameron says, no. Not genius. And not something he wants any part of. Spencer says, it’s not a big deal. All Cameron has to do is get DNA samples from Joss and her mom for him to have tested. Cameron says, is that all? and Spencer says, it will give them a genuine mother/daughter test result, and Esme can go to the lab and confirm it herself. Cameron asks what Spencer expects him to do; hug Carly, and snag a couple hairs? That’s not suspicious at all. Spencer says, don’t be so dramatic. He can snag it from a glass she drank from. Where is Josslyn anyway? Cameron says he’s supposed to meet Joss and Trina at the MetroCourt pool after his shift is over, and Spencer says, that’s so good. Carly is almost always working at the MetroCourt. Cameron can get both of the samples today. Just let him know when it’s done. Cameron says, oh no. If he’s doing this, then Spencer is doing it with him.

Ava says she can’t believe Scotty hasn’t found anything to tie Esme to that sex tape. That little fiend torched her car, and threw in Kiki’s GH badge just for kicks; she’s got a devious mind. Scotty says, she’s devious, but she covered her tracks well. Now let’s get back to what’s at hand here. Sign the papers. They’re going to need a witness… She says she’s going to wait for Nikolas to get back, and Scotty says, she told him Nikolas wanted this, as does she. Was he wrong? She asks if it really matters. He’s banking billable hours no matter what. He says he’s always been there for her, hasn’t he? He cares about her, and she knows that. How could she say that to him? She says she’s sorry; she does know that. She’s on edge because she’s very concerned about Trina, and she’s just being silly. She looks through the papers, and Scotty says, silly how? She says she can’t help thinking she and Nikolas are tempting fate. That this divorce isn’t going to be the fresh start he wants it to be; that it’s going to be the end.

Nikolas says he’s not even sure how he can help Esme. As she knows, Doc is married to his mother. This’ll get back to her, and it could be bad. She says, he’s right. She guesses this is what she deserves anyway. Losing her internship, she means. This is her punishment for sleeping with her boyfriend’s dad. He says, no, that’s not how the world works. She’s just feeling guilty like he is, because they should never have been together. But he’ll prove it to her by helping her get her internship back. She throws her arms around him, and says, thank you so much.

Olivia says she really thinks she can convince Ned that buying Carly’s half of the hotel would be a great investment, and Carly says, maybe Ned would go for it, but she won’t. Ned double-crossed Michael and Drew, and hung them out to dry. They’re scrambling to save Aurora. They’re not going to take Ned’s money, even if he’s in partnership with Olivia. Olivia asks if Carly believes Drew and Michael would think less of her, but Carly says, she would think less of herself. Olivia asks, what’s next? What is Carly going to do?

Nikolas comes back to the table, and Ava asks, where’s Esme? He says, she took off, and Ava says she didn’t think Esme would be hitting Nikolas up for money. Spencer’s allowance is more than enough for the both of them. He says, Esme never brought up the subject of money.

Josslyn and Trina sit with their feet in the pool, and I’m jealous of the random guy who swims past. Trina says, Esme asked Rory if he knew someone who could help her get her internship back at Spring Ridge, and Josslyn says, hello. What does it tell you that Esme’s too crazy to get an internship? Trina says, that’s her point. Rory claimed he knew someone, and offered to put the name and phone number in Esme’s phone, but she woudn’t hand it over. Josslyn says, there must be so much incriminating data on it, and Trina says, exactly. There is no way Esme is going to let a cop hold it, even for a minute. Rory just out maneuvered her. Josslyn says, nice work, and Trina says, right? Especially when Trina got here, and saw them together. For a second, Trina thought Esme was winning him over. Josslyn says, there is not a chance. Officer Invisible is way too into Trina. Trina says, maybe, and Josslyn says, and Trina is into Rory, right? Trina says, maybe.

Spencer says, if he goes with Cameron, that’s only going to make it worse. Cameron says, how convenient, and Spencer says he means it. He can’t go near Joss or Trina; they hate him, especially Trina. Cameron says he guesses Spencer is right about that. Maybe they could use that to their advantage. Spencer asks, how? and Cameron says, this time, Spencer is going to have to trust him. He has an idea.

Finn says he’ll support Chase in any career path he chooses, but he still thinks the PCPD is shooting themselves in the foot to give up on a detective as good as Chase is. Chase says he doesn’t know if they’ll have a choice in the matter, and Gregory asks how long the investigation takes. Chase says he doesn’t know, but he knows he’s suspended without pay, and he’s going to have to find another job… at least a temporary one. He can’t imagine anything that would satisfy him as much as detective work, and Gregory says he thinks Chase needs to fight for the job he has, the job he loves. Finn says, in the meantime, Chase might want to stay away from this Linc Brown.

Sonny tells Brook that he has to cut this short. He has to go to the MetroCourt to meet Nina. She asks if he and Nina are an official thing now, and he says, just kind of dating. Brook says, as long as Nina makes him happy, and he says, it’s nice of her to say that, since not a lot of people feel that way. She says she’s sure. There’s really nothing he can do for Chase? He tells her, like he said, Chase is a smart guy. He’ll get another job. A lot of former cops are doing security. She says, like Paul Blart a mall cop? and he says, not like a mall cop. Like a security consultant, like a bodyguard… She says, that doesn’t sound much better, but he says, listen. Chase is going to find another job. He’s sorry he can’t make Linc sing like a canary, but the Review Board… you never know. She tells him that he’s a genius, and hugs him, saying, thank you so much.

Ava asks if Nikolas is signing the papers now, and he says, that’s what they’re here for, isn’t it? She says, Martin Grey isn’t here. Nikolas shouldn’t sign any legal documents before his lawyer looking through them first. Scotty tells Ava, hold on a second. He’s offended. Does she think he pulled some sort of a fast one when he drew up these papers? Nikolas tells Ava that he wants to do this for her, to prove to her that he has no doubts they’re going to be together forever, which turns into a Rick Astley earworm for me. She says she appreciates the gesture, but there’s no need to take it this far. They don’t have to rush through this divorce. Scotty says, the two of them are working his last nerve. He has to go to court, so are they going to sign these papers or not? Ava takes Nikolas’s papers, puts them on top of her own, and hands them to Scotty. She says, not, and tells Nikolas, let’s go home.

Finn says, Chase’s only defense with the Review Board is, the punch was in the heat of the moment, he wasn’t thinking, and he’s sorry. Chase says, but he’s not sorry, and Gregory says, what? Finn tells Chase, he can’t say that, and Chase says he knows. He needs to convince the Review Board that he’s very remorseful, and for his own self-preservation, that he won’t go anywhere near Linc. Brook comes in, and Finn says he has to get to the hospital, and Gregory has… Gregory says he has to work on his book. Chase may as well stay and enjoy the pool. Finn echoes, enjoy the pool, and they leave. Chase takes his shirt off, and Brook walks up, saying, she was looking for him.

Walking into the pool area, Cameron says, before they go any further, he wants to make sure Spencer’s good with the plan. He’s going to go to the pool, and Spencer’s going to go a few minutes after to create a diversion. Okay? That’s when he’ll get the DNA samples from Joss and her mom. Spencer says, look, there’s Carly over there with Olivia, and they see Carly and Olivia talking at the pool bar. Spencer asks what they do now, and Cameron says, he’ll go to the pool first, and sit with Joss. Promise to not leave him hanging? Spencer says he’s got Cameron’s back; he promises.

Lucy says, it’s time to go, ladies. Fame, fortune, and Home & Heart await. Maxie says she’s so excited about what this means for the future of Deception, and Sasha says, it’s huge. Lucy says, on three, group hug – three! They hug for a moment, and Lucy says, break. Let’s go. They start to leave, and Sasha says she forgot something. She’ll catch up with them downstairs. Lucy and Maxie continue on, while Sasha goes back in the office, and takes a pill.

Cameron walks over to Josslyn and Trina, and Josslyn asks if he’s finally taken some time to do nothing. He says he’s here; are they going to save him a chair? Josslyn asks, what’s wrong?

Spencer looks at his phone, and says, that’s long enough. Time to go to the pool. He walks in, and runs into Esme, who asks what he’s doing here.

Olivia asks Carly, what’s next? What’s her plan? Carly says she doesn’t know, and Olivia sees Sonny walk in. She says she understands Carly not wanting to take money from the Quartermaines, but what about her ex-husband? Maybe he owes Carly a favor or 500. Carly turns around, and sees Sonny.

Next week (I assume Tuesday), Brook says, today is the day she changes Chase’s life; Nina asks Drew why she has the feeling there’s another angle; and Sonny asks, how much trouble is Spinelli in with Cody?

🎉 Soap Holiday…

Which soaps are on Independence Day. GH is not.

Find Out if Your Favorite Soaps Will Be on the Fourth of July

🏥 After a Not-So-Brief Hiatus…

I’m still annoyed that there was no real follow-through on the Parker romance.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/lexi-ainsworth-returns-to-general-hospital

🎭 Interesting…

It’s not GH, but it looks worth investigating.

Anthony Geary Returns to Acting!

💻 Direct From Salem…

Find out what’s to come for Beyond Salem.

Peacock’s BEYOND SALEM: CHAPTER 2 Trailer Released

https://ew.com/tv/days-of-our-lives-beyond-salem-chapter-2-trailer-bo-and-hope-return/

👜 Bloop…

Nothing like middle school antics.

https://pagesix.com/2022/06/29/nene-leakes-why-wendy-williams-had-my-talk-show-with-tom-arnold-killed/
https://pagesix.com/2022/06/29/tom-arnold-claims-wendy-williams-axed-his-talk-show-with-nene-leakes/

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

Nene Leakes is “Negotiating” Settlement With Bravo and Andy Cohen, Plus RHOA Alum Says She Shouldn’t Be Dragged Into Lawsuit From Boyfriend’s Wife

👩🏼‍🌾 Reality Did Them In…

I actually didn’t see this coming, but it’s not surprising.

https://people.com/tv/welcome-to-plathville-kim-and-barry-plath-end-marriage/

🧹 Another Spell On You…

The Sanderson Sisters return.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2-trailer-teaser/

But not the cat.

https://ew.com/movies/jason-marsden-not-returning-black-cat-voice-hocus-pocus-2/

🎇 Celebration…

Another NYC festivity that’s better watched on TV. But if you must go, for God’s sake, don’t drive. It’s a madhouse when it’s over.

https://www.macys.com/social/fireworks/

🌠 Quotes of the Week

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. – Martin Luther King Jr.

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same. – Albert Einstein

There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution. – John Adams

A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation. – James Freeman Clarke

Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. – Winston Churchill

The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous. – Frederick Douglass

The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree. – Thomas Campbell

America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination. – Harry S. Truman

No other date on the calendar more potently symbolizes all that our nation stands for than the Fourth of July. – Mac Thornberry

Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. – George Washington

Independence now and forever! – Daniel Webster

🎆 You’re a Firework…

Whether it’s a long weekend, working weekend, or no weekend, it’s still the birthday of a nation, something to be appreciated. Since Monday is officially the 4th, there’s no regularly scheduled program, but pop by for some (hopefully) soap and tea on Tuesday (technically Wednesday). Until then, stay safe, stay safer if you’re around fireworks, and stay be grateful for your independence, even if it’s only in your mind.

Jul1

July 30, 2022 – Britt Agrees To Help Spencer, Naomie’s Fresh Start Party, Funny Moment Live, Who She Is & Hangover

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dante sits with Sam at the MetroCourt Garden, and asks if she’s sure she wants to do this. She says she is. She figured he’d want his old friend Cody to see the best of Port Charles, considering the rude reception he’s had so far. Dante says, Cody is a good guy. It’s been good catching up with him, but he got in a lot of trouble when they were kids, and he’s still out doing the same thing now. Cody arrives, apologizing for being late, and Dante asks if his ribs are still bothering him, but Cody says, better every day. Sam says, he really took a beating. Is he sure he doesn’t want to see another doctor? He says, there is one doc he wouldn’t mind seeing again.

Britt meets Brad at the MetroCourt bar, and she orders a lemonade. He asks if she’s still taking a break from the booze, and she says she’d like to avoid the possibility of another GIF. He says, she knows how sorry he is about that, and she says she does, but she wouldn’t mind hearing it again. Spencer walks in, and she says, he’s the last person she needs right now. She asks Brad to be a friend and get rid of him for her, and Brad says, on it. Brad intercepts Spencer on his way to the bar, and tells him, don’t make a scene. The lady doesn’t want to be disturbed. Spencer says, who? Britt? He wasn’t looking for her. He saw Brad’s post on social media about meeting up with his bestie. He’s looking for Brad. He needs help with his girlfriend. Brad tells him, that sentence has never been said to him before. Color him intrigued.

Rory lies on a chaise by the pool, when Esme approaches, and says, Officer Cabrera, if I were a cop, I’d pull you over. He asks, what’s the charge? and she says, arson of course (🍷). He is looking muy caliente (very hot). He says, is he now?

Curtis asks where Trina is off to, and she says she’s meeting Joss, and before he asks, no. They’re going to try and meet the guy who sold Esme the phone. He says he’s not second guessing her instincts. In fact, he and her father had quite the talk about it. She says, good, because the time for talk is over. She needs to do something, and she needs to do it now. She hands him an envelope.

Brando looks through some tools, when Gladys comes into the garage. She says, to think her gorgeous and talented son would rather be up to his elbows in engine grease than become a tycoon in a downtown high-rise. She’d settle if he were a philan… philanth… He says, philodendron? and she says, that’s a plant. Philanthropist. That’s it. Come on. His wife is rolling in the big Deception bucks. He can do anything he wants now. He kisses her on the cheek, and says he is doing what he wants, and he’s happy. She says, because his wife is rolling in all that money? but he says, no. Because she’s just Sasha, and that’s all he wants. That’s all he needs.

Sasha tells Michael, Willow only fainted for a moment; Dr. Obrecht was there to help revive her, and Sonny was a big help getting her here. If they’d left it up to Willow, she would have insisted on going home. He thanks Sasha for overruling her in and bringing her here, but if anything is seriously wrong with Willow, he blames himself.

Willow asks if TJ is sure, and he says, there’s no doubt about it. She’s pregnant. It’s so nice to be able to give good news. This is good news, isn’t it? She says, she just wasn’t expecting him to say… He says, that she’s expecting, because she is. She asks how far along she is, and he says, just a few weeks. She says, but the last time she fainted was three months ago, so why did she pass out then? He says he doesn’t have to tell her this, calling her Nurse Tate, but there are many reasons. They’ll see what comes from the other tests. She thanks him, and he asks if she has any other questions. She says, just one. Where’s Michael?

Sasha asks, how is this Michael’s fault Willow fainted? and he says, this isn’t the first time. And given all the stress Willow’s been under, ever since she found out Harmony’s not her mom, he should have made things easier for her. Instead, it’s been all stress and tension. First the hearing about Nina and Wiley… She says, Nina initiated the hearing, not him, and he says, then there was the whole ELQ battle going on. They were supposed to go to Paris, and he punched a reporter in the face, then they had to postpone that… He’s making this all about himself, isn’t he? (No surprise.) He bets Sasha doesn’t miss all the Corinthos drama, and she says she thinks they both got lucky. He found Willow, and she found Brando.

Brando tells Gladys, he’s not trading his garage for some desk job, and not Sasha, not himself, not even Sonny wants him to sign on with Corinthos Coffee. She says, he misunderstands her. Sure she has her own dreams for her child – what parent doesn’t? – but she’s learned a lot since they first came to Port Charles, and the Corinthos name only takes you so far. Not to mention, at a price. He laughs, and says, wow. That took a while, but he’s glad she finally understands that. She says she admires that he wants to be his own boss and his own man, and he says he appreciates her vote of confidence. She says, but listen. Since Deception went public and his wife landed in a different tax bracket, something has to change. He says, if this isn’t about the garage, what is this about? and she says, his poor mother toiling as Brook’s assistant. That woman gives her so much grief, she’s thinking it’s time to give her two-week notice.

Trina says, now it’s official, her court date’s been set, and Curtis says, we’d better get to work fast. Trina says, we? She appreciates that, but didn’t he give up his P.I. license? He says he did, but he’s not giving up on her. Marshall comes in, and says, it sounds like they could use some help. Where does he sign up?

Esme asks Rory if the chaise next to him is taken, as she plops her bag onto it. She asks pool guy for a lemonade. Actually, make that two; one for her, and one for PC’s finest. Rory says, she’s buying him a drink? Why? So he can fix a parking ticket for her? She says she doesn’t have a car. She usually just takes Ride Shares, but she’d never dream of bribing an officer. However, she does have a favor he might be able to help her with. He says, he knew it. That lemonade comes with strings attached. What is it she thinks he can do for her? She says she’s planning on graduating from PCU with a degree in psychology, with a concentration on abnormal psyche. He says, she aims high, calling her Miss Prince, and she tells him to call her Esme; all her friends do. And he’s right, she does aim high. He says he’s not sure how he can help her, and she tells him, let her explain. Up until recently, she was an intern at Spring Ridge minimum security prison, where the notorious Ryan Chamberlain is a prisoner. He says, he’s aware, and she says, then he’s also aware of Ryan’s condition. He’s trapped inside his body. His mind’s still there, but he has limited communication. However, she’d been using a letterboard to be able to communicate with him and reach him, until Kevin Collins, Ryan’s twin brother and her boyfriend’s step-grandfather stopped her from seeing him altogether. Rory asks why he’d do that, and she tells him, Doc says it’s for her own safety, but she knows better. He has it out for her. He says, even if that’s true, he’s not sure what she’s asking him to do, and she says she was hoping someone with a better grasp of the law could help her formulate a way back in.

Spencer says, Brad used to work in the lab at GH, right? and Brad says, yeah, so? Spencer says, so he needs Brad’s help. He’d be willing to pay him for his expertise. Brad says he doesn’t follow. What does his expertise have to do with Spencer’s girlfriend? Britt joins them, and says, that is a good question, and Brad says he thought she wanted him to handle this guy. She says she changed her mind, and Spencer says, great. He could use her help too. She says, enough with the double-talk. If he doesn’t leave in 20 seconds, she’ll throw him out.

Sam tells Cody not to take this the wrong way, but for a guy who’s just in town for a few days, he’s found himself his fair share of trouble, and she’s not just talking about the guys who beat him up. She’s got the feeling Britt would like to sue Cody for all he’s worth. Cody says, she’s more than welcome to try, but he doesn’t have anything to give her. He laughs, and stops abruptly, and Dante says, he’s obviously still in pain. Why don’t they ID the guys who beat him up? Cody says, he appreciates the offer, but like he said… Dante says, the alleyway was dark, he couldn’t make out the faces, but maybe he’ll pick the wrong game next time and end up in the morgue instead of an alley. Spinelli comes over to their table, and says, Samantha and Dante; always a delight. Sam introduces Cody as Dante’s childhood friend, and this is… Cody says, Damien Spinelli, and Dante asks if they know each other. Cody says, very well. Should he tell them, or does Spinelli want to? Come on. They might as well come clean. When he parachuted into the MetroCourt pool, Mr. Spinelli reached out to him, and offered him help. Dante asks, help doing what? and Cody says, Spinelli is apparently an expert in directional finders and can pinpoint calculations. At least he claims to be. He said he’ll make Cody’s next jump a lot safer for everyone. Did he get that right? Spinelli says, that is right; he couldn’t have said it better himself. Happy landings to him, and with that, he must depart. Sam grabs him, and says, he’s not going anywhere.

Spencer says he thought Britt would know by now, he doesn’t respond well to threats, and she says, he’s intruding on a rare day off for her. Getting rid of him isn’t a threat; it’s a promise. He says, fine. So she wants him to cut to the chase? Tell her why he’s here? He was offering Brad a business proposition. Brad says he doesn’t believe… and Britt says, don’t believe Spencer is any kind of innocent. She helped Spencer identify a medication that belonged to his friend, and all she got in return was a verbal slap in the face about what a pathetic single she was. Spencer asks Brad to give them a moment; it’s clear he needs to make an apology. Brad says he’ll be at the bar if Britt needs him, and Spencer says, understood. Brad leaves, and Britt says, make it fast, but Spencer says, there’s no fast way to tell her how truly sorry he is for the horrible and hurtful things he said to her. He’s truly embarrassed by his behavior. He’s always considered her a genuine friend of his, and he went out of his way to try and hurt her. That was thoughtless and cruel, and he’s sorry. If she never wanted to speak to him again, he’d understand. He’s sorry. She says, it almost sounds like he has remorse; very unCassadine like. He says he means it. He was way out of line when he threw her love life, or lack thereof, in her face. She says she always thought they had a real connection too, so why was he so brutal to her? Does he have any idea what that did to her? He says, it sent her to a singles mixer where she got knocked into the pool by a skydiver. He saw the GIF. She says, him, and thousands of others, and he says, please believe him. There is so much more to this story than she knows, and he knows that in the adult world there is no such thing as a do-over, but boy, would he like a second chance right now. She says, he’s right about one thing. There’s no such thing as a do-over for adults, and as lovely as that apology was – and it sounds like he meant it – let’s get real. As long as he’s hooked up with the likes of Esme Prince, she can’t trust him.

Pool guy brings the lemonades, and Esme gives him a tip. She tells Rory that she believes in tipping well. Doesn’t he agree? He says, very generous, and she says, except when the staff isn’t allowed to accept them; that’s very awkward. She went to school in Europe, so she’s still learning the American ways. He says, then let him give her some free advice. The help she’s looking for, to find a workaround to get back into Spring Ridge? She needs a lawyer, not a cop. She says, in her experience, lawyers are expensive, and they bill by the hour, whereas cops get things done. The saying is true; there’s something about a man in uniform. He says, just to be clear, he’s off-duty and out of uniform, but she says, that doesn’t mean he can’t help a citizen in distress, right? She loved her work at Spring Ridge, and she’s determined to keep working there, but how can she do that if Doc won’t give her a chance? He says he’s not sure she knows this, but he’s a rookie cop, and has basically zero power. She says, so he won’t help her, and he remembers Trina saying that she and Joss were tracking down proof that Esme framed her. He tells Esme, he can’t help her, but he knows someone who can. She says, really? That would be great. He says, just give him her phone, and he’ll put his friend’s number into it.

Michael says, it’s obvious Sasha and Brando found happiness. Not to mention everything she’s done as the Face of Deception; that is an out of the ballpark success. She says she’s only a partner because he negotiated such a great deal for her, and he says, his pleasure. Deception is lucky to have her. He’s seen her photos everywhere, and word on the street is, she’s going to be on the Home and Heart Network. That is amazing; he’s proud of everything she’s accomplished. She tells him that’s sweet of him to say, when TJ comes out and says, Willow is asking to see him. Michael says, she’s okay? and TJ says he thinks so, but it’s better for Michael to see for himself. Michael heads for the exam room, and Sasha tells TJ, that was pretty vague answer. Should she stick around just in case? He says, Michael and Willow have a lot to discuss, but once they’re done, he thinks Willow would enjoy her company. She’s in room 1001. He walks away, and sees Deanna. He asks her to set up an OB consult for 1001, and she says, of course (🍷), doctor.

Michael hugs Willow, and tells her, TJ said she wanted to talk to him. He said he thinks she’s okay, but didn’t give him any details. Willow says, it was thoughtful of TJ to let her break the news herself. She does have something to tell him.

Sam asks Spinelli, what the big rush? and Cody says, they’re all friends here, or will be. Spinelli says he needs to take a raincheck because… he needs to go. It’s a work thing. In his business, it’s either feast or famine, and duty calls. He jets, and Cody says, nice guy. Crazy smart; a bit skittish though. His phone dings, and he says, dammit. Sam says, problem? and he says, remember that gig he had lined up? He just lost it. Dante says, that’s okay. Cody can just stick around here a little longer. Cody says, he told Dante, he doesn’t want his charity, but Dante says, his couch isn’t charity. He’s not inviting Cody to camp out indefinitely; just until he finds something. Cody flashes back on Dante telling him about Britt, and that her father is Faison, and he says, you know what? Maybe sticking around isn’t such a bad idea. He can try and find a job here. He’s going to take Dante up on his offer.

Spencer says he’s honestly sorry for the things he said to Britt, but she tells him not to try so hard. The more he apologizes, the less effective it is. He says, there’s the Britt he knows and loves, and the truth is, if there’s anyone he can confide in, it’s her, because she’s always been honest with him, even if it hurts. She says, okay, but he leaves Brad out of this. Tell her what he needs, and she’ll let him know if she can help.

Esme asks what’s Rory’s friend’s name and number, and he asks if she’s afraid to give him her phone. He wonders how she can ask for his help, and actively not trust him, when Trina walks in. She asks, what’s going on? and Esme says, that’s exactly what she’d like to know.

Curtis opens the door to TJ, who says he’s here to see how his grandfather is doing. They hug, and Marshall says, he’ll be better once they figure out how to prove Trina’s innocence. TJ asks if it was Curtis’s idea to work together, and Marshall says, they’re family; they should work together. TJ says, absolutely not, and asks Curtis if he’s right, but Curtis says, actually, he’s wrong. Trina needs all the help they can muster, and put an end to this once and for all.

Brando advises Gladys against quitting her job, but Gladys says, why not? It’s beneath her; way beneath her. She already has everything she needs. He says he loves her, but this is not a permanent situation, and she tells him, she never said it was, but as long as Sasha is mourning little Liam… He says he and Sasha have to carry that for the rest of their lives, and they have to figure out how. And hopefully one day, they’ll have another child. In the meantime, they need time and space to get back to normal. She asks if she needs to remind him that Sasha’s version of normal includes the temptation to fall back on those pills, but he says, Sasha swears that’s in her past, and he believes her. He asks if this is really about Gladys needing to feel needed.

On the hospital phone, Deanna orders an OB consult for room 1001, and Sasha overhears. She says, Willow’s room, and on the phone, Deanna says, sometimes she can’t help but envy them. Confirming to a woman that she’s pregnant has to be their favorite part of the job. Sasha hurries into the elevator, and holds her stomach, looking teary.

Michael tells Willow, they’ll get a second or third opinion, whatever it takes, but she says she doesn’t think that will be necessary. He says, she’s trying to be strong, but she doesn’t have to be. Whatever it is, they’ll get through it together. She says she would hope so. She’s not sick; she’s pregnant.   

Dante says, not that he doesn’t want Cody to stay, but he wants to make sure the reason isn’t to get revenge on Britt. He says, he’s a lover, not a fighter, and Sam asks if he’s met someone in town, but he says, nothing like that. Right now, he just wants to sit in the sun and let his poor battered body heal, but he can’t afford a pool pass. Sam says, he doesn’t need one. just tell them he’s her guest, and he thanks her. He says he’s going to check it out now if that’s cool, and leaves. Dante says that was nice of her, and Sam says, Cody is Dante’s friend, but he says, what else is going on? She says she figured while Cody was lying in the sun, they could figure out why Spinelli was so anxious to get away from him.

Outside on the phone, Spinelli tells Zelda that Cody was causing trouble again… There must be a way they can rid themselves of him. Cody comes out, and says, there is. Hang up, and Cody will tell him.

Spencer and Britt sit at a table, and he says he doesn’t know how much Britt knows about Esme’s background. She was adopted as a baby, and her adoptive parents died when she was still a kid. Britt says she had no idea, and he says, she’s desperate to find her biological parents. He’s no shrink, but he suspects not knowing who she really is and where she came from is the root of all of her problems. If they had a DNA test done that could determine her parentage, it might make all the difference. Britt says, so this is some kind of gift for his girlfriend? and he says, you could think of it like that. What if they had two DNA samples to compare? She asks if he’s saying he has them, but he says, nope; he’s saying what if. Before they go any further, he needs to know, will she help him?

Trina asks why it looks like Rory and Esme had their heads together, and he says, Esme was just picking his brain to see if there was a way to continue her internship at Spring Ridge. He told her that he couldn’t help, but knew someone who could. Esme lounges in the sun, and he talks a little louder. He says he offered to put his name and number in her phone, but Esme wouldn’t trust him with her phone. Can Trina believe that? Esme says she’s had enough sun for today. He’s all Trina’s. She leaves, and Trina asks what she just walked in on. Rory says, a beginning. Esme knows that he knows what she knows. Trina says, he told her? but he says, he served notice. There’s a big difference.

Curtis asks who Marshall is calling, and Marshall says, Jack, his trumpet player. He asks Jack, what’s cracking?… No, sorry. He’s not calling about a gig, although he does have a request. It’s not a musical one though. Is Jack still plugged in like that?… Yeah. Black market commodities… Cellphones. Can’t be traced; no questions asked. TJ tells Curtis, some people have grandfathers who read them bedtime stories, and Curtis says, he’s not mad at Marshall for pulling out all the stops. Trina’s future’s at stake, and it looks like TJ’s grandfather is just the right man. Marshall says, he’s listening… Tell him something he can use.

Sasha approaches the garage, and hears Gladys say, don’t you know by now I see Sasha as my daughter? Whatever’s good enough for the two of them is good enough for her. And if Brando doesn’t believe her, maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s time she moved out. Sasha goes inside, and says, nobody wants her to move out. She and Brando are counting on her, aren’t they? Brando tells her, whatever you say, and Gladys says, Mrs. Meyerson’s son Harold won the lottery. And what was the first thing he did? Got his mom a condo in Boca. So if they want to be rid of her, she’s up for a condo. Brando says, nobody wants to get rid of her, and asks if Sasha didn’t just take Willow to the hospital. How is she?

Willow tells Michael, say something, and he asks if she’s sure she’s pregnant; they’ve been so careful. She says she thought so too. Still, it happens. He wonders what he’s doing, and says, she’s pregnant, and hugs her. She says, he doesn’t have to pretend for her. Is it something he wants? He asks what she means, and she says, the plan was for her to graduate nursing school, and be a nurse for a few years. Does he want this baby? He says he’s still processing everything. Obviously, they’re not married. Wiley’s been their whole world. They haven’t even discussed giving him a sibling, but hell yes. He hugs her again, and says, wait. Does she want this baby?

Dante tells Sam, Cody’s a pretty charming guy; makes a lot of jokes, makes a lot of friends. The trouble he finds himself in, or creates, he’s always able to handle the consequences, good or bad. She says, yeah, but Dante knew him a long time ago. Does he think Cody is the same way? He says, seems to be, but it’s weird. It seems like he’s got to settle down, stop drifting. She says, who knows? Maybe he’ll stick around long enough to find a partner as wonderful as Dante did. Dante says, there’s no way lightning can strike twice like that.

Spinelli says, he won’t be subject to another shakeup, and Cody says he’s pretty sure it’s a shakedown, but relax. He isn’t trying to milk Spinelli for more money. Spinelli asks what he wants, and Cody says, think of it as an investment. Spinelli says, in what? and Cody says, in yours truly. Here’s what Spinelli is going to do.

Trina and Rory sit down, and Trina says she knows he’s a cop, and he’s had all kinds of training, but when it comes to Esme, he needs to watch out. She’s wickedly smart, emphasis on wicked. He says he appreciates the heads up, but doesn’t she have enough on her plate? Her case is going to trial soon, right? Trina says, unfortunately, yes. She thought she’d be excited to see her day in court, but she still doesn’t have proof Esme set her up. He says, until she walks into that courtroom, every second counts.

Spencer walks into the pool area, and Esme says she’s so happy to see him, and throws her arms around him. He sees Trina with Rory, and Esme asks, what’s wrong?

Marshall tells Jack that he’s more down than four flat tires. He’s the best. Marshall knew he could count on him. He’ll talk to Jack soon. He tells Curtis and TJ that he’s got the name and address of a guy who deals in black market cellphones. Curtis says he’s impressed with Marshall’s network of people, and Marshall says, Curtis knows how the music business is. It’s not the most stable industry. Everyone got to have a ham or a hustle to survive. Curtis says he supposes so. He just needs that name and address. Marshall says, nice try, and tells TJ to tell his uncle, he ain’t goin’ nowhere without him.

Willow says, does she want this baby? Is Michael kidding? Ever since her mom… Ever since Harmony died, and she found out Harmony wasn’t her biological mother, all she’s done is stress. So when she fainted again, in the back of her mind, she expected TJ to tell her it was a serious illness. When he told her she was pregnant, it was the last thing she expected, but after the initial shock, she thought back to the first time she ever held Wiley, and how incredibly happy she was. Now their family is expanding. She didn’t know her heart could get any bigger, but it did, Suddenly, there’s not just room for him and Wiley, she’s in love with a baby she’s never met. She doesn’t know if it’s a girl or a boy, she doesn’t know its name or what it looks like, but she’s in love. He says, so is he, and she says, Wiley will always be their firstborn, and always have a special place in her heart, but she’s pregnant with Michael’s baby – their baby. She’s never wanted anything more in her life. He picks her up, and spins her around.

Brando says, Sasha looks upset. What did the doctor say about Willow? Is she sick? Sasha says, no, she doesn’t know. Michael is with her now. All she knows is, TJ said it isn’t serious. Gladys says she thinks it’s time they head home. She made a lasagna earlier. All she has to do is heat it up, unless her rich daughter-in-law wants to spring for dinner at the Port Charles Grill; she can throw the lasagna in the freezer. Brando says, Gladys knows he loves her lasagna, and Sasha’s phone rings. She says she needs to take this, and suggests they go on home. Her car’s out front. Brando says, okay; he’ll see her later. They leave, and she answers, saying, what do you want? Felty asks if that’s any way greet an old friend, and she flashes back to him telling her that he has a connection and can get her what she needs. It’ll be their little secret. She says, okay. She’s listening

Sam says she hopes Cody realizes how lucky he is to have a friend like Dante, but Dante says, he’s the lucky one; he has her. Things have changed. When they were kids, he envied Cody and the way he got around people. She asks, what’s different about today? and he says, today he doesn’t envy Cody at all, and hugs her

Spinelli tells Cody, he can’t do that. It’s so… manipulative. Cody says, it’s nothing compared to what he’s already seen Spinelli do. Do this one little thing for him, and they’re square. Spinelli says he doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt, and Cody asks if he looks like the kind of guy who goes around hurting people. Trust him. When this is all done, and his ship comes in, everyone will come out ahead.

Britt rejoins Brad, who says, her lemonade just like she ordered. Unless she’d like a sidecar of tequila and a saltshaker. She says, don’t tempt her, and he says he can only assume Spencer’s the one who’s got her wavering. She says, he needs help, if he’s going to get his girlfriend what she wants. He says, she turned Spencer down, right? and she says she could lie and say she did but against her better judgement, she said yes.

Trina says, she’s not warning Rory because she thinks he’s naïve or gullible. She’s warning him because that’s how awful Esme is. He doesn’t want to make an enemy out of Esme, and he’s already stuck his neck out once for Trina. He really shouldn’t get involved. He says, it’s a little late for that, and by the door, Esme tells Spencer, look at that. Maybe Trina has finally moved on from obsessing about him. Spencer continues to watch them.

Curtis says he sees he’s not going to get anywhere trying to talk Marshall out of this, and Marshall says, he’s learning. Like Curtis said, the clock’s ticking. Are they going to do this? He holds out his fist, and Curtis bumps it, saying, they’re in this together. TJ adds his bump, and says, whatever they need. Anything for Trina.

Willow tells Michael, this is so new, and so unexpected. It’s more than she ever let herself dream about. She has him and Wiley and now… their very own baby. She can’t ask for anything more. He says, neither can he.

Sasha asks what Felty cares if she’s on the Home and Heart channel? and he says he doesn’t really give a damn, but her adoring public does. To cover her appearance, he needs credentials, and for some strange reason, they won’t grant him access. She says, imagine that, and he says he knew this was a waste of time; thanks for nothing. She says, wait, and flashes back to saying goodbye to Liam. She says, maybe she can help him… if he can help her in return.

Tomorrow, Spencer tells Cameron that he found out who Esme’s biological mother is; Olivia tells Carly that she’s buying Carly’s half of the hotel; and Brook needs Sonny to take care of a sleazeball named Linc.

Southern Charm

Taylor cleans up little, and Shep tells Little Craig that he’s in trouble; he’s chewed his last toy. Taylor asks what Shep was talking about with Craig at the party, and he says he thought Craig was going to apologize, and say he’d been less than desirable as a friend, but he kept deflecting. Taylor asks if Paige knew about Craig sleeping with Naomie, and he says, Craig told her, but someone implied it wasn’t just Vegas; that it’s been a low key ongoing thing. Taylor asks, who? and he says, Kathryn.

Paige tells Craig that she chased vodka with tequila, and it was a bad idea. He says, she talked to Naomie a lot, and she says, obviously it’s not the most comfortable thing. Naomie and Craig slept together over the summer, but she’s not in high school, and she’s not going to not acknowledge someone. Everyone has an ex. He says, so it was nothing unsettling? and she says, no. She’d think it was a red flag if he and Naomie didn’t get along.

Chleb’s mom Debbie calls while he’s driving, and he asks if she wants to grab a drink, but she says she’s spending night at his Aunt Rita’s house. She has things do. She goes on and on about people we don’t know, and Chleb keeps trying to interrupt. He says, he needs to talk to her, and she says, so talk, but he tells her, now he forgot what he wanted to say. In his interview, he admits he’s a mama’s boy. His mom is a strong woman. She was a single mom, who taught them the value of hard work. She gave him the drive to get a football scholarship. He played football in Canada, but got hurt at the end of his contract, and retired by 28, but life takes you in differently directions. He’s fine with it. He tells Debbie that he and Kathryn got into it; it was kind of stupid. Kathryn flipped a little at her party. Debbie asks, what happened? and we see a clip of Kathryn telling Chleb that it triggered her when he said Venita wanted to talk to her. She felt like he wasn’t on her team, even though she’s on his. Chleb says, she doesn’t like a lot of people, and that’s not the way he rolls. He has no problem with any of his friends, but he feels like she has a problem with most of hers. Kathryn asks if he has a problem with her now, and he says, there’s a problem between them because she doesn’t trust everyone, and he deals with the stress of that. You could go to any of his friends, and ask if he’s ever a problem, and they’d say, no; but if you asked her friends, they’d say, Kathryn is the problem. She tells him to walk away from her, and he says, he’s getting out. He tells Debbie, that’s where they’re at now, and she says, she understands. He says, when they moved in together, all hell broke loose. She’s Mrs. Petty. In Chleb’s interview, he says, it was easy when they weren’t living together. He likes how Kathryn commands s room. She can be a bad girl, and what she says goes, whether it’s right or wrong. He just wants her to work with him. She doesn’t have to change completely, just acknowledge that she’s heard him. He tells Debbie that Kathryn tries to take his time from the family, saying that she should come first. If there’s nothing to do, he likes to hang out with Debbie, and it’s like Kathryn is fighting for his love. Debbie says, Kathryn sees how they relate, and she wants that kind love. Her mom’s gone, and Kathryn started becoming close to her. They hung out several times a week, and Debbie helped with the kids. Kathryn needs someone in her life. In his interview, Chleb says, his mother knew Kathryn before he did. Kathryn used to hang out with his cousin, and they all lived on the same block. His mom understands Kathryn. They’re both single moms, and Kathryn is like a daughter to her. He tells Debbie that he can help Kathryn out and uplift her, but he doesn’t think he understands her. Debbie says, she’ll call Kathryn. They can relate. Let her handle it. Chleb tells her to call later. He thinks Kathryn needs some time.

A producer asks how many dresses Venita has, and she says, maxi or mini? and laughs. She guesses it’s a smooth 175. In Venita’s interview, she says, her mother is the reason why she’s like she is. Her mother is always dressed up, even when she’d pick Venita up at midnight bowling. She’s not quite like that, but close. She fell into being an influencer; she didn’t seek it out. Her assistant helps her get ready for a photoshoot, and in her interview, she says, initially, she went to culinary school. She did some modeling, and posted her pictures on Instagram. People assumed she was talking about products, but she was just showing how cute she was. She can make 7 figures in a month if she gets the right deals. (Sign me up immediately!) It’s wild how much you can make, although she doesn’t think people understand the hard work that goes into it. Getting jobs, losing jobs, doing photoshoots, creating content, and revising it quickly when it’s not good enough. It doesn’t sound like fun, but she loves it.

Austen calls Leva, and says he has a list of businesses he’s targeting for Trop Hop. She says she thought it was cool that he brought Olivia to the party. Everyone could tell they liked each other. Austen says, Olivia is f***ing adorable; she’s beautiful, but low key. Leva says, she’s a girly girl, but also a guy’s girl, and in Leva’s interview, she says, she knows Olivia through her parents who are in the restaurant business; they’re a hoot. We see a clip of Leva and Olivia with Olivia’s parents, and Leva tells Austen that Olivia isn’t a Netflix and Chill girl. Austen asks if she’s telling him to get off the pot, and she says, Olivia’s a smoke show. She asks, what about Craig and Naomie in Vegas? but he says, she’s the one who knows about it; she was there. In Leva’s interview, she says, she ran into them separately when she was in Las Vegas, and had no idea. She thought it would be nice for them to have lunch together, and Naomie said, they were staggering when they came downstairs; Craig was upstairs in her room. Leva never told a soul; they told everyone. Austen says he’s calling BS on it being one and done, and Leva says she thinks they have more feelings than they’re saying.

Naomie calls Patricia, and says, she has a friend picking up Metul’s car; it’s been sitting in her driveway for the past four months. Patricia suggests donating it and getting the tax deduction, and Naomie says she can’t believe she left for a boy. Patricia says, call her next time. They’ll form a vetting committee. Naomie says she’s calling because she’s thinking of having a kind of fresh start party. Patricia asks if the usual gang will be coming, and Naomie says, last week, she went to Kathryn’s birthday party. Kathryn said she was extending an olive branch. Patricia says, what could go wrong? and Naomie says, let her tell Patricia – literally everything. Patricia says, there’s an old adage that says you’re known be the company you keep, so no on Kathryn. In Patricia’s interview, she says, she tried to establish a relationship with Kathryn, but she’s afraid Kathryn has led an… inelegant life. She wishes Kathryn the best, but there’s no connection there.

Olivia and Austen go to a bar/restaurant called Saltwater Cowboys. Austen thinks it’s funny how Olivia calls her parents her roommates, and she says, her parents have fun hanging out with him. He says, he’d rather have stayed there, and in his interview, he says, it terrifies him that there are no red flags. The first thing he liked was that Olivia is tall; he can’t deal with the shorties anymore. And she gets his sense of humor. In Olivia’s interview, she says, she first noticed his height, and he’s hilarious. In his interview, Austen says, Olivia is wifey material, but he’s not ready to go down that path, and in her interview, Olivia says, she’s not trying to lock Austen down, but if he’s not serious about settling down, on to the next one. She asks him if this a date, and he says, is it? She says, yeah, and Shep and Taylor join them. Shep says, it’s a foursome, like golf, and Austen says, Naomie just texted him to bring beer for her party. Shep says, his cousin Marcie should come. She makes Patricia look poor. Her family is… his family. Austen says, he and Leva think Craig and Naomie hooked up more than just in Vegas, and Shep asks if he thinks Craig is lying. Austen says, 1000%. Craig said, when they hooked up in Vegas, in the morning, he realized Naomie wasn’t the girl he fell in love with, and walked. Shep says he saw Paige and Craig arguing at a bar, but he got out of there. Taylor wonders if Naomie invited Craig to her party, and Austen says, she did; Paige is gone. Shep says, Craig claims he told her about Vegas, but Austen says, not the whole story. He doesn’t think Craig is being truthful, and Shep says he’s always had a hunch Craig is still in love with Naomie.

Naomie talks with Chef Nico, who’s also a family friend, along with his (I think) sous chef Justin. Nico says, they need start shucking. In the car, Craig tells Pringle, it’s the first time he’s going to be in Naomie’s mom’s house in four years. There are a lot of memories there. He tells Pringle about snack trays filled up with everything imaginable, and Pringle says he can’t decide if that’s cute and adorable, or WTF? Craig says he and Naomie lived together for two years, and we flash back to him giving her a ring. He tells Pringle that they got engaged, and everything fell apart. In Craig’s interview, he says, he had to leave the country. Naomie was the love of his life, and there’s a lot of baggage here. Guests begin arriving, and Naomie suggests they go outside. No surprise, the food looks amazing. These shows are such food porn for me. Pringle tells Naomie about Craig remembering the snack plates, and Naomie says, it’s crazy he remembers that. Craig tells Olivia it was kind of his own house. The last time he was there, he was packing a U-Haul in the middle of the night. Pringle says he heard Olivia and Austen had a date, and she says, a double date; Shep pretty much crashed it. Austen asks Craig where Paige is, and he says, in NYC, but she’ll be here in a couple of days. Madison (bleh) comes in with Venita, and Shep introduces his cousin Marcie around. Venita tells Marcie that she lives in Shep’s old apartment, and still get his mail, and Marcie tells her, throw it away. Shep says he saw Nico when he came in – score! Patricia and Whitney arrive, and after meeting Marcie, Patricia tells Shep, they all look alike. He says, they’re all Hobbs’s, and in Marcie’s interview, she explains her father and Shep’s mother are brother and sister; they’re first cousins. She talks about the Jupiter Island club, and how you need more than money to get in; you need a legacy. Their great, great, great, great grandfather, Columbus Cummings worked on the railroad, sold it to Vanderbilt, and built his fortune. Her husband John didn’t even know she had money until they signed the prenup. Before meeting John, she was a party girl, but now she has nice dinner parties instead of Animal House parties. In Shep’s interview, he says he and Marcie were the black sheep of the family. They were the only ones out of 14 or 15 grandchildren not to get married or have kids, up until now. (Marcie is also pregnant.) Craig points to the living room, and says, this is where it all started, which is kind of creepy. Naomie tells Craig that Pringle told her about the snack platters; it was nearly ten years ago. He chews some ice cubes, and she tells him that’s a turn off to some people. He says, he doesn’t want to hear her weird sh*t, and in his interview, he says he thinks she still has feelings for him that she hasn’t dealt with. She shelved them when they broke up, and when they hooked up in Vegas, the feelings got knocked off the shelf. Naomie tells him, he was right, and that’s all she saying. He says, it’s good to be back.

Pringle feeds Shep an oyster. Marcie says Shep was gushing about Taylor, and she told him to have children. Taylor says she’s not on birth control, and Marcie says, it just takes one or two times. I wonder if Shep is nuts, Taylor says, Shep’s not ready for that, and I wonder if they’re both nuts. We see a clip of Marcie’s dad asking if there’s a baby in Shep’s future, and Shep says, it would hinder his… their travels. Taylor says she can wait until she’s in her 30s, and Marcie says, she’s 36. Taylor says, that makes her feel good, since she’s only 23, and everyone says, your eggs! Marcie says she had a crush on Austen when they were younger, but doesn’t know if he even noticed, since he never made a move. She always wanted him to meet someone, and she’s all for Shep’s relationship with Taylor. Taylor says, there’s been pressure, and the others got in her head, and Olivia says, they should let it happen organically. Marcie says, other people don’t help, and Taylor says, it’s good to take it slow. Olivia says she thinks that’s where Austen is.

Austen brings Madison (ugh) a Trop Hop, and Craig wonders why they’re talking. Madison says, they’re fine; like she and Craig were. Craig says, it’s wild being here, and Austen says, it looks like Craig and Naomie are BFFs. Madison asks why they’re talking, and Craig says, Naomie told him that she’s sorry. Madison thinks Craig still loves her, and he says, he loves all his exes. He says he and Austen need to talk about sh*t that’s been festering, and Madison points out they’re wearing matching shirts. They’ve got to get over this.

Naomie goes inside, and sees most of the women hanging out. Patricia says she heard there was a big scene at Kathryn’s party, and Leva says, it started nice, but it turned. Patricia asks, what against? and Naomie says, Kathryn accused her of coming for her. Olivia says she has no dog in this fight, and thinks it’s because Naomie reacted on Twitter, instead of coming to Kathryn. When Naomie told Olivia that she didn’t want to be there, Olivia thought, why come? Naomie says, the reason she went was because Kathryn was extending an olive branch, and she’ll always give someone a chance. But she doesn’t need to be around people she doesn’t want to be around. Leva says they’ve known Kathryn longer, and Olivia says she’s not taking sides; she’s just asking questions. Venita says, listen… and Olivia says, calm down. Venita says, don’t tell her to calm down. She didn’t need to be there, since Kathryn is a racist, but she was there because the offer was extended. Austen wonders if there’s a way for him to pee without walking through there, and Olivia says, Kathryn offered Naomie peace, and when she saw Naomie bitching, she wondered what was up. Naomie asks if Olivia told Kathryn what she’d said, and Olivia says, no, and now she’s dipping out. Venita says, if Olivia wants to bring up the hard questions, she doesn’t get to walk away from the hard conversation. Olivia goes outside, and Naomie says she appreciates that they kept it low key. She thought they’d be attack dogs. Madison2 says she’s not okay with it.

Seeing lights in the night’s sky, Shep says, take me to your leader, but Venita says, it’s a plane, not a UFO. Venita says she doesn’t want Olivia to feel like she was being attacked, and Olivia tells Austen that she’s not taking sides. All she asked was why Naomie went to the party, and fire extinguishers went off. He says, it sounds like she’s taking sides, and in Olivia’s interview, she says she’d take up for anyone who wasn’t there to defend themselves. It didn’t read well with Regina George. Venita approaches Olivia, and says, they don’t want her feel attacked, and Olivia says, sorry she approached them like that. Venita says, she likes to keep it level grounded; she’s not about drama, and Olivia asks, then why is she in this town? Venita says she has no idea. Inside, Leva tells Naomie, when she found out Naomie and Craig were hanging out in Vegas, she thought they’d get back together. Naomie says, Leva is like a mom, and Austen comes past. Leva says, they were just talking about him, and Naomie tells him, sit down. Surprisingly, he doesn’t run like a cartoon character, legs pinwheeling, but sits with them. Leva says, they were talking about her conversation with him about what she saw in Vegas, and Austen says, eh was curious for timeline purposes. He’s convinced they had a mini reconnection, and asks if they were hanging in Charleston. Naomie says, for a week, and Austen says, so not just once. True or false? Naomie says, twice, and he says, Craig’s a good liar. He said it was one time, and never again. Leva says, they hung out, and slept together; it wasn’t a throw away kind of thing. Austen says, Craig told him that Naomie was clingy, and trying to get back together with him, but Naomie doesn’t believe Craig would describe her that way. Craig comes in to say bye, and tells them, this is awkward. Austen says, Craig can kiss his ass, and leaves, and Leva says she’s going too. Craig wonders why it’s weird, and Naomie says, Austen was pumping her for things. He told her that Craig had said it was one time, but Craig says, it was twice; he owned that. She says she knows Austen was trying to hurt her, and said Craig said it wasn’t all it was chalked up (I think she means cracked up) to be, and she was his ex for a reason. Craig tells her, that’s a mean thing to say. He hasn’t talked to Austen about it, and those are words that would never come out of his mouth. In Naomie’s interview, she says, she was heartbroken after breaking up with Metul, and thinks she was seeking comfort in someone she trusted, who she knew understood her, but it was a fleeting thing. Naomie says, Austen said Craig insinuated she was his ex for a reason; because it wasn’t fun. Craig says, they had an amazing experience. It was great; no regrets. He loves her, and always will. He wishes she’d gotten to know him the way he is today; she would have liked the guy. She’d be blown away by how early he goes to the airport. She says, Metul showed up early, and he says, she judged wrong. She says, clearly.

Next time, a game of cornhole, where Little Craig grabs the game pieces; Shep says, Taylor’s late, and he doesn’t want to have kids right now; Taylor says, if Shep isn’t interested in settling down, they’ll probably have to go their separate ways; Madison tells Venita that Naomie isn’t a dumbass; Chleb hasn’t been home in two days; and Chleb goes home to make up with Kathryn.

📺 The funniest thing happened on Watch What Happens Live. Dorinda and Phaedra were the guests, and apparently, when Jill showed up on Ultimate Girls Trip, Phaedra didn’t know who she was. So they played a game where Dorinda had to guess if Phaedra would know who a particular Housewife was. When they got to Dolores, Andy mistakenly called Dorinda Dolores, giving the answer away. Okay. Maybe you had to be there.

🍹 Newly Cast…

All about Shep’s cousin Marcie.

https://screenrant.com/southern-charm-season-8-marcie-hobbs-shep-cousin/

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/southern-charm-who-is-shep-rose-cousin-marcie-hobbs-recap

👧🏽 Dippity Do-ing Out…

Drop by tomorrow for soap, tea, quotes, and a song for the 4th of July. Until then, stay safe, stay off the fence, and stay away from those who are wickedly smart with an emphasis on the wicked.

Jun30

June 29, 2022 – Shareholder Vote Fallout Begins, Diana Is Soulless & Calm

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly asks Drew to just tell her; did the Quartermaines get rid of Valentin as CEO of ELQ?

At Kelly’s, Anna checks her phone, and Felicia asks if there are any messages from Valentin. Anna says, sorry? and Felicia says, Anna hasn’t heard a word she’s said in the last fifteen minutes. Anna says, Felicia confronted Ryan Chamberlain. Felicia told her three times. Felicia says, message received. She guesses she’s still running on adrenaline from the experience. Anna’s turn now. Tell her everything about her date with Valentin; spare no details. Victor comes over to their table, and says, what’s this about Anna and his son? Outside, Valentin looks through the window, and sees Victor talking to Anna.

TJ asks Epiphany how her Juneteenth was, and she says she spent most of it studying, but she did manage to come up for air, and go to a prayer service and a barbecue. He says he admires her time management skills, and she says, between her and him, she’s beat, but she can’t let on, or her nurses won’t fear her anymore. He says, her secret is safe with him, and she sees the stack of books in his hands, and says, doing a little light reading? He says, they’re for her, to assure her nurses fear her for years to come… Dr. Johnson.

Ned follows Olivia into the living room, and tells her, allow him to explain. She asks if it’s going to sound any better in here, and he says he’s trying to avoid Brook with another tirade. Olivia says, from what she can hear, Brook is totally justified, and he tells her, but she said… She tells him, she said they shouldn’t make any judgements until they have all the facts. Now what facts caused him to throw away his family’s legacy?

On the phone, Michael asks how soon Dex can meet. He has another idea, but they’ll have to get creative… He’ll meet Dex there. Sonny won’t see this coming. Leo asks what he’s doing to Uncle Sonny.

Sonny asks, what happened with ELQ today? but Willow says she doesn’t really want to be the go-between. She suggests he reach out to Michael himself, and if Michael doesn’t respond, it means he doesn’t want to discuss ELQ with him. Nina says she doesn’t think now is the time to pressure Willow; she isn’t feeling very well. Maybe they should get an ice tea or something. Sonny says he understands, but if something happened, he needs to know, and Nina says she’ll reach out to Valentin. He’ll tell her what happened. Sasha says, if Willow won’t go to GH, she’ll take Willow home, but Willow insists she’s fine. Willow looks a little spacy, turns, and keels over, Sonny catching her. Obrecht says, lie her down and elevate her legs, and Sonny says, call 9-1-1. They put Willow on a chaise, and Obrecht asks if Willow can hear her.

Drew says, some of the Quartermaines voted to remove Valentin, and Carly says, some? Not all? He says, everyone except Ned, and she says, Ned sided with Valentin against his own family? That doesn’t make any sense. Ned was leading the charge to force Valentin out. Drew says, ultimately, he wasn’t happy with the plan to merge ELQ and Aurora. Ned felt that the role he and Michael offered him was beneath him. She says, but Drew and Michael worked so hard to ensure ELQ was back under Quartermaine control. Doesn’t Ned think the merger was good for the company? Drew says, they thought he’d come around. It was bad judgement on their part. She says, so Ned betrayed his family to serve his own ego, but that doesn’t mean Valentin had enough votes to stay in control. Who turned?

Michael tells Leo that he was just discussing a surprise for his Uncle Sonny with someone, and Leo says, Brook is mad at his dad, and he heard her talking to Granny Tracy. Michael isn’t sure Tracy likes being called that, and Leo asks, why not? Michael says he guesses it makes her feel old, and Leo says he has to talk to his mom. Michael suggests Leo give his mom and dad a minute, and he asks if his mom is mad at his dad too. Michael sits down and says, sometimes Quartermaines get mad at each other, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. Leo says, then why do they fight? and Michael says he guesses it’s in their nature. Leo says, like an instinct, and Michael says, they were born to be mad at each other, but still love each other. Leo says, okay, and tells Michael that he’d like to cut up some apples, but can’t do it on his own. Michael offers to help him, and they go inside.

Ned says, Olivia knows Michael and Drew were trying to put him out to pasture. Siding with Valentin was the only way he could stay in a position of power at the company. She says, his family’s company, and he says, yes, his family’s company, where Michael and Drew would have sidelined him if this merger had gone through. So what was he supposed to do? Just stand back and let it happen? She says, he was supposed to make a deal, and asks if he’s ever heard the word compromise, but he says, there was no compromising with Drew and Michael. They wanted him to do all the sacrificing, while they got everything they wanted. She tells him, she’s not saying they were right; she’s saying he has to look at the bigger picture. He says, which is? and she says, is it really worth alienating himself from all his loved ones?

Anna says, they’re having a private conversation, and Victor apologizes, saying, he didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Felicia says, didn’t he? but he says, no. He just heard his son’s name, and it caught his attention. Valentin comes in, and says, this is a surprise. Anna says, for everyone, and Valentin says, well, there are plenty of tables outside. It’s nice to see them. He starts to leave, but Victor suggests they make it a foursome.

Obrecht says, Willow’s breathing is steady and seems normal. Did she hit her head or sustain any injuries before she fell? Sonny says, no, at least not in his presence. Obrecht tell Nina to ask the bartender for a glass of juice, and Nina leaves. Willow opens her eyes, and asks, what happened? Obrecht tells her, lean back and rest. Does she remember what happened? Nina comes back with the juice (that was fast), and Willow says, no. Obrecht takes the juice, gives it to Willow, and says, drink up. She asks if Willow feels dizzy or lightheaded, but Willow says, no; she’s fine. Obrecht tells Sasha, Willow doesn’t need emergency care, but she should be examined at the hospital. Sasha asks if she needs an ambulance, but Willow says, no, and Obrecht agrees it’s not necessary. Sasha says she’s going to take Willow to GH, but Willow says, there’s really no need. She starts to get up, but sits back down, and Sonny tells her that she has to listen to the doctor unless she wants to stay here while Sasha calls for the ambulance. Willow says, fine, and Sonny helps her up and out of the MetroCourt.

Michael’s phone rings, and he asks Sasha if everything is okay. She tells him, Willow fainted at the MetroCourt pool. They’re taking her to GH. He says he’s on his way.

Valentin says, Anna and Felicia don’t want him and Victor intruding on their lunch, but Victor says, why not? Valentin and Anna are friends. Very close friends as he understands it. Felicia says, but he knows the old saying; two’s company, and four’s a nightmare. Victor suggests he and Valentin take a raincheck. He’s sure Valentin would rather catch up with his friends anyway. Valentin asks if he’s sure, and Victor says, of course (🍷). They can catch up later. Business can wait. He tells Anna and Felicia, ladies, always a pleasure, and leaves. Valentin says, that’s his father; can’t stop making decisions for other people. Do they want him to leave? Felicia says, no, join them… if it’s all right with Anna. Anna says, of course (🍷). She’d love to hear about this business Valentin has with his father.

Drew tells Carly, once Ned sided with Valentin, the votes were split right down the middle, and they had a tie-breaker. She says, Lucy, of course (🍷), and he says, she voted with Valentin. He remains CEO, and Ned is Chairman of the Board. She says, so Valentin promised Ned a more important role in the company in exchange for his vote. What about the merger? He says, the merger’s dead, and she says she’s sorry. She knows how badly he and Michael wanted this to happen. It can only strengthen ELQ. She can’t believe Ned is so blind. Drew says he’s not blameless here. He just assumed Ned would always side with the Quartermaines. He should have done more to assure that. She says, come on, no one saw this coming, but he says, Valentin did. He outmaneuvered them – again. He’d almost admire the guy if it wasn’t his family company. She asks what this means for Aurora.

Nina says she hopes Willow’s okay, and Obrecht says, it’s me, Liebchen. She doesn’t have to pretend she cares about that woman. Nina says she’s not a monster; that woman is Wiley’s mother. Obrecht says, adoptive mother who’s denying Nina visitation with her grandson. Nina says, it’s torture being kept from Wiley, but Sonny did remind her that one day Wiley will be able to make his own decisions about who he spends time with. Hopefully, Michael and Willow won’t totally brainwash him into hating her. Obrecht asks what she’ll do until that day comes, and Nina says she has a whole life to throw herself into. She doesn’t lack for distractions. Obrecht asks if one of those distractions is a certain mafioso? and Nina says, she’s so silly, and it almost sounds like Obrecht approves of her and Sonny. Obrecht says she approves of Nina being happy, and if Nina’s happiness means being with the man who hates her Scotty, she won’t make a fuss. Nina says, at least not much of one. Obrecht knows Nina wants her happiness too, right? Nina holds out her hand, and Obrecht takes it, saying, she knows. Nina says, then why did she turn down Scotty’s proposal?

TJ tells Epiphany, he took an MCAT prep course at PCU, and the instructor did a really good job at breaking down the hard subjects. She says, like physics? and he says, especially like physics. So he dug out the textbooks; he thought she could use them. She thanks him, and he says, the entire GH staff is pulling for her. He knows Portia is helping her, but if she needs anything, say the word. Sonny and Sasha come in with Willow between them, and Sasha says, they need help. Sonny tells them, Willow collapsed, and TJ sets up the wheelchair. Willow says, it’s not necessary, but he says, she collapsed a few months ago. Epiphany says, because she wasn’t eating, and Willow insists she’s eaten today; it’s not that. TJ says he’ll get her to an exam room and find out, and wheels her away. Sasha tells Sonny, Willow was out cold; what does he think it is? He says, TJ and Epiphany will find out. She’s going to be okay. Sasha says, he doesn’t know that. Bad things happen here. He says he knows she’s worried about Willow, but that seems like an overreaction. She says, every time she comes here, something terrible happens. Willow’s mom dying, losing her baby… He says he knows she’s going through a rough time, and he’s sorry, but maybe she should put her energy into supporting Willow. Thinking about what happened in the past isn’t going to… Michael walks in, and asks Sasha, where’s Willow? How is she?

Epiphany says, Willow’s blood pressure is 80 over 150, and Willow says, that’s pretty low, but she feels better. TJ asks if there have been any more fainting spells between now and three months ago, but Willow says, none. He says, any spells of weakness or dizziness? and she says, not really. He asks if she wants to be a bad patient or a good nurse. Come on. She says, four times in the past few months. Some lightheadedness, but it quickly passed. She figured it was stress. Between nursing school, being a good mom, and everything else she has going on in her personal life, it’s like she’s juggling hundreds of balls in the air, and she’s afraid to drop any of them. He says, that makes total sense, but this is her second time collapsing. He’s going to run some tests. He thinks stress might be a trigger, but doesn’t think it’s the cause.

Obrecht asks how Nina knew she’d turned down Scotty’s proposal, and Nina says, maybe Obrecht shouldn’t have said no in the middle of a busy nail salon with Lucy Coe present, and Obrecht says, the blabbermouth must have told Nina why she turned down Scotty’s proposal. Nina says, she did. She said Obrecht didn’t want to be staid or settled. Just explain how marrying Scotty would make her feel tied down. Obrecht says she’s an independent woman. She doesn’t need a man to make her feel complete. Nina says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t, but she thought Scotty made Obrecht’s life better, and Obrecht says, in many ways. Nina asks why Obrecht doesn’t make him a permanent part of it, and Obrecht says, he proposed on a whim, as a way to make up for upsetting her. She deserves more. Nina asks, what if Scotty proposed to her under the right circumstances? Would she say yes?

Valentin tells Anna, it’s not really business. His father has resumed his mission to keep family close. Anna says, Valentin was never interested in family bonding before, and he says he’s not; he’s pretending, to keep an eye on Victor. That was her suggestion. She says, it was. Good luck with that. He thanks her, and suggests they change the subject. Felicia says she’ll drink to that. Isn’t he glad he ran into them? They’re an upgrade from Victor, doesn’t he think? He says, he certainly does, and Felicia says, that’s her cue to get a refill. She goes to the counter, and Valentin asks how Anna has been. She says, since he saw her two nights ago? and he says he hasn’t stopped thinking about her. Does she think of him? She says, once or twice, and he asks if she wants to elaborate, but she tells him that she doesn’t think there’s anything else to say.

Ned tells Olivia, he’s thought this through, and yes, he’s part of the Quartermaine family, but she, Brook, and Leo are also part of his family, and he has to think about what’s best for their future. She says she doesn’t care about this company, but she cares about him and his relationships with his family. All the other Quartermaines voted to keep Valentin out. Does he know how rare it is for the Quartermaines to come together for a common purpose? He’s going to be the enemy that everyone is rallying together against. Is he really okay with that? He says, Michael and Drew left him no choice, but she says, he had a choice, and he made the wrong one. She doesn’t think he realizes how bad this is going to get for him. He says he can handle whatever Michael and Drew throw at him, and she says, they’re not his enemies, but his choices have made them his opponents. One day, he’s going to need his family, and they might not be there for him. He asks why he needs them when he has her, Brook, and Leo, and she asks if he doesn’t think his standing in this family affects Leo. Did he think about that, or does he just not care?

Drew tells Carly, news of the ELQ vote got out almost as soon as it happened, as well as news of an angel investor trying to inflate the stock value, so the shareholders left in droves. She says, so Aurora stock took a hit, and he says, a pretty big hit, yeah. She says, and the shares she bought? and he says he’s sorry. She likely took a pretty big hit as well. She says, he has no idea, and he says, she took a risk helping him and Michael. He’s going to help her. She says she thinks it’s a little late for that, and he says he’s not going to let her lose her house. She says, her house? and he says he’s assuming it’s one of the assets, but she says, it’s bigger than that. She sold her half of the MetroCourt.

Michael asks if Willow hurt herself, and Sasha says, she’s conscious, and being examined by Dr. Ashford. Sonny says, Willow walked in under her own power, and Michael asks why Sonny is involved. Did he say something to upset her? He doesn’t have time for this; he needs to see Willow. Sasha points the way, and he goes to the exam room.

Michael asks if Willow is okay, and she says she’s perfectly fine. Epiphany and TJ are being overly cautious because it’s the second time she’s fainted in the past several months. TJ says he’s running tests to find out the underlying cause. He tells Willow to rest, and he’ll let her know when the test results are back. He and Epiphany leave, and Michael asks who he’s going to believe; the doctor, or the woman he loves downplaying her health concerns? She says, he knows how doctors are, all doom and gloom. She should just record, I’m fine, into her phone, and hold it up when someone asks. He hugs her.

Sasha asks Epiphany, how’s Willow? and Epiphany tells her, all she can say is, she’s alert and being treated. Sasha says, promising, right? and Epiphany says, keep thinking good thoughts. She leaves, and Sonny asks if he can get Sasha anything, but she tells him, she’s good. She thanks him for his help, and says, sorry about Michael. She knows things have been rocky between them. He says, family’s family, and Willow is the mother of his grandson. She says, he always takes good care of his family; he’s been really good to Brando. It means a lot to him, to both of them, that Sonny was there for them when they lost Liam. He says, there’s nothing worse than losing a child, and she says she never realized you can lose what you love in an instant, but now she’s trying to focus on being grateful for what she does have. He says, that’s what you’ve got to do, and tells her that he has to go. She asks if he’s avoiding a confrontation with Michael, and he says, his son has enough to worry about right now. She says she hopes he knows, even though he and Michael aren’t getting along, Michael knows Willow is in good hands with Sonny, and Sonny says he hopes so, and leaves.

Valentin says, how about that second date? and Anna says, sure, but they didn’t make plans. He says, they can fix that, when Felicia returns, and asks what she missed. Anna says, Valentin was about to tell her about his ELQ shareholders meeting this morning, and he says, he’s still CEO of ELQ. Anna says, congratulations, and Felicia says, she can only imagine how the Quartermaines feel. He says, Ned knows he’s good for business, and the others will come around or they won’t, and Anna says, now that his tenure has been renewed, she supposes his schedule will be full. He says, he’ll always make time for her, and his phone rings. He says he’ll have to call her. This is business he can’t ignore. He leaves, and Felicia asks, what the hell was that about?  

Obrecht tells Nina, her relationship with Scotty is a new experience for her. He’s very different from Cesar and Victor. Nina says, because he’s not deranged? and Obrecht says, love was always a war of wills with those two. Nina says, Obrecht was obsessed with Faison, and Victor was obsessed with her. Obsession is not love. Obrecht says, with mein Scott it’s fun, and Nina says, it’s a first for Obrecht. Obrecht says, just like Sonny is a first for Nina. She’s never seen Nina lose her heart so completely before. Nina says, she’s not with Sonny; they’re taking it slow. Obrecht says, any slower, and they’ll be standing still. Nina says, falling in love with Mike… or just falling for Mike in Nixon Falls was unexpected. It was easy. They just hit it off. It hasn’t been quite the same thing with Sonny. Obrecht says, he came with baggage, which he has since shed. Don’t make the relationship more complicated than it has to be. Nina says, her history with romance hasn’t been very smooth, and Obrecht says, and her relationships with Cesar and Victor have been positively tortured. She thought all relationships were supposed to be difficult. Nina says, it’s easy with Scott, isn’t it? and Obrecht says, just like with Nina and Sonny. If she’d run from her feelings for Scotty, she’d still be with a narcissistic megalomaniac. Nina subtly points, and Obrecht turns around to see Victor.

Michael asks if Willow needs anything, and she says, what she needs is for him to stop worrying. He says, don’t think he hasn’t noticed how low energy she’s been lately, and she says she wonders why. He says, she was busy and preoccupied, but so are thousands of people who don’t pass out twice in a few months. She looks down, and he says, don’t tell him that she passed out more than twice, but she says, no, it’s not that. She kind of lied to TJ. She doesn’t remember eating breakfast. Michael says, and she told TJ she did? and she says, she had been taking better care of herself since the last time, but she had so many things on her mind. It’s possible she just forgot a meal, or two. He says she has to tell TJ, but she says he’ll just tell her to get some more rest; there’s nothing to worry about. So what’s the point? He tells her, okay. Whatever you say.

Carly says, her financial advisor is coming over to discuss her options, and Drew says, she sold half the hotel to invest in Aurora? She says, she has a contract to buy her half back, plus 3%, which would not have been a problem if the merger had happened, but it didn’t, so she doesn’t know what she’s looking at. He says, they’ll figure this out. We just need regroup, assess the situation, and find a solution. She says, there’s no we. She made the investment, and she’s the one on the hook for the losses. He says, she doesn’t have to be in this alone, he wants to help her, but she says, what if there’s nothing he can do? He puts his hand on her shoulder, and says, if there is anything he can do, he’s here to help her, even if it’s just someone to lean on; at least that’s something. Can she let him do that? She puts her hand on his, and says, she can.

Ned tells Olivia, of course (🍷) he cares. He would never do anything to hurt Leo, or her. She says, guess what? He did. He says, she just told him that she doesn’t care about the company, and she says she doesn’t. She cares about their marriage, and he kept her out of the loop. When she ran into him and Valentin at the stable, were the two of them plotting about this? He says, no. Valentin was there to try to convince Ned to vote with him, but he hadn’t made up his mind yet. She says, it didn’t occur to him to confide in her? How does he think that makes her feel? She’s his wife. Even when they disagree about things, she’s still on his side. He didn’t think he could trust her? He says, it wasn’t about trust, and she says, then what was it about? He made a promise; he said he was going to keep her in the loop. After everything that led to their separation… He promised they were going to be a team, and he kept her in the dark, and that’s not what a teammate does. They renewed their marriage vows because she really thought he’d changed for the better. He says if he’d realized how this would make her feel, he would have told her everything, and she says, you know what scares her? That he didn’t realize it. Leo comes in, and Olivia asks, what’s the matter? Is he okay? Ned asks if Leo hurt himself, and Leo says he messed up.

Anna tells Felicia, that was so abrupt. Valentin’s usually smoother than that. Felicia says she can’t figure out what was weirder; the part where he took off without making plans with Anna, or the part where he’s having lunch with Victor. Anna says, they’re equally weird, and Felicia says, Anna never did tell her about their date. Anna says, they had a lovely time, and Felicia says, details please. Anna says, he took her to a double-feature at a drive-in. They saw Notorious and Casablanca. Felicia says, espionage and intrigue. They must have felt right at home. Anna says, they kind of did, and Felicia says, please tell her they made out in the front seat and missed half the movie, but Anna says she’d never tell Felicia that. Felicia says she’ll take that as a yes, and they did agree to make plans, right? Anna says, yeah, but as Felicia witnessed, they didn’t firm up those plans. Felicia says, Valentin did just solidify his position as CEO of ELQ, and that company is never without its drama. Anna says, that’s true, but her gut tells her, something else besides ELQ is going on.

Obrecht asks what Victor is doing there. She thought vampires burst into flame when touched by daylight. Victor chuckles, and asks her to promise never to lose her wonderful sense of humor. As for why he’s here, he’s here for a business meeting, so he thought he’d come by the pool and relax for a while. In a suit? Sonny has come in, and Obrecht tells Nina that she can handle Victor; enjoy herself. Nina tells Victor, if he harms a hair on her Aunt Liesl’s head… He says he promises to leave Aunt Liesl as pristine as he found her, and Nina joins Sonny. Victor relaxes on the chaise next to Obrecht, and she says she didn’t invite him to join her. He says he heard a rumor that her ambulance chaser proposed to her, and she turned him down, and she says, this is his business because…? He says, because it signals to him that he wasn’t not wrong hold out hope all this time. There’s still a chance for them to be together.

Sonny tells Nina that Willow is resting comfortably, and TJ ran some tests and is waiting for the results. She says she’ll keep her fingers crossed that Willow’s okay. Did he see Michael? He says, can they… Yeah. Michael wasn’t too happy to see him. She says, if he hadn’t been there to catch Willow, she could have been injured. Michael should be grateful he was there. Sonny says, can they not talk about Michael, just for one second? and she says, okay. What does he want to talk about? He says, can we just talk about us? and smiles, working those dimples.

Carly tells financial advisor Reggie to cut to the chase; what are her options? Drew says he’ll give them some privacy, but Carly tells him to stay. She wants him to hear this. Reggie tells her, Stillwater Venture Group is exercising their option to sell her half of the hotel. She says she has 30 days to pay the loan, but Reggie says, she could sell off all her investments, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

Willow asks, what happened when she left the house? and Michael says, things got ugly. She asks if Ned tried to justify voting with Valentin, and he says, Ned just came up with the same old excuses. She says, it was good for business, it’s what’s best for his family… and Michael says, don’t worry. He and Drew are going to come up with a strategy to turn things around. He tells her that she looks cold, and goes to get her a blanket. She leans back and closes her eyes, when TJ comes in. He asks if she’s feeling dizzy, but she says she was just resting her eyes. Any news from the lab? He says he got the results of one of her tests

Drew says, there has to be something Carly can do to hang on to the MetroCourt, but Reggie says, she doesn’t have the capital to buy the hotel back. Drew says, so they raise the money, and Carly says, they have 30 days. Reggie says, Stillwater doesn’t have to wait the full 30 days. If Carly can’t demonstrate solvency – and she can’t – they have the option to sell as soon as they find a buyer.  Carly says, so she’s going to lose the MetroCourt?

Olivia cleans Leo up, and Leo says he wanted to feed Comet. Michael helped him cut the apples up. She asks if Michael helped him feed Comet, but he shakes his head, and says, Comet looked like he wanted to be brushed, but no one was around to help. He got a stool, and he fell. Ned says, they obviously need to hire a new stable manager as soon as possible, and Olivia asks, why didn’t Leo come and get her and Ned? Leo says, she was mad at dad, and he didn’t want to bother them. She hugs him and says, he would never bother them. He can always come get her or Ned. Ned says, it doesn’t matter what Leo thinks is going on between him and Leo’s mother; Leo comes first. They’ll always make time to help him. Olivia says, they’re a family. They’re Quartermaines, and Quartermaines stick together. Leo says, even when you’re mad? and Ned says, even when we’re mad.

Obrecht asks Victor, how many stars are in the universe? and he says, billions. She says, those are the odds of them getting back together, but he says, come now. In her heart of hearts, she knows that blathering Mr. Baldwin could never satisfy her. She says, but he does, and Victor says, she believes he makes her happy now, but she’s a woman of the world. She has degrees in academic fields that courtroom clown can’t even pronounce. That’s why she turned him down. She’s leagues ahead of him. She tells him, leave, before she makes him exit from the roof. He says, she can deny it all she wants, but she know she’ll always carry a torch for him… as he for her. They belong together. He leaves, and she looks a little wistful.

Nina tells Sonny, all right. Why does he want to talk about them? He says, maybe talk isn’t the right word, and she says, okay. What does he have in mind? He says, her, and kisses her.

Anna tells Felicia, Valentin got a text the other night while they were on their date, and he reacted exactly the same way; he was so flustered. Felicia says, interesting, but Anna says, maybe it’s nothing. Felicia says, don’t downplay her. Anna has good instincts. She knows it’s probably something. Anna asks if that’s a pep talk, and Felicia says, she’s just validating Anna’s instincts. And whatever Valentin is up to, it has nothing to do with his feelings for Anna. Anna asks, what makes her say that? and Felicia says she could see it in his face just now; he’s crazy about her. Anna says, she’s crazy about him too, but she can’t ignore the fact he brings a lot of complications with him. Felicia says, Victor? and Anna says, yeah. And as long as Valentin’s in her life, so is his father, and that’s the man she thinks is responsible for murdering Luke. Felicia says, you and me both, but Valentin is not his father. Anna says, but family ties are hard to break.

Victor knocks at Valentin’s hotel room door, and Valentin says, long time, no see. Victor apologizes for the change in location, but they couldn’t very well discuss their business in front of Anna and Felicia. Valentin says, it wouldn’t do for them to catch on to their plans, and invites Victor in.

Sasha sees Michael at the hospital, and asks, how’s Willow? He says, she knows Willow. She says she’s fine, but can Sasha tell him anything more about her collapse? Sasha says, she didn’t look well at the pool. She was upset about what happened at the Quartermaines? Next thing Sasha knew, she passed out. He thanks her for being there for Willow, but she says, actually, it was Sonny who caught Willow before she hit the ground. He brought her into the hospital; he was very worried about her. Michael asks if Willow told Sasha anything about how she’s been feeling, and Sasha says, she insists that she ate. He says, well, she lied. Willow told him that she didn’t remember if she ate or not. Sasha says, that’s not good, and when Willow tries not to worry him, the more worried he gets. He says, exactly, and this is the second time she collapsed. He’s trying not to get too dark about it… Sasha says, it’s hard, and he says, what if something is really wrong with her?

Willow tells TJ, don’t make her wait. What do the test results say? He says he can’t make a definitive diagnosis until all of her results are back, but this could explain why she fainted. She says, is it serious? and he says, in a good way. She’s pregnant.

I’d actually thought that was a possibility, but she looked so God-awful, I figured it must be some horrible illness.

Tomorrow, Trina tells Curtis that she has to do something now; Sam tells Spinelli that he’s not going anywhere; and Britt says, if Spencer doesn’t leave in 20 seconds, she’s throwing him out.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Garcelle meets up with friend Sheree (not of the She by), who was married to Will Smith, and has a son with him. We see a clip of Sheree and son Trey, and Sheree tells Garcelle that she and Will have no relationship outside of that with Trey. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, she and Will dated after the divorce, but she didn’t know Sheree then. She tells Sheree that she and Will set the t one for co-parenting; even though they’re not together, they’re still family. She wanted to mirror that with her own situation. We see a clip of Garcelle with Mike and the kids, and in her interview, she says, she raised the boys with Mike, and feels they’re in a good place. That’s all she wants. She tells Sheree that she’s excited about her birthday. She wants to go all out, dance, and have her friends there. Son Oliver is flying in. Sheree thinks it’s going to be a fabulous time, and Garcelle thinks there won’t be any drama. Did she forget which show she was on?  

Crystal makes a cooking video for Instagram. Her brother Jeff is visiting, and Rob gets home after being away for a while. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Jeff was in China releasing an album. It’s great he’s home. Rob tells them about meeting with the publisher of a children’s book, How Winston Delivered Christmas, that they’re turning into a film. He jokes around, pronouncing Norfolk like Norf***, and insisting that’s the correct way to say it. In her interview, Crystal tells us, she always says she has four kids, including Rob. Rob wants to hear about Mexico, and Crystal says, it was challenging, but everything worked out. Rob asks how Diana did, and Crystal says, it was like her first trip. We flash back to her perceived violation, and she says, Diana just went through a miscarriage, and it was hard on her; she wanted to leave a few times. She learned that when you jab at Diana, it turns nuclear.

Kyle bastes a turkey, so I assume it’s around Thanksgiving. Or they have one hell of a spread on Sundays. Kyle tells Mauricio that it’s going to be Garcelle’s birthday, and the guys are coming. He asks, who else is going? and Kyle says she guesses Diana isn’t coming. She sent Diana text on Sunday, telling her to rest up for Garcelle’s party. She wrote back in a group text, saying it’s not something she would normally talk about this way, but her doctor has her on bed rest. She had continued bleeding after her miscarriage and four major surgeries to save her uterus. This isn’t a thing she’d normally do in a group text, but… In Garcelle’s interview, she reads, Garcelle – misspelled – might think I’m rude. So there it is. Kyle tells Mauricio, it’s super awkward.

Erika is doing a photo shoot, and in her interview, she says, she’s proud to be back in business with Pretty Mess. It’s a great distraction from the heavy stuff. There were moments when she wondered how she’d pull herself out. There were a lot of people she did business with, but the phone wasn’t ringing. No one was going to magically save her. She had a special connection to her grandmother; she was tough, but big hearted. She tells her crew that it used to embarrass her how her grandmother would pull over to take a chair from the side of the road. But then she would reupholster it, and it would be stunning. She was beyond creative, and also loved the garden. In Erika’s interview, she says, her grandmother helped her move to L.A.; they drove cross country together. She digs out a letter she’d written to her grandmother: Hi. I love you. I’m never coming back. She knows if she could talk to her grandmother, she’d say not to give up the fight. She’d be whooping Erika’s ass.

Sutton visits Dorit, and says she needs a vacation from the vacation. I know the feeling, but that’s because I had too much fun, not because I was having a screaming match. Dorit introduces mom Rachel to Sutton, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, after the break-in, she knew she had to call her family. She grew up with a strong sense of family, and they’ve stayed close. We see a clip of Rachel giving Dorit a piece of her grandmother’s jewelry, and Dorit says, her mother worries about everything, yet when her grandmother had a heart attack in a plane, Rachel looked after her. Dorit thought she would have crumbled under the pressure, but she took full control. Dorit asks how Sutton is feeling about Diana, and Sutton says she’s not happy. On the plane back, it was like trying to sit at the cool kids’ table, when she was told, no, go to her original seat. She thinks it was punishment. Diana got in the crossfire – we flash back to that – and Sutton apologized immediately. Diana seemed fine with it. Dorit says, Diana hurt Sutton’s feelings, and Sutton says, she thought everything was okay. In her interview, Dorit says, Diana told her to wherever she wanted. Sutton refers to Diana’s text, where she said it was so Garcelle doesn’t think she’s rude, and Dorit says, Garcelle’s birthday party is coming up. She wonders if Diana is going to be  there. Sutton says, she was watching Diana, and thought she was gentle, but now she wonders if Diana is a sniper. Thanks for the plane. Next time she’ll get her own.

Garcelle tells the family about the cast of The Real bringing out balloons and a video, and Oliver surprising her by coming out with flowers. We see a clip of that, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, seeing where Oliver is now, is everything. She’s seen him struggle over the years, and to see happy and thriving now, she’s proud of him. She goes upstairs with her tailor Eliseo to get her dress fitted for the party.

Sutton calls Kyle, who says, Denise is coming, but she’s guessing Diana’s not coming. Sutton said she’d sent Diana a text to be nice, and Diana said see you tonight, but she doesn’t want to make a mountain out of molehill.

Garcelle’s cake looks like a Birkin bag, and I want to eat the handles. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it’s adorable, but she’d rather wear one than eat one. Garcelle arrives, looking spectacular in a white off-the-shoulder dress, and Diana comes in shortly after. In Diana’s interview, she says, she think Garcelle believes she’s a diva, but she wants to honor Garcelle’s birthday, so no one can call her rude. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, she thinks there’s a language barrier. Maybe her doctor didn’t say bed rest, but take a nap. She’s happy the bitch has rallied. Diana presents Garcelle with a copy of her Room 23 book, surrounded by flowers, and tells Garcelle that she even signed it. In her interview, Diana says, the book is sold out; it’s a very limited edition. She gave Garcelle one of her copies. It’s very special. In her interview, Garcelle says, it would be nicer to get a bag, but she’ll take the book. On Sutton’s interview, she says, Diana is on her deathbed, and two days later, she’s ready to party. Maybe Jesus came. He still heals. Erika tells Crystal that her legal problems are far from over, but she’s feeling better. Garcelle tells Kyle that Kathy sent her a cake, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, she doesn’t have a Birkin. She can’t wrap her head around paying that much for a bag. Mama needs a Birkin. She tells Erika, if she can’t have the bag, she’ll have the cake, and we find out the cake is $500, which is more than I’d pay for a bag. Crystal says, Garcelle is manifesting, and Garcelle introduces Sheree around. Diana points out that her Birkin was $250K, and in her interview, she says, when there were fires in Malibu, she had a trunk of Birkins, Banksys, and diamonds. Sheree says she thinks 2020 was bad for everyone, but there was also a spiritual awakening. She made peace with her vagina. Crystal (I think) asks if she was at war with it. Erika brings up Pantygate of all things. Just when you think you won’t hear about something again… PK arrives on cue, but wisely leaves pretty quickly.  

Diana tells Kyle and Mauricio that she doesn’t do jabs; she brings the bazookas. Kyle mentions Diana telling Sutton to sit in her assigned seat on the plane, and Diana says, in her phone, Sutton is Bacon Eating Vegetarian. She’s learned it’s better to take a breath, since she wants to come on like destruction. Mauricio suggests she take it slower, and Diana says, understand where they’re coming from… then you kill. It’s cake cutting time, and afterward everyone dances and acts stupid, and Diana tells everyone what her bag is worth again. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Rob loves to dance. Their friends call him Hip-Hop Rob. Kyle does the splits, and in her interview, she tells us, every time she says she’s never going to do the splits again, something happens. She has other tricks up her sleeve; she just hasn’t pulled them out yet. She can wrap her leg around the back of her neck, but that costs money.

Sutton asks to talk to Diana, and they sit on a loveseat. Sutton says she wanted to check on Diana, since she was on bed rest. Diana says she still is, and in her interview, she says, obviously, Sutton thinks highly of herself to think Diana owes her something. Does she want to see a doctor’s note? Um… I think she’s reading way too much into this. Diana says she lost a baby 12 weeks ago, and Sutton says she’s had two miscarriages, but Diana says, it’s more than that. Fake doesn’t work with her. Bring it on. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s done being nice. Get ready to meet a different person. It’s a new game. Sutton says, this isn’t a conversation, and Diana says she’s Bosnian, and doesn’t respond to yelling. Sutton tells her, she said she was sorry, but Diana says, she’s not sorry. Sutton is the fakest person she’s ever met, and she’s boring. She’ll forgive everything but boring. She regrets talking to Sutton and Garcelle on the boat, and talking about a painful memory. We flash back to Diana talking about her brother being killed, and in her interview, she says, she tried to open up on the boat. Sutton talks a lot, but Diana doesn’t think she listens; she doesn’t have empathy. Sutton says, Diana talking about her brother resonated with her, and in Sutton’s interview, she says she’s not fake. She doesn’t have fake anything. Diana’s fake, so okay, projection. Kyle plops down on another loveseat, and Sutton says she wants to talk to Diana one-on-one. Garcelle joins them, and asks, what’s happening? Diana says she told Sutton that she was boring. Rude, isn’t she? Garcelle tells her, she said that because Dorit was trying to engage, and Diana shut her down. Diana has a chip on her shoulder that they have nothing do with it. Sutton says, this is a different Diana. Bed rest did her good. I laugh. I have sympathy for Diana, if all that did happen to her, but it’s no excuse for her acting like some bizarre queen. When they come in swinging, I always wonder if they want screen time. And the way she talks about being Bosnian is the way Sophie talks about being Polish on 2 Broke Girls. All roads lead there.

Diana calls Sutton a bacon eating vegetarian for the 452nd time, and Garcelle asks what that has to do with it; it’s stupid. Does Sutton show a lack of integrity because she likes bacon? Kyle suggests they reassess the situation, and Sutton says, she was having a calm conversation. She said she was sorry about Diana being on bed rest. Diana says, Sutton should apologize for being fake, and Garcelle says, that’s a sh*tty thing to say. Diana just met Sutton. Sutton puts her hand on Diana’s knee, and Diana says, don’t touch her. Garcelle says, wow, which prompts Diana to ask if Garcelle is Sutton’s bodyguard. She knows Sutton is frail… Garcelle says, Diana is being mean, and Diana says she is. Garcelle says, she’s not doing this, and gets up. She says, this is her birthday, and her kids are here. She leaves, and in her interview, she says, Diana seemed sophisticated and worldly. This is not a good look. As she walks away, she says, what a bitch.

Sutton says, she’s done here. Diana is an a-hole, and she’s got Diana’s number. Diana says she gave it to Sutton. Garcelle goes to sit with Erika and the others, and Erika orders another margarita. Garcelle asks if they noticed anyone missing… Denise. Erika says, she told Garcelle, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she stood up for Denise, and her not showing up hurt her feelings. Erika tells Garcelle that she said Denise would never show. Denise isn’t a friend to her. Garcelle says she’s good, and Erika says, if she’s not, she’s a punk ass. F*** her ass. In her interview, Garcelle says, calm down. Where did I told you so come from? She doesn’t think Erika ever said that. Sutton and Diana go back and forth with some really stupid nyah-nyah, no, you stuff, and Diana says she gave birth to a dead baby. She asks Sutton if it’s too much information, and Sutton says she has empathy. How dare Diana question that? Diana says, Sutton has no empathy, and Sutton says, Diana is soulless. For whatever reason, this freaks Kyle out, and she tells Sutton that she can’t say that. Diana says, they need a new villain? Here she is. What did I say about screen time?

To be continued…

🙃 Alrighty Then…

It’s been a long night, but come back tomorrow for some fresh-as-a-daisy soap and some Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay sociable outside of social media, and stay knowing being mad at someone doesn’t mean you don’t love them. (Just don’t get mad on the Quartermaine scale.)

Jun29

June 28, 2022 – Last Minute Meeting, Winners, Soap Spin-Off Anniversary, Sailing Reunion Minus Ashley, Ex-Wives, Eva’s Take & Floor

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

And get this, they were supposed to be taking a break until after July 4th, but decided to squeak in one more. Pfft!

GENERAL HOSPITAL Is Preempted Nationally Today

🏆 Close Enough…

Not exactly a sweep, but GH cleaned up pretty well at the Daytime Emmys. And bravo! to Jeff Kober for winning Outstanding Supporting Actor for the second time!

Daytime Emmys 2022: The Winners!

Behind-the-scenes.

Backstage at the 2022 Daytime Emmys!

🧛🏻‍♂️ And It Feels So Good…

I loved this show! It was so weird, and vampire Caleb was the best. Every once in a great while GH gives it a nod.

Don’t Miss the PORT CHARLES 25th Anniversary Reunion!

Below Deck Sailing Yacht – The Reunion

Andy welcomes us to the Season 3 Reunion, and thinks this is the first Reunion group that’s actually happy to see each other. He introduces Parsifal III’s Captain Glenn. Gary is next, sporting his detestable man bun, followed by Daisy, who’s in her London apartment. We find out Gary is also in Daisy’s apartment, and Daisy says, he literally arrived ten minutes ago. Andy says, the question is, when is he leaving? and Gary says he’s been there for a week. Daisy says, afterward, they’re having a celebratory drink, and he’ll be on his way. Colin is in Costa Rica; Marcos is in his car in L.A.’s Koreatown; Gabriela is in St. Thomas, the US Virgin Islands, which gives Andy major FOMO; and Kelsie is in San Diego. Andy introduces the crew members who are used to joining after everyone else, Scarlett and Barnaby. The closed captions say he’s a d*ck hand, and I’m sure that was on purpose, but wouldn’t necessarily be wrong had it been Gary. Andy says, it was a great season, and while we saw all sides of Ashley, we won’t be seeing her today, since she’s a no-show. I quickly Tweet that she’s a coward, and Tom says he spoke with her yesterday. She said she doesn’t need this in her life, and she’s not interested in taking part. I interpret this to mean, I’m a coward who can’t face what a sh*thead I am. Gary says, when you sign up, you know there’s going to be a Reunion, and Andy says, he sensed she wasn’t thrilled with how the show turned out. Marcos suggests she’s busy, and Daisy says, they’re all busy; cut the bloody bullsh*t. Andy says, just because you don’t show up, doesn’t mean we can’t talk about you, so diving in… He asks how Gary’s love life is, and Gary says, Daisy? Andy tells us, Gabriela is now dating deckhand Wes, and she says they met on Instagram. He was in St. Thomas, and she knew he had a boat. She asked if he planned to sail, and they fell in love. A viewer commends Colin on going public about girlfriend Silvia, and Colin says, they’ve decided to go their separate ways. D’oh! Andy tells us that Colin is back on the market, and I hope if Colin is still single next season, he doesn’t disappoint me by acting like Gary. Andy asks Scarlett, who was the most welcoming besides Gary and his magic tongue (yuk)? and Scarlett says, everyone was great, even though there was a lot of tension.

Andy says, Marcos pulled off a rare feat; he got along with the chief stew, and the guests loved his food. He rarely lost his cool, but he did lose a piece of his head. We revisit Marco’s season on Deck, and Andy says he assumes everyone is trying to hire Marcos now. Marcos says his life is crazy. He opened a restaurant in downtown L.A., a bar, then another L.A. restaurant in Koreatown. He also has a contract with UCLA, and he’s cooking for 1600 people. Andy says, he’s booked and blessed, and we flash back to Marcos’s accident. A viewer asks about guest Charles, who said he could get better food in a ballpark, and Marcos says, Charles was lucky they were on camera. Andy asks Colin which of Marcos’s meals most impressed him, and Colin says, the molecular gastronomy. He was there for most of it, and he’d never seen that before. A viewer asks for Gabriela to shine a light on her relationship with Marcos, and she says she thinks she just rubbed Marcos the wrong way from night one. They kept their distance from each other, and although they had a couple of great conversations where they connected, most of the time, they avoided one another; it was kind of awkward. Marcos agrees 100%, and Andy asks if Marcos apologized for throwing Daisy on Gabriela in the pool. Gabriela says, Daisy accidently kneed her in the face, but she doesn’t think Marcos knew. Andy asks if that’s why Gabriela got so upset, and Gabriela says she was kneed in the face, then hit in the head with a floatie, but she was laughing until Marcos said she was a problem. Andy asks if they sorted things out, and Marcos says, they’ve talked and it’s all good, but I’m not so sure from the look on Gabriela’s face. Andy asks if they’d work together again, and they agree that’s a no. He asks Glenn if Marcos is one of the best chefs he’s worked with, and Glenn says, he’s a legend. He pushes hard, but can hold it together; he’s an amazing chef. Andy asks about Marco’s dating life, and if it’s going down in his DMs, and Marcos says he doesn’t want to go there. But he does, and says he gets naked photos, marry me, and cook for me, and now he has to go cook. I assume not for one of the DMers.

Andy tells us that Gary had a complicated web of boatmances; locking lips with four stews. We flash back to that, as well as the Ashley and Tom debacle. Andy asks Tom if it was Ashley’s tatas that drew him in, and gets a yes. Andy asks Daisy if she wishes she’d given Ashley some advice, but Daisy says she was shocked, and never would have predicted it. Next time, she’ll give everyone a warning. Andy asks if Colin has ever tried to stop Gary, or is it personal entertainment for him? Colin thinks the girls just flocked to Gary this season. He studied the show, and watched how Gary does it. He floods them with compliments, and they get weak in the knees. Gary says, they kissed him, and Daisy tells him, piss off. Gabriela says, not her, but Gary says he begs to differ. Kelsie says she’s the only smart one, and Andy asks if Daisy doesn’t remember them kissing. Daisy says she kissed everyone; it’s not that big a deal. Andy asks what Glenn’s reaction is to Gary and Daisy making out, and Glenn says he’s not surprised; there’s obviously something going on. Andy asks if Daisy regrets kissing Gary, and Gary takes out his earbuds. She says she did for a long time, but time passes, and they’re good friends. She wishes she remembered, since it looked great. She has no regrets.

A viewer asks what Gabriela thought of Ashley’s cringeworthy pursuit of Gary, and Gabriela says she thinks Gary likes a chase. He likes flirting and a chase, and Ashley came on too strong. Gary says, she’s correct, and another viewer says, even though Ashley was a real a-hole, it was no excuse for Tom to berate her and throw a drink at her. Tom agrees that you should never treat anyone like that, especially a woman. Although there was an element of comedy to it, he would take it back if he could. Daisy says, Tom was massively gaslit by Ashley and Gary, but Tom says he shouldn’t have been drinking the way he was. Andy asks how Tom was gaslit by Gary, and Daisy says, Gary told him it was just an innocent massage. Gary is old enough to know, there are no innocent massages. He was making fun of Tom, saying he was crazy; it was just an innocent massage. Tom thanks her for being supportive, and Gary says he didn’t see it the same way, but maybe he should think more. Tom says, when he and Ashley hooked up, it was because she wasn’t getting anywhere with Gary. She was so drunk, she was going to get what she wanted from someone; it didn’t matter who he was. He thinks she was just bored, but Daisy says she doesn’t agree. She thinks Ashley was making a point. Kelsie says she agrees with both of them. She thinks Ashley was jealous, but she’d also expressed that she could separate intimacy from a relationship. She threw Tom under the bus pretty fast when the boat was dragging. Gary says, what about Tom’s feelings? and Daisy says, that’s what she was saying about being gaslit. Jealousy is a nasty trait, and some handle it better than others. A viewer asks if Gabriela regrets kissing Gary, and why did she tell Daisy that she touched Gary’s weenie? Gabriela says she doesn’t regret having a good time, and her words came out like word vomit to Daisy; she had to tell someone. Daisy says she didn’t need to know, and everyone needs to stay away from Gary’s penis. Tom mentions that he has to watch this with his family.

Once again, Andy welcomes us back, even though we’re not the ones who went anywhere. He says, Kelsie has the distinction of being the only woman who didn’t kiss Gary, and asks if she feels left out. She says, no. She and Gary have an amazing relationship that’s strictly a friendship, and she wants to keep it that way. Andy announces that Mary from Wantagh has the million dollar question. No offense, but what do all the women see in Gary that makes them want to be with him? She’s sorry, but Colin is hotter. I couldn’t have said it better myself, and Andy asks them to tell him about the allure of Gary. He’s curious. He’s never met Gary in person. Gary says, Andy would fall head over heels for him, and Scarlett says, Gary was lighthearted, and she was drawn to how she felt with him. Daisy says, it was a win-win for Gary, since there was no competition. (Reminder: Colin was in a relationship during the season.) Andy asks how tall Gary is, and Gary says he gets asked that a lot. His IMDb says he’s 5’3”, but he’s 5’ 8”. Daisy says he compensates with his personality, and Gary insists he’s not short. Gabriela says, Gary has the confidence to flirt with everyone, and casts a wide net. Andy tells him that Daisy said he had a small weenie, and Daisy says she’s heard that a lot from multiple people… She’s joking. It was a low blow because she was pissed. He had small d*ck energy, and she was annoyed. The girls were fighting, she thought he was more to blame, and she was being mean. Andy asks, what about Gary’s weenie freaks her out, and she says, it’s been a lot of places. Gary wiggles his pinky, and she says, she needs to know where her car’s been; how many miles are on it. Andy says, Gary’s hook-up with Ashley got everyone talking. From many viewers’ perspectives, he was sexually assaulted. Gary says, to be honest, he and Ashley aren’t friends, but in her defense, he didn’t think anything of it. He thinks people are being harsh, and feels they should leave Ashley alone. Andy says, that’s not how it seemed, and if their situations were reversed, it would be quite serious. Gary says he understands that, but can’t stress enough to leave her alone. Daisy asks him to clarify that Ashley didn’t assault her, and Gary says, she didn’t. When fans reacted, he’d sent her a message apologizing, and telling her not to take anything too hard.

A viewer asks Gary, who’s the better kisser? and he says, Colin. Andy asks if Scarlett bought it when Ashley said she wasn’t interested in Gary, and Scarlett said, Ashley told her that she was over it. We flash back to Ashley’s bullsh*t, and Scarlett says, from day one. Ashley made it clear she wasn’t interested, but she was hearing things from everyone. She was new, and she had no background. Daisy says, that’s why she was frustrated; it wasn’t jealousy. She was concerned because of what happened with Sydney and Ali. They weren’t going to admit they were jealous, so their outlet was to behave badly. When she saw Ashley getting drunk, she saw herself. She’d done all this, and jealousy makes people nasty; it’s not a good trait. Andy asks how Scarlett felt when she overheard Ashley saying, nobody’s special. We flash back to Ashley saying, nobody’s special and it’s hilarious to her, and Scarlett says, there was so much talking behind her back. She wishes she’d been talked to directly. Andy asks if she thinks Gary led Ashley on, but Scarlett doesn’t think so. Gabriela says she was told Gary would flirt with anything or anyone, but flirting doesn’t mean he’s leading someone on. He told Ashley that he wasn’t interested, so how was he leading her on? Kelsie disagrees, and Daisy says, you have to be careful who you flirt with. People have feelings, and some aren’t as strong as others. Gary protests, but she says, he was the grown-up in the situation, and he was flirting with someone not mature enough to handle it. Colin agrees, and Andy points out that in the Shag-Marry-Kill game, all the women chose him to marry. Colin wonders what that means, and Andy says he thinks it’s good, but Colin says, no one ever wants to bang him, just marry him. Andy says, they all wanted to kill Gary, and Daisy says, if they marry Colin, they get to bang him for the rest of their lives. Andy asks if Daisy’s three-year dry streak has ended, but she says, it was a joke. He asks what her reaction is to Gary saying she’d be a good shag, and she says she’d be a fabulous shag. A viewer asks why Gary was after Daisy this season, and Gary says, if you watch Season 2, you can see he’s always had a soft spot for her and was attracted to her, which is weird to say, since they’re in the same space. He thinks Daisy is gorgeous and a superstar. Andy asks Scarlett if she thinks Daisy has a thing for Gary, but Scarlett says, she thinks they have a great friendship, and love each other as it is. Andy asks who thinks Gary and Daisy will hook up tonight, and Gabriela thinks they should start now. Gary runs into the other room, and grabs Daisy, causing her wine glass to fall, spilling wine on her and smashing the glass. Gary says, love makes you do crazy things, and Andy says, they’re electric. Viewer Vonda asks when Gary is going to realize he’s in love with Daisy, and he says, perhaps there’s some truth in that. Daisy says, whatever, and Andy asks for a show hands from who thinks they should hook up, amending it to make love when everyone except Gary raises their hand. Gary raises his, and Andy says, Gary is optimistic, and in her apartment.

Andy moves on to Tom, who almost puked on his boss on night one. However, that wasn’t his rock bottom, and things got much worse, We flash back to the anchor dragging because Tom wasn’t paying attention; Colin saying in his interview, that it’s 100 times worse than hitting the dock; and Glenn saying he knows Tom wasn’t purposely negligent, but he has to let him go. Andy asks if the make-out session with Ashley was worth it, but Tom says, it was literally 30 seconds. He says, of course he understands it’s his fault, but at the time, he went into self-defense mode. Now that he’s had the time to look back, he’s spoken to everyone, and takes full responsibility. Andy asks what Glenn’s reaction to Tom and Ashley’s canoodling was, and Glenn says he figured it was something like that. He thinks if Tom had been less defensive, it might have gone differently, but he knew there had to be a major distraction; you can feel the conditions change when anchor is being dragged. Andy asks if after Tom puked the first night, Glenn questioned not having his own captain’s quarters, and Glenn says he would love that, but they don’t have enough cabins. He wasn’t upset about it, and was glad Tom had the good sense to cut himself off before it became an issue. Andy asks if being a man down was better than Tom staying, and Glenn says he couldn’t keep Tom on, thinking it might happen again. How would he answer to the insurance company, his boss, and the guests if it happened a second time. He can’t take a chance like that. Andy asks Barnaby if he thinks Tom deserved the boot, and Barnaby says, you can’t stay on the same boat after that; you’ve got to be cut and start again. Andy asks the deckhands if Gary is a good manager despite his drinking and messy hook-ups. He wonders if that made them look differently at Gary, and Kelsie says, Gary is sensitive, but fun. She learned to adapt to his moods. It’s not always fair, but she’s used to doing it in a male dominated industry, and Gary is a very hard worker, and Barnaby says he feels like they’re friends who work together, and Gary tells him what to do. If Gary was busting him all day, it wouldn’t be the same. Glenn says, there’s off the clock and on the clock. When the crew is on, they’re professional, and when they’re off, they have fun, and he sees all of it. He thinks Gary does an amazing job of running the deck. Andy asks what Gary’s response is to Tom saying he was set up for failure, and we flash back to that. Gary says, it blew him away. He was shocked, and had to reflect on himself. Tom says, at the time, he was acting on emotions, and didn’t want to admit he messed up. But he’s grown and understands that he didn’t take responsibility’ Gary wasn’t setting him up. He was immature, and didn’t realize he had some growing up to do, and has to learn from his mistakes.

Andy says, Gabriela traded healing at sea for personal healing on land, and we flash back to the asshat that is Ashley. Andy asks what annoyed Gabriela the most about her, and Gabriela says, Ashley didn’t learn from or take direction from her. He asks Daisy why she made Gabriela second stew, and if she regrets it. Daisy says, it was mainly her age, since age gives more life experience. She has no regrets, but she’s learned that to some people a title means something. She’s not competitive, and doesn’t care as long as she gets paid and has fun (a woman after my own heart). Gary wonders if they needed titles, but Ashley was still under Gabriela and was deliberately disobedient. He wouldn’t have deckhand under him like that. Andy asks if Daisy thinks the relationship with Ashley was one reason for Gabriela’s departure, and Daisy says, she wasn’t involved with that, but thinks it’s a small element to the vast scale of what was happening. Gabriela thanks Gary for his support, and says, it was a one-sided competition with Ashley. Gabriela wasn’t competing; she was just trying to do her job. Ashley undermined her and poisoned her well of feelings. She felt justified in leaving after seeing how intense Ashley’s hate campaign was. She had no clue, and then saw Ashley tried to do the same thing to Scarlett, and felt validated. She’s not imagining things or making it up when she sees Ashley tried to do it to someone else. Andy asks if Daisy saw anything on the show that made her feel differently, and Daisy says she’s a strong woman with strong opinions. She was never influenced by Ashley, and only saw it all after she watched the show. Post-show, she was more disappointed in Ashley, but Ashley had never spoken badly about Gabriela to her. She was fine with how Gabriela was managing, and told Ashley to suck it up and get over it. Andy asks Gabriela, if Ashley hadn’t  been targeting her, would she have left?

Gabriela says she doesn’t think the experience she had was good, and thinks it was because of Ashley. Gabriela’s down points were exhausting and toxic, but she thinks she could have stuck it out if she hadn’t had someone stepping on her toes the entire time. Glenn agrees, and thinks Gabriela was a great second stew. You have to be a good follower before you can be a leader. He thinks Ashley messed herself up, and had an effect on Gabriela. A viewer asks Glenn if he thought Ashley was stirring the pot or was justified, and he says, she may have had some valid complaints, but she was stirring the pot. Daisy chose Gabriela as second stew, and Ashley desperately trying to move up did her no favors. Barnaby wonders why the stews can’t be like the deckhands, and the deckhands have a virtual group hug. Andy asks if Ashley being made lead stew surprised Gabriela, but Gabriela says, Ashley had been there long enough to know the boat. Gary says, it was to shut her up, but Daisy says, she worked hard and deserved it. Scarlett says she did need direction, which Ashley gave her, and Andy asks why Daisy waited until the end. Again, Gary says, to shut her up, and Daisy says, the work was there. All she needs is someone to rely on who will get the job done, and Ashley was amazing with the wedding. She didn’t like the pettiness, hooking up, and getting sh*tfaced. She gets sh*tfaced, but she’s hilarious, while Ashley was just annoying. She needed Ashley to work well with Scarlett, and genuinely felt that she was learning. She felt straight away that Ashley hated Scarlett, but by the end, she felt they were fine. Andy asks how Scarlett felt to hear Ashley say, Scarlett having no experience gave her life. That actually sounds pretty sad, but Scarlett says she was shocked. Ashley seemed unhappy about a lot of things when she was coming in, but her lack of experience probably did give Ashley life, and she’s happy if that’s what Ashley needed. Gary says he was angry when Ashley told the guests that they’d kissed. He thinks she has learning to do if this is the career path she wants. The last thing guests want to hear is crew drama. Andy says he loves hearing crew drama on a cruise, and if I went on a cruise, I would too.

Andy asks if Barnaby really taught Barrack Obama how to surf, and Barnaby says, Obama came to a private island where he was working. It was amazing. Andy asks Glenn if he bought Erika’s public apology or does he think the skimpy tip was an intentional slight. Glenn says he thinks she had a gripe from the prior season, and it was on purpose; there was nothing wrong with the food. Daisy completely agrees. She doesn’t know if they even know what planet they’re on. Andy asks if she still has the necklace Cyndi gave her, we flash back to that, Daisy says, no, and I wonder if she put it on eBay. Andy asks who Barnaby’s favorite guests were, but he says he can’t even remember any of their names or anything about them. Andy asks how Gabriela felt, being the most diverse person in the crew, and she says, anyone who works in an industry that’s not very diverse would understand. Being on the show was a good way for people to see there’s room for them in the industry. It’s uncomfortable not to feel anyone understands you or you have support. She’s never worked under a Black captain before, and it’s a proud feeling. Lead by example, and work hard. Do the course, and you can do it too. Andy asks if there’s anyone Glenn wouldn’t rehire, and if this was his favorite crew. Glenn says, without the anchor dragging incident, he’d work with Tom, and he was very impressed with Barnaby and Scarlett coming in at the end. They did an amazing job, despite Scarlett being new on the job, and dealing with the politics of Ashley and Gary. He loves them all. Scarlett thanks Glenn, and he says he knows it wasn’t easy, and he wouldn’t want to work with Ashley again.

Andy asks who’s still in yachting, and Colin says he got a catamaran; he’s sailing around the world. Everyone else is still in boating, except for Barnaby, who took his tip money and built a business converting Land Rovers to Tesla electric power. Go Barnaby.

Andy says it’s time to officially end the season, but since Gary and Daisy are under one roof in the UK, he’ll have to follow up.

The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girl’s Trip, Ex-Wives Club

Bravo had a sneak peek of the show tonight, and while I doubt I’ll have the time to watch this on Peacock, I’m sure it will eventually find its way to Bravo, where I’ll no doubt partake of yet another guilty pleasure. I hate half the cast, but it’s an eclectic mix, and who doesn’t love Bluestone Manor, fish room and all? Okay, maybe Vicki. The flashbacks were fun, and Vicki was already bitching about being back in the franchise she didn’t want to leave.

My quick take on the cast…

Dorinda: I love her, and love how she takes hostessing so seriously. Eva: I don’t know her. Literally, not like Mariah Carey doesn’t know Jennifer Lopez. Phaedra: I feel like I shouldn’t like her, shady as she is, but I do. She has a fabulous way with words. Taylor: I’ve always felt badly about her situation, being married to that awful husband, and then him committing suicide, but it looks like she’s blossoming now. She’s remarried, stands up for herself, and even gained some weight. She was scary skinny by the end of her run. Brandi: She makes me want to throw up. I can’t stand her, and hate that she’s still profiting from the franchise. Tamra: Ditto, but she has the added anti-bonus of being a fake Christian. Vicki: Ugh. While she’s had her good moments, she’s always been bossy and entitled. She just can’t understand why she was let go. Um… no one cares anymore. Jill: Thirsty AF. It makes me uncomfortable when a woman embarrasses herself like that. Which is why I don’t watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette shows.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhugt-who-is-in-the-cast-of-season-2-ex-wives-club

🏰 Another Perspective…

Eva weighs in on the latest Girls Trip.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-ex-wives-club/style-living/eva-marcille-talks-staying-at-bluestone-manor-dorinda-medley-berkshires-house

⛺️ Folding My Tent…

Check in tomorrow. I think there will be soap, and Beverly Hills, where there’s a new villain in town. Until then, stay safe, stay being a safe place for others to be real, and stay not being jealous. Jealousy makes people nasty and it’s not a good trait.

Jun28

June 27, 2022 – The Merger Is Officially Dead, Keep Writing, West Review, Deck Tomorrow & Parade

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Valentin says, as CEO, he will now address new business, namely the merger between Aurora and ELQ… is not happening. Shall they have a show of hands to make it unanimous?

At Kelly’s, Brook tells Chase, this is possibly the longest she’s ever gone without speaking in her life. He hasn’t said a word since he walked out of Jordan’s office. It reminds her of the times she messed up. Her dad would bring her into the study, and it’s not like he would yell and scream at her. That wouldn’t have been so bad, but he’d give her this look of disappointment, and it was the absolute worst. Is that what it was like with Jordan? Funny, since when Jordan said she was disappointed in Chase, I thought she was playing the parent card. Chase doesn’t say anything, and Brook takes his hand and tells him, whatever Jordan said, whatever’s happening, he’s not alone. She’s here. Please talk to her.

Sonny comes to the garage, and says hi to Brando. He says, he’d give Brando a hug, but doesn’t want to touch him with that grease all over his hands. They laugh, and Brando asks, what brings Sonny by? Sonny says, Brando did such an excellent job refurbishing his Camaro, he brought Brando his vintage Corvette, so he can give it some tender loving care. Brando says he’s happy to help out, as long as Sonny knows vintage cars take a little more time. It’s not impossible, but it’s pretty close. Dex comes in, and Sonny says, see what he’s talking about? His cousin Brando is going to make his ’61 Corvette purr. Dex says, yes, sir, if you say so, and Brando asks what that’s supposed to mean.

The pool guy adjusts a chaise, and tells Nina that it should give her the exact angle of sun she wanted. She thanks him, slipping him a few bucks, and he asks if there’s anything else he can get for her. Olivia strides over, and says, as a matter-of-fact, there is. He can show Nina to the nearest exit.

Josslyn and Bobbie meet Carly at the MetroCourt Garden, and she thinks them for showing up. Bobbie asks if there’s something wrong; Carly’s text sounded urgent. Carly says, everything is great, and Josslyn asks if they shouldn’t have included Michael in this little get together. Carly says, Michael is busy at this very moment. He and Drew have teamed up to make sure this family’s future is going to be brighter than ever.

Drew tells Valentin, don’t push it, and Valentin says, calm down. Willow says she doesn’t understand; how could this happen? Lucy says, maybe it’s important to remember that what just happened wasn’t really personal. It’s just business. Michael says, she’s wrong. This isn’t about business; it’s about blood.

Chase says, you know that disappointed look Brook’s father used to give her? Amplify that by a thousand. That’s what it was like sitting across the desk from the Commissioner. Brook says she knows Jordan cares about Chase, and Chase agrees she does, and he let her down – again. You’d think he’d have learned his lesson when he punched Valentin. She says, Jordan’s got to know he got caught up in the heat of the moment, defending her about Bailey. Plus, he put his time in with his punishment. He says he must be a glutton for punishment, since he took a swing at her former manager, and she says, he barely touched Linc, and Linc flopped over like a soccer star. If the DA decides to prosecute him… He says, Linc agreed not to press charges, and she says, he did? He made her believe the complete opposite. Why didn’t Chase say something? His problems are over. He says, no. His problems are just beginning.

Sonny says, it’s pretty obvious Brando and Dex don’t like each other, and while he appreciates they have his best interests at heart, he doesn’t want any competition. He tells Dex that his cousin Brando is family, and tells Brando that Dex is new; learning the ropes. He’s done a good job so far at driving. Dex says he can do a lot more. All he needs is a chance. Sonny says, he’s getting a chance right now, but Dex has to trust that Sonny will bring him in at his pace. Sonny checks for his sunglasses, and asks Dex if he minds. Dex says he’s on it, and leaves. Sonny says, it’s clear Brando doesn’t trust Dex, and Brando says, after the way Dex went after Michael, does Sonny trust him?

Nina compliments Olivia on her pool staff’s incredible manners, and suggest she take lessons from her waiter. Olivia tells pool guy that she’ll handle this, and he leaves. She tells Nina, this may be the nicest pool in town, but it’s not the only one. So she has to wonder, why is Nina choosing to be somewhere she’s not wanted? Nina asks if she needs to remind Olivia that the Crimson offices are in this building, and she runs up a sizeable tab when she meets someone in their restaurant for business, which is exactly what she’s doing today. Olivia says, cut the crap. Nina knows she’s here to stick it to Carly, who’s not only her business partner, but who happens to be one of her best friends, so if she were Nina… Sasha joins them, and says she invited Nina. So if Nina isn’t wanted here, neither is she.

Carly tells Bobbie and Josslyn, the Quartermaines are going to vote Valentin out, and Michael and Drew are going to take over as co-CEOs. Josslyn says, okay, but if Michael and Drew are both at ELQ, what happens with Aurora? Carly says, ELQ and Aurora are going to merge, which not only gives ELQ media presence, it gives Drew a majority share, and bigger and better ELQ means Valentin can’t engineer another takeover. Josslyn says, and since Carly just made a pretty big investment in Aurora… Carly says, rumors that ELQ and Aurora might merge have sent Aurora’s stocks skyrocketing, so she can’t wait for it to actually happen. Bobbie says she takes it Carly will have done very well for herself, and Carly says, very, but you know what? The money’s great, but that’s not why she’s smiling. She’s happy that Drew and Michael are going to be working together. Josslyn says she’s happy for both of them too, but especially for Michael. After that nightmare of a trial with Nina (um… it was a hearing, not a trial), and the way Sonny treated him… She’s sorry. Carly says, don’t be. That trial was joke, and she’s just glad the judge could see that. Michael deserves a win (again, it was a hearing, and Michael did win), and so does Drew. She’s just happy she could help a little. Bobbie says, a lot, and Carly says, it’s money well spent, and she couldn’t be prouder or more hopeful for the future.

Michael says, this is twice Valentin has used the family against itself. The first time, he maneuvered Brook out of her stock, so tell him, what did he do to bring Ned over to his side? Valentin says, Michael and Drew took their best shot, and it was not good enough. So as Lucy so wisely pointed out when casting the deciding vote, it’s time to think of the good of the company, and to that end, he proposes they name Ned new Chairman of the Board. Lucy seconds the motion, and tells Willow, maybe this is a good time to help Michael see this is the only and best way to keep the family involved. Willow asks if that’s how Lucy rationalizes it, but Ned says, Lucy doesn’t need to rationalize anything. He believes there’s a motion on the floor, and he, Valentin, and Lucy raise their hands. Drew looks at Michael, and says, in the spirit of family unity, and raises his hand. Ned says, then he accepts, and Valentin says, let’s shake on it. He and Ned shake hands, and Valentin says, to the dawning of a new era of cooperation and prosperity. He tells Lucy, let’s document this historical moment, and she takes photo of him and Ned with her phone.

Chase says, as for his prior violation, his suspension has been extended, and Brook asks, for how long? He says, indefinitely, without pay, and she says, that’s not fair. If Linc’s not pressing charges, what’s the problem? He says, it’s not a legal matter. It’s for them to decide whether he’s fit to carry a badge again or not. She asks, who decides that? and he says he has to face the Civilian Review Board, and they decide whether he can go back on the force, or if he needs to find a new career. She says, a bunch of strangers get to decide whether he’s worthy of being a cop? and he says he was thinking about saving them the trouble… but she says, don’t say it. Don’t even think it. He’s not resigning. It’s not like he just went into bars and started random brawls. Both times, he was defending her. She’ll fix this. She’ll go to Linc, and she’ll get him to go in front of the Review Board, and tell them it was a misunderstanding; that Chase was just stopping him from embarrassing himself with her, and he’s grateful. Chase says, they both know Linc’s not a good guy. Why would he do that? She says, because Linc’s still really interested in her as a songwriter. She’ll go back to him and sign a contract. She’ll write as many songs as he wants, and he can keep the profits. He can use all her songs for dog food commercials for all she cares. She’ll do whatever it takes to get him out of this.

Nina thanks Sasha for sticking up for her, and says, whether Olivia wants to believe this or not, she’s not here to make trouble. Olivia says, for someone so well-intentioned, it’s astonishing how trouble just seems to find Nina. Babies get kidnapped, pregnancies get induced, and men wander around for months not knowing who they are. Loving parents get dragged into court, and none of it is her responsibility. Sasha asks if Olivia could send someone to get them two ice teas. She and Nina need to discuss her upcoming appearance on the Home and Heart Shopping Channel. Olivia says, of course (🍷). She would just tell Sasha to proceed with caution. She would hate for Sasha to be the next person Nina never intended to make trouble for. I guess Olivia forgot that Sasha was the one who made trouble for Nina, but okay. On her way out, Olivia tells pool guy, two ice teas, lots of lemon. Nina says she owes Sasha, but Sasha says, not half as much as she owes Nina. Nina asks how Sasha is doing, and Sasha says she’s not quite sure where to start; the accident that killed Willow’s mom, or Gladys moving in with them. Nina asks if she’s okay, and Sasha asks, is she? Nina says, Olivia’s tirades are no fun, but she’s heard worse. Sasha says she’s not referring to Olivia. She knows the judge denied Nina visitation with Wiley. She’s so sorry. They sit, and Nina says, the judge’s ruling was heartbreaking, and the whole hearing was surreal. Scotty warned her that Michael and Willow were going to attack her character, so she agreed to let Scotty attack them, but she didn’t know how far he was going to go. If Michael and Willow didn’t hate her before, they definitely do now. Sasha says she’s sure they just need some time, but Nina says, after the judge denied her petition, she literally begged Willow to let her spend time with Wiley, any time, even supervised visits, but she refused. She made it very clear there was no path forward, and Nina was devastated. She even thought about leaving Port Charles. Sasha asks, what stopped her? Or should she say, who stopped her?

Sonny tells Brando, Dex going after Michael was a mistake. They had a talk… Actually, no; he talked, Dex listened. Dex understands, no matter how Sonny’s family feels about him right now, anybody goes after his family, targets them or tries to hurt them, he will not tolerate that; no matter if they’re trying to help him or not. Brando asks if Sonny is sure Dex got the message, and Sonny says he knows Dex is headstrong. He was the same way; he wanted to prove himself when he was young. Brando says, Sonny made his point. Are things any better with him and Michael? Sonny says, no, they’re worse. Michael knows how he operates his coffee business, and Michael is using that to undermine him. Brando says, let him reach out to Michael, and help end this feud, and Sonny says, he appreciates that, but Michael made it clear that he wants nothing do with him.

Carly says she couldn’t be prouder of Michael, especially after everything he’s been through. Bobbie says she can’t believe what happened at the hearing (thank you). She didn’t want to get into it with Scotty at the game, because it wasn’t the time or place, but a reckoning is coming, and Scotty is going to hear exactly what she thinks about him trying to imply her grandson is violent against women. Carly says, he didn’t imply it; he straight out said it. He attacked Michael on the stand, and Michael kept his composure. Josslyn says, that’s impressive. She would have jumped down from the stand, and punched Scotty in the face. Bobbie says, back in the day, she would have too, but Michael handled it the right way. Carly says, he did. He kept his cool, and didn’t bite the bait from Scotty. Josslyn asks where Carly thinks that comes from. How was Michael able to stay so calm and cold? Carly says, Jason was like that. It must be somewhere in the Quartermaine gene pool. Come to think of it, Drew is like that too. Josslyn says, Drew is so warm and friendly. Not that Jason wasn’t warm and friendly – they laugh – but she thinks Drew is a little more… accessible. Carly says, accessible and successful, now that he’ll be running ELQ. Josslyn says she’s so proud of Carly; she backed them. Carly thanks her, and says she’s a little proud of herself too.

Valentin asks Lucy to send him the photos of him and Ned shaking hands. He wants them to remember this great day. Michael says, some of them don’t need a reminder, and Valentin says, if there’s nothing further on the agenda, this meeting is adjourned. Willow tells Michael, there has to be something they can do. Let’s call Diane. Ned says, Diane can’t do anything, and Michael tells her, just forget it. It’s just Quartermaine in-fighting, business as usual. Willow says, it doesn’t seem that way to her, and Michael says, trust him. She doesn’t want to stick around for the fallout. He suggests she go to the pool and catch some sun; they’ll meet up later. She asks if he’s sure, and he says, he’d feel better knowing she’s enjoying herself. Lucy says she can give Willow a ride, but Drew says he’s guessing Willow doesn’t want any favors from her, since Willow can’t speak up for herself. Geez, Drew. Willow stomps out, and Lucy says she knows they’re really, really angry at her, but better the devil you already know, right? Another Quartermaine, Lila, would really enjoy seeing them work together against one, then always see them fighting among themselves. Drew tells her to quit while she’s ahead, and she starts to say something more, but decides better of it, and leaves. Ned says he’ll walk Valentin to his car, but Valentin says, that’s okay; he knows the way. He leaves, and Ned closes the doors. In the foyer, Valentin calls Martin. He says, they did it. He’s sending Martin a photo of the CEO and new Chairman of the Board of ELQ. He wants it in all the financial publications from here to Hong Kong, and cc the obituary columns. The merger between Aurora Media and ELQ is officially dead.

Chase says, it was a very generous offer, but he can’t let Brook do it. She says, she wants to, but he says, Linc already owns a catalog of her music. The last thing she wants to do is give him more. She’s free of the guy; stay that way. She says, he could lose his badge because of her, and she knows how much his job means to him. He says, something else means more to him… Doesn’t she have a family meeting to get to? She says she doesn’t get a vote, so it doesn’t matter if she’s there or not, and he says he thought she wanted Valentin gone. She says she does, and he says, so go help her dad save the family business. Don’t worry about him. She says she doesn’t want to leave him alone, but he says, he’s okay; he’ll be fine. She leaves, and outside, she phones someone, saying, she needs their help.

Nina tells Sasha, when the judge ruled against her, and Willow shut her down, she didn’t know where to go; she was lost. So she went to Nelle’s grave to apologize to her for letting her down. She missed the chance to help Nelle when she was alive, and missed the chance to bond with her son. She doesn’t know how, but her half-heart necklace came loose, and she lost it. She didn’t realize until she was in the car on the way to the airport and she can’t go anywhere without the necklace; it’s her last link to her daughter. When she came back to get it, Sonny was there. Sasha says, he was looking for Nina? and Nina says, yeah. Sasha says, so Sonny asked her not to leave town? and Nina says, sort of. Not for his sake, or hers, but for Wiley. He said if she ever hoped to be in that little boy’s life, she couldn’t run away. Sasha tells her, she can just hear him say that. She’ll never forget how Sonny came to see her at the hospital when she and Brando faced letting Liam go. He knew just the right thing to say. Nina takes Sasha’s hand, and Sasha asks if Nina is sure Sonny isn’t part of the reason she didn’t leave.

Willow is on her way to the pool when she runs into Olivia, and Olivia asks how the EKQ meeting went. Did Valentin get the boot? Willow says, Olivia better ask Ned about that, and Olivia says, no, and runs out.

Michael says, Chairman of the Board; it’s impressive. Ned says, if Michael is expecting an apology, it’s not happening. Because whether they want to admit it or not, ELQ has thrived under Valentin. His decision was based on good business. Isn’t that how they explained it to him when they offered him COO? Michael says, so Ned’s hurt pride was more important than his family’s welfare, and Ned says, so Michael thinks he doesn’t care enough about the family’s welfare. Be honest. Did Michael care more about ELQ or this precious merger of his? He doesn’t know what Michael intended to do with it, but he would guess ELQ came in a distant second to Michael’s own selfish motives. Or is he going to stand there and deny it?

Bobbie says, look at the three of them, sitting here in Carly’s hotel. When she thinks of all the mistakes she made, all the wrong turns she made along the way, with the daughter she never knew, who came to find her with revenge in her heart. Carly says, that’s ancient history, and Bobbie says, but it’s their history, and it wasn’t always pretty. Fortunately, her granddaughter has learned from their mistakes. No late nights in sleazy bars for her. Josslyn says she’s no angel, and Carly gives her a look. Bobbie says, they just hope Josslyn shows more common sense than they did at her age, and Josslyn says she knows they were a little wild. But you could be the hardest working, most intelligent person on earth, and life isn’t always fair. Carly asks if she’s talking about Trina, and Josslyn says she’s thinking about the Title IX decision that went against her. Carly says, she could get expelled from PCU. It doesn’t make any sense; she did nothing wrong. Josslyn says she knows, and she told Trina that she could have any of their family’s resources to help prove her innocent. She was going to talk to Michael and dad, but with this new Aurora-slash-ELQ merger, Carly might be able to help her. Carly’s phone rings, and she says, it’s her broker. He’s probably calling to congratulate her. She hits ignore, and says, not now. Bobbie says, she doesn’t want to take the call? and Carly says she doesn’t want to interrupt her time with them. Good news can always wait.

A paper airplane flies next to Chase, and Violet says, gotcha, Uncle Chase. Chase asks what she’s doing here. What happened to her camping trip? Gregory joins them, and says, don’t blame Violet.  They both had their fill of mosquitoes after one night. Violet says, and boys who think they know everything. She rolls her eyes, and Chase says, boys can be dumb like that, even big boys like him. Gregory says, then wouldn’t you know it, they run into him here, and Violet says, total coincidence. Chase says, yeah, it could be. Or they showed up at Kelly’s because Brook called them. Right, dad?

Dex hands Sonny his sunglasses, and Sonny asks, what took him so long? Dex says, Sonny’s glasses fell under the seat; it took him a while to find them. What did he miss? Sonny says, nothing. They were just talking family stuff. He has a car waiting; he’s got a lunch date. He wants Dex to go over repairs with Brando. He’ll have to find his own way home. Dex says he’ll call a Ride Share, and Sonny tells them, be careful. He doesn’t want scratches. Do they understand what he’s saying? Dex says, you’ve got it, boss, and Sonny puts on his sunglasses and leaves. Brando says he’s going to take a look at the Corvette, and Dex asks him to hang on s second. Brando says, what is it? and Dex says, they need to get something settled, just between them.

Willow asks if pool guy can find her another chaise, but he says he’s sorry; they’re all reserved. Sasha comes over, and asks if Willow is feeling okay; she looks pale. Nina suggests Willow take her chair. She and Sasha can talk someplace else. Willow says she doesn’t need Nina’s chair, and I notice she does look a bit like a zombie. Sasha says, Willow really should lie down for a bit, and pool guy asks if he can get Nina something else. Nina asks him to get Miss Tait an iced tea, and Sasha asks if Willow wants her to call Michael, but Willow says she’s fine. She’s just upset about what just happened at the Quartermaines. Sasha asks, what happened? and Willow says, business went badly for Michael. She bets that makes Nina’s day.  

Drew asks why Ned is going after Michael. The merger was his idea. Ned says he doesn’t want trouble with Drew, but Drew says, it’s a little bit late for that. He’s going to remind Ned of a conversation – actually, the first of many. It was the night he got back. His family welcomed him home, and pulled him aside, telling him how vital it was they take ELQ back from Valentin. Ned says, that’s what he believed at the time, and Drew says he didn’t want to hear it then, and truthfully, didn’t give a damn, but Ned kept circling back. Ned pressured Drew to work with him, and take ELQ back from Valentin, so he did. He put it all on the line. He put Aurora on the line, and Ned screwed him over. Michael says, welcome to the Quartermaines. Right, Ned? If Ned didn’t like what they had to offer, all he had to do was… Ned says, it was a figurehead position, out of the action. Why would he accept that? Drew says, for the good of the family? Isn’t that why they’re doing this? Ned kept saying ELQ should be under Quartermaine control, but what he what meant by that was that it should be under his control. Ned says, he’s given years of his life to the company, and Michael says, so did he. He was practically a kid when he took over because Ned walked away. First, to do something with music; then to be the mayor of Port Charles. Michael had to learn on the job, and he did, and the company was profitable. The only time he took a leave of absence was to fight Nelle for his son, and during that time, Ned lost ELQ to Valentin. It happened on Ned’s watch, and what did he do to redeem himself? He giftwraps ELQ, and gives it to Valentin a second time. Drew tells Michael, don’t worry about it. If it’s any consolation, Valentin’s going to double-cross Ned, probably sooner than later. And what is Ned going to do when that happens. Hold his hand out? Ask them to come together as a family, and back each other up? Well, don’t hold your breath. Olivia comes in with Brook, and asks, what’s going on? She ran into Willow at the pool, and she seemed upset. Brook says, she wouldn’t tell them what happened with the vote. She said Olivia should ask Ned. She asks Michael if congratulations are in order, but Michael says, it’s Ned’s news to break, and Ned says he’s the new Chairman of the Board of ELQ. Olivia hugs him, saying, congratulations, and Drew says, otherwise known as Valentin’s right hand man.

Bobbie has left, and Josslyn asks Carly if she thinks Bobbie will ever retire, but Carly says she doesn’t see that happening; she loves working at GH. Josslyn asks if Carly regrets not finishing nursing school, and Carly says, there were times over the years she regretted it, but she feels like every decision she made brought her to this place in her life, and she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be. Josslyn says she hopes she feels that way one day, and Carly says, she will. Josslyn says she wants Carly to know, if she does, it’s because of her. She’d have never gotten through that horrible video had Carly not given her the courage to keep her head held up high and ignore the haters. Carly takes her hand, and says, Josslyn didn’t need her to tell her that; she was born with that kind of courage. Josslyn says, it certainly helps to have a strong role model, and Carly says, Josslyn is going to make her cry. Josslyn says she hopes to be that way for her kids, and Carly asks if they can’t her get through college first. Josslyn says, deal, and Carly suggests they order food. Valentin comes by, and says, what a charming mother/daughter moment. Don’t let him interrupt them from talking. I just thought of something. I wonder if Valentin is behind the company who bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt.

Chase says, it was sweet of Brook to call Gregory, but he didn’t need to run down there. Violet asks if she can sit on Chase’s lap, and Chase says, sure. She tells him that Grandpa Gregory says he needs cheering up, and Chase tells her that her grandpa means well, but he worries too much. Gregory says, indulge him. What’s going on with Chase? Violet asks why Chase is sad, and he says, it’s hard to be sad around her, but honestly? He let some people down. Some people whose respect means the world to him. Gregory says he doesn’t know all the details, but he heard Chase was defending a friend. Chase says, he was, but like Gregory taught him, there’s a right way and a wrong way. Violet says, like making a paper airplane. If you don’t get the wings right, you crash.

Dex says he knows he and Brando got off on the wrong foot, and that’s on him. He’s still new, and when he found out Michael was going after his father, he thought it was his job to protect Sonny. Brando says, that’s not how Sonny does things, especially when it involves his kids, and Dex says, that’s exactly what Sonny told him, so lesson learned. And he has Brando to thank for it. Brando saved him from making a serious mistake before he started. He thanks Brando, and asks if they can hit the reset button.

Sasha says she doesn’t know what’s going on with Willow and Michael, but Willow is clearly upset. Just sit down and try to relax. Willow says she doesn’t need to relax. First, Nina’s lawyer tried and failed to ruin Michael’s character during the hearing… Nina says, the judge sided with them. She doesn’t have any legal rights to see her grandson anymore, so why is Willow upset? Willow says, because today a member of Michael’s own family, someone he was only trying to protect, turned against him. She’s sure that just thrills Nina. Nina asks, what happened? Did it include Wiley? Willow yells, leave Wiley out of it! and tells Nina, if she has any questions, why doesn’t she ask her old friend Valentin; he’ll explain everything. Sonny joins them, and says, ask Valentin what exactly?  

Brook asks if they’re saying Valentin is still CEO, and Olivia says, that’s impossible. They had all the votes to toss him out. Michael asks Ned to tell them how he sold his votes to Valentin, but Ned says he didn’t sell anything. Olivia knows him. She knows he’d never make a decision that would hurt this family. Whatever they think about Valentin personally, he has been very good for the bottom line at ELQ. Brook asks, what about the merger? They were going to bring a whole new media component to ELQ. Drew says, Valentin is not interested in the merger, and his phone dings. Michael asks what it is, and Drew says, the word has already hit the street that the merger isn’t happening. Oh my God, Aurora’s stock is tumbling. Drew jets, and Michael follows him. Michael asks where Drew is going, and Drew says, to do damage control, if it’s not too late already.

Carly asks if Valentin shouldn’t be clearing out his office at ELQ, but Valentin says, actually, he was hoping to reserve a table tonight for some of his closest friends. If she could have the kitchen set aside a few Kobe steaks, they’ll want them with all the trimmings, and bottle of Chateau de Pap 2018 (or at least that’s what it sounded like). He thanks her and moves on. Josslyn says, for someone who just lost their job, he seems cheerful, and Carly says, too cheerful.

Violet tells Chase that she knows what will make him feel better, and he says, what? She says, a donut. Donuts make everything better. He says, then get him two; one glazed and one chocolate. Violet goes to the counter, and Gregory says, his health conscious rock climbing son is devouring donuts. Is it really that bad? Chase says he doesn’t think a plate of donuts is going to make him feel better.

Brook asks how Ned could do this. How could he side with Valentin after everything she went through to get that stock back? After Ned  treated her like dirt for losing it to Valentin in the first place? She faked a pregnancy, for God’s sake. She made Valentin believe he was going to be a father again. This doesn’t even make any sense; Ned was leading the charge to get rid of Valentin. Olivia tells Brook that it’s not fair to judge her father before they know all the facts, but Brook says she knows enough. Valentin is going to come out of this smelling like a rose, and Ned planted the seeds. She storms out, and Ned thanks Olivia for her support. Olivia says, no one gets to second guess her husband except her. What the hell did he do?

On the phone with Martin, Valentin says, Ned voted exactly how he expected, with his ego… Of course (🍷) they’re going out to celebrate tonight, and bring the lovely Lucy. She earned it. As a matter-of-fact, they all have.  

Drew looks in at the MetroCourt Garden, and sees Josslyn and Carly talking. Josslyn says, hopefully, when Trina is found not guilty, they’ll reverse the Title IX decision and remove it from her record. Her hope is that, all this goes away, and she and Trina can do their spring semester abroad. Carly says, that would be amazing, and Josslyn gets a text from Trina, asking her to meet in the park. Carly tells her, go have fun, and they hug. Josslyn leaves, and Drew approaches the table. Carly says, she was just about to call him. What happened at the meeting? Her broker’s been trying to reach her, and Valentin came by acting strangely happy. Drew asks what Valentin said, and Carly says, he pretended like he didn’t have a care in the world, but they both know better. Drew sighs, and she asks, what happened? He says he knows why her broker was trying to reach her. It’s not good news.

Dex holds out his hand, and asks Brando to shake on it. After all, they both want the same thing; what’s best for Sonny. Brando says, yeah, and hesitantly shakes hands, saying, he wants that too. He guesses he just has to remind himself that it take time for new people to learn the ropes. Dex says, he appreciates Brando giving him the chance, and his phone rings. He says, it’s his boss calling; he has to take it. Brando says he’s going to take a look at the Corvette, and leaves. Dex says, that you, boss? and Michael says, there was a setback today. Now Dex has his full attention.

Sonny asks, what’s going on with ELQ? and Willow says she really doesn’t want to be the go-between. She tells him to reach out to Michael himself, and if Michael doesn’t respond, that means he doesn’t want to discuss ELQ with Sonny. Nina suggests she and Sonny get a drink or something. She doesn’t think Willow’s feeling great, so it’s best not to pressure her. Sonny says he just wonders if there’s something he needs to know, and Nina says she can reach out to Valentin. She’s sure Valentin will tell her what happened. Sasha says, if she can’t take Willow to GH, then she insists on taking her home. Willow says, for the last time, she’s fine, looking even more like a crazed Walking Dead character. She turns around and faints, Sonny catching her in his arms.

Tomorrow, Nina says, it sounds like Obrecht approves of her and Sonny; Olivia says, Ned doesn’t realize how bad it’s going to get; and Michael tells Dex, they’re going to have to get creative.

🐉 Write Faster, George…

There will probably be a spin-off of the spin-off by the time he’s done.

https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/latest-george-rr-martin-gives-update-on-game-of-thrones-book-20220502

🐎 Wagons West…

A review of Westworld’s latest.

https://www.avclub.com/westworld-review-season-4-episode-1-1849104783

⛵️ Below Deck Sailing Yacht had an extra-long Reunion, even though Ashley was a no show. Boo! Hiss! It still needs some editing, and I need some sleep, but I swear on the ship’s log, you’ll have it tomorrow.

👯 Tennessee Waltzing Out…

Come back tomorrow for soap and the promised Reunion on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay rising above the fray, and stay remembering, donuts make everything better. Out of the mouths of babes…

Jun25

June 24, 2022 – The Shareholders Vote, Stopping By, Ultimate Ex, Grand Slam, Confirmation, Sorry Diana, Kim Spills, Shah Spin, Who’s That Lady, New West, Confirmation, Nearly Nine Quotes & Radio

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the hospital, Brad holds out a bag to Britt, saying, croissants from Eckerd’s. She says, almond or chocolate? and he says, one of each. Whichever one she doesn’t want, he’ll take. She snatches the bag from him, and he says, or she can have them both. So is he forgiven… even a little bit? She says she knows he didn’t intentionally set out to make an ass of her, and he says, never. She says, fine. She forgives him. He says, and he promises to never, ever… wait a second. That was way too easy. She says she has ulterior motives, and he says, great. By all means, use him. What does he have to do? She says, all he has to do is listen. She has a little mystery she’s dying to talk to someone about. He says he’s dying; spill. She says, the parachute guy? and he says, Cody. She says, whatever. She found him in an alley the other night; someone had beat the spit out of him. Brad asks if he said who, but she says, no. She’s been going through possible scenarios, and… He says, she can stop. He knows exactly what happened.

Cody sees Dante having breakfast at Kelly’s, and asks why Dante didn’t invite him. Dante asks why Cody is talking about. Cody spent the day on the couch, barely forming any words. Why would Dante think today would be any different? Cody says, it would be nice to be invited, and Dante asks if Cody is sure he should be up and about. Cody says, it’s hard to leave town if he’s just going to be laying on Dante’s couch the whole time, and Dante says, so he’s feeling better? Cody says, stellar, and Dante says, excellent. Maybe now Cody can answer some questions he’s been avoiding.

Linc sits in Jordan’s office, and says he’s honored the Commissioner herself wants to speak with him. She says, any incident involving a civilian and one of her officers warrants her attention. She understands he’s pressing charges against Detective Chase. Linc says, he’s got a mean right hook, that one. He was under the impression Chase is already on suspension for punching a guy, just like Chase did to him. Jordan says, that’s correct, and he says, obviously, the detective hasn’t learned his lesson.

Outside Kelly’s, Brook asks when Chase is meeting with the Commissioner, and he says he’s just waiting for a call. Just like he was five minutes ago. She says she’s sorry, and he says, that’s okay. She says, he’s going to be okay, right? Especially since he’s still on suspension, it’s not like the Commissioner can punish him, right? He says, it doesn’t work that way, and she says, so he’s had two strikes, so to speak? He says, yeah, and she asks if he gets a third strike. Or is he already out?

Olivia and Carly sit by the pool, and Carly looks through a binder, saying, they have a full house. Between wedding receptions, seminars, and conventions, they’re booked through the fall. Business is good. Olivia says, meanwhile, her hair is falling out by the fistful, and Carly asks what she’s talking about. She’s handled busy seasons before; what makes this time any different? Olivia tells her, let’s just say, the energy at the crazy house is up to eleven this morning. With the ELQ shareholder meeting this morning, everyone is just wired. She’ll be so happy when this whole thing is over. Drew and Michael have bent over backwards to get Valentin out of ELQ finally, once and for all. Carly says she thinks it’s exciting, and Olivia says, she must be so proud of Michael for pulling this off. Carly says, she is, but she has a personal stake in this as well. They see a casually dressed Valentin come in and set up a chaise lounge. Martin walks in, and asks Valentin if they’re here for a morning business meeting or some poolside R & R? Valentin says, maybe a little bit of both. How’s the day going? Martin says his day is going just fine so far; how about Valentin’s? Is he ready for his day of reckoning?

Michael asks if Willow wants coffee, but she says, no thanks. Is he sure he needs one? He’s literally bouncing. He says, it seems like he’s been waiting for the shareholder’s meeting forever. He can’t wait to see Valentin ousted as CEO. She yawns, and he says, not everybody is as excited about the family business. She says, sorry. Wiley had her up early this morning. Michael says he didn’t hear Wiley, and Willow says, that’s because their son knows she’s a light touch, and she’ll get up to make him pancakes, even if it’s at the crack of dawn. Drew comes in, saying, good morning. It’s a beautiful day. Michael says, it certainly is, and gives Drew a cup of coffee. He says, to today, and Drew says, the day everything changes.

Britt leads Brad into her office, and says, is this better? He says he doesn’t mean to seem paranoid, but she says, that’s fine. You never know what judgy eavesdropper is lurking in the halls. Now tell her, how does he know what happened to parachute boy? He says, Cody, and she says, whatever. Who beat him up, and why? Brad says, he really only knows some of it, and she says, and that would be…? He says, Cody was at his Aunt Selina’s poker game, and she says, of course (🍷) he was. Let her guess. He made bets he couldn’t cover, and now… Brad says, Cody won big, and his aunt was furious. She asks if he’s saying his aunt ordered Cody’s beating.

Cody says he’s an open book. If Dante has questions, fire away. Dante says, how about if they start with how Cody ended up on his doorstep, beat up, with Britt Westbourne? Cody says he saw a way to make some fast cash, and it didn’t exactly work out. Dante says, so Cody still plays cards, and Cody says he’s better than he was when they were in summer camp. He had an off night. Dante asks if Cody knows who did this to him, and Cody says, they didn’t exactly introduce themselves. Dante asks if Cody can identify them, and Cody says he’d love to. Dante suggests Cody come down to the station, and they’ll get some photos out, but Cody says, it was really dark. Dante wonders how he knew Cody was going to say that, and Cody says, Dante is an excellent detective, clearly. Dante asks if Cody thinks they’re still after him, and Cody says, maybe. He’s not going to stick around and find out. Dante asks if they let Cody keep any of his winnings, and Cody says, they did. Dante asks, how much? and Cody says, fifty dollars. Dante takes out his wallet, and says he’ll spot Cody some cash until he gets back on his feet, but Cody asks if they didn’t already have this conversation. He’s not letting Dante pay his way. Dante asks if Cody wants to get his ass kicked again, and Cody says, yes, he would, taking a piece of bacon from Dante’s plate. Dante says, stubborn idiot, and Cody suggests that’s why they get along so well. He laughs, then grabs his side, and Dante says, they worked him over pretty good. Cody says, Doc Westbourne said he should be fine, and Dante says he still can’t believe Britt stopped to help Cody. Cody asks if that isn’t what doctors do, and Dante says, typically, yes, but Britt usually does whatever’s best for Britt. Cody says, it sounds like there’s some history there, and Dante says, there is, and none of it good.

Drew says, the market has already reacted to the potential merger; Aurora’s stock just keeps going up. Their first priority should be to talk to the VPs, and confirm the merger. Just get everybody up to speed. Ned walks in, and Willow tells him, good morning. He says, good morning, all. He sees the two of them are already making plans, and Michael says, they are. In fact, now is a perfect time to loop Ned in. Lucy joins them, and says, Quartermaines; what a sight to behold. Michael says, it’s good to see her too, and Drew thanks her for coming. She says, it’s her pleasure. She always loves revisiting the Quartermaine manse; she loved living here. And it’s so lovely to see all the heads of the family together. Look at them. My how times have changed.

Valentin tells Martin, they’ll be a reckoning all right. He just doesn’t think it will take all day. Martin sits down, and says, Valentin looks really calm. Does this mean he’s heard from Ned?

Olivia asks Carly, what’s Valentin doing? The meeting is in less than an hour, and he’s lounging by the pool. Carly says, he’s bluffing, to give the impression he knows the vote is going his way. Olivia says, he looks pretty convincing; like he knows something they don’t.

Chase tells Brook, cops don’t usually get a third strike when it comes to altercations with civilians, and she says, he could be fired? He says, maybe. He’d probably fire him. She say, absolutely not. How can a good guy like Chase get in trouble for slugging a sleaze like… She gets up, and says, maybe not. He says he knows that face; that is her plotting face. she says, this is the face that’s going to fix everything. Problem solved. She knows exactly what to do. She starts to leave, but he grabs her arm, and says, whoa. What? She says she can’t tell him because he’ll try to stop her. He says, only if it’s a bad plan, and she says, just trust her this time, but he says, tell him. And then he can poke holes in it. She says, another reason she can’t tell him, and he says, but if he pokes holes in it, she’ll know where the flaws are, and she can cover them up, and exonerate him in the process. She says, all right; here it is. She goes to the PCPD and amends her original statement. She’ll make sure all of his colleagues know he saved her from a violent criminal. He says he can’t let her lie to the police for him, but she says she’s not lying. It’s just that now that the initial shock is wearing off, she realized that her original statement didn’t covey how terrified she really was when Linc attacked her. He says, terrified? Really? She says, if she’s lying, she’s dying, and he says, but to him, and presumably Rory, she just seemed mad. She says, which is how she copes with extreme fear. She puts on a façade of extreme rage. The bottom line is, if Chase hadn’t stepped in to save her, she could have been abducted by Linc. He says, Brook Lynn… and she says, okay, abducted is a strong word, but the point is, it was Chase’s civic duty to defend her from a predator. Case closed.

Jordan says, throwing a punch in a club doesn’t usually rate criminal prosecution, and Linc says, it’s still battery though, isn’t it? She says, it is, and he says, and shouldn’t police be held to a higher standard? She says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t condone what Detective Chase did, but she’s also not convinced it’s worth pressing charges. He says, why not, may he ask? and she says, judges are cracking down on nuisance lawsuits. He won’t be doing himself any favors if the court feels he’s wasting its time. He says he only wants to see justice be served. So if he drops the charges, what are his options?

Cody says, how is this even possible? and Dante says, Britt is a fertility expert, and her mother is a scientist. So they stole his and Lulu’s embryo, and implanted it. Cody says, then she carried the baby, Dante’s baby – Dante says, Rocco – to term. Then tried to pass the kid off as her own child. Dante says, mm-hmm, and Cody says, how is she still a doctor? Dante says he doesn’t know, but she had her license taken away when she went to prison, and when she got out, they gave it back to her. Cody says, prison? He thought Britt was this morally upstanding outraged citizen. Dante laughs, and says, the only person who would probably think that’s funnier than him is Britt. Britt’s been involved with some shady stuff, and that’s not even talking about her being on the run with her father. Cody says, back it up. On the run like a fugitive from justice? Okay, who’s her father? Dante asks if Cesar Faison rings a bell, and Cody says, Britt’s father is Cesar Faison? Dante says, was. He died about four years ago. Cody says, it’s a lot to take in; the whole embryo stealing thing, and to top it off, she’s Faison’s daughter. Dante says, it kind of explains things, doesn’t it? He tells Cody that he has to go, and Cody says he’ll come with Dante. He starts to get up, and sits back down, saying, that hurt. Dante asks if he’s sure he’s all right, and Cody says, Britt told him these are just ribs that are bruised, but he’s wondering. Dante says, they’re going to GH, but Cody says, Dante knows he doesn’t like hospitals. On second thought, yeah. The hospital sounds like a great idea.

Britt says, if Aunt Selina had Cody beaten up over a poker game, what will she do to Brad if he screws up? Brad says, the beating wasn’t her doing, and Britt says, she didn’t think Selina did it herself. Then again, what does she know? He says, she just had Cody thrown out of the game, but he’s totally fine. She says, right, and he says, now that he’s solved the Cody mystery, maybe she can answer a question for him. What was that look between Britt and her mother? The look that passed between them right before Obrecht kicked him out of Britt’s room. Clearly he said something that upset her, but he has no idea what. Does it have anything to do with what’s been bothering her? Britt says, yes.

Valentin says he hasn’t spoken to Ned, and Martin asks how Valentin can be sure Ned will throw over his family, and vote with him. Valentin says, because if he remains CEO, Ned maintains a shot at keeping some influence, so Ned will vote to keep him. Martin says, far be it from him to question a sure thing, but as long as they’re on the subject of family, he has an important update on Valentin’s. Valentin says, the Cassadines? and Martin says, as far as he knows, that’s the only family Valentin has.

Carly tells Olivia to stop staring, but Olivia says, don’t interrupt her; she’s in the middle of a curse. Carly tells her not to let Valentin get in her head. Drew, Michael, and Ned know what’s at stake. They’re all going to come together and oppose Valentin. Everyone’s doing their part, including her. Olivia asks, what’s going on? This is the second time Carly mentioned herself. Carly says, she didn’t have a chance to tell Olivia. The merger isn’t just going to be good for ELQ; it’s going to be good for her. She’s now a major shareholder in Aurora.

Ned gives Lucy some coffee, and she thanks him. She says she takes this to mean that Valentin is on his way out, and Ned says, yes. If they all vote against him, there’s absolutely nothing he can do. She says, from her perspective, she thinks the Quartermaines owe Valentin a great big huge thank you, and Ned chokes on his coffee.

Drew tells Michael, he knows this family loves him as much as he loves them, but he and Sam created Aurora to have something of their own. The merger between ELQ and Aurora kind of feels like two separate parts of himself coming together. Michael says he gets it. It’s like a union of sorts, between Drew’s past and the present he fought to get back to. And now there is no escape. Settle in, because he’s not going anywhere.

Brad says he’s been waiting for Britt to open up about this, whatever it is, and she says she knows. She just hasn’t been ready to talk about it; not a lot of people know. He says, not a lot of people know, and one of them isn’t him. It must be pretty heavy. What’s going on? Britt’s phone rings, and she tells them, she’ll be right there. She tells Brad that she has to go, and he says, come on, but she says, she has a patient, and this isn’t a conversation she wants to rush, and she leaves.

Valentin sits up, and says, what does Martin know about the Cassadines? Martin tells him, relax; it’s a good thing. Valentin says, let him be the judge of that, and Martin says, Valentine’s Victor problem will soon be over. His sister thought of a brilliant, but simple way of getting rid of him. She’s pulling strings to have Victor deported. Valentin asks if that isn’t a little outside of her reach, but Martin says, not at all. Laura is both well-connected and determined, and it makes perfect sense. Victor has a criminal record that goes back decades, which is ample reason to deport him for – wait for it – moral turpitude. Valentin’s phone beeps, and he says he has to go. The Quartermaines await. He jets, going past Carly and Olivia’s table. Olivia says, Aurora’s stock price is climbing, and Carly says, on the rumors of a merger. Once the merger is officially announced, they’re going to skyrocket. Olivia says, and the Q’s will once again be in charge of ELQ. She has to say, Drew’s idea to merge companies was brilliant. Carly says, which is why she sold her half of the MetroCourt to raise the capital to help Michael and Drew, and Olivia says, I’m sorry. You did what now?

Lucy asks if Ned is okay, and he says, he’s fine, but what in God’s name would this family possibly have to thank Valentin for? She says, ELQ has thrived under Valentin’s… tenure. Not to mention the fact, he’s united them together against a common foe. Ned says, yes, and that unity deserves to be fought for and protected. She says, the Quartermaines are nothing if not excellent fighters. Just think what they could do if they all worked together for once.

Willow tells Michael that she’s going to check on Wiley, and she’ll be right back. She starts to go upstairs, but has to stop and sit down.

Britt comes out of the elevator, and Cody says, Dr. Westbourne. She says, oh God, you? and he says, there’s that bedside manner she must be famous for. She says, all the doctors in this hospital, and he asks for her? and he says, she’s the one most familiar with his case. She says, he has bruised ribs. It’s not like he’s a case study the medical world is going to marvel at. He says, turns out he might be more banged up than she thought, and she says, the ER is right down the hall. She’ll call an orderly to wheel him over. He says, come on. Can’t she just check him out? She says, she’s an OB/GYN, and he says he’s heard. She says she’s sure he has, and looks at Dante. He says, here’s the problem. As he told her the other night when she was kindly taking him to her car, a trip to the ER isn’t in the budget right now. She says, right, and he doesn’t have insurance, and whoever beat him up, took his money. She can’t treat him off the books. Dante says he’ll cover Cody’s bill. They can’t put him on a bus out of here if he’s got broken ribs, right? She says, he’s leaving town? and he says, that’s the plan. She says, right this way, and leads him to an exam room, as Brad watches.

Chase says he can’t let Brook lie to the police, and she says, it’s a valid interpretation of the events of that night, but he says, it’s not. She asks, who’s going to contradict her? and he says, a club full of witnesses? She says, please. A bunch of hipsters who were three sheets to the wind? She’s not worried; it will totally work. He takes her hands, and thanks her. It means the world that she would do this for him. She says, he pretended to be Bailey’s dad; it’s the least she can do. He says, the bottom line is, he got himself into this mess, and he’s ready to face whatever happens next. His phone rings, and he says, he’ll be right there. He tells Brook, it was Jordan’s assistant. The Commissioner is ready to see him.

Lucy tells Ned, the Quartermaines united to run ELQ. That would be so incredibly formidable. That’s never going to happen though. He asks what she means, and she says, when Valentin leaves, all that infighting that Edward so successfully cultivated, is going to resurface, which is really a shame. Her phone rings, and she tells Ned that she has to take it. He says, of course (🍷), and she steps away. She pauses, seeing Willow on the stairs, but Willow continues on up. Lucy says, okay; she’s alone. Martin says, now she knows how he feels. He missed waking up to her this morning. She says she misses him too, so much, but with this slot coming up on the Home and Heart Shopping Channel, she has so much work to do for Deception, and she had to come to the shareholders meeting, which is going to be a total waste of time. Martin says, you never know, but she says, Michael, Drew, and Ned are all united on this crazy Valentin front. She doesn’t get to vote unless there’s a tie, which there’s not going to be, which means she’ll just sit around, twiddling her thumbs. She’s going to feel totally superfluous. He says, that is nonsense. She’s definitely the center of his world. She thanks him, and tells him that he says the sweetest things. He says, she’s more important than she knows. Far more.  

Carly tells Olivia that she sold her half of the MetroCourt to Stillwater Venture Group to get the money to help Michael and Drew. Olivia says, so now she’s partners with Stillwater Venture Group? but Carly says, no. She would never do that to Olivia. She has 30 days to buy back her half of the hotel. The price has already been set, and she’s going to have more than enough money. Aurora’s stock is gaining value by the hour. Olivia says, sounds risky, but Carly says, no way. She has faith in Drew, and she’ll always bet on Michael.

Brook goes into Kelly’s to get a refill on her coffee, when Linc walks in. She wonders if they don’t make an ointment to get rid him, and he says he doesn’t like the tension between them. She says, this isn’t tension; this is hatred. He says he sold another one of her songs, and she asks, which one? He says, Morning Rain, and she says she wrote that when her cousin died. He says, that’s very touching. Sof-T paper towels thinks it’s perfect for their new commercial. She says, her song is going to be used in a paper towel commercial? and he says, a national paper towel commercial. So when anyone in the entire country hears it, they’ll think absorbent. He’ll be making a nice chunk of change from it too. He bets if she tried, she could come up with some catchy jingles. Then they could make money together. She says, she’d rather never write another song… Does he really want to work with her again? He says, he does. Why? She says, fine. She’ll do it, if he recants his accusation against Chase.

Chase goes to Jordan’s office, and she tells him to close the door and have a seat. She hopes he realizes how disappointed she is to find him in this position again, and so close to the end of his suspension. He says he’s sorry; he acted in haste. He was provoked, but it’s still no excuse. She says, if there’s no excuse, why say he was provoked? and he says, accuracy. Of course (🍷) now that he’s facing assault charges, she can’t bring him back to the force. She says she spoke with Linc, and he’s agreed to drop the criminal charges. Chase won’t be facing prison time. He thanks her for going to bat for him, but she tells him, he can save his thanks. Linc still wants him to lose his job.

Dante says he hears Brad is working for his Aunt Selina now. What is he doing for her? Brad says, this and that; entry level stuff. Errands and whatnot. It’s super boring. Dante says, Brad has no idea what he’s getting himself into, does he?

Britt walks into the exam room, and sees a shirtless, bruised Cody. She says, colorful, and he asks if it’s okay that it hurts to breathe. She says, that would be a sign a rib punctured his lung, and he says, it doesn’t hurt that bad. She puts on gloves, and says, we shall see. She puts the stethoscope on his back, and tells him to breathe. She listens, and he says, it hurts. She says she should send him for an x-ray, but he says, if she just wraps him up, he’ll be fine. She says, a moment ago, it hurt to breathe, and now he’s fine? He says, she must have the healing touch.

Drew says, they’re all set. The proxies are here; they’re good to go. Willow comes in, and Michael asks if everything is all right. She says, Wiley is fine, and he says, what about her? Is she okay? Before she can answer, Ned walks in with another man, and says he thinks they all know Pascal. Pascal shakes Drew’s hand, saying, they spoke several times on the phone; it’s a pleasure to meet him in person. Drew says, it’s good to be seen, and Pascal says hello to Michael. Michael says, they’re just waiting for… There he is. Valentin walks in, and tells them, what say they begin? He doesn’t think it will take too long. Michael says, it certainly will not.

Britt finishes wrapping Cody, and he says, he and Dante were talking about her earlier. She says she’s sure Dante had a lot to say, and he says, Dante’s definitely not a fan. To him, it sounds like she got a raw deal. She asks how he figures that, and he says, her mom and dad weren’t the easiest role models to live up to. She says he can get dressed, and he says, he just meant, it must be hard to live up to her dad’s legacy. She says, meaning what?

Linc says, let him get this straight. He drops the assault charges, and Brook will write songs for him again. Brook says, no charges, no civil suit, no complaints or demand for an apology. No comment to any reporter that Chase attacked him. This never happened. He goes to the DA and the Commissioner, and tells them that he lied. He makes this go away forever, and she’s all his. He says, it’s a tempting offer, but no deal. All he cares about is that her detective friend loses his job for good. But look on the bright side of things. He’s come around to her way of thinking. Some things truly are priceless. He gets his takeout order, and leaves.

Cody tells Britt, he just means, it must be tough to live down Faison’s reputation. He was one of the WSB’s most wanted, wasn’t he? She says, continue with the ice packs. If the pain persists for more than two days, see a doctor. Have a nice trip. He asks, what just happened here? and she tells him, Dante said he was getting on a bus. Bon voyage. She walks out.

Jordan tells Chase that Linc is filing a complaint with the Civilian Review Board. As he knows, the outcome of the Board’s investigation could be censure, or even dismissal. He says he knows he was in the wrong. In the heat of the moment… She says, this wasn’t a life threatening situation. No one was in eminent danger, except Mr. Brown. Once again Chase has proved he can’t keep his head in a situation, especially when Brook is involved. So answer her this. Why shouldn’t she fire him right now?

Carly tells Olivia that she’s planning a deluxe family vacation in a few months. She feels like they deserve it. So, should they go to the beach or some foreign city? Olivia says, that depends on who all is going, and Carly says, her and Donna of course (🍷). She’s hoping Michael, Willow, and Wiley, and she was going to ask Ava if she could take Avery. Olivia says she wouldn’t hold her breath on a yes for that question, and Carly says, she and Ava… Olivia says, hate each other, and Carly says, but they will move heaven and earth for Avery, so maybe there’s a possibility. Olivia says, listen to the optimist, and Carly says, after the year she’s had, things are finally going her way.

Valentin says, as CEO, he’s calling this meeting to order. Everyone sits down, and he says, any new business? Drew makes a motion to remove Valentin as CEO of ELQ, and Michael seconds it. Valentin asks if anyone wants to make a statement supporting his removal, but Michael says, he thinks they should just get this over with. Valentin says he’ll take that as a no, but he wants to make a statement on his own behalf. ELQ has grown significantly during his time as CEO. It’s no secret, the rumored merger between Aurora and ELQ, but it’s also no secret it has nothing to do with the strength of their company, and everything to do with making Drew a majority shareholder. And that’s a dangerous reason to make this decision. Anyone else want to say something? No one does, and Valentin says, then he’ll entertain a motion to put this to a vote. Ned says, so moved, and Drew says, seconded. Valentin says, then they’ll vote on the motion, and turns the procedure over to their chief counsel Pascal. Pascal says, a motion to remove Valentin as Chair. Before they get to those present, are there shareholders represented by proxy? Drew says, there are, and hands the proxies to Pascal, saying, these are the family members who couldn’t attend in person, authorizing him to vote on their behalf. Pascal asks how they vote, and Drew says, they all vote yes on the motion. Pascal says, very well. Then to those present. Chairman Cassadine? Valentin votes no, and Pascal says, Mr. Drew Cain. Drew says, yes, and Pascal says, Mr. Michael Corinthos III. Michael says, yes, and Pascal says, Mr. Ned Quartermaine.

Britt comes out, and says, Brad is still here? Brad says, they weren’t done, and she says, about that… He says, it’s okay. He knows now is not the right time for whatever this conversation is, and she thanks him. He says he does want her to know he’s here for her. Whatever’s going on, she can count on him. They hug, and she says she knows, but she had a chance to think about it, and she’s fine. If anything changes, she’ll let him know, but for now, he should focus on his fabulous new job. Brad looks like he’s not really buying this.

Brook waits for Chase outside of Jordan’s office. He comes out looking grim.  

Cody comes out and tells Dante, bad news. Dante says, broken ribs? and Cody says, just badly bruised, but the doc ordered him to take it easy, so no hours on a bus right now. Dante says, so he’s sticking around? and Cody says, if that’s okay. Dante gives him a key, and says, he’s got to go, but he’ll call Cody a Ride Share. Cody says, he’ll take the bus. It’s just a ten minute ride to Dante’s; he thinks he can gut it out. Dante says he’s in awe of Cody’s courage. Seriously, he’s happy Cody is sticking around. he leaves, and Cody thanks Britt for the TLC. She says, he’d better hurry. She doesn’t want him to miss his bus again. He says he is taking a bus, but it’s local, to Dante’s. She says she doesn’t care where he’s going, as long as he leaves her hospital. He says he found a reason to stick around Port Charles, so see her around, and leaves.

Olivia says, Carly is going to be sitting pretty when this merger goes through. Her whole life is going to be a vacation. Carly says she’d be bored in a month, maybe two, and Olivia says, maybe a business trip. World domination. Carly says, Olivia is right. She’s going to build a hotel empire. The MetroCourt will become an international brand. They clink mimosa glasses.

Pascal reminds Ned that the motion on the floor is to remove Valentin as CEO of ELQ. Does he vote yes or no? They wait, and Ned finally says he votes no. Pascal says, very well. Between Mr. Corinthos, Mr. Cain, and the proxy votes voting yay, and Mr. Cassadine and Mr. Quartermaine voting nay, we have a 50/50 split. Michael tells Ned, what the hell? It was his idea. He’s the one who started this. He wanted to force Valentin out. Valentin says, the meeting will come to order. They have not finished voting. Pascal says, Miss Coe, as bequeathed by your late ex-husband, Alan Quartermaine, you have the tie-breaking vote. Lucy laughs, and says, would you look at that. The last time she had a vote, she felt a wee bit of pressure, but this time, she gets to vote her conscience. She votes a no-no. Pascal says, the motion fails. Valentin Cassadine remains the Chief Executive Officer of ELQ. Valentin says, excellent, and thanks Pascal for his time and service. Pascal says, always a pleasure,  and leaves. Valentin says, on to the next order of business, namely the rumored merger between Aurora Media and ElQ. It is not happening.

On Monday, Brook says she’ll do whatever it takes to get Chase out of it; Valentin asks for a show of hands; Carly says, her family’s future is brighter than ever; and Brando asks Sonny if he’s sure someone got the message.

🏥 Touching Down…

Soon to be visiting Port Charles. I love Morgan Fairchild.

Morgan Fairchild Cast on GENERAL HOSPITAL!

And I actually remember Susan Batten from OLTL.

Susan Batten’s New Role on GENERAL HOSPITAL!

🏰 Ultimately Nice…

Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether Dorinda actually works for Bravo, or she just works for Bravo in her mind.

https://ew.com/tv/dorinda-medley-the-real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-ex-wives-club/

💎 Yet Another Apology…

All of them should just have I’m Sorry tattooed on their foreheads. On another topic, I can totally see the resemblance in Diana’s photos. I don’t think she’s had any serious work done.

https://pagesix.com/2022/06/17/rhobh-star-diana-jenkins-apologizes-for-racially-insensitive-remark/

🐇 Let’s Talk About the Husband…

If I spring for that book, there had better be something.

REPORT: Kim Richards Will Share What She Knows About Harry Hamlin, How RHOBH Impacted Her Sobriety, and Talk Feud With Sisters in New Book

The Beard speaks.

RHOBH’s Lisa Rinna Claims Kathy Hilton Told Her Kim Richards Lied About Harry Hamlin as Kathy Reveals When She’ll Make Her Season 12 Debut

🥼 Thirsty As Ever…

What is up with Kyle? Even the stuff she makes up is boring.

Caroline Stanbury Slams Kyle Richards For Claiming She Borrowed Her Jacket And Never Gave It Back

💰 News On Sunset…

Yes! I would love a spin-off with these three.

https://pagesix.com/2022/06/17/mj-javid-teases-shahs-of-sunset-spin-off-with-reza-and-gg/

I see they’re on Trevor Noah’s page of counsel not cancel.

https://pagesix.com/2022/06/17/shahs-not-excommunicating-mike-shouhed-over-abuse-claims/

🕶 Excuse Me, Miss…

How funny.

https://ew.com/tv/leslie-jordan-thought-lady-gaga-extra-american-horror-story-roanoke/

In other Gaga news, I love how they have room for everyone. They just make it another universe.

https://ew.com/movies/lady-gaga-harley-quinn-joker-2-joaquin-phoenix/

🐎 Difference In the West…

Returning on June 26th.

https://ew.com/tv/evan-rachel-wood-playing-different-character-westworld-season-4/

🐉 Write Faster, George…

I love that he’s involved with the spin-offs, but I wish he’d speed it up finishing that last GoT book.

https://ew.com/tv/george-rr-martin-confirms-game-of-thrones-sequel-jon-snow-kit-harington/

👄 Quotes of the Week

Each of us must decide whether it is more important to be proved right or to provoke righteousness. – Bernice King

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. – Ovid

No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important. – Marie Kondo

You can’t get rich in politics unless you’re a crook. – Harry Truman

Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others. – Groucho Marx

As I get older, I am becoming more selective of who I consider a friend. I find that I would rather have 4 quarters then 100 pennies. – Steve Maraboli

The border to eternity is never ahead of us. It runs parallel to life and can be crossed over at any moment by old and young. – Reinhard Bonnke

It takes two to tango, and he doesn’t want to dance. – Dr. Phil

👠 Don’t Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen…

Give your all to the next two days, and when you’re done, come by for some soap and a Deck Reunion. I almost wrote D*ck, which might actually be more accurate. Until then, stay safe, stay expanding your vocabulary, and stay knowing, no matter how well you plan, the motion still might fail.