(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Fear the Walking Dead
Victor listens to perfume commercial music as he shaves. I don’t know the name of it, but you’d know it if you heard it. He’s told Alicia is here for him, and he says, divine providence. He walks out past people farming, out onto the roof, and Wes asks, what happened? Victor says, today is the day they’re going to wipe the slate clean, and Wes says, she didn’t come alone, handing Victor the binoculars. Victor looks, and says, the gang’s all here. He picks up the phone, and asks Alicia to what he owes the pleasure. She says she thinks he knows, and he says she brought company. He asks, where’s Morgan? Is he going to make a grand entrance? She says, he’s somewhere safe with the baby where Victor won’t find him. Victor calls Morgan a coward, and says it’s auspicious of her showing up. He was going to call her. She asks, what for? and he says, to talk. She says, so talk, and he tells her, not like this. Come inside and have a drink. She asks if he’s waving the white flag, and he says, they’ll talk inside; just them. She looks at her group, and says, one drink. She hangs up, and Wes asks what Victor is doing. Victor says, he’s got it covered, and hands back the binoculars. He asks if there’s something Wes wants to say, and Wes says, Victor drove Alicia away for a reason. If he lets her in, he could lose everything he’s built. Victor assures Wes that he won’t, and asks Wes to be a gem, and get a bottle of the Luna Fonteluza he has in cold storage. And when the sun goes down, be ready.
Daniel tells a guard to get off him, and Victor tells Daniel to excuse them; they take security seriously. One of the guards says, Daniel pushed through, and almost broke a ranger’s neck. Victor tells Alicia, Daniel wasn’t invited. His agreement was only with her. Daniel says he wants to see Ofelia, and Victor looks puzzled. Alicia says, he’s not well, and Victor tells his men to take Daniel to the basement. Alicia tells Daniel that it will be okay. If Victor hurts him… Victor says, that’s what the roof is for. He’s just putting Daniel in time out. Alicia says, Luci lied and told Daniel that Ofelia was here, and Wes says, Alicia can pretend to be outraged, but at the end of the day, they’re all just like Victor. Alicia says, Wes wouldn’t be alive weren’t for Daniel, and Victor says, he saved Wes as well. Wes wonders which one he owes his life to. He pours two drinks, and Victor says, here we are. Wes says, Alicia shouldn’t be here. She and her friends left him to die in the bunker. He leaves, and Victor suggests he give Alicia the grand tour, but she says she’s good right here. He hands her a drink, and says, to new beginnings, but she says she thinks they have different ideas of what that means. He says, they’ll see about that, and notices she’s wearing the St. Christopher medal. He says he sees she still has it, and she says, she took it off Will’s body when she buried after Victor killed him. Victor says, it still means something to her, and she asks if he remembers what he said, that they needed to forget who they were, for her, for all of them. Was it worth it? Victor says, absolutely. He didn’t forget who he was; he embraced it. He knows what she thinks of him, but their story isn’t over, and she tells him, one way or another, he won’t be running this place after today. He says, it’s not about today; it’s about tomorrow. Everything he’s done was to lead them here. She says, so she and her army gets pissed off, sh*t on, and left to die? They’re ready to kick his ass. Victor picks up the phone, and says, do it, and she says, do what? He says she has her army; he has his. He tells the guard to cut the phone on the platform. He doesn’t want them giving anyone a warning. He tells Alicia that there’s a crater of walkers soaking up some nasty stuff. He’s told his rangers to lead them here. A generator starts up, and he tells her it’s to power the beacon to draw the dead, and kill her army. She starts to walk out, but Victor’s men stop her. She asks if he thinks this is the way to win her over, and he says, she’ll come around. He originally used the light to keep her out. Now it’s to keep her in.
On the roof, a ranger flips a switch, and the beacon comes on.
Alicia yells for her people to get out of here, but Victor says, they can’t hear her. She tells him, turn off the light, and he says he’s sorry it came to this. She says, he’s going to kill them, and he says, they’re not part of his vision. Once they build this place into what it can be, she’ll understand. He tells his rangers to take her downstairs, and take Daniel to the roof; an example has to be made. Wes says he’s sorry he doubted Victor, and Alicia removes her glove, revealing her crazy arm. She kicks the rangers’ asses, and grabs Victor’s gun, holding it on him. She tells him, turn off the light, and Victor says, if she does this, she’ll wipe out everything he’s built. Victor asks if she thinks Wes is going to listen to her, and she says, if he won’t turn off the light, she will, and he says, he has 50 rangers who will do as he says to protect the tower. Alicia presses the elevator button, and forces Victor into the car. As they go up, Victor says she’s making a mistake; delaying the inevitable. She says, he’s not calling shots, when the power goes out. He says, emergency protocol, and she threatens to kill him, but he says, she can’t stop what’s coming. She asks if he’d rather die than give the place up, but he says, she won’t kill him. He’s doing this for her. She says, he’s doing what Teddy did; locking her up while he destroys the things she cares about. She’ll tell him what she told Teddy – she’s not making the world the way he wants it to be. Wes calls from outside, and Alicia tries jumping up to open the trap door. Victor kicks the gun out of her hand, and draws his sword. He says he knows how she feels, but they have a long future ahead. Wes yells for them to open the door, and Alicia asks if she looks like she has a lot of time left. He says, they have antibiotics, and have a fully stocked infirmary, but she says, it’s not going to work. She’s tried everything, and it’s getting worse. He says, they’ll find a way to stop it; June will figure it out. Alicia says, no she won’t. No one survives what she’s going through. She’s not afraid to die, but it can’t end like this. Not for them. Wes bangs on the door, and Alicia says, please turn off the light, and she’ll call off the army. He has her word. He looks at the medal and says, that’s not good enough. Stay here in the tower with him. She says she’s running out of time, and he says, give him what she has left. He wants to show her that she’s wrong about him. Do they have a deal? Wes continues to bang on the door, and Alicia holds out her hand. He helps her up, and opens the door, telling his men, stand down. It’s okay. They made an agreement. He agreed to turn off the light in exchange for a cease fire. Wes says, she’s playing him, but Victor disagrees. Wes says, they’re surrounded. If the light is turned off, they’re done. Victor insists they’re not. Alicia’s agreed to live in the tower with him. Wes asks if he’s lost his mind. Does he think she’s going to accept that after what he’s done? Based on what? Victor says, his instincts. They’re what made this place, and he’s not going to stop listening to them now. Wes draws his gun, and says, Alicia is Victor’s blind spot. If Victor isn’t going to protect this place, he will. Victor says, Wes is outnumbered, and Wes tells the two rangers with him, Victor’s instincts are the same ones that lost them the baby and the safety of the moat; that told him to bring Alicia in here. They can’t trust Victor’s instincts anymore. The rangers aim their guns at Victor, and Victor says, wow. He never should have let Wes in. The lights go off, and Victor and Alicia jet. Wes yells, get him, and Victor shoots at him. He and Alicia run into a stairwell, and Alicia says, she needs to warn them. He says, they won’t make it to the roof on their own, but they might have one ally left.
Wes radios the head ranger and tells him that Victor isn’t in charge anymore. The ranger asks, what the hell is going on? and Wes says, they can’t take any chances. Take Victor out. A handcuffed Daniel comes up behind the ranger, throws his arms around the ranger’s head, and pulls the handcuffs against his throat. He asks if the ranger knows why this is happening to him. It’s never too late to learn new things. When you handcuff someone, you put their hands in the back not the front. The ranger slumps to the ground, and Daniel takes off the handcuffs. He hears someone coming, and Alicia and Victor come in. Daniel raises his gun, but Alicia tells him, stop. Victor is here to help. She knows how it sounds, but if he doesn’t turn off the beacon, their people will die. Daniel suggests Victor call off his dogs, but Alicia says, they need his help. Daniel says, not until he sees Ofelia. Where is she? Alicia asks if he remembers Mexico, and Victor says he searched for her so he could reunite. She got sick, and they didn’t get there in time. Daniel has brief flashes of what happened, and says, Ofelia was sick, yes, but Victor never reunited them. He never found her. He kept lying. Ofelia is alive and in the tower, and Victor knows where she is. Where is she? Does he want to end up like his friend? Victor says, she’s on the top floor, and Daniel says, the penthouse; smart choice. Is Victor lying to him? Victor says, she’s there. They just need his help to get to her. Daniel looks at Alicia, lowers his gun, and says, okay.
Daniel shoots a ranger in the stairwell, and tells Victor and Alicia, they probably heard that upstairs. He’s going to the next level. Victor says, they’ll hang back, and Daniel walks up. Alicia asks what Victor is playing, and he says, June, Grace, and Wen. After the Great Baby Handoff what happened with the baby, he locked them top floor. She asks what he thinks is going to happen when Daniel realizes Ofelia’s not there, but he says, it won’t matter. They need to free them, and get them on their side; he’ll have to relent. He’s finishing what Luci started, if that’s what he needs to do to keep the place standing, He knows she thinks he’s a monster, but he’s the same man he’s always been. He just stopped apologizing for it. Alicia asks if really he believes that, and he says, he does. She says, then so will she. He says, that’s why he’s willing to turn off the beacon. She’ll see everything he’s done is worth it. They hear a shot, and a ranger’s body falls past them. Daniel tells them, come on, but all of a sudden, Alicia feels dizzy, and says, she can’t… Victor catches her as she passes out, and he says, they need to get her to the infirmary. Daniel says, they have a deal, but Victor says, they need to help Alicia first.
Victor rifles through the medications in the infirmary, and Daniel says, the rangers have found them; they have no time for this. They need to move. Victor picks something out, and says, epinephrine. June had it on hand when he was poisoned. Daniel says, they need to get out fast, and picks up a clipboard. He asks what it is, and Victor says, it’s a record of everyone in tower. Daniel looks through it, and says, Ofelia’s name isn’t on here; why? Victor says, she’s not on the top floor. He only told Daniel that because it was the only way Daniel would help him. Now he can help Daniel. If he wants his daughter, there she is. He takes Daniel to the next room, where Charlie is in bed asleep. Daniel says, that’s not his daughter. Where is she? Victor says, Ofelia died in Mexico. Luci lied for the same reason he did; so Daniel had something to fight for. Daniel says, Victor is trying to fool him, but Victor says, he’s trying to save Daniel. He’s trying to save Alicia, who’s the closest thing to a daughter he has. Charlie is the closest thing to daughter Daniel has. Ofelia is gone, but it’s not as if he has nothing left. Charlie means something to him. She’s sick, and doesn’t have much time left. Daniel says, she’s not his daughter, and cracks Victor in the head with his gun, knocking him down. He says, he’s finished with Victor, and Alicia says, no. Victor says, maybe Daniel can do for Charlie what he couldn’t do for Ofelia; he can be there for her. Charlies wakes up, and says, Daniel? Daniel tells her, don’t look. He doesn’t want this to be what she remembers of him. Victor says, don’t do it, and Alicia says, he’s right. Be the man he wanted Ofelia to see. He flashes back to Ofelia, and a tear runs down his cheek. He lowers the gun.
Alicia wakes up, and Victor tells her, easy now; she got adrenaline. How’s she feeling? She thanks him, and he says he should be thanking her. Daniel would have killed him if she hadn’t appealed to his better angels. She asks, what happened to Charlie? and he says, radiation exposure. She says, that doesn’t mean… and he says, it was worse than what’s happened to the others. She was exposed to alpha particles, the same as the walkers headed here. Grace said she has a couple weeks left. Alicia asks if nothing can be done, and he says he’s afraid not. All the more reason to preserve what they have. All the more reason for her to spend what time she has left in here, not there out. He tells her, come on, and helps her up. She tells Daniel that he has to go, but Daniel says, he can’t leave Charlie. Not now; not like this. She needs him still. Charlie says, it’s okay. He can go. Daniel says, can they still get to the roof? This is where he wants to be, with her, and she says she’s so sorry she’s not Ofelia, but he says, don’t be. She helped him remember why he wanted to find her before she died. Being with her is helping him think more clearly.
Victor explains they’ve stashed weapons everywhere. After Arno’s attack, he wanted to be prepared just in case anyone was planning an encore. She asks if he meant it, and he says, what? She tells him, what he said to Daniel, about her being the closest thing to a daughter he has. He says, they want the same things, and he needed Daniel to believe that. She says, he did. He made Daniel see it. It wasn’t just her who talked Daniel down. He says, they used to save people all the time, and she asks if he means Wes. He says, it’s been a while, but despite everything, they still make a pretty good team. She says she guesses they’ll find out. They’re outnumbered. They’re going see them coming. Victor says, not necessarily, and takes out cans of tear gas. He throws them in the stairwell, and he and Alicia put on masks. She says, they’re flying blind, and he not as blind as them. Stay here. She asks if he thinks it’s going to work, and he says, it’s not the first time he’s walking into the unknown. He leaves, and we hear shouting and gunfire. Alicia waits, then calls to him. He says, it’s clear, and tells her to head to the sixth floor.
Wes says, tear gas? It reminds him of the day he and Victor first met. So much has changed since then, with him, Victor, and Alicia. He knows Victor wants to believe the best in her; he did too, but we are who we are. Victor’s come so far. To finish what he started, he has to protect what he built. It’s honest; it’s real. It doesn’t try to be something that’s not possible. Don’t throw away all of it for her. Victor says, he’s not, and jets. He calls to Alicia on the stairs, and she says she thinks the adrenaline is starting to wear off. He says he’s got her. She says she didn’t think he’d come back, and he says, of course he would. The last time they were in a wall of fog, she didn’t leave him. She knew he was trying to find her. Wes shows up, and says he can’t let Victor do this, and shoots at them.
Alicia and Victor barricade themselves in a room, and Victor asks how much ammo she has. She says, not enough, and Wes and the rangers start shooting through the door. Wes says, come out or they’re coming in, and Victor tells Alicia that he’s sorry. He wanted them to have a clean slate. He wanted them to rebuild together. He thought they had more time to know each other and to heal. Wes says, it’s their last chance. The door starts to open, and Victor says, he should have told her a long time ago that he loves her. She’s the closest thing to family he has left. That’s what this was; that’s always what this was about. He just wanted prove something to her. He hoped this place would show her the man he is. Everything he’s done; everything it’s cost him. That it was worth it, because if didn’t, it was for nothing. Wes and some rangers come in, and Wes says, hands up. Alicia tells him, don’t do this. Those people out there don’t deserve to die. Wes says, neither do the ones in here. He was thinking of the day he and Victor met. He’d told Victor, people are people. He’d said he thought Victor was the exception to the rule, but no one is. He thought Victor understood, and that’s why he kept Alicia far away. Victor says, if they help these people, the place won’t be weaker; it will be stronger. Wes says, it won’t. He found this in Alicia’s bag. He shows Victor a transmitter, and Victor says, out of all the things she could have brought, why that? Alicia says, she brought it from the bunker to broadcast a message. There are people out there who need help. They thought they’d find it with Padre, but there is no Padre. At least not out there. She thought she could use the transmitter… Victor says, so she could build Padre here. She says, she told him that she’s not afraid to die, but this place will live long after she’s gone. Wes says, she’s lying, like Luci lied to Daniel. She wants to get on the roof, and she’s just telling him what he needs to hear to get what she wants. If she sends a message, it will draw more people, and they won’t stand a chance. If Victor doesn’t protect this place, he will. He tells Alicia, sorry, and aims his gun at her. She says, it’s fine, and closes her eyes. Shots are fired, but it’s Daniel shooting the rangers with Wes. Wes shoots Daniel, and Alicia picks up a gun, and aims it at Wes. She asks if Daniel is okay, and Daniel says he’s fine. He needs to warn the others. Victor tells him where to find Grace, June, and Wen, and says, free them. Wes says, do it, and he’ll kill Alicia. He can’t let her do it. She says, she saved life. He believed in them once before, and she’s asking for the same thing again. Before Wes can make a decision, Victor runs through Wes with his sword. Buh-bye, Wes. Alicia asks why he did that, and he says, for the same reason he built the tower; so she wouldn’t have to. Wes wasn’t going to stand down, and they’re running out of time. Let’s go and turn that light off.
A zombie toddles around outside, and Dwight stabs it in the head. He says, Alicia should have been out by now, and Luci says, they can’t wait. Sarah says, as long as that beacon is spinning, the skinbags will be on them like flies on a turd. They see people coming, and it’s June, pushing Wen in his wheelchair, with Grace alongside her. Sarah asks if Wen is all right, and he says he’s better now. Dwight asks, what the hell is going on? but Daniel says, he doesn’t have time to explain. They all need to get inside. Grace asks where Morgan is, but Dwight says, they don’t know yet. Daniel says, they need to hurry. Alicia and Victor are turning the light off. Luci is surprised they’re on the same side, and Daniel says, there are dead in a crater, and the light is drawing them. Dwight asks, how far? but Daniel says he’s not sure. He urges them inside, and June says she has to patch Daniel’s gunshot wound, but he says he has to see Charlie first. Victor tried to convince him that Charlie was Ofelia, continuing what Luci started. He asks why Luci did that, and Luci says, she thought it was the only way. Some rangers start shooting at them, and they run inside. We see zombies coming toward the tower, and Wen says, they’re trying box us out. They shoot back at the ranger.
Victor shoots the snipers on the roof, and Alicia asks why they’re still shooting. He says, the rangers guarding the tunnel must have circled round, and she says, they’re sitting ducks. She tells Victor to turn the beacon off; she’ll give as much cover as she can. He goes over to the light, and she asks what he’s doing. Why is he waiting? He says, she’s never going to forgive him, and she asks what he’s talking about. He says, even if turns the beacon off, even if he helps her save everyone, the damage has already been done. She says, they don’t have time for this, and walks toward the light, but he pushes her down, and a wire snaps, hitting the tower where the beacon is. He says, it’s never going to be enough. He’ll never make her love him. She says, he ruined it by what he did to Wes, and he says he had no choice. She says, he’s always had a choice, and he always makes the wrong one. He says, he was saving her life, but she says, he was trying to save his own life. And he didn’t care who he killed to do it. He says, that’s not true, and she says, the person he used to be person, the person he said he wanted to forget, was never him. She goes after him, but gets the pokey thing on the end of her arm stuck in something, and another cable snaps, hitting the beacon. Sparks fly, and the light goes out. Alicia says, they’re here.
Alicia and Victor look down. A zombie grabs some random person, and the others run inside. Alicia climbs up, and fiddles with the fuse box. Victor asks what she’s doing, and she sets up the transmitter. Victor says, it’s too late; there’s no way out of here, but Alicia says, there’s one. Speaking into the mic, she says, this is Alicia Clark. If you’re listening to this, you’re not alone. The place you’ve been looking for, the place you heard about, Padre, it’s here; it’s at the tower. She gives the coordinates, and says, We’re going to build the new home you’ve been looking for. We can help, but first we’re going to need help from you. A fire starts, and Victor says, it’s going to spread through the whole building. Alicia faints and falls, the roof ablaze.
Next time, a road trip, still looking for Padre, and the tower burns.
⚰️ Dead Stuff…
My regular computer is wonky, so no bells and whistles, just news.
Short but sweet, join me for soap and what’s on Deck tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll be back at my normal device. Until then, stay safe, stay being the person your dog thinks you are, and stay remembering, it’s never too late to learn new things.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At The Savoy, Bobbie stares daggers at Nina, and Sonny tells her, don’t worry about them. Nina asks what they’re doing here, and he asks what she means. Carly tells Bobbie to stop glaring; don’t give them the satisfaction. Bobbie says, Sonny is parading around with Nina. Where’s his sense of shame? He’s actually holding her hand. Carly says, if it doesn’t affect Donna, she doesn’t care, and Bobbie says, Carly might be over it, but she’s not. She thinks it’s high time she gave them a piece of her mind. She gets up.
At Kelly’s, Finn gives Violet a placemat and crayons, telling her that she can draw whatever she likes. He puts headphones on her head, and she says she likes the song. She gets busy drawing, and Finn tells Gregory that he thinks she’s sufficiently distracted. He doesn’t want to scare her. Gregory says, with talk of ghosts, because Elizabeth thinks Franco is… haunting her? but Finn says, no. He thinks Violet is onto something because the only person present at every incident was Elizabeth. Gregory says, because someone is harassing her, but Finn says, what if that someone is Elizabeth herself?
Elizabeth picks up Violet’s drawing of the family, and tears Finn and Violet off of it.
Taggert thanks Portia for the invitation, and I’m confused. Wasn’t she at The Savoy with Epiphany and Stella? He says he could certainly use the company, and she says, so he read Trina’s Title IX report too. He says, hell yeah, and she asks if he thinks it’s going to have any impact on Trina’s criminal trial. He says, there wouldn’t be a criminal trial in the first place if it wasn’t for their esteemed Commissioner.
TJ says, the muggers already have their wallets and their phones; isn’t it enough? Marshall says, just take it, handing over the clarinet case, but TJ struggles with guy two as he takes it. Marshall pushes guy one back, and drops the knife.
Michael and Wiley play with toy cars, and Michael says he hopes Wiley gets this out of his system before he’s 16. Wiley says, 16 is old, and Michael says, thanks, buddy. He asks how Willow is feeling, and she says, Epiphany warned her nursing school would be hard, but she’s exhausted. He says he’s glad she didn’t stick it out for Leo’s birthday party. She was missed, but there were plenty of people there to celebrate. She asks if Leo had a good time, and Michael says, he did. She says, she tried taking a nap, but she couldn’t fall asleep, and Wiley says he could read her a bedtime story that always makes him fall asleep. She suggests she and daddy read him a story, since it’s past his bedtime, and Michael thinks they should spend a little extra time with him tonight. Willow says, how about two bedtime stories, and afterward, they’ll snuggle. Wiley wants a bedtime snack too, and Michael says, he drives a hard bargain. Willow says, deal, and Wiley says, yay!
Carly asks Bobbie to please sit down. She just said, she doesn’t want to give them the satisfaction. Bobbie says she’s Carly’s mother, and has the right to be indignant on her behalf. Carly says she understands that, and loves Bobbie for it, but can they keep the indignation between them? Please. Bobbie says, okay, fine, and sits back down. But Carly better buckle up because Bobbie has something to say to her, and she’s not going to like it.
Sonny says, he and Nina are just two people trying to wipe out their troubles for a while. There’s nothing wrong with that. Nina says, it seems like Bobbie definitely disagrees, and now that The Invader has reminded everyone in the world of her many transgressions, she’s sure there are plenty of people who have opinions about seeing them together. He says, people can think what they want. They don’t know them or what they’ve been through. She says she doesn’t care about people, she cares about him, but she can’t ignore the fact she caused him a lot of trouble, and it’s time she did something about that. He says, like what?
Gregory says, Finn thinks Elizabeth is stalking herself? That’s absurd. Finn says, this person keeps getting to Elizabeth without leaving a trace. At her home, at the hospital, at her room at the MetroCourt. Gregory says, there has to be another explanation, and Finn says, of course (🍷) she has access to her home, to her room at the MetroCourt, and Franco’s art studio, which would explain how someone got in and out without getting caught. The only big hole in the theory is that she wasn’t at home when the portrait was placed on the mantel. If he remembers correctly, no one saw Elizabeth sleeping at GH that night. Is it possible she went home and placed the painting there herself? Gregory says, there’s an even bigger hole in Finn’s theory. He’s told Gregory many times what a loving, devoted mom Elizabeth is to her three sons. Why would she torment herself, let alone her three boys?
Elizabeth sits on the couch in the dark, cutting up the part of the picture she tore off with a pair of scissors. Cameron comes in and turns on the lights. He says, mom? but she doesn’t acknowledge him.
Taggert says, Jordan, and she says, it’s good to see him… she thinks. He asks, what happened? The Jordan he knew was committed to justice being served. Jordan and Portia say hi, and Jordan tells Taggert, she can assure him that her commitment to justice is as strong as ever. He says, really? Then why is his daughter still facing a trial when it’s obvious she’s been framed? Jordan says, he knows she can’t comment on ongoing investigations, and he says he’s aware of the evidence she has against Trina. He worked at the PCPD a long time, and still has connections. What he doesn’t understand is why she’s sitting on her hands, letting Trina take the fall, instead of going out and finding the real criminal.
Guy one picks up his knife and slashes Marshall, who falls to the ground. The clarinet goes flying, and TJ runs to Marshall. Guy one throws TJ against the wall, and it’s two against one, but Curtis shows up. He kicks the muggers’ asses, as TJ tends to Marshall. Guy two (I think) runs off, and Curtis knocks the other one down. He says, at least they got one of them, and TJ asks if Marshall can hear him. He tells Curtis, call 9-1-1.
Portia tells Taggert to give his former partner some credit. She knows who Trina is, just like they do. Jordan says she’s still keeping an eye on Trina’s case, even though it’s now in the DA’s hands. Taggert thanks her for whatever she may or may not be doing, and she says, he may or may not be welcome. Portia asks if Jordan heard about the Title IX report that PCU released today, and Jordan says she hasn’t seen it yet, but assumes a copy went straight to the DA’s office. Portia says, Trina read it and she’s interpreting it as bad news. She’s concerned if she’s found responsible, she’s going to be expelled. She asks if Jordan thinks that would make it more likely Trina would be found guilty in the criminal trial.
Carly asks what she’s not going to like, and Bobbie says, Carly is putting on a great front, but there’s no point in torturing herself. Let’s leave. Carly says, no. She didn’t do anything wrong; she’s not going anywhere. Would Bobbie have let Lucy Coe run her out of every club? Bobbie says, she’s not suggesting Carly leave in every instance, but tonight, she doesn’t need the extra stress. She has nothing to prove. Carly says, Bobbie is right, but she’s still not going anywhere.
Nina says, the way she sees it, Sonny has been suffering the consequences of her bad choices. He almost died saving her from a fire that Peter set. Then when he got his memory back, he came back from a family, and moved on from her. His wife married her best friend, his marriage ended, and now he has a feud with his son because of her. Her being here with him is not a good idea. So for once, she’s going to make it easy on him, think about him, and go. He says, wait a minute. She can go if she wants to, but don’t do it on his account. Because for him, her being around is no trouble.
Finn says, Gregory is right; Elizabeth is a wonderful mother. Gregory says, then why would she create a situation where it wasn’t safe to live with her kids? and Finn says, she had trouble sleeping; the doctor even gave her a prescription. Gregory says, so? and Finn says, people react differently. Sleep aids have made people do lots of things; sleepwalking for one. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t remember any of these incidents. He has to go talk to her. He asks if Gregory will look after Violet for a minute, and Gregory says, of course (🍷), but he wants Finn to be careful. If Finn’s theory is right, and Elizabeth is responsible, either consciously or unconsciously, she attacked Chase. Who knows what else she might be capable of? Finn takes Violet’s headphones off, and says he’s sorry, but he has to go do something. She says he hasn’t had dessert yet, and he asks her to bring him something to go. He’ll see her at home later. She asks if he’s going to see Aunt Elizabeth, and he says he is. She tells him to let Elizabeth know she’s making her another drawing, and he says he will. He says he loves her, kisses the top of her head, and leaves.
Elizabeth continues to concentrate on cutting the picture, and Cameron says, mom? It’s him; he’s home. She doesn’t even acknowledge him, and he sits on the couch. He says, she’s starting to freak him out a little bit. Is she okay? What is she doing? She freezes, with the scissors midair.
Jordan says, there’s a good chance the judge won’t even allow the Title IX to be entered into evidence, and Portia says, that’s good news. Taggert says, it’s not guaranteed, and Jordan says, no, but he has to have faith. He says, that’s in short supply these days, and walks off. Portia says, Jordan will have to forgive Taggert. He’s hurting right now, but he knows she supports Trina, and he’s grateful; as is Portia. She asks if Jordan wants to join her and have a drink, if she’s not on the clock, and Jordan says she’s definitely off duty. She just came to blow off some steam. Portia says, by herself? and Jordan says she knows Curtis is out of town. She just doesn’t want any unsavory characters thinking they can take advantage. Portia asks if Jordan is saying Curtis’s business is being threatened.
Molly arrives, seeing the police cars, and ambulance. She says, oh my God, TJ, and runs to him. She asks, what happened? When they didn’t show up at the club, she went looking for them and saw the lights. TJ says, they were headed to an alley. Marshall said it was a back way to get into the club, when all of a sudden, they were stopped by some muggers who had knives. They gave them their phones and their wallets, but they got greedy; they wanted Marshall’s clarinet case. Curtis says, all of this because Marshall didn’t want to let go of his clarinet case? and TJ says, no, Marshall did, but he knew how important the clarinet was to him. So when he saw Marshall handing over the case, he reached for it, and they started struggling. Marshall is taken away on a stretcher, and Curtis says, it’s okay. TJ was brave. They’re taking Marshall to New York Methodist. Let’s go. They go, leaving Molly in the alley by herself. Where TJ and Marshall just got mugged.
Finn goes to Elizabeth’s house, and asks Cameron, what’s going on? Cameron says he doesn’t know. He came home a while ago, and Elizabeth was just cutting that paper. She won’t say anything, and he doesn’t know what to do. Finn picks up part of the picture, and sees his head has been cut out of it. He sits on the couch, and tells Elizabeth, it’s him. Can she hear him? She just stares into space, her hand holding the scissors still frozen, and Cameron says, what’s wrong with her? Why won’t she say anything? Finn tells her, it’s okay. Can she give him the scissors? There’s no response, and he cups his hand around the scissors. Elizabeth comes to, and he tells her, it’s okay. He promises no one is going to hurt her. He takes the scissors, and she says, Finn?What’s happening? She looks around, and says, she’s home? How did she get here?
Michael says, Wiley fell asleep early, and Willow wonders why. Could it be because someone kept him up an hour past his bedtime playing trucks? Michael says he knows it’s best to get him on a regular routine, but they were having so much fun, he felt bad calling it a night. She says, what if that all changes tomorrow? She’s really stressed about the hearing. What reasonable grandmother wouldn’t want contact with their grandchild? And Nina is really good at convincing people she’s reasonable. He says, worrying themselves into the ground isn’t going to do any good. Diane has repeatedly told him they have a strong case. Willow says, it’s not a slam dunk. What if they’re both wrong, and Nina wins?
In the back of the club, Taggert sees Sonny, who asks if he’s enjoying his night. Taggert says, not even a little, and Sonny says he knows what’s going on with Trina. Taggert says, Trina had nothing to do with what happened with Sonny’s stepdaughter, and Sonny says he knows that. Josslyn spends a lot of time with Trina, and he knows Trina is a great person. She’d never do what she’s being accused of. Taggert nods moves on.
Carly is looking at her phone, and Bobbie says, if she wants to have a conversation with Carly, should she start sending texts? Carly says, sorry. She’s just really distracted right now. Bobbie asks if it’s about the test results from GH, and Sonny’s supersonic ears pick that up. Bobbie says, she thought Carly was going to forget about that until tomorrow, and Sonny says, test results at GH; Is Carly sick? What’s going on? Bobbie says she thinks they could use a minute. She’ll be back. She leaves, and Sonny sits down. He asks if this has anything to do with when Carly was attacked by Harmony, and she says she appreciates his concern, but her life has nothing to do with him anymore. He says, she’s Donna’s mother, and she says, and if it affected Donna, she’d tell him. He says she can’t brush this off that easy. He knows when she’s hiding something.
Bobbie goes to the bar, and asks if Nina is enjoying her evening. Nina says, considering the visitation hearing is tomorrow, it’s probably best they didn’t speak tonight. Bobbie says, if Nina listens to what she has to say, there won’t be a hearing tomorrow.
Willow asks Michael, what if they’re forced to let Nina see Wiley? She’s so needy. She wants Wiley to love her. She wants him to console her over the loss of Nelle. It’s not really about Wiley at all. She’s afraid of the lesson he might take from that; that his needs don’t matter. As Wiley grows up, he’s going to have to handle challenges, and deal with people who are out for themselves, but she wants him to know that family is always a place he can feel loved and protected. Michael says, he will. They’ll block Nina’s petition, he promises. She says, when she found out about Harmony’s lies, it made her stop and reassess what family means. He and Wiley matter more to her than anything. She’ll always fight for them. He says, and he’ll be by her side. No matter what Nina throws at them tomorrow, or in the future, they’ll hit her back twice as hard. She asks if it’s messed up that hearing him say that makes her love him more, and he says, not at all. Hearing how protective she is, and how she wants to keep their family safe, makes him love her even more. She says, it seems they’re a perfect match, and he says, 1000%, and they kiss.
Jordan tells Portia, she doesn’t think Curtis is in any trouble. She’s just being overly cautious. Portia says she knows Jordan still cares about Curtis, and Jordan says, it’s not like that, but Portia says, she didn’t mean it in that way. She means Jordan is always going to be family to Curtis, and she respects that. She’s glad Jordan has his back. Jordan asks if Portia has heard from him, and Portia says, he texted her when he got to Brooklyn, but she hasn’t heard anything from him since. Jordan says she hasn’t had any updates from TJ either. She wonders if they found Marshall yet, and Portia hopes when they do, they’re able to heal the wounds between Curtis and his dad.
At the hospital, TJ says, this is on him. He doesn’t know what he was thinking, grabbing for that case. Molly says, he was being mugged. He acted on instinct because he knows how important that clarinet is to Marshall. Curtis says, TJ was incredibly brave. He knows it’s Marshall’s most prized possession. He did right by Marshall. A doctor comes out, and Curtis asks if his father is okay. The doctor says, he lost a lot of blood, but he’s stable. They’re going to take him for a CT and an MRI to rule out any traumatic brain injury. Before they do, is there anything about Marshall’s medicant history they should know? Any medications? Any allergies? Curtis says, he takes blood pressure medication, but he’s not sure which kind or the dosage. Marshall just recently came back to their family. They don’t know much about his medical history. The doctor goes back, and TJ says, there’s still so much they don’t know about Marshall. Curtis says, they still have a chance, but TJ says, what if he doesn’t make it? Curtis says he knows TJ is a doctor, and his first impulse is to go to the worst case scenario, but don’t let himself go there. They came all this way to find Marshall. They’re not going to give up now.
Gregory tells Violet not to worry; everything will be okay. He won’t worry either. She shows him her latest drawing – everyone seated at a long table – and he says, it’s beautiful. She says, it’s him, her, Aunt Elizabeth, daddy, and Uncle Chase at a tea party. Maybe Aunt Elizabeth will feel better if they throw her a tea party. It always makes her feel better. Gregory says, sometimes grown-up problems are more complicated, and she says, she wishes she never has grown-up problems. He says, if he could keep her this age he would, and she wonders if she can ask him something. He says, anything, and she asks if he’s going to finish his brownie. He gives it to her.
Finn asks, what’s the last thing Elizabeth remembers? and she says she was lying down Laura’s. Did Laura and Doc bring her here? He says he called Laura’s because he wanted to talk to her; he wanted to apologize. Laura told him that she’d snuck out. He came looking here first. She says she doesn’t remember any of that. Did Cameron pick her up and drive her here? Cameron says, no. He’s been crashing at Ian’s dorm, and came back to get his laptop. He found her sitting here, and tried talking to her, but she ignored him like she was in a trance. She asks what she was doing, and he says, she was just sitting there, cutting up that picture. She says, that’s the picture Violet gave her Why would she destroy it? Why doesn’t she remember any of this? Finn asks if she wants to go back to Laura and Doc’s and talk about it in the morning. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know why came or what she was doing. If Finn knows what’s going on, he has to tell her. Cameron says he agrees with his mom. If Finn has any idea what’s happening, they need to hear it. Finn says he thinks maybe the person they’ve been looking for, the one who’s intruding on her life, is her. Cameron asks if Finn is saying his mom has been harassing their family. That’s just not possible; she wouldn’t do that. Finn says he’s sorry. He knows it’s upsetting, but they have to understand Elizabeth wasn’t conscious of what she was doing. It was a form of sleepwalking. It explains how someone kept getting in and out without leaving any evidence. Cameron’s mom was present for almost every intrusion. Elizabeth gets up, and says, no, that’s impossible. There’s no way she’d forget doing all of those things. Finn says, just tonight she lost track of time. She doesn’t remember leaving Laura’s; she doesn’t remember coming here. She doesn’t remember cutting up Violet’s drawing. When he and Cam found her, she woudn’t respond to either one of them. Doesn’t Cameron agree? Cameron says, yes. He kept trying to talk to her, and she ignored him, like he wasn’t there. Finn says, if they hadn’t found her, if she’d come out of it on her own, what would she have thought happened? She says she doesn’t know. If what he’s saying is true, she’s the one who stashed the ring. She’s the one who slashed her dress she wore when she married Franco. She put the portrait he did of her up here? How would she even get it? Did she set fire to Franco’s studio? Is she the one who hit Chase over the head? What’s happening to her? Finn says, it’s okay. He holds her, and says, it’s going be okay. She looks pretty freaked.
TJ says, he’d update his mom, but he doesn’t want to worry her until they have definitive answers. Curtis asks if TJ and Marshall got to talk much before the mugging, and TJ says, Marshall was reluctant to come back to Port Charles. He also said he did Curtis and his dad a favor when he left all those years ago. Curtis says, he’s not the only one, and TJ says, he agrees? Curtis says, not him; his mom. Molly asks how he knows this, and Curtis says, Stella told him that she knew all along Marshall was alive. According to Aunt Stella, it was Marshall’s idea to disappear after he got arrested. And the strange thing is, his mom agreed with it. TJ says, that doesn’t make any sense. Why? Curtis says, Aunt Stella said that had to come from Marshall. Believe him. He had all those questions and more. Now they just have to hope Marshall tells them what he’s been hiding. An orderly comes out, and asks if they’re Marshall’s family, and Curtis asks, is his father okay?
Taggert says he’s going to take off, and Portia says, they’re going to help Trina through this, no matter what comes her way. They hug, and Jordan tells Taggert, Trina is a fantastic young woman. She doesn’t want to see Trina hurt. Are they good? Taggert says, they go way back, and Jordan certainly proved to be true to his family. Whatever she’s doing, he trusts her. He leaves, and Jordan says she knows Trina is in a difficult situation, but she sure has an amazing support system around her. Joss and Cam stood by her, and of course (🍷) there’s Portia, Curtis, and Taggert. Portia says, Taggert has always been such a devoted father, and Jordan remembers Portia saying she needs to tell Trina the truth about her father, when she and Portia were trapped in the basement. Portia asks if there’s something on Jordan’s mind, and Jordan says, Portia, and the things she said the day they were almost killed.
Carly says, whatever she’s doing, whatever tests she’s had run, Sonny has lost the right to know about it. Sonny says, just because they’re divorced, doesn’t mean they weren’t partners for years, so if she’s sick or hurt, he wants to know about it. Not just because of the kids, but because he cares about her. He sent her a voicemail after Harmony attacked her; did she get it? She says she did. She’s sorry she didn’t respond. He says he knows things are different, but he’ll always be here for her. She says she’s not sick or hurt, and he says, then what’s these GH test results, and why are they so important?
Bobbie tells Nina, call off the petition before it blows up in her face, but Nina says she’s not discussing this with Bobbie. They’re going before a judge tomorrow. Nina starts to leave, and Bobbie says, wait a minute. Does she really think those articles will be the end of it? Michael will keep coming for her. Nina says, let him. He can’t say anything worse than he has already. Bobbie asks if Nina knows that she was the first one to see through Nelle. She had Nelle pegged as a gold digging psycho the first time her daughter let Nelle through the door. Now she sees where Nelle got it. Nina is more polished, but she’s just as entitled and just as greedy, helping herself to things that don’t belong to her; like other people’s husbands and other people’s children. Nina says, Bobbie is no Mother Teresa herself. She knows all about Bobbie’s messy sordid past, all the way back to when she manipulated Laura and Scotty, because she wanted Scotty for herself. And let’s not forget all the people Bobbie lied to, and this little nugget, all the husbands she cheated on. Bobbie says she hasn’t wrecked any homes lately, unlike Nina, who helped herself to Sonny. Not that Nina cares what it did to Carly, but what about Donna and Avery? She doesn’t care about two little girls who love their family? She’d rather go around wringing her hands over Nelle, and make excuses for Nelle’s laundry list of crimes. Nina says, she was robbed of a chance to help her daughter, to help Nelle, but Bobbie got a second chance with her daughter, didn’t she? So Carly turned out to be every bit as twisted as her prostitute mother. Didn’t Bobbie think she knew about that part of her sordid past? Fortunately, Scotty likes to talk. Bobbie says, if she was younger, she’d toss a pitcher of margaritas all over Nina, and Nina says, but now she’s older… and wiser. Bobbie says, young at heart… only a bit wiser, and throws her drink in Nina’s face. Is Bobbie really this stupid? I hate when they make the characters seem like idiots. But of course (🍷 goes for me too), Nina will be stupid and do nothing.
Michael and Willow get busy and there’s a song part. I take a power nap.
Jordan tells Portia, memory is a funny thing, isn’t it? She hadn’t thought about their near death experience in ages. Then all of a sudden, she’s hearing Portia’s voice talking about telling Trina the truth about her father. Portia says, personally she likes to keep close encounters with death locked deep in her psyche, but thanks for the reminder. Jordan says she’ll keep her mouth shut next time. Did Portia ever tell Trina what she thought Trina should know about Taggert? Portia says, she was deprived of oxygen, as was Jordan. Clearly she wasn’t thinking straight. Of course (🍷) in any conversation she’d have with Trina about her father, he’d be included. Jordan tells her, just don’t keep it inside forever. They only have to look at Marshall to see how secrets in families can fester. Portia says she thinks Curtis still has time to make things right with his father, and Jordan says, if they give themselves that chance. Portia says, Curtis will. He always does what’s right by his family.
The orderly says, they’re bringing Marshall back from his tests, and gives Curtis his effects (i.e. his stuff). Curtis asks if it’s possible to see him, and she says, he can only have one visitor at a time. TJ tells Curtis to go, and he follows the orderly. TJ looks in the bag, and says, Marshall’s clarinet. It must still be in the alley; he has to go back and get it. Molly says, no, he doesn’t. She takes pieces of the clarinet out of her bag, and says, she scooped these up, even though some pieces are damaged a little bit. TJ says, now they just need Marshall to wake up.
Curtis sits by Marshall’s bed. He sighs.
Violet asks if Gregory will keep her drawing safe, and he says he’ll guard it with his life. She says, if it will make him feel better, he can hold her hand. They walk out hand-in-hand.
Elizabeth asks why she’s doing these horrible things. What’s wrong with her? Finn says he doesn’t know, but he promises they’re going to find out.
Willow says, Michael’s really not worried about the visitation hearing tomorrow, and he says, of course (🍷) he is, but they have each other. They’ll find a way to make everything okay. She says she loves him, and he says, and he loves her.
Nina says, Bobbie going to pay for this, tomorrow when she gets legal visitation rights to Wiley. Carly runs up, grabbing Bobbie away, and Sonny says, back off; that’s enough. Sonny gets a napkin from the bar, and gives it to Nina, who wipes her face. He asks, what happened? and Nina tells him, let’s just say it was a painful reminder of how important it is she’s granted legal visitation rights to Wiley.
Carly asks if Bobbie is okay, and Bobbie says, she knows she should have been the bigger person, but she couldn’t stop herself. Carly says, way to go, mom, and Bobbie says she’s surprised Carly isn’t mad. Carly says, she loved it. That is the least of what Nina deserves. Bobbie says, give her hell tomorrow at the hearing, and Carly says she intends to
On Monday, TJ tells Curtis that he found something he wasn’t expecting; Finn tells Chase, he thinks he knows who’s been harassing Elizabeth; Elizabeth asks if she’s losing her mind; and Dante tells Sonny, think about it before he gets on the stand on behalf of Nina.
🎉 Something To Celebrate…
God bless ‘em. Forty years is a long time to be at any job.
What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience? – Adam Smith
I’ll join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people, talking about wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, drugs, night clubs, and bloody Abba! – Bernadette (Terrence Stamp), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others. – Winston Churchill
Gardens, scholars say, are the first sign of commitment to a community. When people plant corn they are saying, let’s stay here. And by their connection to the land, they are connected to one another. – Anne Raver
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. – Albert Einstein
According to police, the “defecation was significant enough that 8 wigs were destroyed as a result.” – NY Post article about Public Enemy #2, who made poopie in a beauty supply store
Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal. – John F. Kennedy
Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. – Henry Van Dyke Jr.
Tequila. – Pope Francis, in talking about what he needs to ease his knee pain.
🏃🏽♀️ Born To Run…
See you when it’s time to Fear the Dead. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting others’ opinions, but thinking for yourself, and stay being the bigger person, even if you think you can’t stop yourself. Because IRL, that’s not how any of this works.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Carly checks at reception to see if the DNA results came back yet, but it’s a no. She wonders how long it takes, when Bobbie comes along and asks what test results she’s waiting for.
Nina comes into The Savoy, and N’neka says, if she’s looking for the boss, he’s not here tonight. Nina takes a seat at the bar, and says, Curtis told her that he was going to look for his father. However, given the challenging day she has tomorrow, Nina was thinking about one of their signature martinis. N’neka says, she’s got it, and Nina says, if she could throw in a little forgetfulness on the side, that would be great. A guy walks past, and says he knows her; the mafia homewrecker. Does that make her the new mob boss lady? She tells him, keep talking. She can have the bouncer here in five seconds. Sonny comes up behind him, and says, hey buddy. You got a problem with the lady? You got a problem with the lady, you got a problem with me.
Epiphany and Portia are in the conference room, and Stella asks, is it okay if a former colleague comes by to say hello? Epiphany tells her, come on in, and Stella says, it’s good to see her. Epiphany says, likewise, and she’s glad to see Stella isn’t suffering any ill effects from her recent panic attack. Stella asks Portia if she should be going to church twice a week to thank God, and Portia says she doesn’t think it’s necessary unless Stella has a thing for the preacher. Epiphany laughs, and Portia says, as far as her panic attack, Stella seems to be back to her old self again. Stella says she’s glad to hear that. She’s sure Curtis told Portia what was going on. Portia says, he told her everything, and Stella says, really? Everything?
TJ says, granddad. How’d Marshall find them here? Marshall says, old man Purdy at the music shop. He told Marshall that he could find them here. Molly says, it’s so good to see him. She and TJ traveled all this way just to find him. Marshall says he sees, and TJ asks if Marshall is sorry they’re here. Did they come all this way for nothing?
At Kelly’s, Gregory tells Violet that she takes after her dad. When he was young, he always had his nose in some book. She says, he’s funny. Everyone knows you can’t drive with your nose. Gregory laughs, and says, she’s so much smarter than he is; the wisdom of youth. She asks, what’s youth? and he says, it’s everything she is, and everything old guys like him would like to be.
Laura lets Finn into the apartment, and he says he promises he won’t stay long. He’s meeting his dad and Violet, but wanted to make sure Elizabeth was okay. Laura says, she’s still up in her room, hopefully sleeping, and he asks if she’s said any more about… Laura says, ghosts?No, not at all. Finn says, good, and Doc walks in. He says he’d assume Elizabeth isn’t any less convinced that Franco’s spirit spoke to her, and Laura says, through that phony medium Chelsea Lamb? Doc says he shares Laura’s doubts, but to Elizabeth, Chelsea is the key to contacting Franco. Finn says he understands grief. He thinks he understands it better than most, but he’s having a hard time understanding why Elizabeth wants to believe Franco’s ghost is trying to communicate with her. Elizabeth is on the stairs, and says, maybe because she trusts the dead more than she trusts the living right now.
Carly says she’s fine, and Bobbie asks why she’s having tests run. Carly says, just as a precaution. If there was something wrong she’d tell Bobbie. She’s not going anywhere. Bobbie says, good, because after she read that article on Nina’s petition for visitation in The Invader, Wiley is going to need Carly more than ever. Carly says she read the first part of the feature this morning, and Bobbie says she thinks it’s a good thing for people to know who Nina really is and what she’s capable of. Carly says, and if it helps Michael and Willow tomorrow, and kills Nina’s attempt at visitation with Wiley, even better. Bobbie couldn’t agree more, and says, anything that keeps Nina away from Wiley is a good thing, but as Carly’s mother, she can’t help but warn her, be careful what you wish for.
Sonny tells the guy that the lady is with him. Does he have something to say to her? They guy stammers, no, Mr. Corinthos… yes. He tells Nina that he’s sorry, and jets.
Portia says she knows Stella was close to her late sister, and Irene kept nothing from her. Stella says, then she understands that she couldn’t violate Irene’s trust, even after they lost her. Portia says, Curtis understands why Stella did what she did. Why not let him worry about healing those old family wounds? Isn’t that right, Nurse Johnson? Epiphany tells her, whatever you say, and Portia says, it won’t be long before Epiphany is the one asking all the questions, and they start calling her Dr. Johnson. Stella says, Epiphany is studying to be a doctor? She had no idea. Epiphany says, she missed her chance once to be a doctor, and thought she’d give it another shot. Stella says, good for her. What good is living if we can’t dream, and dream big? Epiphany says, Stella reminds her of someone she used to know.
Marshall says it’s good to see TJ and Molly, but he has to ask, how did they know where to look? Molly says, TJ may be a doctor, but he clearly inherited his mother’s detective skills. TJ says he found a receipt from a few months ago in Marshall’s clarinet case, and figured that was as good a lead as any. So he called the shop, and spoke with Mr. Purdy, who agreed to speak with him if he bought Purdy dinner. Marshall knows the rest. Marshall says, they’re a regular Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Does Curtis know they’re here? TJ says, absolutely. They’ve had enough secrets, doesn’t he think? Molly suggests she call Curtis right now, but Marshall says, don’t do that. TJ says, whatever went down with Uncle Curtis, once they get back home, they can clear the air and talk it all out. Marshall says he’s sorry, but that’s not going to happen.
Finn says they care about Elizabeth. That’s why she sent Jake and Aiden to live here in the first place, because she trusts Laura and Doc. She asks why they’re all down here whispering, and Laura says, because they thought she was asleep and didn’t want to wake her. Elizabeth says, or it could be, if she really believes she was speaking to Franco through Chelsea, she could be losing her mind? Finn says, no one is whispering, and no one thinks she’s crazy, and Elizabeth says, so if she’s not crazy to think Chelsea could communicate with the dead, then she’s what? A credulous fool? Somehow, that’s even worse. Laura says, no one thinks Elizabeth is a fool for wanting to believe someone she loved and lost isn’t gone forever. But he isn’t really. He lives on in Elizabeth’s heart and in the heart of her sons, and in the memories of the house she shared with him. Doc says, memories make us human, and it’s only natural to want to believe in something beyond this material world. Finn says, you have to be careful of people who want you to trust the dead more than you trust the living. Elizabeth has friends; she can trust them. She has family; she can trust them. She has him, and she can trust him. There’s a noise, and they all turn to look.
Nina says, that boy must be halfway to Buffalo by now, and Sonny says, if he has any sense. Nina thanks him, but says, he doesn’t need to defend her honor; she can take care of herself. She has the battle scars to prove it. He says he knows; he’s seen them. N’neka brings one signature martini and one scotch, but Sonny says he’d like a club soda on the rocks. Nina says she’s impressed that he’s sticking to his resolve, and he’s says he’s impressed with her, coming in here with her head held high after that hatchet job in The Invader. She says, let’s not talk about that, and let’s not talk about the hearing tomorrow either. They’re realities in her life, but they don’t have to focus in on them. He asks what she wants to talk about, and she says she’s sure they can think of something.
Carly tells Bobbie that she’s listening. Why does she need to be careful what she wishes for? How can The Invader article be anything but good for Wiley? Boy, Carly can sure be stupid at times. She says, if it helps insure Nina has no part in Wiley’s life, it’s a win-win, but Bobbie says she can’t help worry that the article could have unintended consequences. Carly says, like what? and Bobbie says, Sonny can’t resist a damsel in distress. What if the article brings out the knight in shining armor in Sonny, and draws him and Nina back together again? Carly says, what if it does? and Bobbie says, come on. Don’t pretend she can’t see where this is heading. If Nina keeps finding ways to end up in Sonny’s arms, there’s no chance of Carly and Sonny getting back together. Carly says, that ship has sailed for good, but Bobbie says, this is her mother she’s talking to. That ship hasn’t even left the dock.
Sonny tells Nina that Avery danced with her dance class, and he knows he’s biased, but they were the biggest hit of the festival. Nina says, no, no bias. He said Leo recited a poem. Were all the Quartermaines there? He says, yeah, Michael and Willow were there, and she says, she knows how painful the situation with Michael is. They don’t have to talk about it. He says he wants to get it off his chest. Things were tense with Michael, but Dante was there to be the peacekeeper. She says, good for Dante. So things are okay between him and Michael? He says, after the article about her, and everything he’s learned since, he doesn’t think it’s going be okay with Michael for a long time.
Stella says she’d love to hear more about Epiphany’s plans for a future in medicine, but doesn’t want to keep her from her duties. Epiphany says, actually, she’s off the clock, and Portia says, so is she. What are they doing sitting here in this conference room? They should be out, painting the town red. Stella asks if Curtis knows Portia is stepping out on him, and Epiphany says, good for her. She needs to keep that man on his toes. Portia says, in no way is she saying they go out looking for trouble, but what’s wrong with three beautiful, smart women going out and enjoying a night on the town? Epiphany says, Portia had her at beautiful. She needs a night off from studying for these MCATs, and she can be out of these scrubs in a minute. Stella asks where they’re going, and Portia says, Curtis’s club. They’re going to drink for free tonight. They clink coffee cups.
TJ says he doesn’t understand what’s stopping Marshall from coming home with them. It’s not like there’s something keeping him here. Or is there? Molly says she thinks they could use some one-on-one time. She’s going to head to the jazz club they saw around the corner. She’ll see them both there later. Marshall gets up, and she steps aside with him. She says she doesn’t think he understands how important he is to TJ. They were supposed to go to Miami and just lie on a beach together, and TJ gave that up just to find him. Marshall nods and smiles, and Molly leaves. Marshall tells TJ, don’t ever give that one up, and TJ says, he never will, but that goes for Marshall too. TJ thinks if Marshall is honest with himself, he doesn’t want TJ to go either. Marshall says he appreciates the kind words, but too much damage has been done. So many misunderstandings, so many regrets, so many hard feelings. Everywhere he goes, he leaves a path of destruction in his wake. Apparently, he’s confused himself with Peter. He says, everybody is better off without him. and he’s better off alone. TJ says he doesn’t know how Marshall can feel that way. He’s never stuck around long enough to find out.
Violet holds out a drawing, and tells Gregory, look what she made. He takes it, and says, that’s beautiful, and she tells him, he’s holding it upside down. He says he knew that; he was just teasing. He turns it, and says, that’s even better. She looks sad, and he asks, what’s wrong? She says, it goes with the one she made for Aunt Elizabeth. It was a picture of her family; daddy, Aunt Elizabeth, Jake, Aiden, Cameron, and her. He says, and this one? and she says, that’s him and Uncle Chase. He says, of course (🍷). He can see it now. So now Elizabeth will have all of them together. She says, he’s learning.
At Laura’s, they find a vase has fallen to the floor, and smashed. Elizabeth says, see? It’s Franco’s spirit, because the three of them don’t believe he’s real. Laura says, there could also be a simple explanation. The vase could have just fallen off the shelf. Elizabeth says, it didn’t just fall; they don’t live in earthquake country. It was pushed. Doc says, it was pushed by the books. Probably because he didn’t lean them on the shelf the right way. It was an accident just waiting to happen. Laura says, there is an explanation, but Elizabeth says, no. She’s going to call Chelsea to prove Franco is reaching out to her.
Carly asks when Bobbie became Sonny’s biggest fan, but Bobbie says her opinion of Carly’s ex hasn’t changed. To be clear, she’s not urging them to get back together, but she’s a realist. She doesn’t think it would be easy for anyone to kiss a lifetime of memories goodbye, good or bad. Carly says, Sonny did. He was a different man when he came back from Nixon Falls. She tried hard to save their marriage and hold on to what they had, but when Sonny slept with Nina, it just confirmed what she knew; there was nothing left to save. It hurt, but it would hurt a lot more if she turned a blind eye to Sonny’s fascination with Nina, and tying herself up in knots to stay with Sonny, when he doesn’t value her or their family. That’s why she filed for divorce. That’s why she didn’t fight for assets. Fighting with Sonny keeps her tied to him, and she just wants to be free. Bobbie says, and if Nina helps herself to Sonny, it won’t bother Carly? Carly says, Sonny is a grown man. He can do as he chooses. Wiley is a different story. Nina is a bottomless pit of need. She needs to believe Nelle is redeemable. If she’s allowed access to Wiley’s life, she’s going to fill his little head with distortions and outright lies. She’s glad Michael and Willow are fighting her petition; she’d be worried if they weren’t. Bobbie says, and there’s no part of her that wants to get back at Nina? and Carly tells her, she’d love to say she’s over it, but she’ll never be over what Nina did. Never.
Sonny tells Nina, Dante warned him about something. It’s not so much what he said, but what he didn’t say. She says, about Michael? and he says, Dante told him it’s not just a difference of opinion; not just another family dust-up. He said, Michael isn’t just trying to cut Sonny out of his life; he’s trying to take Sonny down. Nina says, no; that’s horrible. She’s so sorry. He says, he’ll always love Michael, but he has other family to take care of, a business that he’s proud of, people counting on him. He’s not going to let Michael tear down what he’s spent a lifetime building up. Does she think he’s wrong? Stella, Portia, and Epiphany have come in, and Epiphany says, Sonny Corinthos. Now you know this is the place to be when he’s here.
TJ tells Marshall that he’s sorry. He didn’t say that as an insult; he said it because it’s the truth. Leaving his clarinet as a way to say goodbye. TJ doesn’t want something to remember Marshall by; he wants Marshall. He won’t let Marshall walk out on him like Marshall did on his dad and uncle 40 years ago. Marshall asks if TJ ever stopped to think he did them a favor, but TJ says, letting two little boys believe their father is dead? He wouldn’t call that a favor. He gets that as little boys there wasn’t much they could do, but when they got older, they could have helped clear his name. Maybe address the reasons Marshall got remanded in the first place. Marshall says, Curtis told him about that? and TJ says, all Curtis told him was that Marshall was at a protest when things went wrong. He got arrested and ended up in a mental institution instead of prison. But as a doctor and his grandson, he’s not going to invade Marshall’s privacy. He’s not going to second guess the past. TJ is Marshall’s family, and Marshall is his, and always will be. Don’t walk out on his family again.
Finn asks Elizabeth to please wait and hear him out. She says she’s listening, but she doesn’t know what he’s going to say that he hasn’t already said. He says, he’s obviously not doing a good job, since he hasn’t made it clear; he’s always on her side. She says, if that’s true, just be with her the next time Chelsea comes to her house to contact Franco’s spirit. He says he doesn’t think Chelsea is contacting anyone’s spirit. He knows there have been some strange occurrences happening, and it’s frustrating not being able to figure out who’s responsible, but he doesn’t think they have to jump to the supernatural for an explanation either. Laura says she believes everything Finn is saying, and encourages Elizabeth to listen to him. Doc says, he thinks this might be a good chance for them to talk through things privately, but Elizabeth says, no. If anyone is going to leave, it’s Finn. If he can’t see what’s really going on, she doesn’t want him here. He says he is seeing what’s happening here; is she? He thinks someone is trying to keep them apart; separate her from him, separate her from the boys, separate her from Violet. They’re trying to break down the foundation of the life they’re trying to build together, and she’s playing into their hands. She says she doesn’t want to hear any more from him, and he says, she doesn’t have to, and leaves.
Carly tells Bobbie, Nina is always her own worst enemy. It’s all spelled out in The Invader who the real Nina Reeves is, the damage she’s caused, all the crimes she’s committed. Not one word was untrue; that feature was thoroughly vetted. Reading it should change a lot of people’s minds about her. Bobbie says, including the judge presiding at the visitation hearing, and Carly says, that’s right. And if justice is served, Nina will get the same visitation rights Nelle had; none. Bobbie says, they can only hope, but Nina is Wiley’s biological grandmother. That might be a deciding factor for some judge. So has Carly decided what she’s going to do if Nina pulls another rabbit out of her hat, and the judge rules in her favor?
Sonny hugs Stella, and greets Epiphany and Portia. Stella says, it’s always nice to see him, and he says, they know Nina. Nina says, she’s sure they read The Invader. All she has to say is, don’t believe everything you see in the paper. Epiphany says, okay, and tells them, you twohave a good evening. The women go to their table, and Sonny says, that’s the thing he loves about Nina; she doesn’t back down; she doesn’t apologize. She says, it seems they have that in common. Before, he was going to ask what she thought about pushing back against Michael. He says, she didn’t give him an answer, and she says, here’s an answer; you’re not wrong.
Stella asks, how’s Trina? and Portia says, she’s putting on a brave face, but she’s worried about the trial; they all are. And on top of that, PCU filed a Title IX report. She read it, and it’s not good. Stella says she’s so sorry, and Epiphany says she is too. Trina is a fine young woman. Anyone who knows her, knows she’s innocent. Portia thanks her, and N’neka brings drinks. Stella says, they haven’t ordered yet, and N’neka says, courtesy of Mr. Corinthos. In a regal voice, Epiphany says, please tell him that we said thanks. N’neka goes back to the bar, and Epiphany asks Portia where Trina is tonight. Portia says, she’s with Josslyn. With Curtis out of town, she’d just be stuck home wondering about Trina, and thinking about the injustice her daughter is going through, but they came out to enjoy themselves, right? So let’s make a toast. Let’s toast to Epiphany nailing her MCATs. Epiphany says, we clink, and they do. Stella asks, what gave Epiphany the courage to pursue her dream? and Epiphany says she had a little push from a friend, or didn’t he tell Stella? Stella says, who? and Epiphany says, her brother-in-law Marshall. Stella says, whaat?
Marshall tells TJ, if Tommy were here, he’d be awfully proud of his son. Almost as proud as he is. TJ says, he appreciates the sentiment, but there’s such a thing as too much pride, and it’s safe to assume Marshall is too proud to admit he needs them as much as they need him. Marshall tells TJ to get his girl; he shouldn’t keep her waiting. TJ says, Molly is expecting both of them, so Marshall isn’t getting out of it. So let’s head on over to the club. Who knows? Maybe the spirit will move Marshall, he’ll sit in on a session, and show them how good he used to be. Marshall says, what does TJ mean, used to be? and TJ says, talk is cheap. Marshall says, okay. He knows when he’s on the losing end of an argument. Let’s do this.
On the phone, Elizabeth says, Chelsea, pick up… Stupid voicemail. Laura says, it’s getting kind of late. Elizabeth has been through a lot today. She suggests they go to bed, and Doc says, good idea. After a good night’s sleep, the world will look different in the morning. Elizabeth asks if he means she’ll be different; no longer delusional. Doc says, no one said she was delusional, but there is such a thing as the power of suggestion. Elizabeth says, maybe he’s right. Maybe in the morning, everything will look different. Elizabeth goes upstairs, and Laura says she wishes she could find the right words to help. Doc looks at the broken vase, and says, that’s a good metaphor for the evening. They go to find the broom and dustpan.
Violet says, her daddy is late again, and Gregory says, he’s a doctor; sometimes emergencies come up. Finn comes in, and Violet hugs him. He says she doesn’t know how badly he needed that hug. Gregory says, they were about to give up on him, and Finn says he stopped by Laura and Doc’s. Gregory asks, how’s Elizabeth? and Violet wants to show Finn her picture. He tells her that it’s beautiful; that’s her granddad, and that’s her Uncle Chase. Violet tells Gregory, see? He got it right away. A waitress walks by, and Violet calls her Miss Waitress, and gives her order for a hot fudge sundae. Gregory says, that bad? and Finn says he’s losing her.
Carly tells Bobbie that she hopes for the best, but if the judge rules in Nina’s favor, she needs to protect Wiley. Bobbie says, which means? but Carly says, she doesn’t want to talk about the hearing tomorrow. She’ll deal with it then. Bobbie asks, what about her tests? but Carly says, they’re not urgent. They can wait until tomorrow.
Sonny says, Nina’s understanding and belief mean more to him that she knows. He felt like it was Sonny Corinthos against the world. She puts her hand on his, and says, her money’s on him. She knows he loves Michael, and won’t resort to anything drastic. He says, respect is very important to him, and Michael crossed that line, with him and Nina. He was going attend tomorrow’s hearing, and be there to support Michael and Willow. She asks if he’s changed his mind, and he says, Michael’s made it clear he doesn’t want his support, so he’s free… to support her.
Epiphany tells Stella, she and Marshall had a little something going on, or so she thought, until he said goodbye. Has Stella heard from him? Stella looks at Portia, who says, she can tell Epiphany, and she says, Curtis went to look for Marshall. Portia says, Jordan told her that TJ’s gone searching too. She hopes they can find Marshall and convince him to come back home. Stella says, if only it were that easy. Marshall made a big mistake 40 years ago, but he has something most people don’t get; a second chance to make it right.
Marshall tells TJ, follow him. This alley leads to the stage door. TJ asks if he can get in that way too, and Marshall says, the guy at the door knows him from back in the day. Always lets him in; no cover, no minimum. TJ says Marshall is always working an angle, and Marshall tells him to mind his elders. Two guys appear, and one says, you took the words right out of my mouth, old man. It’s never a good sign when it starts like that. Marshall says, they don’t want any trouble, and the other guy tells them, wallets and cell phones on the ground. Marshall tells TJ, they’re just going to do what they say. They throw their wallets and cell phones down, and Marshall says, it’s all good. Guy two says, what’s in the case? and Marshall says, it’s nothing but an old clarinet. Guy two says they’ll find some nerd to buy it. They’ll take that too. TJ says, the hell they will.
Doc says, of course (🍷) the roses had to fall while Elizabeth was here. He cleans up the mess, and Laura says she doesn’t know which is harder to believe. That Elizabeth believes this is Franco’s ghost, or that someone is willing to exploit her grief to drive her away from Finn. Doc says he thinks Elizabeth isn’t the only one who needs a good night’s sleep, and she says she’s sure he’s right. She asks him to lock up, and says, she’s going to check on Elizabeth one more time.
Finn puts headphones on Violet, and tells Gregory, for lack of a better word, the medium conducted a séance that only reinforced Elizabeth’s belief that Franco’s ghost is reaching out from beyond the grave. Gregory says, but Finn is convinced that it’s someone very much alive, trying to come between the two of them. Finn says, whoever is doing this knows Elizabeth well; maybe better than she knows herself. Gregory says, as Finn knows, he spent his life in a classroom. Teaching the history of the world is one big arc from superstition to science. Culture goes from fear of the unknown to the courage to ask the tough questions, no matter where they may lead. Finn says, that’s what led him to become a doctor. But what good is it if he doesn’t know how to free Elizabeth from the hold this person has over her?
Doc sees the door open, and closes it. Laura comes down, and says, Elizabeth isn’t in her room; she’s gone. I smelled that coming when Elizabeth decided to go to bed.
Nina says she’s been adamant about Sonny not choosing between her and Michael, but he says, she’s not making him do anything. The last time he was on the witness stand, Scotty forced him to say he had feelings for Nina. Nina says, and it cost Sonny his marriage. This could cost him his son. Sonny says he’s just being clear. He’s not discounting anything she did. Remember what he said to her in that graveyard? She says she’ll never forget, and he says, he was the one who was supposed to have suffered because of her actions. Why can’t he take charge, and tell his story with his words? Carly comes in with Bobbie, and they all lock eyes.
Stella says she admires Epiphany’s attitude, and hopefully Marshall wises up and decides to come home. Portia says, who knows? Maybe they’ll get a fresh start. Epiphany laughs, and says she knows they mean well, but she’s not waiting for Prince Charming. Her life is full enough as it is. And if Marshall wants to find out if there’s room for someone else, he knows where to find her. Stella says, if Marshall Ashford doesn’t know what he’s missing, he’s a damn fool, and she and Epiphany clink glasses.
Marshall tells TJ, it’s just an old clarinet. They’re going to give them what they want. TJ says, it’s not just an old clarinet. It’s Marshall’s passion, his livelihood. It’s what’s kept him going all these years, when he would have given up. Guy two says he’s touched. Hand it over. Guy one takes out a switchblade, and guy two says, don’t make them ask again.
Laura tells Doc, she checked every room and Elizabeth is nowhere to be found. He says, the security guard has been at the front entrance all night; she didn’t go through there. He supposes she could have taken the elevator to the basement and gone out the service entrance, and Laura says, this is nothing like her. And where would she be going at this hour of the night? Did Doc forget he found the door open?
Elizabeth slips into her house. She looks at the picture of her family that Violet drew.
Finn asks Gregory how he convinces Elizabeth that she’s not being haunted by Franco’s ghost. Nothing he says gets through to her. In her defense, there’s no evidence, no forced entry, no fingerprints. Every time something strange happened, no one was there. Violet’s headphones are off, and she says, that’s not true, daddy. Aunt Elizabeth was there. What did I say weeks ago? Out of the mouths of babes.
Elizabeth picks up drawing, and tears Finn and Violet off of it.
Tomorrow, Portia asks Jordan if Curtis’s business is being threatened: Finn thinks Violet is on to something; Willow asks Michael, what if Nina wins; and TJ says, call 9-1-1.
The worst thing is that the fire started because someone threw a cigarette butt out the window. WTF is wrong with people? Buy an ashtray for God’s sake. I hope they get nailed.
Come on by tomorrow to get the GH skinny, hot tea, a mix of quotes, and an eclectic tune. Until then, stay safe, stay walking in your truth, and stay dreaming big. What good is living without it?
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook tells Chase, she’s been thinking, and he says he’s been thinking too. Now he’s thinking they should go somewhere and talk about what they’re thinking. She says she was about to suggest the same thing; let’s go. Linc walks in, and says, not without him. He has something to say too. And it won’t wait. She says, look who escaped from the me-too movement. He says, that’s water under the bridge, and she says, too bad he didn’t drown in it. Chase says, he remembers Linc. He’s Brook’s sleazy ex music producer. What does he want? Brook says, who cares? He doesn’t have a hold over her, so buh-bye. Chase says, Linc heard her; beat it. Linc says, not just yet. He may not be Brook’s music producer, but they still have unfinished business.
Curtis knocks on Portia’s office door, and says, penny for her thoughts. She throws her arms around him, and says she’s so glad he’s here.
TJ and Molly sit down in a restaurant/bar, and TJ says, now they wait for Mr. Purdy. She says, pretty impressive detective work, using that receipt in the clarinet case to hunt down the music shop and the owner. He says, Marshall was particular about his instruments; it makes sense that this repair shop was his go-to. She says, which means, Marshall spends a lot of time in Brooklyn, and maybe has a place here. TJ says, Mr. Purdy seemed tight-lipped when he spoke to him on the phone. He wouldn’t even let TJ come by; he kept saying the store was closed until TJ promised to buy him dinner. Hopefully, he actually shows up and gives them information about Marshall.
Brando looks at Sonny’s car and whistles, saying, it’s a beauty. What kind of trouble is it giving him? Sonny says, first of all, he apologizes for pulling Brando out of dinner. He didn’t know Brando was having dinner with Sasha and Gladys. Brando says, they understood. Besides, Sasha will bring something home for him. Sonny says, he knows, but family is important, and Brando says, Sonny is family too.
Gladys says, the pills are what Sasha wants, according to that vulture. It’s the real reason she agreed to give back the memory card. Sasha says she doesn’t know what Gladys is talking about. She’s saying she got those from the paparazzo? Gladys says she did, in exchange for the memory card she took out of his camera the night of the accident. Sasha says she doesn’t understand… and Gladys says, drop the act. She knows the truth. Sasha is back on drugs.
Chase asks what business Linc could possibly have with Brook, and Brook says, none. Linc is all talk and smarm. Linc says he seems to remember when Brook liked a little smarm, but she says, he remembers wrong. She never liked his attention. He was gross then, and he’s gross now. Chase says it’s time for Linc to go, and Linc says, is this the boyfriend? Brook says, yes, and he’s a cop. Does Linc really want to press his luck? Linc says he thought Chase was a singer. He has a pretty good voice. Chase says he doesn’t care what Linc thinks about his voice, and Linc says, he recognizes that song; it’s a good tune. He knew it when she cut the demo. He just can’t wait to give it the production it deserves. Brook says, dream on. She’ll never work with him again. He says, she may never sing with him again, but he owns her songs. They belong to him.
Sasha reaches for the pills, but Gladys snatches them first. Sasha says, she’s not on drugs again, and Gladys says, Sasha just can’t keep her hands off them? She wasn’t born yesterday. Sasha says, she’s the Face of Deception. People could jump to the wrong conclusion if they saw them. Gladys says, admitting she had a problem wouldn’t be wrong, and Sasha says she can’t believe Gladys is doing this now. She’s the one who’s always worried about Deception’s stock. Doesn’t she think this could be bad publicity? Gladys says, Sasha’s health is more important than her image. She’s not talking to the Face now; she’s talking to her daughter-in-law. Sasha says she’s not talking about this at all, and gets up. Gladys says, if Sasha won’t talk to her, she’ll just have to go straight to Brando.
Brando opens the hood of Sonny’s car and says, he can see why this baby is one of Sonny’s favorites. They do not make cars like this anymore. Nowadays, they’re computerized. Sonny says, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, you name it, and Brando says he’s so glad he learned about cars without all those microchips and diagnostics on a tablet. It’s not as much fun as getting under the hood and rooting around, finding out what’s wrong. Sonny asks if Brando has always loved cars, and Brando says, ever since he was a kid. Did he ever tell Sonny that Mike was the first one to teach him about engines? Sonny says, he didn’t know his dad liked cars. He thought the only thing Mike was into was the ponies. Brando says, Mike was definitely into those, but he knew how to keep a car running. Basic automotive maintenance, but it was enough to get him started on his love for cars; pretty much anything with an engine. Sonny says he would have loved to work on cars with his dad when he was young, and Brando says, sorry he brought it up. Sonny says, no. At least Brando has the time they shared instead of him. Sometimes fathers and sons just don’t connect.
TJ tells Molly, he’ll leave a tip, but they’re getting out of here. He dragged her to Brooklyn, the least they can do is enjoy a fine dining establishment. She says she’s liking Brooklyn, when a man approaches, and says, TJ Ashford? TJ says, yes, sir. This is his life partner Molly, and he’s Mr. Purdy? Purdy shakes TJ’s hand, and says, in the flesh. Molly thanks him for coming, and asks him to join them. Purdy sits, and asks if dinner is still on TJ. TJ says, you bet, and Purdy says, even though he can’t help TJ? As he told TJ on the phone, what TJ told him ain’t ringing any bells. TJ says, that’s why he wanted to meet Purdy in person. He’s hoping Purdy remembers this. He puts Marshall’s clarinet case on the table, and opens it. Purdy says, he remembers this clarinet, and takes out a piece. He says, the bridge key was stuck. He fixed it right up. TJ asks if he can get in touch with the owner, but Purdy says, nope. He doesn’t know the guy. He calls over to Carmen behind the bar, and says, a meatloaf special and coffee. She knows how he takes it.
Curtis asks Portia, what’s wrong? What happened? She says, Trina got the report back from the PCU Title IX coordinator. He says, was it bad? and she starts to cry. He shuts the door, and she says, it looks like they have another fight on their hands. Joss and Cam’s statement saying they didn’t believe Trina was behind the video, made absolutely no difference. The report is citing circumstantial evidence against Trina, and he knows exactly what that means. She’s so worried. He takes her hands, and says, the fight is not over. They will get Trina through it. She says she’s so glad he’s here; he came at just the right time. Why is he here anyway? He said, she told him that she was probably going to stop by here on the way home, and he knew she’d probably get caught up in something. He needs to talk to her. She says, what about? and he says, to tell her he’s leaving. She asks what he means, and he says, actually, he decided to go find his father, but he can’t leave her and Trina in light of this Title IX report. She says, he’s so thoughtful and supportive, and he says, if there’s a challenge this family has, he’s in it with her. She says, and she’s grateful to him for that, but there must have been something that motivated him to decide to look for Marshall. He was pretty ambivalent about that. What’s going on? Did Marshall contact him? He says, no, and she says, Stella gave him some information about Marshall, didn’t she? What was it? He says, turns out, Marshall’s not the only one who’s been lying to him.
Brando says he has another car on the lift in the garage, so he’ll see what he can do with Sonny’s car out here. It might take a little time. He hopes Sonny doesn’t mind hanging out for a while. Sonny says he’s got time, and Brando asks, what’s been going on? Sonny says, he knows old cars have issues, but it’s the starter or the wiring, and Brando asks when Sonny first started noticing a problem. Sonny says, a couple days ago. Then today, it started misfiring. Avery got all frantic because she was going to be late for her dance performance at the school fair. Brando asks if she made it, and Sonny laughs, saying, Avery was so cute. She knew her dance moves and everything. Then Olivia and Ned showed up; their son Leo had a performance. Brando says, it must have been something. He’s sorry he missed it. It’s important to have family cheering you on. Sonny says, then Michael and Willow showed up, and Brando asks, how was that? Sonny mentioned he and Michael were having some trouble before. Is it still rough between them? Sonny tells him, you could say that.
Brook asks what Linc is talking about. He doesn’t own her music. He so much as whistles her songs, and she’ll sue him for everything he’s worth. Linc says he remembers loving that song when she cut the demo. He knew it needed work and production flair, but he let her do it the way she wanted, because he knew he was the one who would take it over the top. Brook says, he would have turned it into an electro-pop nightmare, which thank God didn’t happen, because he no longer owns any rights to her music. Linc tells her to check her old contract. Anything she wrote while he was her producer belongs to him. She says, that can’t be true. He doesn’t even make any sense. What would he want with a song from years ago that never even made it off the demo? Linc says, don’t be so modest. He can give credit where credit is due. A few of her songs are quite good. He’s been shopping them around to some mean talent. There’s been some interest, and he’s supposed to make her some deals. She says, really? Who? He says, sign with him, and she’ll find out.
From behind the wheel, Sonny says, see how it skips like that? and Brando asks Sonny to change places with him. As they switch, Brando says he’s sorry Sonny and Michael aren’t getting along, and Sonny says, it is what it is. Michael knows where to find him if he wants to apologize. Brando says, the wires are intact and the starter’s fine. It’s been idling rough? Slow acceleration? Sonny says he’s filling it up a lot more, and Brando says, sounds about right. It’s been misfiring… He thinks it’s… Sonny says, spark plugs, and laughs. Brando says, A-plus. What did Sonny need him for? So is Sonny ready to get his hands dirty? Sonny says, it won’t be the first time.
Gladys and Sasha go into Sasha’s office, and Sasha says, she appreciates the discretion, but this whole situation is insane. What did that Felty guy say to her? Gladys says, he told her that they reached an agreement; the memory card for a fresh supply of uppers. Sasha says, that’s not true. Her history of drug use is no secret, and he is using it. He imagined she’d jump at the opportunity of pills to convince her to return his memory card, but he was wrong. She never agreed to a trade. Gladys says, then why give back the memory card at all? and Sasha says, because it’s his rightful property. Gladys is the one who stole it in the first place; Sasha was protecting her. Gladys says, really? Because Sasha seemed pretty relieved that she’d taken it. Sasha says, because she didn’t want Felty to profit from harassing her; to use photos of her in an unguarded moment as clickbait or to sell papers. Gladys saw how aggressive he was. Sasha can’t believe Gladys would take that jerk’s word over hers. Gladys tells her, stop with the act. She saw the photos from the memory card – all of them.
Portia tells Curtis that she’s having a hard time wrapping her head around this. So Stella’s been sitting on the truth the whole time.She’s known Marshall was alive. He says, Stella and his mother. Marshall and his mother thought it was best if they believed Marshall was dead. She asks, why? and he says, Stella wouldn’t say. She told him it wasn’t her place. Portia says she’s sorry. This must be so upsetting and hurtful. She thinks Stella was probably only doing what she thought was best. He says he can’t believe Stella would lie to him, and Portia says she thinks Stella and his mom were probably trying to protect him from something painful that he was too young to understand. Then when his mother fell ill, Stella probably felt he’d been through enough. He says, what about when he got older? and she says, Stella probably thought by then it was too late to set things right. Never dreaming Marshall would come back in his life. The grieving had been done, so why not leave it at that?Or maybe she wanted to convince herself it was kinder to do so. He says, maybe, and she says, hasn’t he let something he regretted go on for so long, he didn’t know where to begin to make things right? He asks if she’s saying he’s doing it with Marshall, and she says, in his case, she’s saying it’s not too late. He says, Aunt Stella told him that he should ask Marshall the truth, which is all he’s ever done. But maybe now that he knows Marshall more, he’ll open up more. She says, he should go find Marshall, but he says he can’t leave her and Trina with the whole Title IX thing. She tells him, the hearing isn’t for another ten days; go find Marshall, then come back home. He says he doesn’t even know where to get started, when Jordan knocks at the door. She says she’s if she’s interrupting, and Portia asks, what brings her by? Jordan says she was checking on the status of an officer, but she’s glad to run into Curtis. Has he spoken to TJ? Curtis says, about what? and Jordan says, he and Molly went to Brooklyn. They think Marshall might be there.
Purdy says, Molly and TJ aren’t eating? and TJ says, not until they get some answers. Purdy says he’s already told them all he can. He doesn’t know the guy they’re looking for. Molly says, but he recognizes the clarinet? and Purdy says, he knows instruments, not people. He’s got a lot of customers. TJ says, it’s very important they find this man. He’s not in any trouble. Molly says, his name is Marshall Ashford, but TJ says, he could be using another name. Purdy says, they’re not sure about the man’s name? and TJ says, his grandfather uses several stage names. Purdy says, the guy who owns the clarinet doesn’t have a family, and Molly says, the guy Purdy claims not to know? TJ says, his grandfather has fallen out of touch with his family. It’s very important they find him. Please. Marshall has always bene a loner, and just reconnected with their family. He left after they had a disagreement. All they want him to know is that his family wants him home. Please, will he help them?
Chase says, Brook’s not buying what this guy’s selling, is she? She said herself, he’s all talk. Linc says, believe him, he’s not, but he’ll be the one busy raking in the money. Brook says, on her songs, and Linc says, maybe if they work together, they can come up with some arrangement. Chase says, not going to happen, and tells Brook, let’s go. She says, she’s so out of here, and tells Linc, just for the record, nothing could ever entice her to work with him again. Linc says, why hold a grudge when they both stand to gain from moving on? He admits it; he underestimated her talent. He should have recognized her potential as a songwriter. Come to his room, and they’ll explore more of that potential. Chase tells him to watch himself, but Linc says he was just picking up what Brook is putting out there. Chase says, the hell he was, and moves forward, but Brook steps in and punches Linc in the face.
TJ asks where Purdy supposes his grandfather might be if he was in Brooklyn, and Purdy says, Brooklyn is a pretty big borough. How did TJ wind up with this clarinet anyway? TJ says, his grandfather wanted him to have it. He also left this note. TJ shows the note to Purdy, who says, he never thought he’d see the day when Marshall would give up his licorice stick. TJ says, so Purdy admits he knows Marshall, and Purdy says, he goes by Marshall Parker in these parts. If he gave it to TJ, TJ must be pretty special to him. TJ says, so he’ll help them? and Molly says, it would mean the world to their family. Purdy says he hasn’t seen Marshall in a while, but he’ll ask around about him. Molly thanks him, and TJ gives Purdy his card, saying, his personal number is on the back; either he or Marshall can call him. Purdy says, so TJ is a doctor. He should have ordered dessert. TJ says, he still can, and Purdy says he’s not making any promises. He’ll deliver TJ’s message, but whether Marshall wants to get in touch is up to him. He yells to Carmen, one cherry pie to go.
Gladys says she saw the photos. She saw Sasha on the ground, on her hands and knees, picking up pills. Which is why Sasha got upset and tore out of the MetroCourt like that after being busted by that paparazzo. And it’s why Sasha was relieved when Gladys told her that she had the memory card. Sasha says she was grateful for how Gladys stepped up to protect her, and Gladys says, of course (🍷) she would. But she’s been wondering about this since she discovered the pictures. She has to ask. Was Sasha high when she hit Harmony? When she got behind the wheel of the car, was she hopped up on pills? Sasha says, absolutely not. She gets teary, and says, she admits she’s not proud of this, but she did need a little help getting through the stress of the IPO, and everything after Liam’s death. She felt eyes on her 24/7… pitying her… watching over her… waiting for her to crack. Judging her because she didn’t crack. She wanted to crawl into a hole, but at the same time being alone with her thoughts and feelings was terrifying. She had to keep moving. She had to push through the pain, and needed help to do it. Gladys says she gets it, but Sasha had the pills in her hand when she jumped behind the wheel of the car. Sasha says, pills she dropped. She didn’t take anything; she swears. She swears on her son. Gladys has to believe her. Gladys says she does, and hugs Sasha. She asks if Sasha’s pills were prescribed by a doctor, and Sasha shakes her head. Gladys says, Brando needs to know, but Sasha says, Brando has been through enough. Gladys says, he’ll want to help, and Sasha says she’s done with the drugs. It’s not an issue for her. Felty said he’d delete the incriminating photos of her, and just wanted his memory card back. Gladys says, they’re deleted; she made sure of that. Sasha says, thank God. Crisis averted. It’s over. Telling Brando now will only make him worry for no reason. Why won’t Gladys believe her? Gladys says, because she knows firsthand addiction doesn’t work like that.
Linc says, that’s some right hook, and Brook asks if he wants to meet the left one. He says, no; he got the message. She’s a tough negotiator. She says, she’s not negotiating; not now, not ever. Get out of her face. He says he likes it rough, but only to a point, and Chase suggests he leave now. Linc tells Brook, call him when she cools off. He leaves, and Chase asks why she did that. She says she deserves to be dumped, but he says, he’s not arguing with her; he wanted to punch Linc himself, but she beat him to it. She says, Linc’s her problem; she’ll handle it. He says, she doesn’t get it. He was looking forward to wiping the smirk off Linc’s face. She should have let him do it. She says, chivalry noted. As gratifying as it would have been to watch him punch Linc, but he would have gotten in trouble again for defending her honor. He’s almost off suspension. There’s no way in hell she’ll let blow it on her account.
TJ tells Molly, he knows Marshall tends to take off when things get difficult, but he’s hopeful that Marshall will still want to talk to him. Molly says, when Marshall sees the effort TJ put into this, how could he not? TJ’s phone rings, and it’s Curtis, who says, he hears TJ is in Brooklyn. Does he want company?
Sonny asks if this is how his dad taught Brando. It seems he’s getting a lesson after all. Sonny appreciates this. What they’re doing is family time; fathers passing down to sons. Brando says, that’s the way it was supposed to happen, and Sonny says he’s sorry. He believes one day Brando is going to have the same experience with his son, or maybe even a daughter. They laugh, and Brando asks when Sonny got so enlightened. He means it. He thinks Sonny and Michael are going to patch things up. Sonny says he doesn’t think so this time, and Brando says, that bad? Sonny says, Michael isn’t just angry. Michael is actively trying to take him down.
TJ says he thought Curtis might be angry at him for taking this on, but Curtis says he’s never been angry with TJ. They just didn’t see eye to eye on Marshall. TJ says, Curtis was determined not to go after Marshall; what changed his mind? Curtis says he didn’t want to see Marshall walk out of their lives again, and no matter how difficult it may be, it’s worth it. TJ says, he and Molly just met with someone who knows Marshall, but they haven’t had contact yet, and Curtis says he’s on his way.
Brando says, start her up, and Sonny says, purrs like a kitten. They laugh, and Sonny says, that was fun. Brando says, for him too. He knows he keeps bringing this up, but Michael is a pretty forgiving guy; he’ll come around. Sonny says, Michael is forgiving up to point. You push him, he’s relentless. Brando is surprised, and Sonny says, he’s not like his mother. He supposes a little bit of him. Brando says he’s still hoping for a reconciliation, and Sonny says, don’t worry about it; he’ll be all right. Brando says, he’s more hoping for Michael’s sake than Sonny’s. He shared how Mike was a big influence when he was growing up, but Sonny’s influence was just as meaningful. When Brando got to Port Charles, he didn’t know if he was going to stay; who or what he wanted to be. Now he has the garage, a beautiful wife, his mother is back in his life, and he has an extended family, all because of Sonny’s guidance and generosity. Brando wouldn’t be who he is without Sonny in his life, and it would be a shame if Michael didn’t have Sonny in his life.
Gladys says she’s not trying to shame Sasha; she’s trying to help her. And Brando. Has Sasha forgotten Brando’s history with addiction? Gladys worries that if Brando sees Sasha doing drugs, he might fall off the wagon too. Sasha says she’d never hurt Brando in a million years, and Gladys says she knows Sasha wouldn’t want to, but if she’s going to try and go this alone, making bad choices, she won’t be able to help it. Sasha promises she won’t, but Gladys says, Sasha can let Brando in; tell him what she’s going through. He will understand. Sasha says, Brando is the kindest most loving man she’s ever known. That’s why she doesn’t want to burden him further. Gladys says, it’s not a burden. Her son loves Sasha, and Sasha says, and she loves him, so much. She knows Brando. He’s so protective and so quick to take on other people’s problems. He’ll feel responsible for her. Brando is being strong, but she knows he’s hurting too. He needs to heal, and he won’t if he’s worrying about her relapsing. She promises she won’t. Gladys asks how Sasha knows that, and Sasha says, because Felty snapping those photos of her, scrabbling around on the ground like some pathetic junkie was a wake-up call. She realized just how much she has to lose. Not just Deception, but her future with Brando. She can’t let him down, or herself. Gladys says, and Sasha thinks she’s strong enough to get through this on her own, and Sasha says she knows she is. What more can she do to convince Gladys? Name it, and she’ll do it.
Chase says, Brook is right. As satisfying as it would have been to punch Linc into the middle of next week, he’d be jeopardizing his return to active duty. Thanks for having my back, slugger. She says she can’t believe that creep is back in her life, and he asks if Linc was telling the truth about owning her songs. She says she’s ashamed to say it, but he might be. She was an idiot when she signed that contract. She had stars in her eyes, and just signed on the dotted line. She didn’t read the fine print, let alone take it to a lawyer. So if Linc still owns her music, it’s on her. He tells her, it’s not her fault Linc took advantage because she was ambitious, The way Linc was talking to her, did he do that when he was her producer? She says, the sexual harassment was pretty much non-stop, and he says, the bastard. He’s glad she cut ties with him. She says, at a price. Why is it every time she thinks her life is back on track? He says he knows she’s upset, and she says, her hand hurts. He takes her hand, and says, let him help her.
On the phone, Jordan says she’s checking Officer I-Missed-It’s status. She’ll be back soon. She goes into Portia’s office, and seeing Curtis and Portia kissing, she slips back out. Portia tells Curtis, that’s such good news about TJ and Molly. Find Marshall and then come back home. He says, no matter what happens, he’ll be back in time for Trina’s Title IX decision. She says she loves him, and he says he loves her more. She walks him out, and he says he’ll call when he gets to Brooklyn. Jordan is texting in the hallway, and Curtis asks Portia to tell Trina to keep her shoulders back and her head up. He thanks Jordan for letting him know, and she tells him, good luck. He leaves, and Jordan says, he’s very protective of Portia and Trina. Portia says, Jordan should know, and Jordan says she’s not surprised. She’s happy for him. Curtis finally has the family he yearned for as a child.
As they eat cherry pie, TJ tells Molly, there’s two things he’s happy about; making the call on the pie, and receiving the call from his Uncle Curtis. Does she see what he did there? He’s glad his Uncle Curtis is coming. She says, it’s always good to have an ex-P.I. along on a search, but she’s got to say, for two amateurs, they did pretty good. He says, they made it this far. It was awesome, but he welcomes his uncle’s expertise. She says, there is something poetic about him and his uncle working together to reclaim their family, and he says, it feels right. Unfortunately, even if they find his grandfather, they still have to convince him to come back to Port Charles. Maybe his uncle can help with that. She asks what they do in the meantime, and he says he promised her a fine dining experience. What if afterwards, they go to that jazz bar they saw around the block? She says, sounds good. She can stay up all night if she wants to; she’s on vacation. He says, wouldn’t it be great if they ran into Marshall playing in a club? when Marshall walks in.
Brook says, if Chase wants to help her, find an ice pack. He says, whatever she needs, and she says she’s not helpless. He says, helpless is not the word that springs to mind when he thinks about her, but she’s not alone either. She says, he’s right about the contract. She has to call her lawyers; have them go over the wording. She’s got to find a way out of this. Her music is her heart, and she can’t let Linc have those songs. She won’t let Linc get the best of her again. She lets go of Chase’s hand.
Sonny says, this is great. How much does he owe Brando? Brando asks if he’s kidding. Absolutely nothing. It’s time for him to do something for Sonny for a change. Sonny says, Brando doesn’t owe him anything, and Brando says, the talk they had the other day about how he could help Sasha? That’s payment. Sonny asks, how’s she doing? and Brando says, he’s still worried, but thanks to Sonny, he believes he can be there for her, and do what’s right. He just needed that confidence boost, and Sonny gave him that. He feels sorry for Michael. He hopes Michael realizes how lucky he is to have a father like Sonny. They see a car pulling up, and Sasha comes into the garage with Gladys. Sasha asks if Brando got it running, and hugs him. Brando says, he and Sonny got it running. What is she doing here? Gladys says, Sasha has something to tell him. He says, what is it? and Sasha says, Gladys is moving in with them.
Tomorrow, TJ wonders if they came all this way for nothing; Epiphany thinks it’s time to give it another shot; Carly says she’ll never be over what Nina did; and Nina says, she’s sure she and Sonny can think of something.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Two days after the break-in. PK informs Dorit that he met with a detective today, and the DA wants to prosecute the home invaders to fullest extent of the law. PK wants her to know they have the full weight of the LAPD behind them. Dorit says, she thinks it’s important let have investigation, but the kids… PK shuts the door, and says, it’s the maddest thing. There are security guards all around, but the kids don’t even ask what they’re doing; they just carry on. It’s amazing the way they… Dorit says, acclimate? In Dorit’s interview, she says, her father was a paratrooper in the Israeli Army, and taught them that if they stay calm, they can get through anything. Then she tells a story about a bee that isn’t really worth retelling. Dorit replays the guy screaming at her, who else is in the f***ing house?Don’t f***ing lie or I’ll kill you. PK says he’s so proud of how she handled it. She’s so tough; tougher than he is. Dorit says she wants to go out, and laugh and smile. PK says, it was sweet of LisaR to offer to cancel Harry’s party, and we flash back to PK telling her that, in his religion, you never cancel a happy occasion for a sad one. He says, they need to go forward. If they don’t the invaders win.
LisaR meets Kyle for lunch, and informs her that Halloween Part 4,000,002 is the number one movie in the country. It’s a huge deal. Kyle tells LisaR that the director said she’d be in the next one, and they clink glasses.
Sutton and Crystal go to Lady M Cakes to indulge in a slice of pancake cake, which is actually made with crepes. They clink forks, and Crystal asks if Sutton and Erika are good. Sutton says, they’re best friends, and braid each other’s hair.
Kyle says Erika seems to be doing well, and LisaR says, at least headlines aren’t happening every day. Kyle asks how LisaR and Sutton are doing, and LisaR says she wasn’t amused about Sutton bringing up the charity thing on Watch What Happens Live. We see the clip where Sutton says she got LisaR and Harry’s tickets to some Elton John charity event, and never got a thank you.
Sutton tells Crystal that she thinks it was a miscommunication, and LisaR didn’t know. She doesn’t want any ill will, and it got turned into a landslide.
LisaR tells Kyle that she and Harry have been going as a guest of Elton’s for years. Whatever Sutton is doing, she has to stop. In LisaR’s interview, she says, Sutton talks about reputation and character, but she made Harry look bad. It’s one thing to involve her, but involving her husband? Sutton f***ed with the wrong one. Kyle says she’s bringing popcorn to Harry’s party, and LisaR says, Sutton should have kept her f***ing mouth shut.
Everyone gets ready for Harry’s birthday dinner, and Harry asks if this is a happy one. LisaR tells him, he’s alive, isn’t he? We find out new Wife Diana is coming. She was married to a banker PK knows, and had a baby a year ago at age 47. Mazel tov! LisaR and Harry go to the venue early to do place settings. LisaR wants Sutton at end, because she’s just that childish. In LisaR’s interview, she says, tonight is Harry’s birthday, and she doesn’t want Sutton bringing up the charity thing. It’s about Harry tonight. In the limo, PK says how proud he is of Dorit. He’s surprised she’s ready to go out. She says, all the women being at the house the next morning helped. Kyle and Mauricio are riding with them, and Kyle asks if Sutton texted. Dorit says she did, but they’re not really friends, so she didn’t expect Sutton to race over. Kyle points out an Instagram post Sutton made, and how insensitive it was for her to post something happy. When they talked about what happened, Sutton said she’d been putting out her own fires because some designer of hers was having a problem getting into the country. She said she was sorry she didn’t have a gun to her head. PK wishes Kyle hadn’t told him that. Me too. I always forget how much I can’t stand these women until one of them opens their mouth.
Harry tells Erika, now that Tom is out of the picture, he’s the oldest in the group. Erika says, he’s also the wisest. They find out the entrée is spaghetti Bolognese (one of Harry’s specialties), and Garcelle says she’s afraid of spaghetti sauce now. In Sutton’s interview, she says she wants to apologize on the spot, but she’ll see where things lead. It’s a big birthday for Harry, and she doesn’t want to cause problems. She tells Garcelle that she feels small-breasted in this crowd, and wonders who to stand near.
Diana comes in, and Crystal tells Garcelle that she’s a firecracker. Garcelle asks what she needs to know, and Crystal says, she’s with her fiancé Asher. In LisaR’s interview, she says she’s never met anyone like Diana Jenkins. She can’t put her finger on the accent. Is it Zsa Zsa Gabor? Marlena Deitrick? Greta Garbo? Diana’s accent is part of her mystique. I think she sounds like Sophie on Two Broke Girls. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Diana was always the It Girl in Europe, and hangs out with the Hollywood glitterati. She lives a very wealthy life. Diana had said what was cute about Crystal was that she was relatable, and Diana isn’t. That’s Diana. Diana is introduced to everyone, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, Asher is quite dashing. He should be called Dasher. PK tells his table companions that the burglars were amateurs. They weren’t the Pink Panther; it was a smash and grab, mostly purses and watches. Diana says she was with Kim Kardashian in Paris, and left the day before Kim was robbed. She slept with a chair propped against the door, and Kim asked if it was a war thing, but she said, no; it’s a rich people thing. Kyle says Diana is wearing a lot of Cartier, and Diana lets Kyle try on her Panthère de Cartier rings, which are insanely expensive. Diana says, it’s nouveau riche; when you go from poor to rich, you pile it on. In Erika’s interview, she says, Diana looks like Liberace. LisaR gets up, and says, she’s grateful Harry chose her. She wants to toast him and celebrate him. He’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Really? She couldn’t do better than that for his 70th? In her interview, she says, it’s surreal they’ve been together nearly 30 years.
After dinner, the guys sit at another table, drinking and talking. Someone asks what Asher does, and he says, he’s putting out an album. He did Broadway when he was growing up. At the other table, Dorit says, she’s blessed and grateful to be here. She wants to take every opportunity to celebrate. Sutton says, speaking of thankful. She and LisaR had a thing, and she was over-spoken. I gotta say, I’ve never heard anyone use that term before. Sutton says she didn’t mean to hurt LisaR or Harry. She spoke of something in public, when she normally doesn’t, and it was her mistake. LisaR says she appreciates Sutton saying she’s sorry, but Sutton didn’t buy a table at the event. She wants to be clear about that. Sutton canceled at the last minute, and she and Harry had to scramble to get tickets. Sutton asks, who told her that? and LisaR says, Harry’s publicist. Sutton says, they’re lying, and LisaR says, they gave their tickets away because they were at Sutton’s table. She received and email saying Sutton had canceled, and the tickets were sold out. However, if they gave a half-hour interview to IMDb, they could sit at their table. It was embarrassing to the charity. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she’s a very philanthropic person, and that’s not what happened. Garcelle says, Sutton must have a receipt for the table, and LisaR asks if she brought them. Sutton takes the receipt out of her purse, and Diana says, this is classless. LisaR says, don’t do it, but Garcelle says, LisaR is the one who brought it up. Diana tells them to find a different subject, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, LisaR has her own receipt, and does an imitation of Diana saying, put it away, it’s tacky, and LisaR agreeing, and throwing it over her shoulder. I literally lol, which I rarely do while watching these unappreciative ingrates. Again, LisaR says, it’s embarrassing to the charity. Sutton should know better. Sutton says she knows slander, and she didn’t cancel the table. LisaR asks if Sutton is going to sue her, and insists Sutton canceled at the last minute. Garcelle tells Sutton, show it, and in her interview, Sutton reads from the receipt that Harry and LisaR’s tickets were processed, and shows us that it was $11,500. Crystal says, Diana underwrites the event, and in her interview, Kyle says she sees why LisaR invited Diana; she’s both a friend and a character witness. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s been the main sponsor for a long time. Elton and husband David are good friends of hers. Here’s where I’m not sure if I missed something, since it turns out Sutton and LisaR were both there, and sitting at the same table. WTF? In her interview, LisaR says, Sutton thinks too much about herself. She thinks she can one-up LisaR at Harry’s birthday party with her receipt, and their good friend was just held up at gunpoint. If Sutton is worried about a receipt, something is off with her empathy meter.
At the dude’s table, they discuss the custom of shaking hands, while Kyle says, Sutton and LisaR both had good intensions, and upset each other, but at the end of the day, they supported the charity. She thinks it was a miscommunication. LisaR says, Sutton did apologize, and Sutton says, LisaR knows what it’s like to step in it and she did. Erika asks if she gets an apology, and Sutton says, no. She doesn’t like Erika. Erika says, the feeling is mutual. Sutton can go f*** herself. Sutton says, no, you, shut up, and Erika says, no, you. It’s a tough call, but this might have been the stupidest exchange ever on this show.
In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s obvious Erika isn’t over her beef with Sutton, and we flash back to the Reunion. She says, it’s petty, and it’s too much. Sutton says she’s out, and Garcelle says, her too. She wonders how they can get past it. Some of them are being nasty just to be nasty. LisaR says she can move on, and accepts Sutton’s apology. She’d like to move on, and not make a big deal out of it. Sutton says she adores LisaR, and wouldn’t want to hurt her, but Garcelle thinks that’s going a bit too far. She doesn’t think Sutton adores LisaR, but Sutton insists she does. In Sutton’s interview, she says she likes LisaR and wants her to act right, and she didn’t act right. She and Garcelle sit back down, and Garcelle says, Erika is enjoying herself too much. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it’s the phoniest reconcile she’s ever seen, and Sutton and LisaR hug it out.
We see Diana at home with her son, baby, Asher, and teeny weeny adorable pup Pearl, who’s either a small Pomeranian or a long-haired chihuahua. In Diana’s interview, she says she lives a big life. She travels a lot, and it gets complicated because she wants to take everybody with her. She has a set of houses she moves around in; five/six houses. Not to sound pretentious, but she grew up poor Sarajevo, a communist country. She grew up a tomboy; she was tough and got in fights. Asher says, the baby has Bosnian DNA, and Diana says, when she was young, a gang leader was picking on her brother, and she kicked the sh*t out of him. She thought he might kill her, but she got a reputation, and nobody messed with her. In her interview, she says, when she was 19, war broke out, and her dad was determined to get her out. She left her family behind, and when she got to London, she had no money or passport. She did anything to get anything, and for ten years, it was excruciating; just survival. She met her ex in London. He was one of the top investment bankers in the world, and she went from extreme poverty to extreme wealth. She felt rich with her first $1000, and rich with her first $10K, but realized she hadn’t scratched the surface. Why did she get divorced? Why does anyone get divorced? She wasn’t happy, and wanted to be on her own with her own identity. They had two children; a son who’s 22 and just graduated (I assume college), and a daughter who’s 19, and in England studying horseback riding. She’s hoping to enter the Olympics. Diana was single for five minutes, then met Asher at a Victoria’s Secret party. They kept having fun, and here they are. There’s a 15 year age difference, and she tells us, he’s 33; do the math. He looks older with a beard, but she loathes the beard.
Sutton and Kyle check out Sutton’s store, and Kyle asks what Sutton is planning for her event. Sutton says, her designer Alexis Mabille was finally allowed to come in from Europe. She’s doing a play on An American in Paris, and calling it, A Parisian in LA. She tells Kyle that she’s a real Francophile, then has to explain that it’s someone who loves France. Kyle asks if everything is okay with Sutton, and Sutton says she’s fine. Kyle says, there’s something that’s been bothering her. When they met at Kyle’s old house after what happened to Dorit, Dorit had a gun held to her head, and Sutton said she’d been putting out her own fires. Sutton says, sorry, she’d had a busy morning, and Kyle says, her reaction was very strange. She said she was sorry she didn’t have a gun held to her head when Dorit’s life had been threatened. Sutton wonders why Kyle would think it was weird. She was working; maybe her brain was there. She doesn’t even remember. Kyle wonders if this is a new Sutton, or a side of Sutton she didn’t know. Sutton seems a little off. In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what planet Sutton is on, but she doesn’t think it’s this one. Sutton says, nothing is up, and Kyle says, it seemed like she didn’t give a sh*t. Sutton says, that’s not true. She doesn’t deal well with… Kyle says, emotions? and Sutton says, guns and burglaries. Kyle says, nobody does (now who’s being insensitive?), and Sutton says, her house was broken into when she was 14, and her father shot himself. Is that what Kyle wants? Kyle says, it’s not about Sutton, and now Sutton is doubling down and it’s freaking her out. In her interview, Kyle says, part of her wants to say she knows Sutton isn’t like this, and knows she can be better. The other part says, if someone shows you who they are, believe them. Kyle asks how Sutton can be so insensitive. Is she just wrapped up in her own world or does she not care? Sutton says she’s not seeing it.
Next time, La Quinta, Versace, Crystal is triggered, and Dorit asks if someone is out of their f***ing mind.
❗️ I’m guessing this isn’t popular opinion, but I like Sutton. Granted, she can be self-centered, but I think in this case there are deeper issues. I believe she does not want to think about what happened to Dorit because it’s triggering for her. I have no clue what happened when she was 14, but yeah, her father killed himself with a gun, and we know she has difficulties regarding his suicide. I think she’s put up one big wall here. Surprising/Not surprising is Kyle not grasping this, since she has anxiety issues of her own, but she’s also stupid AF.
🐝 Buzzing Off…
Tomorrow’s forecast is for soap and tea, so stop by for a little. Until then, stay safe, stay always thirsting for knowledge, and stay cheering on your family members. It’s important.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook tells Chase it’s almost time for him to face the music – literally. Unless he doesn’t plan to uphold his end of the bargain. He says, is she kidding? Leo brought it. She says, big time, and thanks him for being so supportive of her brother. He says, Leo is a pretty great kid, and she says he’s pretty great too. We see someone is watching them, when Leo runs up to Chase, asking if Chase likes his party. Chase says, it’s very cool, and Leo tells him, that’s what he said. Chase says, it’s a pretty big day for Leo. He’s a superstar performer, the birthday guy, and it looks like he has a lot of presents. Leo says, Chase is still going to sing, right? That’s his present from Chase. Chase says, Leo kept his end of the bargain; he’ll keep his. They shake hands.
Carly asks Dante if she can steal Sam for a minute, and Dante says, Carly can borrow her. He steps away, and Sam says she thought they weren’t talking, but Carly says, the whole Harmony thing puts life in perspective. How about Sam and Dante? It looks like they’re going strong. Sam says, they’re getting in a good groove, and Carly says, as much as she hates to disrupt that, does Sam have any information on Esme?
Esme tells Nikolas that she’s sorry Ava doesn’t see him the way she does, putting her hand on his. He says, what way is that? and she says, as a shelter from the storm; someone decisive that can and should make the right decisions as head of his family. He extracts his hand, and says, Ava is a very independent woman. Esme says, it’s a generous description for the way Ava treats him, and he asks how Esme would describe it. She says, no offense, but to her, Ava seems ungrateful.
Spencer says his friendship with Trina is none of Ava’s concern, but she says, yes, it is. Trina isn’t just her employee; she’s much more than that. He says he knows, she’s like a daughter, and Ava says, as a matter-of-fact, she is, and she’ll always look out for Trina. He says, Trina can take care of herself, and doesn’t need Ava to look out for her, but Ava says, thanks to him and Esme, Trina needs all the help she can get. He says, Trina has protectors she doesn’t even know about, and Ava asks, what the hell is that supposed to mean?
In an unidentified restaurant, Brando says he thinks he may be the luckiest man alive, because he’s here at this fine establishment on this fine of days, with two… Gladys says, please don’t say fine, and he says, two of the sharpest, most beautiful, most exciting women he knows. Gladys says, and lucky for them he picked this place. She loves the food here. She asks what Sasha is thinking of ordering, but Sasha says she doesn’t know; she’s not really hungry. Gladys says, they need fuel. Even though they eloped, and got married – not in the presence of Brando’s mother – they still have to plan their wedding reception. Brando says, sounds fun. Right, Sasha? Sasha looks over at the bar, and sees the photographer (whose name I finally find out is Felty), and he raises his glass.
Michael approaches Drew and Olivia at Leo’s party, and Drew asks if Willow is okay. Michael says, she’s just tired, and Olivia says, she bets. After all that poor girl has been through this week, it’s a miracle she’s still standing. Michael says, he offered to go home with her, but she thought he and Wiley should stay and enjoy the party. He gives Olivia a gift bag, saying, it’s from both of them, and Olivia tells him to thank Willow. She’s glad he and Drew are there, and Michael says, it’s Leo’s birthday. Drew says, they wouldn’t be anywhere else.
Ned tells Valentin, make it quick. He has to go back to his son’s birthday party. Valentin says he thinks Ned can spare a couple of minutes to discuss their ultimate ouster at ELQ, and Ned says, he’s not the one who’s going to be voted out. Valentin asks if there’s a guarantee Ned will be voted in once he’s gone, because from where he stands, he and Ned are in the same boat. They need to work together to make sure they’re not cut loose because of Drew.
Sam tells Carly, she was able to confirm some of the information on Esme. She was adopted, biological parents unknown. Her adoptive parents come from old money, most of which was put in trust for their children. Carly says, children? Esme has siblings? Sam says, they’re not in communication, she doesn’t think. Carly says, no mysterious deaths, accidents, or prison sentences? and Sam says, nothing. There’s not even a criminal record in Europe. She doesn’t think there’s much to go on here. Carly says, it could mean Esme just hasn’t been caught yet. Is there someone else Sam could talk to? Someone who knows Esme? Sam says she can think of one person.
Spencer says, thanks to Ava, he has tables to wait on. So instead of trying to manage his relationships, try focusing on her own. She says, if only it were that simple. Her relationship just affects her and Nikolas. His and Esme’s relationship affects countless others. He’s sided with a very disturbed young woman who’s hurt a lot of people in this town, including, especially, Trina. So his warped entanglement with Esme isn’t just her business; it’s everybody’s. He says he doesn’t see it that way, and she says, see it this way. His father may be snowed, but she’s going to make sure Esme pays for what she’s done. He says, if she’s finished, he has dirty dishes to collect, since she’s so fond of reminding him that he doesn’t have a penny to his name.
Nikolas tells Esme, prefacing a statement with no offense doesn’t allow her to say anything. He won’t allow her to disrespect his wife. She says she’s sorry for overstepping. She only said it because it pains her to see how much Ava disrespects him. He’s a good man; a man who goes out of his way to make people feel loved and cherished. Does Ava not appreciate that? Esme does. It’s what he’s done for her.
Dante says, Leo is making Chase sing, and Sam says, really? Is Chase the only one, or will there be others? He says he doesn’t know. It’s Leo’s birthday; he probably gets whatever he wants. She says, too bad she has this work thing to go to, and he says, otherwise she’d stay and serenade him in front of all these people? He kisses her and tells her, go do what she’s got to do, but hurry back.
Brook asks Leo what song he asked Chase to sing, but Leo says, he can’t tell anybody. She says, so that’s how it’s going to be, and tells Chase, you, spill. He says, all will be revealed in due time, and Olivia watches them, looking amused. Leo asks, when’s due time? and Chase says, for them, it’s when the singing starts. Leo asks Olivia if they can do it soon, and she says, it’s his party; they’re on his timeline. Leo says he needs his dad. Where is he?
Ned says, just tell him why he’s here. What does Valentin want? Valentin says, word on the street is, there’s a merger between ELQ and Aurora brewing, and Ned says, he’ll have to ask Michael and Drew about that. Valentin says, that’s why they’re talking. Looks like they have Ned on the outside looking in. Ned says he’s going to end this conversation by wishing Valentin well. And in the interest of keeping peace, he won’t mention to Michael and Drew that Valentin approached him. He’ll keep it between them. Valentin says, Michael and Drew are already making decisions without Ned. Does Ned have absolute faith they’re not putting him out to pasture?
Felty looks at Sasha and gets up, and Sasha gets distracted. Brando says her name, and she says, sorry, what? He asks if she’s okay; she looks pale. Gladys says, Sasha might have a little blood sugar. She’ll get the waiter. She grabs Felty instead, and pulls him into the hallway. At the table, Brando says, it’s not her fault, and Sasha says, what isn’t? Brando says, the accident. Harmony ran into the road. There was no way Sasha could have stopped in time. She says, none of this would have happened if she’d been in control. Harmony’s death is her fault. She’s a mess.
Felty tells Gladys that she and her daughter-in-law already owe him a memory card. Don’t make him add a new shirt to the tab. Gladys asks why the hell he’s following them, and he asks, why the hell he isn’t talking to Sasha? His deal was with her. Gladys says, what deal?
Brando says he can’t imagine how difficult this is for Sasha, but he wishes she wasn’t so hard on herself. She asks what makes him think she’s being hard on herself, and he says, he knows her. She says, he knows her better than anyone? and he says, better than anyone.
Felty says Gladys doesn’t know about the deal, and she says, he means the deal Sasha doesn’t want her son to know about? That deal? He says, maybe, and she says, which is why Sasha sent her. It’s a little thing called discretion; look into it. He says, her running across the restaurant and grabbing him was real discreet, but now that they’re here, how about giving him his memory card? She says, keep your pants on, shutter-rat. First, what’s in it for them?
Brook says, Leo was amazing today, and Olivia says, he sure was. The theater program is really helping him out. Brook says, maybe, but Olivia and her dad are the ones with Leo, supporting him every day. Olivia says, it does take a village, but one villager in particular got Leo through the end zone today. Brook says, Leo’s really becoming attached to Chase, and Olivia says, he’s not the only one. Brook says she doesn’t know what Olivia means, but Olivia says, she does, and it’s high time she made her move.
Ned tells Valentin, let’s drop the pretenses. He knows Valentin didn’t invite him here to rub it in that he’s not the CEO. Valentin says, absolutely not, and Ned says, and despite his admiration for Valentin’s business acumen, Valentin must know Ned will side with his family over him. Valentin says, will he? There was a time Ned felt his role at ELQ had value and was secure, but Valentin is betting that’s not the case anymore. Ned says, that would be a risky bet, and Valentin says, which begs the question; is there something they can do so they both get what they want?
Drew says, what if Ned doesn’t take the COO position? but Michael says, he will. Ned’s a company man. He’ll always – Michael stops to look at Dante passing by – do what’s best for ELQ. Drew asks what that was about, and Michael says, his brother wants him to reconcile with his father. He’s been pretty insistent, but it’s not going to happen. Drew says, he knows things have been tense… but Michael says he doesn’t want to talk about Sonny. He’d rather focus on the merger. Drew says, Michael knows where they stand and what obstacles they’re facing. It’s not enough to have the family on board. They need investors to drive up Aurora’s stock. Carly pops out of nowhere, and says, they need investors? Count her in.
Sam taps Spencer on the shoulder, and he tells her, he thinks they’ve said all they need to say. She asks if he’s sure; she just got here. He turns around, and gives her a hug. He says he’s sorry; he thought she was someone else. Can he get her something? She says, he can, and he says, a burger? Coffee? She says she’ll settle for a few answers, and he says, those traditionally require questions. She says, luckily, she has one, and he says, fire away. She asks, who is Esme? and he says he doesn’t understand. Esme is his girlfriend. She says she knows that, but aside from a few tiny details, that’s all anyone knows. Spencer knew her in Europe, and they’ve been a couple for a while. Even though a lot of people think she set Trina up, he decided to stand by her. She’s curious. Who is Esme Prince really? He says he has no idea.
Esme says, after Sonny threatened her, Windymere became her safe haven, and Nikolas says, it still is, but she says, she’s come to realize she’s not safe, not even here, not from Spence. He asks what Spencer did, and she says, he violated her privacy. She found him going through her things. He asks why Spencer did that, and she says, he still doesn’t trust her, and it breaks her heart. He says, Spencer shouldn’t have done that; he had no right. She says, no, he didn’t. The door opens, and Esme says, just like Ava has no right to tell Nikolas who can stay in his house. Ava comes in, and says, well, well, well.
Dante says, the Quartermaines have really embraced Chase with open arms, and Chase says, he thought that when they found out he wasn’t Bailey’s father, they’d want nothing to do with him, but it’s just the opposite. It probably has something to do with how well he gets along with Leo. Dante says, Leo? and Chase says, what else would it be? Dante says he’s pretty sure it doesn’t have much to do with Leo, and Chase says, he doesn’t know what Dante means. Dante suggests he talk to Brook about it.
Olivia says, if Brook has feelings for Chase, and she obviously does, she’s not the one Brook needs to tell. Chase is.
Valentin says, his takeover of ELQ was a power grab, absolutely, but he’s grown to care about the company. Obviously, Ned does as well; it’s the family business. It’s his children’s birthright, and they both know the merger with Aurora is risky. It’s unnecessary, and can seriously damage ELQ’s bottom line. Ned says he has to get back to the party, and Valentin says, absolutely. He hopes Leo enjoys his day, and suggests they talk again… before Drew and Michael freeze Ned out entirely. Ned leaves, and ponders a moment in the hallway.
Felty says, if Sasha sent Gladys, she should know the terms of the deal. Gladys says, of course (🍷) she knows the terms of the deal, but she needs to make sure he’ll honor them. He says, the terms of the deal stand; he’ll delete the incriminating photos, and Sasha gets what she needs. She says she’ll give him the card, but first she needs to see what he promised Sasha. He looks around, and shows her.
Nikolas says, Ava’s home, and Ava says, yes, and so is Esme. Just like always. She heard Laura gave Esme the memo that she’s free to move about the city. Esme says, she’d gladly go, but PCU has barred her from campus; something about some Title IX investigation. Ava says, she’s banned, and Esme says, yes, and there aren’t many friendly places she can go. Ava says, poor Esme. If only she hadn’t left a swath of destruction and broken lives in her wake. Nikolas says, this conversation isn’t helping, and Ava says, perhaps he’s right. Perhaps it would help Esme to know that Spencer just failed in his latest attempt to convince Portia Robinson that he’s not the worst thing to ever happen to her daughter. Nikolas says, that’s not fair. Spencer doesn’t owe Trina or her horrible mother anything. Why was he even trying? Ava says, she doesn’t know, but if she were to guess, she’d say he still cares very much what Trina and her decidedly not horrible mother think of him. Esme says, that’s ridiculous. He doesn’t believe Trina is innocent. Ava says, if that’s true, he’s in the vast minority.
Spencer wonders why Sam is asking about Esme, and she says, a lot of people think she’s guilty, and if it can be proven, he can go down as her accomplice. He says he had nothing to do with that sex tape, and she says she believes him. She thinks Esme orchestrated the sex tape, and framed Trina. But if she can do that, she can make people think Spencer is her accomplice. For his own sake, tell her everything he knows. He says he’s sorry; he can’t help her. She says she’s sorry too, because his inability or refusal to help her is getting in the way of her helping Trina. She starts to leave, but he stops her. He says, he’ll tell her, but he needs her word as a Cassadine not to reveal her source. She says, Cassadines lie, cheat, and steal. Why can’t she just give him her word as her? He says, that’s his point. She’s still a Cassadine; she’s just one of the good ones. She says, okay. She gives him her word as a Cassadine. He says, she wants to know who Esme is, he’ll tell her. Esme is a monster. And he’s doing everything he can to expose her.
Carly says, if it will help, she can buy shares in Aurora; she’ll just call her broker. Michael says, absolutely not, and she tells him, he said he needed investors. So she’ll just get on board. She believes in them. Drew says, that’s kind of her… and she asks if they’re going to deny her a lucrative investment opportunity. Michael says, she could have taken Sonny to the cleaners in the divorce, but just walked away with the house. Carly asks what not bankrupting Sonny in the divorce has to do with anything. Does he think she can’t afford it; she can. Michael says, if she was risking Sonny’s blood money, he would have no problem with her investing, but he can’t have her risking what’s hers.
Esme says, naturally Ava is protective of Trina. Trina is like a surrogate daughter to her. Since Sonny has primary custody of Avery, and since Kiki’s death, it’s understandable. Ava teleports to a few inches away from Esme, and says, this is her one and only warning. Keep her daughter’s name out of her mouth, or Ava will make her sorry she ever drew breath.
Sam says, Spencer is trying to stop Esme? How? He says, by gathering evidence to prove she’s behind Joss and Cam’s sex tape. She says she knows the goals, just tell her the method, and he says he’s pretending he’s still in love with Esme so he can dig up dirt in the meantime. She says, wow, and he says, she doesn’t think he can pull it off? Esme trusts him. She doesn’t have anyone else. She says, what she thinks is, he should stop what he’s doing and leave the rest to the professionals, but he says, that’s why he decided to tell her; so she can help him. She says she appreciates any information he’s willing to share, but they can’t be partners in this. It’s not a game. He says, at least let him be her eyes and ears. He wants to help Trina, the same as her. She says, okay. He’s been letting everyone, including Trina, think he’s on Team Esme for weeks now. As his cover. He says, yes. So he can get closer to Esme and gather evidence. She says, even though it’s taken a massive toll on his friendships, and he says, yes. She says, if he’s willing to do all that, he may be a good Cassadine too. So tell her what he knows.
Dante says, Brook is into Chase, and Chase says, he thinks so? Dante says, how can he not see it? and Chase says, the one time they kissed, she hightailed it out of the city. He figured… Dante tells him, why doesn’t he stop figuring things, and just ask Brook what she wants?
Olivia says, Chase is so gentle with Brook and Leo, and not for nothing, he’s very easy on the eyes. She thinks he’s Brook’s dreamboat – don’t miss it. Brook hugs her, and says, she’s right. Olivia says, about what? and Brook says, everything. Olivia suggests Brook tell her dad; he has his doubts. Olivia goes over to Ned, who asks if anything exciting happened while he was gone. She says, good thing he’s here. His son is asking for Chase to start singing. He says he’ll get his guitar, and she says, he seems a little distracted. He says he’s got a lot on his mind, and she says, too bad he doesn’t have a wife who’s loving and caring, and who supports him, and who he can lean on… Wait a minute. He laughs, and she asks if everything is okay. He says, it will be, in one way or another.
Leo runs over to Chase, and says, it’s time to sing. Chase asks what song Leo wants him to sing, and Leo whispers, Brook Lynn’s, in his ear. Chase says, really? and Leo says, definitely. Chase says, all right, and looks at Brook.
Felty says, the memory card, and Gladys says, give her the camera. He says, it’s an expensive piece of equipment… and she takes it out of his hand. He says, okay, fine, and tries to point out the right port. She says she gets it; it goes in the one that fits. She looks at the pictures, and says, she knows that actress. She’s on the vampire show. People tell Gladys that she looks like her twin. There it is. She shows him the picture of Sasha picking up the pills, and he deletes it. He says, gone, and she says, thanks. He’s a real prince. Now does he want to delete it from the internal memory? She’ll wait.
Brando says he wants to ask Sasha something, and needs her to tell him the truth. She says, about what? and he asks if she still wants a wedding reception. His mom insists it will cheer her up, but if Sasha wants, he’ll shut it down. She says she wants it, and he asks if she’s sure. She says, absolutely. Life is too short not to celebrate. He says, it’s also too short to wait for his mother, so he’s going to check on her. Sasha says she’ll go; she’s probably in the ladies room. Gladys hustles back, and Brando asks where she was. She says, she’ll tell him. In fact – she looks at Sasha – she thinks it’s time she told Brand everything. Doesn’t Sasha?
Leo thanks everyone for coming to his birthday party, and says he’d like to introduce his friend Chase. He’s going to sing. Chase sits down near Ned, who’s on guitar, and says, this song was written by one of Leo’s favorite songwriters… and his. Ned just happens to know it, and starts to play. Chase sings, and from the chorus, which Ned sings harmony on, I determine the song is called All I Want Is Forever.
Spencer tells Sam, maybe that’s why Trina was behaving so strangely, and couldn’t account for herself when Joss and Cam were being recorded. She says, it certainly makes sense, but unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to prove. The drug in Trina’s system is well out by now. Does he know who prescribed it? He says, no, Esme took off the label, and Sam says, they’re looking at a dead end; it’s good work though. He says, there’s something else, something Esme got weird about. Inside the box, there was also correspondence with the nanny who raised her after her adoptive parents died. Sam asks why that’s weird, and he says, Esme claimed they’d lost contact. Sam says she’ll look into it. She asks if he has a name, and he says, Maggie Fitzgerald. Sam says she has somewhere to be, but thanks him for confiding in her. He says he hopes it’s enough information to make use of, and she says, it’s definitely a good start. As for Esme, she’s got a gift for doing damage, and diverting blame. Promise her that he’ll be careful. Watch what he says. Watch his back. He smiles, and she leaves.
Nikolas says he doesn’t think Esme intended… and Ava says she knows exactly what Esme intended. Esme gets all weepy, and says, all she meant was that she wishes she had the kind of relationship Ava and Trina have. She guesses it’s her own fault that Nikolas is the only one left in this house who trusts her. She runs out, wiping away fake tears. Ava says, Esme cannot be trusted, and she wants her gone. He says, she’s made that clear, but she says, evidently not clear enough, since she’s still here. So let her make it absolutely crystal for him. Feel free to put Esme up at the MetroCourt. Get her a studio; buy her a little cottage on the lake. Ava doesn’t care, but she won’t share their home with Esme for one more moment. He says, Esme is a guest in his house, and she says, she’s sorry. His house? If it’s his house, what is she? Is she a guest as well, or is she his wife? She can’t be both. He says, forget about trusting Esme. Why can’t she trust him? He’s trying to do what’s best for all of them. She says, he’s not married to all of them; he’s married to her. She adds, at least for the moment, and leaves.
Gladys tells Sasha, she’s sorry, but she can’t keep this from her boy any longer. She was playing bingo on her phone. You can win real money. He says, has she? and she says, she will, when Brando’s phone rings. He says he has to take this, and steps away. Sasha thanks Gladys for running interference with that staleratzo. Gladys says, no problem, and Sasha says, and thanks for covering with Brando, but Gladys says, don’t thank her yet.
Chase finishes the song, and Brook smiles. Everyone applauds, and Leo runs up, saying, that was great. Brook is choked up, and Olivia asks, what’s the matter? Brook says, for the first time in a long time, absolutely nothing. Chase shake Leo’s hand, and Leo hugs Ned.
Brook tells Chase, he sounded incredible. She almost didn’t recognize the song, and she wrote it. He says, Leo’s her biggest fan… maybe her second biggest. She says, he was right. Hearing the song inspired her. She’s hoping maybe other singers would hear her songs, and maybe want to… He says, record them? Turn them into big hits? She says she doesn’t want to get ahead of herself, and he says, she’s going to have a whole slew of Grammys, and an Oscar for a James Bond theme song? She yells, yes! then dials it down, and says, think it could happen? He says, damn right it will.
Dante tells Leo, he’s got to go, but Leo did an awesome job reading the poem. He hugs Leo, who asks, where’s Sam? Sam says, right here, and he says she missed Chase. She says, that’s a bummer, and he says, he’ll tell dad to play another song, and she can sing. Dante says he thinks that’s a great idea, and Leo runs off. Dante says, do that, and tells Sam that she might get to serenade him after all. Did she get that thing done for work? She says she may have a lead or two.
Drew says he knows Carly’s heart is in the right place, but what they need more than financial backing is family support. She says, they have that, for what it’s worth (🍷), and Michael says, it’s worth a lot. She says, even though she’s not a Quartermaine. Thank God. No offense. They both say, none taken. Michael says, it’s great having her on their side. They’re confident, now that the Quartermaines are united, Valentin doesn’t stand a chance.
On the phone with Martin, Valentin says, he just had a very interesting chat with Ned Quartermain. All is not lost. There’s a very good chance he could stay at the helm of ELQ after all.
Brook says she’s been thinking, and Chase says he’s been thinking too. He thinks they should go somewhere and talk about what they’re thinking. She says, funny. She was going to suggest the same thing. Let’s go. Linc walks in, and says, not without him. He has something to say too. And it won’t wait.
Brando says, Sonny is having a problem with his car. He’s going to meet him at the garage. Sasha tells him, go help Sonny. She and Gladys will be fine. Gladys says, she and Sasha have a lot to talk about without him in their hair. Tell Sonny hi from his favorite cousin. Brando is sure Sonny will love that, and hugs Gladys. He kisses Sasha and tells her that he’ll see her at home; he loves her. He leaves, and Sasha asks what Felty had to say. Gladys says, he wanted his memory card back, and Sasha says, and the photos of her? Gladys says, deleted, and Sasha says, thank God. It’s not a big deal; she just didn’t look her best. Gladys says, if she’s told Sasha once, she’s told her a thousand times; Sasha can tell her anything. Sasha says, she did and has, and Gladys takes a bottle of pills out of her pocket, and puts it on the table.
Esme comes out with a suitcase, and Nikolas asks where she’s going. She says she’s leaving. She’s grateful for everything he’s done, but it’s clear she’s in the way. She packed what she could, and she’ll send for the rest of things later. Maybe there’s a room above Kelly’s available. He says he’s sorry. If he’d known what she was doing, he’d have saved her the trouble of unpacking it all. He opened his house to her and his son, and while he’ll be having a conversation with Spencer about respecting her privacy, they’re still welcome. She says, what about Ava? He says he’ll make sure he and his wife end up on the same page, and Esme thanks him.
Ava asks for a word with Spencer, and he says, this will teach him to work a full shift. What could she possibly say that he’d want to hear? She says, his trust fund. Would he like access to it? He says he’s listening, and she says, she’ll still hold the purse strings, but they’ll be much, much looser. He asks, how loose? and she says she could arrange for a regular allowance. How does $10K a week sound? He says, what’s the catch? and she says, he and Esme move out of Windymere immediately, and stay the hell out.
Esme opens her suitcase, but all that’s inside is the shoebox with the letters in it. She holds it to her chest, and smiles.
Tomorrow, TJ asks someone for help; Curtis tells Portia, Marshall’s not the only one who’s been lying to him; Gladys tells Sasha that she knows the truth; and Sonny says, Michael is trying to take him down.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey – The Reunion – Part 3
Andy tells us, now the intense conclusion. I don’t think intense is the word I’d use for this group. Maybe delusional and psychotic. Oh wait. That’s just Teresa.
Andy says he wants to move on from whatever they’ve been screeching about. He asks Jennifer about the length of Bill’s affair, and she says, it lasted over two months. She asked him if he wanted a divorce and he said, absolutely not. She wanted to forgive him, but followed him on a trip to Miami. She had her brother call the hotel, saying he was Bill, and asking them to leave his wife a key. When Bill showed up, and she was there, it turned him on, and reignited the heat between them. TMI, and I can’t mentally unsee that. She says she told him they’d forget about it, and never talk about it, and Dolores says, when they’re truly remorseful, it’s worth giving it a chance. Frank wasn’t remorseful. She told him to call her and break it off, and they’d never mention it again, but he wouldn’t do it. Jennifer says, Bill is a good man who did a bad thing, and it brought them closer. She knows it looked like Bill checked out on camera, but he was uncomfortable on camera. Andy asks if she thinks they’d be in a better place if they’d dealt with it ten years ago, and Jennifer says she doesn’t think she’d have broken down like she did. At the time, she could only cry in her car. There was a new baby, the other kids, her mother, and her mother-in-law staying with them. Marge says, they were all shocked at the way she took it. She’d been very villainous for many years. At first, Marge thought Jennifer was faking being hurt. If everything in her life was so amazing, she wouldn’t have crumbled. Jennifer says she’d never processed it, but Marge asks how they were supposed to know that. Melissa says, it seemed like Jennifer felt relieved. She was in so much pain, and maybe she wanted Bill held accountable. Jennifer says, personally, she was relieved, but the mother side of her wanted to protect her kids. Andy asks where she and Bill are at now, and she says, they both want the same thing. They love their close knit family, and don’t give up when the going gets tough. Andy asks if Marge regrets what she did, and Marge says, if she’d known it was going to cut Jennifer to the core, she never would have said it, and she feels badly about the children. Andy asks if Jennifer is still mad at Marge, and Jennifer says, no; she doesn’t want to be mad. Andy asks if she thinks they can be friends, and Jennifer tells him, she’d never say never, but trust comes with time. Marge says, she thought they’d made up at lunch; it was beyond heartfelt. We flash back to that, and Teresa rolls her eyes. You can just insert Teresa’s eyeroll here whenever Marge is speaking, or Melissa, or Jackie, and all the others off and on. Marge says she gave Jennifer the name of a therapist, and Jennifer says, it’s hard watching it again. They talk about Bill carrying Marge Sr. after her party, and Marge says, it was the highlight of Marge Sr.’s night. Andy mentions that Jennifer said she and Marge are more similar than she thought, and Jennifer says she never knew about Marge’s culture; her story was very moving. We flash back to Marge Sr. Coming To America. Jen says, at the end of the day, they’d do anything for their moms, even though their moms drive them crazy. Andy says, Marge Sr.’s story resonates today, and Marge says her mom is going through PTSD with everything going on in the Ukraine. Marge’s grandparents had caught wind of an uprising, and wanted to book, but Marge Sr.’s brother’s wife didn’t want to leave. They had to leave him, and never got him out, and it was many years before anyone saw him again. Marge says, what’s happening in the Ukraine is very upsetting, but the camaraderie is uplifting. Andy says, Marge Sr. looks great for 75, and asks if she’s dating, but Marge says, no one in particular. Marge Sr. is youthful, but most younger guys are looking for younger girls. Andy suggests Frank.
The Househusbands come out, and Andy says, it’s wild that Frank is living with David. Frank says, he knows, but David approached him about it, and it worked out. Andy says, David is dating one of Luis’s exes, and Frank says he hangs out and watches TV with them. Andy welcomes Joe #2 back, and says Joe #3 looks great. We find out he had work done, buckling under the pressure of The Marge. Andy asks Evan about Jackie’s progress, and he says, it’s good. It’s the most sustained progress she’s had. He says he feels guilty, but Jackie says, it’s not his fault. Andy says, Bill had a tough season, and asks how he’s doing. Bill says, better, but it’s a process. It’s hard reliving ongoing issues. Andy congratulates Luis on the engagement, and asks how he enjoyed his first season. Luis says, it was horrible, but he’s quick to add, it’s no one’s fault. Teresa says, really??? and he says he felt judged, but didn’t get a chance to tell his own story. Andy says he’s not shy about answering direct questions, and Luis regrets not getting in there more the first time he filmed. Teresa says, it can be overwhelming, because she still doesn’t want him to get a word in edgewise. Andy says, although tempers and temperatures ran high, the Jersey men were all about having a good time. We flash back to some of those, and Andy asks how the Wolf Pack got so close. Joe #2 says, there’s a vibe and bond there. They don’t have to work at it; it just happens. We find out that Frank took so many steroids, his balls are gone, which I really didn’t need to know, but is kind of interesting. Andy asks about Frank’s relationship with Dolores’s new squeeze Paulie, and Frank says, Paulie looks like Buzz Lightyear. Dolores calls him a jerkoff, and Frank says, he and Paulie don’t see eye to eye. It takes a special person to understand his and Dolores’s relationship. Andy says, Frank can’t live with all his ex’s boyfriends, and Frank says, Dolores is happy, and that’s all that matters. Dolores suggests letting them get established; her and Frank are a lot to handle. Frank says he expected more from a superhero, and Andy says, this is the most pissed he’s seen Dolores all day.
Andy asks what Luis is drawn to in Teresa, and he says, she’s open and easy to talk to. Andy says, for him, it’s been like pulling teeth, and Luis says she does tune out, and has to be reeled back in. Andy brings up the video of the men’s retreat, and Luis explains it was suggested by a co-worker. He’d been trying to break up with a girlfriend, but had no guts. The guys made him commit to her, and told him to stop making excuses. He came home and she gave him a prenup, saying she wanted a million dollars for getting married. It was a hard no, and they broke up. Joe #2 applauds, and says, that’s how to address the video. Marge says, there was never a clear explanation, and public opinion wasn’t good. Teresa says, Marge should have told her that it hadn’t been explained right, but Marge says, Teresa wouldn’t have been receptive to it. Melissa says, Marge does get all up in people’s business, but she helps. Luis says, if he’d had a chance to speak, it would have been different. Andy says, Luis dated a lot of women who have unkind things to say; road rage, being abusive in front of kids. Is any of it true?
Andy asks if Luis was emotionally abusive, and Luis says he was in toxic relationships that felt abusive to him. Andy asks if he demanded sex four times a day, and he says, he can’t have it that many times a day. Teresa says she wishes, and I cover my ears, going, ♫ la-la-la ♫! Andy asks if there was domestic violence, and Luis says, there were two incidents involving arguments with his wife over the children when they were divorcing. He wonders, who among us hasn’t had their wife call the police in that kind of situation? Um… Andy asks if Luis hit her, and he says, no. Andy asks what his response is, but Luis says he doesn’t have one. It’s not fair. He’s not perfect, but it’s blown up because he’s on this platform. Teresa drags Marge in, saying it’s all her fault, and Marge asks why she wouldn’t want to see Teresa happy. Andy asks what Marge’s motive could be, and Luis tells Andy, what Marge says makes sense. Andy asks if Teresa heard that, and she says, Luis is a nice guy and very forgiving; her, not so much. Marge thinks Teresa should take a lesson from Luis, and Andy asks what Luis’s dream wedding is. He says, the courthouse and a diner, and Teresa says, Sex in the City is Luis’s favorite show. Luis says, he didn’t want to be extra, but Andy says, he’s with an extra gal; she’s wearing a disco ball.
Andy asks Evan if Jackie is more open now, and Evan says, it was great they were on the show. More people knew about Jackie’s issues, and she’s doing great. Jackie says she held so many secrets, she was relieved to be open. Evan says the kids were observant, and he thought that was an important point. Andy asks how Bill and Jennifer’s kids reacted, and Bill says, the older ones were disappointed n him, but the younger ones were worried they’d get a divorce. Andy asks about Jennifer’s parents, and Jennifer says, when it first happened and she told her mom, it was different. When everyone knows, it’s hard getting over it. Andy tells her, when you join a reality show, it’s hard to keep it in the bottle. He asks if Bill was in deny mode when it was brought up, and Bill says, in hindsight, the truth sets you free, because it’s easier to deal with something than lie about it. Andy asks how they’re doing as a couple, and Bill says, it was trying. That he comes across as not loving his wife is disappointing. It’s not possible for every man to be forgiven, so he’s grateful. Andy asks if he was angry at Marge, and he says, he was, but more at himself. He wasn’t going to deflect and blame others. Marge says she hopes he knows she had no idea it would blow up his family, and Jennifer says, their kids were collateral damage. Bill says he knows Marge felt awful and she apologized. Andy wonders what Bill’s reaction was to Joe #2 saying Jennifer crossed the line, and answering for him, Jennifer says, he’ll always choose his wife. That’s probably another reason Bill never says anything. Jennifer is busy talking for him. In Luis’s case, Teresa is busy not talking. Joe #2 says, the Wives get out of control, and the men are more stable. I hate to say it, but in this instance, I agree. He says, they call each other afterward, being supportive. Jennifer whines they were ganging up on her. Andy points out that Bill said Jennifer was out of line throwing everyone out, and again answering for him, Jennifer says, when Bill is making up with people, he tends to be apologetic. Bill insists on being part of his own conversation, and says, his loyalty is unquestionable, but he tries to be the voice of reason. Emotions were charged. Melissa says, Jennifer antagonizes, and she asks for it.
Melissa says, Jennifer can’t throw an insult, and not expect something back. She has to acknowledge her part. Andy says he doesn’t want to relitigate it, and asks how Joe #2 and Bill are. Bill says, they’ve been to dinner since that unfortunate night, but Jennifer is still in argument mode, and says she didn’t appreciate Evan’s accomplice comment. Bill is not an accomplice, but they’re married and share everything. As she’s saying it, I think, that’s kind of the definition of accomplice. She says she never thought Frank throw her under the bus, but Frank said he had pictures of the alleged girl. Dolores calls Jennifer the c-word, and says, Jennifer thinks she told Frank to say that. Frank says, Dolores never told him what or what not to say, but Jennifer insists he was the one who brought it up in the first place. She needs closure. She didn’t just call out of the blue. It came from something Frank said. She screeches at Bill to clear the f***ing air, and Bill says, Frank told him, the alleged woman was seeing Evan, and Jennifer points at Frank, saying, he brought it up. Evan says, he felt he should have been a better friend to Bill, since he was going through it, but he’d only been nice to Jennifer. Andy says, Jennifer cares about getting caught, not about what she did, but Jennifer insists the narrative was misconstrued. It’s time for the men to leave, and Joe #2 thanks all the cheaters, disbarred attorneys, and little bitch boys. He tells Luis to keep supporting his woman. Luis suddenly decides to drop a bombshell, and says, Teresa didn’t want him to say anything, but he was let go from his company because of the negative press. He has no bad feelings, and just wants to move forward in a peaceful manner. Teresa says, it’s because of what Margaret f***ing did, and Marge says, now she’s responsible for that? Andy asks if Luis blames Marge, and he says, no, but Teresa isn’t having it. She’s sure Marge started the San Francisco earthquake and the Chicago fire. They’re all talking at once, and through gritted teeth, Andy yells, shut up!
Teresa looks like a grouper, her big, over-fillered mouth gaping. Andy asks if Luis blames Marge, and he says, no; it’s not her fault. Everybody was doing their job, and talking about what was out there. It’s an uncomfortable situation, and he doesn’t want drama. Marge says, the job brings a lot of negativity, and Teresa says, thanks to Margaret. STFU. Marge suggests Teresa dial it back, and the guys are dismissed. Teresa freaks about Luis shaking Joe #3’s hand, and Luis quietly tells her that she’s making a mistake by how she’s behaving. Marge tells Luis that no one wanted bad things for him. She just wants good things. Andy says, Teresa called Marge the c-word and threw a table full of dinner at her, and Teresa says she apologized. Andy reminds her she justified it by saying she was provoked, and she says she was upset with herself. She didn’t want to get in that place again. She’s not proud of it. She tried to stay calm, but reached her breaking point. Marge says she’s not responsible for putting it out there, but this is just beating a dead horse. Teresa isn’t going to believe Marge wasn’t responsible for what was all over the internet if Nona comes down on a cloud and confirms it. Andy says, if he saw negative press like that about a friend’s new partner, he’d be like, dude, I’m worried about this. Teresa says, Dolores never questioned her about Luis, and Andy says, Dolores lives by the old Italian code. She never asked Teresa about going to jail either. Teresa says, Margaret brought it to light, but Andy says, it was in the light already. Marge says, Teresa had her hair pulled, flipped a table of sh*t on her, called her every name book, but she’s defended Teresa. When Teresa did something to her best friend, Marge made excuses for her. Teresa says, that’s because she’s a good person, and Marge says, she thinks Teresa is a psycho now. She was trying to help Luis, since she knows how this works. Teresa asks why Marge dug stuff up from Luis’s past if she was trying to help him, and Marge screams, she didn’t. Andy says, a viewer points out that whenever someone disagrees with Teresa, she cuts them out of her life. Maybe it’s her. Teresa says, Marge was coming after Luis, and Marge says, Luis doesn’t think so. Teresa says, Luis is a nice guy, and Marge says she didn’t hurt him. Andy asks if Teresa has ever changed her opinion on anything, and Teresa says, Marge hurt her feelings; she loves Luis. In his smartest move during the Reunion, Andy says, they’re not getting any further with this.
Andy says, we’ve they’ve been though a lot tonight. They all lost their temper, him included, and he apologizes for screaming at them. When he gets with Jersey girls, he turns into one. He’s been gratified to see real moments of coming together, like Jackie and Jennifer, and Jennifer and Marge. Teresa is engaged, and Dolores has a new guy. There’s a lot to be happy for, and he wants them to say something positive they’re coming away from this season with. Jackie says, being on the show saved her life. She doesn’t know if she would have had the strength to deal with her food issues if the whole world hadn’t been holding her accountable. Dolores says, her softball charity event, and we flash back to that. She says, no matter if they’re fighting, she woudn’t want to share these couches with anyone else. Marge says, celebrating Marge Sr. also the heartfelt moment she and Jennifer shared, when she saw a different side of Jennifer. Jennifer says she wants to work harder on evolving as a person. It’s about the journey, and growing and learning from your mistakes. She’s acknowledging and owning hers. Melissa says, Antonia’s full recovery. She chose to push her daughter, and she’s happy she did. Teresa says, it was a hard season, even though she’s the happiest she’s ever been. She’s in love, but feels bad for what Luis went through; they went through it together. She’s upset with herself and what she did to Marge. She didn’t want to get to that point. Nice of her to slide that in quietly at the end.
Andy wans to make a toast to Teresa’s wedding and engagement, and champagne comes out. He asks Dolores to make a toast, and she makes the most generic toast ever; to health and happiness, to everyone, to friendship, and to making amends. They clink glasses, and Andy says, and to Jersey. Jackie downs her glass, and says she’s hungry.
✨ Playing Among the Stars…
Make a pit stop tomorrow for some soap and the latest from Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay being your own person, and stay remembering, the truth sets you free, because it’s easier to deal with something than lie about it.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Curtis walks into the house and sees Portia. He says he loves coming home to this sight, and she says, her in her scrubs? He says, beautiful her in their living room. He kisses her, and she wishes they could spend all day doing this. He says he does too, but unfortunately there’s this thing called life. She says, doesn’t she know it.
Ava meets Trina at Kelly’s and thanks Trina for letting her crash her mother/daughter lunch. She hopes Portia is okay with it. Trina says, totally, and Ava says she wanted to bring Avery with her, but she’s with her father. She knows that look. What’s wrong? Trina says she’s about to be expelled.
Spencer gets on Spider Finder and looks up Margaret Fitzgerald (aka Nanny Maggie), when Esme walks in. She says she has a giant surprise for him.
At the fair, Ned tells Leo that Chase will be there any minute, but Leo says, it’s almost time to start. What if Chase doesn’t come? Like at his adoption party? Brook says, remember what she and Chase told him that day? If Chase can’t be here, other people will cover for him. Leo says, like whale pods, and Olivia says, that’s a great analogy. She’ll cover for Chase. She’ll sit right up front, and he can recite his poem to her. Leo says, that won’t work. It’s not the way he practiced it.
Felicia and Anna are at the MetroCourt Garden, and Felicia says, it’s nice getting together, just us girls. Anna wonders why they ever invite the men, and Felicia says, Mac is fun, so look out. Anna says, even with a baby crazed gleam in his eye? and Felicia says, for her information, that topic hasn’t been brought up until they talked about it last. Now that she’s no longer the topic of conversation, start talking. Anna says, about? and Felicia asks, what’s the latest with Anna’s on again/off-again paramour?
Ned asks how Leo is feeling, and Leo says, shaky. Ned tells him to remember what the doctor told him; deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Olivia says it will help him focus, but Leo says he doesn’t need that. He needs Chase. Brook says, he’ll do great all on his own, but Leo says he’s not going up there without Chase. Chase says, it’s a good thing he’s here then, and Leo hugs him. Chase says he’s sorry; he got stuck in traffic. He would have run here if he had to. Leo says, without his car, and Chase says, if that’s what it took. Leo says, he’s so glad Chase is here.
Sam and Willow approach Dante and Sonny, and Sonny says he hears Scout has a painting at this place. Sam says she doesn’t even know what it is, and Drew asks if she didn’t get a preview, but Sam says, Scout told her it was all very top secret. Drew says, it’s amazing; a sight to be seen. He’ll show her. They leave, and Willow thanks Sonny for the flowers. She says, it was really thoughtful, and he asks how she’s holding up. She says, it’s been difficult, but Wiley and Michael are getting her through it. Sonny says, if she needs anything, he’s always here for her, when Michael comes along with Dante. Michael says, Willow will never need anything from Sonny.
Anna says, there’s nothing to talk about, but Felicia says, New Year’s Eve, The Savoy, Anna and Valentin, with their hands and lips all over each other. Anna says, Felicia wasn’t even there, but Felicia says, other people were, and she heard all about it. Since then, there hasn’t been any action. Anna says, there was plenty of action, which resulted in Valentin having to recuperate out of town. He’s only been back a couple of weeks. Felicia says, he’s back? Why is she only learning about this now? Anna tells her, like she said, there’s nothing to tell. Valentin came to her house, and they talked, and he kissed her. She hasn’t seen him since. Valentin comes over to the table, and Felicia says, speak of the devil. He says, this must be his lucky day.
Willow says she was just thanking Sonny for the flowers, and Dante asks if Sonny is there to see Avery. Sonny says, yeah. He’s there to see Avery’s dance performance, then they’re going to have a little lunch. Dante says, Leo is reciting a poem, and Willow suggests she and Michael find seats. They leave, and Dante asks if Sonny is sticking around. Sonny says he’s not leaving because his son doesn’t want him here.
Olivia thanks Chase for being here; it means the world to Leo. Chase says he wouldn’t have missed it, and Ned thinks he and Olivia should find seats, but Olivia says she’s going to hang back. Leo tells her that he’s okay, and she says she’s so proud of him, hugging him. Brook asks her to save them seats, and tells Leo, it’s a really good turnout. Leo tells Chase, there are a lot of people here, and Chase says, isn’t it awesome? Leo asks, what if he messes up?
Esme says she’s arranged for her and Spencer to have a picnic by the water, and ride horses through the grounds. Doesn’t that sound romantic? She knows he has his own special surprise for them, and she’s not trying to step on that, but it’s going to be a little foreplay; him, her, all alone, no interruptions. Nikolas says, except for his. Sorry. Esme says, don’t apologize. She and Spence were just heading out for the afternoon. Spencer says, that’s really sweet that she went to all the trouble, but he can’t go anywhere with her.
Trina hands Ava the report, and tells her, it’s from PCU. A one-stop shop for all the findings from the investigation into Joss and Cam’s sex tape. Ava says, this is what the school will use to determine if she’s guilty or not? and Trina says, they have two days to review it. If they decide she’s responsible, she’ll most likely be expelled. Ava says, they’ll reverse that when Trina is found not guilty in court, and Trina says, if she’s found not guilty. Ava says, she will be, and Trina says, and no actually. The court has no bearing on the university’s decision. Ava says, that’s ludicrous, and Trina says, those are the rules. And PCU can still kick her out of school, which is the least of her problems if she’s sent to prison. What is she going to do?
Curtis asks why Portia is here. He thought she’d be working. She says she wanted to take Trina to lunch; hopefully to take her mind off of everything. She just came home to change. She looks at her watch, and says, and she’s late. He tells her, go, and she asks what he’s doing here. Is everything okay? He says he’s sure they’ll soon find out. She says, she’ll go ahead and let him be mysterious now, but he’ll explain everything later, right? He says, everything, and she goes upstairs. The doorbell rings, and Curtis opens the door to Stella.
Chase says, no matter what happens, they’re all so proud of Leo, and he’s been practicing his trick with his poem, right? Leo is reciting it just for him. Brook says, she still gets stage fright, but it goes away when she starts singing, and Leo says, he’s not singing. Brook tells Chase, he’s up. and Chase says he’ll make Leo a deal. If Leo recites his poem now, later at his birthday party, he can pick any song, and Chase will sing it in front of everybody. Leo says, any song? Even Fly Me To the Moon? Chase asks what Leo knows about Frank Sinatra, and Leo says, his mom sings it to him all the time. Chase says, he’ll sing whatever Leo wants him to, but Leo has to do his part. Deal? Leo says, deal, and they fist bump.
Sonny tells Dante, he’s not going to let Michael chase him out of here. Olivia is his friend, and he’s here to support Leo. (Um… and Avery maybe?) Dante says, Michael was still pretty angry, and Sonny says he noticed. Dante says he’s been trying to get Michael to talk to Sonny, but it hasn’t worked. He’s thinking Sonny might have to make the first move. Sonny says, what happens next is up to Michael. Michael said some tough things he can’t take back. If Michael wants to apologize, he has to come to him, and they’ll work it out. Dante says, he’d agree with Sonny if things had cooled off a little bit, but they’re not. He’s worried in the meantime more damage will be done. Sam tells Dante that they should find their seats, and she and Dante leave.
Willow says, Sonny was just offering his condolences about her mother… about Harmony. Michael says, the flowers were sent to her, so he didn’t say anything, but Sonny has barely noticed any of them since he got back from Nixon Falls, and now he’s showing his concern? She asks if he thinks it wasn’t sincere, and he says he thinks Sonny feels bad for Willow, but he also thinks Sonny is trying to get one over on him. She asks if he wants to leave, but he says, no. He’s with his family, and he’s not letting his father throw this away.
Valentin says he was on his way to his room, and thought he’d stop by to say hello. Anna’s phone rings, and he says, sorry he hasn’t been in touch, but she says, no need to explain. She tells them that she needs to take this, and steps away. Felicia asks if Valentin wants to join her, and he says he’d love to. He sits, and asks how she’s been. Felicia says, great, except she heard he kissed her friend then ghosted her. He says he’s apologized, but she says, he can do better than that. Going off the radar whenever he and Anna get close. Unacceptable. He asks if that’s how it looks, but she says, that’s how it is. Tell her, how serious is he about Anna?
Ava says, at least Josslyn and Cam got on the record, saying they know Trina didn’t do this. That’s got to be helpful, right? Trina says, it doesn’t look good. The burden of proof is lower in these cases. Ava says, try to think positive; pessimism will get her nowhere. Trina says she calls it realism, and Ava says, nobody found her responsible, and they may not. There’s every chance in the world this coordinator person will see what Trina’s friends, family, and countless others see – that Trina is innocent. Trina thanks her, and says, but they all know her. To the coordinator, she’s just another random troublemaker.
Spencer says he has to go into Kelly’s, and Esme says she loves that he’s so dedicated to his job, but it’s his day off. He says, Cam texted, and one of the other servers called in sick; Cam needs him to cover. She asks if there aren’t plenty other people who can cover. Come on. He’s been working so hard, at Kelly’s and the gallery. He deserves a day to himself, to spend time with loved ones. She tries to take his hands, but he backs away, saying, sorry. He needs to go. He leaves, and Nikolas says, Esme.
Curtis thanks Stella for coming, and she asks if he thinks she wouldn’t. This is obviously more than a social visit. He says, why obviously? and she says she could tell in his voice when he called. What can she do for him? He says he’s sure this won’t be the easiest thing to hear, and she says she noticed Marshall hasn’t been around lately. Does it have something to do with him? He says, Marshall left town; he’s not coming back. She asks why he left, and Curtis says, they had an argument. Marshall wasn’t being honest with him. She says she thought his father would open up the more Curtis got to know him, and Curtis says he thought Marshall would open up the more he got to know them. Curtis says he’s not talking about what Marshall held back on, but the lies. Marshall let them believe he was in Witness Protection all those years, or that he might suddenly have to go underground because he got on the wrong side of the wrong people, and he had no choice but to abandon his family. Now Curtis knows that wasn’t the case. Stella asks how he knows all this.
At the fair, a woman takes the stage, and says she’s glad the audience could join them in what promises to be a wonderful showcase for their students’ talents. Sam says, Dante and Sonny looked pretty intense. Is everything okay? He says, not really. Drew asks if the seat next to Ned is taken, and Ned says, it’s all his. Drew sits, and says, they both must be so proud. Olivia says, they truly are, and Drew says, it’s nice that family can come together like this. Ned says, in the spirit of family, he’d like to sit down with Drew and Michael, and have an in depth discussion about ELQ’s future. Drew says, absolutely. He and Michael have been talking, and have a proposition for Ned. The woman welcomes Leo to the stage, to recite the poem TheOnly Me by Pat Mora (see below). Everyone applauds, and Leo looks at Chase.
Esme tells Nikolas, all she wanted was to get back to where they were, but it’s impossible when Spence keeps throwing up these walls. She supposes she should accept it. He’s no longer into her; move on. But the thought of giving up on him… She knows she and Spence might not always agree – Nikolas says, what couple does? – but she never imagined those differences were what drove him away. They were a team. One argument, and poof! It’s all gone. Does he know what that’s like. He says, yeah, he does.
Trina tells Ava, she’s so ready for the day she never has to think about Esme every again. All the damage she’s done; to her, Joss, Cam, Ava. Ava says, Esme’s transgressions against her are very well known, and in the past apparently, or so she’s been assured. Trina says, so things are better with Ava and Nikolas, and Ava says, no, but it has nothing to do with Esme. She and Nikolas are grown-ups. If it doesn’t work out, that’s on them. Trina’s loyalty means so much to her, and Trina will always have hers. But dealing with Nikolas and Esme is her job. Trina’s is to focus on herself. Keep her chin up, okay? Trina says, okay.
Spencer sees Portia outside of Kelly’s, and says, Dr. Robinson. She says, of course (🍷) he’s working today, and he asks, how’s Trina? She says, Trina is none of his business. Her daughter is off-limits to him.
Stella says, Curtis accessed Marshall’s arrest record? How did he manage that? Forget she asked, but why? She thought he was done snooping in his father’s past. He says he was, but Marshall kept hinting at danger, and he wasn’t about to let any harm happen to her or anyone else in his family. So he needed to know the rest of the story. She says she wishes it hadn’t come to that, and he says, him too. It turns out, Marshall didn’t run afoul of the mob. He got arrested at a protest that got out of control. He wasn’t tried, he wasn’t jailed; instead, he was remanded to a mental institution. When he tried to talk to Marshall about it, Marshall shut down and refused to talk about that part of his life. The night Stella had her panic attack, he noticed she and Marshall had their heads together, and it doesn’t escape him that she didn’t ask what he’d learned. She doesn’t seem surprised either. She knows more about what happened than she’s letting on. She says, yes, and he asks, why lie to him about it?
The audience waits. Leo looks at Chase and smiles, and Chase gives him a thumbs up. Leo sees only Chase, and recites his poem. He gets a standing ovation.
Valentin says he’s very fond of Anna, and Felicia says, he’d better prove it or move on, because Anna is the best of the best. If Valentin hurts her… He says, he’ll have to answer to Felicia? and she says, bingo. Anna comes back, and says, it was Agent Beamon from Tahiti. Felicia says, the one who arrested Jennifer Smith, and Valentin says, Jennifer Smith? Anna says, the Bureau took her into custody, not only for stealing the Ice Princess, but for causing the cable car accident that killed Luke. Apparently, they have solid evidence, and Beamon says she’s going to spend the rest of her life in Steinmaur. Felicia asks if Anna told him that she thought Jennifer wasn’t guilty, and Valentin asks why she thinks that. Anna says, because there’s a missing piece, and Felicia says, the French naval captain. Valentin to pretending to be the captain, and Anna says, Jennifer claims she was with this captain, but the WSB had no luck finding him. Valentin says he thinks he can help.
Esme tells Nikolas that Spencer doesn’t trust her because she followed him in his vendetta against Ava. Meanwhile, she only did those things because she was devoted to him. Does it make her sound weak because she blindly did what he wanted? Nikolas says, it sounds like love, and she says, it’s the very thing tearing them apart. He says, trust is a tricky thing. He knows that better than anyone. She says, oh my God. She’s so sorry. He asks, why? and she says, she’s going on about her problems, when his and Ava’s are so much more significant. She didn’t mean to dredge up a painful subject. She wasn’t thinking. He says, that doesn’t sound like her.
Spencer tells Portia that he’s sorry for what Trina and their family are going through. He hopes this is all over soon. She says, this will never be over for Trina. Her name, for the rest of eternity will be attached to this horrible act. Not to mention an arrest record that’s going to follow her around forever. And she’s about to get kicked out of school too, but that’s the lesser of two evils, considering the other option is prison time. He says he knows how hard this is for her, but she says, he has no idea. He was actually guilty and his family bought him a slap on the wrist. He says, he went to prison, but she says, minimum security for 30 days; don’t even start with her. Now he’s back and here. He’s got his trust fund, his island, and his family name, which apparently gets him out of anything. Trina doesn’t have that. Does he understand this is ruining Trina’s life? Does he get it? And it’s all because of him and his awful girlfriend.
Ava asks if Trina wants to order, or will her mom be here soon? Trina says, she hasn’t heard from Portia. Maybe she got caught up at work. Ava looks out the window, sees Portia reaming out Spencer, and says, she’s not at work. Outside, Portia says, and Trina vouched for him. Time and time and time again, and what did it get her? Nothing. Wait. It did get her something; heartache, misery, and a tainted future. Lucky her. Ava comes out, and tells Spencer, you, inside. He goes in, and Ava follows. Trina asks, what did Portia say to him?
Curtis says, all those times Stella told him, let it go, wait for Marshall to come to him, she knew he’d abandoned his family for no reason? Stella says she’s so sorry, and he says, that’s it? She’s sorry? How long has she known? She says, if he’s asking if she was in on this from the beginning, the answer is no. She didn’t find out until Marshall was already gone. He says, so when mom got sick, and she came to help them, she knew? She says she did, and he says, Aunt Stella, the pillar of honesty. She’s been lying to him his whole life? She lied to Tommy his whole life? She watched them cry and grieve a man who was still alive. She says, it hurt something fierce, knowing, and seeing them grow up without a father, knowing how much they needed and missed him; she hated every second of it. When he told her that he and Tommy had stopped asking about Marshall when they saw how it affected them, it broke her heart. She wanted to confess right then. He asks why she didn’t, and she says, because the man came back, and wanted a relationship with Curtis. Once she saw Curtis warming to a relationship, she didn’t want to get in the way of that. Curtis says, his family; this is unreal. She says, if he has any other questions for her, she’ll do her best to answer them, but he says, he’s sorry; it might be too late. He doesn’t know how he can believe anything she says.
Valentin asks if Anna will let him take her to dinner. They can discuss the case – or not. What is she doing later? She says she has plans, and he says, cancel them, but she says she can’t. He wonders if she still has the Bordeaux, and Felicia says, they drank that at their last meeting. Anna says she told him it wouldn’t last, and he says he hopes she let it breathe, but she says, it didn’t need to. He says, if not tonight, tomorrow night, or any night after. She can choose. He’ll bring something posh and even more expensive. She says she’ll check her dance card and let him know. He says, by all means.
Esme tells Nikolas, she knows she seems confident, but before she met Spence, she was a mess. She was mourning her parents, all alone, no friends to speak of. He says, it must have been difficult, and she says, it was awful. She knows it may sound disingenuous, confiding her problems with her boyfriend to his father, but Nikolas is also the man who rescued her from Sonny; the man who took her in when no one else would, even though it cost him. He says, she and Spencer being there just brought some things to the surface, and she says she doesn’t see how Ava doesn’t get it. The one thing he cares about most is doing what’s best for his family. He says, that doesn’t mean he’s always successful, and she says, of course (🍷) he’s made mistakes; everyone does. But his intentions… He cares about his family, and would do anything for them. Who could ask for more?
Portia tells Trina that she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Spencer is so spoiled and entitled… Trina says, mom… and Portia says, he deserved every word and more. Trina says, he’s heard it from her, so Portia might as well, and Portia says, she’s not mad? Trina says she’s grateful, and thanks Portia for having her back. Portia says, always, and Trina wonders why Spencer is even here. Cam told her today was his day off, or she would have picked a different restaurant. Portia says, it doesn’t matter. She hopes it doesn’t ruin their lunch. Trina says, it was already ruined. She got the Title 9 report. Portia asks what it said.
Ava says, she and Portia are trying to keep Trina’s mind off the hell Spencer and Esme inflicted on her. His being here doesn’t help. He says, he picked up an extra shift, and she tells him, unpick it up. He says, they’re not at the gallery. She has no authority over him here, so leave him the hell alone.
Olivia says she’s so proud of Leo, and Dante says, he was incredible. Sam says, he was really great, and Willow says, The Only Me is one of her favorites. She used to read it to her students all the time for inspiration. Chase joins them, and says, Leo was amazing. He hugs Leo, and Leo says he used Chase’s trick. Brook says, he did the trick, and he was so good. She hugs him, when Sonny comes by. He says, you know how hard it is to get on the stage and do that? and hugs Leo. Brook asks if Leo is ready for his birthday party, and he runs off. Olivia says, that’s her cue. She’ll see them at the hotel. She yells for Leo to wait up, and Sam and Willow wander away to look at the exhibits. Sonny says, when Dante told him the damage would be done while he’s waiting for an apology, what did he mean by that? Is Michael planning something?
Michael tells Ned, they’ll have a more formal conversation about this later, but they wanted to fill him in asap. They’ve been looking at the corporate structure of the merger, and can offer Ned COO. Ned says, Chief Operating Officer. That’s an administrative position; more about nuts and bolts, not long term vision. Drew says, Ned would be perfect for this. With his expertise, Ned will be able to seamlessly implement the wide scope of changes. Ned says, and his lack media experience? and Michael says, they might bring in someone to focus on that side. Ned says, so he wouldn’t even be the only COO, and Drew says, to be determined. If that happens, they’ll make sure that position is lower than Ned’s. Michael asks what Ned thinks, and Ned says, they’ve given him a lot to consider. He’ll see them at the MetroCourt. Ned leaves, and Drew says, that went well.
Stella says she loves Curtis more than anything in the world. She’s so deeply sorry for causing him this pain. That was never what she wanted. Please tells her he believes that. Curtis doesn’t say anything, and she says, in the time she spent with Marshall since he came back, she’s seen how much Marshall loves him. After all that time, after 40 years, it would have been easy for him to stay away, but he couldn’t. She knows what Curtis is thinking. If Marshall loved him so much, why did he leave in the first place? Right or wrong, Marshall thought he was giving his sons what they needed. He asks, how could being away from them be what needed? Marshall left his wife. He left his two sons… or did he? Did mom know? She says, it was Marshall’s decision to let him and Tommy believe he was dead, but their mother agreed to it. She hated keeping that secret, but his parents thought it was best, and she had to respect that. If she could go back, and could have told him sooner, she would have spared him this hurt. She’s so sorry. She cries, and Curtis puts his arms around her. He holds her as she sobs. Curtis says he loves Stella; that’s never going to change. He just doesn’t understand why. There was no jail time, no ties to the mob. Hell, he doesn’t even know how long Marshall was in that mental institution. So why the decision to pretend he was dead? Stella says, that part isn’t her story to tell. It’s his father’s. Curtis says, then he needs to find him.
Dante tells Sonny that he thinks the best course of action is to talk to Michael before things escalate. Sonny asks if that’s code for watch your back, and Dante says, it’s a heads up. He tells Sonny to take care of himself, and leaves.
Leo says, this party is the coolest party ever, and Ned says, that’s because he’s a cool kid. Leo asks where all the balloons came from, and Ned says he can thank his mom; she made it all happen. Leo hugs Olivia, who tells him, happy birthday. He goes off to look at the balloons, and Ned’s phone rings. He says he probably should take it before the singing starts, and asks if it’s okay if he steps out. Olivia tells him to do his thing.
Brook asks if Chase realizes that it’s almost time to face the music – literally. Unless he plans to not uphold his end of the bargain. Chase asks if she’s kidding. Leo brought it today. She says, big time, and thanks him for being so supportive of her brother. He says, Leo is a good kid, and we see that someone is watching them. She says, Chase is pretty great too.
Michael says, Ned was a little non-committal on the COO offer, and Drew says, ya think? Michael says, no one cares more about ELQ than Ned does. He thinks when push comes to shove Ned will do what’s right for the company.
Outside behind some hedges, Ned says, they wanted to meet. Here he is. We see it’s Valentin.
Ava tells Spencer, stay away from Trina or she’ll make him regret it, but he says, he’s not the enemy here. Trina comes in, and picks up her bag. She says, she and her mom are going somewhere else. Does Ava still want in? Ava says she’ll have to take a raincheck, and they hug. Trina starts to leave, and Spencer says, he’s really sorry. He didn’t mean to upset her or her mom. She says, he never means to do anything, does he? She leaves, and Ava asks if there’s a reason Spencer can’t seem to leave Trina in peace.
Esme says, that must be the reason she’s so comfortable with Nikolas; she trusts in his intentions. He makes her feel safe. Nikolas says, that’s kind of her, but believe him, not everyone approves of his methods. She says, like Ava, and puts her hand on his. She says she’s sorry Ava can’t see him the way she does, and he says, what way is that?
Tomorrow, Chase tells Brook, all will be revealed in due time; Gladys wants to know what’s in it for them; and Valentin wonders if there’s something he and Ned can do so they both get what they want.
Daisy tells Marcos that dinner is going to be at 11:15, and all Marcos wants is to get some rest. Glenn wants to sail on the way back in the morning, and Daisy suggests breakfast be something the guests can hold. The dinner table is set in a gorgeous Asian theme, and Daisy takes drink orders. Glenn explains to KIM that the morning sail might be rolly, and asks if something like wraps will be okay for breakfast. Surprisingly, she’s good with that. Gary says, Kelsie’s hair looks nice, and he wonders if she did something different. She says she brushed it. Guest Dino wants a Japanese beer, but Daisy doesn’t think they have any. KIM screeches for Marcos, saying, she misses him. The food is brought up, and the guests cheer for Marcos. It’s a fabulous spread of sushi and other Japanese delights, and Marcos describes the dishes. The guests applaud. Dino keeps pressing the beer issue, now joined by the primary’s husband Chris. In Daisy’s interview, she says she wants to rip his head off, but she’s going to be a sweet, professional stew. Dino starts asking Ashley for the same stuff, and downstairs, Daisy tells her, just ignore him like you would a three year old. Daisy asks Gary to check the preference sheets for Japanese beer, but he finds nothing. Daisy says, she’s going to f***ing punch that f***ing motherf***er, and Gary says she’s sexy when she’s angry. Daisy points out to Dino that Japanese beer isn’t on any of the preference sheets, and he says, it’s f***ing bullsh*t. We see someone has drawn horns and a moustache/goatee on Dino’s preference sheet picture, along with a dialogue balloon that says, I’m a POS. The guests go to bed, and Daisy makes up a tray with vodka and such for Chris, telling Gary that they’re going to party in their room. Gary asks if Colin will read him a bedtime story, and Daisy brings the tray to KIM and Chris’s cabin. In her interview, she says, goodnight, a-holes. See you in the f***ing morning.
In the morning, Kelsie says, there’s so much boat. Glenn gets a text from an agent who says they worked their magic, and Glenn is getting a new stew. In Barnaby’s interview, he says he could work harder, but he’s there to work smart, not hard. If he gets along with Gary, he won’t have to worry about the windows so much. Glenn says he’s going to fire up the boat, and the sails go up. Things go flying, and the guests get out of bed sideways. KIM throws up, and Gary tells Colin that he doesn’t get seasick unless he’s hungover. Somehow, KIM makes it to the upper deck, where the other guests are enjoying the sail. She lies down, and Chris says, it’s beautiful, but she has to sit up to appreciate it. That’s a hard no, and Chris wonders, how did Columbus do this?
Ashley takes drink orders, and asks Barnaby for help, calling him Barnabas. He tells her, if she calls him Barnabas, she’ll be doing it by herself. KIM and Chris want someone to pack for them, and no surprise, their cabin is a trash heap. Daisy tells Ashley to just throw things in; don’t fold a single thing. Wrap her dresses in her shoes. Chris yells for Daisy, and she and Ashley toss the guests’ belongings in their suitcases. Daisy runs upstairs, and Chris asks for a vodka/orange juice. Colin shows Barnabas Barnaby stuff about the lines, and in Barnaby’s interview, he says he’s never docked a boat as big as this one. Dino proclaims the docking not bad, and it’s time for the guests to leave. KIM thanks the crew from the bottom of their hearts, and says they were amazing. Chris says, they were astounded, and gives Glenn the tip envelope, thanking him. On their way back inside, Daisy says she probably ruined her whole career in yachting.
Glenn radios the crew to meet in the saloon for the tip meeting. He gives them major kudos, especially Daisy. Losing Gabriela wasn’t easy, especially with demanding guests. He’s proud of them. He says, Barnaby is great at the job, and they’re happy to have him, and Barnaby says he’s faking it until he makes it. Glenn says, the guests were challenging, but they left happy, and it was reflected in the tip, which is $20K or $2100 and change each. In Daisy’s interview, she says, they deserved it, and Glenn says they’re getting a new addition. He expects they’ll welcome her with open arms. In Ashley’s interview, she says, she and Daisy are working well together. The last thing she wants is a new girl bossing her around. She likes twosomes, and doesn’t like to share. She tells Daisy, new guys are okay; not so much girls. It’s weird that their first meeting will be the crew’s night off. She’s a little nervous.
New stew Scarlett is originally from Arkansas, but now lives in San Diego. In her interview, she says she doesn’t like country music, and she’s rebellious. She needs to touch a hot stove to see for herself. She dated a captain and they went out on the water their first date. It became her life. She meets Glenn first, then is introduced to the rest of the crew. Gary helps with her luggage, and asks the eternal question, what does she have in here? Scarlett finds out she’s bunking with Ashley, and Daisy says, tomorrow, they’re just turning over the boat. In Daisy’s interview, she says, as long as Scarlett doesn’t piss her off, they should be fine. They’ll see. Ashley fishes around to find out how much experience Ashley has on the job, and if she’s single. She makes sure Scarlett knows she and Gary have kissed a few times, and they get ready to go out.
The crew has a drink and heads to the restaurant. Gary insists he didn’t shag Ashley, but everyone tells him that Ashley says he did. He says, if you have a lick of ice cream, you didn’t eat it, but Daisy says, the calories still count. In Ashley’s interview, she says, he can deny it all he wants, but it happened. It’s like he’s ashamed of her. At the restaurant, everyone has tequila shots, and Gary – who’s conveniently seated next to Scarlett – finds out Scarlett is drinking water. Ashley keeps trying to get Gary’s attention, but he’s too busy flirting with Scarlett. Ashley starts getting louder, repeating that he can deny it, but it happened, and Daisy asks Gary to come for a cigarette. For whatever reason, Scarlett goes with her instead. Scarlett tells Daisy that she’s happy to be there. Daisy asks if Scarlett is single, and Scarlett says she is. Daisy says, here comes trouble, and tells her, watch out for Gary. He’s single, but be careful of the consequences. In Scarlett’s interview, she says she thinks Daisy is protective of Gary. It’s just the first night, and this is so wild. Ashley shouts that she remembers Gary’s dingdong in her who-ha, and in Gary’s interview, he says, this is why he didn’t want to hook up with someone who’s clingy and childish. Ashley yells over to Gary, asking if he remembers his weewee in her peepee.
Marcos thinks it’s kind of explicit, and Gary says, this is his cue to leave. Daisy wants to know who’s looking after her tonight. Last time, Colin was supposed to, and she kissed Gary. Ashley says, Daisy kisses Gary every night, and Daisy calls her jealousy in the corner, telling her to stop talking and drink some water. Daisy, Colin, and Gary go for a smoke, and Daisy asks what Gary is going to do about his girlfriend. Gary says, he doesn’t have a girlfriend, and his self-defense mechanism is coming out. I wonder if he’s going to turn into a transformer that’s a giant weenie or something. Ashley pouts, and says, she wants to go to bed. They leave in two taxis, and Ashley complains that she doesn’t like liars. In the other taxi, Barnaby says, Ashley was hammered at starters. Ashley whines that Gary saw something shiny and new, and in her interview, she says, it’s one thing to be tossed off to the side, but she doesn’t need to be kicked when she’s down. She says she doesn’t want to look stupid, and Colin says, she looks more stupid carrying on about it.
Back at the boat, Daisy says, nobody gives a f*** if Ashley and Gary hooked up, and Gary says he’s over American chicks. Colin says, Ashley thinks they had sex, and Gary says, it doesn’t matter, but Colin says, it matters to her. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary has his knickers in a twist. This jeopardizes him hooking up with Scarlett, and his feathers are ruffled. Apparently, Colin likes a good metaphor. Colin tells Gary that Ashley said, it was the worst 2 seconds of her life. The crew gets into the hot tub, and Gary decides he wants bubbles. He pours dish washing liquid into it, and I have a flash back of doing the same thing at a hotel with shampoo. And being very sorry. As soon as I put the jets on, the suds went wild, and I was afraid I was going to have an I Love Lucy moment, not being able to stop them. It’s also no fun to clean up. Ashley drinks straight from the tequila bottle, and says, she’s an a-hole; it’s fine. She tries to talk to Gary, but he walks away. She tells no one in particular that she’s done talking. She’s going to eat salt and vinegar chips, and then she’s done. Several of the crew members end up in the mess eating spaghetti, and Marcos says, this is why he cooked so much pasta. Ashley shovels it into her mouth like she may never eat again, and Daisy says, she’s eating her feelings. As usual, Glenn has taken the smart route, and is sleeping.
In her cabin, Ashley hiccups for a minute, and then runs into the bathroom to throw up. Unfortunately, Scarlett is already in the bathroom, and in her interview, Scarlett says, WTF is going on? It’s night one, and there’s politics, drama, and vomiting in the shower. This boat is messy. The next morning, it’s no surprise Ashley isn’t feeling good. Since she doesn’t remember what happened, Scarlett tells her that she threw up in the shower. In Ashley’s interview, she says, for sure she’s hit rock bottom. It’s embarrassing, but the only way to go is up. She officially hates herself. Drinking makes you do stupid things. Marcos says, the new chick must be in shock, and Ashley pleads blackout, shoveling in more pasta. In Scarlett’s interview, she says she’s never going to look at spaghetti the same way. Gary tells Barnaby that Scarlett is pretty cool. She and Ashley are like chalk and cheese. Ashley asks Daisy if she’s still third, or is she second stew now? and Daisy says, it doesn’t matter. In Daisy’s interview, she says, not this again, and we flash back to Ashley being relentless about Gabriela being second stew. Daisy says, this title bullsh*t needs to stop. It doesn’t mean anything. You’re still a toilet cleaner. She tells Scarlett that she wants them working as a team, and in her interview, Scarlett says, she has no experience, and doesn’t know if she’s second or third. It’s terrifying. She’s in a new place with new people, and she’s freaking out. It’s going to be a long day.
Ashley and Scarlett clean the cabins, and in Ashley’s interview, she says, even hungover, knowing Scarlett has no experience is giving her life right now. This woman really needs therapy. Glenn calls Gary, Daisy, and Marcos to the mess for a preference sheet meeting. He tells them that the primary is Keely, and Gary remembers her. We flash back to the Erica Rose group, and he says he thinks guest Jess was here before too. We flash back again, and yep, she was one of the bitchy ones. In Daisy’s interview, she says, after the charter they just had, she doesn’t want to deal with disrespect. Glenn says, they want non-stop drinking, sun, sailing, and dinner with the captain. Daisy reads that they want a wig and sequin party; the more colorful, the better. Are they secret drag queens? Gary reads that they want to do as much sailing as possible, and Marcos looks at one of the guest’s sheets who doesn’t seem to like any type of food. He reads that they want a ten-course dinner on day two, and Glenn says he’ll have dinner with them on day one, since he’s not sitting through ten courses. In Marcos’s interview, he says, he’s done a ten-course dinner, but had a staff helping him. Cooking is easy, but the plating isn’t.
Some of the crew turns in early, and Gary hugs Scarlett, saying, he’s glad she’s here. He wants to get to know her better, but it might prove to be difficult. He doesn’t think Ashley will give them the time. Ashley whines in the galley to Marcos that she deserves a promotion. Scarlett tells Gary that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and he says he woudn’t want her to, like he cares. He says he wants to be friends with everyone, and she says, she’s the same; good vibes between everybody. Gary jokes that she lies, and she’s only there to stir up trouble. Colin joins them, and says, she’s on the wrong boat if she doesn’t like drama.
Kelsie tells Daisy that Scarlett doesn’t deserve this. She can feel the tension and the vibes Ashley is exuding. She was on a mission to lay claim to Gary, and Scarlett probably feels like she can’t even talk to Gary without pissing Ashley off. And Kelsie has spaghetti trauma. Colin tells Gary that he can’t hook up with Ashley again, but Gary says, he not only doesn’t want to, he didn’t anyway. In Ashley’s interview, she says, Scarlett is clueless, and it’s just the confidence boost she needs. It feels so good. Seriously. I have no words. I’ll bet she’s one of those girls that hangs around girls who weigh more than she does, so she feels thinner. She’s just an all-around horrible person. Maybe Summer House has a slot open.
Daisy asks Glenn for Scarlett’s CV, and tells Colin that Ashley is obsessed with being second stew, but she’s missing the point. She should be happy to walk away with a good reference from Daisy, but instead, she’s focused on a title. She wants to have a one-up on Scarlett, and Daisy is not letting that happen. Colin asks if they’re bossing each other around, and Daisy says, no, but Ashley is dying to boss Scarlett. Colin says, she’s probably jealous, and Daisy says, she pleaded her case the other night. Neither one of them has much experience. She’d actually give Ashley the title if she wasn’t so obsessed with it. She thinks she’ll make them both juniors, and like she has radar, Ashley is there, and asks if Daisy has given any thought to her being second stew. She can give Daisy her case. Daisy says, obviously she’s dying to, and Ashley says, she thinks experience-wise, Scarlett isn’t close to what she’s done. She’s done no overnight charters, and she had to show Scarlett how to make beds. She has to tell Scarlett what to do. Daisy says, it’s not about bossing someone or being above them. She doesn’t feel Ashley is grasping it. She’s missing the teamwork aspect, and until Ashley figures it out, she and Scarlett are going to be the same. Ashley stamps her foot, and says she has more experience, and Daisy says, she’ll always know more if she knows the boat better. But it’s not about knowing more. Get the hierarchy out of her head, and learn to work as a team.
Next time, Marcos says he’s there to fulfill any chef fantasy the guests have; Gary tells Scarlett that he has a crush on her; and in Gary’s interview, he says he thinks Scarlett wants to be more than friends.
☮️ Feelin’ Groovy…
If you come by tomorrow, I can promise you soap, and that we will live through Part 3 of New Jersey’s Reunion. Until then, stay safe, stay connecting with nature when you can, and stay trying to think positive; pessimism will get you nowhere.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Fear the Walking Dead
When we last left, Victor told Morgan that he may have won the battle, but the war was just beginning.
Sherry pulls a container through the radioactive wasteland. She checks it with her meter, and opens it. An inflatable raft unfolds, and she takes out some supplies. Dwight radios, and asks where she is. and she says, he needed to sleep, so she went on a supply run to a warehouse they’d seen. He asks if she found anything, but she says, nada. He says he got an SOS on their Dark Horse channel. Some lady got turned around in the inlet, and it can’t wait. She tells him that he shouldn’t go alone; it might be a trap set by Victor. He says, what if it breaks the way Victor says it will? They’ll need every soldier they can get. She asks if the woman can fight, but he says he didn’t ask for her resumé. Sherry tells him to wait for her, but he says he can’t. Neither can she.
A woman runs through woods, with some zombies after her. She falls, and gets up, leaving her bag behind. She continues to run, but the zombies surround her. Dwight rides up, and shoots them until he runs out of bullets. There’s just one left, and the woman picks up a rock. He tells her, it’s radiated; don’t let it touch her. She’s about to whack it, but Sherry rides up, and shoots it. She says, she’s sorry she’s late, but Dwight says, she’s just in time. Dwight asks he woman if she’s okay, and he and Sherry introduce themselves. The woman says, she’s Maya, and Sherry says, they need to get her checked out. Dwight says, she doesn’t understand. The air quality and the… She’s not from around here, is she? Maya says, not exactly. She came on a boat, looking for her kid. Sherry asks what it’s like out there, and how far the fallout is, but Maya has no idea. She says she’s been on the boat for days, and Sherry asks when she last saw her kid. Maya says, a few months ago. Marco was in the tent, asleep, and in the morning, he was gone. Sherry wonders if it could have been the dead, but Maya says, she wasn’t touched. She heard the message from the tower, inviting people, and thought maybe Marco was taken there. Sherry says, she doesn’t want to go there, and Dwight says, there’s bad blood between them and the man in charge, but that shouldn’t keep her from going if her kid is there. He tells her to get her stuff, and he’ll point her in the right direction. Maya goes back to get her bag, and Sherry says, wow. Dwight says, Maya is better off there, but Sherry says, they’re about to go to war; he thinks they’re going to lose. He says, they’re outmanned, outgunned (♫ outnumbered, outplanned ♫), and Maya has a kid. They can take that risk, but she can’t. He asks, what’s the look? and she says she wishes it wasn’t like this. On the radio, Morgan says he’s coming in hot, and needs help with a hand-off. Sherry says, they’re on it. Where is he. He says, he’s a couple miles north of the Pennsylvania. He needs them to take Mo. The walkers from the tower followed him, and he needs to dump them. Sherry says, depending on how many, they might not have enough ammo, and Morgan says, there’s a lot all of them. He looks down the hill at the tons of zombies following him.
Dwight radios Luci, and asks where the crater is. She tells him, and asks if he needs help. He says, no, but he’ll let her know if anything changes. He and Sherry ride, and Sherry asks, what’s going on? Dwight says, did he mess up? Victor could have picked up the code he sent. He wonders if she thinks he’s lost, and she says she doesn’t, but everything they talked about at the gym, everything he said he wanted… He says, she wanted it to; they wanted a family. She says, if they don’t take the tower, can they have any of that? He says, okay, they’ll take the tower, and she says, but they can’t do anything until they get the zombies off Morgan’s ass.
Morgan tells Mo that he hopes she doesn’t remember any of this when she gets older, then says, who is he kidding? He’ll be happy if she just gets to be older. He sees Dwight and Sherry, and Dwight says, he got Mo back. Morgan tells them, Mr. Dorie gave his life so she could escape. Everybody else is still there. Dwight asks how Morgan picked up so many, and Morgan says, some followed him after John handed off Mo, and he didn’t discourage the others. Victor felt safe because of the zombies surrounding the tower. Tonight, Victor will try to draw more in with the light, and he’s got to dump these. Dwight says, taking them to the crater will work, and suddenly, there’s gunfire. The three of them jet, and Morgan says, it’s Victor’s rangers. Sherry says, are they crazy? and Morgan says, Victor knows the only reason they haven’t made a move is because of Mo. Dwight says, they’re going to get themselves killed, and Morgan says, they’ve got to keep the zombies together, or Victor will easily draw the them back to the tower. Dwight can get them further away, faster, and get Mo to the sub. Mo should be with whoever will keep her safe. Dwight and Sherry run, Victor’s rangers disperse, and Morgan yells to the zombies to stay on him, shooting in the air to get their attention.
As they ride, Sherry asks how Mo is, and Dwight says, he thinks she likes it. They stop, seeing a masked man on a horse. Dwight asks him to get out of the way, and the man says, or what? They’ll shoot him? They’ve got a code. They won’t kill him. Sherry asks what he knows about their code, and Wes takes off his mask, saying, a lot. Sherry says, they will shoot, and Wes says he doesn’t think so, but if they do, the rest of the rangers will be on them. Dwight asks if Wes really cares about protecting Victor, and Wes says, he cares about surviving, and the tower is his best chance of that. Dwight says, if he helps them take down Victor, they’ll pretend that Wes didn’t leave. Wes says, give him the kid, and Dwight laughs. Wes repeats, give him the kid, and Dwight says, Wes is trying to be Victor’s right hand man; doing what he needs to protect his own. He gets it. Wes asks if Dwight thinks this is a power trip? He’s doing this because they made him believe in something better. He killed his brother because of it, but It turns out they’re not practicing the bullsh*t they preach. He should have thrown in with Derek. At least he was honest. Sherry says, this is Wes’s last warning, and Wes asks what she means. Dwight shoots close to Wes’s horse, and the horse throws Wes to the ground, then runs off. Sherry says, if Wes really thought building something better was bullsh*t, he would have shot them, and Dwight says, while Wes is on his lonesome, and waiting for his cavalry to come, think about what he said.
Morgan is crossing the wasteland, and a nearby car explodes. He runs and ducks behind another car, as the mini horde walks in the distance. He sees Alicia, and grabs her. He tells her they have to get out of here; Victor’s rangers are close by. She says, the car was her, and he asks, why? She says, to keep the zombies from tearing Morgan apart, and he says he needs them to follow him. He shoots in the air to draw them, and says he’s got to ditch them so Victor can’t use them. He hollers at the zombies, and asks, where Alicia is coming from? When did she get back? Sorry. How is she feeling? She says, she’s still standing, and he asks if she found what she was looking for. She says, she got the transmitter, and she heard Victor’s message. He asks if she’s seen anyone, and she says, not yet. She asks if he found that girl, and he says, the one who helped her on the sub? No, but he got Mo out, and got the dead to follow him. That’s why they’re making their move tonight. Alicia tells, she’d said to wait, but he says, they didn’t know where she was. They have to get back to the sub. The tower won’t be guarded until dawn. She says, they have one shot, and they’re not ready, but he says, Luci got Arno’s people. They have Alicia’s people, and the rest; it’s enough. She says, not even close. They can get more. He says, they can’t keep waiting. She’s welcome to join them, but he understands if she doesn’t. She says, he followed them for her; the least she can do is get them to follow him. He yells for the zombies to keep coming, and he and Alicia walk,
Dwight asks if Sherry has heard anything from Luci, but she says, nothing. If Victor’s rangers were tracking them, they would have passed them already. She’s not moving until they make contact. Dwight has made a mobile out of car air fresheners, and spins it for Mo. Sherry asks, what the hell is that? and he says he calls it his auto-mobile. Mo likes it. She says she’s trying to keep Mo alive, and he says he’s showing Mo a reason to stay alive. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, nothing; it’s not important. He says, he’s learned that when she says, it’s not important, it’s very important. She says, it’s hard to see him with Mo, laughing and smiling, and making dad jokes. He asks, why? and she says, because they’re not going to have that. He says, she doesn’t know that, but she says, he was right. She knows what up against. He asks if she wants to give up, and she says, no, but it’s not easy. Luci radios, and Sherry tells her to open the hatch, and prepare to lock down. They’re coming, but they might not be alone. Luci tells them not to come, and Dwight grabs the radio, asking, why? Luci says, there’s a radiation leak, and they’re in the middle of an evacuation. Sherry tells Dwight, they’ll wait it out, and he says, Victor was probably listening; he’ll find them unless they keep moving. Shery says, all right; let’s move. Dwight tries to take her bag from her, but she doesn’t want him to have it. They struggle over the bag, and he insists on seeing what’s in it. He finds navigation charts, and asks, where was she this morning? and she says, getting… an emergency raft ready at the launch. He says, she was just going leave? but she says, it’s not for her; it’s for him. He asks what she’s talking about, and she says, they know what’s coming. She heard the offer Victor made. She doesn’t want him to turn into the person he doesn’t want to be. He says, they’ve been over this, and it’s not going to happen. She tries to give him the charts, but he throws them down. He asks if she actually thinks he’d throw in with Victor, and she says, it’s happened before. She doesn’t don’t want it to happen again. He says, that’s bullsh*t and she knows it. Wes is suddenly there, and says, bullsh*t is thinking they could stay ahead of them. If they’re thinking of running, there are a half dozen rangers on their way; hand Mo over. Dwight asks what they get in return, and Sherry asks what he’s doing. He says, if she thinks this is how they’re going to end up, they might as well get something. He asks if they can still take Victor up on his offer, and Wes says, it’s not his call, but it will help their case. Sherry asks again what he’s doing, and he says, he’s not going to be the better person if she doesn’t think he can be. He tells her to get Mo, and walks forward with his hands up. Sherry tells Mo, it’s okay, and Wes nods to one of the rangers, who moves toward Dwight. Dwight suddenly grabs him, and the other ranger shoots, but hits his co-worker. Sherry shoots the other ranger, and Wes jumps Dwight. Dwight yells for Sherry to go, and she runs with Mo.
Morgan and Alicia walk, and Alicia catches him looking at her. He says, she never answered him. How is she feeling? She says, the fever has come back at night like before, and the dreams are getting worse. He asks what that means, and she says, they’re more and more real. It’s like she can’t run from them anymore. He asks if she remembers the last time; they were following the zombies. She says, the senator is probably in there somewhere, and he says, if she wants to find him, be his guest. She asks where he’s taking them, and he tells her, to a crater where a bunch of them are trapped. Alicia says, if he goes after the tower, Victor is going to come after him hard. Morgan says, he already is. That’s why they have to move now. She says, they’re not ready, but he says, they don’t have a choice. Grace recorded some songs for Mo, but she also said this to him. He pushes play on the recorder, and Grace says, they don’t have much time. If this works, take Mo as far away from Victor and his tower as humanly possible, even if it means leaving without her. He tells Alicia, she’s right; it’s the only way that’s safe. She says, he’s going to take Mo away? and he says, if he finds a way out. He doesn’t want to when they’re barely hanging on. He left folks he cared about before, and it didn’t sit right with him, but he has to take care of Mo. She says, if they take the tower he won’t have to go, and he says, Victor is more vulnerable than he’s ever been. She says, they’re still not ready. They’re outnumbered, ill-prepared, tired, hungry, and sick. He says, that’s never stopped them before, and asks why she’s stalling. She keeps saying how little time she has left.
Sherry fusses over Mo, and Dwight catches up to her. He asks why she stopped, and she says, Mo needed changing. She asks, where’s Wes? and he says, Wes is out there, but he slowed him down. She says, the meter says good here, but they can’t go any further, and he asks how Mo is doing. Sherry says, she has no idea, and puts Mo’s helmet on her. They walk, and she says she’s sorry about what she said earlier. She didn’t think he’d take Victor’s offer for himself, and he asks if she won’t just tell him what’s going on. They see a sign that says Franklin on it, and Dwight gets on the radio. He asks if anyone knows where the bunker is that Teddy locked Alicia in, and Alicia says she thinks she can answer that. It’s under the Franklin Hotel. He says he thinks they found it, and Sherry says, they can hide in there. He asks Alicia if there’s another way out, and she says, the drainage works in the north end, but it’s not stable. Dwight says, the rangers might have heard them on the radio; they should go through the crater. Sherry says, the readings are too high, but he says, they have their masks, and Mo’s suit is lined with lead. Getting her out safe is all that matters. Sherry says, that’s not what she’s talking about, and he says, first, she thinks he’ll bail; now she doesn’t want to do what they need to, to keep Mo safe. Give her to him. Sherry says, she thinks she might be pregnant, and he says, that’s a good thing. They hear horses, and he tells her, go. They go inside, and he closes door.
Dwight says, the whole system is shorted, and they grab a bench, using it to bar the door. Mo cries, and Sherry says she’s sorry. She should have told him. He asks, how far along she thinks she is, and she says, a couple weeks. He says, they’ll find her a test, but she says, she already took one. He says, and? and she says she hasn’t looked at it yet. That’s why she didn’t want going through her bag. She knows him. If it’s positive he’ll want to do what’s best, even if it means going to the tower. If they do that, it will destroy all the parts of him she loves; that make him a great father. She can’t let that happen to him. She wants their child to know him, not the person Victor will turn him into. He says, he loves her for trying to protect him, but he should be able to protect her too, which means, she doesn’t get to do it alone, especially when they’re in this together. She’s about to take the test out of the wrapper, when they hear banging. He says, let’s move.
The crater is empty, and Alicia says, she thought Morgan said it was filled with zombies. He tells her, that’s what Dwight and Sherry said. They see a ladder/ramp, and Morgan says, somebody let them out. Alicia says, if they dump the zombies there, they’ll just climb right out. Morgan radios Dwight and says, the crater is a no go. They have to find another place for the dump.
Sherry picks up Alicia’s pokey device, and tells Dwight, keep moving. They get to the drainage tunnel, and Sherry asks if he can he clear it. She wonders how loud the fire alarm is. Does he think it can be heard above ground? He says, maybe, and she says, Morgan and Alicia will be heading back. He says, and they’ll be walking over them. She says, get digging, and lights a match.
Upstairs, Wes and some rangers are searching the place, when the alarm goes off. Wes just about wets his pants, and yells for someone to find it and turn it off.
Morgan asks if Alicia can hear that, and Alicia says, they’re on top of the bunker. Dwight and Sherry must have tripped the alarms. They need to get the zombies in there. He says, with Dwight, Sherry, and Mo? but she says, they’ll get her out. Trust her.
They crawl through the pipe, and some sand falls. Dwight says, the walkers are above them. Outside, Morgan says, keep coming, and tries to radio Dwight. He asks if they made it to the tunnel, but Alicia says, the signal wont reach down there. They’ll get the zombies in, then go to where the pipe comes out. Alicia loudly instructs the zombies like they’re students on a field trip, and they file in. Inside, one of the rangers yells to another to get the power on. The zombies come in, surprising them, and they’re out. Dwight and keep going through the tunnel, when pieces start to fall, and it becomes blocked.
Wes stabs a zombie, as one of the rangers is ripped apart. Wes baby cries in a hallway.
Dwight says he thinks they’re stuck. He’s sorry. She says, it’s not his fault, and Mo cries. He takes Mo, and tells Mo that he’s sorry. They tried everything. He promises they did. Mo quiets, and he says, maybe he’s just not… Maybe it’s not meant to be. She takes out the test, and he asks if she really wants to do that right now. She says she needs to. He was right. It isn’t something she should have done on her own; she should have done it with him. Does he want to help her? She holds the stick while he pulls the wrapper off, and we see it’s a plus sign. He laughs, and says, come on. She smiles, and they hug. She says, it’s not going to end like this. They’re going to get out. He asks, how? and she says, the same way as before, and starts chipping away with Alicia’s pokey thing.
Above, Morgan asks if they shouldn’t be out already, but Alicia says, give them some time. Morgan wonders if she shouldn’t go to the sub, and get everybody ready. They have a few more hours daylight. Alicia says, he was right, and he says, about what? She says she could have come back sooner, and he asks, why didn’t she? She says she knows what she has to do to Victor, but she’s not sure she can. He says, she’ll do the right thing when the time comes. She’s already done the impossible. She’s still here, and it’s not over for her, not by a long shot. They hear Mo crying, and Morgan yells, hey, Mo. Sherry comes out, and out pops Mo, followed by Dwight. Morgan opens Mo’s suit, and Alicia asks how Dwight cleared the tunnel. He says, he didn’t, Sherry did, and Sherry thanks Alicia for the assist, handing Alicia her pokey device. Alicia tells her to keep it. If they can get on the sub, she can use the transmitter, and make a real push for taking over the tower. Dwight says, the sub is leaking radiation; it’s a no-go. Sherry says, Maya heard Victor’s message, and Dwight says, she was 20 miles out. Alicia says she could use the antenna at the tower, and Morgan says, Victor has the power, and he’s at the highest point. Alicia says, one more reason to take it, and Morgan says she’s going to take it. He’s got to do what Grace asked, and get Mo as far away as possible. Alicia says, there’s no way out, but Sherry says, she knows a way.
Everyone gathers at the shore to say goodbye to Morgan and Mo. Morgan says, the fallout could hug the coast for miles, but Sherry says, Maya came from a clean place. He says he can’t walk away as Alicia is about to face Victor, but Alicia says, he has to; for Mo, for Grace, and for himself. They’re both doing something they don’t want to. He’s right. She’s going to be okay; she can do this. He nods, and she says, he’s going to see her again. They smile at each other, and Alicia says, now go. He hugs her, and she says, she’s got this. Morgan takes Mo, and thanks them. Dwight tells Sherry that she can get on too, but she says, Victor doesn’t know. He can’t use it against them, but they can use it against him. Now they have something to fight for. He says, okay, and Morgan puts Mo in the raft. Dwight gives Morgan the mobile, and tells him, it smells good, and Mo finds it entertaining. Morgan hugs them, and says, he appreciates it. So good luck, okay? He gets in the raft, and they push the raft off into the water. Morgan rows, and Mo sleeps like an angel.
Alicia looks into the distance and says, we gotta move. The sun sets in a few hours. Follow me. She walks, and they follow.
Morgan rows away.
Next time, Alicia calls Victor from the call box, Victor makes a toast, there’s a fight for the tower, and Wes says, it’s over.
👨🏾🦯 Debating Morgan…
Apparently, he might move to TWD, or die. It’s been so long, I’d forgotten he was from TWD originally.
Have a looksee tomorrow for Monday’s soap and whatever’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay always willing to grow, and stay believing in something better.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Josslyn and Carly get mani/pedis and Josslyn says, this is really nice. Carly says she thought they could use a little mother/daughter pampering. Josslyn says she can tell Carly has wanted to ask her something since they came in, and Carly says, it can wait. Josslyn says, for a more appropriate time? When would that be? Is it about her and Cam? Esme? Trina’s trial? Or is it something simple? Final exams? Carly says she was going to ask about PCU report, and if Trina is allowed back in school. Josslyn says, there’s no official word on that. They’re just trying to stay as distracted as possible while they wait. Carly says, given the list Josslyn just rattled off, it seems she has tons to distract her. Josslyn says, same with Carly. The hearing for Nina’s petition is tomorrow. Carly says, it seems they both have their hands full. Josslyn says she’s not worried about Michael. He’s in strategic mode and has his game face on, and can handle anything right now, but she can’t help feeling sorry for Willow. She can’t imagine how hard this must be, especially after Carly told her the truth about her mother.
Willow looks at The Invader, and Michael asks what she thinks about the feature. She says, Smoltz did his job, and more, and he says, he knows she had her reservations, but with the hearing tomorrow, it’s best for them to use Smoltz to their advantage rather than having him press assault charges. She says she agrees. It’s also good to remind the world what Nina is capable of. There’s a knock at the door, and Michael lets in Dante and Sam. Michael says, he’s guessing this isn’t just a social call, and Dante says he’s afraid not. The lab came back with Willow’s DNA results. Willow asks if they prove her mom was not her mom.
Olivia asks if Leo wants to run his poem by her one more time, but he says he’s tired of practicing. He knows it by heart. Ned comes out with his tie, saying, he thinks Leo forgot something. He helps Leo put it on, and Brook peeks in from around the corner. Olivia suggests they go to the fair a little early, so Leo can get used to the crowds, and Ned says, he’ll meet them there. She says, because of ELQ business, and Brook continues to listen.
At Kelly’s, Valentin looks at The Invader headline on his tablet: In Regards to the Minor Child. Martin joins him, and says he’s sorry to have kept Valentin waiting. Valentin says, if Martin is going to give him some flowery excuse involving his personal life with Lucy, he wishes Martin wouldn’t. Martin says, forgive him. Obviously, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed. Why? Because of that feature in The Invader? Valentin isn’t the only one. Lucy is positively livid having all that dirty laundry aired. Valentin says he feels for Nina. It’s no fun having your private life and past mistakes raked over the coals by the media, but there’s something else; ELQ’s called a board meeting. Martin says, ah-ha. No doubt the Quartermaines are intent on voting Valentin out as CEO. Valentin says, now it’s time for Martin to earn his retainer. What is he going to do about it?
At the hospital, Jordan sees TJ eating something from the vending machine, and says she hopes that’s not breakfast. He asks if she came to the hospital just to check on him, and she says, after that 24 hour shift he pulled the night Harmony was killed, she wanted to make sure he was okay. He says he had a good night’s sleep, and Molly’s pampering was better than going to the spa for a week. She says, make sure it stays that way, and he says, actually, he’s glad she’s here. She asks if he has something to report, and he says, a missing person – his grandfather. Curtis gets off the elevator at the Crimson office, and hears an alert on his phone. He sees it’s The Invader article, and the receptionist says, it’s nice to see him. Nina is expecting him, and he can just go in. He thanks her, and asks how Nina is handling the release of the article, but she tells him, see for himself. He goes into Nina’s office, where she’s on several calls. She tells the last one, her ten o’clock is here, and tells Janet to hold her calls. She says, sorry about that, like she’s not at work, and hugs Curtis. He says he came by to be a shoulder for her to cry on, but he’s her ten o’clock? She says, the world doesn’t stop because there’s some stupid feature in The Invader, and he asks if she’s sure she’s okay. She says she’s great. Really great. Why wouldn’t she be?
On the phone at the fair, Sonny leaves a message for Nina, saying, he read the feature. It looks like Michael didn’t hold back at all. She’s going to say it’s okay, but they both know it’s not. Just know she isn’t alone. He turns around, and Drew is there. He asks if Drew is there for the elementary school fair, or is Drew eavesdropping on his conversation? Drew says, Scout has a watercolor that’s worthy of DaVinci; it’s amazing. How about Sonny? Sonny says he’s here for Avery’s dance performance. A father’s gotta do what a father’s gotta do. Drew says, right. Then why is Sonny at war with his son?
Dante says, the test confirmed that Harmony wasn’t Willow’s biological mother, and Willow says, it’s not like it was a surprise. Michael says, it’s still a shock. She can take a minute. She says she wasn’t in denial. She knew he and Carly didn’t make it up, but still… Sam says, Dante didn’t tell her about the test results before they came, but she figured Willow could use a friend. She hopes that’s okay. They hug, and Willow says, it’s more than okay. They step away, and Michael thanks Dante for lighting a fire under the lab. Dante says, they didn’t do this because Michael is a Corinthos, or Quartermaine, or his brother, or even a captain of industry. Michael says, Dante never called him a captain of industry before, and Dante says, if the title fits. Michael asks where Dante is going with this, and Dante says, you tell me. Is there something Michael wants him to know about his business?
Ned fixes Leo’s tie, and Olivia says, perfect. Not that she would expect anything less. Leo’s father is an expert at the perfect corporate appearance. Leo says, but he’s going to his school fair, and Ned says, and he’s perfectly dressed. Olivia agrees, and says, the tie looks great. She and his dad can’t wait to sit in the audience and watch him read his poem. Right, Ned? Ned says, of course (🍷), and promises her that he’s not putting business before his family. She says, but? and he says, no buts. ELQ needs to be here for Leo when he comes of age; Michael and Drew’s agenda notwithstanding. Leo asks, where’s Chase? He can’t recite his poem without him. Brook says, he’s going to meet them at Rice Plaza, just in time to hear Leo’s poem. Leo doesn’t have to be nervous. Does he remember what Chase said? Leo says, if he pretends he’s only performing for one person, it makes it less scary. She says, if he does that, he can’t go wrong, and hugs him. Olivia tells Ned, they should take a page out of Leo’s book. Stop focusing on everything that could go wrong, and cherish what they have, right?
Martin tells Valentin, no you don’t. It’s not that simple. He can’t just wave a magic brief, and stop the shareholders from voting Valentin out. He’s got nobody to blame but himself; he was gone from Port Charles. Valentin says, Martin’s not being very helpful. He had an infection; he could have died. Martin says, fortunately, for those who love and care about Valentin, he’s back and in fighting form. Unfortunately, it gave the Quartermaines time to plan his ouster from their company. The minute Valentin turned his back, he gave them an opening. If that family remains a united front, Valentin doesn’t stand a chance.
Josslyn tells Carly, obviously, Harmony was very messed up, but Willow still believed Harmony was her mother; she still loved her. Not only does she find out Harmony is a killer, she basically kidnapped Willow. She doesn’t blame Carly for not wanting to tell Willow all that information the night of the accident. Carly says, Willow had a lot going on, but it turns out, she didn’t have to tell her. The information was part of the police investigation, so Dante did it. Josslyn says, the important thing is, she knows the truth, and Carly flashes back to telling Drew, if Nina is Willow’s mother, it’s going to be a huge problem for Michael and Willow, and Drew asking what she’s going to do if it’s true. Carly tells Josslyn, sometimes the truth can be a heavy weight to carry, and she doesn’t think Willow deserves that burden. Josslyn’s phone beeps, and she sees The Invader article. She says she’s sorry to bring this up, but she doesn’t understand why Nina is driving everyone through this ridiculous hearing. The only reason she can file a petition is because she’s Nelle’s biological mother? Look at Nelle. Nelle was insane. She was a baby swapper. One look at Nelle’s police record, and the judge should laugh Nina out of that courtroom. Carly says, Nelle is beside the point. The judge should deny Nina visitation because of Nina’s own actions. Josslyn hopes the judge reads The Invader, because this feature on Nina’s petition makes a strong case. Yeah, that could also cause a mistrial, but I’ll let it pass.
Nina thanks her receptionist, and reminds her to shut the door on her way out. She leaves, and Curtis asks if Nina has read this, holding up his phone. She says, she got an advanced copy, and has to admit, at first, she was horrified that hack reporter painted her as dangerous and deranged, courtesy of Michael and Willow. She’s not new to a scandal, so she can curl up in a ball and die, or keep going on with her life, and prepare for her day in court, and a chance at being in her grandson’s life. He says, in other words, backing down is not an option, and she asks if he’s surprised. He says, he shouldn’t be, but it’s just that he knows when she’s trying too hard.
Sonny asks if Michael put Drew up to using a kid’s event to lobby on his behalf, but Drew says, Michael doesn’t need or want him to fight his battles. Frankly, he wishes there weren’t any to fight. Sonny says, Drew will have to ask Michael about that. He’s so angry, he wants to change the image of the Corinthos name. By the time Wiley is old enough to ask questions about his grandfather, he’ll be a distant memory. He’s got to put a stop to that.
Michael tells Dante, he’s sorry he came across defensive. It’s just that, now that Drew regained control of his shares, they’re getting ready for a showdown with Valentin. Sam says she thinks corporate shenanigans will have to wait. She’s pretty sure Drew’s focusing on Scout’s watercolor she’s exhibiting at the elementary school fair. Willow says, good for Scout; the world needs more artists. Sam says, she may be biased, but she thinks Scout’s a good artist. The fair’s today. If Willow wants to get her mind off the DNA test results, she can come with Sam. Willow says, perfect, and Sam asks if she wants to bring Wiley. Willow says she wishes she could, but the nanny took him to the zoo. Dante says, he’ll see them both at the fair later, and Willow tells Michael to join her later. He says, if he can, and Sam says she’ll take good care of Willow. They leave, and Michael says, so Dante didn’t just come by to share the DNA results. Want to tell him why he’s really here?
Leo says, they’re going to be late, and Brook says she’ll make sure her dad is there on time. Leo says, Chase too, and Brook promises, Chase too. Olivia tells Leo, let’s skedaddle, and they leave. Ned says, uh-oh, he’s in trouble, and Brook says, she doesn’t always agree with Olivia, but this time, Olivia is right on. He has a lot to be grateful for; don’t mess it up. He says he’s trying not to, and she says, then why not just be grateful there’s a strategy that weakens Valentin’s hold on the company? Isn’t expanding Aurora and merging it with ELQ a good idea? He says, he sees. Michael and Drew got to her.
Jordan says, Curtis told her Marshall left town, and TJ asks if Curtis told her why. She says, Curtis was determined to dig into Marshall’s past. Maybe he found something Marshall thought could hurt him. TJ says, or maybe he took it personally that his son didn’t trust him, and she asks if he doesn’t think Curtis has a reason not to trust Marshall. He left when Curtis and TJ’s dad were just boys, and pretended he was dead. TJ says, he has his reasons to want to find his grandfather and bring him home. He tried calling Marshall’s phone, but it wasn’t in service. She says, it’s possible… and he says, it’s possible Marshall doesn’t want to be found. Uncle Curtis says that, but he needs Marshall to tell him that face-to-face. But he’s a doctor, not a cop. She’s Police Commissioner. Help him find his grandfather.
Nina tells Curtis, she’s not going to let that Smoltz and that sleazy feature have power over her. He says, easier said than done, and she asks who she’s kidding. Everyone loves a scandal, and judges aren’t immune.And Michael and Willow couldn’t have timed this better. She’s sure this is going to affect her petition for visitation with Wiley, and the only person she has to blame is herself. He asks, where is the strong and determined Nina that he knows and loves? She has her own ammunition. She says, she does? and he says, if Michael and Willow are determined to prove that she’s unfit to see Wiley, than she and her attorney should demand to know why a man with Sonny’s reputation is granted unrestricted access.
Drew says, Sonny can’t blame Michael for feeling protective of Carly, and Sonny says, but this is between him and Michael’s mother. Carly is capable of fighting her own battles; Michael doesn’t have to do that for her. Drew says, still, she’s his mom, and Sonny says, he’s Michael’s father. He didn’t want the divorce; Carly did. Now Michael is accusing him of being disloyal and unworthy of the name Sonny gave him. Drew says, he hates seeing bad blood between a father and son. Is there anything Sonny thinks he can do to help?
Dante thinks Michael can guess why he’s here, and Michael says, Dante wants to talk about their dad. Dante says he does, but he’s not taking sides. Michael says, he appreciates that. Can they drop it now? Dante says, no. He thinks Michael and Sonny should get in a room together and talk. Who knows? Maybe they can find somewhere to meet in the middle. Michael says, his dad made a choice to forsake his family. He put Nina first, and the rest of them a distant second. Dante says, that’s not true;Sonny cares about his family. And he’ll prove it to Michael.
Josslyn asks if Carly has read part one of the feature, but Carly says, no, not yet. Josslyn says, she should. She considers it karmic payback for Nina for sabotaging Carly’s marriage. Carly says, Sonny doesn’t get a free pass. Her marriage ended because of the choices Sonny made when he came back to Port Charles. Josslyn says, what Sonny did to her was so unfair. She still doesn’t understand it. She doesn’t understand how Sonny says he loves Carly, then treats her that way. Carly says, she won’t deny that it hurt – it did – but she can move past a broken heart. Sonny’s kids thought he was dead for nine months. Michael, Kristina, and Dante can navigate through their grief, and somehow understand it, but Avery and Donna are babies. They were sad, and they were confused, and they missed their dad. All those tears she wiped from those little girls’ cheeks, and Nina could have put an end to it in 30 seconds, but she didn’t. Nina kept Sonny to herself while they all grieved. They were collateral damage. Josslyn says, she’s so sorry, and Carly asks, what kind of mother would she be if she didn’t insist Nina suffer the consequences for what she did to their family? Josslyn says, or what she’s doing now – to Michael, to Willow, and to Wiley.
Sonny asks how Drew thinks he can help, and Drew says, he could get Sonny and Michael together. Play mediator. He definitely won’t take sides.
Willow and Sam arrive at the fair, and Sam tells Willow, it looks like all the moms and dads are here. She’s sorry; that was tactless. Willow is grieving Harmony, and just now found out Harmony’s not her biological mother. Willow says, if anyone owes an apology, it’s her to Sam. Her mother tried to kill Sam’s mother, and she wasn’t even Willow’s mother. Which leaves her with a serious question – who is?
Nina says she won’t allow Sonny to be dragged into this, and Curtis says, not five minutes ago, she was ready to take on the world, and now she’s giving up. She says, no. She thought about giving up. She visited Nelle’s grave, and she was reminded that not only did she miss out on raising that little girl, she didn’t get a chance to help her conquer her demons. Demons Nelle might not have had if Nina had raised her. Wiley is all she has left. She can’t turn her back on him. She won’t – she can’t – lose another child.
Sonny tells Drew, Michael’s not going to listen to reason. He told Michael that he’s not taking Nina’s side at the hearing tomorrow, but he’s not throwing Nina under the bus either, and Michael thinks that’s a major betrayal. Drew says, Michael’s got a lot on his plate besides the hearing. Don’t write him off just yet; be patient, and let things settle down a bit. Sonny says, Michael is building a wall around his family to keep him out, and Drew says, walls don’t stay up forever. Things change. Sonny asks why Drew would say that. Is there something Drew knows that can help him get his family back together? If there is, Drew’s got to tell him.
Dante says, when he told Sonny that Harmony attacked Carly, his first impulse was to call her, and Michael says, to alleviate his guilt. Dante says, Michael is so sure of that, and Michael says, Dante wasn’t raised by their dad, but he’s sure he’s heard Sonny talk about his code about family and loyalty and all that. He threw it away for Nina. He threw Michael’s mom away, even though she stood by him through hell and back. He thought about calling her, but he didn’t. Why? Because when he sees her, he’s reminded that not only did he betray her, he betrayed himself. Dante thinks there’s more to it than that. Nobody’s perfect. Not Sonny, not him, and not Michael.
Broom says, if they don’t leave now, they’ll be late for Leo’s performance, but Ned says he thinks she still has time to explain how she found out about this merger. She says, Michael told her. He assured her that everything was above board. She doesn’t think Ned needs to be concerned about his position being threatened. He says, Michael and Drew came up with the plan, and started laying the groundwork without ever consulting him. She says she’s going to take a shot in the dark, and say it’s because they both work at Aurora. Because of their close proximity, they have more opportunity to talk. He says, with each other, but not to him, and she says, there’s no secrets here. Michael wants to be completely transparent. She hasn’t talked to Drew, but she’s sure he feels the same way. He says, and they approached her, thinking that if they won her over, she could try to sell the idea to him, and she says, she’s not selling anything. She just happens to think merging ELQ with Aurora to dilute Valentin’s shares is a genius idea. He says, for Michael and Drew. They’re planning for a future with no place in it for him. She tells him, don’t do that. Don’t go to the dark side, and do or say something he’s going to regret.
Martin says, he can hear the wheels turning from here, and asks what Valentin is hatching. Valentin says, he’s mulling his options, but Martin says, he doesn’t have any. Valentin says, as Martin told him, this whole thing hinges on the Quartermaines presenting a united front, which has never been their strong suit. Olivia walks in with Leo, and says, you know what they call this? Leo says, Kelly’s? and she says, procrastination. He tells her, a donut will help him say his poem, and Valentin says, everybody loves donuts. He tells Leo, hello, and asks if Leo remembers him. Leo says, he used to be Bailey’s father, and Valentin says, that’s right. Leo likes donuts; his favorite is cream filled. Leo says, his too, and Valentin asks if Martin minds. Martin says, by all means, with Olivia’s permission, and Olivia thanks him, telling Leo, just one. Martin takes Leo to get a donut, and Olivia says, that was kind of Valentin. He says, she seems surprised, and she says, with the tension with the ELQ/Aurora merger, she thought he’d be less than thrilled with the Quartermaines. He says, there’s been a merger? and Olivia says, he didn’t know? She just assumed… He says, of course (🍷) he knows; he’s CEO. But what’s more important, a bit of business, or putting a smile on a kids face?
Jordan tells TJ, Marshall told Curtis that he was leaving town, which doesn’t make him a missing person. It would be unethical for her to launch a private search, especially since he might have left because Curtis crossed the line. TJ says, so Curtis drives his grandfather away, and her hands are tied, and there’s nothing he can do about it? She tells him, she didn’t say that. As a doctor, he has his own powers of observation, as well as the ability to search for clues. He says, through the lens of a microscope, but she says, it’s not that different from police work. Start with what he knows about his grandfather. He says, which is next to nothing. He vanished almost without leaving a trace. She says, almost? and he says, all he left was a clarinet and a note. He thinks a moment, and tells her, don’t go anywhere. He’ll be right back.
Nina tells Curtis, she’s not naïve. She knows Nelle did some terrible things, but maybe if she’d had a loving mother to raise her, she could have directed Nelle on the right path. He says, maybe, and she says, or maybe she’s just deluding herself. At this point, she doesn’t know. He says, it’s the not knowing that drives us crazy, and she says, his father came back into his life. He got a second chance. He says, not anymore; Marshall left town. She says, for good? and he says, looks that way. She says she’s so sorry, and he says, you’d think he’d be able to handle it. He learned to live without him as a kid; he can do it again. She says, but this time it’s harder. Marshall isn’t just a name his family would tell stories about. He’s someone Curtis actually got to know
Sam asks what Willow is thinking, and Willow says, all the places she lived as a child. Her parents moved around so much, it’s just a blur of names and faces. Could a neighbor or a member community be her biological mother? Sam says, before Willow starts asking herself these questions, there’s something she tells her potential clients before she takes a job. Willow says, and it applies to her? and Sam says, it could. Once you start the search, you don’t know where it’s going to lead. So before Willow goes looking for her biological mother, ask herself, am I prepared for any and all answers, even if it’s not what I want hear?
Drew tells Sonny, he can’t reveal the details, but he and Michael are working on a new project involving Aurora and ELQ. Sonny says, and? and Drew says, and while they’re butting heads with Valentin, maybe he can intercede on Sonny’s behalf and broker peace. Sonny asks if Valentin is likely to retaliate, and Drew says, if he does, he and Michael can handle it. Sonny says, no disrespect, but despite their differences he’s not going to let Michael go up against Valentin without back-up. He wants in.
Brook tells Ned, today is all about Leo. Put his politicking over who’s in control at ELQ on pause. He can talk to Michael tomorrow. Tell Michael how he feels, and together they can figure out where everyone stands in the new world order. Ned says, in theory, sounds good, and she says, wait for it. Here’s where he dismisses her idea like he always does. He says he’s not going to dismiss her idea. She’s right. This is Leo’s day, and he’s not going to spoil it by talking about business. Like she said, there’s plenty of time resolve his differences with Michael and Drew. She says, she knew he’d understand, and he says, more than she knows. She grabs his hand, and pulls him out of the Nook.
Valentin tells Leo, good luck at the fair, and Olivia thanks them. She and Leo leave, and Martin says, ELQ and Aurora are merging? Since when? Valentin asks what he’s paying Martin for. First, they replace him as CEO, then merge, diluting his shares and weakening him further. Unless… Martin says, unless what? and Valentin says, unless he brings a member of the family to his side. Martin almost laughs, then realizes Valentin is serious.
TJ shows Jordan the clarinet, and says, he left it in his locker since he’s been working around the clock, and forgot to take it home. She looks at the note, and says, nothing about where he’s headed. Wasn’t Marshall part of the music scene when he was living in New York City? He says, it’s five boroughs and eight million people; where does he start? She says, maybe his grandfather left behind something more than this clarinet and a note, and TJ starts looking through the instrument parts. He takes out one of the pieces, and pulls a paper out of it. He says, it’s a receipt from a music shop in Brooklyn; pretty recent too. She says, Marshall must have used the shop to refurbish his clarinet, and TJ says, but if Marshall gave him the clarinet, why go back to the shop? She says, to get a new one? Maybe the shop owner knows where Marshall lives. TJ won’t know unless he asks. Does he give up the first time he looks through a microscope? He asks what she thinks.
Nina says she refuses to give up (nice editing) on Wiley, and she won’t let Curtis give up on his father. He says, another voice in the room. Aunt Stella already weighed in. She says she’s sure she and Stella agree, and she’s honored to be in such distinguished company. What did Aunt Stella have to say? He says, she told him that he should talk it out with Marshall, and get the answers he wants, no matter how much they hurt. She says, good advice. So what is he going to do about it?
Michael tells Dante, he never claimed to be perfect, and doesn’t expect perfection from dad or anyone else. Dante says, then cut the man some slack. Have a chat with him, man to man, and figure out what kind of relationship they’re going to have. Isn’t that in Wiley’s best interest, and everyone’s best interest? Michael says, dad was given a second chance in life, and how did he use it? By turning his back on his family to be with the woman who kept him from us for almost a year. He can’t get past that. Dad made a choice; he’s made his. Dante says, Michael sounds just like Sonny.
Willow tells Sam, part of her is convinced the pain won’t go away until she finds out where she’s from and who her mom is. At the same time, she’s not sure she’s ready. Maybe she never will be.
Drew says, he thought Sonny was ready to turn his back on Michael, but now he wants to help him. Sonny says, Michael turned his back on him, but he’s still his son. It’s his job to protect him. Drew says he’s glad to hear that, and Sonny says, good. Now tell him what’s going on with Valentin. How can he help? Drew says, as much as Sonny’s friendship means to him, the answer’s no.
Curtis tells Nina, if he goes looking for his father, he opens up his family to more lies and more deception. She says she knows how he feels. One day, Wiley is going to come to her with all kinds of questions, and she’d give anything not to answer them. He says, about Nelle? and she says, and about her. She could do the easy thing, and give Michael and Willow what they want and walk away. He says, but she won’t do that, and she says she can’t live without her grandchild. He has to ask himself something. Can he live without father?
TJ tells Jordan that he already has some time off approved. He’ll head to Brooklyn and the music shop. But what if Uncle Curtis is right, and Marshall doesn’t want to be found? What if he makes things worse? She says, what if he makes things better? Follow his heart; she’ll handle things with Curtis. They hug, and he says, he’ll have to call Molly. He hopes she’s not too attached to the Miami trip they were planning (like NYC is a poor choice). We’re headed to Brooklyn. She tells him, good luck, and he leaves.
Martin tells Valentin, brilliant idea in theory, but he has significant obstacles. He has to move fast, before the merger closes, not to mention, what Quartermaine would take his side? Valentin says, he has to ask himself, who bono? Martin says, who benefits. Okay, he’ll bite. Valentin says, if Aurora and ELQ merge, he loses, and Drew and Michael stand to gain. Martin says, so? and Valentin says, then he has to ask himself, where does that leave Ned?
Olivia and Leo get to the fair, and Leo says, so may people. Ned and Brook join them, and Ned says, Leo is going to do great; he’s got this. Leo says, Brook came, and hugs her. She says, she told him she would. He remembers Chase’s advice, right? He says, Chase was his one person. Where is he?
Willow tells Sam to go ahead and look at the exhibits. She needs to rest a bit. Sam says, of course (🍷), after everything she’s been through, and Willow says, once the kids perform, she’ll feel better. Sam says, take her time. And about the identity of her birth mother; if and when Willow decides to look for her, they’ll find her together.
Carly tells Josslyn that she has to protect Wiley. It starts with doing whatever she can to support Willow and Michael. Josslyn says, everybody knows that their family was the wronged party. Nina’s circle of friends, or fans, or whatever it is, can’t defend her for very long. Not with this reminder; this feature showing world who Nina is and what she’s capable of. Carly says she’s sure Nina is working overtime painting herself as the victim; the grandmother with good intentions, who’s tragically misunderstood. Josslyn says, no. She’s the woman who kept Sonny Corinthos from his family for nine months, and who induced labor, and stole Avery. (Ha-ha-ha! The way she said that made it sound like Sonny gave birth.) She says, everyone knows that Carly is completely justified in wanting to shield Wiley from Nina, no matter how far she has to take it.
Michael tells Dante, he’s nothing like Sonny. Sonny takes what he wants, does what he wants, and the hell with anybody who gets in his way. He owes it to Wiley to make the Corinthos name mean more than that. Dante says he gets Michael wants to rebrand the Corinthos name in his own image, but why trash Sonny? Why can’t he leave their dad out of it? Michael says, it’s not enough that he has to rise to the top; Sonny has to fall. Dante sighs, and says, Michael does know where this could lead, right? and Michael says, he’s going to take everything from Sonny; every shred of legitimacy that he has. And the next time the PCPD comes calling, he’s not going to have anywhere to hide. Wow. Michael is certainly full of himself. I like him less and less.
Sonny says, Michael is lucky to have Drew by his side, and Drew thanks him. Sonny says, but if Michael is going to let a family disagreement escalate into something more, he’s going to need all the luck he can get.
On Monday, Curtis asks Stella why she lied to him; Chase tells Leo that he has to do his part; Valentin says, it must be his lucky day; and Drew has a proposition for Ned.
🏥 New Old Face…
I don’t remember him from OLTL, but vaguely remember him from UnREAL.
The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. – Vince Lombardi
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. – Frederick Douglass
The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness. – The 14th Dalai Lama
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Sometimes the truth is the best lie. – Ron Levin (Kevin Spacey), Billionaire Boys Club
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. – Khalil Gibran
Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there’s a tomorrow. Maybe for you there’s one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us there’s only today. And the truth is, you never really know. – Lauren Oliver
🛹 Sliding Into The Weekend Like…
To paraphrase Mr. Miyagi, masks on, masks off. Someday, we’ll pick a lane, but regardless, enjoy the lane you’re in, and I’ll see you when the Dead are Feared. Until then, stay safe, stay treating others with respect, and stay knowing, once you start the search, be prepared for any and all answers, even if it’s not what you want to hear.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Spencer goes to Britt’s office, and says, my hero. She tells him, hold on a moment. What’s this going to cost her? He says, only a minute of her time and expertise. He promises he’ll make it worth her while. She says she doesn’t need his money, and he says, then his sparkling wit and companionship. She says she’d love that, but won’t his little Esme be jealous?
An orderly puts Ryan on his cot, but he falls over sideways. Esme comes running in like she’s a helpful person.
On the phone at Maxie’s apartment, Felicia says, Mac was giving her clear and present baby vibes… Yes, she took biology in high school. She didn’t really know what to tell him. She was completely taken aback and surprised. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, she doesn’t really know if it’s an issue; it hasn’t come up since. If she and Mac wanted to make their family bigger back in the day, they lost their shot… For some – she opens the door – it’s just not in the cards. She sees Nina standing there.
Carly sneaks back downstairs with Willow’s toothbrush in a plastic bag. Far be it for me to tell Carly how to be sneaky, but won’t Willow miss her toothbrush? Is there something about her hygiene I don’t know? As they’re about to leave, Michael and Willow walk in. Michael asks what they’re doing here, and Carly slips the bag into her purse. Willow wonders if they forgot to lock the door, but Michael says, it was locked. Drew says, sorry to break barge in. He’d like to say it was his fault, but it’s all on Carly.
On the phone at the hospital, Finn says, just because Elizabeth never spoke to Nikolas, doesn’t mean she’s not staying there. It’s a big place. Isn’t there a west wing where no one would even see her…Okay. No… They’re right. He’ll let them know when he finds her. Laura comes in and asks if he’s seen Elizabeth, but he says, he was about to ask her the same thing.
Chelsea tells Elizabeth, this presence is very clear. They don’t want this new family to be formed in this house. Elizabeth refuses to believe that. The Franco she knew and loved would want to see her happy. Is he here now? Can he hear her? Tell him that she believes he’s here. Tell him she’s ready to listen. She sees there’s a call from Finn, but ignores it, and Chelsea gets up, saying, there’s so much turbulence. Elizabeth says, she’s here, and Chelsea tells her to be careful. Elizabeth says she didn’t believe it before, but she’s listening now. Send her a sign. The door blows open, and the wind blows out the candles.
Carly says she’s pretty sure they came in together, and Drew says, if she’s not going to come clean, he will. He was walking up the driveway, and saw Carly messing with the door. If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought she was a burglar, but it turns out she wanted what can’t be stolen. She just wanted face time with them. She knows there going through it and wanted to help. Carly says, she couldn’t get through, and just wanted to be here. Drew says, he had the key, so he thought she’d be more comfortable waiting there than in the main house. Willow says, that’s sweet of her, and thanks her. Carly says, of course (🍷), and Willow says, they were just at the cemetery, visiting Jonah’s grave. Carly says she hopes it brought Willow some solace, and Michael says, it would have if they hadn’t run into dad and Nina.
Felicia says she’ll call them later, and Nina says she was on her way home from work, and thought she’d pop by to see Maxie and the kids. Felicia says, Maxie is burning the midnight oil at Deception and the kids are asleep, and Nina says, as they should be at this hour. She didn’t realize how late it was; she’ll come back at a more appropriate time. She’s sorry; kiss the kids for her. She starts to leave, but Felicia asks if she likes popcorn. Nina says, who doesn’t like popcorn? and Felicia says, with real butter, not the fake kind. Nina says, like the only kind? and Felicia invites her in.
Spencer says, Esme has no issue with their friendship, but even still… Britt says, just don’t tell her about this conversation. Secrets and lies, the hallmark of a healthy relationship. Spencer says, come on, and she says, you come on. It’s just so Cassadine. She supposes he comes by it naturally. He asks if she’s finished, but she says she doesn’t think so. This is the most fun she’s had all day. He says, he needs her help, and she says, she’ll help him, but only if… He groans and says, oh my God, and she says he has to ask her nicely. Three words, and the voice. She takes out her phone and holds it out, and he says, pwiddy pwease, Bwitt? She laughs hysterically, and says, he was so darn cute, and almost as bratty. He says, she’s wicked, and she asks if he wants to hear it. He says, no, but she plays it anyway. He says, awesome, great, and she says, perfect. Her new ringtone. So what does he need? He takes out the pill he swiped from Esme, and asks if she can tell him what this is.
The orderly says, Esme wasn’t on the schedule tonight, but she says she had an hour. He says he has it from here, and she asks what the mess is in the hall. Is one of the inmates sick? She hopes the supervisor isn’t making rounds. He says he’ll be right back, and leaves. She closes the door, and says, not with that mess he won’t. Ryan sits up and laughs, saying, well played, my sweet child.
Finn tells Laura, Elizabeth gave him the impression she’d spoken to Nikolas about staying at Windymere, but when he talked to Nikolas, Nikolas said he hadn’t spoken to her. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t be concerned… Laura says, under these circumstances, he’s right to wonder. She just spoke to her brother Martin, and he said, Elizabeth has been looking for answers from an unlikely source. Apparently, Lucy gave Elizabeth the name of her medium. He says, and that’s where Elizabeth is. She says, shall we? and he says, we shall, and they leave.
Chelsea seems to have the chills, and Elizabeth tells her, say something. Chelsea says, so cold, and Elizabeth closes the door. She asks if Chelsea is all right, and Chelsea says, she’s not Chelsea. Elizabeth says, Franco?
Britt asks what Spencer is doing, walking around with loose meds, and he says he found it. She says, just lying on the ground? He asks if it really matters, and she says, it could, depending on what it is. He says, that’s where she comes in, and she says, give it to her. He asks if she can tell him what it is, and she says, yes, you just research the code. He says, no way. It’s really that simple. She asks what they taught him in that fancy French boarding school, and he says, Latin, Greek, table manners, conversation. She says, he has so much to learn, and scrolls on her tablet. She stops, and he says, what is it? She says, no more messing around. Whose is this?
Esme says, she thought she could finagle seeing Ryan more often, but his brother is like a human roadblock. Ryan says, Kevin is a wart. The good news is, warts can be treated. Besides, they have other priorities. How are things proceeding? She says, they’re definitely coming along. Ava and Nikolas are on the rocks, and she brought Spencer back into the fold, as promised. He says, then why is she here? and she says, she just wanted to keep him abreast. He says, rule number one, and she says, she knows the rules. He says, prove it, and she says, no unplanned, no uncontrolled communication. He says, no unplanned communication because it increases the risk of him being found out. No one can know he’s in fighting form. So he’s asking her again, why is she here? How badly did she screw things up for him?
Felicia brings out the popcorn, and sprinkles something on it. Nina asks what it is, and Felicia says, parmesan garlic. Nina approves, and says she didn’t learn much about cooking growing up, but at take-out, she’s a master. Not so much in the kitchen. Felicia says, first of all, she should know this is snacking, not cooking, but she’s happy to share her tips. She doesn’t get it when people have secret recipes and they don’t want to share. If it’s so delicious, why not share it with the world? People are funny. Nina thanks her, and Felicia says, it’s just popcorn, but Nina says, thank you for inviting me in.The Invader is set to run a huge story on her soon. Felicia says, she heard, and Felicia says, Bobbie Spencer is one of her best friends. Nina says, Carly’s mother, and Felicia nods. Nina says, and Michael’s grandmother, and Wiley’s… Felicia says, two more times. That’s who she was talking to when Nina got here. Nina wonders why Felicia didn’t slam the door in her face.
Carly says, Jonah’s grave? Is anyplace sacred to Nina? Willow says, Nina was at the cemetery to visit her daughter, and Michael says, Nina’s still clinging to this fantasy that she would have had a beautiful relationship with Nelle if she’d just been there in time to save her. Carly says, as if Nelle could have been saved, and Michael says, that ends the whole nature versus nurture debate, because Nelle clearly inherited her crazy from Nina. This conversation is creepily gossipy in tone, and it’s making me uncomfortable. Drew seems like he’s not comfortable either, and says, that’s one way to look at it. He’s just saying, if Michael is right, and it doesn’t matter by whom you’re raised, then Wiley would have inherited the crazy gene too, and he knows Michael doesn’t believe that. Michael says, no, he doesn’t.
Elizabeth says, Franco, and Chelsea touches her face, saying, as beautiful as the day I laid eyes on you. Elizabeth asks if it’s really him, and Chelsea/Franco says, no matter how many times he puts the brush to the canvas, he could never capture all of her. He could never show the world what she meant to him. Elizabeth says, she’s missed him so much, and Chelsea touches her face again, saying, don’t cry. She needs to be strong. Elizabeth says, for what? Why is he doing these things? Chelsea/Franco says, Elizabeth can’t move on until she’s at peace, and Elizabeth asks how she can be at peace without him. He says he’s always with her. Believe in herself. No matter how hard she tries, don’t look away. Elizabeth says, don’t look away from what? What does that even mean? Talk to her. Finn and Laura walk in, and Chelsea sits down on the couch, asking, what happened? Elizabeth says, Franco, come back, and Finn asks, what’s going on? Laura says, Chelsea? and Chelsea says, Mayor Collins; it’s been a long time. Elizabeth asks why they’re here, and Finn says, she never showed up at Windymere, and he got concerned. Laura mentioned she’d hooked up with this… person, so they came here looking for her. Elizabeth says, they came at the worst possible time. She was just communicating with.. Finn says, Franco’s spirit? and Elizabeth says, he was here.
Drew says he’s not defending Nina, and Michael says he knows. Drew says, but Nina is Wiley’s grandmother, and of course (🍷) they can keep him from her right now – that’s their right – but when Wiley gets older, he might want to know Nina. Michael says, when that happens, if that happens, Wiley will be armed with the knowledge of Nina’s history; what she’s done, and what she’s capable of doing. And here’s another fact, Nina is a horrible person and no amount of PR can change that. Carly says, that’s right, and suggests Michael and Willow can use some time to decompress. Michael says, that’s a good idea, and Carly says, sorry for just showing up. She promises to be in touch next time. Willow says she has an idea. Why don’t they make this easier? She gives Carly a key, and says, Carly can let herself in next time. Michael says, but still call, and Carly says, she will. She hugs them, and she and Drew leave.
Britt asks, whose is it? and Spencer says, what is it? She says, she asked him a question, and he says, he asked a question first. Answer his and he’ll answer hers. She says, it’s an opioid analgesic, and he says, so it’s like heroin? She says, not quite, El Chapo. It’s a controlled substance and it definitely can become habit forming. It shouldn’t be rolling around on the ground for a teenager to find or swipe from someone’s medicine cabinet. He asks if it’s for pain, and she says, severe pain management. Now it’s his turn. He says, it’s Esme’s, and Britt asks if she gets headaches. Does she complain about indigestion or a dry mouth, because those are some of the side effects. She hands it back to him, and he says, are there others? She says, yes. It can make you tired, nervous… He asks, what happens when you mix it with alcohol?
Keeping her wrist being her back, Esme says, everything’s fine. She hasn’t failed Ryan, she swears. He says, she could never fail him. She’s his one and only. But something’s clearly amiss. Come on. Tell daddy what it is. She says, Spencer has been behaving strangely, and he asks, in what way? She says, he’s been reluctant to be with her, and Ryan asks how long it’s been. She says, they haven’t been intimate since Spencer got out of Spring Ridge. Spencer says, it’s because they’re learning to trust each other again, and he wants it to be special. Ryan says, and it’s unusual for Spencer to be distant? and she says, yes. He says, it’s unusual for any man of his age and appetites, especially with such a willing partner. He supposes it’s possible Spencer has a romantic streak. What else? She says, it’s probably nothing, but he says, spit it out. She says she went to find Spencer at Kelly’s today, but he wasn’t there. Cameron said he was running an errand for work, but she found him at Windymere, and he was going through her things. Ryan asks if Spencer found anything, and she says, the meds she used to drug Trina were in there, and her nanny Maggie’s letters. He gets up, and says, you fool. Spencer is on to her.
Chelsea says, Franco was here? Was she his vessel? That would explain why she lost time. Elizabeth says, it’s true. She reached out to him and he came. Finn says, that’s wonderful, and Elizabeth says, she spoke with him through Chelsea. He told her to be strong and believe in herself, and not look away. Finn says, and that means something to her, and she says, it just happened. Doesn’t he see? All the strange things that were happening; it was Franco sending them a message. He was here. He’s been here all along.
Britt wonders why Spencer is asking about mixing the pill with alcohol, and he asks if that would be a problem. She says, a very big problem. Just one of those on top of booze would make a person very sloppy. He says, sloppy how? and she says, they’d stagger. They’d fall behind in conversation. They’d just not be themselves. Think of it like this. Take normal drunken behavior and amplify it two or three times. It could even give you a seizure. He asks if it could make you forget things, and she says, it can cause short term memory loss, like blacking out after drinking. She asks if he’s seen this in Esme, and he says, no, not in Esme. Britt says, enough of this – she closes the door – pharma consult he has her doing. This is serious. What’s going on?
Esme doesn’t see how Spencer could know anything, and Ryan says, he’s sleeping alone. He’s drawn to another girl; he’s looking through her things. She says, there was nothing to find. She got rid of the prescription label, and Maggie’s letters don’t refer to him. He says, it doesn’t matter what Spencer did or didn’t find; he looked. He’s as false as she is – worse. He shared his suspicions with Elizabeth Baldwin’s whelp. She says, they don’t know that, but he says, of course (🍷) they do. Otherwise, Cameron wouldn’t have lied about where Spencer was. It was right in front of her, but she was too arrogant to see it. He warned her about that boy. He told her to remain on task, but she just couldn’t give up her little toy. Now here they are, and everything they’ve built is in danger of crashing down. She says, wrong. Everything he’s built. There’s still time for her.
Nina says, as Bobbie’s best friend, she’s surprised Felicia didn’t sic the police on her, or at the very least, her husband. Felicia says, Mac has bigger fish to fry, and as James’s grandmother, she has a responsibility to uphold. Maxie loved Nathan, and Nathan loved Nina. Nathan was Nina’s brother, and James is Nina’s nephew. That makes them family. Nina says, that acknowledgement could cost her, and Felicia says, with Bobbie? She thinks they’ve gotten past that. They have their differences, and they’ve gotten down in the mud now and then, but there’s a bond there. The sacrifice Bobbie and Tony made is always just under the surface. Some ties just can’t be cut. Nina says, including the tie with her? and Felicia says, she knows the pain of motherhood when it’s staring her in the face, and she’d be a liar if she didn’t say that in looking Nina in the eye, she doesn’t see a bit of herself.
Michael asks Willow, what’s wrong, besides the obvious of course (🍷)? She says she was glad to see he and Drew could have a civil conversation about Nina. He says, he and Drew have a solid relationship. They respect and trust each other, and Willow says she can tell. He says, even though Drew has more grace where Nina is concerned, he knows Drew is just looking out for Wiley. She says she got nervous when the subject came up, and he asks, why? She says, after what happened with his father, she didn’t want the same thing to go down with him and Drew.
At the hospital, Drew asks if Carly wants to tell him why she didn’t talk to him the whole way home. She says, because that was some stunt he pulled back there, and he says, here he thought he came to her rescue – twice. She says, if she has some explaining to do, let her explain, and he says, she was like a deer in the headlights; he had to come up with something. She asks if he had to sing Grandma Nina’s praises, but he says he didn’t. She says, he knows what she means. What was the point of that? He says he believes it’s in her purse right now; DNA from a stolen brush and a glass, that together might prove Nina is Willow’s mother.If that’s the case – she says, it’s a big if – isn’t it better that Michael and Nina aren’t in a battle right now?
Elizabeth says, she’s telling Finn, Franco was here. He doesn’t believe her. He says, that’s not it. He gets that she wants to believe it. She says, he thinks she’s losing it, and Laura tells her, no one said that. Finn says he thinks she’s frustrated and angry after months of searching for answers and coming up empty. Laura says, she thinks Elizabeth is considering some solutions that are… Elizabeth says, crazy, but Finn says, unorthodox; that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Laura tells Elizabeth to come home with her, but Elizabeth says, there’s nothing to be afraid here of anymore. It was Franco all along.
Britt says, if Esme is in any way misusing these drugs, Spencer needs to help her put a stop to it. He says he doesn’t know anything for sure, and she says, even if he suspects it… He says, he’ll take care of it, okay? She asks, how? and he says, he’ll take care of it. He starts to leave, but she grabs his arm, saying, they’re not done. She can’t stand by in good conscience and not do anything. He says, it’s a little late in life for her to grow a conscience, and she says, ouch. He says he’s sorry, but he came to her for information, not a lecture. Now that he knows what’s what, he’s good. She says, enabling Esme does no good. If he wants his girlfriend to be healthy and be in a healthy relationship, he can’t let this go on. He wonders what the hell she would know about a healthy relationship.
Ryan asks if Esme is threatening him, but she says she’s just exploring her options. She’s sure the authorities would rather learn about his status update than come after her. He says, she’d sacrifice him just like that? and she says, if that meant saving herself, in a heartbeat. He says she reminds him of her mother, and she says, how so? He says, he learned early never to turn his back on her. He’s glad see she inherited her mother’s instinct for self-preservation. Now let’s start over, shall we? They’re all each other has; they have to stick together. He pats the spot on the bed next to him, and she sits. She says, she can’t believe Spencer would do this to her. It hurts so much. He says he knows the feeling. You give yourself so much to someone. You lay yourself at the mercy of another person and they just exploit it. She says, manipulate it, and he says, crush it between their forefinger and thumb. He flashes back to a physical fight with a woman (presumably Esme’s mother), who’s about to stab him with a kitchen knife. He says, pure agony. There’s only one thing to do in return; make them all pay.
Nina asks what Felicia sees of herself in her, and Felicia says, a gorgeous, badass woman with feet made for kicking butt. She sees a woman who’s made a lot of mistakes; the kind not easily lived down. Nina says, Felicia did, and Felicia says she didn’t have a choice. Nina says, there’s always a choice, and Felicia says, not a good one. It was either spending the rest of her days in the shadow of her mistakes, and watch her daughter walk away, or facing her and fixing things. The only real shame is in giving up. Nina wonders what she’s going to say to James if he comes to her with a fist full of Invader newspapers, demands answers. Felicia jokes, they’ll be dead then, and Nina asks what she tells him. Felicia says she imagines Nina will tell him the same thing she’ll tell Wiley when he asks the same questions. That day is coming too.
Michael says he thought Willow was on the same page about his dad. She said she was behind him 100%. She says she meant it. She completely supports his decision, even if she’s not sure it’s the right one. He loves his father. Can he honestly say it doesn’t hurt? He says, of course (🍷) it hurts, and she says, when he hurts, she hurts too, and so does Wiley. Their son is sensitive; he knows when something is wrong. They can’t shield him from every bad feeling, every loss – they wouldn’t want to – but they can shield him from some of them. It takes sacrifice and compromise on their part, but isn’t Wiley worth it? He asks who she wants him to compromise with – his dad, Nina, or both?
Drew asks Carly to think about it one second. If Michael goes too far with Nina, and she turns out to be Willow’s mother, it will change things for Willow, whether she wants it to or not. He’s just trying to turn down the temperature. She says she appreciates that, and appreciates his help, but his services are no longer needed. He says, so he’s dismissed now? and she says, it doesn’t involve him, but he says he begs to differ. He can’t unknow what he knows. They’re in this together. She asks what that means. Is he going to blow this whole thing wide open? He says, no; is she? She tells him, she’s certainly not going to say anything right now. If Nina turns out to be Willow’s mother, it’s going to be a huge problem for Michael and Willow. What if the whole thing turns out not to be true? She’ll have set a hideous chain of events in motion for no reason. He asks, what if it is true?What if what Harmony said turns out to be legit? What is she going to do?
Laura tells Elizabeth that she and Doc have been trying to keep Jake and Aiden well entertained, but she thinks it would help if they saw their mother tonight. Elizabeth says it would help her to see them too, and Laura says she’ll get Elizabeth’s purse. Elizabeth says she’ll call Chelsea; they’ll do this again. Chelsea says she’s sure Elizabeth has a lot of questions. The answers are there for the taking. Elizabeth asks if she’ll see Finn later, and he says, absolutely. He’ll make sure everything is locked up. She thanks him, and leaves with Laura, and I wonder why they’re leaving two people who don’t live there to lock the door. And why is Laura treating Elizabeth like a psychiatric patient? Chelsea gets her purse, and Finn says, leaving so soon? She says she’s parched, and he says, I’ll bet. Channeling spirits must drain you. She says, it does actually, and he says, what about lying to a vulnerable woman. What does that do to you? She says she wouldn’t know, but he would.
Esme asks, is that even possible, if Spencer is on to her? and Ryan says, he is, but he hasn’t found anything useful yet, or he would have used it. She got rid of the evidence that would implicate her in the video scheme, yeah? She says she did, and he says, then the best Spencer can hope for is to exonerate Trina. That doesn’t mean Esme can rest on her laurels. Time’s running out; she needs to recommit herself to the task. She says, destroying Ava and Nikolas, and he says he knows she’s disinclined, but sacrifices have to be made. The only way to truly break their bond is to seduce the prince. She can do that, can’t she? For him? She says, if only to see the look on Spencer’s face when he finds out, and Ryan says, good. She says, and when that’s done? He says, then they turn their attention to the rest of their enemies. Each and every one.
Spencer says, he and Esme have been together a long time, and Britt says, so? He says, so what about her? What’s the longest relationship she’s had? She asks what he’s doing, and he says, just pointing out facts. She had that weird obsession with Emma’s dad, and the blink-and-you-miss-it engagement to his father. She says, wow. So much for Spencer wishing Nikolas realized what he had in her. Spencer says, he was trying to be nice, and she says, noted. He says, has she ever been in love, and had that love returned? She doesn’t say anything, and he says he didn’t think so. She says, he’s right. She knows nothing about love, and at this rate, she never will. He asks what that’s supposed to mean, and she says, good luck with his girlfriend. And when it explodes in his face, don’t come crying to her.
Finn says, Madame Nutjob, or whatever her name is, he’s not the one lying to Elizabeth. Chelsea says, really? Elizabeth asked if he thought she was crazy, and he did everything in his power to dodge the question. He says, she can’t flip this around; she’s not smart enough to do that. She’s preying on a very fragile human being. She says, she gave comfort and support to someone who asked for it. Can he say the same? He tells her, don’t ever contact Elizabeth again, and opens the door. Chelsea says, Elizabeth said she’d call, and when she does, she’ll save him a seat. Who knows? Maybe this time he can come with an open mind and actually help the woman he claims to care about find the answers she so desperately craves. She walks out.
Willow says she’s nowhere near entertaining a truce with Nina, but she won’t give up on him and Sonny, and hopes he doesn’t either. He says, his father put someone who actively hurt his wife and children ahead of his family. He can’t act like that didn’t happen or ignore that. He’s Sonny’s son, but first and foremost, he’s Wiley’s father. She and Wiley will always be his priority. And he’ll never let anything come between them.
Nina says, if Wiley asks about the things she’s done, she’ll own them, and Felicia says she sees no reason to treat James any differently. Just make sure she sticks around to answer those questions. Nina takes Felicia’s hand, and says, don’t worry. She’s not going anywhere.
Drew asks if Carly is going to tell Willow and Nina what she knows, but she says she doesn’t know anything. He says, when she does know, and she says, if the unthinkable happens, if Nina turns out to be Willow’s mother, she’ll do the right thing. She sees Britt, and runs over to her. She asks who she sees about a DNA test, and Britt looks at Drew.
Tomorrow, Ned tells Brook, they’re planning for a future with no place for him; Martin tells Valentin, if the family remains a united front, he doesn’t stand a chance; Jordan asks if TJ has something to report; and Sonny says he’s got to put a stop to that.
It still doesn’t exactly explain things, but it sounds like she’s in a lose-lose situation. Will she go the way of Carlton, and be a one season Housewife?
Whether winding up a work week or enjoying your part in the Great Resignation, stop by tomorrow for some soap, tea, words to take note of, and a musical selection. Until then, stay safe, stay taking in your local culture, and stay remembering the only real shame is in giving up.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Elizabeth says Finn doesn’t have to check on her, but he says he likes checking on her. It’s the one time he wishes she was working a double-shift. He’s there, the hospital has security cameras… She says, fortunately, Nikolas asked her to stay at Windymere. She doesn’t love the fact Esme is there, considering what she did to Cameron and Josslyn, filming a sex tape and putting it out there for the world to see, but at least Cameron is safe at the dorm with friends, Jake and Aiden are staying with Laura, and as for her, there’s no place safer than Spoon Island. He says, it wouldn’t be his first choice. Is she headed there now? She says she just has to make a stop first. She has to go, but she’ll talk to him later. She lets herself into her house.
Outside Charlie’s, Drew tells Carly, they have to talk. She says, she doesn’t know what he thinks he saw… He says, he saw Nina put down her drink, she left, and he saw Carly pick up the drink and put it in her purse. The question is, why?
Nina says, it’s been a while since she visited. She thought she owed her an explanation. We see she’s at Nelle’s grave, and she says she filed for visitation rights with Wiley. Nelle probably already knows that. Michael and Willow are fighting it, so there’s going to be a hearing. They’ve also decided to fight dirty, so they paid off the reporter to do a feature on her. He’s making her look like a villain, which is ironic, since it’s the way the whole world saw Nelle. Unfortunately, everything he’s writing is true. She’s made some pretty bad choices in life; so did Nelle. She just wanted the world to know that Nelle wasn’t all bad; that her life mattered.
Michael asks how it went, and Willow says, she and Alexis had a good talk; she just left. Michael asks if she’s okay, since Alexis can be intense, and she says, it was an intense conversation. She’s going to have to get that DNA test from the police eventually. She knows it’s going to prove Harmony wasn’t her biological mother, which makes her related to no one. He says, how about a break? The boat’s out of dry dock. They could take it up to Sawyer. She asks if they can take the car instead. She needs to go somewhere.
Outside Kelly’s, Sonny flashes back to him and Carly talking about Jason, and how he wants to believe Jason is still out there. Laura comes by, and he says, he’s sorry; he was lost in thought. She says, he has a lot on his mind, and he says he doesn’t know if she’s heard, but Monica is finalizing the paperwork to have Jason declared legally dead. She says, she didn’t; she’s sorry. He says, everyone is having a discussion whether the memorial plaque should be at the Quartermaine crypt, or in the graveyard next to Morgan… She says, that’s a heavy burden. Nikolas comes along, and she says, but that’s not what she was referring to. She was talking about the feature on Nina petitioning the court for visitation rights with their grandson. He asks what she’s talking about, and she says, it’s part one of a feature that showed up on The Invader’s website about an hour ago. He asks if she think he may not like it, and she says, there’s an awful lot in there about him and Nina. Nikolas says, he read the piece. It doesn’t paint Nina in a very good light. He guesses that means her and Sonny were made for each other.
Spencer says he just feels he doesn’t know Esme as well as he thought, and he wanted to find out what he doesn’t know. She wonders why he didn’t just ask her. They used to talk about everything. If they’re going to get back what they had, they have to be honest with each other, completely transparent. He agrees, and suggests they start with this. He picks up the letter, and asks, why did Maggie write, no good can come of you having contact with your father. She told him that she fell out of contact with her nanny years ago. She says, that’s true, but… and he says, in that letter, it sounds like Maggie knows who Esme’s biological parents are. Does that mean she knows as well? Who exactly is her father?
Elizabeth lights candles, when the doorbell rings. She says, she knows it’s crazy, but she’s doing it for him. She opens the door to a woman who says, she’s Chelsea Lamb and she’s there to help Elizabeth. Elizabeth invites her in, and tells her that Lucy has said great things about her. She’s hoping Chelsea can help her get some answers. Is that possible? Chelsea says she’s not sure. She guesses they’ll find out together. What do you say we contact the spirits?
Carly says, Drew caught her; she’s up to something. He says, that’s a real shock, and she says, it’s for good reason. He says, to do with Nina, and she says she can’t give him the details. She doesn’t want him involved. He says, sounds ominous, and she tells him, the secret fell into her lap. He says, and she would prefer to carry that secret alone, and she says, she would prefer to tell her best friend. Jason would listen without judging, and let her work through things. And if she did something he didn’t approve of, he’d still support her. He says, if she’s looking for someone to be Jason, he can’t be that guy.
Nina says, if she’s honest with herself, she did want Carly to suffer a little… the way Carly made her and Nelle suffer. Although she guesses she could have done a better job at building a bridge between her, Michael, and Carly. That way, she could have had an active part in Wiley’s life, and she would have told that little boy about Nelle. But she didn’t make that choice. She flashes back to arguing with Carly about how they can’t pretend Nelle didn’t exist, that she didn’t give birth to the miracle of a grandson they both share, and Carly saying, she doubts they’ll be sharing him in the future. Nina tells Nelle (well, her gravestone), now there’s an all-out war, a war she’s not prepared to lose, and she’s going to go all the way, so that she can be part of Wiley’s life. And so that her only daughter is not forgotten. Willow and Michael walk into the cemetery.
Sonny says he doesn’t want to listen to Nikolas’s lies, and Laura says, she loves running into Nikolas, but he might adhere to the old adage, if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything. Nikolas says, he’ll remember that the next time she crosses paths with Victor, and she asks if he’s equating Victor with Sonny, but Nikolas says, no, that’s not fair to Victor. He’ll never understand the blind spot she has for Sonny. He’s just a bully. The way he went after Esme… He kidnapped her. Sonny says, here Nikolas goes, opening his mouth when he doesn’t know nothing. He was just talking to Esme, but unlike Nikolas, who buys her little innocent act. Nikolas thinks he’s a bully? You know what Nikolas is? An idiot. He tells Laura, he’s sorry; he’ll see her later. Sonny starts to leave, but Nikolas puts his hand on Sonny’s shoulder, and says, he’s not going anywhere. Sonny grabs Nikolas’s hand and twists his wrist back. He tells Nikolas, don’t you ever, ever put your hand on my shoulder, and Laura looks horrified.
Esme snatches the letter back, and says, if she knew who her biological father was, wouldn’t Spencer know too? but he says he doesn’t know how to answer that. Because the letter she’s holding basically contradicts everything she told him about her past. She says, everything she’s told him is true. She and Maggie lost contact. She hadn’t spoken to Maggie in years. Spencer asks, then how did Maggie know so much about him? She says, she started asking questions about her biological parents. She’d been so alone. Then she met him, and they started to talk about a future together, and she realized she might need answers one day. So she tracked down her old nanny, and started fishing to see what Maggie knew about her biological parents. Once it became clear that Maggie did know something, she ingratiated herself, and regaled Maggie with stories about her life at school, and her handsome new boyfriend. He says, and that worked? She says, no. Turns out Maggie did know something, but she wasn’t inclined to share. Once that became clear, she cut Maggie out of her life, and that’s God’s honest truth. He asks why she would keep the letters then.
Chelsea asks Elizabeth why she’s here, and Elizabeth says, there have been some strange happenings. They started at her home, and then at work, and most recently at the hotel where she was staying. She can’t explain what’s happening, and the police have investigated, but saw no signs of forced entry. Chelsea asks if signs of her late husband keep showing up, and Elizabeth asks if she can sense it, but Chelsea says, no, she’s not that good. Lucy gave her some background information when she referred Elizabeth. She’s not a psychic; she can’t read minds. But if she could see the Powerball numbers, she’d have a seaside retreat in Maui. However, she does believe the spirits of the universe are always talking to us. It’s just a matter of whether we stop and listen to the messages. She takes it this is the first time Elizabeth is talking to a medium, and Elizabeth says, it must be written all over her face. Her friend Terry was going to come with her to meet Chelsea, but then Chelsea said she wanted to meet here. Chelsea says, Lucy told her the majority of the happenings were in this house. If it’s her late husband’s doing, he’ll have the strongest connection here. Elizabeth says, that makes sense, but what if it’s not him?
Drew tells Carly, he’s not his brother, but he’ll try to have an open mind. But if he disagrees with something he can’t promise to be supportive. She says, good to know, and turns to leave, but he grabs her arm. He says, he’s just being honest with her. He’ll always be honest, no matter what, even if it’s not what she wants to hear. And if she’s in over her head, he’ll be there for her, to help her dig herself out. So what’s going on? She doesn’t say anything, and he says, it’s her call. He starts to walk away, but she says, wait. She’ll tell him, but she thinks he’d be more comfortable walking away, because it’s big. He says, he’s here and he’s listening, and she says, she was the last person in the room with Harmony before she died. He says, okay… and she says, Harmony told her that Nina is Willow’s birth mother.
Nina asks what Michael and Willow are doing here at her daughter’s grave, and Michael says, they’re here to visit Jonah, and before she asks, Wiley is at home with Monica. Nina tells Willow, she’s so sorry about Jonah. To find out you had a child long after they passed away is devastating. Willow thinks she’s the enemy, but she understands Willow’s pain. Willow says, if Nina doesn’t want to be thought of as the enemy, stop acting like one, and Michael says, Willow didn’t know her son had died because Nelle switched him with Wiley. So while Nina is contemplating Willow’s devastation, she should probably blame her daughter. Nina says, Michael never misses an opportunity to say something awful about Nelle, and he says, Nina never misses an opportunity to rewrite history. Nina says she doesn’t know why she’s even engaging with Michael; she was just trying to express her sympathy to Willow. Willow says, yeah, this would be the right time. In the last 24 hours, she lost her mother in more ways than one, and the stress of the hearing is only making things worse. If Nina wants to express her sympathy, then please stop this once and for all.
Laura tells Sonny and Nicolas, stop it, both of them, and separates them. Martin comes along, and Nikolas asks if he saw that; Sonny attacked him. Martin asks if Laura has the situation under control, and she says, it’s going to be fine. She tells Sonny, under the circumstances, she thinks it’s best… He says he’s going to go, and leaves. Laura looks at Nikolas, who shakes his head.
Esme tells Spencer, she saved her nanny’s letters for sentimental reasons. She knows she doesn’t have a soft spot for sappy greeting cards or cute puppies (omg – she is evil), but when you don’t have any real family in this world, you feel isolated. Yes, she cut Maggie out of her life, but those letters remind her of better days. And with Spencer being so distant, they have even more meaning. There it is. He asked for explanations, and she gave them to him. So let’s stop dancing around this. Does he believe in her? In them?
Chelsea tells Elizabeth, the candles are a good touch. Can they dim the lights, and light some more? Elizabeth tells her, go ahead, and gets the lights. Chelsea lights more candles, and says, let’s see what kind of poltergeist is behind this. Elizabeth says, poltergeist? and Chelsea says, that movie ruined a perfectly neutral term. A ghost is the spirit of someone who has past. A poltergeist could be a spirit, or it could be a psychic impression of someone who is still living. Sort of a square/rectangle situation; similar, but not the same. Does Elizabeth have anything of sentimental value to her late husband? Elizabeth says she does, and gets her wedding ring.
Drew says, Nina is Willow’s birth mother? How is that even possible? He thought Nelle was Nina’s long lost daughter. Carly says, Harmony said Willow was a twin, and he says, Nelle and Willow were twins? She says, according to Harmony, and he asks if there’s anything to back it up. Carly says, no. Supposedly Willow is months younger than Nelle, but her birth certificate was forged. That poor girl doesn’t even know her birthday. She wanted to get information from Phyllis about the night Nelle was born. Phyllis took care of Nina at the time, but it turns out Phyllis wasn’t there during the actual birth, so she wouldn’t know if there were twin babies. The only way to prove or disprove what Harmony said is a DNA test. So when she saw Nina’s glass there, she just grabbed it. He says, a DNA test without Nina knowing, and Willow’s on board with this? Carly says, Willow doesn’t know.
Nina says, she’s not heartless, but she’s not the one who started this; Michael and Willow did. And that five-part feature in The Invader. She’s sure Smoltz is going to win a Pulitzer for that. Oh wait. There isn’t an award for bias hit jobs. Michael says, there couldn’t be a feature if there was no petition in the first place. All they did was cooperate with a reporter. If anything is untrue, she can sue. Nina says, she’s always tried to compromise with Willow, and Willow says, when? The night she went to Nina’s office, she said if Nina would back off and give Michael time, and stop pushing, she’d find a way for Nina to see Wiley? Nina says, and she was supposed to trust that and sign off on her rights to her grandson? Michael says, she has no rights to Wiley. She has the right to file a petition, and she’s done that. This fight is on her. Willow says, Nina’s idea of a compromise is to get her way. That works for Nina, but it doesn’t work for Wiley. Nina says, her heart breaks for Willow, for her losses of Jonah and Harmony, but her empathy doesn’t overshadow the love for her grandson, and it definitely doesn’t overshadow her love for her daughter.
Laura asks how Nikolas’s hand is, and Nikolas says, he probably just pulled something; it’s fine. Martin says, it could be a sprain, and Nikolas says, courtesy of Sonny Corinthos. Are they just going to pretend kidnapping Esme and threatening her is okay? Laura says, Esme is prone to exaggeration, and if she didn’t know better, she’d think Nikolas was defending her. Nikolas says, he doesn’t believe Esme filmed Joss and Cam having sex, and framed Trina as the culprit. Does she?
Esme asks if Spencer believes in her, and he says, he’s sorry. He shouldn’t have doubted her. He doesn’t really know why he did. She says, he keeps letting his supposed friends get in his head. She does give Cam credit. She saw him at Kelly’s, and she was upset, and he was able to be nice to her, unlike Trina and Joss. As a reminder, she’s the one who’s always been there for him. She wants to get back what they had. He says that’s what he wants too, and she hugs him. She asks if they can put all this aside, and commit to each other again. Can they try to do that? She kisses him, and unbuttons his shirt. She pushes him toward the bed, and starts working his belt buckle, but he tells her, stop. She asks why he’s stopping. It’s been so long since they’ve been with each other. What’s wrong?
Laura tells Nikolas that she believes Trina is innocent. She can reserve judgement about Esme until after Trina is exonerated. She tells Martin that she’s sorry they’re reuniting under these circumstances, and he says, him too. He was supposed to meet with his nephew to discuss the options in his marriage. Laura says she doesn’t like the sound of that, but they’ll have to postpone it anyway. She wants Nikolas to go to GH and get his hand looked at. Nikolas says, it’s fine; he boxes. She says, humor her anyway; let her drive him. He says he has a driver, and leaves. Martin says, little sister, trouble certainly seems to follow our family, does it not? She says, it certainly seems to.
Michael says, Nina never knew Nelle. He thinks she’d be less protective of her if she did. Sonny shows up, and asks if there’s a problem, but Nina says he doesn’t have to get involved. Michael says, Nina was just giving Willow a hard time. Not that it matters, since he fully expects Sonny to defend Nina. Sonny says, he told Michael that he’d have his back at the visitation hearing. It doesn’t matter what Michael thinks of him, or whether Michael believes him or not. Michael says, oh really? Then prove it, and tell Nina to back off and stop harassing the mother of his grandson.
Carly tells Drew, she’s not going to tell Willow about this. She and Nina hate each other. They’re going head-to-head in court. Besides she can’t be sure Harmony was telling the truth. This could be one big manipulation. He says he’s seen people die, and when they see it’s the end, the last thing they’re thinking is of manipulating. Carly says, she gets that, but can’t take it on faith that Nina gave birth to twins while she was in a coma, and no one knew about it. She’s not adding to Willow’s grief and putting this on her plate unless she knows for sure. He says he sees her point, but there’s a catch. She has a sample of Nina’s DNA, but not Willow’s. She says she knows. She has to find some way to get into the gatehouse. He wonders if she’s going to drop by for a visit, and hope Willow doesn’t see her stealing her toothbrush. It’s not like she lives on the property. She says, no, but he does.
Elizabeth says, this is her wedding ring, which mysteriously ended up in her locker at work. They got their rings… Chelsea says she knows Elizabeth is trying to be helpful, but it’s better if she knows less about the background. That’s how they’ll know it’s really him. Chelsea asks Elizabeth to sit with her, take her hands, and close her eyes. She says she’s listening to see if anyone is reaching out to them, if anyone want presence to be known… She suddenly gets a little weird, and closes her eyes. Elizabeth asks, what is it? Chelsea opens her eyes, and says, there is a dark presence in this house.
Spencer says, of course (🍷) he wants to reconnect with Esme, just not right now. She asks, why not? and he says, because they hit a significant bump in their relationship. As they come back together, they need to do it right. It needs to feel special and meaningful, not some random spur of the moment thing. Esme says, that’s a sweet thought, but come on. It’s not like it’s their first time. He says he’s serious. It might as well be their first time, since they’re making a fresh start. There’s not going to be any more secrets. If they truly plan on spending the rest of their lives with each other, they need to start on the right foot. She says, okay. What does he have in mind? He says, she’ll have to wait and see, but he can promise this; he has something very, very special in store for her. He says he has to go, but she says, wait. Is there anything else he wants to ask her? He flashes back to finding the pills, and says, no. He thinks they have it all figured out.
Laura says she’s glad she and Martin had a chance to catch up; she missed him. She asks how his mother is, and he says, she’s doing well enough. He thinks she thought he was smothering her a little bit. She says, that’s the circle of life; the child becomes the parent. Can she assume things are good with him and Lucy? He says, better than good. The woman is a sexual panther. Laura says, too much information, and he says, it’s a good thing Valentin signed off on their relationship, and gave them his blessing. She says, not that he should need it, but he says, it makes things easier. It would have made his and Lucy’s reunion that much sweeter. She says, would have? and he says, they were made aware of what happened to Elizabeth at the hotel.
Chelsea says she doesn’t think Elizabeth is safe here. There’s a darkness in this house. Elizabeth says, it’s definitely not her husband. He loved her and the boys; he’d only want them to be happy. Who else could it be? Is Chelsea getting any other clues? Chelsea picks up the ring and closes her eyes, and says, the presence speaking to her doesn’t go by a first name. Perhaps a middle name, or a last name? Elizabeth says, Franco?
Carly and Drew sneak into the gatehouse, and Drew says he can’t believe he let her talk him into this. He turns on the lights, and she asks why he did that. He says, if anyone catches them, it’ll be hard to explain what they’re doing here alone in the dark, and she says, he doesn’t have to be part of this. If he doesn’t think what they’re doing is for the greater good, now would be the time to bail. He says, be quick please, just be fast, and she goes upstairs, as he looks out the window.
Sonny says, first of all, he’s Michael’s father; Michael doesn’t give him orders. Nina says she has been hard on Willow. She apologizes for some of the things she said. She prolonged the conversation more than she should. Michael says, he’s still waiting. Here’s Sonny’s chance to say Nina was wrong. Michael hears crickets, and says, nothing? He guesses when Sonny forgave Nina for what happened in Nixon Falls, she really must have begged. Sonny says, at least she had the courage to apologize, unlike someone else he knows. Michael says, he’s got nothing to apologize for, and Sonny says, of course (🍷). Michael tells Willow, let’s go, and they leave. Sonny looks at Nina.
Esme can’t wait for Spencer’s surprise. She loves a grand gesture, just like he loves making them. It’s one of the reasons she loves him. He says, him too, and leaves. She says, better than she thought. Don’t take anything at face value right now. Outside, Spencer looks at the pill he put in his pocket, and takes out his phone. He texts: Britt, can we meet? It’s very important.
Laura tells Martin that Jake and Aiden are staying with her and Doc. She wanted Elizabeth to stay too, but up until a few days ago, she insisted on staying in her own house by herself. She’s really worried about her. Martin says, it may not be a comfort, but Lucy gave Elizabeth the name of her medium. According to Lucy, she read Laura once up a time. Chelsea Lamb. And according to Lucy, Elizabeth believes she’s being haunted.
Elizabeth tells Chelsea, her husband’s name was Robert Frank, but he went by a variation of his last name, Franco. He loved her, and loved their family. He would never want to hurt them. Chelsea says, she’s sensing this presence was someone born in trauma and pain; someone who was abandoned by their family. Someone who finally found real family in these walls. That someone doesn’t much like this new family being made here now.
Finn asks what’s with Nikolas’s hand, and Nikolas says, he’s fine. He just promised his mother he’d get it checked out. Finn says, this isn’t easy for him to say, but he appreciates what Nikolas is doing for Elizabeth. Nikolas asks what he’s talking about, and Finn says, she’s staying at Windymere until they figure out who’s been breaking into her house. Nikolas says he missed a call from Elizabeth, but they never touched base. Finn flashes back to Elizabeth telling him that she’s going to stay at Windymere. For her, there’s no place more secure than Spoon Island. Finn says, if Elizabeth’s not at Windymere, then where the hell is she?
Chelsea tells Elizabeth, the presence is clear; they don’t want this new family formed in this house. Elizabeth refuses to believe that. The Franco she knew, the Franco she loved, would only want to see her happy. Is he here now? Can he hear her? Tell him that she believes he’s here. Tell him that she’s ready to listen.
Nina tells Sonny that she’s sorry she and Michael got into it. She hates being a wedge between them. He says, there’s no way around it, is there? She’s going to have to go for the jugular at the hearing. She says she knows he’s going to support Michael in court. Things are going to get pretty tense. She wishes things were simple like they are at Charlie’s and at The Savoy – remember the other night? But they’re not going to be for a while. Maybe they should keep their distance until this is all over. Then they can come back and decide what’s next… if anything is next. He says, when that day comes, save me a dance. She touches his arm, and leaves.
Carly sneaks back down the stairs with something (a toothbrush?) in a plastic bag, and Drew says, she didn’t touch it, did she? She says, no. She used a bag to pick it up. Michael and Willow walk in, and Michael says, Mom, Drew, what are you doing here?
Tomorrow, Laura thinks Finn is right; Ryan asks how badly Esme screwed things up; Drew says he’d like to say it’s his fault, but it’s all on Carly.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
We begin with Dorit’s frightening AF security tape of the break-in. Her voiceover says, she thought, this is it. This is how she’s going to die.
Three days earlier. Dorit is back from London with the kids. Kyle is having a self-defense class with Portia, who she says is vastly different from last year, when she was sleeping late, and didn’t want to leave her room. Portia was going through a difficult time, and she was struggling as a parent, not knowing what to do. She’s never been in a pandemic. You and most of the rest of the world, sister. She says, Portia is shining now, and we see photos of Portia’s Bat Mitzvah. She says, Portia has the spark back in her eyes, and she’s coming out the other side. Her Bat Mitzvah was one of Kyle’s most favorite days in her life.
Sutton and Garcelle (who I think should have their own show) are in Miami for Garcelle’s Angels for Humanity charity event. We see a clip of Garcelle giving a speech, and thanking everyone for helping to give the children of Haiti a future. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, she and Sutton are both single, they have a good time, and they trust each other. Back in Beverly Hills, LisaR says, Amelia is back from NYC, and shooting for Rinna Beauty, which has gone through the roof, even though she’s mainly selling on Instagram. We see some of her posts, including one of Harry demonstrating lip balm, and she says, it’s been a dream come true. LisaR asks Erika if she’s had any dates, and Erika says, no, but she’s had some good sex. She’s been married most of her adult life. In Erika’s interview, she says she’s back in the dating pool, but she’s more interested in having good sex with good people. LisaR tells Erika that Sutton brought her up on Watch What Happens Live, and we see a clip of Sutton telling Andy that she didn’t get a thank you from LisaR for being her guest at an Elton John gala. LisaR was shocked and not happy. Sutton tells Garcelle that it wasn’t her intention to humiliate LisaR, and Garcelle says she took it as Sutton being supportive of her. We flash back to LisaR saying she got no thank you for a jar of sauce that Garcelle actually had thanked her for. Sutton says, if it comes from the heart, you don’t need a thank you, which confuses me, since they both wanted thank yous. In LisaR’s interview, she says, it was hurtful. She’d considered Sutton a friend, and she wouldn’t do something like that. And Sutton claims to be so perfect with her etiquette. Bitch, no. Sutton tells Garcelle that she thinks LisaR will be okay with it, and LisaR tells Erika, don’t come at her on TV with that bullsh*t.
Crystal visits Sutton, who’s in the process of reconstructing her basement. In her interview, she says, it’s taking longer than anticipated, since no one told her, with a house, everything takes three times as long as you think it will. She says, it will get done, just not as soon as she’d hoped. She tells us that she and Sutton are in a good place now. They got together over the summer, and talked out their issues. In Sutton’s interview, she says she was so exasperated with fighting, they dropped the barriers, and bonded over baseball. Baseball is a powerful sport. Sutton tells Crystal that she said something about LisaR that maybe she shouldn’t have, and in her interview, Crystal says, when Sutton is being cheeky, it’s often her way to jab someone a little. Sutton says she’s dating, and Crystal asks if she wants to be fixed up. Surprisingly, she says, yes, and her requirements are handsome, tall, educated, and likes cats. Crystal wonders if there are a lot of men who say they’re a cat guy. Garcelle is getting together with Erika, and in her interview, she says she’s not sure where they stand, and has trepidations about seeing Erika. They meet for a workout, and in Erika’s interview, she says, on her darkest days, she was looking for anything to take off the pressure. The last thing she wanted to do was work out, but she was enjoying fast food and drinking more alcohol than ever. When you’ve gone to Taco Bell and don’t remember, but there are wrappers in the kitchen, there’s a problem. After the workout, Erika asks Garcelle about Miami, and Garcelle says, she saw her sisters. We see a clip of Garcelle and Sutton having dinner with them, and Garcelle asks Erika if she’s going to apologize to Sutton for threatening her. Erika insists she didn’t, and asks Garcelle to tell her what words she used. Garcelle says, Erika said she was coming for Sutton, and Erika says, that could mean anything. Garcelle is like, come on, and Erika says she was backed into a corner. She can’t apologize for not fighting sterile. Garcelle says, Sutton freaked, and she would have freaked too. Erika says, Sutton talks a lot of sh*t, and when you take swings at people, people are going to swing back.
Erika says, Sutton was repeating what’s been disproven. There was never $20 million in her account. She can never get away from it, and it’s not true; it was never in her hands or in her account. The trustee said she never touched the money. In Garcelle’s interview, she points out that this information was never in the papers or a blog; it’s nowhere. And if it’s true, why isn’t it in the press? In Erika’s interview, a producer asks how and when this happened, and Erika says, it was early on, and if they want to know, Bravo can do their due diligence, and find out themselves. The producer asks if the proof is available to the public, and Erika says, they can read everything her lawyer put out, and answer their own f***ing question. Nice evasion. Garcelle asks if it was dismissed, and Erika says, no, but it’s time to smile and have fun. In her interview, Garcelle doesn’t want to rain on Erika’s parade, but wonders if she’s jumping the gun before they know the truth. Maybe she’s in denial. Erika tells Garcelle that every day she woke up to a new accusation, lawsuit, or documentary, and all those things aren’t true. Garcelle asks if Erika can’t sue them, and Erika says, that’s later, down the road. In her interview, Erika explains that these are civil lawsuits, and she hasn’t been charged with a crime. Garcelle says, if Erika wants to share, feel free, and Erika says, Tom is in a facility, but she doesn’t know much more. In her interview, she says, they’re legally separated, but there are a lot of laws regarding divorcing an incompetent person. She has lawsuits to fight. She’ll get a divorce when she can. She tells Garcelle that she’s doing her best to sort it out.
Dorit’s kids are having a karate lesson. In Dorit’s interview, she says, she likes that discipline, respect, and confidence are incorporated in the practice. Jagger has always shown an interest in martial arts, but Phoenix has turned out to be a tough cookie. Garcelle calls, and asks how the wedding was. Dorit says, it was a whirlwind, and asks about Miami. Garcelle says, that was also a whirlwind, and Dorit says, glamorous, gorgeous, and giving back sums up Garcelle. In her interview, Dorit says, she and Garcelle were fast friends, but hit some bumps in their friendship. We flash back to Garcelle telling Dorit that she never lets anyone speak, and Dorit says, now she’s aware she needs to limit her words with Garcelle, and keep it short and sweet.
Later that night. We see the security footage again, and Dorit says, when they came into her bedroom and held a gun to her head, she thought, this is it. This is how I’m going to die. She told them to let her help. She’d show them where everything is, just don’t hurt her kids or her; they need their mommy.
We see the news reports of the robbery, the thieves getting away with nearly a million dollars in jewelry and handbags. In LisaR’s interview, she says, her gut reaction was, she had to go there to see Dorit. Of course it was. In Kyle’s interview, she says, she called PK, and he was sobbing and saying he wasn’t there. In Erika’s interview, she says, they could have killed Dorit; they could have killed her kids; they could have done a lot of sh*t. Kyle doesn’t know how you can recover from this. In her interview, LisaR says, to think you’d have to beg for your children’s lives. She can’t fathom it. LisaR tells Crystal that the kids know nothing, and Crystal says she can’t imagine feeling that way in your own home. Sutton visits Kyle, who says, it was terrifying, and PK was bawling. Sutton says she’s been putting out fires of her own all day. She has a French designer coming in who’s having problems with immigration. Kyle says, that doesn’t seem like a fire in comparison, but Sutton says, it is for her. It’s all relative. She wasn’t held at gunpoint; sorry. In Kyle’s interview, she says, what’s wrong with you? Are you that wrapped up in yourself, you’re not grasping what happened to our friend? Sutton says she feels weird energy. Wow. I like Sutton, but that was a pretty insensitive exchange. Although it could be that Sutton is deliberately ignoring something that might freak her out. I don’t think she dwells much on anything negative, and likes to play in the shallow end of the pool.
LisaR wonders how they’re going to celebrate Harry’s birthday with this tragedy having happened. She and Crystal go to the restaurant where LisaR is planning on having it, and the manager shows her the space. LisaR tells Crystal that Harry is going to be 70, and in her interview, she says, no one looks better than Harry at 70. He’s still the sexiest man alive; she hit the jackpot. I beg to differ on no one looking better. Has she seen Marc Singer? He can still park his shoes next to my bed anytime. LisaR says, Dorit is the priority, and whatever happens, they’ll plan around that. Sutton tells Kyle that Crystal is looking for guys to set her up with. She doesn’t care if they’re rich. In her interview, she says she thinks maybe Erika is seeking different qualities. She’s concerned with character and humor. She doesn’t need money to make herself feel better. Maybe Erika misses the big house, the clothes, and the lifestyle, but she wants someone who will appreciate her. Well, she might feel differently if she didn’t have more money than all of us put together. And on the other hand, Erika doesn’t look like she’s hurting for outfits. Kyle says, when they look back, they’ve argued and said things… Sutton says she disagrees already, and Kyle says she feels badly that she didn’t speak up for Sutton at Kathy’s. We flash back to Erika hammering Sutton, and telling her, STFU. She says she knows after Erika left, later, she cried her eyes out. Sutton says Kyle is feeling sorry for Erika after how Erika treated her? In her interview, Sutton says, Erika was so mean, and no one stood up for her. Are they supposed to feel sorry because Erika committed a crime, maybe? Kyle says, Erika puts on a tough bitch persona that’s not her when she’s hurt, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, there are families who are crying; it sickens her. Sutton tells Kyle, she gets in trouble, but the men don’t, and we flash back to Mauricio and PK laughing about Erika. Sutton says, it’s a double standard, and in her interview, Kyle says, she knows Erika was upset. She doesn’t need to feel that her friends are laughing behind her back. Sutton says, she’s seen who Erika is as a person and as a friend. If that’s the kind of person Kyle wants to be friends with, she doesn’t care.
Kyle gets ready to have everyone over, and in her interview, she says she doesn’t want bad feelings. Erika arrives first, and says, positive things are happening, but she’s more concerned with Dorit. She and Kyle have a drink, and Mauricio comes out. Erika says, he hurt her feelings. She’s sensitive, and last year sucked. He says, she had a sh*tty year, no question, and he’s sorry. LisaR comes in, and Kyle asks how blown away she is. Erika says she feels like she’s in shock, and LisaR says, she’s shook. Dorit comes in, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, the break-in was last night. It’s important for Dorit to surround herself with friends. She doesn’t know how Dorit left the house; she would have been paralyzed with fear. In Dorit’s interview, she says, it’s been an emotional day, but she knows her babies are safe; her husband’s assistant and security are with them. She thought it would be good to get out, so the kids don’t see mommy breaking down. She immediately tells her story.
She says, when PK is out of town, the kids sleep with her. She was so exhausted and jetlagged, she put them to bed, and got in bed herself. When she heard the door open, she thought the kids had gotten up. She got out of bed, and saw it was a big person. He panicked, and charged her, grabbing her, and telling her to get down, or he’d f***ing kill her. He had a gun to her head, and she was hunched over, sobbing, saying, please. She’s a mother, and her kids need her. The other guy was saying, just f***ing kill her. He was the one collecting the stuff, and told the one holding her, get her to show them where the cash is. She stayed calm, and told them, take what they want, but please don’t let her kids see them. No surprise, everyone is upset, and some of them are crying at this point. I’m pretty upset. I’m not exactly Team Dorit, but I wouldn’t wish something like this on anyone. I have to mention this as a PSA as well. On WWHL, Dorit said the security alarm was not set. In Dorit’s interview, she says, she’d do anything to save her kids. They need their mommy. Don’t hurt them or her. She tells the group, she thought, this is it. This is how she dies. She envisioned them killing her, and then her kids. Erika says, she needs to get into therapy right away. LisaR agrees, and adds that they’re her friends, and will be there to help her. Kyle’s dogs bark, and Dorit freaks out, wondering why they’re barking. Kyle tells her, it’s okay. The dogs always bark (they do), and they have a security guy. Erika tells Dorit, don’t cry, and hugs her. In LisaR’s interview, she says, Dorit is a strong woman. She saved her kids, and LisaR has every hope Dorit will get through it, but it will be a lot of work. Garcelle arrives, and says, she and Dorit had just spoken; it was a normal day. Erika says, and then Dorit had a gun to her head, and Dorit says, the guys was holding her the whole time. She finally told them that they should get out while they can; they didn’t want to get caught. In her interview, Dorit says, they took bags and jewelry, whatever fit in her comforter. The items were irreplaceable, but it doesn’t matter. She asked them not to take her cell phone, and the guy told her to count to 40, and he’d leave it by the gate. He did. We see the security footage backing that up, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, she’ll always thank God for protecting her and her kids. She doesn’t care about the material stuff, and never will. She tells them that she called 9-1-1, and the police arrived about 4 am. It was like an out-of-body experience. Like she’d floated out of her body because the danger wasn’t here. Then she called PK. Kyle says, PK told her, the second he heard Dorit’s voice, he started crying. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Dorit’s initial shock is wearing off, and what happened is settling in. Dinner is served, and Garcelle gifts Dorit with some crystals and sage. LisaR says, Dorit is stronger than any of them. PK calls, and says he’s at the airport. There’s TV and press waiting. Kyle tells him to come straight there, and he does. I notice Kyle seems to be wearing pajamas. She’s still in her pandemic wardrobe phase.
PK hugs Dorit and cries. He says, he wasn’t there, and in Dorit’s interview, she says, PK is so strong in matters of the heart, but not as strong as she is… Don’t tell him. PK says, he was sleeping, and heard the phone on vibrate. He was groggy with sleep, and called Dorit back. He didn’t get what had happened. In their dual interview, PK says he asked if the kids were all right, and Dorit explained what happened. It was difficult to process; he was so far away. He cried in airport lounge. But he made it home okay. They’re going to get through this. LisaR says she’s hesitant to celebrate Harry’s birthday, but PK says, in his religion, you never cancel a happy occasion for a sad occasion. They’re not letting this ruin their lives. Dorit says, thank God he got home, and in her interview, she says she just wants to get to the other side. She knows it won’t happen overnight, but she knows they can get there. Garcelle says, Dorit is very strong, and they say their goodbyes. At the car, PK realizes he left his phone inside, and goes back to get it. Alone, sitting on a walkway bench, Dorit cries, and says, I’m okay.
This season, skiing, a trip to Mexico, the call of the conch, Birkins, and jewelry; new Wife Diana Jenkins in introduced; Garcelle tells Sutton to watch her back with her new friend; Erika is mixing alcohol with her medication, and the women are concerned; Garcelle says she doesn’t have to make Erika look bad, since Erika can do that on her own; Erika says, if everyone is going to talk about her behavior, they need to own theirs; and LisaR says, Kathy isn’t going to get away with it.
🛣 Easing On Down the Road…
Peek in tomorrow for some soap and whatever else I can dig up. Until then, stay safe, stay being childlike, but not childish, and stay remembering, when you take swings at people, people are going to swing back.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 