(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Jordan tells the desk sergeant that Michael was just released on bail and they’re waiting for the paperwork. Michael sits, and she tells him, do everyone a favor. If that reporter gets in his face again, walk the other way. She sees Curtis, and asks if everything is okay. He says, that’s just what he’s trying to find out. He really needs her help. Willow comes in and hugs Michael.
Harmony shows up at Alexis’s office, and Alexis says, this is a surprise. Harmony says she just got off work, and wondered if she could pick Alexis’s brain about something. Only if she has a minute, and it isn’t an interruption. Alexis says she just put the last edition to bed. What’s this about? Is it about Willow? Harmony says, kind of. It’s more about Nina Reeves.
Nina walks into an empty Charlie’s and Sonny says, hey. She says she doesn’t know why she’s always surprised to see him here. He owns the bar after all. He says, that’s true. Phyllis had to see a distributor. Instead of closing down during the dead zone, which is between twelve and happy hour, he said he’d cover. She says, that’s sweet of him. Nostalgic for running a bar? He says, it’s better than sitting in his office all by himself; too many ghosts, especially with Jason gone. She says she hears him, and he asks if she’s there to see Phyllis. Does she want a drink? She says, actually, she was following up on something important. He asks if it’s anything he can help her with.
Laura hugs Spencer, and he says, it almost seems like she missed him. She says she did. A month in Spring Ridge didn’t hurt him at all. He says, except label him a convicted felon. He guesses he’ll be serving soft drinks and sandwiches at Kelly’s for the rest of his life, but Nikolas suggests Spencer worry about his future later, and they take a moment to celebrate his homecoming. Nikolas has dinner reservations at the MetroCourt, and hopes Laura and Doc can join them. Laura says she doesn’t know about Doc, but she’ll certainly try to make it. She asks Spencer if everything is okay, and Esme says she’s sure he’s wondering why she’s still here. Don’t worry. She was just leaving.
At the MetroCourt, Victor tells Yohan, if they want people to believe they’ve done nothing wrong, they must act as if they’ve done nothing wrong, and they haven’t. He showed Drew a tarot card, for heaven’s sake. If a crime was committed, it’s when Drew attacked Yohan. Yohan says, on Victor’s orders, and Victor says, which was a test… which he passed until the Corinthos woman showed up, and Drew was forced to reveal he was just playing along and the whole thing was a set-up from the start. That warning Victor was given about Laura being on to him seems like it must have some merit.
Sam opens the door to Anna, and says, welcome back. Drew says, long trip, and Anna says she got a cab from the airport. Felicia is filling Maxie in. Sam says, they were worried when they didn’t hear from her in Austria, but Anna says she didn’t want to call from an unsecure line. Drew asks if they found something out, and Anna says, yeah, proof that Luke’s death wasn’t an accident. He was murdered.
Esme says she won’t be joining them for dinner. Spence has made it clear he no longer wants her to be a part of his life. She’s leaving. Laura asks if she and Spencer would like a little time to talk this through. They don’t have to rush on their account. Nikolas apologizes for making dinner plans without checking with Spencer first, but he’s sure Spencer wouldn’t mind if Esme joined them. They all shared in Spencer’s ordeal at Spring Ridge, her especially. Esme says she’s not sure, but Laura says, please, come along. Nikolas says, the whole family will be there; Ava and Victor. Laura says, Victor, and Nikolas asks if that’s a problem.
Yohan says, the plan Victor put together relies on taking everyone by surprise, but Victor says he’s not overly concerned. The only possibly damning thing Drew mentioned is Operation Demeter, and if Drew has no memory of that op, he and Laura are going to hit a dead end. Yohan says, but Victor is concerned about something, and Victor says, Anna and Felicia’s investigation into the cable car accident that killed Luke. Yohan says, Victor had to kill Luke Spencer; he was getting too close to the truth about what Victor is planning. Victor says, nothing can be traced back to him, which is why he needs to find someone else to take the fall for Luke’s death. Yohan says he’ll do a lot for the cause, but he hopes Victor’s not expecting him to be his fall guy, and Victor says, don’t worry. He has someone else in mind. Ava approaches, and asks if she’s late for the big family dinner, or is Victor early? Is his friend going to be joining them?
Anna says, this employee at the Transportation Bureau did admit to sabotaging Luke’s cable car. There’s no indication as to whether he was acting alone, but her gut says he wasn’t. Unfortunately, before they could get anymore information out of him, the man took his own life in front of them. Sam says, okay, so technically they have one man’s confession, but no evidence to back it up, and Anna says, and so far all of their efforts to keep this quiet have failed. Now the Bureau is officially involved. Drew asks if the Bureau won’t have a better chance of finding a connection between Victor and Luke’s death, and Anna says, just because the WSB is investigating, doesn’t mean she’ll be privy to their intel. She’s been deemed to close to the situation because of her involvement with Luke. Sam says, basically, she’s iced out, and Anna says, yeah, but they do have to keep in mind the fact that Victor was director of the WSB for a time. That is something they don’t want to revisit; they don’t want his name to come up. They don’t want to draw any scrutiny, so she thinks it’s possible they’ll steer this investigation down a path that isn’t embarrassing to them. What she’s saying is, if they want to expose Victor, Drew is their best chance. Drew says, about that. They hit a little bit of a snag.
Curtis asks what TJ has told Jordan about their situation with Marshall, and she says, not much. She thinks TJ has been avoiding the subject, given her history with Tommy. Curtis says, okay. What did Tommy tell her about their father?
Willow says, one night in jail isn’t terrible, and Michael says he had a cell to himself, so no complaints. She says he doesn’t have to be a hero for her, and he says he always wants to be a hero for her, and it was worth it. That reporter got what he deserved for trash talking his sister. She says, at least Michael didn’t break his jaw, and Michael says he can’t be sorry he hit the guy, but he’s sorry Nina is probably going to use this against him when she petitions the court for visitation with Wiley. She says, let’s not worry about that right now. She’s sorry she wasn’t there when he was booked. He says he appreciates that, but there’s nothing she could have done. Diane handled everything, and Willow is here now. He heard from his mom that she was held up at work. She says that’s what she told Carly when she texted, but she wasn’t being honest with Carly, or with him.
Harmony tells Alexis that Nina is trying to enlist her help with Wiley without going to court. Alexis asks, how? and Harmony says, Nina wants her to influence Willow; she says Wiley’s grandfather is on her side. Alexis says, but Harmony doesn’t want to get involved, and Harmony says she thinks it will cause so much tension between her and her daughter. Alexis says she doesn’t want to get involved either because Wiley is Kristina’s nephew, so she wants to stay out of any potential conflict between Nina and Willow. She suggests Harmony do the same thing, and Harmony says she wishes it was that simple.
Nina says she’ll have a club soda, and Sonny laughs, putting some in a glass. She says, perfect, and he says, now that that’s taken care of, how about the help? She says, it’s not that she doesn’t want his help, but she doesn’t think he should offer it. He asks if it’s about Wiley. Is she going to file a petition? She says she hasn’t talked to the lawyer yet. Has he tried to talk to Michael again? Sonny flashes back to Michael saying he’s prioritizing Nina, and that a family man wouldn’t sabotage his family by putting the woman who blew their lives apart ahead of them. Sonny tells Nina that he couldn’t get anywhere with Michael because he’s very stubborn, and she says she wishes she could walk away for his sake. He says, she’s allowed to see her grandson. He’d do the same if he was in her shoes. She says she’ll try not to get him involved, but he says he’s already involved. The choices she makes and her pain matters to him, but she has to know, if she goes to court on this, lines are going to be drawn and sides are going to be taken. If he doesn’t take a side, that means he’s taking her side. She says she’d never ask him to choose her over his son, so if he has to go against her in court and support Michael’s attempt to block her petition, she’ll understand. He asks if they can just hope it doesn’t get to that, and she says, they can hope, but he needs to know that she’ll do whatever’s necessary to ensure she has a role in her grandson’s life.
Anna says, let her get this straight. In trying to save Drew… Sam says, Carly blew the scam wide open. Drew says, but they did get one piece of intel before Carly arrived, and Sam says, Victor mentioned Operation Demeter. Anna says she doesn’t know what that is. What is Demeter? The goddess of harvest? She presides over the cycles of life and death? Sam asks if it’s not familiar to Anna, and Anna says, no, but she can access the WSB file. Drew says, all the ops he did as a SEAL are classified, and Anna asks if he reached out to Kim, but he says she doesn’t remember him ever mentioning it. Anna looks at her phone, and says she doesn’t see an Operation Demeter here; there’s nothing. Sam says, so the operation probably initiated with U.S. Intelligence, and Anna says, or the operation is above her clearance, which is entirely possible. Or the operation went so horribly wrong, they’ve deleted all records.
Victor tells Ava that he and Yohan were catching up on some business while he was waiting for the rest of the family. He tells Yohan, that about covers it, thanks him, and says he’ll be in touch. Yohan pulls out Ava’s chair for her, and leaves. Ava says, Victor must have had some super pressing business to have a meeting at the MetroCourt before their family dinner. He says, pressing, yes, but before family, never. She completely agrees, and says she can’t recall what he said he was doing for work these days. He says, perhaps that’s because he never told her. Why does he get the feeling she’s playing him because she wants something? She says, because she always wants something, and usually she gets it.
Laura says she thinks Spencer and Nikolas both know Victor’s not her favorite person, and Nikolas says he hopes she’ll still join them. It wouldn’t be a family celebration without her. Laura’s phone dings, and she says she completely forgot. It’s the chairperson from the Traffic Commission. They have a meeting in ten minutes. It’s been rescheduled so many times, she doesn’t feel she can cancel. She’ll meet them over at the MetroCourt. She tells Spencer, welcome back, hugs him, and leaves. Nikolas asks if they should head out, but Spencer says, he and Esme have some things they need to say to each other first. Nikolas says, of course (🍷), and Spencer says, in private. Nikolas says, Spencer will still join them for dinner? and Spencer shrugs. Nikolas says he’ll hope for the best, and leaves. Esme says she was hoping to be gone before Spencer returned, but his grandmother convinced her they could talk things out. He says, really, and she says he saw her earlier. Apparently, Laura is warming up to her. Spencer asks when that happened, and she says, Laura thinks she might actually be a good influence on him. Unlike what his friends think.
Jordan says, Tommy is just a couple of years older than Curtis. His memories of their father were vague; he rarely mentioned them. Curtis says, maybe Tommy remembered something he didn’t think was important at the time, and she says, if he did, he never shared it with her. Besides, Tommy was way too young for Marshall to confide in him about entering Witness Protection. He says, if that’s what really happened, and she asks what he’s saying. He tells her, Marshall didn’t outright say he was in the Witness Protection Program. (Thank you.) Curtis inferred, and Marshall didn’t deny it. She asks if he learned something that contradicts that, and he says, possibly. That’s why he needs her help to shed some light on it. She asks, how? and he says, Marshall applied for a job, and confided in him that he had an arrest record; a sealed arrest record, which might explain why he disappeared and let them think he was dead. Jordan has access to that record. She can unseal it, and let him know anything important Marshall might be keeping from him. She says she’s sorry, but there is no way.
Nina tells Sonny, how about this? They stop talking about Wiley, they stop talking about competitions, they stop talking about family feuds. He says he seconds that motion, and they clink glasses, saying, cheers. He asks if she wants more club soda, but she says, no, she’s got to drive later. She asks if he refilled the decanters at his penthouse, but he says, no. She says, he’s not tempted by the display of all the bottles here? He says, baby steps, and she says, his baby steps are pretty big. She’s proud of him. He says, it’s not going to be easy, but the plan was to let Phyllis have the bar. She says, right, but life gets complicated. Does he still want to follow through on that plan? He says he has to convince Phyllis that it’s her bar, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s going to take a lot of persuasion. Think about it. Phyllis owning the local watering hole? It’ll feel like old times… well, almost. He asks if she means when they were back in Nixon Falls; that was their home. She says, that life seemed real, but it wasn’t, because didn’t know the truth about himself. Now everyone knows the truth, and it’s up to them to decide what’s real.
Willow tells Michael, it was nothing serious, but she fainted in an empty patient room. He asks why she fainted; is she sick? Why didn’t she tell him sooner? She says she told him, it wasn’t serious. She hadn’t eaten all day and she was dehydrated. Between parenting Wiley and studying for nursing exams, she was running herself thin, but Epiphany took good care of her. He says he’ll have to thank her, but he wishes Willow had told him sooner. She says, he was spending the night in a cell. She didn’t want him worrying about her. It’s not like he could do anything about it. She didn’t go to Carly because she was dealing with Josslyn, and didn’t need to worry about her too. He says he hates that she was alone. Epiphany’s great, but she was on duty and couldn’t stay with Willow. Willow says she wasn’t alone. Her mom showed up for her.
Alexis asks, what’s so complicated about Harmony staying out of Willow and Michael’s business? and Harmony says, things are always complicated when it comes to her grandson. She thanks Alexis for the advice about Nina, and says she’s going to get out of Alexis’s hair. Alexis asks if there’s anything else Harmony would like to talk about, but Harmony says, no, and asks if Shawn is around. She’s like to avoid him. Alexis says, she doesn’t think that’s going to be a problem because Shawn went to San Francisco, and she doesn’t know when he’s going to be back. Harmony asks if Alexis okay about that, and Alexis says, things got a little tense before he left.
Curtis says Jordan isn’t going to help him? and she says, hunting down sealed records and unsealing them without a court order is illegal. He was in law enforcement and knows that as well as she does. He says, the man is lying to him and TJ. He has questions and needs answers, and she has the ability to get them. She says, unethically, and he asks when that’s ever stopped her. She didn’t think twice about getting Laura’s sealed arrest record for Cyrus Renault. She says, that’s not the same. She was being blackmailed; TJ’s life was at stake. She had no choice. He says, because TJ is family, and they’re not that to each other anymore. Is that how it is? Curtis is pissing me off. He wanted the divorce, and so, no, they’re not family anymore. Way to pressure her when she just got back from a long stay at a hospital.
Nina looks down the bar, and asks if those are 45s. What are they doing here? She goes over to look at the stack of records, and he says, Phyllis wanted to add a vintage jukebox to the place, but then she figured out it would block the customer’s path to the tables and bar. Nina says, that’s too bad. She loved it when they played music at the Tan-O. He laughs, and she picks up one of the 45s, saying, she remembers when they danced to this song. She picks up another one, and says. she can’t believe Phyllis has a copy of this; this is a great song. She forgot about it. She says she knows how it goes, and starts to sing, I woke up in the morning… Sonny says, she’s doing good, but that’s not quite it. He brings out his phone, and puts on the song. She says she loves this one, and he goes around the bar. He holds out his hand, and they dance.
Jordan says, he’s not being fair, and Curtis whines, what’s not fair is that she’s doing this to him after all she put him through. She says she knows he’s going through a lot right now, and knows they have a lot of unresolved issues from their marriage, but do not equate the two. And do not, under any circumstances, come in here and tell her how to do her job, or what code she can or cannot live by. She thought they were in a good place, but he’s come too close to destroying all that good will they built up. She’s not the bad guy here. He says, so she really won’t get the records for him, and she asks if he’s heard a single word she said. She can’t, but she’s willing to help him in any way she can. He tells her, don’t bother, and slams out like the big baby he’s being.
Laura sits down with Sam, Anna, and Drew. She says she’s due to have dinner with Victor and the family. Is it too much to hope they found something to put Victor behind bars? Anna says, she and Felicia were able to access the files at the Transportation Bureau in Innsbruck, and a certain Kurt Markovich, and employee there, became suspicious of them. But eventually, he did admit to sabotaging Luke’s cable car. Laura says, it was not an accident; he was murdered. Sam says she’s so sorry Laura found out this way. She wishes it could have been different. Anna says she’s sorry. The crash was deliberate, but this Kurt didn’t admit to targeting Luke, and unfortunately, they couldn’t get anything else out of him because he took his own life there. Laura says, but they know it was Luke, don’t they? and Anna says, unless the Bureau finds evidence to the contrary, they’ll proceed as if Luke was just another victim that day. Laura says, collateral damage? and Anna says, yes, to Kurt’s fanatical cause. Drew says, whatever that was, and Anna says, unfortunately, they weren’t able to connect this crash and Luke to Victor. Laura says, maybe not yet, but knowledge is power, and they’re off to a good start.
Ava says, she suspects when Victor finally reveals his big plan for the family, it’ll behoove her to remain in his good graces. He says, so her friendliness toward him has a more selfish motivation, and she says, he knows better than anybody they all have selfish motivations. She’s just up front about hers. Besides she and Nikolas are married; she and Victor are family now. They’ll be in each other’s lives from now on. Shouldn’t that make them allies, able to enjoy each other’s company? He lifts his glass, when Nikolas arrives. He says he hopes they didn’t order without him, and she says, of course (🍷) not. She was beginning to think he’d stood them up. Where’s Spencer? Nikolas says, things were a little tense between him and Esme. Spencer wanted some time to talk to her. Victor hopes they’re coming; this celebration is for Spencer. Nikolas says, Spencer woudn’t make any promises, and Ava says she’s sorry. She knows how anxious Nikolas has been to make almonds amends to him. Nikolas says, the reality is, he and Spencer have a long way to go before any healing takes place, but Victor says, no. That is absolutely unacceptable.
Spencer says he’s glad Esme didn’t leave before he returned home. They left a lot unsaid. In fairness, it’s not like he could have chased after her with twelve hours left on his sentence. She says she didn’t like how they ended things either. She tossed and turned all night, wondering if he meant all the horrible things he said to her; that he actually believed she was the one responsible for filming Joss and Cameron doing the dirty. Thank you for realizing that wasn’t true. She moves closer to him, but he backs up and tells her, he never said that. She says she’s a little confused. If he doesn’t believe her, then what’s been left unsaid? He says he wants to believe her. He wants to believe in her, but right now she’s blaming Trina for something he knows she couldn’t possibly… Esme says, but she could, and he says he doesn’t know. What he does know is, she was at the cabin, and she has a side to her that is capable of going to extremes. She says, he means like what she did to Ava: setting her car on fire, planting her dead daughter’s hospital ID badge beneath the car. She’d never even heard of Ava Jerome until Spencer decided to frighten her away from his father. How does she know he’s not the one capable of filming his friends without their consent? He was at the cabin too, but he doesn’t see her going around accusing him. How do they know it isn’t all his doing?
Nikolas says he knows Victor is invested in healing the rift between him and Spencer, but it’s going to take time. Victor says, Nikolas doesn’t understand. He gave Nikolas room to take this process as slowly as he needed to bring the family together, but he trusted the wrong people, and now they’re running out of time. Valentin and Alexis will most likely never want to have anything to do with him again, but the rest of the family might come together while they still can. Nikolas says, while they still can? What’s that supposed to mean?
Harmony tells Alexis not to pressure herself. She’ll know when it’s time to move on. Alexis says, what she wants to move on from is this office. And since she’s the boss, she can declare the work day over. So she declares the work day’s over. Molly and TJ are making her a feast tonight to thank her for letting them stay with her. Harmony says, are they moving out? and Alexis says, they are. They found another place. She’s sad and she’ll miss them, but it’s good they have their own space. Harmony says, it must be nice to have a home cooked meal. Her motel room doesn’t have a kitchen. Alexis asks if she said motel room. She’s staying in a motel? Since she left prison? That’s a year ago. Harmony says, yeah. It’s tough to save up for a deposit on what she makes at Spring Ridge. Alexis says she’s sorry. Would it help if someone co-signed a lease for her? Harmony says, someone like Alexis?
The desk sergeant tells Michael that they need Commissioner Ashford to sign off on the paperwork before he leaves, and goes in the back. Michael says, while they wait, Willow can tell him about Harmony. Willow says, her condition wasn’t serious, but when Harmony heard she was in the hospital, she couldn’t get there fast enough. Michael says, that’s what parents do; they move heaven and earth for their kids. She says, easy for him to say. He knows her history. Her mom is a seeker, and her love for Willow always came second place to enlightenment. Michael says, and last night was different, and Willow says, yeah. It was like the mom she’d always hoped for showed up. She was so loving and concerned. He says, it must have been nice for her, and she says, it was the first time her mom put her needs ahead of her own, or some spiritual leader’s. She’s grateful, even if she doesn’t know what inspired this new Harmony.
Sonny and Nina slow dance, and flash back to slow dancing at the Tan-O. He spins her, and they get closer. He says, she has to admit, he’s pretty good, and she says she gives him an A for effort. He says, what about execution? and she says he’s a little rusty, but she can whip him back into shape. They have all the time in the world… except… that’s the one they thing don’t have. I can tell you this, what they do have is Sonny’s dimples.
Alexis says she’s not necessarily saying it should be her, and Harmony says she has the feeling they’d be crossing a line. Alexis says, what if she helps Harmony with a security deposit; a loan. Harmony says she wouldn’t want to jeopardize their friendship by owing Alexis money, and Alexis says she has an empty house, and Harmony needs a home. So why doesn’t Harmony take the next few weeks, save some money, and stay with her?
Jordon tells Michael, he’s good to go. Make sure he makes his court date. He says, understood. Jordan’s phone rings, and she steps away. Michael asks if Willow is ready, and she says, let’s go. He takes her hand, and says he owes her a second apology. In addition to decking that reporter, he delayed their vacation. She says, turnabout’s fair play. She delayed it first with the search for her birth certificate. Now he’s out on bail, and has to stay in town. He asks if she’ll settle for a candlelit dinner, and she says, with coq au vin, mousse au chocolat, and a lovely Bordeaux? See? She already speaks the language. He tells her, you know what they say, we’ll always have Paris, and they kiss.
On the phone with Robert, Jordan says, the judge set a date for the trial. Diane Miller is gearing up for a fight. There’s been no additional pressure from the Quartermaines or Sonny Corinthos. No special requests… Right. She’ll keep him posted.
Sonny says he’s got to go, and Nina says, her too. Curtis walks in, and says, Sonny’s office said he could find Sonny here. He asks if he came at a bad time, but Nina says, no. She came to see Phyllis, but she’s not here, so she was just leaving. She grabs her bag, and Curtis asks if she’s sure. She says, she and Curtis will catch up soon, and she leaves. Sonny asks what he can do for Curtis, and Curtis says he needs to ask Sonny a favor.
Spencer tells Esme, knock it off. She knows he was in Spring Ridge and couldn’t have posted the video. She says, he told her that he was able to sneak in and out of Spring Ridge thanks to Uncle Victor, and she knows he and Cam were enemies when they were kids. Maybe that sex tape was payback. He says, that is not at all… and she says, calm down. She doesn’t actually believe he did it; she was just making a point. He had motive and opportunity, but he doesn’t see her accusing him, because she has faith in her partner’s character. She has faith in them, or at least she used to. But he can’t seem to extend that same grace to her, can he? He doesn’t answer, and she says she guesses there’s nothing more they can say to one another. She drops her purse going out the door, and quickly moves to retrieve it, but not before Spencer picks up a pregnancy test that’s fallen out.
Anna says, Tracy and Bobbie will be informed that the crash was deliberate, but Sam wonders if they should tell them the truth. Laura says, she’d rather not. Bobbie already suspects Luke was targeted, but she doesn’t know Victor might be a part of it. Tracy’s in the Netherlands. Drew says, the less they know the safer they’ll be, and Laura says, exactly. Drew says, especially after that scam on the bridge. Victor now knows Drew is coming for him. Anna says, he’ll realize the walls are closing in on him, and Laura says, anyone he suspects is working to expose him will be in grave danger now.
Victor apologizes to Ava and Nikolas for his outburst. He says he supposes he was just airing his frustration with Valentin. Nikolas says, because Valentin doesn’t want Victor in his life? and Victor says not to let an old fool project his problems on Nikolas’s relationship with his son. Nikolas says, it’s not the first time Victor has alluded that something is eating him up, and Ava says, obviously something important, even dangerous, is happening. Nikolas says, Victor made it clear that he couldn’t or wouldn’t discuss it with them, but they are family. Ava says, they can’t help ease his burden, they can’t help him if he doesn’t share it with them. Nikolas says, perhaps it’s time Victor told them exactly what he’s been planning since before he was back in town. Victor rubs his signet ring, and says, maybe they’re right.
Tomorrow, Josslyn asks if Cameron is saying it’s her fault; Esme says Spencer has broken her heart; Victor asks if he has Nikolas and Ava’s support; and Sonny says, with all due respect, how is it Curtis’s business?
See you tomorrow for the wild card that is Friday, where you’ll find soap, tea, sage statements, and something to tickle your musical bone. Until then, stay safe, stay not changing lanes without signaling, and stay remembering knowledge is power.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Drew finds Curtis at the MetroCourt bar and says he sees Curtis started without him. Curtis puts keys on the bar, and Drew says, too far gone to drive already? but Curtis says, they’re house keys. He and Portia just closed on a new place. Drew says, that’s awesome… and deserving of a toast. He tells the bartender to hook him up, and asks Curtis, what’s next? Curtis says, it’s hard to focus on the future when Marshall’s past won’t leave him alone.
At the hospital, Marshall tells Deanna that he’s having issues with his medication and can’t seem to reach his doctor. He was treated there by Dr. Rose some month back. She says she’ll track him down, and Marshall thanks her, saying, he really needs to get the dosage right. He sees Ava and Avery talking with TJ, and Sonny joins them. Sonny asks, what happened? and Ava says, Avery had a fall at the playground. She says her arm hurts. TJ says, it’s nothing they can’t fix, and Sonny tells Avery, he’s known this guy since he was about this big, holding his hand three inches from the floor. TJ says he thinks he was a little taller than that, and Sonny says he watched TJ become a great doctor and he trusts TJ with his life. Ava says, then she guesses they can trust him with Avery’s arm, and TJ says, let’s do it.
Carly tells Josslyn, this is just a conversation, leading her to Alexis’s office. Alexis is going to explain to Josslyn how The Invader is going to tell her story… if that’s the avenue she wants to take. Carly knows Josslyn and Cameron are supposed to meet with the detective afterward, but if that’s not something she wants to do, or if it’s too much… Josslyn says she gets it. She’s been thinking about this all night, so she’s ready. Carly hugs Josslyn and knocks on the door, and Alexis tells them to come in. Cameron and Elizabeth are already there, and Alexis thanks them all for coming. Unless they have any questions, they can jump right in. There are no questions, so she asks them to sit down, and says, let’s get started.
Nikolas goes to Laura’s place, and she asks what brings him by. He says he wondered if she needed any help with Spencer’s homecoming, and she says, there’s not much to do. His room is ready, and she did stop and pick up his favorite madelines from Eckerd’s. He asks if she’s sure that’s it, and she says, he’s only been gone a month. And if she’s being honest, he shouldn’t be coming back here at all. His home is with Nikolas at Windymere.
At Spring Ridge, Spencer puts his cards down, and tells Samuel, gin. It looks like he wins supreme, unless Samuel is letting him win. Samuel says, not his style, when Harmony comes by and asks Spencer if there’s any chance he could spare some time for a fellow inmate. He turns around to see Ryan parked at another table, and she says if he doesn’t want anything to do with Ryan, she completely understands. She’d steer clear of him too if it wasn’t her job. Spencer asks what he wants, and she says, to play a game – Spencer notices a chess board in front of Ryan – and to talk. Spencer says, he can’t talk. That’s what being locked-in means, doesn’t it? She says they’ve developed a work around, and Ryan communicated with her last night. She’s prepared for different directions that the conversation might take. Spencer says, that must have been a lot of blinking, and she says, yeah, but honestly, if he’s not comfortable with it or has reservations… He says, let’s do it. He’s only going to be there for a couple more hours, and quite frankly, he’s gin rummied out. No offense. Samuel says, none taken, and Spencer goes with Harmony over to Ryan’s table. Spencer says, white or black? and Harmony says, Ryan takes black; Spencer makes the first move. Spencer moves a piece, and asks what Ryan wanted to talk about. Harmony tells him, Ryan says, you’re welcome.
Nikolas says he highly doubts Spencer would be on board with living at Windymere, but Laura says, they’ve made some inroads, haven’t they? He says, they’ve made some ground, but pushing Spencer to come home is the surest way to lose it. She says, just bring up the conversation, and they’ll go from there. They need to close ranks. Nikolas doesn’t want to leave Spencer vulnerable to Victor, does he? Nikolas says, no, and she says, that’s where Spencer is going to land if he doesn’t come to Nikolas. And if she’s being completely honest, Spencer’s living situation here can’t go on indefinitely. Esme comes out with her suitcase, and says she agrees, which is why she’s moving out.
Carly says, it has to be made clear that Josslyn and Cameron did not make the video, and they did not release it themselves. Elizabeth says, absolutely, and Alexis says, got it. That goes without saying, but the number one priority is for them to be protected. If they do this, it’s an opportunity to take control and frame the narrative. Having said that, it’s a very big decision, and if they decide they don’t want to do it, fine; it’s up to them. She assumes they must have questions about the process, and Carly says she has many. Elizabeth says, so does she, and Alexis says she’s going to answer all of them, but right now she’s going to ask Elizabeth and Carly to step outside for a bit, because she thinks this conversation might be more productive with fewer participants. Carly tells Josslyn to text if she needs her, and she and Elizabeth leave. Alexis says, okay, let’s hear it.
TJ says, right this way, and Ava says, aren’t they lucky that Dr. Ashford is here today, and that Avery’s father knows him so well? Deanna tells Marshall that Dr. Rose isn’t in today, but she can help him make an appointment for when he is. Marshall watches TJ usher Sonny and company into the exam room.
Curtis asks, how bad is it? and Drew asks if he’s sure he wants to know. Curtis says, is it that bad? and Drew says, not necessarily, but he’s looking at Curtis right now, and it seems like maybe he doesn’t want to know this information. He gets it. Curtis has his father back in his life, something he never thought was going to happen. If Alan Quartermaine walked off the elevator right now, maybe that would be enough for Drew. Maybe he wouldn’t need to know Alan’s faults and failings, and why he made the choices he made. Maybe he’d be happy to know his father in the here now, and just take it from there. Curtis wonders if Drew is saying he should ignore what’s in the envelope, but Drew tells him, he’s saying it’s completely Curtis’s call. He’s just pointing out there’s no shame in considering his father’s presence in his life a gift, and taking that gift, no questions asked.
TJ says, they’ll take some x-rays to make sure, but it looks like a wrist sprain at most, and Avery asks what an x-ray is. TJ says, it’s when they take really cool pictures of what’s inside her, and Ava says, a sprain would be good news; not the end of the world. Avery asks if she’ll still get a lollypop, but TJ says he’s all out of them today. Sonny says he’ll go to the gift shop and get her one, and Avery says, yay. Sonny comes out, and Marshall approaches him. Marshall says he’s finally figured Sonny out. He’s the type who only learns his lesson the second time around. Sonny asks if there’s a problem, and Marshall says he thought he made himself clear at The Savoy. Don’t come at his family. Sonny says he thinks Marshall was wrong about what was happening then, and he’s making a mistake about what’s happening now, but Marshall says, it’s no mistake. He saw Sonny talking to TJ. He’s Marshall’s grandson. Sonny says, TJ also happens to be a doctor, and his daughter was injured on the playground; he’s treating her. Marshall says, this hospital is full of doctors. Find another one please. He don’t want his grandson associating with the likes of Sonny. Sonny says he’d be interested to find out how Marshall is going to enforce that. Excuse him. He leaves, and TJ watches Marshall from the doorway.
At the MetroCourt, Carly asks if Elizabeth knows what she wants, and Elizabeth says, that depends. Is she serving head on a platter? Carly says she will be, when they prove Esme did this. How is Cameron? Elizabeth says, he’s mortified, furious, completely and utterly shaken. Carly says, that sounds about right, and Elizabeth asks how Josslyn is doing. She seems to be holding up really well. Carly says, she’s checking all the boxes; head held high, determined to stand up for herself, but she has to be putting up a front. Elizabeth says, how could it not be? and Carly says she doesn’t care how tough you are, when you’re called a tramp and a slut, it takes its toll. She didn’t want this for Josslyn. She wanted Josslyn to be who she is, confident and strong, come out swinging if need be. Why did this happen? Elizabeth says she doesn’t know, but she can tell Carly this; Josslyn’s going to be okay. Carly asks how she can be so sure, and Elizabeth says, Josslyn’s got Carly.
Josslyn says, once it’s established that this tape was made and posted without their consent… Alexis says, which is illegal. She can’t stress that enough. Revenge porn and filming someone without their consent is a misdemeanor and felony respectively. Josslyn asks if there will be any mention of Esme, but Alexis says, they can only make general references to a person who’s unnamed, thought to be responsible. Without any evidence from the PCU or the police, any allegations made to a specific wrongdoer if libelous. Josslyn asks, what about mentions of her and Cam? and Alexis says, typically pseudonyms are used in cases like this. Cameron says, that won’t stop other papers from using their names, and Alexis says, given how young they are, respected news organizations will most likely follow their lead and not identify them. Cameron says, what about the non-respected ones?They’re going to be all over this because Joss is Sonny’s stepdaughter. Josslyn says, if their real names are out there, why even use the pseudonyms? Maybe they just start with their real names. Cameron says, or maybe they don’t do this at all.
Esme says, she vacuumed, made the bed, and scoured the bathroom. It will be like she was never here. Nikolas says, Spencer will be heartbroken to come home and find her gone, and he’s guessing she’ll feel the same way. Esme says she just doesn’t know, and Nikolas suggests she stay until Spencer gets here, and they can decide on the next step together. Laura asks him to go pick up Spencer. Then she and Esme can have chance to talk, just the two of them. He tells her, work her magic, and leaves. Laura says, it’s just the two of them now, and asks Esme to tell her what’s really going on.
Spencer asks what he’s supposed to be grateful for, and speaking for Ryan, Harmony says, Spencer and his girlfriend exploited his name and reputation, using it to further their own; ends that saw Ava hurt. He didn’t stop them. Spencer asks why he should have. Ryan’s name entered the public domain ten murders ago. Harmony moves a chess piece, and says, and it was all for nothing. Ava and Nikolas are still together, and Spencer is out in the cold, abandoned even my his own girlfriend. Spencer moves a piece, and says he should have spent the last hour doing pottery, and Harmony says, it doesn’t have to be this way. Spencer still has one friend. Spencer asks who? and Harmony as Ryan says, me.
TJ says, it’s a mild sprain. Avery will need an elastic bandage and some ice. Sonny comes in, and says, and this, giving Avery a lollypop. TJ says he’ll get Nurse Deanna to wrap it up for her; she’s the best in this business. Sonny says, don’t tell Epiphany, and TJ says, the best in the business after Epiphany. Ava says, smart guy, and Sonny thanks him for checking Avery out. TJ says, anytime, and asks if he can talk to Sonny for a quick second. As they leave, Ava says, Avery got watermelon. Avery’s dad knows it’s her favorite. She’s a lucky girl. In the hallway, TJ says he saw Sonny with his grandfather. Is everything okay? Sonny says, he has no problem with Marshall, and TJ tells Avery to take care of that arm, and leaves. Ava says she has an idea. After Avery is patched up, why don’t they head to Kelly’s for some ice cream? Avery asks, can Mama Carly come too?
Marshall tells Deanna that he doesn’t like to mess around with this stuff. Is there someone else he can see besides Dr. Rose? TJ says, someone like him?
Curtis says Drew is right. He does want his father in his life. If it was just him, he could probably go on not asking another question. Drew says, but he’s also asking for Portia and Trina, and Curtis says, and for TJ and Aunt Stella. How can he, in good conscience, open the door to his life, and let Marshall in without knowing what’s going to follow him inside? Drew says, sounds like Curtis made up his mind, and Curtis says he can’t look the other way. He has to know everything about that man before he lets Marshall come any closer. Drew slides the envelope over, and Curtis opens it.
Spencer tells Ryan, he thinks he’s all set on friends, but thank you. Harmony sighs, and says, we’re on the same team. Neither of us wants your father with Ava, but only one of us still has the power to act. Will you use it? She moves another piece, says, checkmate, and Nikolas walks in.
Laura says Esme was right; everything was absolutely spotless. Esme says Laura almost sounds disappointed, and Laura says she likes an easy call. She thought she had Esme all figured out. She actually thought Esme was bad for Spencer, and it was only a matter of time before he figured it out. Esme says, and bye-bye Esme, and Laura says, yes, but that’s not what happened. Esme and Spencer became even closer, and she saw Esme encourage Spencer to reconcile with his father. As it turns out, Esme is by no means an easy call. Esme asks if Laura is saying she was wrong about her.
Josslyn says, so Cameron doesn’t want to do the article? and Cameron says he just wants them to consider all their options before going public. She says, they’re already public; that’s kind of the whole point. He says, if they keep talking about it, everyone is going to keep talking about it. If they stay quiet, maybe it will blow over. She says, that’s easy for him to say. He’s big man on campus. Meanwhile, she’s being tagged as a slut on social media. He says, that’s not what he meant. He knows this is harder on her, he really does. Alexis says she’s not doing this feature to make money. She’s doing it because she thinks it can do some real good, but they both have to be on board. If they decide that the downside is too great, she fully understands. This is a really hard thing to do. She’ll follow their lead, and in the meantime, give them some time to talk about it.
Elizabeth says. she used to consider herself lucky that she only had boys, and Carly says, she never dreamed of a little girl? Elizabeth says, the thought terrified her. She convinced herself that if she had a little girl, she’d have to build walls around her and put her in bubble wrap. Carly says, don’t think she hasn’t tried, and Elizabeth says, anything to protect her so she wouldn’t get hurt. Carly says, like Elizabeth did? and Elizabeth says, that night changed everything for her, but now that she has Violet in her life, she realizes she had it all wrong. She hopes Violet is raised the same way Carly raised Josslyn, to be a strong, fierce, proactive young woman. Yes, she just paid Carly a compliment. Carly says she thought her ears were playing tricks on her, and Elizabeth says, they’ve had their differences, but Carly did a helluva job raising her daughter.
Laura says, how about if they say Esme’s shown so much growth, she’s reconsidered her initial evaluation? but Esme says, unfortunately, it’s a little too late. Laura asks if things are really that bad with Esme and Spencer. She finds it so hard to believe. Esme asks, why? and Laura says she can see Esme’s opinion holds weight with him. He listens to her and takes her words to heart. She knows Spencer adores Esme; she’s seen the way he looks at her. Esme asks if Laura has seen the way he looks at Trina, and Laura says, okay. Now she understands. Esme says, it’s been that way since the moment she met Trina. She was looking for Spencer at Windymere, and she found him alone with Trina. It was obvious she was interrupting something. At first, she chalked it up to her own insecurity, but now it’s too obvious to ignore. The person she crossed an ocean for, the only guy she’s ever loved, has fallen for someone else. Now she’s leaving Spence behind before he and his friends leave her with nothing.
Harmony says, Ryan would like to know if Spencer would like to play another game, but Nikolas walks over, and says, today’s the big day. Is Spencer ready? Spencer says he’s never been readier, if that’s a word. They step away from the table, and Nikolas asks where his grandmother is. Nikolas says, she’s waiting for him at her place. He gestures toward Ryan, and says, what is that? Spencer says, with Ryan? He’s just killing some time, but Nikolas says, nothing is ever that simple with Chamberlain. Spencer says, Ryan is just trying to get inside his head, and Nikolas asks if he’s all right. Spencer says, he’s fine. Grandmother’s at home; what about Ava?
Ava says, Avery hasn’t seen a lot of Carly lately, has she? She doesn’t know if Carly is available, but she can call and ask. Sony says, if Carly isn’t free, they can schedule a playdate. He knows there have been a lot of changes, but one thing that will always stay the same is, her parents – all three of them – and her brothers and sisters will always love her… to the end of the galaxy. Avery says, promise? and he kisses the top of her head, saying, he promises.
Marshall thanks TJ for the offer, but he’s okay. TJ asks if he’s sure; he sounded a little put out. Deanna says, Dr. Ashford knows his stuff, and TJ says he appreciates that. He asks if Deanna can wrap Avery’s wrist; she has a mild sprain. She goes to the exam room, and TJ says, she’s right. He does know his stuff. Marshall says he sounded put out, but it’s his fault. He should have called before he came. TJ says, or maybe Marshall’s not upset because he couldn’t see his doctor. Maybe he’s upset because Sonny got under his skin.
Elizabeth says she has to admit, in the beginning she was rooting for Cameron and Trina to get together, and Carly says, as opposed to Cameron and Josslyn? Elizabeth says she was just worried Josslyn might be… Carly says, too much like her? and Elizabeth says, now she realizes Josslyn is exactly who she wants Cameron to be with. She’s smart, independent, fiercely loyal to the people she cares about. Carly says, and Cameron isn’t afraid of Josslyn’s fierceness, and Elizabeth says, the opposite; he’s drawn toward it. More than that, he respects it. Carly says, if they’re throwing around compliments, she has some. Cameron is a great kid, and he respects women because Elizabeth taught him to. Elizabeth says, it’s ironic. Respect hasn’t always been her thing. Carly knows that better than anyone else. We flash back to when they were practically teens, and Elizabeth calling Carly the town whore, and Carly slapping her, saying hypocritical slut Elizabeth got pregnant on purpose. Elizabeth says, Carly was right. She was a hypocrite, judging Carly when she was no saint herself. Carly says she could have taken the high road a few times, but she didn’t, and it’s highly unlikely she will in the future.
Cameron says, everything has been moving so fast, he’s had no time to think about it, and Josslyn says, really? She feels like that’s all she does. And guess what? They don’t have the power to slow it down. They’ve already gotten email requests for comments from the PCU paper. Does he think it will stop there? He says, it could. Maybe if they both keep their heads down, something will come along to take the attention away from them. She says, then what? He heard Alexis. What happened to them was a crime, and sitting in the dark hiding just makes her feel like more of a victim, and she doesn’t want that. And she doesn’t want people to think she’s ashamed because she’s not. They didn’t do anything wrong. They had sex because they love each other. She loves him. He says he loves her too, and she says she’s not going to let Esme and some internet creepers turn it into something ugly. He says, he doesn’t want her to get hurt, but she says she’ll hurt more if she doesn’t stand up for herself. So will he stand up with her? Alexis knocks, and says there’s someone she wants them to meet. She introduces Alicia Giago, one of their best reporters. She doesn’t mean to pressure them, but they’re reaching a deadline for tomorrow’s issue. If they want to stay ahead of the story, the story has to be in said issue. Have they reached a decision?
Esme says, to Spence’s friends, she’s toxic, and they’ve finally convinced him to agree, and Laura says, so she’s leaving? Esme says she refuses to stick around for scapegoat duty, and Laura says, even if it means giving up Spencer? Esme asks what Laura would do in her position. Fight to hold to a guy who’s into someone else? Laura says she’d have to think twice, and Esme says she bets Laura never had to. She bets Laura has always been first in the eyes of the ones she’s loved. Esme is lucky if anyone sees her at all. Spence did, but not anymore. Laura says she doesn’t know that, but Esme says she does. Laura asks if she’s 100% certain, and Esme doesn’t say anything. Laura says, no? Okay. Esme asked what she’d do in her position. She thinks she’d want to know if it was really over before she walked away. Esme says she doesn’t even know why they’re discussing this. Why would it make a difference to Laura whether she’s with Spence or she isn’t? Laura says, actually, it makes more difference than Esme knows.
Nikolas tells Spencer that Avery had a playground accident, and Ava decided to take her to the hospital. Spencer asks how bad Avery is hurt, and Nikolas says, Ava doesn’t think it’s serious, but she wants to make sure. Spencer says, it’s good Ava is focused on Avery, so she won’t be focused on torturing him. Nikolas says, Spencer… and Spencer says, they can’t forget Ava is in charge of his restitution. Nikolas says, let’s not start out this way, and Spencer says, what way? but Nikolas says, Spencer knows what he means. They haven’t even left this place, and already they’re at odds over Ava. Spencer asks, when are they not? and Nikolas says, walking out those doors doesn’t erase everything. Spencer has a lot of work ahead to make up for the pain he caused. He needs all the allies he can get. Spencer says, so he has to toe the line, or Nikolas and Ava will cut him loose? He’s been there; he’s done that. Nikolas says he wishes Spencer could see his release the way he does. It’s an opportunity for a fresh start, for all of them. Spencer glances at Ryan, who blinks once, and he tells Nikolas, let’s just focus on us. They can worry about the subject of Ava later. Nikolas says he’ll take what he can get. They’ll get him processed and out of here. He leaves, and Spencer follows, stopping to look at Ryan.
Elizabeth says, the name calling they did seems worse now, doesn’t it? and Carly says, in light of what the kids are going through, it seems like the universe is dishing out some serious karma. They said some nasty things to each other, and she feels like Joss and Cam are paying the price. Elizabeth says she just feels like they’re being tested, and where she and Carly failed as young adults, they’ll succeed. Carly says Elizabeth sounds confident, and Elizabeth says she is. Because she and Carly raised some fundamentally decent humans. It’s not going to protect them from getting hurt… Carly says, no, but it will give them the tools to handle it, and Elizabeth says, exactly. They’re going to take what’s thrown at them and keep on going. Carly says, just like they did. Hopefully, with less drama. Elizabeth says, way less.
Ava says she takes it there was a little hiccup with Sonny and Curtis’s father, and Sonny says she doesn’t miss a beat. She says she’s tuned to his moods, and he says, it wasn’t a hiccup, just a communication problem. Ava says, not on his part though. She says this because she heard he was communicating quite a bit on Nina’s behalf. He says, on Wiley’s behalf, and she says, whichever. It’s a side she’s not often privy to; optimistic and sociable. She likes it. It’s becoming, and she hopes she sees more of it. He smiles.
Marshall says, he’s crossed paths with men like Sonny before, and TJ says, then he should know, Sonny’s no one to mess with. Marshall says, TJ seems pretty chummy with him, and TJ says, they go way back. Sonny was there for him when he really needed him. Marshall says he bets Sonny loves to remind TJ of it too, but TJ says, it’s not like that. Marshall says, not yet, but the Sonnys of the world never forget a favor given, and Lord knows, they always collect on a favor owed. Don’t mistake his generosity for genuine friendship.
Curtis looks at some papers, and Drew says, it’s a lease dated September of 1986 for a one-bedroom apartment in Buenos Aires. They were never digitized, so a conventional background check wouldn’t have caught it because it’s a foreign document. Curtis says he never thought his father lived outside the U.S., and Drew says, the only reason his people caught it is because Aurora’s big enough that it vets international. Curtis says, so his father lived outside the country, and Drew says, but it’s who he lived as that surprised him. Check out the name on the agreement. Curtis says, Marshall Ashford. If he was in Witness Protection, wouldn’t he have an alias? Drew says, maybe he got sloppy? and Curtis says, or maybe he was never in Witness Protection. I have to mention, not once did Marshall ever say he was in Witness Protection. Curtis just assumed it.
Josslyn and Cameron go to the MetroCourt. Josslyn tells Elizabeth and Carly, they heard what Alexis had to say, and they agree with it. Elizabeth says, so they’re doing the story? and Cameron says, they did the story. Josslyn says, they already spoke to the reporter. They’re not hiding; they’re going to stand up for themselves. Carly says, good for both of them, when a woman approaches the table. She introduces herself as Detective Lopez from the PCPD, and asks if Josslyn and Cameron ready to give their statements. Cameron nods, and Josslyn says, they’re ready. They follow the detective out.
Alexis says, this is actually coming together, and Alicia says, at the speed of light. Alexis says she’s really proud of Josslyn and Cameron. This was a tough decision. So it’s their job to make sure they don’t regret it.
Curtis says, so if his father wasn’t in Witness Protection, but was on the run, his claims of having a dangerous past don’t count for much. Drew says, maybe Witness Protection services doesn’t extend abroad, but Curtis says, he’d still have an alias though. Providing he ever had one in the first place. Drew says, so Curtis got this information, now what is he going to do with it?
Marshall tells TJ to stay away from Sonny. If he keeps sniffing around, let him know. TJ says, if he ever has any problems with Sonny, he will. He leaves, and Marshall looks at his prescription bottle. He turns, and Avery slams into him, causing him to drop it. It rolls toward Sonny, who stops it with his foot.
Harmony says, next time Ryan wants to play mind games with someone, find himself another lackey. She has enough trouble in her own life. He blinks a bunch of times, and she says, what is it? He blinks some more.
Marshall asks if Avery is all right, and Ava apologizes. Sonny picks up the bottle, and Marshall holds out his hand, saying, he’ll have that back now. Sonny hands it to him, says, see him soon, and leaves with Ava and Avery.
Harmony reads, don’t worry. One day I’ll free you from your service the only way I know how. Yikes.
Laura says, under normal circumstances she’d step back and let Spencer and Esme work out their problems, but these are not normal times. It’s very clear Victor is up to no good, which will most certainly blow back on her son and grandson. Whatever issues they’re having, she knows Esme really cares about Spencer, and right now, he needs everybody he can get in his corner, and especially the ones who have sway with him. Esme says, so if she can help keep Spence away from Victor, Laura will overlook her issues? What happens if she’s not willing to overlook Spence’s? Nikolas and Spencer come in.
Tomorrow, Willow tells Michael that she wasn’t being honest with him; Ava tells Victor that when she wants something, she usually gets it; and Nina tells Sonny that she was following up on something important.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
When we last left, Gina and Shannon were having a private discussion at Jen’s party. Shannon said she was still reeling from Gina asking if she even had friends. She’d invited Gina so many different places; where had Gina invited her? Gina said she was going to invite Shannon to her launch party, but now she didn’t know if she wanted to. Shannon said now Gina was holding her invitation hostage, but Gina said she hadn’t invited anyone anywhere because her life had been trashed. In her interview, Shannon said, when one person had to do all the work, the friendship was one-sided, but that was just her opinion. Gina said she was bothered by Shannon bringing her up to different people in different situations, telling them that she’d gotten Gina a lawyer. Shannon said, but she had, and Gina told Shannon that she was thankful, but it had been three years ago. In Shannon’s interview, she said, if someone had helped her when she’d been arrested for a DUI, she’d thank them all the time, but she didn’t need thanks. That feeling you had at about 9:04 pm was me rolling my eyes so hard it vibrated the world. Heather told Emily, the day she met Gina, Shannon brought up Gina’s DUI and her divorce. We flashed back to Shannon telling Heather all about it in a limo, and Gina thanking Shannon for saving her. Gina told Shannon, it wasn’t cool to keep telling people Gina was egotistical. It was starting to feel mean. Shannon said she’d been nothing but kind to Gina, and Gina said Shannon wasn’t doing it to be kind, but to self-promote. Shannon wanted to write her own hero story about herself. Shannon told Gina that she really did need to put a pin in it. This could possibly replace clip in the Bravoverse catch-phrase dictionary. Emily told Heather that Shannon said Gina had an over-inflated sense of self and was arrogant, and Heather said Shannon didn’t understand the phrase put a pin in it. It meant it should be discussed later. Gina said she was sorry she felt good about herself. Does Shannon want her to hate herself? Shannon said the funniest part was that she was so busy, in good ways, with the kids, her personal relationship, and her business, and Gina was saying she was jealous. There was no arrogance in that? Gina said she felt bad for Shannon, and had nothing but pity for Shannon’s life. She wasn’t doing this anymore. She got up, and Shannon said she hoped Gina got to her level one day. Gina said maybe one day she’d make it after all over. She was done. Gina walked away, but Shannon followed, telling her to put a pin in her ego, and calling her an a-hole. Gina asked if Shannon was f***ing kidding her, but wisely kept walking. In Gina’s interview, she said, in general, Shannon was naturally selfish. She had to work at being excited for Gina.
Gina told Heather that Shannon hoped Gina got to her level one day, and in Heather’s interview, she wondered, if Shannon was so happy, why did she have to keep expressing she was so happy? Areyou happy? Heather asked Shannon what was going on, and Shannon said, Gina claimed she was jealous of Gina’s friendship with Heather. Heather said, Gina felt Shannon wasn’t supportive. Heather had been excited about the New York trip, and when Shannon called, she thought Shannon was going to ask how the show went, but it was none of that. She was calling about having more fun than Heather and Gina. In Shannon’s interview, she said, Heather was going to come at her for not bringing up her podcast? She didn’t know Heather’s schedule, and was never going to. Noella said, there was a vibe at dinner, and Heather walked away, since she couldn’t finish her sentence. In her interview, she said, every time Noella was around, Noella couldn’t stop talking. She had to interject her opinion, even if it didn’t involve her. Jen kept giving people suggestions for procedures using a laser pointer, and in her interview, she suggested someone take it away from her before the party cleared out. Shannon told John that Gina said she had nothing but pity for Shannon’s life, and he said, f*** Gina. It was the most ridiculous comment he’d ever heard. They were done with Gina. Who TF did she think she was? Jen asked Ryne if what she said had been understandable, and he told her, it should be a TED talk.
Heather asked to speak with Shannon in private, and said, Shannon understood how hurtful labels could be if they were inaccurate. Shannon whined that Gina had done that multiple times, and Heather pointed out that Shannon had done that to her. Shannon had said Heather was pretentious, among other things. This put Shannon into can-you-top-this? mode, and she said Heather talked about her too. Like when Heather said Shannon was angry walking out of a restaurant. We flashed back to said anger, and Heather saying Shannon scared her. Shannon said, Heather had also claimed she was yelling when she wasn’t, but Heather wanted to get back to the topic at hand. Shannon didn’t and said, she got it; labels were bad. She felt blindsided and wanted to go home. Heather said she was trying to have an honest conversation, and Shannon said she’d been nothing but a supportive friend. In Heather’s interview, she said, when you had to tell people how they felt, there was a problem. I’m the best friend you ever had. Can’t you tell?At the end of the day, you show people who you are. You don’t tell them.
Noella had a session with Kate, a teacher of conscious relationships. In Noella’s interview, she said Kate was her soul’s translator. Noella was a manifester, and there was a block. She made a list of all the alternative whatevers she’d been involved with – which was a lot – and said she’d done all of it. Kate asked where things were standing, and Noella said, anger was the feeling du jour. Kate explained that it was the ending of some dreams, the ending of a chapter of life Noella thought she would live. It went along with the trauma of abandonment, and if we couldn’t find where the cycle began, we’d repeat it. Noella said her father bailed on her early. She saw him twice year, and felt if she got straight A’s, or if she was perfect and beautiful, if she didn’t mess up, he would love her. In Noella’s interview, she said she saw her father for events when he needed to look like a family man. Kate asked if Noella had wondered if he was coming back, and Noella said, 100%. In her interview, Noella said she was programmed to make a man look perfect. She told Kate that her dad had sickle cell issues. She told him that he’d been a great father, and they’d rekindled their relationship. Kate said Noella needed to find peace in acceptance; open up to what was new and she’d manifest. Noella said, it was all on her. She was the one who put men on a pedestal. Kate said Noella had been seeking validation and attention in love because she hadn’t received it from her dad. She asked where Noella thought she could seek what she couldn’t find in someone else, and Noella said she had to give it to herself. Kate said, it was cliché, but there were clichés for a reason. This actually didn’t seem much different than regular talk therapy except for words like manifest.
Emily went to Gina’s house, and Gina said something had been literally haunting her since the sweat lodge. We flashed back to that, and Gina said she felt she needed an element of God. Emily asked if an exorcist was coming, but Gina said it was called an extraction. Emily put her hood up, afraid something might attack her, and Shauna arrived to do Gina’s healing. Gina told Shauna that they’d gone to a sweat lodge, and went through an indigenous ritual, but they never finished it. We flashed back to Noella passing out, and Shauna said Gina didn’t get closure, but there was an opening for her to bring something home. In Gina’s interview, she said just the thought of that was gross. Shauna said she’d have to pull it out of Gina’s mouth, and had Gina sit in a chair. In her interview, Gina said she hated this, and hadn’t declared it in customs. Shauna had her breathe in and out, and threw some invisible things out the window. This was officially the dumbest sh*t I’ve ever seen. In Emily’s interview, she said she should have worn a hazmat suit. She and Shauna examined Gina’s eyes, which Shauna pronounced more clear. Emily said they seemed to be lighter in color, and in her interview, Emily hoped whatever it was wasn’t in her car, since she’d parked across the street. Gina told Emily that she have cleared before she had the sit-down with Shannon.
Heather stopped by Jen’s office to get some cream for an allergic reaction, and to tell Jen that her event was lovely. Jen said she felt like it served its purpose, but she should have done the speech earlier. Heather said Terry was in love with Mr. Puppers (me too!), and we saw a clip of him giving the Puppers kissies. Heather said Terry wanted one, but he wasn’t getting it, and Jen said she wanted a pack of them (me too!).
Emily looked at an Airbnb on her laptop, and called Shannon to show her the house. In Emily’s interview, she said they needed a change of scenery, and we saw a clip of her telling Gina that Cabo was too hot. Gina said, no more beaches. Emily told us that maybe the mountains and country would inspire them to get along. In Heather’s interview, she said she was excited about going to Aspen, but was concerned about some of the other women. Emily asked if Shannon had talked to Gina, and Shannon said she’d reached out, and they were going to get together tomorrow. Emily said she saw Gina a couple of days ago, leaving out the whole extraction thing, and she felt Gina was more reasonable, and admitted she’d said some mean things to Shannon. Emily thought they should celebrate Gina’s success, and in Shannon’s interview, she said she thought Emily was enjoying their growing friendship, and didn’t want any animosity between her and Gina. But if that’s what she wanted, she had to stop stirring the drama and stop misconstruing things about her from Gina.
Emily was having a dinner party for Shane’s family, and Chef Dusty did the cooking. Emily said she couldn’t even make chicken nuggets in the oven, and we saw a clip of her with chicken nuggets so burnt they could have been charcoal nuggets. She said she liked the microwave, and I totally understood. In Emily’s interview, she said, as an adult, we created the family we always wanted. It was difficult growing up with no father, and raised by a single mom with no money. We flashed back to Emily saying that everything she’d done, she’d done because she needed to prove herself worthy. She told us, as a mom, you want more for your children than you had; a safe, healthy, secure home, a mom and dad that care about each other. She told their guests that they always did a theme for their family photos, and this year they were doing a wedding photo. In her interview, she said they’d gotten married in Vegas, and Shane’s youngest was two. She’d had a tantrum, and there were no photos. She thought vow renewals were cursed, and we flashed back to Vicki, Shannon, and Braunwyn’s ceremonies. Shane pointed out that his sister Shireen did it and they were still married. In her interview, Emily said she’d wanted to do a vow renewal, but she and Shane weren’t good at the ten year mark. We flashed back to that, and she said they’d been through the trenches. She told everyone that she was starting a new trend, wedding photo redo. They toasted to family, and a long, happy life.
Noella and mom Nancy talked while Noella was doing her makeup. In Noella’s interview, she said they’d gotten the sad news that her father had passed away. He was in the home he loved in Hawaii, and was alone. They’d received a letter from his executor saying he’d passed. She told Nancy that he’d have preferred it that way to being in a hospital hooked up on machines. Nancy said he’d never gotten to meet his grandkids, and in her interview, Noella said she wished her son had gotten to meet her father. She didn’t have many regrets, but she regretted that. She could have made it happen, but she was protective, She was scared her father would hurt her kids the same way he’d hurt her. She cried, and said, in hindsight, she wished she could have worked through that.
It was time for Gina’s launch party for CaraGala, and she and friend Tatiana got their makeup done. In Gina’s interview, she said Tatiana was happy to see her success. We saw a clip of Tatiana telling Gina that she was proud of her, and it was special that it was happening at her house. Gina thanked Tatiana for extending her home, and Tatiana said everything in Gina’s life was good. Gina said there was only one thing she was nervous about – Shannon. Shannon wrote out a card for Gina, saying she wished Gina nothing but complete success. Gina told Tatiana, if Shannon could table it and show up for her, it would make her a bigger person. Tatiana wondered if Shannon could make it through the whole night, and Gina said it depended on much time she spent at the bar. There was an amazing spread, champagne, and tchotchkes, In her interview, Gina said looking around at all the people who love and want to support her put things in perspective. Her parents came in from out of town, and Travis was there. Matt and Britt would have come, but they had all the kids. Heather gifted Gina with the cutest Chanel makeup bag that was a memory of their trip, and Gina said Heather’s friendship meant a lot. Emily told Noella that she was so sorry, and explained to Heather than Noella’s father had died. Ryne did not bring Mr. Puppers, which was disappointing. There was a portrait of Gina on display, and Gina said if Shannon wanted to put a pin in it, it was a large bullseye. We saw a clip of Gina on the phone to Shannon, saying she’d like Shannon there if she could be supportive. If she felt that was something she wanted to do and could do, she’d love to have her. She told Emily and Tatiana, it wasn’t like she enjoyed hurting people’s feelings; she recognized she’d said some mean things. They agreed it wasn’t Gina’s style, and Emily said they all had their bad moments. Noella thanked Emily for her text, and we saw Emily had said if Noella wanted to go to the funeral, she’d go with her. There were lots of congratulations.
Shannon arrived bearing a gift, which I might be tempted to check for a boobytrap. Gina said she wasn’t sure if Shannon would come, but Shannon said she was a loyal friend. Gina opened the gift, and it was a glass butterfly, which Shannon said was lucky; it was symbolic. Heather told Noella that she was sorry to hear about her father, and Noella said he meant so much to so many people. His family was from Carmel, so she wanted to do something there. Heather gave a toast to him, and Noella thanked Jen for the flowers, adding that Jen still had her blocked on Instagram. In Jen’s interview, she said she wouldn’t let history get in the way of her sympathizing with Noella about her father dying, but she didn’t need tagging on Instagram. Gina’s mom thanked Shannon for getting Gina that lawyer three years ago, and in her interview, Shannon said she’d done something nice; she wasn’t crazy. Like the two were exclusive. Heather told the women that she and Terry were taking a trip to Cabo, where they were going to just eat, drink, and have hotel sex. Jen says she and Ryne had hotel sex last night, and all the women high-fived Ryne, even though he didn’t know why.
It was time for Gina’s speech, and she said, it was special to have everybody around her. The last few years had been very hard, and pouring self into CaraGala gave her a sense of purpose. She appreciated Travis supporting and loving her through everything. In her interview, she said she didn’t think she’d feel this whole if Travis hadn’t been a supportive, loving partner. Part of the reason she had confidence was because he helped put her back together. And he was from Orange County; she never would have thought it. A cake with giant sparklers came out, and Emily said she wanted Gina to look in the mirror every day, and say she was a badass boss bitch, because she was. Gina said she was glad they were all here, and Jen said she’d nailed it.
Five days later. Shannon said she didn’t know if Gina really wanted to get along with her, and Gina said she was making an effort. In Heather’s interview, she said, never in her wildest dreams did she think she was about to go to Crazytown.
Next time, the trip to Aspen, Heather tells Noella to shut up, Noella accuses Heather of putting her hands on a crew member, Emily asks why Shannon says negative things about Gina, Shannon questions Emily’s friendship, and Noella is fighting for her sanity.
🐱 Sadly, Andy Cohen told us on Watch What Happens Live tonight, that Dina Manzo’s cat Grandma Wrinkles had passed away. He talked about one of his favorite moments, on the sole WWHL New Year’s Eve show, when Grandma Wrinkles got married to Giggy. He showed a clip, and perhaps even more sadly, I remembered watching that as being one of my favorite New Year’s Eves. I even took pictures.
Giggy & Grandma Wrinkles
🦁 Easing On Down the Road…
Come on by tomorrow for soap and whatever tea I can brew up. Until then, stay safe, stay setting your own bar high, and stay remembering, at the end of the day, you don’t tell people who you are, you show them.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
In Britt’s office, Brad looks at a laptop and says, next question. I don’t care about the rules; I do what I want. Strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree. Britt says, strongly agree. How many more? This is taking forever. He tells her, have patience. When it comes to making plans, I am willing to compromise. Strongly agree… She says, somewhat agree, and he says, strongly disagree. She says, pardon? and he says, nothing. Almost there. Only 40 more questions. She says, what? and he says he’s kidding. It takes all the answers to find her perfect man.
Elizabeth sees Dante and the station, and asks if there’s been any progress on the break-in at her house. How could someone sneak a giant portrait into her house without somebody’s doorbell cam picking it up? He says, you’d think so, but they have nothing so far. She says, obviously, she’s disappointed – not surprised – but there’s been a development on her end.
Chase goes to Finn’s office, and Finn says, back again? He thought this was going to stop. Chase says, good morning to him too. Thanks for the warm welcome. Finn says he’s sorry. He thought he’d be seeing a lot less of Chase now that Brook is back in town.
Maxie finds Brook sitting outside her office, and asks if they have a meeting. She needs coffee. She was going to stop by Perks on her way there, but realized she didn’t have a free hand, and she keeps forgetting Bailey’s stroller has a cup holder. Brook says she can’t believe Maxie didn’t have coffee. It’s the first thing she does in the morning, after Miss Bailey’s bottle of course (🍷). Maxie says she brews her first cup right after she gets up. Perks is her first latte. She suggests Brook see Bailey at daycare. She’s sure Bailey misses Brook. Brook says, thanks, she will. She misses Bailey. Maxie asks how she is. She hasn’t seen Brook since she got back. Brook says she’s good.
At the MetroCourt, Portia signs a paper, and Lucy says, and that is the last one. She did it. Portia says she’s going to get carpal tunnel from signing all these documents, and Curtis thanks Lucy, saying, this was a better venue than some stuffy room in a bank. Lucy says she does aim to please, and tells them that she forgot a very important something. Stay there one minute. She leaves, and Curtis says, they’re homeowners. Portia says, they’ve got a beach house, and they kiss. Marshall walks in with Epiphany.
At the penthouse, Selena thanks Sonny for seeing her on such short notice. She didn’t want to bother him at home. There was a time she would have gone through Jason, but since he still has no second, she had no choice but to approach him directly. He says, Jason’s hard to replace. What’s on her mind? Do they have a problem?
Maxie says, Brook doesn’t have to do that, and Brook says, do what? Maxie says, pretend she’s okay. She can tell Brook’s hurting. Brook says she’s correct. Life isn’t exactly great at the moment, but how can she complain after everything Maxie went through for all those months and months? Maxie says, Brook didn’t exactly have it easy. People have been judging her and giving her grief. Brook says she’d do it all again to protect that baby girl. She’s just so grateful that Bailey is safe and Peter is finally gone. Maxie says, she’s safe because of how Brook loved and protected her; she’s not going to forget that. Brook says, don’t give her all the credit; Chase helped too. Maxie asks if Brook has seen Chase since she got back, and Brook says, he stopped by the house. Maxie asks, what was so important that he had to rush right over?
Chase tells Finn that he has a legit reason for being there, totally unrelated to Brook. He’s looking at the organizer of this year’s community softball league. Finn says, congratulations, and Chase says he volunteered. Can he put Finn down for a team? Finn says, if he must, and Chase says, and furthermore, could he get Finn to spread the word around here, and get people to sign up? Finn says, Chase might want to pick someone who’s more of a people person. He’s not the best choice to be rallying the troops. Chase says he’d talk to Elizabeth, but he figured she’d be busy with Jake, and Finn says, news on that front. Jake’s innocent; he has an alibi. Chase says, wow, what a relief. Where was he? Finn says, the library, and Chase wonders why he wouldn’t just say that in the first place. Finn says, he didn’t want his mother to know he was videoconferencing with his grandparents. Chase asks why that’s a problem, but Finn doesn’t know. All he can say is, Elizabeth is determined to keep her parents out of her life.
Epiphany looks at Curtis and Portia, and says, they look happy, and Marshall says, they do. She asks if he wants to say hello, but he says, no. He doesn’t want to be pushy. She says, he’s been pushy about getting her into his band, but he says, that suggests common sense. They could have a lot of fun playing music together. Lucy walks by with some mimosas, and Marshall wonders what they’re celebrating.
Lucy gives Portia and Curtis a mimosa, and says, here’s to their new home. Cheers. They clink glasses, and Lucy says she has to go. She really wants to get their papers filed. She hands them their keys, and says she simply has to get back to Deception or she’ll have to fire herself. Ta. Enjoy. She leaves, and Portia says she can’t wait to move in. She’s got some plans for the new house… with his agreement of course (🍷). He says he has some big plans of his own, and kisses her.
Dante says he’ll send someone over to the library, get them to check the computer logs. He’s sure they can confirm Jake’s story, but he’s relieved to hear it. Elizabeth says, her too, but now that they’ve ruled out Jake and Betsy, they’re back to square one, and she doesn’t like it that someone’s been in and out of her house, doing all these creepy things. He says, she did have that key outside that allowed access to her house, and she says she’s removed the key and changed the locks. A security system is being put in today. He says he’ll make sure a patrol car goes by the house every day too, and she thanks him. She says she’s also here on another matter. It concerns Cameron. Apparently, there’s a video going around. He says he’s aware of the video of Cam and Joss. Actually, Michael was just arrested for assaulting a tabloid reporter who asked him about it.
Selena says she and Sonny have no problem. She’s found their collaboration beneficial so far. She hopes he feels the same. He says he was surprised, since everything’s going smoothly and she asked to meet with him. What’s so urgent? She says, they used to be the Five Families calamari; now they’re two, Corinthos and Wu. Since their territories are now consolidated, it’s only natural that their business interests would overlap more than previously. He tells her, cut to the chase. What does she want? She says, use of the Port Charles harbor. Of course (🍷) he’ll get a cut of any business she does in his territory. He laughs, and says, he’ll consider that, but she’s got to play by his rules.
Brook says, Chase stopped by to drop off a few things she left at the beach house. Okay, more than a few. Maxie says, poor Chase. He seemed so lost while she was gone. Brook says she’s sure he’s missing Bailey. His suspension’s also weighing on him. Maxie says, all that is true, but she’s sure Bailey’s not the only person he’s missing. Brook says, Chase made it clear he just wants to be friends, and that’s how she wants it. She asks, where’s Lucy? Deception’s about to go public, and they haven’t even planned the party. Maxie says, she’s wrapping up some real estate business or whatever, and asks, what’s in there? indicating Brook’s notebook. Brook says, it’s just her songbook. Chase found it at the beach house. Maxie asks if she’s writing songs again, but Brook says, not exactly. She hasn’t looked at it since Nelle attacked her. She just couldn’t face it. She thought she shouldn’t write anymore since she can’t sing anymore. Maxie asks if she changed her mind, and Brook says, Chase thinks other people might want to sing them. He thinks they’re pretty good. Maxie says, oh does he? That’s very friendly of him.
Chase asks if this means the pause is over, and Finn and Elizabeth can get back together. Finn says, they haven’t talked about it yet, and Chase asks, what’s stopping them? Finn says, Elizabeth got a little spooked with all the craziness going on, and the speed with which things happened with them. It’s only been a year since she lost her husband; they’re still a family in mourning. Chase says he gets it. All those Francocentric events and sensitivities may have brought up doubts with Elizabeth. Has anything happened since the portrait? Finn says, nothing, and Chase says, maybe it’s over. Finn says, whether it is or it isn’t, he’s not giving up on his relationship with Elizabeth without a fight.
Elizabeth asks, what happens now? and Dante says, Michael will be arraigned this morning. He’ll probably make bail and have his day in court, but he’s only telling her this because she and the boys have to be careful. Smalt is a real piece of garbage, and he’s not going to let this story go. She says, this is an invasion of a very private moment; this isn’t news. It’s smut, and it was intrusive and hurtful. He agrees, but says, it’s news to them because of Josslyn’s connection to Sonny. The Corinthos name is clickbait. She has to remember, Cam and Josslyn are consenting adults now, so technically he’s allowed to go after them. She asks if the kids haven’t suffered enough. What about the person responsible? Is he going after them? He says, of course (🍷), and the PCU is also conducting their own investigation. She wonders how long that will take, and asks what else they can to do. Dante says, stay cool, don’t punch any reporters in the face. If they ask any questions, just keep walking and say no comment. Hopefully, they’ll get bored, and move on to something else soon. She says, easier said than done. Like he told her, the Corinthos name is clickbait. This becomes a story about a kingpin’s stepdaughter. He says he’s going to talk to Sonny, and tell him that he’s got to stay out of it. She says, good luck with that. No one tells Sonny what to do.
Selena asks Sonny to define his rules, and he says, no drugs, period. She says, that’s been his policy for decades. It’s not a problem for her. He says he’s going to need advance notice of all her traffic, and he’s going to need to choose the point person to facilitate the process. She asks if it won’t create more work for him, and he says, those are his terms. She says she agrees, and he says he also needs to hear 48 hours before each shipment. She says, of course (🍷). She’ll make sure there are no disruptions on her end. He says he’s counting on it. Anything else? She says, one more matter. She heard his son Michael was arrested; so vexing. Sonny says, Michael is his problem. She takes care of her family, and he’ll take care of his. She says she does, she promises. She keeps a very close eye on her family.
Brad needs a list of qualities Britt wants in a man, and she groans. She says, smart, resourceful, resilient, not too self-absorbed. Someone who’s aware that there’s a world out there bigger than him and his workout routine or his career path. He needs to be sexy, maybe a little dangerous, but someone she can rely on. Brad says, with a leather jacket and a motorcycle? and Britt says, that’s a low blow. He says, sorry. He’s sure Jason Morgan will be a hard act to follow, but he wasn’t perfect. She says, he was perfect for her, and Brad says, why don’t they try for sexy and resourceful, with a little fashion sense, and maybe loves to dance… and knows good wine… She asks if they’re still looking for her, and he says, trust him. He doesn’t want a man right now, especially with Aunt Selena circling. What he really wants is a job. So how goes it, bestie? Anything at GH?
Epiphany says, Marshall got her thinking, and she’s going to take the MCAT. He says, oh my… wonderful! He’s going to order them a round of mimosas. Curtis and Portia aren’t the only ones with something to celebrate.
Portia says she took Curtis’s advice, and stopped pushing Trina to stay away from Spencer. He says, good. He doesn’t think she has to worry about anything. Trina’s got a good head on her shoulders. He thinks she can trust Trina’s decisions. She says she does. She’s glad Trina’s learning to live life on he own. She wants that for Trina, but it’s times like these she wishes she could just knock on Trina’s bedroom door, poke her head in, ask how Trina’s day has been, and Trina would just confide in her. They’d just talk. No matter the age, parenting is hard.
Marshall asks the waitress for two mimosas with their best champagne. Curtis looks over, and smiles.
Chase says he’s rooting for Finn and Elizabeth. They make a cute couple. Finn asks if he just said cute, and Chase says he’s also impressed to see Finn go after what he wants. Way to be proactive. Finn says, now that they’re on the subject, has Chase spoken to Brook? Chase says, he and Brook are friends who went through an intense time together, and now it’s over. He’ll see her when he sees her. Finn says, it’s good they can still be friends, and Chase asks, why wouldn’t they? He’s sure they’ll be hanging out again… eventually. They’re still movie buddies, although she’s a little possessive about the popcorn. Finn says, and Chase is fine with the buddy part? and Chase says, totally. Why wouldn’t he be? It’s time he got back to living his own life.
Brook tells Maxie that friends was Chase’s word. If he wants something more, he can darn well say it. Maxie says, yeah, but does Brook want more? and Brook flashes back to Chase kissing her. She says, no. She’s not hurling herself into some awkward I’m-sorry-it’s-not-you-it’s-me situation. She’s fine with the friendzone. They really need to jump on this party. She thinks they should start without Lucy, and Sasha’s obviously not coming. Maxie says she got a text from Sasha; she’s extending her time away. Brook says, that’s surprising, when Lucy walks in, and says, they haven’t heard. Sasha and Brando got married.
Britt hands Brad some papers, and says, a list of his job options. He flips through it, and says, none of these are lab positions. She says, they’ve been over this. Terry is Co-Chief of Staff; they make hiring decisions together. There’s no way Terry would let Britt hire Brad to work in a lab, where he could tamper with test results. Given his history, the liability would be too high. She’s sorry, but that’s reality. He says, there’s reality, and then there’s – he looks at the papers – food service coordinator. She takes it and looks herself, and says, it should be food service aide. He doesn’t have the qualifications to be a coordinator. But he could be promoted.
As Selena is leaving, Dante comes to Sonny’s door. She says, Detective Falconari, and thanks Sonny for his hospitality. She leaves, and Dante laughs, saying, hospitality, huh?Selena Wu alleged head of an alleged crime family of the same name. Sonny asks if there’s a question there, and Dante says, no, there isn’t. He came to tell Sonny about Michael; he’s being arraigned today. Sonny asks if Dante can tell him what happened. Michael said he was protecting his sister, and this reporter was harassing him? Because of him and Carly, or what? Dante says, not directly, no, and Sonny asks what Dante means. Dante says, the reporter wanted a headline with the name Corinthos in it, and the reporter went after Michael because there’s a video with Joss and Cameron in it.
Epiphany tells Marshall that she just hopes she’s not fooling herself, thinking she can juggle med school with her job. Becoming a doctor is a major endeavor, and she’ll have to work while she’s in school… if she gets in. Marshall says she’ll be accepted. He bets she knows half that stuff already. How many young doctors has she trained? She says, quite a few, and laughs. He says, there you are. She’s got this. She says he should get a job as a hype man, but he says, no hype needed. He believes in her.
Portia asks how things are going with Curtis and his father these days, and he says, cautiously optimistic. Things sure are looking cozy with him and Epiphany. She says, maybe Epiphany would be good for Marshall, and he says, but would Marshall be good for Epiphany?
Epiphany tells Marshall, part of her expects people to laugh, and tell her that she’s crazy for putting herself through this rigor after all this time. He says he understands too well about not having faith in yourself. But she’s strong; strong enough to face these things. They clink glasses, and Curtis comes by. He says he hopes they’re enjoying their morning, and Marshall says, more so, now that Curtis is here. He sees Curtis and Portia are celebrating. Curtis says, they just closed on a house, and Marshall jumps up, saying, that is good news. He hugs Curtis, and says, well done. Epiphany says she’s going to offer Portia her congratulations, and tells Curtis to have a seat. Curtis says he didn’t mean to interrupt, but Epiphany says, it’s okay. She goes over to Portia, and Marshall says, Curtis didn’t interrupt. Epiphany will be back; he’s not worried about that. Curtis says, a little cocky, and Marshall says, it’s called swagger, son. Curtis says, fair enough, and Marshall says, actually, he doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing.
Epiphany tells Portia that Curtis told them about closing on the house. Congratulations. She must be excited. Portia thanks her, and says she is. She admits it’s a huge step, but it feels right, and sometimes you just have to go for it. Epiphany says she knows the feeling, and Portia asks if she’s saying she and Marshall are getting serious, but Epiphany says, no, no, no. They just enjoy spending time together. She doesn’t think either one of them is interested in anything serious.
Curtis says he’s not buying Marshall’s lack of confidence routine. Marshall is a musician. He’s quite sure Marshall has plenty of game. Marshall says he’s been a player, but he doesn’t want that for Epiphany. He likes her; he respects her. Maybe he just wants to romance her. Maybe that’s why he feels so much out of his depth. He admires what Curtis has with Portia, and wishes he could build a meaningful relationship like that too.
Maxie says, Sasha didn’t even tell them. She doesn’t know how she feels about that. Brook says she didn’t know Sasha and Brando were talking marriage. Sasha never even mentioned it. Lucy says she doesn’t know that they were, and Maxie asks why Gladys was so hellbent on stopping them. She thought Gladys and Sasha were on better terms. Gladys really stepped up when they lost little Liam. Lucy says she doesn’t think it was about Gladys not liking Sasha. It’s just that Gladys thought things were happening really fast. Maxie says, Sasha and Brando have been together for a year, and Brook says she can’t believe she’s saying this, but Gladys has a point. Sasha and Brando just lost their baby; they’re still reeling. Maxie says, right, but sometimes an intense emotional experience can really bring two people together. She trusts Brando and Sasha’s bond, and thinks their relationship will only deepen from here.
Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office, and he asks, how’s Jake? She says, somewhere between righteously indignant and mortified. She was able to convince him that she’s not angry that he wanted to communicate with his grandparents, but she’s furious with her mom and dad for encouraging him to keep secrets. What really bothers her is how upset Jake was because she thought he was behind these strange happenings. Not that she blames him. Finn tells her not to be so hard on herself, and she says she really appreciates all his help with the boys. Now there’s this thing going on with Cameron… They don’t have to talk about it right now. Finn says he wants to. Whatever they are, whatever they’ve become, he wants to be there for her. He thinks they’re stronger together. He knows he is, so he wants to be by her side whatever comes next. He needs her to know she’s not alone anymore. There’s probably times she’s going to be on her own, but it’s not the same… She says, kiss me, and he says, okay, and does.
Curtis tells Marshall, it’s like any other relationship. If he wants it to work, they have to be real with each other. Marshall asks if this is about Curtis or Epiphany, and Curtis says, both. He’s talking about Marshall and Epiphany. Let her see who he really is. Marshall says, no one wants to see that, and Curtis asks if he’s a werewolf or something. He’s serious. Instead of being who she wants him to be, show her who he really is. Marshall says he could have used that advice on one of his first dates with Curtis’s mother. He took her to a skating rink. Curtis says, mom loved to skate, and Marshall says, she did, and she was very good at it. Much better than him, but he couldn’t let her know about that. There he was, trying to be smooth, rapping to her, talking more smack than actual skating. Then her favorite song came on, and out to the rink they went. He tried to bust a move, and the next thing he knew, he was doing a James Brown split on the ice, and that split went right up the back of his pants; he busted wide open. They laugh, and Curtis says, he never knew. She never mentioned any of this. Marshall says he loved Curtis’s mother. He really did.
Britt says, what about clinical patient advocate? and Brad says he assumed that was a joke. Who would want him at a patient’s bedside? She asks if he even read the job description; it’s technical. It’s not warm and fuzzy. He’d explain lab test results. He’d guide the patient through essential versus non-essential tests and procedures. He says, wait a minute. It said that? She says, yeah, and he says, he could do that? For real? She says, he’s hired… pending Terry’s approval. He says, she’s the best, and hugs her. He says, what would he do without her? when Selena walks in, and says, interesting question.
Sonny asks, what’s this reporter’s name, and where does he find him? but Dante says, he doesn’t find anybody; he stands down. The reporter wants Sonny involved. That’s why he went after Michael in the first place. Sonny asks if Dante just wants him to sit back and do nothing when someone put a camera in his cabin, and released a video to embarrass Cameron and Josslyn? Dante better figure this out real quick, because he’s putting an end to it. Dante says, no he’s not. He’s not going to do anything. Dante’s got this. Spinelli’s already taken the video off all public sites, and searched Sonny’s cabin; there is no camera there. Sonny has to let this drop. Sonny asks, how’s Josslyn? but Dante says he hasn’t talked to Josslyn. Carly says she’s devastated, obviously. He can’t believe Michael didn’t tell Sonny. Sonny says, Michael told him that Josslyn’s not his family anymore, and Dante says, wow. So things have gotten worse, not better, between them? Sonny says he hasn’t seen Michael this angry since he went after custody of Avery. He says Sonny is choosing Nina over his family. Dante says, is he?
Elizabeth says she came in to tell Finn the exact same thing. She thinks they’re better together. He says, really? and she says, really. He says, here he thought it was his speech that changed the tide. He had more; really good stuff. She says she’d like to hear more, but he says he likes her approach better, and kisses her again.
Lucy says she thinks they should throw Brando and Sasha a Happy Wedding party as soon as they get back. Maxie says he’s all for it, but she agrees with Brook, who’s been saying all morning that they need to focus on their own party. The IPO is coming up fast, and it can’t be some cookie cutter launch party. It has to get people about Deception. She wants to make a splash. Brook votes for live music; they have a venue that can handle it. Lucy says, a string quartet is classy, but stuffy. She doesn’t want a wedding band that just plays horrible covers. Maxie says, what about an original song? and Lucy says, that would be great, but it’s awfully tight. She doesn’t think they have time to hire a composer to come up with an arrangement for them. Maxie says, what if they don’t have to do that? and Brook says she has some songs that might work. Lucy says, Brook is a songwriter? and Maxie says, she’s phenomenal. Lucy says, then who would they have to sing? She knows Brook can’t. They could get Amy, but she’s not going to have lip-syncing. Maxie says, Lucy… and Brook says she knows what she did. She was desperate after her injury, but she’s come to terms with not being able to sing anymore, because now she knows she doesn’t have to give up music altogether. She’s a songwriter.
Epiphany says she’s going to trust Portia with something she’s not ready to let out yet. She’s decided to take the MCAT. Portia says, with all her nursing experience? and Epiphany says she knows. It just doesn’t… Portia says she had no idea. Epiphany is going to be an amazing doctor. Epiphany says, she really thinks so? and Portia says, she knows so. In fact, she’d like to mentor Epiphany. She can help Epiphany study for the MCAT. Epiphany says, yes, please.
Curtis says, Marshall turned down a chance to play with Dexter Gordon to take mom to see Aunt Stella in California? Marshall says he knew how much Irene was missing her sister, and he wanted to make that happen. She said that’s what sealed the deal. She knew he really loved her, and he did. It’s been a long time since he felt anything close to that for anyone else. Curtis says, except now, with Epiphany? and Marshall says, not yet, but he feels potential. She’s strong, she’s kind, she’s resourceful. She’s straight forward, and fun. She doesn’t judge anyone. She just takes people the way they come. Curtis says, all the more reason why Marshall should be real with her. Curtis hears him. He feels the same way about Portia. He’s so excited to be taking this next step. Marshall says he’s excited for Curtis too. He’s excited to see Curtis so – he makes jazz hands – happy.
Brad says, Aunt Selena, you’re back. How did she find him? She says she was looking for Dr. Westbourne, and Britt asks what she can do for Selena. Selena says, since Brad insists on keeping her in his life, she decided to get to know Britt better. Britt says, she can start by noting Britt prefers to say, come in, before people come into her office. Selena says, noted. Is Britt free for lunch? Britt says she can’t today, and Selena says, perhaps Britt should consult her calendar, but Britt says she doesn’t have to; she knows her schedule. Brad nervously says, it might be hard to sync up. Selena is so busy, and Britt’s working all sorts of hours. He’s going to be busy soon too. Britt just offered him a job at GH. Selena says, that’s kind of Britt, but unnecessary. Her nephew’s working for her.
Sonny says, is Dante really asking him that? and Dante says he is. What the hell is going on? He knows Michael is upset with Sonny because he cheated on Carly with Nina, but is something else happening? Sonny says he’s just trying to talk some sense into Michael about Nina seeing Wiley. He thinks everybody would be a lot happier if Nina and Michael weren’t at each other’s throats. Nina wants to go to court for visitation rights; she’s Wiley’s grandmother. That’s not going to change. He’s just trying to make sure this all goes away, so he can have his family back. Dante says, Sonny of all people should know it’s not going be that easy. Sonny asks what that’s supposed to mean, and Dante says, Sonny’s not exactly known for his ability to forgive. Where does he think Michael got it from? Sonny says he doesn’t like being at odds with Michael, and Dante says he doesn’t think Michael likes being at odds with Sonny either. He loves Sonny, but he’s angry. Dante is sure Michael would love to forgive Sonny, but it’s going to take time. It’s not going to happen overnight; Sonny has to put in the work. Sonny says he picked the wrong time to stop drinking, and I laugh, thinking of Airplane! Dante asks why Sonny stopped drinking. Is something going on? Sonny says, after Carly asked for a divorce, he started drinking more, and he was going down the wrong path. Nina wanted to help, and told him to stop drinking. Dante says, that’s good. Is Sonny saying there might be an actual future for him and Nina?
Elizabeth says she’s glad that’s settled, and Finn says, him too. The boys will be okay with them, with him. She says, how could they not be? They’ll see what a good man he is, and how happy he makes her. He says, that’s the plan. Whatever happens from here, they face it together.
Lucy taps on Brook’s notebook, and says, this one is perfect. Maxie says she loves it too, but Brook says, it’s a duet. Who would sing the male part? Chase comes to the door, and asks if he could have a moment of their time. Maxie says, look who it is. Detective Chase.
Brad says, he’s working for Selena? He thinks there’s a misunderstanding. He’s working at GH. Selena says, he should have checked with her first, and Britt asks why he would do that. Selena says she thought she and Brad had an understanding. She provides him with a job, along with his rent free apartment. He says he’d be happy to pay rent, and Selena says, he doesn’t have to. Her assistant will contact Britt about a lunch date. She leaves, and Britt asks if she should be worried Selena is going to poison her. He says, no… probably not. Just don’t let Selena take her to a second location.
Sonny says, right now he’s not planning anything with Nina, and Dante asks, then why is he pushing so hard for Nina to see Wiley? He wants his family back together. Is he including Nina in that family? Sonny says, Nina is Wiley’s grandmother, and Dante says, maybe Sonny realizes he can’t be with Nina if she can’t see Wiley. Sonny says, it’s not a choice between Nina and his family, no matter what Michael thinks. Dante says he sympathizes with Sonny, but maybe Sonny has to accept that right now, the way things stand, he can’t have both Nina and Michael in his life.
Portia dangles her set of keys, and tells Curtis, she can’t wait to start decorating. He says they’ll do a walk through later. He’s really glad things are coming together. She asks if that includes his relationship with Marshall. It looked like they were having a good talk. He says, Marshall finally opened up. He really thinks he’s getting to know his father. His phone rings, and he says, hey Drew… Okay… really… tell him when… all right. Portia says, what? and Curtis says, Drew just found some inconsistences in Marshall’s past.
Tomorrow, Drew asks if Curtis is sure he wants to know; Laura tells Nikolas, they need to close ranks; and Carly asks how Elizabeth can be so sure.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Jennifer wanted to meet with Marge. She didn’t want to fight; she’d been stressed and sad. She wanted Marge to acknowledge what she’d done, and own her part. Marge told Joe #3 that she wanted to work it out. She didn’t want to hurt Jennifer, but wanted Jennifer to take responsibility for her part. They met at a coffee shop/bakery, but of course neither one of them got any pastry, just coffee. Jennifer said, Marge had exposed her secrets. All she’d wanted to do was protect her children. She’d never faced it because it was easier to avoid it. Marge had hurt her, and she was devastated. She started crying, and Marge said she felt bad. She didn’t want to kick Jennifer when she was down. Jennifer said that’s how it felt, but Marge said she didn’t want to hurt Jennifer. She couldn’t imagine going through something like that by herself. Jennifer said she didn’t tell anyone. It was buried and they never spoke about it. Marge said she thought Jennifer would blow it off, but Jennifer said it was new for her. She hadn’t dealt with it before, and Bill was embarrassed and uncomfortable. Marge said she felt bad, but Jennifer had been sitting on it for ten years. Maybe she should talk to someone. Jennifer said, what if they went to therapy, and came to the conclusion they don’t want to be together? She was afraid of that, but Marge said they’d stayed together this long; they’d work through it. Jennifer said she wondered why he’d cheated in the first place, She was always trying for him, but he wasn’t stepping up to the plate. When she was fighting with everyone, he walked away. That bothered her more than the infidelity. The first year they were married was the toughest. They were getting to know each other. He would criticize her, and she thought she needed to do better. He needed to fight for her, say he was lucky she didn’t walk out, and that he loves her. She was angry. Marge said she understood, but Bill was still a great father and person. He was human and f***ed up. In Marge’s interview, she said, infidelity was not what breaks up a marriage. She didn’t leave Jan for Joe #3. Her marriage was already broken. She told Jennifer that Bill had to fight for the marriage too, and in her interview, she said she felt bad. Jennifer was heartbroken and she felt responsible to help her feel better. Marge said Jennifer didn’t deserve what happened, and it wasn’t her intention to hurt her, but Jennifer said Marge brought it out, but Marge didn’t do this. Jennifer was taking responsibility for her part, and realized she’d hit below the belt. We flashed back to Jennifer insulting Marge several times, and Jennifer admitted she was shady. She promised to be more conscious of her comebacks, and not do anything that really hurt someone. She didn’t want to fight, but wanted to try and make peace. Melissa appreciated her effort, but Jackie was mad at her for a rumor she didn’t start. Jackie needed to be mad at Teresa. How did she know Teresa wasn’t the one who had been digging around?
In Marge’s interview, she says, Teresa was fine with Jennifer digging around, but acted like an a-hole when questioned about her boyfriend. Marge told Jennifer that Teresa was in a love bubble, and Jennifer said Teresa was so happy. Marge asked, what about the abuse allegations? Tiki had questioned Luis about it after Bill went home. Jennifer said if she’d seen any red flags, she would have said something. Like if he lost his temper with Teresa. Marge said, what about when he told Teresa that if she didn’t stop talking, he’d leave? We flashed back to that, and Marge said she wanted everything to be good for everyone. Before they parted company, Jennifer started to cry again, and Marge said she didn’t want Jennifer to cry; she felt sick about it. The hugged it out, and Marge promised to help Jennifer through it.
Dolores and Frank went to a boutique, so Dolores could get her mother something comfortable while she was in the hospital. Frank asked how her mom was, and Dolores said she had to stay another week, but that was normal. In Dolores’s interview, she said her mom did well in surgery, but now came the bigger change to her lifestyle with diet and exercise. The first thing she’d eaten after surgery was carrot cake. She told Frank that David had been with her mom every day; he was a good man. Frank said he’d stopped by David’s office, and Dolores asked if David talked about her. Frank said, all the time, and in his interview, Frank said that David said Dolores was beautiful and fun. He liked hanging out with her, since it was like hanging out with one of the guys. He told Dolores that David ignoring her was a defense mechanism, but Dolores said she didn’t have closure. Frank said, now she had to find a boyfriend someplace else, but she said she didn’t want a boyfriend right now. He said he didn’t want her sleeping around, and she said, since when had she done that? In Frank’s interview, he said Dolores was a serial monogamist, but she needed to take her time, and not rush into the next relationship. He told her, to find the right guy, she had to think like him. She said he’d had five midlife crises, but he said he got over them quick. She said, yeah, by banging hookers.
Traci had set up a team building activity, that Tiki had used to help people work together. Jackie told Evan that it was at Treescape Adventure Park. Evan said they’d have to climb up high on ropes, close your eyes, and trust people. Jackie said she was not trusting these bitches. Teresa told Gia that they had to climb trees or something, and it didn’t sound safe. Jackie told Evan about going to the clinic, and how she’d gotten bloodwork done, and two EKGs. The clinic had recommended in-patient treatment, and Evan asked, for how long? She said she didn’t know, but she knew what she needed. In-patient treatment wasn’t necessary. In Evan’s interview, he said it sounded like she was denying reality, and Jackie said their next recommendation was three hours, three nights a week, but that wasn’t doable either. In his interview, Evan said if Jackie didn’t trust what they were telling her, and half-assed it, she wouldn’t be fully cured. Jackie said, it was nine hours a week, and Evan said she should do what they were telling her, but she said she could do therapy on her own schedule. She had four kids, and couldn’t take all that time. Evan said he thought in the long term it was worth it, and a good trade-off. Melissa and Joe #2 had salad on the patio, and Melissa said Antonia was stressing her out. She didn’t want to cheer anymore. We flashed back to Antonia telling Melissa, despite what the doctor said, she couldn’t do it. Joe said she’d told him the same thing, and Melissa said Antonia was in a rut. They needed to push her so she’d get out of her own way. In Melissa’s interview, she said, when her father passed away, she was depressed, but her mother was just as depressed. Melissa got three different jobs, and signed up for college. She had to be a self-motivator, and wanted to pull Antonia out of it. She told Joe about the team building exercise, and said it was the first time the women were getting together since the fight. She’d been pissed, but Dolores said Jennifer was going through a lot, and it was screwing with her judgement. Joe said he called it karma.
Jennifer told Bill that she’d talked to an agency, and they had a potential candidate for a live-in housekeeper. She said she’d had coffee with Marge, and it felt like Marge was remorseful. For the first time, they listened to each other. Bill asked if Jennifer felt like they’d made headway, and she said nothing was going to be mended overnight, but she didn’t want to fight. It was something she’d kept secret, and never really dealt with; she’d kept it moving. At the time, it was the best way she could cope. Now she was dealing with it, and found herself breaking down. She was disappointed that Bill hadn’t defended her, but he redeemed himself on boys night when he stuck up for her. He asked if she doubted he was there for her, and she said, sometimes he sat there, so passive. If it came around again, he should say he loves his wife, and he’s lucky she stayed with him. Bill said he didn’t want to hang with the other guys anymore, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said, Bill does what he wants, and it’s like she’s here to appease him. She gave him a pass, now she has to deal with it, because even though it was something he did, he doesn’t want to deal with it. It wasn’t fair. It’s moments like that when I’m on Jennifer’s side, but then I think of how vicious she’s been, and I’m like, um…
Marge visited Jackie, and they sat by the pool and had (low-cal) snacks. Jackie told Marge about the clinic calling, and telling her the next steps the recommended, but she couldn’t commit to in-patient care. In Marge’s interview, she said she was concerned, but didn’t want to push too hard. It hadn’t gone well in the past. Jackie said she knew what she needed, and they could up an out-patient therapist. She had to do it at her own pace or she’d drop it. She told Marge that she’d texted Dolores, but hadn’t heard back. She felt awful about what was going on with Dolores’s mom. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Teresa went to Dolores’s place. Dolores said her mom was in the ICU, since she’d retained a lot of fluid. Teresa said she preferred them being in the ICU, because they were watched constantly. Dolores said everyone was fighting over who was taking care of her mom after she got out. Her sister wanted her, but David also wanted her. In Dolores’s interview, she said, it was a nice gesture, and there were no better hands her mother could be in, but her mom wanted to stay with family or in her own house. She told the women that she saw her mother in the hospital, and it was rough afterward. David came over to her, just looked at her, and then went to the rest of her family to fill them in. She thought about getting something to calm her nerves, but wanted to feel what she was going through. It would get better. Marge told Jackie that she’d thought Jennifer was just going to brush it off, but Jennifer told her that she’d never dealt with it. She seemed wounded, sad, and apologetic. It was a secret she’d buried, and didn’t know if they could work it out. Jennifer told Dolores and Teresa that she was disappointed when Bill didn’t defend her, but he had at boys night; he’d walked out when Evan said she was a terrible person. Diplomatic Dolores said, to be fair, Jennifer had been digging for dirt. Marge told Jackie that Jennifer needed friends, and she wanted to help. In Jackie’s interview, she said she wanted to give Jennifer the benefit of the doubt, but Evan was upset by her digging, and she should apologize. Marge said Jackie had inferred that Teresa told her to do the digging, yet Teresa told Marge to be careful asking questions about Luis. Jennifer told Teresa that Tiki had been asking Luis questions, and Teresa asked if he was offended. Jennifer said, no, and Teresa wondered why Tiki was asking questions. He should just be happy for her. Jennifer said she told Marge that if she thought Teresa was in any danger, she’d say something, and Teresa said, she’d better stop asking questions. Luis doesn’t have to prove himself to no one [sic]. He was her boyfriend, and she was going to stick up for him.
At Traci’s Treescape event, instructor Jon went through the drill with her. He said, one person was up there – there were bridges made out of single logs connected vertically, from tree to tree – and one person was on the ground. That person would tell the other where to go and what to do. He gave Traci a pair of the goggles the person on the bridges would wear, and she said she couldn’t see sh*t. The others began arriving, and Traci said it was about team building and participation. Marge said she was not wilderness athletic. Should she be afraid? Traci said they’d find out. Marge told Traci and Melissa about meeting with Jennifer, and that Jennifer didn’t know if her marriage was going to last. She does all the talking, and he says nothing. In Melissa’s interview, she said she didn’t care to be friends with Jennifer, but this was serious, and she felt bad. Jennifer needed their support. Melissa said things didn’t go away if you didn’t deal with them. Marge wondered how Jackie could forgive Teresa about digging for dirt on Evan, since she’s the one who told Jennifer to do it. In Jackie’s interview, she said it was clear now that Teresa’s hand was up the puppet’s ass. And if Dolores was really Jennifer’s friend, why hadn’t she defended Jennifer? Jackie said Teresa had no problem talking about Evan, but she didn’t want them talking about Luis. Dolores told them that Teresa was coming in hot today. She was coming for Traci because Tiki had been asking questions about Luis. In Traci’s interview, she said she wasn’t her husband’s keeper, and what was wrong with asking questions if there was nothing to hide? Melissa asked to speak to Jennifer privately, and said she felt horrible about what Jennifer was going through. She didn’t wish it on anyone; it wasn’t her style. She’d only been reacting to what Jennifer had said about her family. Jennifer said she was sorry. She shouldn’t have done that, and didn’t want to fight. Melissa said she was sorry too, and if Jennifer needed to talk, she was there. Marge told Dolores that Jennifer hadn’t dealt with Bill’s affair emotionally, and Dolores said, sometimes people didn’t say anything because they didn’t want the person they were with to be resented. Teresa arrived last, bearing gift bags with her workout line in them. She said she was not in a good mood, and this was not going to be good. When the premise was explained to her, she said she could talk some people off the ledge.
Melissa said, Teresa was already threatening to throw people down, and Teresa said she wasn’t a woods person. Marge suggested bug spray, since Teresa’s lip gloss might attract them, and Teresa got offended. Job went through a safety briefing, and Teresa couldn’t stop bitching. Traci had already paired them up; Dolores with Jackie, Jennifer with Marge, and Melissa with Teresa, who would also guide Traci. Teresa suggested she guide Traci off the ledge, and in her interview, Melissa said, Teresa was like a walking misery, who wanted to come in and rain on their parade. In Teresa’s interview, she said, it was the dumbest thing ever. It wasn’t safe to be blindfolded.
Dolores said she wanted to be daring, and in Jackie’s interview, she said she and Dolores had a love/hate relationship, but hoped they could move past all of this. She didn’t want to hold a grudge or guide Dolores off a treetop like some people… Traci said Teresa had a one-track mind. She told Marge that she didn’t understand the no questions rule, and Marge said it was on Teresa’s terms. With Teresa, it wasn’t a friendship, but a dictatorship. Teresa had obviously made Jennifer call around, and should have come to Jennifer’s defense. In Jennifer’s interview, she said, maybe Teresa didn’t go to bat for her, but she enjoyed Teresa’s company. They shared old school values, and being with Teresa brought a certain comfort. Jackie guided Dolores successfully, and I have to add, Jon also walked behind the person on the bridge, so there was little chance of a tragedy. Teresa refused to guide Traci, and Jackie told Dolores that Teresa had a loud bark, but Marge was the one whose good side she wanted to be on. Teresa asked what they were talking about, and Jackie said Jennifer and Marge had made up. Teresa said the problem was, no one knew about Bill’s affair, but Jackie said, everyone knew. Teresa said Marge let the cat out of the bag, and Jackie said no one could put it back in. In Jackie’s interview, she said, after what Teresa did to her husband, she could smell the hypocrisy. Marge said, she’d owned her part, and was better for it. Teresa said Marge looked like sh*t, and Marge said, no, you, prompting Teresa to stomp over to her.
To be continued…
🛥 I have only one thing to say about Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, and it’s nothing I haven’t said before. All the wrong people have all the money.
🛸 Happy. Birthday. Captain…
He’s literally gone where most men haven’t gone before.
Meet me tomorrow for soap and what’s going on in the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay with your feet on the ground, and stay showing people who you really are, instead of who they want you to be.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Carly answers a call from Willow on the footbridge, but Willow doesn’t answer. She’s about to call Willow back, when Diane calls. Diane says she’s at the PCPD. Michael was arrested for punching a reporter in from of Commissioner Ashford. Carly asks, why? and Diane tells her, said reporter was asking not so polite questions about Josslyn’s leaked video. Carly says she’s on her way.
Sonny sees Shawn at the MetroCourt, and they hug. Sonny says, Olivia sent him some dinner, and he wanted to thank her, and Shawn says he’s waiting for TJ, Molly, and Jordan. He asks Sonny to sit down, and says, they’re out saving the world, so he’s the first one here. Sonny tells him, don’t sell himself short. He turned The Invader from a scandal rag into a legitimate publication. Kristina said he hired Alexis, and Shawn says he did. Sonny asks if they make a good team, and Shawn says, he thought so.
In her office, Alexis looks at the welcome aboard note Shawn gave her, when Smalt walks in. He says, good, she’s still here, and she tells him, it’s customary to ask if this is a good time. By the way, the answer would be, no. So why doesn’t he come back tomorrow? Better yet, email her. He says, this is too good. He has a story perfect for The Invader. Trust him. She isn’t going to want to miss out.
Diane tells Michael that she spoke to Carly, and she’ll be here soon. He says she should be focusing on Josslyn, not him, and Diane says she’s doing what she can to get justice for his sister, but this doesn’t help. Unfortunately, because of the time, he’ll probably be arraigned tomorrow. So unless Smalt decides to drop the charges, he’s in for the night. He says, it wouldn’t be the first time, and she says he sounds exactly like Jason. He asks how many times she’s been through this drill with Jason, and she says she’d have to check her records, but they were in the triple digits. He says, she always found a way to make him walk in the end, and she says, but to the best of her recollection, Jason never punched a reporter in the face in front of the Police Commissioner. Jordan comes in, and tells Michael that he’ll be transferred to holding soon. He wonders if he can ask her a question, and she says, sure. He asks what she’s doing to catch the bastard who ruined his sister’s life.
Harmony tells Phyllis, it’s good to see her again. She had no idea Phyllis was in Port Charles. Phyllis says, it’s a relatively new development, and Nina says, she forgot Harmony used to go by the name Lorraine. Harmony says, it was another lifetime, and Nina asks Phyllis to join them. She asks how they know each other, and Phyllis says, they worked together in New York City. Technically, not with each other, but Harmony cared for another patient in the same building where Phyllis cared for Nina. Harmony says, Nina was Phyllis’s patient? Phyllis is such a stickler for privacy, she never knew. Phyllis asks how Nina knows Harmony, and Nina says, Harmony is Willow’s mother. Phyllis knows Willow, right? Phyllis says, of course (🍷); she adopted Wiley. What a small world.
Willow lies on the floor, and TJ walks by. He doubles back, and runs in. He shakes her, and asks if she can hear him. He says, she’s still with them; wake up. She opens her eyes, and he asks if she can talk; it’s Dr. Robinson. She says, TJ, and he asks if she can remember anything, but she says, no; it’s all fuzzy. He asks if she can follow the light with her eyes, showing her a penlight, and she does. He says, she looks all right, and asks if there’s someone he can call for her. She says, her mom.
Nina asks how Phyllis’s visit with Lenny’s friend was, and Phyllis says, it was nice. It’s good to hear old stories. Harmony’s phone rings, and she steps away from the table, and says, hi, honey. TJ says, it’s Dr. Ashford at General Hospital, and tells her that Willow fainted there. Harmony says, oh my God, and thanks him, adding she’ll be right there. She tells Nina and Phyllis that she’s sorry, but she has to go, and Nina asks if everything is okay. Harmony says she’ll think about Nina’s proposal and let her know, and jets.
Diane asks Michael to please let her handle it, looks at Jordan, and says, well? Jordan says, Diane knows how it works. She can’t disclose the details of an ongoing investigation. Diane says, so there is an investigation. Michael says, she’s his sister, and Jordan says she only recently learned about this. As soon as they get something more concrete, she’ll let Josslyn know. An officer lets Carly in, and she asks if Michael is okay. He says he’s fine, and asks, how’s Josslyn? Carly says, she’s hanging in there. She got a weird phone call from Willow. Does she know Michael is there? Michael says, she was there when it happened, and asks why Carly didn’t tell him about Josslyn. She says, she was going to, but didn’t have a chance, and he says, the reporter is going to make things worse for her. She asks, who is this guy? and Jordan says, freelance; he’s written several articles for The Invader. Carly says, pre or post Shawn? and Jordan says, pre. Carly says, good. Maybe Alexis will be able to shut it down. She asks Diane to take care of things there, and Diane says, of course (🍷). She hugs Michael, tells him that she loves him, and leaves.
Willow and TJ come out of the elevator, and TJ tells Epiphany that Willow passed out. Willow says she’s fine, but Epiphany says, they’ll let a doctor be the judge of that. TJ says he texted Dr. Nelson that he was going to admit her, and Epiphany says, she’ll put Willow in an exam room and check her vitals while they wait. Willow wonders how Michael is doing, and TJ gives her phone to her. She says, he’s being held at the PCPD overnight, and Epiphany says, there’s nothing she can do for Michael if she’s not well. Willow says, this is serious, and Epiphany says, so’s this. What would Willow tell one of her patients? Willow says, she would ask them to take care of themselves first, and Epiphany says, good answer. Now let’s do just that. Willow thanks TJ, who says, of course (🍷), and asks her to keep him updated.
Alexis says, like she told Smalt, this is not a tabloid, so if this is another one of his gossipy pieces, he can save them both the trouble. He says he took her notes from their last meeting, and this story checks all the boxes for the paper’s new mission. He even got this for his trouble – he points to his eye – that’s how much he believes in it. She tells him, go ahead, and he says, first off, it’s got a hot button social justice angle; non-consentual pornography, aka revenge porn. A video was sent out to the entire student body at PCU. It even played on a projector in a classroom. She says, hopefully, by accident, and he says, we’ve also got cyber bullying, technology run amok. Then there’s the whole criminal aspect. She says, revenge porn has been illegal in New York state, since 2019, and he says correctamundo. And the cherry on top, it involves a very influential mob family. She says, there it is. He’s going into salacious territory. Does he have anything to back up his claims this time? He says, Michael Corinthos clocked him in the face when he tried to interview him, and she says, oh that’s the influential mob family. He says, one of the victims in this story is his sister, Josslyn Jax.
Sonny asks if there’s a problem with Alexis, but Shawn says, she’s made The Invader a huge success. He just meant she doesn’t need him to run it anymore. He acquired a west coast newspaper to expand The Invader’s reach, and he leaves tomorrow for San Francisco to get things started. Sonny says, look at him. Shawn is now a bonafide media mogul, but Shawn says, he’s just a man who wanted a fresh start. Sonny says, he got it. It doesn’t happen for everyone. Shawn says he heard about the divorce; he’s sorry. Sonny says, so is he, and Shawn asks how the rest of the family is, but Molly and TJ arrive. Sonny says, look who it is – the power couple. Molly hugs Sonny, and TJ shakes his hand, asking if his dad told Sonny about his expanding media empire. Shawn says he’s the one who’s supposed to be bragging about TJ, and Molly says, just another day. TJ says, bragging rights go both ways, and Molly asks if Sonny wants to join them for dinner, but Sonny says he’s just there to pick up whatever. It doesn’t matter. He tells Shawn, have great time in San Francisco, and enjoy his family. Shawn thanks him, and Sonny goes toward the bar, but his phone rings. He asks Officer Bradley what he can do for him… Wait. What about Michael?
Alexis asks if Smalt is sure it was Josslyn, and he says, with her boyfriend Cameron Webber. Alexis says, they must be horrified, and he asks what about the story? She says she admits it’s better than the other stories he pitched her, but if it’s in line with the new direction The Invader is taking, why did Michael clock him? He says he may have raised the possibility that Josslyn and Cameron might have leaked the video themselves, and she says, he provoked the victim’s family about sensationalizing the story? Does he see why she doubts his ability to report? He says, cards on the table. He wants the distinction of an Invader byline; the paper is considered in high regard now. In return, she gets a piece on a hot button issue featuring a hot button family. The Corinthos name sells. Do they have a deal? Carly walks in, and says she’d think twice about that.
Epiphany tells Willow that her BP is low, and her respiration is shallow and rapid. Willow says she’s stressed about Michael and Josslyn. That’s understandable, isn’t it? Epiphany asks if she’s eaten today, and Willow shakes her head. Epiphany says, you don’t have to be a nurse to know that stress and lack of nutrition is a bad combination. She needs to take better care of herself. Their patients don’t need their nurses collapsing on them. Willow says she knows; she’s so embarrassed. Epiphany says, they’ve all been there. She remembers when she was a student nurse. She once drank so much coffee trying to stay awake during clinicals, that she spent half her shift doubled over in pain in the breakroom. Worst stomach ache of her life. Willow says she can’t even imagine that; Epiphany is an amazing nurse. Epiphany says, sucking up to her isn’t going to get a doctor in there any faster, and Willow laughs. Epiphany says she’s good at her job; she loves what she does. Willow says she really loves it too, which surprised her. When she was teaching, she thought she’d never do anything else. Did Epiphany always want to be a nurse? Epiphany says, no actually, but nursing’s been good to her. She loves caring for patients. It brings her joy.
🤬 BTW, two seconds into that scene, the news broke in, and I said, son of a @#$%^&***+@! While there are times we all need to know something immediately, 999 times out of 1000, it can wait a whole hour.
Sonny walks into the interrogation room, and Michael asks what he’s doing there. Sonny says he heard Michael was arrested. Is he all right? Michael says he’s fine, and Sonny asks if Diane can get Michael out of here. She says, that’s the plan, but he’ll be spending the night here unless she can work some magic with the DA, so wish her luck. She leaves, and Sonny asks, what happened? Michael says, nothing that concerns him, and Sonny says he knows Michael’s upset, but he can help. Michael says he doesn’t want Sonny’s help, and doesn’t need anything from him. Is that clear enough? Sonny sits down, and says he knows they’ve had their differences, but Michael is his son and he loves him. Is Jordan giving him a hard time? Michael says, she’s just doing her job. He punched a reporter in the face right in front of her. She had no choice but to bring him in. Sonny asks if it was self-defense, but Michael says, the reporter was getting in his face about Josslyn. Sonny asks, what’s going on with Josslyn? but Michael says he told Sonny, it doesn’t concern him. Sonny says, if it concerns Josslyn, it concerns him, and Michael says, really? He didn’t think Sonny was concerned about anything except Nina. Sonny says, leave his personal life out of it. His family comes first; Michael knows that. Michael says, no, Nina comes first for Sonny, and just for the record, Josslyn isn’t his family anymore.
Nina tells Phyllis, Willow made it perfectly clear that she and Michael would not allow her to see Wiley. She figured it was time for her to get pro-active, so she threatened to sue for visitation rights. Phyllis pours coffee for them, and says she doesn’t blame Nina, but she wishes a court battle could be avoided. Nina says, you and me both. She doesn’t want to put Wiley through that. Besides, Michael has proven he’s not above dirty tricks. Who’s to say he’s not going to pull something again, and get the judge to rule against her? Phyllis asks, what’s next? and Nina says, she thought she’d talk to Harmony, which she did, and convince her to at least talk to Willow. Then Willow could talk to Michael, and convince him to let her be part of Wiley’s life. Phyllis says, without getting the courts involved? Does Nina think she’d do that? Nina says she doesn’t know. Originally, she thought Harmony was on board, but Phyllis just saw her; she seemed pretty non-committal. Phyllis says she’s sure Harmony just needs some time to think. When she does, she’ll realize Wiley needs all of his grandmothers in his life. Nina says, if only Michael and Willow would realize that too.
Harmony goes into the exam room, and asks Willow, what happened? Willow says, Michael was arrested, and Harmony asks, why? Willow says she’ll explain later, but she was too busy to eat today, so between that and the stress, she guesses she passed out. Harmony says she was so terrified she’d lose Willow after they worked so hard to find their way back, and Willow says, Harmony’s not going to lose her. Harmony says, good, because she loves Willow. She’s so grateful Willow is in her life. Willow says she loves Harmony too, and Harmony asks what the doctor said. Willow says she hasn’t seen one yet, and Harmony says, then she’s going to track one down.
Harmony goes to the reception desk, and asks why her daughter hasn’t been seen. Epiphany says, and her daughter is…? and Harmony says, Willow Tate. This is unacceptable. Epiphany says, they have a lot of patients tonight, and the doctors need to prioritize who they think needs urgent care first. Harmony says, Willow fainted. How is that not urgent? Is there someone who could move her up on the list? Epiphany says, not above her; she’s the head nurse. Harmony says, that’s perfect. Epiphany must have some decision making power around here. Epiphany says, Harmony is a mother worried about her child, and for that reason, and that reason only, she’s willing to make allowances, but she’s about to reach her limit. Harmony says, please. Her daughter has run herself ragged with the nursing program. There must be something Epiphany can do.
Molly can’t decide between two dishes, and TJ suggests they each get one and share. She asks if she’s told him today that he’s brilliant, and he says, not today. She says, well, he’s brilliant, and Jordan joins them. Shawn hugs her, and says it’s so good to have her home. How is she feeling? She says, never better. She’s trying not to take it personally that he’s leaving for San Francisco just when she gets back. TJ asks, what’s up with that? and Shawn says, it’s just a business trip. TJ says, a long business trip, and Shawn says he has to make sure everything is running smoothly. TJ and Molly hug Jordan, and Jordan says she hears Molly is doing great things at the DA’s office. She’s excited they get to work together. Molly says, her too. Don’t get her wrong, Mac is great, but everyone’s excited to have Jordan back. Jordan says, it’s like she never left… Except for this one – she looks at Shawn – skipping town on her.
Carly says, let her guess. This is the so-called journalist trying to profit off her daughter’s pain? Smalt says, Mrs. Corinthos. He had the pleasure of meeting her son earlier, or more specifically, his fist. How’s he doing in lock-up? She says, he’s doing great, which is more than she can say for him when her attorney sues him for every dime he’s every made. Alexis says, allright, that’s enough of an introduction for now. Get out Smalt. Now. He tells them, have a good evening, and Alexis says, out, closing the door behind him. She tells Carly that she’s sorry for what Josslyn is going through, and Carly says, if she means that, she won’t publish this story, but Alexis says she thinks that would be a mistake. Carly says, Alexis is the defender of all wronged people everywhere, yet when Carly’s daughter is violated, she just wants to exploit it? What if it was one of her girls? Alexis says she’d be livid, but it’s because of her daughters that she thinks The Invader should run the story. What Joss and Cameron are going through is terrible, but let’s be real. In situations like this, it’s usually the woman that bears the brunt. Carly says, Josslyn’s life is falling apart, and Alexis says, it’s a big story, and it’s only a matter of time before someone else picks it up, but if The Invader runs it first, she can frame the narrative. She can make sure it’s handled respectfully, be sensitive to what the kids are going through, focus on the fact this is misogyny in the modern world, and delve into the issues of consent and privacy in the digital age. Carly says, so if Alexis runs the article, she gets to shape the perspective, and Alexis says, let her put it this way; if someone else runs the article, it will be trashy in comparison. She doesn’t have to mention Josslyn or Cameron’s names if they don’t want her to, but it does provide them with the opportunity to speak about their experience, both shared and personal. It would be entirely up to them.
Jordan and Molly leave for the ladies room, and TJ asks why women always go to the bathroom together. Shawn says, one of the world’s greatest mysteries, and asks if TJ is still on board for keeping an eye on Alexis while he’s gone. TJ asks if there have been any new developments with Harmony, and Shawn says, nothing since they last talked about it. TJ asks if he talked to Alexis, and Shawn says he did, and Alexis doesn’t share his concerns. He knows Alexis is a strong woman, and capable of making her own choices, but he also knows how big her heart is. He’d hate to see someone use it against her; he doesn’t like someone taking advantage of his friends. TJ says, that’s all? Just friends? Shawn says, you can’t keep living in the past. It’s time to move on.
Nina tells Phyllis, when she found out Nelle was her daughter, she had already passed. She was devastated. Phyllis says she remembers, and Nina says, the only thing worse was waking up from her coma, and finding out her baby had died. Phyllis says she can’t begin to express her regret for the part she played in separating Nina from her little girl, but Nina says, it’s not Phyllis’s fault. It was all her mother’s fault. Besides, if it hadn’t been for Phyllis, she wouldn’t have known about the necklace. Phyllis wonders if that wouldn’t have been best, and Nina says she has closure, even though it hurts. Phyllis says she’ll never get over the guilt, and Nina says, Phyllis was honest with her, unlike Carly. It doesn’t excuse all the mistakes Nina made, and she’s made plenty of them. Like when she told Wiley that Willow wasn’t his real mom; she shouldn’t have done that, but she was desperately trying to have some connection with Nelle. She was panicked, thinking Nelle was just going to be erased. Phyllis says, Wiley was her only tie to her daughter, and Nina says, and when Michael was trying to sever that tie, they know how that turned out. Phyllis says, not well, and Nina, because of that, she may have lost her grandson forever.
Harmony asks if Willow is still feeling lightheaded; any dizziness? Epiphany sets up an IV, and Willow says, actually she’s starving, and asks if Harmony would mind picking up a turkey sandwich from the cafeteria. Harmony leaves, and Epiphany says, thank you. Willow says, she means well, when Dr. Nelson comes in and asks Epiphany, what’s going on?
Sonny says, Josslyn will always be his daughter, whether he’s with Carly or not, and Michael says, Sonny wants Josslyn to rely on him. Sonny says, of course (🍷) and Michael says, why would she when he prioritizes Nina? He claims to be a family man, but a family man wouldn’t sabotage his wife and kids for the woman who blew their lives apart. Sonny asks if Michael is done. What does Michael want from him?
Carly tells Alexis, she hates that Josslyn even has to weigh this decision. It’s beyond humiliating; she’s being harassed online. Alexis says she’s sorry, and Carly says, the effects are devastating. She keeps telling Josslyn it’s going to pass, and she knows that… Alexis says, but it will take some time. She’s on Josslyn’s side, and Carly’s. If Carly doesn’t want her to do the story, she won’t, but somebody will. Wouldn’t it be better if Josslyn has some say in how the story is presented? Carly says, Josslyn and Cameron are just starting to live their lives as adults, and to be dealt this hand… Alexis says, you never know. Josslyn might find talking about this experience empowering. Carly says, and if Josslyn doesn’t want it published? and Alexis says she won’t. Carly says, it’s Josslyn’s call. She’s going to talk to Josslyn, and she’ll let Alexis know. Alexis says, just be warned, there’s not a lot of time, and Carly leaves.
Molly and Jordan return to the table, and Molly asks TJ if they should do this. He says, definitely, and they go toward the bar. Shawn wonders what that was about, and Jordan says, maybe they’re so hopelessly in love, they couldn’t wait another minute to be alone together. He says, knowing those two, he wouldn’t rule it out, and she says, amazing, isn’t it? Even after ten years together? He says, they’re a perfect fit, and she says, maybe not getting married is the answer. Maybe next time, she’ll try domestic partnership. He says, with all the mistakes they’ve made, with all the regrets they’ll always have, there’s one consolation; they have a son, and he is thriving. She says, thriving’s not even an adequate word, is it? Molly and TJ come back bearing champagne, and TJ says, tonight is a celebration of family. His mom is back and healthier than ever, and he’ll miss his dad while he’s gone, but he’s so proud of all the good Shawn is doing. He raises his glass, and says, to his parents, and Shawn says, to family. They all say, to family, and clink glasses.
Dr. Nelson asks if he can speak privately to Epiphany, and she says, of course (🍷). In the hallway, Epiphany says, she and Dr. Ashford have been in touch with him about this patient, who happens to be one of their nursing students, and he asks if she should get special treatment. Epiphany says, she’s been waiting a while, and he says, they’re busy; patients are seen based on the severity of their condition. She says she’s aware, and he says, then she’s also aware Willow is stable, putting her further down the list. She says, all she needed was an IV of saline and electrolytes. He would have written it up, signed off on it, and she would have gotten it ready. So she skipped a step. It’s not like she hasn’t done this before. He says, that’s not the point. She stepped outside the chain of command, and took it upon herself to treat a patient. Protocols are in place for a reason. She says she understands, and he says they’ll finish this discussion later. The doctor goes in to see Willow, and asks how she’s feeling. Willow says, much better, and Epiphany tells Dr. Nelson that Dr. Ashford examined Willow, and filled her in. Everything is in her chart. Nelson says, since they’ve already begun treatment, he’ll let Epiphany finish. He leaves, and Willow says she’s so sorry. She didn’t mean to… Epiphany says, it’s okay. You’d think that after twenty years, he’d have more trust in her judgement. She’s been working as a nurse for over twenty years, longer than some of these… no, most of these doctors, yet she still has to defer to their judgment. Willow says, it must be so frustrating, and Epiphany says she wishes she had a more active role in patient care decisions, and Willow asks why she doesn’t get a job where she will. Epiphany says, it’s been so long, she honestly doesn’t think she could do anything else. Willow says she felt that way about teaching, and realized she was ready for a change. Maybe Epiphany is too.
Phyllis says she knows it seems bleak, and Nina says, the bleakest. Phyllis says, but people are capable of forgiveness. Nina says, Willow is very forgiving. They had their issues when they first met, but got past them, and they’ve had some touching moments since then. She just doesn’t understand why Willow can’t see Wiley is her only link to her daughter. Phyllis says, it’s a difficult situation. Maybe Harmony has the answer; the bridge between all of you. Nina says, her gut tells her that Harmony is going to choose to stay in her daughter’s good graces over helping her, but Phyllis says, you never know. If Harmony loves Wiley, maybe she’ll see the wisdom in having Nina be a part of his life. Nina says, from her lips to… Harmony’s ears. Phyllis knew her back in her old New York days. Phyllis could talk to her, convince her to put in a good word for Nina. Phyllis says, they were acquaintances over twenty years ago. She holds no sway with that woman. Nina says, Phyllis has more sway than she does. Everybody listens to Phyllis. Please. Phyllis says, this is a family custody matter. She doesn’t feel comfortable taking sides. Nina says, please, and Phyllis says, however, she’d be willing to talk to Harmony, and tell her about the Nina she knows and loves. She can then come to an informed decision on her own. Nina says, yes! and hugs Phyllis.
Sonny tells Michael that he’s not having Nina used against him anymore. Understand? Michael says he’ll never understand, and Sonny asks how many times they have to go through this. He was trying to keep the peace. What did Michael want him to do? Attack Nina? Does he think that would have helped? Michael says, this coming from Sonny, the gold standard in payback. Now he wants to let bygones be bygones. Does Sonny understand why he doesn’t want Nina in Wiley’s life? It’s because she’s unbalanced. She does horrible, hateful things, then claims she doesn’t mean them. Who does that sound like to Sonny?… Right, Nelle. Sonny says, so Nina is now poisoning people? and Michael says, close enough. So he doesn’t want Sonny’s help, and neither does Josslyn. Sonny says he’s going to find out what happened to Josslyn, so why doesn’t Michael just tell him? Michael says, because she wouldn’t want him to. Honestly? He’d venture to say she’d rather have the whole situation on a billboard in Times Square than accept anything from him. Sonny made his choice, and his family wasn’t it. Sonny says he’s sorry he caused Michael any pain. Maybe one day he’ll understand.
Nina thanks Phyllis, who goes in the back. There’s a song part, something about together we will rise, and Nina leaves. She sits outside, and looks at pictures of Wiley on her phone. She holds her phone to her chest, looks at the pictures again, and smiles.
Willow looks at her own phone, and frowns. Harmony comes in and gives Willow a paper bag, presumably the turkey sandwich, and hugs her.
Epiphany looks at the computer, looking at registration for MCAT. (See below.)
In her office, Alexis looks at her tablet, then turns to the desktop and starts to type. We see the placard with, Truth never damages a cause that is just: Gandhi. Outside in the hallway, Carly texts I love you to Josslyn.
The song still playing, Molly tells Jordan that she’s making progress. Her opening statement only took thirty drafts… She babbles away, and TJ comes over to her side of the table, and they kiss. Shawn smiles at Jordan.
Sonny comes out of the interrogation room, and looks at Michael through the window. He walks out to the hallway by the stairwell, leans on the steps and ponders a moment, and walks out.
Tomorrow, Maxie asks Brook, what was so important Brook had to rush right over; Curtis tells Portia, he has some plans of his own; Elizabeth tells Dante, there’s been a development on her end; and Sonny tells Selena to cut to the chase. What does she want?
Port Mahón, Majorca. We hear sex sounds coming from the guest cabin. I put my fingers in my ears, and go la-la-la. Gary and Daisy are furiously making out in the hot tub. Colin comes by, and in his interview, he says, what the hell is going on here? What universe is he in? It’s probably going to ruin their relationship, and the rest of the charter season will be going to sh*t. Daisy tells Gary that she’s going to bed, and literally jumps out of the tub, leaving the cheese standing Gary alone. In Gary’s interview, he says, carpe diem, motherf***er. In Ashley’s interview, she says she’d written Tom off, but he wasn’t so bad. He didn’t act like a 23 year old in bed. Gary tells Colin, tomorrow is going to be awkward, since he’d also kissed Ashley. News for you, pal. She’s already forgotten about it.
In the crew mess the next morning, Colin asks if Daisy remembers playing tonsil hockey with Gary, and she says he’s lying. He’s stirring the sh*t. Tom says, Daisy and Gary had a little smooch, and Daisy insists it didn’t happen. In her interview, she says, oh my God, was it long? She covers her ears, and says she doesn’t want to hear it. She’s never drinking like that again. Kelsie wonders how she misses all the fun times. Not that she wants to join in, but… Glenn radios Daisy, Colin, and Gary for a preference sheet meeting. Kelsie wonders if she kissed anyone.
The new primary is James Jr., a luxury real estate broker, dealing with properties in Manhattan. He’s eaten in the finest restaurants, and is excited to see what a yacht chef and crew can do. James’s sister Kimber, and her BFF Bunny, brother Tyler, and James Sr. will also be guests. They want a 007 birthday dinner for James Sr., and have requested the captain join them. They also want a beach picnic, and an authentic Spanish dinner. In Marcos’s interview, he says, Spanish food is amazing, the seafood and spices. It requires a lot of prep, and so many hours of cooking. He’ll be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Daisy calls for black and silver decorations, and red décor. Gabriela fights with the sheet corners on a bed. In her interview, she says, they should be uniform. It’s common sense if you have experience. In Tom’s interview, he tells us that his best friend’s dad collapsed and is in the hospital. It’s not good.
Ashley asks if Tom is okay, and in his interview, he says, before he came to the boat, he’d dropped his car off at their house, and they’d wished him luck, and… He can’t finish. Ashley says she’s sorry, and sits with him. Everyone crashes early, and Daisy tells Kelsie that she’s mortified. Kelsie says, maybe it didn’t happen, but Daisy says she thinks it did. Tom tells Captain Glenn that his best friend’s dad has a blood clot in his brain. Glenn asks how old he is, and Tom says, in his early 50s. Glenn asks if Tom needs to go, but Tom says he doesn’t, and Glenn says, keep him posted. Daisy goes over the dreaded list with the stews. As the crew gets the boat ready, as usual, Ashley avoids work at all costs, and Gabriela asks if she saw the other side of the list. Ashley says she didn’t, then says, f*** me, dude, the second she’s out of earshot. She finds Daisy in the laundry, and whines that she has to do everything. She hates lists. She has no problem respecting Daisy; she leads Ashley the way she wants to be led. Daisy says, they all have to follow things they don’t want to sometimes, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, the second stew is entitled to delegate to the third stew. Ashley reminds her of a kid who wants to act like a grown-up at 12 years old. She tells Ashley, when she’s second or chief, she can make the decisions. The provisions come in, and Glenn announces, a half hour until the guests arrive.
The guests are welcomed, and Glenn says, they have a lot of fun stuff planned. Daisy gives the tour, and they set off for Punta Prima, Menorca. James asks what Colin’s favorite animal is, and if he likes cougars. Apparently, guest Bunny has a reputation for being one. They anchor, and Daisy tells Marcos that she thought she’d made it obvious to the girls that they had to get along. We flash back to the tip meeting, where Daisy said they had to work as a team and respect each other. She says, they’re at it again, and Marcos says, egos. In his interview, he says, Daisy needs to control it. He has his own problems. She says she’ll talk to them after the charter. I have to interject that Gabriela is doing zero wrong here. It’s Ashley who has an issue with authority and basically working at all.
In Marcos’s interview, he says he’s started the lobster bisque early. He has to let the flavors meld. He tells us that he makes it look easy, but it isn’t. In Gary’s interview, he says he thinks Daisy has a crush on him. Ashley checks on Tom, who says he feels bad for the family, but he’s fine. In Ashley’s interview, she says she needs to be supportive. Something like that stays in the back of your mind, and makes your job harder than it already is. Daisy suggests the guys serve tonight’s dessert topless, and Colin wonders if she shouldn’t take a look at what she’s asking for first, since they’re out of shape. The table is gorgeous; black and gold, with masks scattered around. Glenn joins the guests, and they all tell James Sr., happy birthday. Gary continues teasing Daisy, and guest Tyler literally falls asleep at the table. Someone suggests propping him up, and in Glenn’s interview, he asks, is this Weekend at Parseval’s? Marcos brings up the cake, and everyone sings Happy Birthday. I start wondering if Tyler is actually dead, when Daisy says they have a small surprise for Bunny. Colin, Gary, and Tom come upstairs, shirtless, bearing slices of cake. Bunny takes a picture with them, and in Colin’s interview, he says, if she wants dad bods to go with her cake, who are they to turn her down?
In his interview, Colin says, separately, Daisy and Gary say they hate each other, but there’s a connection when they’re together that they can’t resist. Tyler is still sleeping when the guests leave the table – seriously, is this guy okay? – and Gabriela says, she’ll have the boys help him downstairs. The crew devours cake in the crew mess. Tom joins Colin to help deal with Tyler, and Colin says he checked Tyler’s pulse. They need to get him back to his cabin. In his interview, Colin says, Tyler is f***ing wasted. They can’t get Tyler to move, and Glenn is brought in. Glenn smacks Tyler’s face (gently), and they finally pick him up. They also end up escorting James Sr. back to his cabin. In Colin’s interview, he says, what a wanker.
The next morning, James Jr. says, they’ll just let James Sr. and Tyler sleep until they wake up. The wind isn’t conducive to sailing, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, when they can’t sail, the interior has to go above and beyond to make the guests happy. They have to make sure everything goes perfectly. Daisy says, Ashley will take stuff over to the beach, and Gabriela will stay there for lunch, but she’s not going. Gary tells Glenn about making out with Daisy, like Glenn wants to know, and Colin says he thinks Gabriela is the only girl with spunk. Spunk? Who is she? Mary Tyler Moore? In Marcos’s interview, he says he’s making a light lunch; sandwiches and salads. This way he can dedicate more time to the feast tonight. He has to always stay one step ahead. Kelsie and Ashley set up on the beach, and Gary goes back for the guests. In the galley, Marcos wraps the sandwiches, and Daisy says one of the reasons she hates beach picnics. The food never looks as good as it does on the boat. Ashley and Kelsie have trouble setting up the gazebo, and are still struggling when the guests arrive with Gabriela. In Gabriela’s interview, she says she’s so embarrassed. Why didn’t they put out a tablecloth, set up the bar, or the chairs? A badminton game is set up for the guests to distract them from the gazebo mess.
Everyone works on the gazebo, and in her interview, Gabriela says she’s mortified, but she’s good at distraction. That’s what makes her good at her job. Kelsie goes back to the boat, and Daisy asks how it’s going on the beach. Kelsie says, not well, and suggests they get an EZ-Up. Daisy wonders why no one radioed for help, and in her interview, she says, she can’t be everywhere; she doesn’t get paid enough to be everywhere. The food comes, and Gabriela goes back to the boat. Daisy says, she heard it was a sh*tshow, and Gabriela says, the guests watched them struggle with setting up the tent, but it turned out all good. In his interview, Marcos says, the main event is going to be seafood paella. It will be a flamenco inside their mouth.
The guests come back, and Glenn says, they’re going sailing. In Glenn’s interview, he says, guests come on a sailboat to sail, so he’s got to try everything. If you don’t try, you’re just a motorboat. Like every guest before them – except Charles, who was an unimpressed d-bag – the guests remark on how big the sails are. Glenn turns the motor off, but nothing happens. Glenn says, bleepity-bleep, and as a consolation prize, lets James Jr. steer while he puts the sails down.
Gabriela makes napkin roses, and Tom visits Ashley in the laundry. The paella looks magnificent, like a painting. The crew gets in their blacks. Marcos comes up with each course, and Kelsie says, the paella is prettier than her. Once again, Tyler sits alone at the table, drowsing, after all the others have gotten up. James Jr. finally calls him, and he manages to make it downstairs. Everyone has an early night.
At almost 3 am, Tom does nighttime stuff, and the wind is at 8 knots. At nearly 6 am, it bumps up to 12 knots… 15… 19… 23… 25… 28. Tom is in the crew mess, when things start blowing around. The wind is at 31 knots, and Colin jumps up, saying, WTF? Kelsie says she thinks they’re dragging anchor, and Ashley says, the boat’s tilting. Tom gets knocked over, and wrapped up in the hot tub cover. The crew is up and running around, and Tom wonders if they’re running aground.
To be continued…
🏖 A few highlights from that trainwreck I can’t turn from – Summer House. Amanda wore periwinkle eyeliner and mascara, and I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so. There was more birthday for Lindsay, who had changed from her princess costume to casualwear and a Free Britany cap. Poor Andrea had to sleep by himself, since Paige was now into Craig. On the surface, Andrea seems like a catch, but he’s a baby-man, as are all of the males on this show, with the exception of nuCarl. Lindsay brought new friend Luciano home, and I assumed by new friend, they meant some guy she’d picked up at the bar. Then we were treated to what amounted to soft core. Bleh. But the real kicker was that someone finally said something sensible. Paige said, I’m getting too old for this. I’ve been telling all of them that from the first episode.
Next time, Ciara goes on a blind date, and gets into it with Danielle. Like throwing things getting into it.
🤷🏽♀️ Is It Me…?
I swear James’s new squeeze looks like Katie in the picture.
Touch base here tomorrow for some soap and some Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay hoping for the best, while preparing for the worst, and stay open to a change you might not even realize you need.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
In the woods, some zombies toddle around and snarl. Elijah and Marco are on the wall at Hilltop, and Elijah shoots one with an arrow. He asks where they’re at, and Marco says, eight to nine; he’s still winning. Lydia comes by, and Elijah says, her too? She says she talked to Maggie, and he asks what she said. Lydia tells him, not much. Maggie just gave her directions to the closest Commonwealth checkpoint. Elijah says, a lot of people changed their minds, but she’ll be back, right? She says she thinks so, and goes out the gate. He asks if she needs an escort. It’s a long walk, and she might get bored. They hear a horse coming, and Elijah looks through the binoculars and sees Jesse from the Commonwealth. He calls out, rider coming. Nobody we know. Marco says, hold or we’ll shoot, but Jesse is bleeding, and falls off his horse. He lies on the ground, coughing, and Lydia runs to him. She says, he’s been shot. Get help. Jesse says, don’t… They’re slaughtering them… Liars. He hands her a map, says, you’ve got to go, and dies.
Maggie tells Lydia, she’s not going. Someone sent him, or it’s a trap. Lydia says she doesn’t think it’s a trick, but Maggie says, even if it wasn’t, they can’t go up against another group without people to fight. Elijah says, being outnumbered never stopped them before, but Maggie says, it should have; they’re barely holding on. Lydia says, that sounds like the group Jesse was talking about too. It’s the kind of group her mother would have targeted, and she helped. She’s not letting that happen to someone else. Maggie asks if Lydia’s not leaving, and Lydia says she is, but she has to help these people first. Lydia, Elijah, and Marco load the car, and Maggie comes out. She holds her hand out for the keys, and says, Lydia can take over at the halfway mark. Herschel runs out, and asks Maggie, how long this time? and she asks what she always says. He tells her, as long as it takes, and she tells him to hold down the fort.
Maggie drives, and Lydia asks why she doesn’t want help from the Commonwealth. Maggie says, they can get by without it, but Lydia asks why they should just get by. Maggie says, it’s just temporary. Before the Fall, she lived on a farm with her family. Corporate developers tried to buy them out, but her dad kept saying no. Then there was a bad drought, and the developers offered them three times what the farm was worth. The developers knew they were desperate, but also knew the drought would end. All they had to do was outlast them. They dropped off food to help out the livestock, but her dad let it rot. He said they were being tested. The drought ended, and they got back on their feet, and the developers never bothered them again. Lydia asks why Maggie’s father let it rot, and Maggie tells her, he said if they were seen taking it, the developers would know they needed it. Elijah says, the cattle were hungry, but Maggie says, they didn’t lose any. They made it through. Lydia says, they got by. She was forced to get by her whole life. She was told it makes you stronger and wiser, but it doesn’t; it hurts. Maggie asks what Lydia would have done, and Lydia says, asked everyone what they wanted instead of deciding for them. Maggie says, the people of the Commonwealth haven’t been tested in ten years. Does she want to be there when they are? Lydia says she just wants things to be the same every day, and Maggie asks if Elijah agrees. Elijah says, with most of it, yeah. They suddenly skid to a stop, three troopers blocking the road.
The get out, and realize they’re facing zombie troopers, and put them down. Maggie takes a closer look, and says, the knife slashed through the neck guard. She finds another has been shot between the armor. A man yells to them in the distance, and as he gets closer, Maggie says, it’s Aaron.
One week ago. Aaron goes into the church where Gabriel is preaching about the prodigal son. He says, the son squandered his riches, and found his soul empty. He was in need, and begged forgiveness from his father. His father embraced him, saying, his son was dead, and is now alive. He was lost, now he was found. He says, there were a lot of stunned faces when he asked them to sit by a stranger this morning. A lot of awkwardness, stiff backs, and clenched butt cheeks. They laugh, and he says, those who were out in the wasteland knew it didn’t matter if they were strangers; they were forced to see the humanity in each other, and strangers became more than friends. Strangers became family. Why was it that way out there, but not in here? Romans 3:23 tells us, we’ve all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It’s the thread that binds them together. If they strip away the superficial labels, they’ll see the person by their side as they see themselves in the mirror; the way they were before the world fell. It can’t be like it is now. They must remember the thread. It’s what makes them try. It’s what makes them forgive. It’s what makes them return from peril. It’s what makes us, us.
After the service, Aaron sits with Gabriel in the pews. He tells Gabriel that it was great, but he was expecting more fire and brimstone. Gabriel looks happy. Gabriel says he thinks he might be. In the beginning, he was going through the motions, but then it was like a switch flipped, and he wasn’t. He could hear Him again. Aaron says, that hell they went through feels like it wasn’t real; like it was a nightmare or something. Gabriel asks, what about Alexandria? and Aaron says, the Commonwealth is giving them more manpower and resources to rebuild, and while they’re finishing, they asked if he would help with their immigration initiative. Gabriel says they didn’t seem keen on immigrants when they came, and Aaron says, they weren’t, but when the found out he’d worked for an NGO, and was good at reaching out to people who need help, they asked him to work on their policies. Gabriel says, the Lord’s work, and Aaron says, yeah, that’s why he’s here. There’s a group of about 40 living in an apartment complex near Westborough, Virginia. He offered to help, and they thought it would be good if Gabriel tagged along. Gabriel asks, why? and Aaron says, it’s a religious group so… There are hostiles in the territory, but his boss Carlson will be with them. He’s a little… His heart’s in the right place. Jesse comes in, and tells Aaron that Carlson is ready when he is, and Aaron asks what Gabriel says. Gabriel asks what Aaron knows about these people, and Aaron says, according to the scouts, they’re a friendly group of settlers.
Carlson and his group stand in a clearing, looking at the apartment building. Carlton asks if they feel that rush of dopamine and adrenaline. It’s just the anticipation that they’re going to change lives. They’re going to make the world better than it was yesterday. Aaron says, Carlton told him they were just friendly settlers, but it doesn’t look friendly. Carlton says, what if they aren’t? If they’re angry, it just means they’re afraid, but when they meet Aaron, the won’t be. He can’t wait to watch Aaron and Gabriel do their thing. Gabriel asks Aaron if Carlton is going in, and Aaron says, he usually does, but doesn’t do the talking. There will be backup nearby. Gabriel looks at some troopers putting up a tent, and asks if they’re setting up camp. Carlson joins them, and Aaron says, the troopers aren’t coming with them, are they? but Carlson says, they don’t want to spook the natives. He tests the radio, and the trooper a few feet behind him copies. He tells Aaron, it’s all good. Gabriel looks at the building and says he’s not doing this. Places like that usually have an old man with a shotgun is looking for an excuse to shoot someone who stepped on his lawn. It practically screams, do not disturb. Aaron says, it might be better to leave them alone, and Carlson wonders if Aaron has pre-game jitters. Gabriel says Carlson’s plan is sh*t; he doesn’t want to die. Carlson says they’ve done this before, and will do it again, and Gabriel asks what the largest group was. Carlson says, four, and Gabriel says, there’s 40 in there. With that many people, all it takes is one nervous guy with an itchy trigger finger. Aaron says Gabriel is right, but Carlson says, it’s not up for discussion. They need to trust that he knows what he’s doing. Gabriel says, fine, and takes his collar off. Carlson says he needs to wear it; it’s part of his costume, but Gabriel says, this is how this is going to go…
They walk to the building, and Aaron loudly introduces himself. He says he comes from a community called the Commonwealth, and they’d like to extend friendship. They’re the people who left these where they would find them. He holds up a bag of rations, and says, since they were gone, he assumes they did. They have more back at camp. He asks if there’s anyone he could speak face-to-face with. There’s banging on the door from the inside, and a guy opens it. A woman comes out, dressed kind of barbarian, and says, weapons. They remove their weapons, and she walks around taking them, and looking everyone over. She looks at Aaron’s arm, and he says, it’s kind of a bitch to take off. She nods, and asks if it’s just the four of them. Aaron says, there’s a group of peacekeepers nearby waiting for them to check in, and she says, sounds scary. They follow her inside, and the door closes. One of the men locks the ton of humongous locks on it, and it’s kind of dark. They’re frisked and the woman says, can’t be too safe. Last door to the right. Aaron asks, what’s down there? and she smiles. She keeps walking, and they follow another guy, seeing various people hanging out along the way. The guy takes Aaron’s bag, leaving it in the hallway, and knocks on an apartment. They go inside, and a man sits at a desk, his back to them, and says, seats. They sit, and the door closes. The man turns around, and it’s Michael Biehn… er, warlord Ian. Aaron tells him, like he said outside, they come from the Commonwealth. It’s a bit like the old world. Their population is 50,000, they have a functioning government, protective walls, housing, restaurants, and two movie theaters. Ian says, and soldiers, and a church. Why did Gabriel lose his collar? Gabriel says he wanted Ian to see who he was before learning what he was, and Ian says, they tell him their place is like the old world. If they have a church, then they have hookers too; gambling and a sh*t side of town. Gabriel says he hasn’t seen that, and Aaron asks if he can have his bag back. He’d like to show Ian something. Ian nods, and someone gets the bag. Aaron takes out his cellphone, and gives it to Ian, who looks at pictures of the Commonwealth. Aaron says, that’s where they live. When people see it, they want to live there. Ian says, they’ll just be let in; it’s that easy. Aaron says, it’s not easy. There’s a screening process… Ian says, an audition. Let him get his tap dancing shoes. He asks where they’re located, but Carlson says they can’t tell him. Ian asks, why? Because Carlson says so? Carlson says, that’s right, and Ian says, then why is he talking to Aaron? Do him a favor, and look in the back corner. One of Ian’s men puts on a light, and we see skulls in a glass cabinet. Ian says, raiders, murderers, rapists, a few cannibals; all of them sat in the same seats they’re sitting in. Most were wolves dressed as sheep, and all meant his people harm. He tells Carlson, so Mr. Head Wolf, Carlson knows where Ian lives, but he doesn’t know where Carlson lives. How dumb would he be to let them go? He asks Carlson’s name, and he says, Toby Carlson. Ian shoots in the air, and tells Carlson to get on his knees, and everyone else, their asses stay in in their chairs. He aims his gun at Carlson, now on his knees, and says, answer his question. How dumb would he be to let them go when they know where his home is? Carlson is all shaky, and says, it would be dumb. Ian says, yes it would. Carlson reminds him of Ol’ Billy Johnson. He came to them a few years ago, promising them wealth and prosperity, but he wasn’t bringing them to the Promised Land. He just wanted to get them out in the open, so his raiders could kill them. He ended up on the shelf because he thought Ian was stupid. Does Carlson think he’s stupid? Carlson says, no, and Ian says, because he has plenty of room on the shelf next to Billy. Carlson says he doesn’t want to be on the shelf, and doesn’t think Ian is stupid. Ian says, show him where their raiding party is or bodies will hit the floor starting with Jesse. Aaron asks if they look like raiders, and Ian says, wolves dressed as sheep. They have no idea of his responsibilities to this place and its people. They’ve entrusted him with their very souls. Why did they come, and what do they want? Gabriel says, exactly. Why would they want anything from them? This place is a sh*thole. Why would they want it? Ian says, meat, and Aaron asks if he thinks they’re cannibals. Cannibals with prepackaged MRE’s? All they’ve done is given them food and water. They’re not starving because of the Commonwealth. Is that real or a lie? Gabriel says, those are also real soldiers in the pictures. If they don’t come back, the soldiers will come and kill them. Aaron says, or nobody has to die. Let them go, and they won’t bother them again; he promises. Ian says, what a day. What a goddam day. They’ll leave and will never come back… Carlson jumps up, grabs Ian’s gun, and shoots Ian, wounding him, and kills his men. Gabriel asks what he did, and Carlson says, his job. Aaron says, he was going to let them go, but Carlson says, shut up. Lock the door, and he’ll be back.
One week and one hour ago. Carlson goes to Lance’s office, and says, he got his call; what’s up? Lance offers Carlson a drink, but Carlson says, he’s four years sober. What’s wrong? Lance says, he got Milton to agree to being communal with some of the hick towns, and he used some of the resources to send convoy, but scouts hijacked the troopers who were guarding it. They’re all dead, and all evidence leads to an apartment complex, where the leader dresses like a general. They’re also religious, and have mass on Sundays and Tuesdays. Carlson asks what he’s missing. He’s some warlord. Just snuff him out, and if Lance assumes the worst, send in a squad to cut them down, then send in a company to raze the building. Lance says, if he asks for troops, there’s no way Milton won’t notice. He needs a surgical solution. Carlson says he doesn’t do that anymore, but Lance says he needs the former CIA guy; he needs an assassin. Carlson says he likes being retired. He gets up, he meditates, he gets to go out and find people who need help, and gives them a second chance. It’s Zen. Lance says, it can be taken from him, and Carlson moves closer to Lance. He asks if Lance is tired of living, and stirs Lance’s drink with his finger, and puts the finger in his mouth. Lance says, most of the dead troopers were kids in their 20s. This is on him, and he needs to make it right. Carlson says, okay. What is Lance thinking? Lance asks how Aaron is, and Carlson says, great. Aaron easily connects with people, which makes his job easier. Lance says, and what about his buddy? Carlson says, Gabriel? and Lance tells him, go in and make contact with the priest. Go to the apartment complex, and get them to let their guard down. When they do, and let them in to see the big chief, he wants Carlson to do what he does. He doesn’t have to tell the others about the plan. They’ll fall in line. Everyone does.
Back to now, troopers take bodies out, and Carlson tells them, sweep the rear. Ian sits on the floor, leaning up against a column, and Carlson asks him where the guns and cargo are that they hijacked and massacred their soldiers for? Ian says he has no idea what Carlson is talking about, and Carlson hits Ian with his gun. He says, there were three sets of tracks that all led here. Try again. Ian says, the caravan was like that when they found it, but Carlson says, Ian just lied to him, and hits him again. Ian punches him back, and troopers run over. Aaron yells, stop! and moves forward, and Carlson tells the troopers, cuff him. They take Aaron away, and Ian says, hey, d*ckless, those found weapons… Carlson shoots him, fatally this time. Carlson says, ready for shelf, warlord? Top shelf, center, right above Billy. How does that sound? All that talk, and he died so quick. Carlson kicks the dead Ian, and does some crazy loud yelling. Aaron is stunned, and Carlson says, don’t look at him like that. He was a damn animal. Aaron says, they’re supposed to be helping people, and Carlson says, they are. This is the other side; snuffing out threats. That’s how they make the world safe. They hear a horse whinny and gallop away, and run outside to see Jesse getting the hell out of there. A trooper shoots him, but he keeps on going, and Aaron pops the trooper in the face. Carlson draws his gun, and is about to shoot Aaron, but his gun only clicks. Carlson says, interesting. Let’s go. Aaron isn’t about to budge, when there are gunshots. Carlson becomes distracted, and Aaron jets. Several troopers run up to Carlson, and one tells him, a trooper is dead inside. Carlson goes in, and says, he turns his back one minute… He takes the dead trooper’s gun, and tells another to get him the trooper’s armor.
Back at Aaron meeting Maggie, she asks if he thinks the people at the complex are lying about the stolen shipment. He says he doesn’t know, and she shows him the map, telling him, this is the best way in. He asks where she got the map, and she says, he gave it to the guy who rode to Hilltop. Aaron says, no, he didn’t, and she says, then who did?
12 hours before. Jesse finds some horses, and starts to unleash one, but Negan appears, and says, don’t move. How many are there? Jesse says, twelve, and Negan asks what they’re armed with. Jesse says, machine guns. He didn’t know… Annie joins Negan, and he asks what the people look like. She says, there’s a priest, and a guy with a spiked arm, and Negan says, Gabriel and Aaron. Jesse asks if he knows them. They came from the Commonwealth, and this is not what he signed up for. Negan tells him, shut up, and takes out a map. He tells Jesse to go to Hilltop, and ask for Maggie. Talk to her and no one else. Tell her that Aaron and Gabriel are in trouble.
Carlson tells Aaron, this is other side; snuffing out threats. This is how they make world safe. Jesse takes the horse, and Carlson and Aaron run outside. Inside, the trooper guarding Gabriel goes down, and Gabriel says, Negan? Negan unties him, and Annie says, they’ve got to go. They hear gunshots, and slip away. The troopers come in and see their dead comrade. Carlson comes in, and says, he turns his back for a minute…
In trooper armor, Carlson tastes some whiskey with his finger, and grabs a bullhorn. He says, residents of complex, you have been deemed enemies of the Commonwealth. One of them has stolen from them. That cannot stand. Their warlord is dead, but the good news is, they can make things right. Give them what’s theirs and they’ll leave. Inside, Gabriel asks where the weapons are, but Annie doesn’t know. Negan says, if she says they don’t have them, he believes her, but Gabriel says he’s praying they stole them. Without the weapons, they’re dead. Carlson isn’t going to let them leave alive. Two guys stand on the edge of the roof, hands on their heads, and look down. It’s a pretty long way, and Carlson asks where the weapons are, but the first guy says he doesn’t know. Carlson says he believes him, and kicks him over the edge. He asks the other guy, and says, how about him? The guy shakes his head, and Carlson pats him on the back, then pushes him off. Inside, they hear screaming and a thud, then more screaming, yelling, and thuds. Carlson gets back on the bullhorn, and says, your people have let you down. He tells the troopers to hit each room, and kill anyone who won’t talk. The troopers go inside, and Annie tells the their group that they need to stick together. Forget about giving up or begging for forgiveness. Ian is dead, but he’s not the first leader they had. He wasn’t what kept them together. They did, and they did it by working together as a family. Their family is scattered all over the building, but they know this place better than those a-holes do, and they’re coming out on top. On the side, Negan tells her, that was pretty good, but the Commonwealth they took out their best. Annie says, but they needed to hear it.
Carlson gets on the radio, and asks Hodges to come in. Standing over a dead Hodges, Maggie takes the radio, and shuts it off, putting it on her belt. She and Elijah sneak up the stairs, and Aaron closes the door behind them.
Next time, Lance says, this place works because everyone plays their part, and If they can’t or won’t is when the system breaks down, and we can’t let that happen; Carlson says, find the guns or they’ll burn this place to the ground; and Mercer says, that’s a fight they’re not going to win.
⚔️ The Warlord Speaks…
I love Michael Biehn, so it was a real treat to see him on TWD, albeit briefly. Grindhouse is one of my all-time favorite films. On Talking Dead, he said his favorite line was the one about the tap shoes. Mine too. I literally lol’d. The delivery was perfection.
Stop by tomorrow for soap and Deck doings. Until then, stay safe, stay controlled, and stay helping people and giving second chances, but leave the snuffing out of threats to the professionals.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone in her office, Alexis says everything looks in order, so it should be good for an early morning release. Shawn comes to the door, and says, got time? She says, for him, always, and he says, good, because they have a lot to talk about. She asks, what is it? and he says, her friend Harmony, and the company she keeps.
Phyllis sees Nina at Charlie’s, and gives her a hug. She says she wishes Nina would have given her a heads up; she would have cancelled her plans. Nina says, Phyllis is a busy lady, and asks what kind of plans she has. Phyllis says she’s going to meet up with a friend of Lenny’s, and Nina asks if they live in Port Charles. Phyllis says, just passing through. Raincheck? Nina says, definitely. The truth is, she has a meeting herself, and no, not with Sonny. Phyllis says, see her soon, and leaves. Harmony walks in, and says, she hopes she didn’t keep Nina waiting.
Michael sneaks up behind Willow at the hospital, and she asks what he’s doing here. Did she forget date night? He says, she’s fine, and asks if she’s finished with her rotation. She says, yes. Can’t he tell by the circles under her eyes? If being a nurse is as exhausting as becoming one, she’s going to have to up her concealer game. He says, A, her eyes are perfect, and B, all she needs is a week in Paris and, viola. She says, he learned a new French word, and he says, oui, oui. She says she’s cleared the trip with her supervisor, and he suggests they get her home and start packing.
Jordan tells reporter Smalt (I didn’t realize it was the UFO guy from The Invader), if he wants an interview, contact her office. He says she must be aware there’s a video out there of Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber doing the dirty. (Is everyone twelve?) She says, out there as in… He says, going viral, and he heard from unnamed sources that PCU has launched its own investigation. What does she think? With the Corinthos family involved, are they looking at a prank, or something more criminal?
Esme sees Spencer bear hugging the book, and asks if that’s the gift he gave Trina. He says, it was. Apparently, Trina doesn’t want anything from him. She says, not even friendship? Does that mean Trina’s out of his life? He says, if she is, will Esme be happy? She finally got what she wanted. She asks how he can say that. If he’s hurt, she’s hurting for him, but given the pain Trina’s inflicted on his two closest friends, maybe it’s better this way. He says, better for who? and Esme says, she finally did it, didn’t she? Trina has him believing she’s the one who made that awful video. He says, isn’t she?
At the Bistro, Sam says she can’t believe Carly just showed up like that, and Dante says, she didn’t just show up. She detonated their entire plan. Sam says, a plan that was actually working, and Dante agrees, but what can they do? She says she doesn’t know. What now? He says, now they figure out another way to find out what Victor is up to.
On the footbridge, Carly tells Drew, she’s so, so sorry that she completely and utterly ruined his plan. If she’d had any idea… He says, why? and she says, why is she sorry? He says, no. Most people who would have come up and figured out what was going on would have made an anonymous call to the cops, but she just stormed up to confront it head on. She says she thought he was about to pitch that guy over the bridge, and commit murder. That’s why she didn’t start filming right away; she didn’t want to capture that. Can he imagine trying to explain to a jury that he was conditioned, it wasn’t his fault? He says, the tarot card made me do it isn’t a good defense? He doesn’t get it. She says she couldn’t stand the thought of sitting in the gallery watching that, and he says, she’d be at his trial? She says, of course (🍷) she would.
Willow says, Michael wants to leave for Paris now? and he says, as soon as humanly possible. She says, there’s so much to do; so much to plan. He says, all she needs is her passport, and thanks to her mom, she has one of those, right? They’ll just throw some necessities in a suitcase, and as for the rest, the Parisian shops are calling their names. She says, that sounds… He says, incredible? and she says, yes, but what about Wiley? He says, who’s Wiley?Monica offered to watch him; she insisted actually. She says, that was before she had her hands full planning Jason’s memorial, and he says, he’d ask his mom, but her life’s kind of crazy right now. She says, there’s always her mom. She’d jump at the chance. And let’s face it, so would Nina.
Nina says she figured it was about time she and Harmony met. They do have someone in common. Harmony says, they do? and Nina says, their grandson. Who else does Harmony think she meant?
Jordan says, if and when the PCPD has something to say about this matter, Smalt can read the press release. TJ comes along and asks if everything is cool, and Jordan says, occupational hazard. Smalt says, if someone has targeted Sonny Corinthos’s stepdaughter, he’s damn well going to find out who, with or without Jordan’s cooperation.
Esme says she can’t believe Spencer is buying into Trina’s pathetic attempt to deflect suspicion. This is ridiculous. When she left a little while ago, everything was fine. Trina pays him one visit, and he throws this baseless accusation… He says, Cameron doesn’t think it’s baseless, and she says, who cares what Cameron thinks? He says, he does. Cameron told him to trust his gut. She says, and not trust her? Open his eyes. Cam’s always had it out for her. He says, not always. In fact, Cameron was on her side until she… She says, until she somehow taped him and his girlfriend having sex when she was miles away with Spencer? Does he hear himself? He says, she managed to torch Ava’s car without being there, and she says, she did that for him. He asks if she did this for him too, and she says, they succeeded. His friends set out to turn him against her, and they finally did. He says, they didn’t do anything. They didn’t have to. Not if she did it all for them.
Dante says, so Drew was part of this Operation Demeter at some point, and Sam says, and their chances of uncovering it are basically zero. He says, right, because Drew was a SEAL, and it was probably some black op. She says, Spinelli could get near it. Dante knows he has his ways, but she knows. She’s not allowed to ask him for help anymore. He tells her that she’s a real piece of work, and she says she knows that, but she also knows she’s right. She thinks it’s a mistake not to utilize Spinelli just because Dante’s ego can’t take it. He makes a pained expression, and says, can’t take it? and she says, yeah. He says she’s right, and she says, excuse me? He tells her that he said she’s right, and she smiles.
Carly asks if Drew thinks she would let him go to trial for a murder he committed against his will with no one in his corner. No way. The next call she would make would be to Diane, which by the way, if he wakes up one day and finds he’s committed a crime he doesn’t remember… He says, call Diane? but she says, call her; she’ll call Diane. He’s a nice guy and all… He says, but he’s not on the list? and she says, if it makes him feel better, it’s a very short list. There were only three people in the world who could call Diane, and no matter what she was doing or where she was, she would pick up the phone. Now there are only two. He says, her and Sonny, and she says, yeah. He says he still can’t believe her first impulse wasn’t to run, but instead, she just jumps right in to the mix. She says, it’s pretty on brand for her, and he says, none of the other stuff even crossed her mind? She says, like what? and he says, like her kids, her work, her life; all the stuff she told him not to jeopardize. For all she knew, he could have thrown her over the side next. She says, oh. She didn’t really think about that, but if she had… No. She doesn’t believe he would have thrown her over the bridge, conditioned or not. He says he’d really like to believe that, but that’s what’s so disorienting. When it is the right tarot card, there is no choice, there’s no conscious decision to do or don’t. He just wakes up and it’s done; he doesn’t remember anything. She says, that’s so scary, and he says, it’s terrifying.
Shawn tells Alexis, it’s been a while since he’s seen the guy, but when you’re as notorious as Bucky was, you’re not easily forgotten… and this isn’t news to her, is it? She says, no. Harmony told her about the forger. He says, so Harmony made her an accessory after the fact, and she says she advised Harmony not to do it, but at the end of the day, Harmony did what she was going to do, and she did it for her daughter. Is there anything he wouldn’t do for TJ? He says, now she’s just playing dirty, and she says, is there? He tells her to ask herself this. Is she sure Harmony was thinking about Willow, or was she just thinking about herself?
Harmony says, she and Nina are virtual strangers. She’s learned the hard way to guard against people who want to involve her in their own personal problems. Nina says, fair enough, and she doesn’t blame Harmony for being cautious, but in this particular case, Nina’s problem could also be Harmony’s problem. Harmony says, Nina wants something, and Nina says she only wants what Harmony wants she would imagine; to spend time with her precious grandchild? Or do Michael and Willow make her feel welcome when she’s around Wiley? Harmony says she gets to see him from time to time, when it’s convenient for them. Nina says, what if she told Harmony that she could change that? What if she never had to beg or grovel to see Wiley? What if they got Wiley’s parents to put him first, and give them what’s rightfully theirs?
Michael says, he and Willow agreed Nina gets nowhere near their son. Has that changed? Willow says, no. Nina forfeited her right to be in Wiley’s life as far as they’re concerned. The courts may have a different opinion. He says, Nina has the right to file a petition. Let her take her best shot, because they know they’re doing what’s best for Wiley. She says, and they agree that’s being surrounded by people who love him with no ulterior motive. He says, of course (🍷), and she says, could that list maybe include her mom? She knows her mom’s had her issues – no one knows that better than her – but she’s trying so hard to make up for her mistakes, which is more than they can say for Nina, right?
Jordan tells Smalt, careful now. It sounds like he’s more interested in selling a story than protecting two innocent kids. Smalt tells her, who says they’re innocent? and TJ asks, what’s going on? Jordan says, that’s what she’s trying to figure out. If what Mr. Smalt here says is true… Smalt says, gospel. His sources always check out. Jordan says she’s sure, and he says, if she refuses to give him the answers he needs, he’ll just find them somewhere else, and walks off.
Michael says, despite Willow’s mom’s sincere remorse, it’s hard for him to leave what she did to Willow in the past. Smalt sees Michael, and says, paydirt.
Spencer tells Esme to look him in the eye, and tell him that she had nothing to do with that video. She says, would it even matter? After all this time together, after everything they’ve been through, she can’t believe their history isn’t enough. He says he wants to trust her, and she urges him to sit with her. She asks if he remembers the first time they met in boarding school, and he says, of course (🍷) he does. She says, where were his friends then? He didn’t have any. The poor little rich kid was all alone until she came along. Then when he returned to Port Charles, and threw that big welcome home party, who wrote up the guest list? Who made sure every single person on it would fly in? Does he think they came all this way because they liked him? Please. They used him because his last name is Cassadine. All of them, except for her, because she saw the real him; his heart, his mind, his potential. True, he was just a boy, but she fell for him, knowing one day he’d be a man. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she was fooling herself this entire time.
Carly says, let’s be practical about this. He knows what tarot cards work on him, right? and he says, The Chariot puts him under; The Tower brings him out. She says, and he knows what words need to be used? and he says, you’re active, and stand down. She says, besides the two of them, who knows the whole sequence at this point? and he says he thinks a lot of people know it involves tarot cards, but only Jason and Britt knew the actual sequence. She says she’s had her mixed feelings about Britt in the past, but Britt would never use it against him, and she almost certainly wouldn’t. He says, almost certainly? and she says, now that she thinks about it, she should invest in a tarot deck just in case. You never know when it could come in handy. Like when Nina’s really driving her crazy… He says, oh my God, and she says she doesn’t want to wipe Nina off the map or anything, but maybe there’s a fire at the Crimson printing facility. No one’s hurt or anything like that, but the magazine fails, and Nina has to leave town… She doesn’t want him to make the mistake that she’s above that, because she’s not. He says, she is. She might despise Nina, but not for one second does he think she would take away his free will just to mess with her. She says, no, she woudn’t.
Dante tells Sam, he was wrong. They should have called Spinelli instead of letting his… She says, ego, and he cringes, and says, ego get in the way, and maybe they wouldn’t be in this position. She says, as much as she likes to be right, he’s wrong. He says, that’s what he was telling her, but she says she’s talking about being in this position. It has nothing to do with him or who put the microphone on Drew, and everything to do with Carly. The plan went sideways, but it wasn’t his fault. He’s actually doing a really great job. He asks her to say it again, she does, and they kiss.
Carly says, when Drew talked about taking away his free will, it made her think. He asks, what about? and she says, the worst mistakes she’s made in her entire life was when she went along with someone else’s choice, not her own. She loved Jason for a million reasons, but one that stands out to her is, Jason never did anything he didn’t choose to do. He did a ton of things he didn’t want to do, but Jason was the ultimate proponent of free will. She guesses that makes it easier sometimes when she’s so angry she wants to scream at the universe. No one made Jason go to that island. He chose it, just like he chose everything else. He says, that’s why she and Jason were so close. They were the same that way. In the end, she just does what she wants, and everyone else be damned. Jason apparently didn’t have a problem with it. She laughs, and says, sometimes he did… a lot of times. That’s why, as much as it hurt, she had to end things with Sonny. It got to the point where she was making herself small every day. She was lying every day; not just to the kids, but to him, the world, herself. She was swallowing so much resentment and anger, she was choking on it. He says, she made a choice, and she broke free, and she says, it’s going to take a while before she feels okay. She misses Avery so much it hurts, but she didn’t have a choice. Not one she could live with.
Esme says, this is what she gets for staying by Spencer’s side, when everyone, including his own father, was against him. She won’t be making that mistake again. She gets up, and he follows, saying, she knows what she means to him. He hasn’t forgotten all that she’s done for him. She says, it seems like it. It seems like he’s willing to believe everyone except her. He says he just wants to understand what happened. Someone made that video and sent it out to the entire school. Esme blames Trina – Esme squeals, because she did it – and everyone else blames Esme. They’re getting so loud, I’m surprised a guard hasn’t run in, and shouldn’t there be a guard in the room??? He says, so either everyone’s wrong and she’s right… who is he supposed to believe? She says, he’s supposed to believe her. Because that’s what love is, putting one person before everyone else. Either he can do that or he can’t.
Michael says, they do need to figure out Willow’s mom’s place in Wiley’s life, but can they do it on their way to the airport, on the plane, or at one of the amazing cafes they’re going to be eating at? He wants her to himself in the City of Lights. She says, they still have to figure out who’s going to watch Wiley, and he says he’ll call his grandmother, give her first choice… in the car. Willow says, let’s get out of here, and they walk to the elevator. Smalt appears, and says, Mr. Corinthos? Michael asks if he knows Smalt, and Smalt introduces himself, saying, Michael must have seen his work in The Invader. Does he have any comment on the video? Michael says they’re in a hurry; Smalt can contact his office. Smalt says, so Michael has no comment on his family’s latest brush with scandal? and Michael says, his family is well-versed in so-called scandals. The elevator doors open, and Michael and Willow get in. Smalt leans on the door, keeping it open, and says, even when it comes to Michael’s sister Josslyn? Michael says, what about Josslyn?
Alexis tells Shawn, sorry. He doesn’t want her to miss a deadline, does he? He says, always a master of deflection, and she says, the website called her. He says, even if they hadn’t, she’d find some other way of explaining why she’s covering for her friend. She says, they both know, this is not about Harmony. The last time they spoke, he said he was flying out to the west coast for some amazing job opportunity. He says, good memory, and she thanks him. He says, then she’d also remember him asking if he had a reason to come back in the next few weeks, and move the offices here. She says, the reason being her, and he says she’s been avoiding him ever since. She says, she hasn’t been avoiding him… Okay, maybe she’s been avoiding him. You want to talk about us. If there even is an us. He says, is there?
Spencer says he’s always put Esme first; ahead of his family, ahead of his friends, ahead of everyone. She says, then why are they fighting? She knows he likes Trina, and wants to believe she’s innocent, but maybe Trina did him a favor. He asks what she means, and she says, Trina returned that gift he got her. She picks up the book, and says, he can make a clean break and move on. She looks inside, and says, he wrote an inscription. We can tell she’s just seething, and he says, it’s nothing. She looks at it, and says, it’s not nothing. To Trina and our shared passion; Spencer. Isn’t that sweet? If she hadn’t come back when she did, would Spencer have kissed Trina to demonstrate all that shared passion?
Drew says, Carly makes a really good point. There is an upside to him coming back, having missed out on a couple years of his life. She says, there is? and he says, he has a completely clear slate. He’s free to set his own priorities, to trust his own instincts. To fill up his life in a way that feels best to him. Of course (🍷) he has obligations; Scout being number one. But it’s not like he’s in a situation where he made a promise he can’t keep, or he’s trapped emotionally and physically. She says, he’s free, and he says he’s grateful for that. He’s grateful to be home, but he’s been focused more on loss instead of freedom. She says she thinks he needs to shift his focus, and he says he thinks she’s right. Just let go of… whatever. The time he’s lost, the dreams he had; just put it down. It will free up so much space to move forward. Carly says, amen to that.
Nina tells Harmony, legally, grandparents are guaranteed access to their grandchildren, in the state of New York at least. Harmony says, even if she wanted to fight for those rights, she wouldn’t be able to afford a lawyer, but Nina says, she wouldn’t have to; Nina already has legal representation. But that’s not her point. They could come out swinging, and probably succeed, but a long contentious legal battle is not in Wiley’s best interest, or theirs. Harmony agrees, and asks, what’s the alternative to going to court? Nina says, separately, they’re in a weak position, but together they can represent a united front. Nina has Michael’s father in her corner, and Harmony has the woman Michael loves in hers. So she could put in a good word for Harmony, and Harmony can do the same for Nina on her end. It could work.
Michael comes back out of the elevator, and asks Smalt, what happened to Josslyn? Has she been admitted to GH? Smalt says, nothing like that, and Michael says, then start talking; his patience is running thin. Willow suggests they go home and figure it out there, but Michael says he’s not going anywhere until he finds out what’s going on. Smalt says, Michael really doesn’t know. Wow. He’d thought it spread like wildfire. Michael says, start talking, and Smalt says, there’s a video going around, and apparently his sister was caught in the act with her boyfriend. And by caught in the act, he means having sex. Michael says, Cameron and Josslyn? and Willow says, they have the general idea; let’s get out of here. Smalt says, and someone sent it to all the students at PCU. Michael asks, who was it? and Smalt says he was hoping Michael could tell him that. The video’s blown up on social media, but so far, no one has taken credit. It makes him wonder, was this their plan? Michael asks if Smalt is insinuating his sister purposely leaked the video, and Smalt says, maybe she wanted the whole world to rate her performance. She is quite the athlete. Michael punches Smalt in the face, and Smalt bounces off the wall and onto the floor. We see Jordan and TJ are standing there.
Alexis says, nothing has changed since Shawn decided to go to San Francisco, She loved when he was staying at the house, she loves working with him, He says, so does he, and she says, so he knows how much he means to her. He says he thinks so, and she says she doesn’t know if she would have survived Pentenville without him. She’s gainfully employed because of him. He says he’s not looking for gratitude, and she says she knows. He says he asked if she’s ready. If she wanted to give them another try, but he never got her answer. She takes his arm, and says, the answer is no. There are a hundred different reasons for that. They’re different people. She’s still mourning Neil, The timing is bad, but the most salient point is that they had their chance, and it didn’t work. To think they can go back, and there will be some magic redo is just… He deserves better than that. They both do
Spencer says Esme is taking what he wrote out of context. He was referring to the passion he and Trina share for art history, but to take it and twist it into something else to justify what she’s done… She says, she’s turning it into something else? That’s what he’s done every time he’s chosen to believe Trina over her, trust Trina over her. He’s had his little stolen moments with Trina when he could have been spending time with her, and by the way, what makes him think he knows Trina so well anyway? He laughs, and she says, don’t tell her they… He says, no, of course (🍷) not. You know why? Because Trina’s not like that. Esme says, and she is, and he tells her, did he say that? Esme says she’s capable of anything, right? Nothing’s too low, but Trina, innocent Trina, can do no wrong. He says she’s overreacting, but she says, no. She’s finally calling him out with the truth. He wants boring and basic? She shoves the book at him, and says, he can have that.
Carly asks if Drew has talked to Monica, but he says, they’ve been ships passing; why? She says, Monica has decided to have Jason legally declared dead, and he says, it makes sense from a legal standpoint. She doesn’t think Monica is going to have a memorial, does she? Jason would absolutely hate that. She says, he would totally hate it. A bunch of people saying nice things about him? But he’d tolerate it because it’s Monica, and he’d want to make her happy. Drew says, she’s right, and she says he has to do her a favor. He says, name it, and she says, they have to make a pact. If there is a memorial, and they’re forced to sit there and listen to people talk about Jason, people who never really knew him, he has to catch her eye. If she’s about to stand up and say something and they’re sitting next to each other, he has to kick her. He says, what if they’re not? and she says, he’ll have to give her a signal of some kind; pull his ear, blink a couple of times, whatever. He just has to stop her. He says, how about this? and breaths in deeply, holding up ten fingers. She says, take a breath and count to ten, and he says, is that good? She says, perfect. He says, four days, and she says, four days what? He says, the amount time he was on Cassadine Island, and got to know Jason as his brother. It came down to four days. Now he’s left grieving all the things they’ll never get a chance to do. She says she’s so sorry, but he says, what is he even talking about? That’s nothing compared to what she’s going through. She says she has this big gaping hole in her life that will never be filled, but she has Jason in her heart. The way he was; the way she knew him. She has to realize, everyone has their own version of Jason, and she has to let them have it. He says, she will. It doesn’t matter what anyone’s version is, she knew who Jason was… for real. She says, what a gift.
Harmony says she’d love to be a part of Wiley’s life, and not just on birthdays and holidays. Nina says, Harmony just wants to be involved, and Harmony says, doesn’t Nina? Nina says, more than anything. Harmony is lucky for what she has with Willow. She never got that with her own daughter. Nina never even knew who she was until it was too late. Harmony says, that must have been crushing, and Nina says, it’s the kind of loss you don’t get over, but learn to live with. Harmony wishes there was something she could do, and Nina says, there is. Not that Harmony owes her anything. Just to be close to her daughter’s child would mean the world to her, and she truly believes it will make a difference to Wiley.
Michael tells Smalt, say another word about his sister; he dares him. Willow pushes him away from where Smalt is still on the floor, being tended to by TJ. Jordan says, that was a stupid thing to do, and Smalt wails, that was assault. TJ says, let him take a look, and Smalt says, this guy went all Corinthos on him and broke his face. Michael says, Smalt is lucky it wasn’t worse, and Jordan suggests he stop talking. Willow asks Michael, can they go home now? but Jordan says, Michael isn’t going anywhere. He’s under arrest.
Dante says he thinks what Sam is saying is, he’s got skills, and she asks if he has skills she’s not aware of. Are they current skills? He says, fairly current, and she tells him, if he says so. He says he does, and she says, care to share? He says, not here, and she says, they could see what’s happening at her place. He says, here’s a preview, and they kiss.
Drew asks if he can give Carly a ride back to the MetroCourt, but she says she’s not staying at the MetroCourt. The divorce papers were signed; she got the house. He asks how she feels about hat, and she says, conflicted. Of course (🍷), what else is new? The house is great; it’s a fortress. She doesn’t know if she should keep the guards, although she knows Sonny would be fine with it. She just doesn’t know if it makes them more of a target. She thinks she’ll have Spinelli set up a new state-of-the-art security system, and Drew says he could give her a full assessment if she wants. She says, really? and he says, ex-Navy SEAL over here. She says, that would be great, and he says, back to that ride, but she says she has her car; she’s all set. She’ll see him soon. He says she can count on it, he leaves, and she looks all happy, little hearts popping out of her eyes.
Jordan reads Michael his rights, and cuffs him, and Willow says, he was provoked. Did she hear what this man said about his sister? Michael says, it’s fine, but Willow says, it’s not, and Jordan asks if he understands his rights. He says he does, and Smalt says, this is an attack on the First Amendment. What happened to free speech? Jordan says, he spoke enough, and tells Michael, let’s go, leading him into the elevator. Michael tells Willow, Paris will have to wait, and she asks if he thinks she’s worrying about Paris right now. All that matters is that he and Josslyn are okay. Michael says, he’ll tell her this much, whoever did this to his sister is going to pay. Smalt repeats it into his recorder, and says, now there’s the quote.
Esme starts to storm out, but Spencer says, wait. She never answered his question. She says, he wants an answer, and he says, yes, he does. She says, well, we don’t always get what we what we want.
Alexis says she hopes Shawn’s trip to San Francisco is everything he deserves, and he deserves the best. He says she keeps talking about what he deserves, and she says, because she knows him, and she’s always liked what she’s known. He says, always? and she admits, not always. He laughs, and says he wants nothing but good things for her too. She tells him, good luck, and he says, back atcha, but something tells him she won’t need it. He heads for the door, and she says, hey. He turns back, and they hug/ He tells her, take care, and leaves.
Harmony says she can’t give Nina her daughter back, and Nina says, unfortunately, no one do that. Harmony says, but maybe they can share Wiley. Nina is right. He can’t have too much love. Nina asks if Harmony is in this, when Phyllis comes over to the table. She says, Lorraine Miller, as I live and breathe.
Hyperventilating, Willow goes into an examining room and calls Carly. But by the time Carly answers, Willow is passed out on the floor. Carly asks if she’s there.
On Monday, Epiphany tells someone that they’re about to reach their limit; Michael asks what Jordan is doing to catch the bastard who ruined his sister’s life: Carly says, if Alexis means that, she won’t publish the story; and Sonny asks what someone wants from him.
Let me count the ways. It started with him giving her a ring on a string, and his bromance with Sandoval always came first. Never mind the concentrated effort at lack of motivation.
I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature. I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me.
I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate. I decided not to coexist anymore with pretense, hypocrisy, dishonesty and cheap praise. I do not tolerate selective erudition nor academic arrogance. I do not adjust either to popular gossiping. I hate conflict and comparisons. I believe in a world of opposites and that’s why I avoid people with rigid and inflexible personalities. In friendship I dislike the lack of loyalty and betrayal. I do not get along with those who do not know how to give a compliment or a word of encouragement. Exaggerations bore me and I have difficulty accepting those who do not like animals. And on top of everything I have no patience for anyone who does not deserve my patience. – José Micard Teixeira, author/life coach
🕶 Pulling Down the Shade…
It’s been a long week. Maybe for you too, so enjoy your time off, if you have it, and if not, know you’re not alone. See you when it’s Deadtime. Until then, stay safe, stay cautiously optimistic, and stay letting go of whatever. It will free up so much space to move forward.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the footbridge, Victor looks at the Three of Cups tarot card. He hears Drew coming, and slips it into his jacket pocket. Drew says, here he is. Why was it so important they meet in person? Victor says he sees they’re dispensing with the pleasantries, and Drew says he thinks he made it pretty clear what he thinks about Victor. Victor says, yet here Drew stands. Is he alone? Drew asks, why? Does Victor have something up his sleeve as usual?
Sam and Dante are in a nearby van with surveillance equipment. They’re having a problem hearing, and Sam asks if Dante wants to go over the checklist again. He says, the wireless transmitter is functioning, the firmware is current… She says, what about the software on his tablet? and he says he updated it this morning. She can’t hear anything? She says, no, and if she can’t hear Drew, he can’t hear them. He says, that means Drew is on his own with Victor.
Portia literally runs into Jordan at the hospital, and says she’s sorry; she should watch where she’s going. Jordan says, you and me both, and Portia asks if everything is okay. Jordan says she’s just there for a check-up; she feels pretty good. Portia says, that’s what they like to hear, and Jordan says she should be going. She starts to leave, but Portia asks if she has time for one question. There’s something that’s been weighing on her mind. Jordan says, sure, and Portia asks if she considers Spencer Cassadine dangerous.
Spencer says, Trina must be psychic; he was just thinking about her. She says she’s been thinking about him too, and he says he was hoping she’d visit. She says, life’s been hectic, and he says he heard about the sex tape. She says, it’s been rough on Cam, but she can’t even begin to describe what Joss is going through. He says, what about her? He knows she and Joss are best friends, so Joss’s pain must be her pain. She says, which is why she’s here, and he says, so her first visit isn’t a social call. She says, this isn’t a social call, and this isn’t just her first visit. It’s also her last.
At the hospital, Britt asks if Carly is okay, and Carly says she’s fine. Britt says she thought they made peace on Valentine’s Day, or was it just a temporary truce? Carly says, no, they’re fine. She just has a lot going on. Britt says, Jason, and Carly says, what about Jason? Britt says she thought Carly knew. Monica’s decided to have Jason legally declared dead.
There’s a knock at the penthouse door, and Sonny shuffles over to answer it. It’s Nina, and he says, she wants to know if he talked to Michael, right? She comes in, and says, he’s right. Did he? He says, yeah, Michael and Willow, and she says she guesses she’s too late then. She was having second thoughts. He asks, why? and she says she just didn’t want to cause him anymore trouble. She asks how it went, and he says, Michael and Willow don’t want her to see Wiley. End of discussion. She thanks him for trying, and says she’ll call Martin Grey and tell him to start the paperwork… Sonny swipes some stuff off the table, startling Nina, and tells her, he said he’d fix it, and he will.
Jordan says, if Portia is asking for her personal opinion on Spencer, she hasn’t really formed one. Portia says, and her professional one? and Jordan says, not so much opinion as fact. Spencer Cassadine is a convicted felon, currently serving a custodial sentence at Spring Ridge. He’s never been charged with a violent infraction. Portia says, he admitted to stalking, harassing, and damaging property. That sounds like someone capable of violence. Jordan says, if she’s talking about setting Ava Jerome’s car on fire, Spencer had an alibi. Portia says, which brings her straight to his girlfriend Esme Prince. Why exactly wasn’t she charged? Jordan says, it’s complicated, but may she ask, why all the questions about Spencer and Esme? Portia says she needs to know the risks involved for someone that’s in their lives. Curtis comes out of the elevator, and Jordan asks if this is about Trina. Curtis asks, what happened to Trina?
Spencer says, this is Trina’s first and last visit because he’s getting out soon, but she says, no, it’s because of his girlfriend. As long as Esme’s in his life – she takes the book he gave her out of her bag – she can’t be. He says he wants to discuss this with her, but right now is not a good time, and she asks, when is a good time? Joss and Cam told her that he avoided this conversation at the cabin too. They sit, and he says he’s not avoiding the conversation, but Esme is here. She interns at Spring Ridge for her psychology class. Trina says, he’s never going to change, and he asks what that’s supposed to mean? She says, it means, no matter how many horrible things Esme does, he keeps trying to make her happy. It’s been very apparent he’s made Esme the priority since she first got here. Correction, since she first showed herself. Esme is about to walk in, and stops. Trina says, who knows how long Spencer and Esme were lurking around Port Charles, leaving creepy things for children, and he says, that is not… He made some horrible mistakes. That’s why he’s in here, to pay for them. She says, Esme should be the one paying; she’s the one who torched a car. Esme listens from behind a door, and Trina says, Esme took a step back and Spencer took the fall, and he’s okay with that. Just like he’s okay with the fact that Esme taped Joss and Cam having sex, and showed it to the entire world. He says, she’s got it all wrong, but she says she has it all right. Which is why she’s giving him this. She holds out the book, and says, take it. She doesn’t want it anymore. Esme smiles.
Dante says he doesn’t understand. The Wi-Fi signal is garbage. He checked it yesterday and it was totally fine. Sam says she knew she should have called Spinelli, but he says, they don’t need Spinelli. He just needs some time to sort this out. She says, they don’t have any time. Maybe they should just leave; move the van, find a new spot. He says she’s right. It rained and the wet leaves are interfering with the Wi-Fi signal. She wonders why she didn’t think of that, and he says, he’ll move the van a few feet, and they’ll get the signal lout and clear. She tells him, hurry up. They need to know what’s going on between Drew and Victor on that bridge.
Drew says, Victor told him that he wanted to discuss ELQ. What difference does it make if he came alone? Why did they need to have this conversation in private? Victor says, they’re here to discuss sensitive financial matters, and Drew says, if Victor didn’t want an audience for that, why did he bring his attack dog? Yeah, he surveilled the area before he came out in the open; all that Navy SEAL training is pretty ingrained. Victor says, all right, Yohan, he’s on to you. Might as well join us. Yohan stands next to Victor, and Victor says, there are those who might mistake his motives, but Drew says he doesn’t think any of them are mistaken. Victor says, Yohan is his insurance policy. Victor flashes back to telling Yohan that they’ll have to lure Drew to a secluded location, and activate the condition, and Yohan saying Drew figured out what he was doing the last time. If it happens again, there’ll be no denying it. Victor says Yohan makes an excellent point. It will be a terrible waste, but if the conditioning doesn’t work this time, Drew will have to be eliminated. In the present, Victor starts to slide the card out of his pocket, and Drew says, Victor’s henchman is there to protect him, but if this meeting goes sideways, who’s going to protect Yohan?
Britt tells Carly, it’s not a done deal. Monica has to petition the court, and the judge might make her wait the full seven years before declaring Jason legally dead. Carly says she doesn’t understand. It’s only been three months; why is Monica doing this now? Britt says, Carly will have to ask Monica, but she thinks Jason’s kids need closure. Carly says, and Monica told her? and Britt says, only because she was on Cassadine Island when Jason was killed. Monica might need her to provide a statement for the declaration. Carly asks if she will, and Britt says, of course (🍷), whatever Monica needs. Carly says she guesses it’s official. She’ll have to live the rest of her life without her best friend.
Sonny says he didn’t mean to yell, and Nina says, they can talk about this another time. She has to get out of here. She heads for the door, and he follows, saying, it won’t happen again. She asks how she knows that. He’s obviously drunk, and angry. How does she know what he’s going to do? He says he’s not angry. He’s had a couple of bad days. Can she just come in? She says she doesn’t know what’s going on in his life. She wants to help him, but she can’t put herself at risk. He says she knows him… but she says, no. She knew Mike. He says she’s right. Mike would have never scared her like that. She tells him, she shouldn’t have said that, but he says, she was being honest. She misses Mike; so does he. She says, he misses Mike? She comes back in, closes the door, and says, what part? He says, Mike wasn’t very complicated; obviously he had no history. Mike didn’t have a best friend who was buried in rubble in a tunnel, never recovered his body, and now he’s being declared legally dead. She says she didn’t know… and he says, Mike didn’t have a wife who left him, and a son who blames him for the break-up of his family. Mike didn’t have a stepfather – he starts to cry, but pulls himself together and continues – who used to get drunk and beat his mother. Deke was an animal; Sonny never wanted to be anything like him. And now he can see Deke reflected in her eyes.
Jordan asks if Spencer and Esme were threatening Trina, but Portia says, no. She shouldn’t have brought it up. Trina wouldn’t appreciate Portia meddling in her life anyway. Curtis says, it’s not meddling to show concern. In fact, if Portia is worried, maybe Jordan can help. Jordan says she can at least look into Spencer and Esme, and Portia says, please don’t do that. It’s just that Trina is dealing with some friend drama right now. Curtis says, but she’s doing okay in classes, still enjoying her courses? and Portia says she is. Jordan’s phone dings, and she says her appointment’s been pushed back thirty minutes. She’s going to grab a bite in the cafeteria. Curtis asks if she’s okay, and Jordan says, it’s routine; everything is fine. She tells Portia to please reach out if she needs any help, and leaves.
Spencer says he’s not taking that book. Esme continues to listen, and takes out her phone. Spencer says, Trina loves Richard Molineux’s work and she says she did. (I honestly don’t know if that’s the right name for the artist, but close enough), Esme looks at the video of Cameron and Josslyn, and Spencer asks Trina, what changed? She says, her perspective, about a lot of things, starting with the fact she accepted the book under false pretenses. She thought they were friends. He says, aren’t they? and she says, friends have each other’s backs, no matter what the cost. He says he’d do anything for her, and she says, except stop asking him to lie for her, like she did to Joss and Cam and his dad for weeks, not telling them about him being in Port Charles before he said he was. And he swore that he was sorry, and would never put her in that position again, until the other day at the cemetery when he asked her to lie to the Police Commissioner for him. Which is bad on him, but worse on her because she did it. He says, but it all worked out, and she says, what if it hadn’t? What if she had gotten caught? He committed the crime, but his family has enough money to keep him out of trouble; Uncle Victor would have been there with the fix. But her future, her dreams, everything she’s worked so hard for, she put on the line to cover for him, and all he can do is get her a book? Well, no thanks. He wants to prove he cares? Leave his girlfriend. Esme keeps listening, and he says, she wants him to break up with Esme for her? She says she wants him to leave Esme because she’s responsible for filming Cam and Joss. He tells her, Esme says she is, and she says, he believes her? He says, no, he doesn’t, and Esme quietly comes in, but their backs are to her. He says, she would never hurt Joss and Cam that way, and Esme sticks the phone in Trina’s bag and slips back out. He says, she would never tape something that private and personal, much less post it. Trina says, he knows deep down that Esme would, and did, and yet he still chooses to be with her. And that’s not something she can respect. She tries to hand him the book, and he says, he told her, it’s hers. She says, fine, and gets up, leaving the book on the table. Goodbye, Spencer. He says, please don’t walk out on him. If she does, he’ll always wonder. She says, wonder what?
Britt says, accepting Jason’s death is hard, and Carly says, she’s just trying to adjust to the world without him, where she can’t turn to him or… There are so many times when it doesn’t feel like he’s gone, when it feels like he’s still here, and she has to remember all over again. Declaring him dead is like giving up on him. Britt says, they have to let him go, putting her hand on Carly’s arm. Carly says, has she? Britt is telling her to move on, but Britt’s not. Britt says, it’s a process, and they have to accept that what they had with Jason are now just memories. Carly says, what Britt had with Jason was a memory before she even left for Greece.
Dante gets goes to the back of the van, and says, anything? Sam says she’ll never doubt him again, and tells Drew, if he can hear her, cough. He does, and Sam tells Dante, okay. Now hopefully, Victor shows him the tarot card. Dante says, that puts them back in business.
Victor says, nothing is going sideways. They’re just here for a friendly, informative meeting. Drew says, that sounds lovely. Let’s get to it, shall we? He said he wanted to discuss Valentin’s ELQ shares. Now what? Victor says, when he called, Drew was adamant about not wanting to meet with him, yet here he is, eager to hear about voting shares. Drew says, ELQ is his daughter’s birthright. What concerns Scout, concerns him. Victor says, Valentin is in charge of the company. Brook deceived Victor’s son in the worst way possible just to get ahold of his shares. He wonders what other schemes the Quartermaines are hatching to get back ELQ. Drew says, does Victor really think if he knew that he’d tell him? and Victor takes out the card. Drew asks if it’s another tarot card. Did Victor go out and buy a whole deck from the local fortune teller? Victor chuckles, and says, this isn’t any old tarot card. This is the card. The one Peter August used to control Drew. He turns the card around, and says, you are active, and Drew says, reporting for duty. Yohan says, Victor did it, and Victor says, so it seems, but they have to be sure. He tells Drew, throw Yohan over the side of the bridge.
Sonny tells Nina, he never wants anybody he cares about to be afraid of him. Does she forgive him? She says she can forgive him, but it’s not the first time he lashed out. He says he knows; he grabbed her and hurt her. She says, he did, and he says he has no excuses. She says, he had to say goodbye to his friend Jason, on top of everything that’s happening with his family. It must be very painful. He says, ever since he came home, everybody he loves is just slipping through his fingers. He picks up his glass of scotch, and says, and this is not helping. She says, he’s right, and it’s good of him to recognize it doesn’t help, and he says, please don’t tell him that. Ever since he’s been taking bipolar medication, he’s been able to drink in moderation. She asks, what changed? and he says, ever since he came home, he’s been drinking a lot. She asks what he’s going to do about it.
Britt says, whatever. She thought Carly would want to know Monica’s plans. Carly says she’s sorry. She had no right to say that to Britt, and no right to take her anger and grief out on her. At the end of the hallway, Jordan stops and listens, and Carly says, she’s sorry. She’s just going through a lot right now. Hearing about Jason didn’t help. Britt says she’s sorry Carly is going through a divorce. She’s sure things have not been easy. Carly says, not for any of them. Josslyn is going through something really difficult, and she doesn’t know how to help her. This is the time she would turn to Jason. Britt says, Jason always had a way of making challenges seem easy to face, and Carly says, how many times she goes to call him, or a guy will come to the bar in the MetroCourt, wearing a black t-shirt. It just feels so final. Jordan walks up, and says, she’s so sorry about Jason. Carly thanks her, and says she’s going to go. She leaves, and Jordan tells Britt, it’s hard to accept the person you love isn’t coming back. Britt suggests they talk about happier news. She heard Jordan got a clean bill of health. Jordan says she did. Although she never would have chosen to go through it, her health scare was an important reminder, life’s not promised to everybody. Britt flexes her hand and says, doesn’t she know it.
Sam says, Victor just ordered Drew to kill Yohan. On the bridge, Yohan says, boss, don’t, and Dante says, Sam has to tell Drew to abort. Sam says, you mean blow his cover? No, they’ve got to see how this plays out. Dante says, they have no time, but she says, he’ll be able to sell this. He says, they can’t let this get out of hand, even if it does mean bringing down Victor. She says, it’s not going to come to that. They’re not going to another shot at this. She trusts Drew, and Dante has to trust her. On the bridge, Drew grabs Yohan, and shoves him toward the railing.
Portia and Curtis go to her office, and she says, now Esme blames Trina for filming Cameron and Josslyn, and putting it on the internet. He says, that’s insane; Trina would never do that. She says, of course (🍷) she wouldn’t. She doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body. He says, she’s kind, she’s generous, she’s just like her mother, which means she’s strong, and she can stand up to Esme. Portia says, she knows, but she can’t help wanting to protect Trina. She wants to put a smackdown on Esme, but she supposes it’s a bad idea. He says, sadly, yes, and she laughs. She says, there was some good news she wanted to share with him. She told Trina their plans to buy the beach house, and she seemed excited about it. He says, seemed, and Portia says, she told him, Trina is distracted. This whole friend drama thing, it’s taken its toll on her. He says, and Portia? but she says she’s fine. He says, what was done to Cameron and Josslyn was inexcusable, and Esme blaming Trina, despicable, but he knows her and he knows there’s something on her mind. What is it? She says, Trina’s inexplicable attachment to this Cassadine kid.
Spencer says he’ll always wonder… what Trina thought of the book. She says, it was inspiring, but she also felt let down. Esme listens again from behind the door and takes out her phone. Spencer asks, why? and Trina says, Richard Molineux is one of the reasons she got into modernism, even though Joss thinks his art is just a bunch of squiggles, which is what most people see. He says, but she saw beyond that; she saw beyond the squiggles. That is her talent, to understand true art. She says, the book allowed her to see pieces she never saw before. It was amazing; she felt closer to the artist. He says, but? and she says, but the book also provided professional criticism, very insightful stuff that exposed the artist’s limitations. He says, she once told him frailty is what makes us human. Isn’t there beauty in someone’s imperfections? She says, there can be. Only if someone recognizes those imperfections, and chooses to live up to their potential. He says, what if a person wants to do better, and just needs more time? It must seem so simple from the outside. All someone needs to do to live a better life is make different choices, better choices. But if it were that easy, wouldn’t the whole world be full of happy, fulfilled people? Esme looks confused, and makes a call to the PCPD Anonymous Tip Line. A recording says, all calls are confidential and will not be traced. Speak clearly after the tone. The line beeps, and Esme says she’s calling to report a case of revenge porn. She knows who uploaded the sex video of Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber. I start laughing because, that’s really not how that works.
Sonny says, clearly he can’t drink like he used to. He guesses it just acts differently with the medication. I see an out of control plant on his coffee table, and think, if he just had the moss bowl🎍, his life would be so much better. Nina says, does the reason really matter? It seems to her, the important thing is, he can’t drink to prop himself up, or to dull his pain. He says, his stepdad used to just escape to the bottom of a whiskey bottle, and then that wasn’t enough. She says, he’s not his stepdad, and he tells her, like she said, he can’t keep using liquor as an excuse. He hands her his glass, and says, she can drink it, but she says, no thank you, and puts the glass aside. She asks if it’s going to be enough later. It’s not like Michael and Willow’s rejection is going to be the last piece of bad news he’s going to get. He says he can’t keep using booze as a crutch. He can’t do it anymore. He promises he’ll never hurt her again, and she says she wants to believe him, but it’s easier said than done. Can he dump the contents of the decanter in the sink? He says, there’s a first time for everything.
Portia says, Trina was twisting herself in knots trying to defend Spencer, and Curtis says, Trina’s loyal to her friends. She says, that’s the problem. Ever since Trina defended Spencer, she’s had to deal with all of his lies, and his vendetta against Ava, who just happens to be Trina’s mentor, and Trina’s own conflict, exposing him as the stalker. Spencer doesn’t deserve Trina’s loyalty. He says, and he’s sure Esme in Spencer’s life, makes Trina’s friendship with him even more fraught. She says, before Spencer came into Trina’s life, she was never self-conscious; she never second guessed her choices. Portia wishes Trina would just leave him alone and move on, but Curtis says, isn’t that Trina’s decision?
Trina tells Spencer, all the time in the world won’t help someone who’s not willing to grow. The book points out that Richard Molineux’s work stopped evolving in the last two decades of his career. He says, maybe something happened to him, something beyond his control, and she says, sometimes people are who they are, and they can’t change. He says, so that’s it then. She’s dropping her favorite artist and him. She doesn’t care about their friendship. She says, don’t give her those puppy dog eyes. She lied for him, she forgave him, she covered for him. She made stupid decisions for him, and he can’t even stand up for her against Esme’s ridiculous accusations. He says she’s right. He doesn’t deserve her friendship, but he needs it. He needs her not to give up on him. She tells him, it’s not too late to end things with Esme, and send her back to France or wherever she’s really from. He says he can’t do that. He’s all she has. Trina says, but if he keeps defending Esme, she’ll be all he has.
Yohan begs Victor to make Drew stop, and Victor says, allright. He tells Drew, enough; he’s proved himself. Let go. Dante looks at Sam, and Drew releases Yohan. Victor tells Drew that he needs information from Drew’s Navy SEAL days. He needs to know about Operation Demeter. Carly says, shut this down right now, and Dante says, what the hell is she doing here? Carly walks up to Victor, holding her phone out, and says, Drew won’t be telling him a damn thing. Let Drew go, or this streams live online. Victor tells Yohan, take Carly’s phone, but Drew steps between them, and says he doesn’t think so. Carly continues to film, and Victor says, Drew was never activated. Drew says, surprise, and Victor says, until next time, and leaves with Yohan. Drew asks what the hell Carly is doing here, and she says, you’re welcome. He says she has no idea what she’s done, and she says, besides saving him, what is he talking about? Dante and Sam run up on the bridge, and Dante asks where Victor is, but Drew says, he’s gone. Sam says, perfect timing, Carly, but Drew says, in all fairness, she had no idea. Carly asks if someone can please tell her what she’s missing here, and Drew says, their best chance to find out what Victor Cassadine is really up to. Um… you’d think that film might be worth something to the WSB.
Sonny walks out with the empty decanter, and Nina says, what he did wasn’t easy. He says he’s not an alcoholic, and doesn’t intend to become one. He’s going to keep drinking every so often, socially, but he just doesn’t want liquor in his house. Nina says he can fill the decanters up with candy, for Donna, Avery… and Wiley. She says she should go, and he says she doesn’t have to go. He can’t let her go… until he says this.
Jordan is approached by a reporter as she’s getting into the hospital elevator. He asks if she has any comment on the revenge porn story developing at PCU.
Spencer says he may not have Trina’s eye for art, but when he chose this book, he was struck by how rich the color palette was. It’s fun, exciting, fresh, like her. If she walks out on him, his world will turn grey. She says she has no choice, not if he refuses to see Esme for who she really is. He’s afraid of the truth, just like Richard Molineux was afraid to grow, and expand on his style. Esme stomps out, and asks if Trina is for real. How can she show her face here after what she did to her supposed friends?
Carly says she’s so sorry. Had she known she was stepping into an undercover operation, she never would have interfered. Drew says, forget it. He gave her enough information to get worried, but not enough for her to know they had it under control, but it’s not all bad news. They know what Victor is up to. Sam says, Operation Demeter? and Dante says, that’s something to go on. Sam says, and hopefully helps them stop Victor, and Carly says, before he realizes what hit him.
Spencer says, Esme, don’t, and she says, don’t what? Call Trina out? She tells Trina, the next time you have a fight with a friend, tell them to their face. Don’t tape them having sex and upload it. Trina says she’s not going to stand here and listen to this. She picks up her bag, and tells Spencer that she hopes he lives up to his potential. She walks out, and Esme says, can you believe her? She just ignored me and walked out. Spencer asks what Trina is supposed to say, and Esme says, how about I’m sorry or I’m wrong? Not that she would. She was way too focused on Spencer. She notices he’s holding the book, and asks if that’s the gift he gave her. He says, it was. Apparently, Trina doesn’t want anything from him. She says, not even friendship? and he turns away from her. She asks if that means Trina is out of his life.
Portia says, Spencer and Esme are trouble, plain and simple, and Curtis says he’s sure they are. And he’s sure she’s right, like his Aunt Stella was right about some of the knuckleheads he used to hang around when he was about Trina’s age. Portia says she bets Aunt Stella wasn’t shy about telling him what her opinion was, and he says, but he didn’t listen. He stayed close to those same knuckleheads, and didn’t care how much it dragged him down. She says, because he didn’t want to admit Aunt Stella might know better than him, and he says, after many hard knocks, he knew Aunt Stella was right, and he changed his class of friends. She says, message received, and thanks him. She says she’s going to keep her opinions to herself, and going to allow Trina to make her own decisions. He says, sounds good, but why does she look so worried? She says, mother’s intuition. She doesn’t know, she’s just afraid Trina’s in some trouble, and hopes she can protect Trina before it’s too late.
The reporter asks Jordan, is it true high profile individuals urged the PCPD to take over the investigation from the university officials? She tells him to contact the PCPD media liaison, and he asks if she can confirm Sonny Corinthos’s stepdaughter was the victim of revenge porn? The elevator opens, and he follows her in, asking her to give him something.
On the phone, Britt says she received a Society Set-Ups subscription as a gift. Her name is Britt Westbourne… No, actually she deleted the questionnaire; she never filled it out… No, she doesn’t need a refund. Actually, she was hoping they could resend the questionnaire. She’s ready to move forward.
Sonny says, the whole Wiley situation… and Nina says, they can revisit that conversation another day. He says, the point is, she can’t give up. Their grandson is lucky to have her in his corner. She thanks him for that, and he thanks her. He walks her to the door, they smile at each other, and she leaves.
Tomorrow, Shawn says Alexis is playing dirty, Michael’s patience is running thin, and Esme says she’s finally calling Spencer out with the truth.
One of my brushes with celebrity was William Hurt. I was working at the theater where he was doing a play, and while we didn’t have a lot of interaction, he was always very kind, and acknowledged everyone. In a twist, both he and my acting teacher William Hickey were up for Academy Awards the same year. Hurt won, Hickey didn’t, and I never watched the Oscars again after that. I knew it could never possibly be more exciting.
Drop by tomorrow for soap, tea, sage words, and a musical moment. Until then, stay safe, stay constructive with your critiques, and stay understanding, sometimes people are who they are, and they can’t change.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Drew tells Victor that he’s trying, but can’t come up with a single reason to meet with him. Victor says he thought Drew might be a tad reluctant, and Drew says, just a wee bit. Victor says he also knows how much Drew values his family, and Drew says, tell him that Victor isn’t stupid enough to threaten his family.
Finn says there’s nothing Jake can do that his mother won’t forgive, but Jake says he doesn’t know that. Finn says he does. Jake’s mother loves him and his brothers more than anything. So no matter what he’s done, if he’s struggling, she’s going to want to help him. Elizabeth comes in, and says, Grandma Monica said Jake was in here, and ran out of his appointment with Dr. Massey. What’s going on?
Spencer flashes back to Cameron telling him there are only two people who could have linked the video; the girl he’s crushing on, or his girlfriend. Esme comes in and locks eyes with Ryan. Ryan winks, and Esme goes over to Spencer’s table. Spencer says he’s glad she’s here, and she asks, what’s up? He says he needs to talk to her, and she says that’s why she came in early, so they could get a little you-and-me time before her shift starts. She has updates. First, about his dad and Ava… What is it? He says, Cam was here. He’s really upset about that video of him and Joss. Esme says, he should be; it’s such a violation. She hopes Trina is ashamed of herself. He says, Cam doesn’t think Trina did it anymore than he does, and she says, then who? Who else could have possibly done this? He says, you.
Trina goes to Portia’s office, and Portia gives her a hug. She asks if everything’s okay, and Trina says, fine, just college. Why did Portia want her to stop by? Portia says she has some exciting news. She and Curtis are buying a house together. Trina says, that’s great, and Portia says, it’s right by the water, there’s plenty of room. It’s Joss’s father’s old place. Trina says it’s a great house, and she’s sure Portia and Curtis will be happy there. Portia asks, what’s wrong? She thought they talked about this, and Trina was okay with her and Curtis moving in together. Trina says she is; there’s just been a lot on her mind. Portia says, why doesn’t Trina tell her about it?
Josslyn is doing some schoolwork at Charlie’s, when classmate Adam comes in. She thanks him for meeting her, and he says, absolutely, sitting across from her. He says he couldn’t believe it when she asked him to study with her, and she asks, why? He says, they’ve never hung out outside of class before, and she says, now they are. The midterm is right around the corner, and it seems like he knows what he’s doing. He says he does, and she says she thought they could start by quizzing each other. He says he’s actually been thinking a lot about chemistry lately, and she says, is that so? He says, ever since he saw her naked.
Cameron comes out of the hospital elevator, and Carly walks up, and says she needs to talk to him. He says, sure, and she says, Josslyn told her what happened.
Anna takes pictures of the transportation files, when Kurt (not Kirk) comes into the office behind her, gun drawn. He cocks it, she turns around, and he shoots.
Victor tells Drew, that would be a very foolish mistake, and they’re both intelligent men. Drew says, get to the point, and Victor says he doesn’t think he needs to remind Drew that his son Valentin is CEO of ELQ. He wants to talk to Drew about his voting shares. Drew says he’s listening, and Victor says, this is something where they really need to meet face-to-face. Say, Pier 54 in an hour? (Did Pier 55 drop into the river?) Drew says, no deal. If Victor wants to meet with him, he chooses the location. Victor asks, where? and Drew says, there’s a footbridge over Blackstone Canyon. If Victor wants to talk with him, that’s the only place he’ll meet. Victor says, fine, and Drew says, be there in one hour. Victor says he looks forward to it, and Drew makes a call. He says, Victor took the bait. They’re meeting in an hour.
Finn says, it’s Jake’s story to tell, not his, and Jake says he doesn’t need to see Dr. Massey. He didn’t put that portrait on the mantel, and he can prove it. He was at the library when it happened, and he was on the computer, which he had to sign up to use, so Elizabeth can check he was there, and not at home doing crazy things to freak her out. She says, that’s great, and Finn says, mystery solved, but she asks why he needed to use the library computers instead of the one at home. He says he didn’t want her to know what he was doing, and she says, why? What was he doing? He says she’s going to be mad, and she says, maybe she will, but maybe she won’t. He says, she will, and she says she’s not happy he’s hiding things from her, but the only way to fix that is to tell her the truth. It’s really important that they’re honest with each other. He says he was talking with Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Jeff.
Carly tells Cameron, it’s beyond horrible that such a private moment was recorded and sent out to the world. He says, he’s so sorry Josslyn is going through this, but he swears he had no idea they were recorded. He would never do that to her. Carly says, of course (🍷) he wouldn’t. She’s not blaming him; she’s angry for both him and Josslyn. He thanks her, and asks, how is Josslyn? She says, he hasn’t talked to her? and he says, they’ve texted a little bit, but he feels like she’s avoiding him. Carly says, talk to her. They really need each other right now.
Josslyn asks what the hell Adam just said to her, and he tells her that he saw the video. He didn’t think she was the type. She says, what type? and he says, to post something like that. She says he’d be correct, because she didn’t post it. He asks, who did? The guy in the video? Is he her boyfriend? She says, no… yes. He’s her boyfriend, but he didn’t record it, much less post it. Adam says he doesn’t know why she’s getting all, like, whatever, but he’s trying to pay her a compliment. He thought she looked… She gets up, and says she doesn’t give a damn what he thinks. In fact, the only thing she would like is for him to get the hell out of here.
Esme asks if that’s really what Spencer thinks of her, that she’s somehow behind that sex video of Joss and Cam. She thought he knew her better than that. He says, of course (🍷) he does, and he told Cam that she couldn’t have done it. She says, no doubt Cam had some magical explanation how she could have shot that video. Why is it so impossible for them to admit the truth? It was Trina. She had access; she had motive. He says, did she? and Esme says, stop covering for her. Trina was jealous of Joss ending up with Cam, jealous of everyone else being coupled up, while she had no one. She’s telling him, Trina has everybody snowed. He says, whoever did this, it’s making Joss and Cam’s life hell, and she says she supposes she should be more forgiving, considering what they’re going through. He says, there’s no need. He set Cam straight, and he assumes Cam will do the same with Josslyn. She thanks him for defending her. He really is her knight in shining armor. Ryan watches, and she glances at him and says, by the way, she ran into his dad and Ava. He says, hopefully, with Ava’s new car, and she says, actually, it was very nice. They were talking about their vow renewal thing. He asks if they can talk about something else. Have the Woodchucks started spring training? She says, this is important. She knows his father wanted to talk to him about this, but she and Spencer don’t keep secrets. His father wanted to have the ceremony with just family. He asks what that has to do with him, and she says, they’re waiting until he’s released. His father really wants him to attend. She knows it would mean the world to him… Is he even listening to her? He says, it’s just, does she really think Trina made that video? She says, unbelievable.
Having ducked down behind the desk, Anna takes out her gun. Kurt says she has nowhere to go, when Felicia comes up behind him, and says, heads up! throwing coffee in his face when he turns. He falls, dropping his gun, and Felicia grabs it. Anna says, get up. There’s nowhere to go.
Josslyn tells Adam, she said, get out. He says, it’s a public place. Why does he have to leave? She says, because if he doesn’t, she’s going to punch him in the face. He says she’s awfully touchy for a girl with a sex tape, and leaves. She covers her face with her hands, and Cameron comes in. He asks if she’s okay. If she doesn’t want him to be here, he can… She throws her arms around him, hugging him.
Trina tells Portia, someone recorded Joss and Cam’s first time, and sent it to the whole campus, and Portia says, everyone at PCU? Trina says, so far. She doesn’t know who else they sent it to. Portia says, poor Joss and Cameron. She can’t even imagine what they’re feeling right now. Trina says, neither can she. She hasn’t reached out to either of them since it happened. Portia asks, why not? and Trina says, she doesn’t know what to say. Josslyn didn’t come back to the dorm after everything happened; she’s been staying with her mom. And she hasn’t heard from Cam either. She thought maybe they wanted space, and she should let them reach out to her. Or maybe she should reach out to them, but it’s weird, because she waited too long to call. Portia says, she gets that, but thinks Josslyn really needs her best friend right now. Trina says she thought so too, but on top of everything, Esme accused her of recording the sex tape.
Spencer says he’s sorry he brought up Trina again, but Esme doesn’t respond and just sits there, arms folded. He asks if she’s just going to sit there and not say anything. He thought she came in early, so they could talk. She says, not that he asked, but she’s had a totally awful day. First, Carly Corinthos attacks her, then he basically accuses her… He says, back up. Josslyn’s mom attacked her? She says, she was completely out of control. If his father hadn’t been there, she doesn’t know what would have happened. He says, his father intervened? and she says, yes. He was actually pretty great. She could see the father that Spencer described from his childhood, the caring man who stood by him. He saved her from Carly and Josslyn. He says, he knew Joss’s mom has a temper, but… Esme pulls up her sleeve, and shows him the bruise Ryan put there, and he says, Carly did that? Ryan smiles as much as you can smile while pretending to be locked in.
Carly asks the reception nurse to have Doc call her ASAP; she really needs to talk to him. Drew walks by, and asks if she’s okay, and she says, no, she’s not. Josslyn is hurting, and she has no idea how to help her.
Elizabeth says, Jake was talking to her parents? How? He says he knows she doesn’t like talking about grandma and grandpa, and when she was younger… She says she doesn’t talk about them because they don’t stay in touch. How did they contact him? He says, they posted a message on his wall when they found out his dad died, and she says, that was months ago. Did they ask him to keep it a secret? He shakes his head, and she says, then why did he? He looks at Finn, and Finn says, Jake was worried she’d be angry. She says she’s not angry, but she really wants to know what her parents wanted.
Anna says Kurt really went to a lot of trouble to kill a WSB agent, and he says he thought she was a burglar. She says, according to the records, he was the safety inspector on the day of the accident, and he says, he was. She says, a lot of people died that day, but he says, not because of him. Must have been sabotage. Anna says, yes it was, but if he wasn’t involved, why did he try to shoot her? He says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and Felicia tells Anna, she hates when people say that. It’s as good as a confession. Anna says she has a point, and tells Kurt, that day, the cable car was delayed. Why? He says, delays happen; it should be in the record. She says, but it isn’t. Was he instructed to hold the car until a certain person was on board, and it was vital that individual was in a specific car because he sabotaged it? Kurt says nothing, and another agent comes out. He hands Anna a phone, and says, it might be his co-worker’s. Anna puts the phone to Kurt’s face to unlock it, and asks why it’s necessary for him to have two phones.
Portia says, hell no. Who does Esme think she is? Trina says she just wanted to slap Esme, and Portia says she wishes Trina had. Violence is never the answer, but with this Esme, she’s done. Trina says, right? She just wishes Spencer could see Esme for who she truly is. Portia says, Spencer makes his own choices, and they’re usually bad choices, which is why he is now serving time in prison. Trina says, only thirty days, and Portia says, Trina… Trina says, okay, Spencer has done some stupid stuff, and Portia says, terrorizing his stepmother, terrorizing his stepsister, a child, that’s more than stupid, that’s spoiled. Trina says, she told him that, and Portia says, entitled. Trina says, she told him that too, and Portia says, and frankly, it’s criminal. Trina says she thought she’d let the prison sentence say that for her, and Portia says, Esme sets fire to Ava’s car, and leaves a memento of Ava’s dead daughter by the wreckage. Trina tells her, Esme said it was Spencer’s idea, and Portia says, she believes what Esme says? but Trina says she doesn’t think anyone believes that. Portia says, that’s exactly her point. If after all that, Spencer can’t see who Esme is, she doesn’t think she ever will. Trina says she can’t help it. Spencer still has the potential to be a good guy, or at least sort of a good guy, but he needs to get away from Esme. Esme brings out the worst in him. She can’t stand It. Portia says, then don’t, and Trina asks what she means. Portia says, exactly what she said – don’t. Walk away. Just trust her. The further she gets from Spencer and Esme, the better off she’ll be.
Eileen asks Victor why he wanted to meet at the footbridge, and Victor says, for his convenience. She said she had information; what is it? She says, Mayor Collins thinks Luke Spencer was murdered, and she’s pretty sure Laura thinks Victor was behind it.
Carly tells Drew that she was hoping to talk to Doc in between patients, and get some advice on how to help Josslyn. He asks if there’s anything he can do, and she says, he hasn’t heard about a video going around has he? He says, no, and she says, thank God. Maybe it hasn’t gone any further than PCU. They sit, and he asks what a video has to do with Josslyn. She tells him, the only thing she can say is, someone managed to record a very private moment and sent it to the entire campus. He says, my God, that would be awful for anyone, but a teenager… Carly says, she’s in so much pain, and Drew says, what about Spinelli? She says, he’s already taken down the public posts of the video, and set up a program to do the same if any more go up. He says, Spinelli is a genius like that, and she says, he is, but as far as Josslyn’s concerned, the damage is already done. She thinks every single person on campus has seen the video. He asks if she has any idea who did it, and she says she knows who did it. There’s no proof, but there will be.
Spencer says, Josslyn’s mom grabbed Esme so hard that she left bruises. What the hell? She says, Carly was scary, and Josslyn just stood there loving every second of it, and he says, that’s insane. She says, that’s exactly her point. She’s told him and told him. Maybe now he’ll believe her that Josslyn hates her. And now her little minions, Trina and Cam, hate her too. Josslyn sicced her mother on Esme. She takes Spencer’s hand, and says she’s only in Port Charles because of him. Everything she did, she did for him, and she keeps getting attacked for it. He says he’s so sorry. Don’t worry; he’ll be out soon, and they can be together. She says, that’s all she ever wanted, and Ryan continues to watch them.
Anna says, her team managed to find evidence that Kurt did sabotage that cable car. It won’t take them long to connect Kurt directly to it. It doesn’t look good for him. She holds up the phone, and asks if this is how he received all his instructions, on this burner phone. He says, she keeps going on about these lies, as if they matter. The lives on the cable car are nothing compared to the lives that will be lost. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says, these people aren’t victims, they’re casualties; they’re collateral damage. She asks if that’s how he’ll end up, collateral damage, and he says he knows exactly how he’ll end up. Because he’s a soldier for a noble cause, a cause he’s willing to give his life for. He bites on something, and starts foaming at the mouth. Anna says, oh no, stop, but he’s already dead.
Jake asks what Elizabeth means, what do his grandparents want? They want to get to know him. Is it that hard to believe? She says, no, of course (🍷) not. She’s just surprised he’s been talking to them for months, and didn’t say anything. He says because he knew she was going to freak out like she’s doing now. She says she’s not freaking out, and Finn says, there’s no need to freak out; no one’s freaking out, right? He tells Jake that his mom just wants to understand, and Jake asks, what is there to understand? Finn says, maybe Jake wants to tell her what they talk about; show her it’s no big deal. Jake says, they just talk about stuff like school and his art. Why can’t he talk to his grandparents? She says, he can always talk to Scotty, and he says, Scotty’s great, but he doesn’t care about art. He acts like he does, he tries, but he really doesn’t understand what Jake is talking about. She says, and his grandparents do? and he says, yes. She says, okay, and he asks if she really hates them so much, she wants him to hate them too.
Spencer says he can’t wait to get out of here, and promises Esme not to take any more risks; nothing that could jeopardize his release. She says, nothing else? and he says, Samuel snuck him out so he could visit his mom’s grave on the anniversary of her death. She says, that was risky, and he says he knows, but it was important. She says, of course (🍷). She knows how much he missed going to this mother’s grave when they were in school. It’s over and done now, right? No one knows? He says, it wasn’t quite that simple. He almost got caught… by Police Commissioner Ashford of all people. She says, oh my God, and he says, if Trina hadn’t… She says, Trina.
Cameron says he missed Josslyn, and she says she missed him too. Why would he think she wants him to leave? He says, because they haven’t talked since the video broke. He knows she said she wasn’t mad… She says, she wasn’t and she’s not. He says it didn’t seem like she wanted to see him, and she says, she was overwhelmed, and needed some alone time, but she’s glad he’s here now. He says, him too. What was with that guy who barged out of here? He was in a hurry. She says, she threatened to punch him in the face, and Cameron says, why? What happened? She says they were supposed to study chem, but he only showed up to see the naked girl from the video. Cameron gets up, but she says, stop, please. She already took care of it, and she’d rather he be with her instead of beating up some loser. He says, that does sound better, and sits back down. She says, he seemed like a nice guy, and then his attitude shifted. Everyone feels entitled to her now. He says, these random people on the internet are sending him messages that are gross, and she says, she’s getting messages from guys she barely knows, or doesn’t know, asking her to hook up. Like this video was some kind of invitation. Her mom is telling her not to hide, but how can she go back to class, knowing what these people think of her? Maybe she should transfer. Cameron says, no way. She loves PCU, and she’s not going to be alone. He’ll be right by her side.
Drew says, Carly and Joss are as close and as strong as any parent/child can possibly be. Josslyn is so lucky to have Carly in her corner. She thanks him, and says she always feels better after talking to him. He says, good. He just wishes he could do more. She says, listening means so much to her. She was freaking out and felt alone. Jason’s gone, and Sonny… She signed her divorce papers, so her marriage is over. He sighs, taking over for Jason in that area too, and says he’s sorry. She says she thought that was a bond that would never break. Drew’s phone rings, and he hits ignore, but she says, take it. She doesn’t want him listening to her… He says, is she kidding? He’s happy he bumped into her, and wants her to know that he’s here for her if she needs anything. Always. She says, same, and his phone dings. She says, he’s so busy, and he says he’s working on something. She asks if he’s taking an active role in Aurora again, but he says, that’s not what this is. She says, oh, it’s not business business. Is it personal business? He says, it’s kind of a need to know situation, and right now, it’s better if she doesn’t know, but the moment he can say something, he will. She says, that kind of business? Peter’s dead; Victor’s alive. He says he should get going, and she says he does realize how dangerous Victor is. Drew says, he can be pretty dangerous himself and she says, he’s back in Scout’s life. Don’t do anything that will take him away from his daughter again.
Eileen tells Victor that she interrupted an unscheduled meeting Mayor Collins was having with DA Scorpio, Detective Dante Falconari, and Samantha McCall. He says, all people she’s known for decades, and Eileen says, she put false information on her official calendar, and when she pressed Laura on it, and expressed that Laura had put her in a compromising position, Laura confided in her. They all think Luke Spencer was murdered, and the mayor thinks she knows who’s behind it. He asks if she mentioned him by name, but Eileen says, she did not, but if they look into Luke’s death… He says, Anna Devane and Felicia Scorpio are going just that. He’s taken care of them. He just didn’t realize Laura was involved as well.
Felicia says, what the hell is wrong with people? and Anna says, cyanide capsule. She didn’t think people used them now. She guesses the autopsy will show more. Felicia says she can understand dying for a cause, but for Victor Cassadine, when all he had to do was answer a few questions? Anna says she does understand him wanting to do it here rather than face Victor, because he would have ended up dead anyway. Felicia says, even so, run away. Make Victor work for it; don’t just do it yourself. Anna says, Felicia heard him; he was proud to die for a cause. Felicia asks if Anna has any idea what that might have been, and Anna looks at the burner phone, and says she doesn’t have a clue. She compares the phone with Kurt’s phone, and Felicia asks if she found anything. Secret messages? Extremist browser history? Culty stuff on social media? Anna says, there’s this one number that’s the same one he used on his personal phone, and Felicia says, Victor? Anna says she doesn’t know. Let’s find out. She dials, and someone’s phone rings.
Cameron says he hates people on the internet critiquing his technique, and Josslyn says she’s sorry. He says, one of Jake’s friends sent him the video, and she says, oh my God. She thinks there are laws against that. If there’s not… A guy comes in, and looks at them before going to his table, and Cameron says, it’s like they’re famous. Has this been happening all day? Josslyn says, no actually. Maybe it’s because they’re more recognizable when they’re together. He says, then maybe they shouldn’t hang out in public together.
Spencer says, Trina just happened to be there, and Esme asks if someone else in Trina’s family faked their death just to get away from her. Good Lord, is Spencer that stupid or that whipped that he doesn’t care how cruel this girl is? He says, it was for some class. Anyway, it was just a coincidence. She says, so in addition to Samuel, Trina knows he snuck out, and he says, Trina wasn’t happy to see him. She tore into him for being entitled, and thinking the rules don’t apply to him; she was mad. Esme looks over at Ryan, who gives an imperceptible nod, and she says, so Trina lied to the Police Commissioner to cover for him. He says he guesses, technically, and she says, Trina really put herself on the line for him. He says, she’s a good friend, and Esme says, I’ll say.
Trina says she can’t walk away from her friends, and Portia says, Esme’s her friend? Trina says, hell no, but Spencer… Portia says, Spencer keeps making one bad decision after another, including the one to keep dating Esme. She knows Trina was an adult, and can make her own decisions, but she can’t see the reason why Trina would want to keep toxic people like Spencer and Esme in her life
Elizabeth says she doesn’t want Jake to hate anyone. They’ll talk about his grandparents later. Jake says he can’t wait, and she says, right now, she needs him to go apologize to Dr. Massey for running out on his appointment. Jake says, fine, and leaves. Finn says he knows Elizabeth’s parents aren’t her first choice, but obviously Jake is just looking for some sense of connection; someone who understands his interests. She says she doesn’t blame Jake for any of this. But for her parents to pull an end run by going straight to him; that is unacceptable.
The phone continues to ring, and Felicia says, pick up, Victor. Pick up. Eileen answers, saying, guten Tag, how may I assist you? and Anna says, guten Tag, with whom am I speaking? Victor disconnects the call, and Felicia says she guesses the contact was one of Victor’s minions (WOTD), and not the man himself. Anna says they don’t know if Kurt told Victor they were here, and not to pick up. Either way, their trip to Austria is no longer a secret, and now that the WSB is officially involved, they’re going to have to answer some questions. Felicia asks, what’s the next step? and Anna says, the WSB will probably trace the call, but it won’t lead anywhere. Felicia says, so they still can’t tie Victor to Luke’s death, and Anna says, no, not yet.
Victor tosses the phone into the water, and tells Eileen, Kurt obviously failed to take care of Anna and Felicia. She asks if he’ll talk, and he says, that remains to be seen. She asks what he’s going to do about Anna and Felicia, and he says he does have a Plan B. Someone they’ll never see coming.
Drew tells Carly that he knows Victor is up to something. He’s merely going to find out what it is. No heroics; just fact finding. Carly says, here’s an idea. Why doesn’t he let Anna and the WSB handle it? He says, because he’s going to handle it, and he’s going to be careful. He promises. He leaves, and Carly tells herself, that’s what Jason used to say.
Josslyn asks if that’s what Cameron wants. For them not to be seen together. He says, no, but if it will make things easier… She says, it won’t. Who cares if people recognize them? He guesses the solution is that they just stay in more, and she says she wouldn’t mind that. He holds her hand, and says, they’ll get through this together. She puts her hand on top of his, and says, damn right.
Esme tells Spencer that she needs to get to work. Please don’t do anything that gets him into trouble. He says his days of making trouble for himself are over. From now on… She says, he’ll only get into trouble for everyone else? She means it. He’s all she has, and as long as he’s in there, she has no one. He says, it won’t be long now; they can count the days. (Could they not count to 30?) She says she is, and leaves. Spencer flashes back to talking to Cameron, and Cameron saying Esme didn’t have to be there to make the video. Cameron says he gets that Spencer wants to save what he has with Esme, but don’t lose the people he cares about in the process. Trina walks in, and says, Spencer?
Elizabeth tells Finn that her father asked Terry to get a message to her, and Terry shut it down. And Elizabeth has been radio silent ever since, and that should be the end of it, but instead of accepting that, they went straight to Jake. That is not okay. Finn says she’s absolutely right; they should respect her boundaries. On the other hand, there’s another pressing matter here. She says she knows; Jake. He says, although he kept something from her… She says, he didn’t shred her dress, or put the portrait in the house. Finn says, which is all good news, and she says she’s incredibly relieved, but if it wasn’t him, they’re back to square one, and she has no idea who’s doing this to her.
Anna tells the agent, they’ll meet back at the Bureau, and he leaves. Felicia asks, where are they with all this? Anywhere? Anna says she doesn’t know. What she does know for certain is that Kurt sabotaged Luke’s cable car. Felicia says, and crazy Kurt died without telling them who he was working with, and Anna says, the WSB will retrace his movements over the next few weeks, and see where that leads. Felicia asks if Anna thinks he might have met with Victor, but Anna says, one of his men probably, like Yohan. Felicia wishes they could tie this to Victor soon, and Anna says, what they have learned that’s important, is this whole thing that Kurt was willing to die for the cause. Felicia says, but they don’t even know what the cause is. For a man who wouldn’t shut up, Kurt wasn’t very specific. Anna says, that does mean, whatever Victor is involved with, is a whole lot bigger than a personal vendetta against Luke.
Victor waits on the bridge, looking at the Three of Cups card. Drew arrives, and he slips it into his jacket pocket. Drew says, here he is. What was so important that they had to meet in person? Victor starts to take out the card.
Tomorrow, Portia hopes she can protect Trina before it’s too late; Trina tells Spencer to leave Esme; Britt says she thought Carly knew; Sonny says Nina knows him, but Nina says, no, she knew Mike.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
Terry and Heather checked out the venue for their 7 Year Stitch party, which was of course beyond fabulous. They toasted, and in Heather’s interview, she said, some couples played golf together; they worked. It was like their hobby. We flashed back to their previous ventures, and she said now they were producing a TV shows. In 7 Year Stitch, they were doing couple makeovers, and trying to stitch them back together. They thought it would be fun to do a wrap party. It was time to celebrate. Tons of people came in, and Gina told Travis that each of Heather’s parties had a different vibe. Heather told Gina about having Jen and Ryne over for dinner, and said, it was tough. We flashed back to that, and she said she hadn’t seen Jen since. Gina said Emily told her that Jen had talked about one of them going to an Airbnb, and in Heather’s interview, she said, were they separating temporarily to work on themselves and come back together, or separating and not working on themselves? Then they were just separating. Jen asked if Gina was coming to her brain scan party, and Gina said she wanted Matt and his girlfriend Britt to come too. She said thought a brain scan might help Sienna with her sensory processing issues, and we saw a clip of her conferring with Jen. She told Jen that she needed to talk to Matt first. Jen asked how the podcast went, and Gina said, the whole time they were out, Shannon wanted to prove she could have more fun than them.
It was time for a speech, and Terry said the show was a labor of love. They were happy to show people when you were having struggles… We flashed back to discord between him and Heather over the seasons, including him using the D-word. Terry said they would use all the resources they had to apply to the couples’ lives and relationships, and save the relationship. He thanked Heather for being an amazing partner, and Heather said when she was younger, she’d gone through a dumb break up. She heard a song on the radio that made her cry more, and she thought she wanted someone to love her someday, like in the song. If she could, she’d tell her 18 year old self, not only would she find that person, the guy on the radio would become her good friend of hers, because the song was by Richard Marx. In Heather’s interview, she said they’d met years ago when she was on his podcast, and Richard and his wife Daisy Fuentes clicked with her and Terry. They became friends, and it was surreal. Richard sang even though no one asked him to, and in Jen’s interview, she said it was a testament to two people being in love and supporting each other. That’s what she and Ryne didn’t have. Everyone sang along to Right Here Waiting. Gina asked Jen about the Airbnb situation, and Jen said she wanted the fighting to stop, and neither one of them was taking the initiative. They had to connect or separate. Gina asked if Jen could picture herself with someone else, but Jen said they’d managed to work through it.
In her interview, Jen said her and Ryne’s pattern was to come together, get closer, then check out. She hoped they won out this time. It was a frustrating cycle. Travis and Ryne shared some laughs at the buffet, Heather joined Jen and Gina. She wanted to talk about Shannon’s party, and Jen explained she had been talking to Shannon about her Ryne issues, and heard Noella whisper that they all had things going on. We flashed back to that, and Jen said she wanted to uninvite Noella, but she felt bad about it. In Jen’s interview, she said she had a new treatment rolling out. The brain worked off electricity, and throughout life, neurons got injured and fired at a lower speed. The treatment sped them up again. She said she didn’t want Noella there, and Heather said, disinvite her. It was Jen’s moment, and she had to take it, and at some point do what was best for her.
Noella and mom Nancy went to dinner at a restaurant with a gorgeous view. Noella told Nancy that she kept seeing James’s name in her email, and was tired of it. In Noella’s interview, she said they had another mediation, and she wanted it to be over, so they could be in a space where they could concentrate on their son. She needed to be done with this, and move on to the next chapter. She told Nancy that James’s attorney had reached out, and they wanted his corporate counsel to be there. She didn’t care, and just wanted it done. It would take an extraordinary person to come into her life. She remarked that she’d never been with a Black man, and in her interview, she said her dad was the weatherman for NBC news in L.A. He didn’t see her for the first two months of her life. She’d gotten in the way of his plans, and he’d insisted on a DNA test. Nancy said she’d been attracted to his intellect, and in her interview, Noella said, there had been a lot of chaos in her relationships, and she thought it was a direct reflection of what had been modeled for her by her influence of her father. She told Nancy that she surrounded herself with bad bitches, and Nancy was the queen. Then she had to explain that it was a compliment.
Emily, along with some other family members, went to Shane’s swearing in ceremony where he was formally admitted to the bar. In Emily’s interview, she said she and Shane had been sworn in together when they licensed in Utah. Now Shane was licensed in both Utah and California. Now he could go to work and make money, and she didn’t have to listen to his sh*t anymore. From a young age, Emily had wanted to be an attorney. It was something her mom had put in her head, both because she was argumentative and her mother didn’t want her to depend on a man, and she didn’t. Shane passing the bar was amazing for their family. It made him feel like a breadwinner and freed up time for Emily to do the things she was passionate about. She’d still be involved with the law, but would do it because she wanted to feel good and wanted to help people.
Gina and Matt brought Nick and Sienna to the dentist for check-ups, and in Gina’s interview, she said she couldn’t have imagined a year ago that they’d be taking the kids to the orthodontist. We flashed back to Matt’s domestic violence charge, and Gina said she and Matt had entered a new phase in life, and were good at it. The dentist went over the x-rays with them, and afterward, Gina told Matt that she was happy they were able to be at orthodontist together. In her interview, she said she thought giving her victim impact statement helped. Seeing Matt step up, and even though he had punishments and repercussions, he didn’t blame her. He understood and took responsibility, and it allowed her to let go of the feelings. They’d never be best friends, but he was a good dad and good co-parent. She told Matt that they were getting along better than they did when they were married.
Emily met with a guy named Terrill for coffee, and to hear his story. She’d gotten involved with the California Innocence Project, and we saw a clip of her going their offices. In her interview, she said she’d seen a documentary on the Innocence Project, and the statistics were that there were 100,000 people locked up who didn’t belong there because they hadn’t done anything. It had rocked her world, and she thought if she was ever in a position to volunteer, that’s what she wanted to do. Now that the kids were in school and her husband had passed the bar, she could focus on the binge watching that lead her to be a humanitarian. She was the first line of review, and read the cases, deciding what to pass on. It was so clear that some were not guilty, it broke her heart. Terrill said he’d been one of four teens who denied counsel, and treated like adults. The only evidence was that someone just said it was them. He spent 15½ years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. In Emily’s interview, she said the world wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t fair. A lot of people needed someone to advocate for them. She wanted to inspire her children to be good people. She told Terrill that she hoped going forward, they would do great things together. He told her, let’s not hope; let’s make it happen.
As she was getting her makeup done for her brain scan party, Jen called Noella. She said when they’d been at Shannon’s, she was just going home to support her husband, and Noella was whispering to Emily that they had problems. It was upsetting, and she didn’t want any negativity tonight; it was important to her. She told Noella, don’t come if she was going to be disrespectful, and not supportive. Noella said she’d never come to someone’s home and be disrespectful, and she’d be happy to discuss their issues at a later date. They could be big girls.
At the party, Emily went in to get her brain scanned, and got some kind of electrodes stuck on her head. In her interview, she said she was waiting for Doc to show up with his flux capacitor so they could go back to the future. Jeana Keough arrived, and asked Gina if Kelly Dodd was there, or was it just someone who looked like her? It turned out to be Matt’s girlfriend Britt, and throughout the evening, several people asked the same question. Heather brought a bucket of KFC, as a joke, and Ryne brought Mr. Puppers! Heather wondered how Jen knew Jeana, and Jen said she didn’t, but they had a close mutual friend and Jeana had asked if she could come. The doctor told Emily that her sleep quality needed help, and was under stress. In her interview, she said she didn’t need someone to tell her that she needed sleep. She told Shane that she was overly stressed and didn’t sleep well, and he said he could have told her that. In Shannon’s interview, she said she hadn’t seen Gina since Gina made the comment about her being jealous.
Noella told Emily about Jen’s call, saying that Jen told her tonight was important, and she didn’t want Noella to come and whisper things. Shannon made the rounds, and Emily asked what Shannon was wearing under her dress, since she’s been known to wear three sets of Spanx. Noella told Emily not to Spanx shame Shannon. Everyone went inside for Jen’s presentation, which she said would be about ten minutes. She told the guests that she was expending her business to include the brain. She liked to get to the core of a problem, and turn to healing. Jen showed everyone brain scan examples, and at twenty minutes, there was yawning, snacking, and zoning out. In Shannon’s interview, she said, maybe take it down one or two case studies. She didn’t want to fall asleep in school. They stopped indicating the time at 25 minutes, and Jen talked about her father’s accident and brain injury, and how she hoped this would advance brain trauma treatment. When it was finally over, there was applause, probably because it was finally over.
Shannon asked Gina and Heather how the trip was, and Heather said she’d ruined a purse, and we flashed back to them eating pizza in the rain on the street. Shannon asked if she could talk to Gina about something she’d been hearing, and they went to a private spot. Shannon said multiple people (which I guess is what she calls two) came to her saying Gina thought she was jealous of her business and friendship with Heather. Gina said she did say something about being friends with Heather, and Shannon asked why Gina didn’t come to her. Gina said she’d heard Shannon claimed she was too full of herself, and needed to put a pin in it. She was sorry that Shannon didn’t like her being confident. Shannon said there was a difference between confidence and arrogance, and Gina said she didn’t have that. If Shannon thought she was arrogant, that was her problem.
To be continued…
🤔 This to be continued thing seems to have replaced previews. Is Bravo getting too lazy to edit them?
☮️ Peace Out…
Tomorrow is a wild card, but for sure there will be soap and something to tickle your ears, if not your fancy. Until then, stay safe, stay ahead of the pack, and stay not just hoping, but making it happen.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Ava and Nina walk into Beradino’s, and Ava says she’s glad they’re doing this. It’s been ages since they had lunch anywhere but the MetroCourt. They’re seated, and Nina says, it’s nice to be away from the office. Ava says, and it’s much less likely they’ll run into Carly here. She heard from Nikolas that Nina didn’t follow up with Martin Grey about visitation, and Nina says she’s hoping she won’t need Martin to have a place in her grandson’s life. She put the whole scorched earth tactics in reserve. Ava says, Nina’s not naïve enough to think the Corinthos family will do the right thing, but Nina assures Ava that she’s not naïve. She has someone else advocating for her now.
Willow joins Michael in the nook, and holds something up. He asks if it’s what he thinks it is, and she says, one shiny new passport in all its glory. She’s so glad he got it expedited, and now that exams are over, she has a break. He says, Paris, here we come, and kisses her. Sonny walks in, and says, sorry to interrupt. Michael asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says, they need to get on the same page about Nina.
At the hospital, temp Monica (see below) says she’s glad she ran into Finn. He says, it’s always a pleasure, and she says, it’s been so long since she had the department heads at her house for dinner. She’s going to set something up this week, and she’ll let him know about it. They can all let off some steam and get to know each other outside of the hospital. And of course (🍷) significant others are welcome, so he can bring Elizabeth. He thanks her for the invitation, but says he’ll be attending solo. He and Elizabeth have decided to hit pause in their relationship.
Elizabeth bangs on the vending machine, and Drew says, easy there. She says she’s so frustrated. She put her money in, and it’s just stuck. He bangs on it, and the bag falls down. He tells her, Navy SEAL training, and asks if she wants to talk about it. She says, after all the pain and misery they’ve been going through because of Peter, it finally caught up to her family.
Victor tells Yohan, good news. It seems Drew Cain might be able to give them access to what they’ve been searching for after all. Yohan asks how that’s possible, and Victor holds up the Three of Cups tarot card and says, this was amongst the items found on Peter’s dead body. In life, Peter managed to prevent him from gaining access to Drew’s memories, but in death, he’s graciously given Victor a way to get everything he so badly needs.
Outside Kelly’s, Eileen sees Laura, and says, her official calendar said she had a meeting with the heads of State Commerce. Laura says, it got rescheduled. She’s just grabbing a quick lunch. She’ll see Eileen back at city hall. Eileen flashes back to telling Victor, they have a problem; Sam McCall, Robert Scorpio, and Laura Collins are getting too close.
Laura sits with Sam, Dante, and Robert, and says, she just ran into her deputy mayor out there. She hopes she didn’t keep anybody waiting, but Dante says he and Sam just got here. Robert says, thus their group is all assembled, the group that’s going to take out Victor Cassadine.
Innsbruck, Austria. Felicia asks Anna if all this subterfuge is really necessary, and Anna says, they have to be careful none of Victor’s associates are keeping watch on this place. Thankfully, when she spoke to Frisco, he didn’t ask too many questions. Felicia says, he never did, and Anna says, on the books, it just says they’re spending the next few hours being debriefed by the Bureau about the circumstances surrounding Peter’s death. Felicia says, the transportation office looks like it’s going to be closing for the night soon, and Anna says she’s right. They can’t waste a moment. They really need to find proof Luke didn’t die in a random accident. He was murdered.
A clerk walks into the transportation office, and the man behind the desk says, it’s not like him to be late. His shift is over. He’ll see the clerk in the morning. (We find out later the first guy’s name is Kirk, or sounds like Kirk.) Kirk leaves, and Anna (in fake glasses) comes in with Felicia weeping into a handkerchief. The clerk says they’re going to be closing soon, and Anna says she’s so sorry it’s last minute, but she was wondering if he could help with an important matter.
Yohan asks if that’s the card that will access Drew’s old memories, and Victor says, there’s only one way to find out. They’ll have to lure Drew to some secluded location and activate the conditioning. Yohan says, Victor tried that before and it didn’t work out, and Victor says, that’s because he was misled by Peter with the wrong tarot card. Yohan says, Drew knew what Victor was doing. Victor denied it once, and If he tries again, there will be no denying it. Victor says he makes an excellent point. It will be a terrible waste, but if conditioning doesn’t work this time, Drew will have to be eliminated.
Drew says he’s sorry Elizabeth’s family is suffering. Does she want to talk? She says he doesn’t want her to unload her baggage. He has enough going on in his own life. Peter took two years from him that he can’t get back. He says, he’s always here for her and her family, and she says, all right. They walk, and she says, some really strange things have been happening lately, and they all relate to Franco. At first, she thought it was his mom, but she was hospitalized at the time, and now, as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, all signs are starting to point to Jake.
Monica say she’s sorry to hear about Finn and Elizabeth. She always liked them as a couple. He says, so did he. Maybe someday, but now is not the time pursue something. Monica says, it’s none of her business, but please know, she always rooted for both of them. She’s fond of him, and has a soft spot for Elizabeth in her heart. She’s known Elizabeth since she was a teenager. She was Monica’s daughter Emily’s best friend, and she’s the mother of Monica’s grandson Jake. Her connection to Elizabeth’s family goes back even further, because back in the day, she was married to Elizabeth’s father. He says, she was married to Jeff Webber? and she says, yes. It seems like a lifetime ago. It didn’t work out; neither of them was faithful. Jeff lived a life of service as a doctor to the underserved, but it still breaks her heart that he has no relationship with Elizabeth or his grandson. She always wondered what happened there, but guesses you never know what goes on in families. He says, judging from his own difficult family history, no you don’t. The elevator doors open, and Jake is there.
Michael tells Sonny that he and Willow are on the same page regarding Nina, and Willow says she assumes this is about Wiley. Sonny says he knows Willow and Nina got into it the other day, and Willow asks if that’s how Nina described it. Nina thought she didn’t know what happened between the two of them, and tried to exploit her ignorance to get a visit with Wiley. Willow made it clear that’s not going to happen. Sonny says they’ve got to keep his private life out of this, and Michael says, it isn’t about Sonny; it’s about Nina. She lied to them over and over again, and they don’t trust her. Sonny asks if he has to remind Michael that grandparents have rights in the state of New York, and Wiley and Nina are blood family. Michael says, Nina has the right to go before a judge and petition to see Wiley, but that’s no guarantee the petition will work, especially since he and Willow have the right to argue against visitation. Then it’s up to a judge to decide. Sonny asks, what if he can get Nina to back off and not file that motion in court? and Michael asks why she’d do that. Sonny says, because he believes he can convince Nina not do that, then they all get what they want.
Ava asks if Nina fired Martin and hired a different lawyer, and Nina says her current plan is to try to avoid going to court. Ava asks, how? and Nina says, Sonny offered to talk to Michael and Willow to see the wisdom in lowering the temperature. Get them to see they’re better off in not having a court ruling in this matter. Ava says she sees, and Nina asks what that means. Ava says, nothing. She just doesn’t want Nina to have false hope. Nina says, Sonny is convinced it will work, and Ava says, Sonny was convinced a lot of his recent plans would work. Nina says, it’s not his fault Carly is combative and unreasonable, and Ava says, Carly is always combative and unreasonable. It’s a little late for Sonny to complain about that now. But that doesn’t even matter, does it, because they’re divorced, and Sonny is going to bat for her. Nina says, Sonny is just trying to find an equitable solution. Ava says, Sonny is trying to impress Nina. She’s known Sonny a long time, and that man cannot be without a woman. He’s one of those. And now that Carly is out of the way, and now Nina has her opening and can get in there and get what she wants. Correct her if she’s wrong, but Nina does want Sonny doesn’t she?
Felicia wails, and Anna asks if the clerk speaks English, because her German is a bit rubbish. He says he’ll try his best, and she says she’s an attorney representing the Randolph Forsythe estate. Felicia weeps loudly, and Anna says, this is his widow, and Felicia has been led to believe her late husband was a passenger on that cable car that had that tragic accident back in December. Unfortunately, the investigators weren’t able to find evidence to prove Randolph was on board, and as he can imagine, it’s left the estate in flux. Felicia continues to wail, and Anna says, so what she was hoping was that maybe they could look at the evidence, so they could find some actual proof that he was indeed a passenger. The clerk says he’s not authorized to let anyone see the records, unless they’re government officials. Felicia jumps up, and says she told Anna this would be a waste of time. This situation will never end. She throws an arm across her forehead, and leans on the wall, crying some more. In German, Anna tells the clerk, Mr. Forsythe told her client he was in Austria, but she has reason to believe he’s alive and well, and ran off with his mistress instead. If her client sees proof her husband wasn’t onboard, she can move on with her life. Felicia sobs loudly, and Anna asks the clerk, please help me give her some closure. He says he can’t allow her access to the computer, but he can let her see the hard copies. Felicia turns around and says, yes! That will work. Thank you, kind sir. A thousand thank yous, yes. Anna turns to Felicia and makes a cutting motion across her throat, and Felicia gets quiet, dabbing at her eyes.
Laura says, so Victor took the bait. He thinks he has the tarot card that will activate Drew’s conditioning. Sam says, he thinks Peter had it on him when he died, and Dante says, he thinks he’s got the key. He’s going to reach out to Drew. He thinks it’s going to work. Laura asks if anyone is concerned Victor might actually be able to activate Drew, and Dante says, not with that card. He and Sam will be monitoring the situation in real time, and Drew’s aware; he’s in the loop, and knows what’s going on. Hopefully, they get something incriminating on Victor. Robert says, this is insanely convoluted, and Laura says she still can’t fully understand how these things are connected. If Luke was killed for the Ice Princess diamond, what does it have to do with Drew’s past? Eileen watches through the window.
Nina says, it’s not as simple as wanting Sonny or not, and Ava says she hopes Nina isn’t worried about the fallout from Sonny’s family. That ship has certainly sailed. Nina says she knows that. It’s not about that. Ava asks, then what is she waiting for? and Nina says, the man she fell in love with in Nixon Falls is very much the man Sonny is now, but recently she’s been confronted with a side of Sonny she doesn’t really know. She went to his penthouse the other night, and sometimes she just doesn’t recognize him. And it makes her wonder if she isn’t just repeating her self-destructive patterns.
Sonny says he doesn’t think Nina will file a legal motion if they allow her to see Wiley from time to time, but Michael says, they don’t want that. Sonny asks if he didn’t say Nina and Wiley are blood related. If they get the court involved, the court could rule against them, and dictate Nina’s visitation time. All they’ve got to do is let Nina see Wiley from time to time, and they dictate the terms. Michael says, he and Willow don’t think it’s healthy for Nina to be in Wiley’s life. What do they gain be playing along? Willow says, she knows Sonny has feelings for Nina, but to be perfectly honest, Willow doesn’t trust her. Even if they agree to a compromise, there’s a strong chance Nina will still file a legal claim. Sonny says he trusts Nina, and Michael says, that’s the problem. Sonny shouldn’t trust Nina.
Drew asks if Elizabeth really thinks Jake is behind the incidents, and she says she doesn’t want to think that, but he was there when Jake came home after he’d been kidnapped by Helena. There was this darkness about him. And does he remember when they left Jake alone? Sam was trapped in the basement. Drew says, that was an accident and they proved it. Jake was able to recover from what happened on Cassadine Island because he had Elizabeth to help him. He had a family he could count on, right? So is Jake is struggling, he knows she has the strength to help him through that again.
Monica asks Jake, what’s going on? and Finn asks if he doesn’t have an appointment. Does his mother know where he is? Monica says, talk to her. He knows he can tell her anything. Finn asks if Monica minds if they have a moment alone, and she says, he’s her grandson. Finn says he realizes that, but there might be some things you don’t want to disclose to your grandmother, and Monica tells Jake, they’ll swap spots. Jake comes out of the elevator, Monica gets in, and the doors close, Finn asks where Jake’s mom is. Does she know where Jake is? Jake says, no, and Finn can’t make him go back there.
Finn takes Jake to his office, so they can have some privacy, and asks, what’s going on? If Jake doesn’t want to talk to him, that’s fine. He can page Jake’s mom, and she can sort this out. Jake says, fine. He’ll talk to Finn. He told Dr. Massey that he had to go to the bathroom, and made a run for it. Finn laughs, and asks why Jake took off. Jake says, whatever, forget it, but Finn says he can’t. They have rules here. If Jake doesn’t go back to Dr. Massey’s office soon, she’s going to call hospital security. There’s a whole procedure for when a child is missing. Jake says he’s not a child, and Finn says he realizes that. He meant when a minor goes missing. He could get fired if he doesn’t call this in, unless Jake gives him a good reason for not going back. Jake says he’s not going back there. He’s tired of being accused of setting Franco’s studio on fire.
Elizabeth thanks Drew for his support; she needed to hear that. Monica comes by, and says she’s sorry to interrupt, but she just saw Jake on the first floor. It seems like he skipped out on his doctor’s appointment. Elizabeth gets up, and says she needs to go find him, but Monica says, it’s okay; he’s with Finn. They wanted to have their privacy. Maybe Jake will open up to Finn, but can she ask Elizabeth something? What is going on with her grandson? Elizabeth says she made an appointment with Dr. Massey. Jake is going through something. Monica says, of course (🍷). It’s understandable. He’s lost his stepfather and his father in the same year. Elizabeth says she thinks they might be dealing with some behavioral issues, and Monica says she’s sorry to hear that. Losing Franco, and then Jason, is too much.
Michael says, Sonny can’t let go of his feelings for Nina. That’s why he trusts her; not because she’s trustworthy. She lied to Sonny’s wife and kids for almost a year about him being alive. This should be a major red flag, and he doesn’t understand why it’s not. Sonny says, what Michael doesn’t understand is, he already confronted that issue. He’s just trying to take down the temperature here. Willow says, she appreciates his intentions, but they’re past the point where turning down the temperature will do any good. Sonny says, it was a mistake to come here, and goes to the door. Michael says, he’s right, it was, because once again, Sonny is choosing Nina’s interests over his family. Sonny turns around.
Ava says she thought they already addressed this, or is Nina slipping back into poor me territory? Nina says, no, and Ava says, she wanted Sonny and she took him. Is she going to have a crisis of conscience about it now? Nina says, it’s not about that. Sonny is dealing with some issues right now, and she thinks it’s wise for her to stay away from him until it’s settled. Ava says, but it’s okay if he goes to bat for her. What are these issues Nina is talking about? Victor walks in, and says, Ava, looking ravishing as always, and kisses her hand. She tells him that he’s too kind, and asks if he knows her friend Nina Reeves. He says, his wayward son’s ex-wife. It’s a shame she and Valentin couldn’t make things work. Nina says, sadly, she couldn’t trust him. She sees now where he’s inherited that trait.
The clerk is out for a smoke break and Kirk comes by, asking if he left his phone in the office. The clerk says, there are two women in the office; an American and a Brit. He knows they’re not authorized, but one of them had family in December’s accident. Kirks tells him to describe them; what did they look like? In the office, Felicia listens in the hallway, and tells Anna, the record keeper is still gone. What exactly are they looking for? Anna says she doesn’t know really. Some kind of inconsistency that can lead them somewhere. She says Felicia was really hamming it up with the whole grieving widow thing, and Felicia says she’s sorry. She was so nervous. She’s out of practice with the undercover stuff. Was it too much? Anna says she’s just grateful Felicia was playing an American. God knows what she’d do with an accent. Anna looks through a folder, and Felicia says, since The Floating Rib is gone, maybe she can get back in the P.I. game. What does Anna think? Anna doesn’t say anything, and Felicia says, that enthusiastic, huh? Anna says, no. She might have found something that proves the cable car crash was no accident.
Elizabeth says, maybe Jake wasn’t ready for her to start dating again, and Monica says, the circumstances surrounding Jason’s death didn’t help. Drew says, which means they’re all kind of in a state of flux. Monica asks if Elizabeth needs her to stick around, but Elizabeth says she’s okay. Drew says he’ll see Monica at home, and Monica leaves. Elizabeth says Drew doesn’t need to stick around either, but he says, that’s what families are for.
Finn asks why Jake thinks Dr. Massey believes he burned down Franco’s art studio, and Jake says, Finn believes it too. So does his mom. That’s why he had to talk to Dr. Massey. He already knows the drill; he’s been in and out of therapy since he was eight years old. After what happened to him, he doesn’t want anyone to believe he’s crazy. Finn says, no one believes that, and Jake says his mom and Dr. Massey believe he’s still disturbed like he was when he was a kid. That’s why she asks him all these leading questions like, was he really at a friend’s house the night the studio burned? Why was he at the library when a picture of his mom showed up at the house? Finn says, maybe there’s another way to look at this. People are acknowledging Jake has been through a lot in the past year. He was close with Franco, and not only did he lose Franco, he lost his dad as well. Jake says, his mom lost Franco too. Why would he want to torture her like that? He wants her to be happy. Finn says, even if it means she’s maybe moving on from Franco?
Dante asks if they might not be complicating this. The Ice Princess is worth the GDP of a small country, maybe Victor is literally just after the money. Sam says, it certainly motivates a lot of people, but… Robert says, they dealt with Victor back in day; the guy’s a playboy. Laura says, he was that. He liked the finer things in life, and mostly motivated by lust and greed. Although lately she’s noticed he seems to like to play God. The Ice Princess diamond, Luke’s death, and there’s something Drew is supposed to remember; they all add up to something. Eileen walks in, and asks Laura if there’s something she should know about.
Ava says, Nina is talking to a member of her family, but Victor says, that’s all right. He supposes there’s no escaping his less than reputable past, which is why he intends to make amends in the future, giving back to the world. Nina says, with what? Charity? He says, something like that, and she says, for Valentin’s sake, she hopes it’s the truth. Victor’s phone rings, and he says he has to take it, and tells Ava that he’ll see her soon. He leaves, and Nina asks, what the hell was all that about?
Felicia asks what Anna found, and Anna shows her the cable car schedule the day of the accident. The cable car in question was supposed to leave the dock at 9:15 am, but it didn’t actually leave until 9:47 am. Felicia says, that’s not unusual. Delays happen all the time with public transportation. Subways usually have a schedule, but everyone knows they bear little resemblance to reality. Anna says, but this is Austria, and that’s a twelve minute delay, and it should be noted in the records, but it isn’t. There’s nothing here; there’s no engine trouble, no weather issues, no staffing issues. Felicia says, maybe the car was deliberately held back until Luke arrived to assure he was on it. Anna says, that’s what she’s thinking, and as they both know, Luke Spencer was never punctual a day in his life. So it’s as good a theory as any.
Victor asks Kirk what he wants, and Kirk says, they have a situation. There are two women in the records room, looking for information about the crash. Victor says, by any chance is one an America blonde, and the other a British brunette? Kirk says, that’s exactly how his colleague described them. Does Victor know who they are? Victor says he’s afraid he does. The Brit is a senior WSB agent. He knew she was in the area, he just didn’t know she was there to investigate the crash. Kirk says, she’s in the records room right now. He was working in inspection the day of the crash. She could uncover the truth. Victor says, but she won’t, will she? Because Kirk will handle it. Kirk asks, how? and Victor says, by any means necessary.
Anna says she’s going to review these records, starting with whoever was inspecting the cable cars that morning. Then she’s going to photograph the pertinent ones, and have a look at them when she gets back home. Felicia says, sounds like it’s going to take some time. They need to make sure that nice man doesn’t come back any time soon. Maybe she can charm him into going on a coffee run. Anna thanks her, and tells her, just take it easy with the handkerchief thing. Felicia leaves, and Kirk watches.
Laura says she’s just catching up with her friends, and Eileen says, a senior detective on the PCPD and the District Attorney? Dante says, Laura was his mother-in-law, and he still considers her family, and Robert says, he and Laura go back decades. Eileen tells them, they can say whatever they want, but the mayor’s official duties and calendar are a matter of public record. Frankly, this isn’t the first time she’s caught Laura in a white lie like this. Laura says she thinks there’s been a misunderstanding. Surely she’s entitled to a social life, right? To spend time with her friends? Eileen says she still has some more questions and don’t call her Shirley, and Laura asks if she has to remind Eileen that Eileen works for her, not the other way around. Eileen says she knows Laura’s her boss, but the Government Oversight Committee has been breathing down their office’s neck every since former Mayor Lomax resigned in disgrace. If there’s any discrepancy on Laura’s public schedule, she needs to correct it. Let her constituents know that she’s meeting with other public officials, personal or not. Laura says she can’t do that, and Eileen asks, why not? I don’t think that’s how any of that works, but letting it pass.
Sonny tells Michael, that’s not what’s happening here. He’s never chosen Nina over his family. Michael asks, then why not just tell them the truth about what happened in Nixon Falls? Or why didn’t Sonny warn him that he wasn’t going to testify against Nina, and wanted to protect her from the consequences of what she did? (Hmm… Sonny might remind Michael that no one knew ahead of time he’d end up on the stand.) Sonny says he’ll give it to Michael straight because he likes to hear one side. When he came home from Nixon Falls, he found out his wife had married his best friend, and he had to wrap his head around that. Then his best friend Jason dies, just like Michael thought he’d lost Sonny. He was trying to keep his family together, and not make a bad situation worse. Yes, it didn’t work out like he’d hoped. He wanted to tell the whole family the truth on his terms; didn’t happen. But Michael has to remember something. Sonny is his father. He’s always going to do what’s best for Michael, and that’s what he’s trying to do right now. Don’t ever forget that.
Elizabeth says she really does appreciate Drew looking out for her and her family, but she can handle whatever’s going on with Jake. He says he has no doubt about that, but maybe while she’s taking care of the boys, he can look out for her. She says she just wishes she’d caught on to Jake’s behavior sooner. She was so focused on figuring out if she was ready to date, she doesn’t think she paid enough attention to her boys’ feelings. He says he knows her, and knows she always puts her boys first. He’s sure she came to a decision that was well-informed that the boys were ready. She says he might be giving her too much credit, but he says, not possible. She says she’s just as susceptible to tunnel vision as anyone else, and only see what she wants. He’s a perfect example. She believed he was Jason and didn’t tell anyone. He says, that was ancient history. Elizabeth was in a bad emotional place, but she came out the other side, which is why he knows she has the strength to help Jake with whatever’s going on. She says, if that’s what’s really happening.
Jake asks if Finn thinks he was doing all those things because he didn’t like Finn dating his mom. He told Finn that he was okay with that. As long as Finn is good to his mom, they have no problems. Finn says he believes Jake – he really does – but the police told his mom that whoever put the painting in the living room didn’t break in. They had access to the brownstone, and no one saw Jake in the library that morning. Unless there’s some other reason Jake doesn’t want to tell anyone what he was doing that day.
Ava says she has no idea what Nina is talking about, and Nina says, is she kidding? That charm offense Ava was giving Valentin’s father; what was going on there? And don’t tell her, nothing, because Nina knows Ava has something up her sleeve. Ava says, it’s just that the Cassadines are a complicated bunch. It’s best for everybody if they get along. Nina asks if that’s Ava’s polite way of saying, just butt out, and Ava says, emphasis on polite. Just like Ava will butt out of Nina’s relationship with Sonny. But not before telling Nina that she knows Sonny is advocating for her with Willow and Michael because he was in love with her. Nina says she’s not sure she wants that on her conscience.
Michael says, Sonny wants to do what’s best for him? Then respect the decision he and Willow made about their son. Sonny asks, why use his son to punish Nina? and Willow says, this isn’t about punishing Nina. It’s about what’s appropriate for Wiley. Sonny is an adult. If Nina lies to him or twists the facts, he can handle it, or not, but Wiley is a child. Nina already confused him enough. Monica comes in, and says, Sonny. This is certainly a surprise. Sonny says he was just leaving, but Monica says, since he’s here, there’s something he should know; all three of them. She was doing some serious thinking on her way home, about the ambiguity surrounding Jason’s death. It’s not good for his children to be living inside this limbo. She’s going to petition the court to have Jason declared legally dead.
Jake says, he’d better get back to Dr. Massey. He doesn’t want to get Finn in trouble. Finn says, don’t worry about him, this is about Jake. Can someone corroborate where Jake was that morning? Jake says, forget it, but Finn says he can’t. Tell him the truth. Jake says he can’t, and Finn asks, why? Jake says, if his mom finds out what he did, she’ll never forgive him.
Elizabeth thanks Drew for the pep talk, and he says his shoulder is at her service whenever she needs it. They hug, and Elizabeth leaves. Drew’s phone rings, and he sees it’s Victor. He says, show time.
Eileen says she’s liable for seeing Laura. She can’t pretend she didn’t. Laura says she’s sorry. She didn’t realize she might be putting Eileen in a difficult position. She can’t tell Eileen everything, but Eileen is her deputy, so she guesses Eileen deserves to know something about what’s going on with her. Robert asks if she’s sure, and Laura says, it’ll be all right. She tells Eileen that she has reason to believe her ex-husband Luke Spencer may have been murdered. She’s working on this on her own time. This is her lunch hour. Now she’s just taken a big step in trusting Eileen, so she’s asking Eileen to do the same for her. Can Eileen give her the space she needs wo work on this situation? Because it needs to be kept separate from their office. Can she do that? Eileen says, yes, understood. They can touch base later. Laura thanks her, and Eileen leaves. Laura goes back to the table, and says, now where were we?
Drew asks what Victor wants, and Victor says, he’s sorry; they seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. Drew says, two years in a cell is a bad start, and Victor says, Peter was responsible; Peter’s dead. He’s calling about a different matter entirely, and it’s important they meet in person.
Anna looks at more files, when Kirk suddenly comes in behind her with his gun drawn. She takes more pictures.
Tomorrow, Portia tells Trina that she has exciting news; Esme asks Spencer, who else could have possibly done this; Carly says, there’s no proof, but there will be; and Kirk’s gun goes off.
Co-primary Charles bitches to Captain Glenn that McDonald’s is better than this. You don’t put sweet sauce on a steak. He feels like he’s losing money eating this disgusting food. Daisy warns Marcos about Charles ranting, and Marcos says, Charles wouldn’t know a good meal if it smacked him in the face. Daisy says Charles is being aggressive and mean, and in Marcos’s interview, he says if Charles said that to his face, he wouldn’t be sitting here. Glenn asks Charles how the food was last night, and Charles deflects. He tells Charles that they’ll find a solution, and tonight’s dinner will be fantastic. Gary asks Daisy about the beach picnic, and she explains the procedure they’re going to follow.
Erica says her mom was happy with the food, but she wasn’t, and Glenn tells Marcos about Charles not being happy with his eggs. He doesn’t get it. It looked delicious, but humor them. He suggests Marcos hear from them what they want. In Glenn’s interview, he says he’ll hear a legitimate complaint, but who comes on a luxury yacht, and says it’s not as good as McDonald’s? Show some class. Colin says, Charles is going to complain because it doesn’t taste like a Happy Meal. Gabriela brings Charles coffee in his cabin, and he whines, where’s his stuff? Guest Janelle tells husband guest Rhett that Charles complains about everything. Some of the crew set up on the beach, while on the boat Charles demands to know where the alcohol is he sees people drinking. Gary arrives at the beach, and asks how it’s going, and Tom says, not well. He’s trying to set up a tent for the guests, and having the usual issues people do with tents. Marcos tells Colin, by tomorrow, he’ll be drinking; the guy is f***ing crazy. Colin says, he has the taste buds of a Billy goat. Tom wonders how to make the tent less ugly, and in his interview, he admits he came in too cocky and confident. We flash back to some of his mistakes, and he says, but he knows how to do better now, and wants to show Gary that he’s not a complete f***ing idiot.
Cindi gets self-tanner all over a white couch, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, accidents happen, but it was a dumb thing to do. The couch cost $50K; it’s just stupid. Tom continues to mess with the tent, and Gabriela wonders who puts on body makeup, then sits on a white couch on a superyacht? The guests are brought to the beach, and Erica tells Daisy, the whole reason Charles came this time was the food. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s been a sh*t show all morning. She needs the picnic to go as planned. Charles deigns to try the lox, and in her interview, Daisy says, just eat the food and STFU. Charles says, great food. He thinks he might be grouchy in the morning. Rhett says he’s an a-hole, and Charles says, if he was in New York, it would be okay to be a d-bag. (Um… no.) Rhett says he’d get punched in the face, and Charles says, if people don’t like the way he acts, he doesn’t need to be around them. In Daisy’s interview, she says, they’ve got to be kidding. It had just been good for a hot minute. Charles stomps over to Erica, who was enjoying putting her toes in the surf, and tells her, Janelle said he’d get ass kicked in New York. Erica says, if Janelle wasn’t her hairdresser, she’d let him be a bitch, but she doesn’t want to find a new one. Rhett asks if Charles called his wife a bitch. He’ll f*** Charles’s world up. Daisy says, this is getting bad.
Janelle goes over to Erika, and tells her that Charles had said, if you’re in New York and you bitch, they’ll give you what you want. (I don’t know what planet the NYC they’re talking about is on.) Janelle says Rhett told Charles that he’d get hit in the face, and Charles got pissed and walked off. Erica’s husband likes having trouble with people. In Daisy’s interview, she says, she’d rather have them arguing with each other than complaining about the food. She won’t be surprised if Rhett kicks the sh*t out of him. Erica says she doesn’t control Charles. Back at the boat, Glenn tells Ashley to try carpet cleaner on the couch. She does, and Glenn says, it’s not doing anything, and tells her to try the K2R. Daisy radios that the guests are ready to be picked up. Cindi gives Daisy a necklace that has huge flowers on it, and in her interview, Daisy says she’s never seen anything like it. Cindi asks Gary to put it on her, and Tom grumbles that everything happens, and he misses all of it. Kelsie says, that makes two of them, and they bring the guests back to the boat.
The guests wonder what happened to the couch, and everyone is all, not me, including Cindi. Daisy goes to Charles and Erica’s room, and asks if they want to speak to the chef; Cindi is already there. Erica comes out, and says she’ll be speaking for Charles. On the phone, Rhett tells someone that Charles’s hobby is going to hotels, and bitching about the food to get a room freebie. He’s the biggest d-bag. Erica tells Marcos what Charles likes to eat, emphasis on spaghetti with marina sauce. In Marcos’s interview, he says, it’s the most nasty meal combination he’s ever made in his life. Charles asks Glenn to have dinner with them, and Erica wants Gary to join them too. Daisy reminds them that it’s a decades theme party. Erica complains about the other guests, and Gabriella does chores while Ashley disappears. Glenn asks if the guests want to sail. In Tom’s interview, he says, Ashley is not interested in him. She’s only interested in talking to Gary. Some girls like the Tarzan thing. Glenn puts the sails up, and I pray for Gary to fall out of the top bunk where he’s sleeping. Sailing music happens, doors open, and things slide around. Charles says, it’s an overrated experience, and Erica says, the last time, it was majestic. He says their cat is majestic, and Erica says, he is cute. Marcos whacks his head coming out of the refrigerator doorway. Daisy gets Colin to help, saying, she doesn’t know what to do. Marcos sits in the crew mess, bleeding from his head, and Colin examines his wound. Colin says, it looks nasty. Marcos took some of his scalp off. I literally gasp, seeing a piece of it in his hand.
Colin goes to get Glenn, and Daisy worries about Marcos being in shock. Colin tells Glenn, Marcos scalped himself inside the fridge. Glenn takes a look, and tells Marcos to keep pressure on it. He’s going to have to see someone. In Glenn’s interview, he says, his first thought was, that’s the end of the season; it’s that serious. He tells Marcos that they’ll figure something out. They’re heading back. Marcos says, he’ll get his head bandaged up, but he still has to make dinner happen. Glenn calls Dr. Tea, and says Marcos scalped a piece off his head, but he’s not sure what type of wound it is. She says she’ll come to the boat. Marcos puts on a hat, and looks for broccoli. They drop anchor, and Charles tells the other guests that when he and Erica first met, he sniffed her butt like a dog. Erika tells Charles that they need to have sex once on the boat, and in a TMI moment, of which there are many, he says give them ten minutes. She says, it should take five, and they go to their cabin. The table is set for dinner, and Dr. Tea arrives.
She examines Marcos, and says, it’s a big piece, but very superficial. She puts a bandage around his head, like in those old-fashioned toothache patient pictures, and tells him that he can change it on his own. In his interview, Marcos says, the guests don’t care. He can’t stop cooking, Tom helps decorate, and Janelle tells Rhett that they have to survive another dinner. She doesn’t have the time or patience. She doesn’t like people like Charles. Keep the f*** away from her. Charles demands hairspray. Glenn tells Gary to stop eating, since they’re joining the guests, and in Gary’s interview, he says he gets good food, and it gets him out of helping in the galley. Score! Cindi comes out dressed like Marilyn Monroe, and Daisy says she looks fabulous. Outside of earshot, Gabriela says, wow, but not in a good way. Rhett face palms.
Tom asks if Marcos doesn’t wish they could go back in time an hour or so, and not do the thing they did. Marcos says he does wish that, and Gary and Glenn join the guests. There’s tons of different food, including spaghetti with marinara sauce In Marcos’s interview, a producer asks what restaurant the menu combination reminds him of, and he says, none. It’s a crazy buffet where a bunch of food is thrown at you. All you can eat until you die. Glenn says Erica and Charles make a nice couple (as my father would say, couple of what?) and Erica says, they’ve known each other since high school. Marcos tells Daisy that Charles probably doesn’t want to bitch in front of the captain, but Daisy says she’s not so sure he cares where he bitches. Janelle leaves the table, and goes to her cabin. Rhett is already there, and she says she can’t take it. Cindi tries to sing Happy Birthday to Glenn like Marilyn did to JFK, and fails miserably. In his interview, Gary dies laughing.
Glenn thanks them for a fantastic meal, and tells Marcos that it was delicious. The next morning, Gabriela hunts for fresh orange juice, but only finds some left over from the day before. Marcos asks if that isn’t the night stew’s responsibility. Gabriela says, it is, and he says they should have a meeting after the charter. Daisy comes by the galley, and asks how Marcos’s head is, and he says the blood passed through the gauze the night before. In his interview, he says, it’s painful but he’s not telling anybody. The couch is still messed up, and Janelle tells Daisy that Erica, Charles, and Cindi are messed up. Daisy says she and Janelle are the same; she’s never seen anything like it. The bags are packed, and Glenn docks the boat. Marcos tells Daisy he’s seen bitching between the two stews, and Daisy says, too many egos. She has to deal with so much bullsh*t. Glenn talks to Cindi about the couch, and she claims she wasn’t sitting there. In a flashback, we see that she clearly was. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the primaries on a charter boat are responsible for any damage. Having that conversation is never fun, but it has to be done. Cindi tells the others that they have to split the bill for the couch, and Janelle is like, no way; she and Rhett didn’t do that. Cindi insists she didn’t either.
The crew lines up, and there are hugs and handshakes. Erica gives a rose to the captain, and Cindi gives him the tip envelope and promises to take care of the problem. They leave, and in Colin’s interview, he says, please never come back. They gather for the tip meeting, and Glenn says, that was interesting. He tells Daisy that her team did a good job, and ran smoothly. It’s a testament to her leadership skills. She says, the stews did a great job, and reminds them, if there are issues, talk to her, and remember it’s a team, so be respectful of each other. Glenn says, Marcos accommodated the guests very well. He was hurt, and still pulled off dinner. They seemed to enjoy everything. He doesn’t feel the tip reflected the quality of service they gave the guests. They worked hard and pulled out all the stops to give them the best charter. The tip is $6500, or $720 each. Even I’m shocked. Bastards. In Daisy’s interview, she says, f*** my f***ing life. She wants to burst into tears. It’s not okay. Glenn says, it’s better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick, and in her interview, close to tears, Daisy says she doesn’t think people like that deserve nice things. As far as she’s concerned, they can take the tip and shove it. Glenn says, it’s not a reflection on them, and it was still a great start to the season. He tells them, tonight, have fun.
It’s time to chill, and Colin asks if Ashley and Gabriela aren’t getting along, and if titles are still a thing. She says, they are, so Gabriela is above her. He asks if they do different jobs, and she says they do the same thing; they just rotate times. They hashed it out, but she has to respect Gabriela. Geez. Is it that hard? Colin asks about siblings, and she says she has an older sister who she hasn’t talked to in a long time. Her sister screwed every guy Ashley liked in high school, and would brag to her about it. In Ashley’s interview, she says she has a trust thing. She has a few great girlfriends, and knows she comes off as standoffish. She knows she’s doing it, but it’s hard not to be the way she is. Girls are tricky sometimes. Colin says, everyone’s got a history, don’t they? The crew gets dressed to go out, and Glenn asks Daisy, if her best friend’s life depended on it, what would she use on the couch? She tells him, Vanish works miracles, so he uses some, and it comes right out. He begins to use a wet vac, and in her interview, Daisy says she loves Glenn, but do they have to do this now? She needs a f***ing drink. She asks if they can’t look after it tomorrow, and give the camera a look as she walks out.
In the cab, Kelsie says, Marcos’s cooking is fire. The guests were used to McNuggets. At the restaurant, Gary wants to toast to something they’re grateful for, and Marcos says, thank God that f***ing guy left the boat. He says, everyone is amazing, and he never felt like a family in such a short time. In his interview, he says, a chef in this industry can get lonely in the galley, but this crew is different. We drown together or we help. He loves it. They clink glasses.
They order, and Daisy tells the stews that they’re great, and she wants the team to be solid. Gabriela and Daisy go for a smoke, and Ashley tells Gary that he flirts with everyone, like he doesn’t know. He says, there’s always a problem when he flirts, and she says she wants to hook up with him, but he doesn’t seem to want to. In Gary’s interview, he says, Ashley wants two things; his undivided attention, and to get in his pants. He tells her that he doesn’t want to rush things, and in his interview, he says, he might want to sleep with her, but he doesn’t want the consequences. So instead, he hugs Daisy. Colin checks Marcos’s wound, Gabriela downs some wine, and outside, Gary kisses Daisy, but acts silly about it. They go back to the boat.
Daisy tells Marcos to stop touching his wound. Gary tells Colin that he doesn’t understand the girls. They work together and talk to each other, then throw themselves at you. In his interview, Gary says, it’s hard because he knows it won’t just be a few kisses. Ashley wants to get in the hot tub, and he kisses her. She does something we don’t see, but can guess at, because he says, it feels good; naughty-naughty. The only smart one is Glenn, who’s in bed with his headphones on, eating M&Ms. Colin puts plastic wrap around Marcos’s head so he’ll stop messing with it, and they determine Marcos is going to live. In Gary’s interview, he says, if he goes to bed, he’ll have no regrets, but if he stays up, he might. Why can’t little Gary behave?
Ashley asks if Gary is going swimming or going to bed. She gets in his bed with him, but he suddenly decides they should go in the hot tub. They join the others, and Daisy kisses Ashley, then sits on Gary’s lap. As much as you can sit on someone’s lap in the water. Gary tells her that she has beautiful arms, and Ashley starts drinking from the tequila bottle. In Ashley’s interview, she says, Gary’s not interested. Whatever. She’s drunk and horny, and she’s going to have a good time no matter what. She drains the bottle, making me feel sick because I hate tequila. Gary tells the guys that he’s going to do Daisy tonight; don’t tell her. Gabriela calls Gary a toad, and Tom gets confused, thinking she means him, but Ashley corrects that, and flirts with him. In Ashley’s interview, she says Gary blew her off, and it’s not worth the effort. She’s warming up to the idea of someone her age. Gary follows Daisy to the bar, while Ashely and Tom get in a huge lounge chair and take selfies. In Tom’s interview, he says he’d squashed the idea of getting with Ashley, but have we heard the story of the tortoise and the hare? He’s living proof the tortoise won the race. They kiss, and Gabriela takes pictures until she says she feels like a pervert photographer. Tom suggests he and Ashley go to the guest cabin, and they do.
Gary and Daisy roll around in the hot tub, and Ashley asks Tom if he wants her to get naked. Like that might be a no. Daisy kisses Gary, and Colin and Gabriela make themselves scarce.
To be continued…
There was no preview.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Bill had jetted from guys night out, and Evan said Bill was an accomplice; he let it happen. Frank followed Bill to the parking lot, and asked him to come back, but Bill said he was done. There were lines that shouldn’t be crossed. At the table, Joe #2 said that Jennifer dug into everyone’s life. Bill told Frank that he wasn’t staying somewhere he wasn’t welcome, and left. Frank went back to the table, and said it hadn’t gone well. Bill felt it was a personal attack on his wife. Evan said Bill had to rein her in. In Frank’s interview, he said that the other guys would have defended their wives too. But man code was, drama for the ladies, fun for the men. They toasted to Bill, and Luis arrived. There were bro hugs all around, and Joe #2 filled him in on Bill storming out. He said he was shocked that Luis and Teresa had spent the night at Bill’s after the clash between Jennifer and Melissa. Luis said, sorry, and Teresa called with absolutely nothing important. Luis told the guys that Teresa could be wild and crazy, but she was amazing. They met at a time he least expected to meet someone.
Joe #2 said they’d seen some stuff on social media, and Luis said he’d had a couple of bad relationships, and he was sure some of the other guys’ exes would talk bad about them. Joe #3 said he thought what they read was 100% bullsh*t, but what should they say if asked. Tiki said he had one question; was there ever physical violence? Luis was adamant there hadn’t been, and said he had some angry exes who were thirsty for attention. Tiki said his wife had been asking him questions, and Luis said there was a rumor the girl who was talking about him had stabbed her husband with a butcher knife. Wouldn’t you hack someone with a butcher knife? Luis said he didn’t want to believe it, and in Frank’s interview, he said, man or woman, violence was never acceptable. But the least they could do was give Luis the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise. Luis said he’d finally found the one, and in Joe #2’s interview, he said Teresa had made up her mind she wanted Luis to stay in her life. He said, if Luis f***ed up, trust him, he would find out. They toasted to Luis.
Back in their respective corners of the world, Joe #3 told Marge the butcher knife story, and said he thought Luis was deflecting. Evan told Jackie that he thought Luis was a nice guy whose girlfriends hadn’t worked out, but Jackie said she didn’t like the vengeful ex excuse. Joe #2 told Melissa that it had been uncomfortable for him, and Melissa said, unless there was proof, she’d go with the exes lying. Joe guaranteed Teresa wasn’t going to be happy. Teresa told Luis that she didn’t even know Tracy, and now Tracy was using her husband to do detective work, Luis told her that no one said anything wrong, and she said she wanted to protect their love bubble. Marge asked if Bill showed up, and Joe #3 said he got mad and left after Evan said Jennifer was a bad person. Jackie told Evan that he had every right to say what he said, and Evan said he didn’t think Bill was a bad guy, but his wife was a disaster.
Jennifer asked how guys night went, noting that Bill came home fast. Bill said it got upsetting when they insulted his wife’s character. He got up and left; screw them. Jennifer was happy Bill stuck up for her. She knew he didn’t want to be confrontational, but his silence was frustrating. People didn’t think he had her back. Bill said everyone handled things differently, and Jennifer said Bill didn’t show emotion, and she needed him as a life raft. In her interview, she said old feelings of anger were resurfacing; feelings she’d been sitting on. Bill showed no emotion, and she wanted dialogue, emotions, and communication, and he was telling her that he was incapable of that. She felt alone already.
In Dolores’s interview, she said, Frank finally got his sh*t together, and finished the house enough for the kids to leave her townhouse. On the downside, it was pretty empty, and Frankie said, it would be nice to have furniture. Dolores was worried about her mom’s surgery, and in her interview, she said her mother taught her everything she knows. She was used to picking up the phone and calling her, and couldn’t imagine not being able to ask for her advice. She told the kids that she didn’t want to lose her mother, and Gabby said Dolores had been put under anesthesia more times than she told them. David was very involved with helping Valerie, and in her interview, Dolores said her mom had always nursed them back to health. She couldn’t nurse her mom, but David could. She just wanted her mom to be okay. She had to put her pride aside, and let David help.
Marge suggested she host a spa day for Dolores, and Dolores said she’d done so much alone, it was nice to have friends who would do that, but Marge didn’t have to. Marge told Dolores to accept something when people loved her. She said she wasn’t inviting Jennifer, since no one needed the stress or tension. Meanwhile, Teresa was getting ready for her anniversary date with Luis. Gia and Gabriella sat in her dressing room as she did her makeup, and Teresa reminded them that it was her and Luis’s one year anniversary. All she knew was, they were going to dinner. The girls helped her pick something to wear, and Teresa said Luis was an amazing guy. Marge questioned him, but she didn’t know Luis like Teresa did, or see how he treats her. He was the best guy ever, and she loved him. In Gia’s interview, she said her mom and family had been through a lot. We flashed back to Joe #1 saying Teresa was the c-word, Teresa going to jail, Joe going to jail, and Teresa losing her parents. Gia said, it was just so nice to see Teresa in love and happy after so much loss. Teresa said she’d asked her parents in heaven for their help, and that week she met Luis. She suggested if the girls ever needed something to ask them, and Gabriella said she wasn’t forty and single. Ha-ha!
Melissa tried to plan Antonia’s Sweet 16 party, and Antonia gave her a lot of eye rolling. In Melissa’s interview, she said she rolled her eyes at her mom when she was Antonia’s age, but she didn’t have a Sweet 16. Her dad had died in a car accident, and she felt sad and alone. Antonia was also pissed because they’d just moved, and said Melissa didn’t consider her feelings, but Melissa said, oh yes she did. She thought Antonia’s torn ACL had made things worse, since Antonia couldn’t cheer, and in her interview, Melissa said Antonia had been tumbling for years, but fell the wrong way and was injured. She told Antonia that she could do it again, and asked if she’d been trying. Antonia said she had, but wasn’t very convincing. She said she didn’t care, and didn’t want to do it anymore, but Melissa said that wasn’t an option. Melissa cried in her interview, and said it broke her heart. Antonia had gone through her injury, and it was time to get out of it now.
Luis sent a driver to pick up Teresa, and in her interview, she said he was full of romantic surprises. He was a planner, and she loved that. He set the bar high. The driver took Teresa to a pier, that had a rose petal path to a small yacht. Captain Michael welcomed her, and there was a saxophone player on board, along with Luis. They had a drink while the sax player played, and Teresa said she loved it; she played alto sax in elementary school. (Me too – twinsies!) In Teresa’s interview, she said it just went to show, Luis listened to her. He was pretty perfect. The chef came out and told them the menu, and champagne was poured. Luis toasted to Teresa, and the last twelve absolutely amazing months. Teresa gave him a bracelet that was masculine cool, and put it on him. Her card said that a year ago, when they met, her heart had been broken. It had been broken for so long, he was a blessing she didn’t take for granted, In the year they’d been together, she’d never been shown so much love. In her interview, she told us that he’d never said an unkind word to her. He was a dream come true. With the help of the sax player, Luis unfurled a huge scroll with twenty reasons he loved her. She was fierce, strong, and the ultimate badass. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Marge did a check of the spa, where there was also a fabulous catered spread. Melissa arrived first, and champagne was popped. The other women trickled in, and Teresa told them about her date with Luis, and the scroll. She said Luis loved her honesty, and in Marge’s interview, she said, if he loved Teresa for her honesty, was he delusional? Marge brought up Luis’s exes, and Bill leaving guys night in a rage. Jackie thought he could acknowledge what Jennifer had done wrong and still defend her. Tracy said if Jennifer apologized, that would make it good. Teresa said she’d called Jennifer and mentioned the spa day before she realized Jennifer wasn’t on the invite. Marge said Jennifer had kicked them out, and Jackie didn’t get why Jennifer wanted to burn bridges, and Tracy said she thought Jennifer was unhappy in her marriage. Everyone got in robes, and Dolores arrived. She said she and her siblings were taking turns keeping watch on her mother. She couldn’t be left alone because she was in danger of a heart attack. David was going with her to appointments, and Dolores hadn’t spoken to him, but thought it was better that way. It was time for their treatments, and Teresa, Jackie, and Dolores went first, while Melissa, Marge, and Tracy talked smack about David by the pool. Melissa said David seemed to be there for eveyroen in Dolores’s family but Dolores. In Melissa’s interview, she said it was the old school way, You swore it was okay, even though it hurt so much, then exploded on everyone else. They stuck their feet in the pool, and Melissa said Antonia was stressing her out. Her injury had changed her, and she seemed lazy and depressed. Antonia had checked out of the building, and it was making her nervous. There had also been the move, but compared to Melissa’s childhood, Antonia had it easy. In her interview, Melissa said, after they moved to Florida, her dad died, and she was so depressed. She was a New Jersey fish out of water at her new school.
They switched groups treatments, and Teresa talked about Tracy being up in everyone’s business. She wondered why Tiki was questioning Luis for her. Nobody should pry into anyone’s business. She also thought that Jennifer was being picked on, and Jackie said Jennifer came at people hard. Teresa said Marge did too. By this time, the other women had joined them, and Marge said Jennifer took it to the next level. Marge said she wasn’t trying to hurt Jennifer, just point out that she was a hypocrite, but Dolores said Jennifer was very hurt by the affair, and had buried it, not wanting to face it again. She was a f***ing mess. Jennifer was a hypocrite, but they’d both been wrong.
Jennifer met her brother Steven for coffee, and in her interview, she said Steven had loved to sing when they were growing up. When she was feeling bad, he’d practice for her, and it instantly made her feel better. She said she’d told their mother about the affair, and Steven asked how she took it. Jennifer said she was cursing out marge, and wanted to get her back. As for Bill, some Mideast part of her thought, men do this sometimes. In Jennifer’s interview, she said since she’d told the children and her siblings, she thought she should tell her mother before someone else did, She told Steven that it was one thing living through it privately, but now it was out there, and she was forced to deal with it. He said so she was dealing now with what she should have then, and asked how she and Bill were doing, but she said she didn’t know. When Bill was uncomfortable, he didn’t talk. Steven asked if Bill would speak a therapist, and Jennifer said, Bill was afraid they’d open up a Pandora’s box they might not be able to close. Steven said Jennifer was still angry, and Jennifer said she told Bill that he had to show her he cared. She didn’t want to turn into her mother. In her interview, Jennifer said she didn’t think it was fair to stay in a relationship where you weren’t happy, but it was scary for her. Steven asked if she thought things could return to what they were before, but she didn’t know.
This season, line dancing, bro kisses, Teresa moves, a picnic, and a hugs Teresa and Marge fight.
🍯 Time To Jam…
See me tomorrow for soap and OC happenings. Until then, stay safe, stay taking care of your corner of the earth, and stay letting your shoulder be of service to friends who need it.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook looks at Chase’s number in her phone, and wonders what she would even say. Chase walks in with a big box, and says, she’s back. She says, looks that way, and he asks if she collected her award yet. She asks, what award? and he says, for the world’s fastest get away.
Carly and Josslyn walk into the MetroCourt, and see Esme on her phone. Carly leads Josslyn over to Esme’s table, and Esme asks how Josslyn is doing. Josslyn asks how she should be doing after someone humiliated her and Cam with that video, and Esme says, it’s really so awful. Josslyn is really brave being out in public like this. She doesn’t know if she could do it. Now if they’ll excuse her… Carly steps in front of Esme, and says she doesn’t think so. Sit down. Esme says she has plans, and Carly says, really? Whose life is she planning on ruining now?
Spencer is doing a crossword puzzle, when Cameron puts a partially squashed cupcake in front of him and says, happy birthday, jailbird. Spencer says his birthday was days ago, and Cameron says he knows it’s late, and slightly disfigured. Spencer says he can’t accept it, and Cameron says he knows it doesn’t look as good as it should, but trust him, it’s really yummy. Aiden’s been working on it and he’s sure it’s delicious. Spencer gets up and says Cameron can take his peace offering and go straight to hell. He walks away.
At Beradino’s, Brad asks if Britt is ready for bubbles and trouble, and she says, champagne brunch on her day off? Hell yeah. But given the classy establishment, how much trouble can they get into? He asks if that’s a challenge.
Curtis hears footsteps, and says, we’re not open. Selena says she hoped he would make an exception in her case. He says, Miss Wu, and she says, he knows who she is? He says, they know some of the same people. She says, indeed. She trusts they can be of help to each other.
Brook says, what get away? She told Chase that she was going to Brooklyn to visit her mom, and he says, it’s just… it’s nothing. She asks, what’s with the box? and he says, funny she should ask. What kind of ingrate leaves all the moving to her roommate? He almost slipped a disk moving her Deception cosmetics trunk. She says, Michael told her that he helped, and Chase says, Michael made things easier, but it wasn’t as fun. She says she’s so sorry she skipped out on him, but it wasn’t about him. He says, really? Because she took off right after he kissed her.
Curtis says he’s a little busy at the moment, and Selena says, preparing for the night ahead? He says, some administrative work, and his staff will come in later to handle the prep. She says, his head bartender Nika usually arrives fifteen to twenty minutes early, which is a good fifteen to twenty minutes from now. He says, so she’s been watching, and she says, an establishment such as his merits attention. He says she’s more than welcome to come back, and she says she heard The Savoy was rather exclusive when it comes to welcoming certain business people. He says his nightclub is a place of leisure. It’s his hope that people leave their business at the door, regardless of what their profession is. She says, he’s very diplomatic and judicious. That’s what makes him perfect. He says, perfect for what? and she says, to partner with her.
Cameron asks, what’s with the hostility? He’s sorry he didn’t come see Spencer sooner. Spencer says, Cameron is on his list for that too, but right now he’s pissed at what Cameron did to Josslyn. What was he thinking filming her? Cameron says, no way. Spencer can’t possibly think he had anything to do with that. Spencer says, process of elimination. Trina passed out, he and Esme were already gone. The only person left who could have made that video is him. Cameron says Spencer is insane. He thinks Cameron secretly filmed himself and Josslyn having sex, and mailed it to everyone at PCU? Spencer thinks he’s twisted enough to do that? Spencer says, no, he doesn’t. He thinks Cameron is a jerk who wanted a memento of his first time, and was too reckless to protect the footage. Cameron says, go to hell. Does Spencer think he doesn’t know what he’s doing? It’s not going to work. Spencer can’t drag Cameron down with him.
Esme says she’s not out to ruin anyone’s life, but she does feel guilty, and Carly says, really? What for? Esme says she’s not sure what Josslyn’s told Carly, but she certainly wishes she had the closeness Josslyn and her mom have… Carly tells her to spit it out, and Esme says, at the cabin, she brought up some things that were certainly painful for Trina, and she truly regrets that, but how could she have imagined Trina would lash out by betraying her best friend? Carly says, Esme is seriously going to try and pin the video incident on Trina? and Esme says, there’s no other explanation. Carly says, yeah there is, and she’s standing right in front of her. When she was Esme’s age, she was angry at the world, and thought she was owed. That’s how she knows hurt people hurt people. Esme needs to get some help, and soon. Because if she doesn’t, the mothers of the people who were hurt, they’re not going to keep it so civil. Esme says, Mrs. Corinthos – it’s still Corinthos isn’t it? She’s not sure what Josslyn has told Carly, but Esme can’t blame her, considering how confused she must be. She can’t even imagine the epic humiliation Josslyn must be feeling, but it’s not her fault. Josslyn is something-in-French-that-I don’t-grasp. Josslyn says, she’s sorry. Is that French for set up by a complete psycho? Carly says Esme did this and needs to own it, but Esme says she didn’t. Carly says, and if Esme doesn’t own it, she’s going to find proof. She knows Esme thinks she covered her tracks, but Carly has resources Esme has never even dreamed of, and when she has that proof, she’ll make Esme very, very sorry. Esme sees Nikolas come in, and says she understands Carly’s going through a difficult time right now, but her anger is misplaced. Unless Carly thinks she’s also responsible for the infidelity that destroyed her marriage. She wouldn’t worry. Carly’s bed won’t be cold for long. Like mother, like daughter. She starts to leave, and Carly says she’s messing with the wrong people, grabbing her wrist. Esme wildly overreacts, screeching that Carly is hurting her. Carly says Esme hasn’t seen hurt, and Nikolas jets over to them, telling Carly to let her go.
Carly says, Esme is fine, and tells Esme, knock it off, releasing her. She tells Nikolas that it’s none of his business and he says, his business or police business; it’s up to her. Carly says she’d love for him to call the police, and asks if Esme doesn’t think they should call the police. Nikolas says, whatever she thinks Esme is up to, it doesn’t justify assaulting her. Carly says, assault? and Esme says she didn’t do anything, she swears. She whines that Josslyn has it all wrong, and Carly really hurt her. Nikolas says, let’s get that arm checked, and Carly tells him, get her out of here. Nikolas brings Esme over to the elevator, and Carly tells Josslyn that Esme can’t hide behind Nikolas forever. Josslyn says she can’t hide behind Carly forever. She needs to fight her own battles.
Spencer says he may not be perfect, but at least he never made a sex tape and let it go viral. Cameron says, no, he just got his girlfriend to blow up a car because he didn’t like daddy’s wife, and Spencer says, Cameron made his point. He may not be perfect either, but at least he’s not as bad a screw-up as Spencer? Thanks for stopping by. Cameron says, know what he thinks? He thinks Spencer loves when other people’s screw-ups make his look not as bad, or at least when they can distract from them. Spencer says, Intro to Psyche is really paying off for Cameron, but unlike Cameron, he owned up to what he was accused of. Cameron says, because he was caught. He didn’t film anything and isn’t responsible for this sex tape. Spencer wants to believe he is, because Spencer doesn’t like the alternative. Spencer says, which is? and Cameron says he didn’t set up the camera and link it. There’s only two other people who could have. The girl Spencer is crushing on, or his girlfriend.
Brook says her timing was questionable, but not personal, and Chase asks if she’s sure. How would she feel if he disappeared without so much as a smell you later? She says, smell you later? and he says, that’s what the kids are saying. She says, the kids who were saying that are on their second divorces. He says, the point is, the second they got close, Brook went out of her way to put as much distance between them as possible. She says, they’d just given Bailey back to Maxie. She thought she was prepared, but she was a mess. None of it was real anyway. He says, none of it? and she says, they were playing house, pretending. They got really good at it, so they were confused, right? He says, right. Confused. That’s why she left him holding the bag. Correction, boxes; so many boxes. She says she had a million things running through her head. Being in Port Charles without Bailey… He says, it must have been unbearable, and she says, it was. He says he knows the feeling, and she says she’s sorry she left him alone to deal with all those feelings. He says he’s not trying to guilt her, or compare his time to the months Brook was her mother, because that’s what she was to Bailey, pretending or not. It’s just that he misses his friend. She says, right, but once Peter was killed, their job was finished. There was no reason for her to stick around… was there? He says he guesses they’ll never know.
Brad says, thank God Peter is dead, and all of this is over. Britt, Maxie, and Bailey are all free. Britt says, are they? Peter is finally gone, but they all have to live with the damage he left in his wake. He says, Peter really put her through hell, and she tells him, Maxie said something about letting go of the past to embrace the future. Does he think that can work? He says, he has to, because the alternative is being trapped by his mistakes.
Selena asks what Curtis would say to a joint business venture, one that could benefit them both, and he tells her, he’d say, thanks for thinking of him, but his plate is full. She says, without hearing the details? That would be premature. He says, no disrespect to her, but The Savoy is a legitimate business. All of his dealings are above board. She says, what she’s proposing is legal and profitable, and he says, no offense, but he doesn’t need money. She says, if he’ll allow her the use of The Savoy twice a month, it will pay off in ways beyond monetary gain, and he says, the use of his club for what? She says, a private social event.
Spencer says, that’s low, accusing Trina, and Cameron says he didn’t accuse Trina. Spencer says, or Esme. Insinuating that he feels anything other than friendship for Trina… Cameron says, please. Anyone with ears and eyes can tell Spencer that his feelings for Trina set this whole thing in motion. His girlfriend feels so threatened and jealous that she had to take it out on his friends in the most humiliating way she knew how to. Spencer asks how Cameron explains they were miles away from the cabin when that footage was taken, and Cameron asks if he’s heard of technology. You plug in a video camera or phone and press record, and it keeps recording even after you leave the room, or cabin. Spencer says, nice theory, but it’s not proof, and Cameron says, know what else is a nice theory? Spencer wants it to be him, because if it isn’t him, it’s Esme. Spencer asks how he knows Cameron isn’t just trying to make Esme look bad, and Cameron says, like she needs his help for that? She’s Spencer’s girlfriend and he knows what she’s capable of. He swears on the memory of Franco, his brothers, and everything he cares about, including Josslyn, he didn’t do this. Spencer says, okay, Cameron made his point, and Cameron says, why would he? It’s humiliating, but it’s not just his pride that this cost him. It could cost him Josslyn.
Carly tells Josslyn that she’s sorry she overdid it, but when Esme started running her mouth, she couldn’t take it. She barely touched Esme. Josslyn says, that not really the point, and Carly says, no, it wasn’t her place. Josslyn is an adult now, and Carly is getting used to that, and Esme pissed her off. Josslyn says, tell her about it; she’s the worst. Carly says she’s sorry she embarrassed Josslyn, but Josslyn says, after everything that’s happened., she thinks she’s pretty much immune to embarrassment.
Nikolas knocks on an examining room door, and calls to Esme, saying, the nurse said she was done with Esme’s examination. She says it’s fine for him to come in, and he asks how she’s doing. She’s suddenly in pain, and says, her wrist still aches. They’re giving her a prescription for pain. He asks if she needed an x-ray, and she says she thought Carly might have sprained her arm, but by some miracle, it’s just bruised. She shows him the bruise Ryan left, and he says, no wonder she’s in pain. Carly should know better. She says she sort of admires Carly. Joss is lucky to have a mom who defends her, even though she’s got it all wrong. Nikolas says, she has what all wrong? and Esme asks if he hasn’t heard. She’s the resident scapegoat in Port Charles. Nikolas says, it’s not as though she hasn’t done some deeply regrettable things, and she says she takes full responsibility for her mistakes, which is why this hurts so much. Even after Spencer confessed, they still accused her of pulling the strings, like Spence was a puppet and not his own man. He says, that’s not true, and she says, when she apologizes, she’s insincere; when she tries to make peace, she’s being manipulative. Now they’re accusing her of leaking Josslyn’s little sex tape. They’re convinced all the trouble between Josslyn, Cameron, and Trina over the last few months is because of her. Nikolas says, are they right?
Curtis asks, what kind of private event? and Selena says, high stakes poker. Curtis says, absolutely not. There’s no way he’s going to allow illegal gambling in his nightclub. She says, it wouldn’t be illegal, and not just any Friday night card game. It would be an exclusive no limits hold ‘em, where players are vetted to assure they hold the minimum bankroll, and a buy-in of no less that twenty thousand dollars. He asks, why his place? and she says, why not? It’s chic and popular. He says, he’s sure The Savoy isn’t the only club in town with a backbone, but she says, those other places don’t have him. He’s a well-respected man, known for his integrity, and his ties to the Police Commissioner. He says, so she wants to exploit his relationships, but she says, not exploit; capitalize. She would never try to persuade him to get his ex-wife to look the other way – there’d be no reason to – but his standards and boundaries will put the players at ease. He asks what’s in it for him besides the money? and she says, since financial gain isn’t a factor with him, perhaps this will be. The players are from a myriad of backgrounds. From the music industry to real estate and tech. She has many connections. He says he’s aware, and she says, if he’s concerned about these unsavory characters occupying his club, he needn’t worry. These players are legitimate businessmen like himself. He says, and her, and she says, she won’t be present. She’s delegated family to watch the games. He asks if that would be family with a capital F, and she says, an actual relation of hers. The person she has in mind is as far from the boss as you can imagine.
Britt asks if anyone has been giving Brad trouble since he’s been out, and he says, after who was his BFF’s last bodyguard, who would dare? She says she can think of at least one person – Aunt Selena. She hasn’t been shy about her displeasure with their friendship. He says he’s a grown-ass man… and she’s still out of town. Britt suggests they go somewhere more casual, low key, and he asks what she has in mind, and she says, at least some dive where one of Aunt Selena’s minions will show up, spotting him and reporting back. He starts to get up, but sits back down, and says, screw it. They’ll be careful next time. Today they are celebrating. He pours some champagne, and she asks what they’re celebrating. What obscure pagan holiday has he found to justify their inebriation this time? He says, they’re celebrating – he does a drumroll on the table – his new job.
Chase says, at least Brook is consistent, and she asks what she messed up now. He says, this time last year was when she showed up in Port Charles with a fake baby bump, and she says she didn’t realize. How did he know? He says he pays attention, and he asks, what about this time of year makes her want to leave, or brings her back? She says, you, and he says, him? She says, you as in everybody; collective. Like her dad, Maxie, Leo. It was really nice seeing Brooklyn, but Port Charles is where she belongs. He says he’s glad, and she says she’s glad he’s glad. He says, speaking of where things belong… He opens the box and digs around, and says, she left a few things at the house. Violet spent the night the other night and found this. He produces a journal, and she asks what he’s doing with that; it’s private, and snatches it from him. It’s not a diary, but the closest thing to it. He says he didn’t mean to invade her privacy, and asks how long she’s been writing songs. She says, it doesn’t matter; it’s not like they’re good. He says, wrong. He might not know much, but he does know good lyrics and melodies. He actually sang one that was meant for someone else.
Carly asks if Josslyn is ready for blueberry pancakes, but Josslyn says she lost her appetite. She has to go. Carly takes her hand, and says, the video was meant to hurt her and throw her off balance, torture her. Josslyn says, mission accomplished, and Carly says, for now. Get in her feelings, scream and cry as loud as she wants. Let it move through her system. Josslyn asks when the pain and humiliation will go away, and Carly says, eventually. Josslyn says, great, and Carly says, Josslyn and Cameron have to present a united front. Josslyn says she hasn’t talked to him since yesterday; she turned her phone off because she needed time. Carly asks, what about Trina? and Josslyn says, Esme actually tried to pin the video on her. Carly says they have to rally around Trina too. Eventually, none of it will matter, and people won’t remember, but hiding and running won’t make it happen faster.
Spencer says Josslyn knows Cameron wouldn’t do that, but Cameron says, there’s a hesitation, like Josslyn can’t trust people anymore. All the drama and humiliation are making her not want to be around him. Spencer says Josslyn is made of stronger stuff, and Cameron says, he knows, but they’re receiving weird, creepy messages. He’s getting congratulations and critiques on his technique, but they’re calling Joss… Spencer can imagine. What was his first time was broadcast to the world. Spencer apologizes, and Cameron says he’s sorry for bringing up Spencer’s rap sheet. Spencer says, now that they’ve established Cameron isn’t a predatory creep, they can split the cupcake.
Esme says she was nowhere near the cabin, but they’re blaming her, and Nikolas says, that doesn’t seem fair, but she has to admit her track record hasn’t been great since she showed up here. She says, yes, she’s made mistakes for Spence when he asked. She tried to convince Joss and Cam and Trina that she’s grown since then, but they won’t let her move on. He says he knows firsthand what it’s like when people think the worst of you, but she doesn’t seem like the type who’s easily defeated. Yes, a colorful past can make it harder to prove yourself, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying. She says, he’s right, but it’s been so hard being on her own while Spence is in prison. He says, Spencer will only be gone a month; he’ll be out in no time. She says while he’s in there, people are judging her. Maybe she feels that way because she doesn’t have a supportive family. Nikolas says, the could definitely do better on that front. Be honest. Have they made it harder?
Britt asks when Brad landed this gainful employment, and he says he hasn’t started yet. She asks what it entails, and he says, she told him that he needs to keep busy, do some good. Can she get him a job at GH? She says, wow, that is a tall order, and he says, she makes all the decisions. She says, it’s not about that. She can lobby for HR to look past his criminal record, but getting co-workers, and especially Lucas’s friends, to accept he’s coming back wouldn’t be easy. He says he gets it, and doesn’t want to put her in a bad position, but he’s really scared. He’s living off his Aunt Selena right now. What if she decides to trade on his dependence? He can barely sleep at night from the last task she assigned him. She says, fine. She’ll go to bat for him. He says, she will? and she says, of course (🍷) but just remember, she’s not the soul Chief of Staff. She can’t do anything without Terry’s approval. He says, no problem. There’s nothing she can’t sell. She says, she’ll sell if he buys. This bottle is empty. They both call out, waiter!
Selena says, as host, Curtis would oversee her nephew, who will oversee the games. He says, her nephew Brad Cooper? and she says she sees his familiar with her nephew’s history. She can assure him that Brad has turned over a new leaf, and she’ll be keeping him on a tight leash. Curtis asks how this works, because it’s illegal to profit off this without a gaming license. She says, it’s illegal to profit off the promotion of the games, or collect any part of the pot, but it could still be a winning proposition for him. High rollers are grateful for credible venues to play in, and gratitude is a currency in her line of business. He says he appreciates her interest, but his plate is full, and she says, let her stop him right there, before he makes a mistake he might live to regret.
Curtis says, for a minute there, it sounded like Selena was threatening him, but she says, not at all. She’s merely making a plea for him not to act in haste, and he says, or he’ll live to regret it. She says, her grandfather was from the old country, and fond of his proverbs. He told a story about a man who was down on his luck and prayed for prosperity. He discovered a money tree, and took it home. He watered it and nurtured it for many days and many nights, but no money grew. Eventually, his wife grew disgusted with him and the tree, and ordered him to remove it from the house, but the man persisted.Before long, he realized the tree provided seeds, which he planted. The tree never grew money, but the man grew a fortune cultivating and selling the trees themselves. Curtis says he appreciates the story, but he’s not sure how it applies, and she says, if he doesn’t open his mind to possibilities, he’ll never know what he can grow. Take some time. Mull it over. She’s confident that he’ll want to move forward with her proposition, and he’ll discover she’s a very valuable friend to have.
Brook says she was writing songs for her album when that psycho Nelle cut her throat. A lot of good they’ll do her now. Maybe she should just trash them. He says, don’t you dare, and she says, why not? What’s the point? He says, a singing career might be over, but a songwriting career is still possible, and she says, a pipe dream. He takes the book, and sings one of her songs, and she says, wow. He says, it’s probably not much with him singing, but does she believe him now? She’s incredibly talented. She says, she could use a boost, and he says, on top of being incredibly talented, she’s compassionate, brave, funny, beautiful. Did he mention she was funny? She says, of all the compliments, that’s the one he repeats? and he says he rests his case. If she ever needs reminding of great she is, she knows where to find him. She thanks him, and says, just for the record, she really misses her friend.
Spencer asks if Cameron has heard from Trina. He’s been trying to text her. Cameron says, phones aren’t allowed in here, and Spencer says, of course (🍷) not. He’s not now, nor has he ever, been in possession of a phone. He knows this must be killing Trina. She cares a lot about Cameron and Josslyn. Cameron says he and Josslyn have been so busy putting out fires, they haven’t been able to reach out to her yet, and Spencer says, they should, as long as Cameron doesn’t suspect her, because Spencer knows it wasn’t her. Cameron says, about that, Spencer’s girlfriend disagrees, and Spencer says, that’s because Esme doesn’t know what he does. Trina didn’t send any text from that video hit. Cameron asks how Spencer knows that, and Spencer flashes back to meeting Trina in the cemetery. Spencer says he just knows Trina wouldn’t do that, and Cameron says, that leaves one option, but Spencer says, it wasn’t Esme. Cameron asks if that’s the best Spencer can do. Spencer saw what happened when they were at the cabin. Esme stirred the pot, she was upsetting Trina. She’s jealous of the bond Spencer and Trina have. Spencer says he told Cameron, they’re… Cameron says, just friends, sure, but what if Esme wasn’t in the picture? Would they be more? Can Spencer really tell him that he’s never suspected Esme is behind this sex tape?
Esme says, Spence’s grandmother has shown her a lot of grace, taking her in while Spence is away, and Nikolas says, his mother can be pretty tough. He’s been on the end of that more times than he can count. She says, no tougher than anyone else in the family, and she’s earned it. He says he’s part of Esme’s family too, if she ever needs to talk, and she says she appreciates it. She’d like to return the favor, and give something he wants more than anything.
Josslyn says, Carly is right. She has to stop hiding. She turns on her phone, and it goes ding-ding-ding. Carly says, don’t read those, and Josslyn says, there are so many messages; they’re vile. Carly takes the phone, and Josslyn says she’ll have to delete everything. Carly reads some of them, and hands the phone back, saying, you’ve got to be kidding me. What happened to Josslyn and Cam was not just invasive and cruel; it was criminal. And the viper responsible is gonna pay.
Chase says he’ll let Brook get settled in. It must be good to be home. She says, the beach house felt like home too, and he says, same. He’s really going to miss it, especially… the sound of the water while falling asleep. What does she miss? She says she can tell him what she won’t miss – sand. She hates it; it’s the worst. In her hair, in her clothes, in her notebook. (Same.) He suggests she write a song about it. She can tweak the words to what she just said, and it will be a big hit, and when she does, he’ll be happy to sing it for her. He’ll see her around. He goes to the door, and she tells him, smell ya later.
A messenger delivers a money tree to Curtis. He reads the note, which says, to our growing friendship and shared good fortune; Selena Wu. He takes the bow off, and it’s tied to a chip.
Britt says, as for Brad’s other problem… He says, what problem? and she says his love life. He says, what love life? and she says she happens to have a membership to a super exclusive matchmaking service. All he has to do is fill out a questionnaire and his cold nights may be a thing of the past. He asks if she’s regifting her mother’s Christmas present to her, and she says, dream big. He says, he won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Until then, they have each other, and for that, he’s grateful. Champagne for his real friends, and real pain for his sham friends. They clink glasses and laugh, and Selena watches from the doorway.
Spencer tells Cameron, of course (🍷) it’s occurred to him that Esme could have done this. Cameron says, can he ask her about it? but Spencer says, then he realized they were gone, so she couldn’t have done it. Cameron says, right. Because she couldn’t figure out how to set up a timer, or a motion sensor, or simply leave the camera running. She didn’t have to be there. He gets that Spencer is trying to save what he has with Esme, but don’t lose people he cares about in the process. Cameron gets up and leaves.
Esme says she knows it would mean the world to Nikolas to have Spencer at his vow renewal, and he says, it would; Ava wants him there too. And they both want Esme there of course (🍷). She says she’ll make sure Spence is there, and do everything she can to help him restore his relationship with his son. She knows Spence is angry, but he still loves Nikolas, and misses the closeness they once had. He thanks her, but she says, no, thank you, Mr. Cassadine. For accepting her, and having her back with Carly before. She takes his hands, and says, and for this talk. He tells her to call him Nikolas.
Josslyn says, crime or no crime, her life is destroyed, and Carly says she knows it feels that way, but that’s not true. Josslyn says she needs to go wash up, and excuses herself. When she’s gone, Carly calls Diane, and says she needs to see Diane as soon as possible. It’s about Josslyn.
Tomorrow, Anna tells Felicia that she might have found something; Elizabeth tells Drew, all signs point to Jake; Ava asks if Sonny is what Nina wants; and Sonny says, everybody gets what they want.
🛂 Postponement. One of my dogs passed away tonight, so my evening was not what I would have wished. While I watched Below Deck Sailing Yacht, I still have editing to do, and it’s getting late, so I’ll continue tomorrow, and either send an early post or add it on to the usual Tuesday shows.
Drumstrings 2007-2022
👃🏼 Smell Ya Later…
Join me tomorrow for a little soap, a late Deck, and what’s going on in New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay loving on your furbabies, and stay remembering, if you don’t open your mind to possibilities, you’ll never know what can grow.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 