What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office and finds him getting a haircut. She says, bad timing? but he says, not at all. He’s almost done here. He lifts his head to talk to her, and the hairdresser pushes it back down. Yep. They do that when you move around. He asks, what’s up? but she says, it can wait. She’ll talk to him later.

While he shares carrots with Trigger, Cody says, I get it. People have to look out for themselves sometimes. That sometimes means starting over somewhere new. It just really sucks when someone who cares leaves someone behind. He hears the door and turns around to see Sasha. She asks if he’s busy, and he says he’s just feeding Trigger. (What happened to Comet?) Did she come to say goodbye? She says, no. She came to say she’s staying. He says, that’s great, and she asks him to look at her. He turns around, and she says, it’s okay for him to ask why she’s not leaving. He says he’s glad she brought that up because he’s dying to know why she’s staying.

Stella asks what brings Jordan to GH, and Jordan says she’s happy to report she’s been cleared by her nephrologist. Stella says, so no more appointments with Dr. Simon? and Jordan says, considering she only has one kidney, she has to check in with him every six months, but he’s pleased with her latest ultrasound results. Stella says, this calls for a celebration. No champagne in the vending machines, but can she buy Jordan a coffee? Jordan says, no thanks, but Stella can give her an update on Curtis. How’s he doing? She and Stella walk, and Stella says, Jordan knows Curtis as well as she does. He’s tough as nails, and he’s determined to make the best out of this bad situation. Jordan says, it took him a while to get there, and Stella says, yeah. He was feeling sorry for himself in the beginning and pushing people away🍼, but she thinks he’s made a lot of progress. Jordan says, something tells her that Stella gave him a tough love speech, and Stella says she certainly did. He wasn’t too happy at first, but he came around. Jordan says she just wishes she had an update on a case for him, and Stella says, no word on who did this? Jordan says, no. Unfortunately, they have no answers yet. Stella says she keeps praying to God to help her understand why this happened, but like Jordan, she hasn’t gotten any answers yet.

Portia comes home, and Curtis says he’s glad she’s back, because her lunchtime visit wasn’t nearly long enough. But he does understand why she rushed off, and he wants to say, thank you. She says, for what? and he says, because clearly, she told Laura it was a good time to come by and he appreciates it. She says, Laura’s been an amazing friend to him, and they haven’t seen each other since the shooting, so she’s glad they got to spend some time together. She pours a glass of wine and starts chugging it, and he asks if everything is okay. She says, not really. Cyrus Renault was released from prison, and she’s guessing he already heard that. He says he just found out. He didn’t want to call her and stress her at work. He figured they’d talk about it at home. Who told her? She says, TJ and of course (🍷) she was furious they actually let this monster go, but she said, that’s okay. She’s going to take some time to process it. Lo and behold, guess who shows up? Cyrus decides to approach her at GH. He says, that son of a bitch.

Carly dashes into Kelly’s, telling Josslyn that she’s so sorry. Josslyn says, that’s okay, and Carly thanks her for covering. She was in Sonny’s office and they were in the middle of something, when Katrina called and said she couldn’t finish her shift. Josslyn says, it’s really no problem, but why did she need to see Sonny?

Dante walks into Sonny’s office and tells him that Gabe said he was busy, but he thought he’d interrupt Sonny anyway. Sonny says, not at all; come in. Dante says he wanted to give Sonny this, and hands him an envelope, saying, for the bride as well actually. Sonny opens a card and takes out tickets. He says, ringside seats to all the boxing matches? He loves it, but this isn’t a wedding gift for Nina, is it? Dante says, she’s going to love it too, and Sonny laughs and asks him what he means. Dante says, it gets Sonny out of the house, so she can have a few nights to herself.

Michael says, this is all Nina gets. Take it or leave it. There’s a knock at the door and Willow comes in. She says, Nina’s assistant said Michael was in here. She hopes she’s not interrupting. Is this a bad time? Michael says, not at all. It’s actually a perfect time, because he and Nina were just discussing something that concerns her. Weren’t we, Nina? Nina says, yes, they were, and Michael asks if Nina wants to tell Willow, or should he?

Sonny thanks Dante and says, this is better than a toaster. (Ha-ha!) Dante asks if that’s what Michael got him, and Sonny laughs. He asks, how was the wedding? and Sonny says, the wedding was exactly what they wanted it to be. It was small, intimate, just family. Two people missing, Avery and his best man, but… Dante says, Sonny knows he wanted to be there. He did it last minute, and Dante couldn’t drop everything at work. Dante sees the new photo of Wiley and Donna, and says, the kids are cute. Did they have fun? Sonny says, they loved it, and Dante says, good. Did Michael fill in for him or what? Sonny says, Dante’s brother stood by him and that meant the world to him, but he’s not going to forget that he asked Dante to be his best man.

Nina says, she and Michael were talking about how much fun they had at the wedding and on the island. Maybe they should go back there. She glances at Michael, and Willow says, that’s exactly why she’s here. This morning, Wiley told her that he wants to go to grandpa’s island with Nina and Sonny. Michael asks if the rest of them are invited, and she says, they’re included, but he wants Amelia to come this time. He did make a point of saying he wants to sit next to Grandma Nina on the plane. I remove the knife from my heart, and Willow says, Halloween is coming up, but she thought, the following weekend would be perfect, so they’ll all go down together. Does that work for Nina? Nina again looks at Michael.

Carly says she went to see Sonny because Drew was moved back to Pentenville this morning, and Josslyn says, Drew was almost beaten to death, and they’re not going to let him finish recovering at GH? Does Diane know they sent him back? Carly says, she does, but unfortunately, the transfer had already been approved, so there’s nothing she could do about it. Josslyn says, that isn’t fair, and Carly says, no, it’s not. Then she went to go see him, and they wouldn’t let her in (she did not – she called). Josslyn asks, why? and Carly says, that’s why she went to see Sonny. She wanted to figure out what the hell is going on. then she finds out Drew was put in solitary confinement. Josslyn says, that’s awful, and Carly says, except it’s not. It’s for his protection, and they are making some progress with getting him released. It just hasn’t happened yet.

Finn goes to the reception desk, and Elizabeth says, look at him. His hair looks good. Did she miss the memo that they opened up a salon at GH? He says, it looks okay? She really likes it? She says, yeah, she does. Does he always get his hair cut in his office? He says, no. It’s the first time. His barber Angelo is doing him a favor. She says, when she hears the word barber, she thinks of some dude named Joe in a white smock, and he says, Joe was booked. He didn’t have any time to go out – he was backed up with patients – and he guesses he wanted to look nice for their trip. She says she’s not going anywhere until she gets this done, so he’d better let her get back to work, and he says he’s sorry if his hair was a distraction. He’ll see her later. She watches as he walks away.

Curtis wonders, how does this happen? Portia wasn’t notified of Cyrus’s release, and now he’s allowed to confront his victims? This is outrageous. She tells him, Cyrus said he was there to apologize. That he was a different man back then, and now he’s found God and he’s seen the light. Of course (🍷) she doesn’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Curtis asks if she tried to contact the hospital security, but she says, no. She wanted to stand up to him on her own. She told him that she’d get a restraining order if he approached her or Trina ever again. She put on a brave face, but she’s not going to lie; he got to her. Mainly because she was thinking about Trina. What if he approaches her? They can’t protect her in that dorm. She’s going to have to move back home, at least for a little while. Curtis agrees and says, they’re going to have to protect their daughter. And he knows just who to call.

Stella tells Jordan that TJ and Molly said their surrogate was pregnant. She’s so happy for them. Jordan says, it’s so exciting, and Stella says, and Jordan is going to be a grandma. Jordan says she’s not ready to be called that yet. She’s working on an alternate name. They laugh, when Felicia comes over and says, Stella has to help her. She made a big mistake. Jordan’s phone rings, and she excuses herself. Felicia says she doesn’t know what to do, and Stella says, tell her what’s wrong. Felicia says she made a costly mistake with a patient, and Stella says, calm down and tell her what happened. Felicia says, as Stella knows, she completed her patient advocate training last week. She was feeling very confident with herself. She was sure she could do the job, but today was a very big disaster. She was helping a patient fill out some insurance forms to get an approval for an MRI. The papers are very complicated, and she thought she filled them out correctly, and she told him it was approved by the insurance. So off he went to radiology, and she looked at the paperwork again and realized she’d made a huge mistake. He’s got to pay out-of-pocket $11,000 (talk about outrageous). She knows him and his wife are on a limited income and don’t have that kind of money. What is she going to do? Stella says, write a check.

Felicia asks if Stella can repeat that. Write a check for $11,000? She sits down, and Stella says she was just kidding. A little patient advocate humor. They deal with difficult situations like this all the time, and they’ll figure this out. Take a deep breath – Felicia does – and give her the forms and she’ll see what she can do. Felicia asks if she should come with Stella, but Stella says, no. Just sit tight and she’ll try to figure this out.

Curtis says he told Jordan that he and Portia are concerned about Trina. He doesn’t expect them to have someone watching Cyrus 24/7, but he does need to be on PCPD’s radar. Portia says she doesn’t want Trina to be worried, and certainly doesn’t want her to be paranoid, but she’s got to keep her eyes open. She’s going to call Ava. She doesn’t want Trina working at the gallery alone anymore, especially at night. He says, Jordan told him that Portia was with her when she found out how Cyrus was being released, and she says she was. He got a hardship release because of a heart attack he had a while back. He says, that, and she said the warden cited his good behavior, and Portia says she couldn’t believe it when Jordan told her that. Why would a warden do that, knowing what a criminal Cyrus is? He says he’s more suspect of the doctor. Who would testify on Cyrus’s behalf? She asks if Jordan told him who the doctor was, but he says he didn’t ask. He knows Jordan and knows she wouldn’t give up a name, especially to him because she knows he’d track this guy down. She asks, what kind of doctor would put this animal back on the street?

Jordan asks if Felicia is okay, but Felicia says, oh no. She messed up really big. She’s hoping Stella can help her. Jordan says, don’t worry. If anyone can fix it, it’s Stella.

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office and says she just remembered what she wanted to ask him. What does she pack for Vermont? He says, a toothbrush and… a sweater? She says, he’s no help, and he says, it’s cold in the mountains, so maybe hats… and those… Don’t worry about it. Dan already stocked the cabin. They’ll have everything they need. She says, but what are they planning? Does she need hiking boots? Rain gear? He says, right. They’re going to go for some walks in the woods, but nothing too crazy. It should be relaxing, not an episode of Survivor. She laughs and he says, it’ll be fun, he promises. She says she can’t wait. So what time are they leaving tomorrow morning? He says he was thinking about 6, and she says, 8? He says, 7? and she says, 7:15? He says, deal. He’ll pick her up at 7:15 sharp. She says she doesn’t think so.

Sonny says he knows Dante didn’t grow up with him in his life, but they’ve always had a special bond. Dante says he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t tough growing up without a father. His mother did her best, but seeing his friends in the street playing stickball with their dads was something he wanted too. Sonny says he’s sorry about that, but Dante says, it’s not his fault. Sonny didn’t know he existed. Sonny says, when Dante found out he was his father, Dante could have turned his back on him, and he didn’t. Dante says he could have, but you know what? They lead different lives and he made peace with that a long time ago. Sonny says he just wants Dante to know there’s no one he respects more than him. Dante thanks him, and says, it means a lot. Sonny says, Dante always supported him and Nina from the beginning, and always had his back. Dante says, the feeling’s mutual because if it wasn’t for Sonny, he doesn’t know if he’d be standing here right now.

Nina tells Willow, that weekend, she happens to be out of town. She’s going to Paris to meet a designer they’re doing a feature on for his spring line. Willow says, no worries. It was just an impulsive idea. They can do it another time. Michael says, with the holidays coming up, it might be difficult. He thinks they should shoot for next year. So she didn’t stop by for nothing, why doesn’t Nina give Willow that gift? Nina says, what gift? and Michael says he’s sorry. Sonny ruined the surprise. He saw Sonny earlier and he said Nina had a gift for Willow. Why doesn’t she give it to Willow now? Nina says, that’s okay; she can wait. She’ll just bring it by the house this weekend. Michael says, it will save her a trip. Besides, he knows how busy she is with work. Who knows the next time she’ll be able to see the kids? I hate him. She says, great idea, and hands Willow a giftwrapped box. Willow thanks her, and Michael says he’s going to head out, but let him walk Willow to her car. Willow says, that’s okay. She wants to catch up with Nina. Michael says, okay, and gives Nina a last look before he closes the door.

Sasha tells Cody, while she was packing, she came across a photo of her and Brando. It was taken the weekend they got married. She debated for a really long time. She thought she was going to take it with her, and finally she decided to leave it there. He asks why she didn’t want to take it with her. He was her husband. She says she guesses it was symbolic. If she didn’t take it with her, she was leaving the past behind. All the pain and suffering would stay here in Port Charles and wouldn’t come with her. (That is even stupider than love means never having to say you’re sorry.) But when she was in the car on the way to the airport, she asked the driver to go by the lake so she could see it one last time. And when she was looking out over the water, she realized that despite all the loss – Brando and Liam and her mind – and despite the betrayal of Gladys, there are many good things about this place. She has people who care about her. He takes her hand and says, put him at the top of that list.

Finn asks if Elizabeth just changed her mind. She doesn’t want to go? She says she absolutely has not changed her mind. She’s really looking forward to it. She just doesn’t think a five-hour car ride with luggage and a cooler is practical in his Mini Cooper. He says she doesn’t like the Mini Cooper? but she says she loves the Mini Cooper; it’s a great car. She just thinks hers makes more sense since it’s bigger. He says, okay, but he doesn’t want her to have to drive the whole way, and she suggests they split the driving. He says, deal.

Curtis says he’s thinking whoever testified on Cyrus’s behalf had to be paid off, and Portia says, so Cyrus used his connections to get out. The hardship release was just an excuse. They need to find the name of this doctor. At the very least, he needs his license revoked. Curtis agrees, but says, she doesn’t need to get her hands dirty. Cyrus is still a dangerous man, so just leave it to the PCPD… for now. She says she’ll back off, but if Cyrus comes near her or Trina, she won’t hesitate to take the first shot. He says, that’s his wife. Not only a healer, but a warrior. She says, he’s got that right.

Stella says she spoke to the insurance company, and Felicia asks if they were able to cover the cost of the MRI. Stella says, unfortunately not; they would not budge. It’s just unfair for the patient to have to cover the cost. Felicia says, since it’s her mistake… and Stella says, exactly. Jordan says, there has to be something GH can do, but Felicia says, this is her responsibility. She intends to pay for it.

Dante says he owes Sonny his life. When he was with the WSB in prison, Sonny came over there and brought him back. Sonny says, Dante would have done the same thing for his son, and Dante says he came back with a lot of baggage. He struggled to get out of bed and was on the verge of losing everything that mattered to him. He was able to rebuild his life, thanks in large part to Sonny. Sonny says, Dante has to give himself a lot of credit; he worked hard. He knows it wasn’t easy. Dante says, if he learned anything from that time, it’s leave the past alone and just move forward, and Sonny says, he’s done that. Dante moved forward and even found love with Sam. Dante says, like Sonny did with Nina. He couldn’t be happier for him.

Michael goes to Kelly’s, and Carly asks if he’s here to pick up some take-out cookies for her grandson. Michael says, no. It does sound good though. He asks Josslyn, what’s going on? and she says, it’s time to put out the Q signal, like the bat signal in Batman. He needs to use some of his Quartermaine influence, because he has connections and ELQ has clout. He asks what she needs him to do, and she says, mom was telling her that even though they’re making progress in getting Drew released, it’s stalled. So maybe he can help unstall it. He asks Carly, what’s going on? and she says she really appreciates Josslyn wanting Michael to help, but she doesn’t want him any more involved than he already has been. It’s too risky. It’s too close to the insider trading incident. He says he’s afraid she’s right. Way too close.

Willow looks at the photo frame and tells Nina, this is so thoughtful. She loves it. Look at how handsome their boy is. Nina says she’s really glad Willow likes it. She made one for Carly too. Willow says, it means a lot to her, and thanks Nina. They really had such a great time at her wedding. Wiley has not stopped talking about it. She thinks this can be a new beginning for all of them. Nina flashes back to telling Michael that she’ll explain it to Willow, and Michael saying, Drew saved her daughter’s life and she got him sent to prison. He was beaten so badly, he almost died. Does she think Willow’s going to forgive her for that?

Elizabeth goes into the elevator and Finn is there. He says, they really have to stop meeting like this, and she says she’s glad she ran into him. Please don’t let her forget apples. He says he won’t. Why apples? She says she promised Aiden that she’d bring him back apples from Vermont because he’s totally into making pies right now. He says he loves a good pie, and she says she learns something new about him every day. What’s his favorite? He says, everything… but rhubarb. What is that? A root pie? He doesn’t get it. She says she doesn’t either. She’ll tell Aiden, no rhubarb, like ever. So are his dad and Chase all set for babysitting? He says, absolutely, and Brook is joining them. Violet is so excited, he doesn’t think she’ll even miss him. He doubts he’ll even get a text message. So no responsibility, no work. Just us. She says she likes the sound of that, and he says, him too. They kiss, the elevator doors open, and they go their separate ways.

Cody asks, what’s next for Sasha? and she says, calling the movers. They have to bring everything back, and they’re somewhere between Austin and here, so she’ll have to stay at the MetroCourt a few nights. He says, if she wants, he could ask Mama Q if there’s a spare room in the main house, just until her furniture comes back, but she says, no. Some of the Quartermaines are just too intimidating. Cody says, and by some, she means Tracy, and she says, yeah. Tracy’s just a lot to take on and she’s not up for the challenge these days. She hasn’t even gathered the courage to return Maxie’s calls. He asks, why not? Maxie’s always had her back, hasn’t she? Sasha says, oh yeah, but Maxie never really said why she came over last night and she just has a bad feeling it had something to do with work. Maybe her future as the Face of Deception won’t last very long. He says, don’t go jumping to conclusions. Maxie totally supports her. She’s a good person; she’s raised a great kid. He’s gotten to know James a little. James cracks him up. He tells it like it is. She says she’s not surprised he got close to James. He’s family.

Sonny says, although he missed Dante at the wedding, he’s glad Dante stayed. Dex told him what happened with Ava. Dante says, that was crazy. That Mason Gatlin guy abducts her, and luckily, they found them before Mason could hurt her. Sonny says, if not for Dante, Ava and Dex would be dead, and Dante says, Dex, Josslyn, Spinelli. Without them, they wouldn’t have found Mason’s location. Sonny says he’s glad Dante saved Ava, because the last thing he wants to do is tell Avery that her mother died. So Dante does all this, and what does the PCPD do? They put him on leave? Why is that? Dante says, it’s just procedural stuff. It’ll clear itself up. What he’s concerned about more is Cyrus Renault being released from prison. Sonny says he heard, and Dante says, just don’t do anything he might normally want to do, okay? Sonny says, yes, detective, and they hug. They exchange I love yous and Dante leaves. Sonny looks at the tickets and smiles.

Carly tells Michael that Alexis agreed to help them by cornering Judge Kim. She uncovered proof that Kim was taking kickbacks and gifts. So Alexis and Gregory Chase called in Judge Kim for an interview. They said they were doing a profile on his landmark cases. Michael asks if it worked, and Carly says, they confronted him about a trip he took on Ascher Alexander’s private jet. Josslyn asks if he isn’t the billionaire, and Carly says, yeah. Apparently, Kim went on some Caribbean fishing trip with him. Kim denied it and stormed out of Alexis’s office. She thinks it scared him. Alexis heard through a contact that he requested Drew’s case file. So they’re thinking he’s either going to reduce Drew’s sentence or commute it altogether. No matter what, she just wants to lie low. She doesn’t want Michael pushing anything before they see what Kim’s next move is. Michael can still pursue his connection at the SEC because she wants a name. She’s not going to stop until she finds out who blew the whistle on her and Drew.

Nina says she just wants to tell Willow that she has so many regrets about things she’s done and her behavior in the past. She’s made so many mistakes. She’s made mistakes with Willow, and if she had one wish, she wishes she could take them all back. Willow says, they can’t change what’s happened, but they can learn from it and try to do better. She’s willing if Nina is. Nina says, yes. She’s so thankful she has Willow in her life. She hugs Willow, and Willow says, she’s wearing the bracelet. Nina says she hasn’t taken it off since Willow gave it to her. She loves and cherishes it. Willow said it was Harmony’s? Willow says, it was. It’s so strange. She’s been dreaming about Harmony lately. Nina asks what she’s been dreaming, but Willow says she can’t figure it out. Harmony is trying to tell her something, warn her, and when she asks Harmony what it means, she talks, but Willow can’t hear anything. She’s sure it’s just her subconscious working overtime. She’s sorry. Does talking about Harmony make Nina uncomfortable? Nina says, no. It’s nothing like that. Sometimes she gets overwhelmed when she realizes how much she has. She wants to hold onto it. She’s so grateful their relationship is so good now, she just sometimes feels it’s going to be taken away from her. She’s sorry. She’s just had so much loss in her life. Willow says, Nina’s not going to lose her.

On the phone, Stella says, thank you. The next dinner is on her… No arguing. She owes her big time. Felicia runs up and says she’s got a check. Who does she make it out to? Stella says, no one, and Felicia says, they don’t take a personal check? She can go to the bank tomorrow and get a cashier’s check. Stella says, she doesn’t have to get any check. It’s taken care of. Felicia says she doesn’t understand, and Stella says, the patient agreed to letting GH use the MRI results in a major research project the hospital is sponsoring. Jordan joins them and says, see? She told Felicia that someone would take care of it. Felicia wonders what Stella did, and Stella says, her friend Tanya coordinates research for clinical trials, and she gave Stella a few contacts and she made some calls and that was it. Easy peasy. They laugh and Felicia hugs Stella.

Portia says, Curtis is back at the books? and he says he’s looking over the numbers for August. This is their worst quarter ever. It’s going to take some time to get out of this hole. She says, that was when he was still recovering. Now that he’s back, it’s all going to be fine. He says he sure hopes so, and she says, why doesn’t he put all of this stuff away for now – she sits in front of him on the desk and takes his glasses off – and start thinking about what he wants for dinner tonight. She can cook. She thinks she has some steaks in the refrigerator. He says, she needs a break. So why doesn’t he take his beautiful wife to dinner. What does she say? She says she wants to get sushi.

Cody tells Sasha that Maxie and her kids aren’t his family. Technically, they kind of are, but he’s the only one who knows, so it doesn’t really count. She says she knows, and he says he knows she knows, and so do Sam and Dante, but he trusts them. He knows they won’t tell anyone. She says she’s honored that he would put her in the same category as Sam and Dante, but he says, no. She’s in a category all by herself. She asks what that would be, and he says, it’s so unique, so je ne sais quoi. it defies categorization. She laughs and says she’s actually been thinking about why Cody hasn’t been honest with Mac. She’s the last person who should be giving any advice, but for what it’s worth (🍷), she wouldn’t be standing here today if she hadn’t realized what she would miss if she walked away from the people she cares about. And Mac cares about Cody even though he doesn’t even know he’s Cody’s father.Can Cody imagine how amazing Mac would feel if he told Mac the truth?

Michael tells Carly that his contact is still working on it, but he’ll keep her posted. Willow walks in and hugs Carly and Josslyn. She tells Michael that she just came from Nina’s. She’s still on Cloud 9 from the wedding… She tells Carly she’s so sorry, but Carly says, it’s okay. They were just talking about the wedding. Donna’s version of the wedding. Willow says, she’s now a pro at being a flower girl. She threw out those petals with confidence. And she has to say, Donna wasn’t the only one who rose to the occasion. Michael really stepped up, and she’s so proud of him for the way he’s accepted Sonny and Nina.

Nina looks at her bracelet, when there’s a knock at the door. Sonny comes in with roses and a take-out bag and says, hello, bride. She says, hello, groom. What is he doing? He already sent her flowers. He says, the new Mrs. Corinthos can’t have too many flowers. It’s a special occasion. She asks what that would be, and he says, it’s their first night back in Port Charles as husband and wife. So let’s celebrate. They kiss and hug, but Nina looks miserable.

Elizabeth says, work done, check, and Finn says, haircut done, check. She tells him that they won’t be listening to podcasts on infectious diseases, but he says he’s been saving them, and she tells him, stop. She’ll take care of the music. She hits a song on her phone, and he says, okay. She says she’ll see him at 7:30, and walks off. He tells her, they said 7:15, and runs after her.

As the song plays, we see Sasha and Cody feeding Trigger carrots; Stella going over things with Felicia; Portia and Curtis leaving for dinner, and Curtis popping a wheelie; Willow and Michael sharing a milkshake, and Michael trying to get Josslyn to eat a French fry dipped in it; Sonny and Nina having dinner in her office, and Sonny kissing her.

Tomorrow, TJ tells Jordan that he’s never been more certain of anything in his life; Adam tells Josslyn that she’s full of surprises; Alexis asks what Laura found out about Nikolas; and Cyrus pays a visit to Trina at the gallery.

Southern Charm

Whitney calls Austen and invites him over for a little reprieve. Taylor brings Penelope to meet Little Craig for the first time, and Shep calls the dogs, children of divorce. They walk with the dogs on the beach, and Shep says he’s going to get Little Criag’s nasal passages fixed. In Shep’s interview, he says, some people think it’s unfair of him to have a nice relationship with Taylor that’s not romantic. He’s inexperienced in this territory; it’s uncharted waters, but he wants to. They talk about Olivia, and Taylor says, the hard part is, when everything dies down and reality sets in. (Truth!) Shep says, Taylor needs to figure out her relationship with Olivia. Just say she’s sorry, she should have told Olivia immediately, and it will never happen again. In Taylor’s interview, she says she’s watching one of her good friends go through one of the worst moments of her life, and she can’t be there for Olivia fully because Olivia doesn’t want her to be. Shep asks, what’s happening otherwise? and she says she’s learning how to navigate a friendship with him. He says he thinks there’s still value in them as friends because they know each other so well, and she agrees. She says, blue skies ahead, and Little Craig throws up.

At Patricia’s house, Whitney gets a fire going, and puts out an amazing charcuterie board, along with lots of liquor. Craig arrives first and goes through the canes in the umbrella stand. He finds one that contains a flask and another with a sword inside, which he’s a little too free in waving around. Austen comes in, followed by Rodrigo, who asks what they’re doing. Whitney says, sword fighting, and Rodrigo says, classic. In Whitney’s interview, he says his mom taught him how to be a good host. Have hors d’oeuvres and cocktails when the guests first arrive. Except for Craig, whose residue is still on the carpet. We flash back to Craig spilling red wine on Patricia’s $45K white sofa. Craig marvels at how it came out, and Rod arrives, Whitney tells him that he smells effervescent. JT is next, and says, it’s his first time in the castle. In JT’s interview, he says he thinks he and Whitney had the same upbringing, but Whitney’s is a little bit more posh than his. Rod says he’s nervous around white furniture, and Austen tells him about Craig spilling the wine. Rod says he wants to be invited back, so he’s doing his best not to spill. Austen suggests Whitney put in a den, since the sitting room is for tea and crumpets. Whitney brings up Rod hitting on Austen’s girl, and we flash back to Rod telling Austen about kinda, maybe, sorta going out with Olivia. Whitney asks why Rod needed to tell Austen, and Rod says, it’s a respect thing. (And like he wouldn’t find out anyway.) Rodrigo asks if Rod (yeah, I hate that their names are so similar) had talked to Olivia, and he says, a little. He brought her some food and they hugged. JT says he’s postponed the clubhouse launch, and in his interview, he says he’s not sure how he can have a party for his business when Olivia is in mourning. So he’s just having a dinner to bring everyone together. Craig and Austen talk in the kitchen, and Austen says he went to therapy, since what Olivia is going through is bringing up memories. We flash to Austen telling Chelsea about his sister’s death. He says he can’t help feeling connected and wants to be there for Olivia. She texted him that she hates they share this awful pain, but it comforts her to know he’s here with her. In Craig’s interview, he says he knows they share familiar feelings, but Austen doesn’t realize talking to Olivia is not what’s best for her. Craig’s an a-hole. I’m not saying it’s a good thing or it isn’t – only Olivia knows that – but Craig is like an old lady busybody.

Madison asks if Brett is packed, and he says he’s bummed that he missed her parents. In Madison’s interview, she says, people ask how they make a long-distance marriage work, but it just is what it is. They make it work like everybody else. Hudson comes in crying and hugs Madison. He tells her that some kid bit him, and it looks like he got knocked around a little. Brett takes him upstairs to clean up, and Madison cries. In her interview, she says, being a parent is one of the hardest, most rewarding things she’s done, and it’s about the only thing that can make her lose control of her emotions. Brett says he wants to talk to the parents, and Madison says she’s shaking. Why would someone do this? She’s going to bite them back. Brett hugs her, and in her interview, Madison says, the fact that she has Brett helping her is a game changer. He stays neutral and keeps them all together. She makes a call, and Hudson asks Brett for a Shirley Temple.

Olivia meets Rod at the beach, and thanks him for getting her out of the house. They go for drinks at a beachside place, and he asks how she is. She says, obviously she’s upset. It’s Connor’s 33^rd birthday, and the whole thing is becoming more of a reality. In Olivia’s interview, she says she hasn’t been out. She’s been cooped up and constantly reminded of what’s going on. She needed to get out of the house, and Rod is a calming presence. She feels comforted. She tells Rod that she appreciates all the support. Austen stepped up as a friend; they all did. She asks if he’s been looped into what’s going on with Taylor, and Rod says, for the most part, but the goalposts keep moving. With every person, the story changes. She says she expected it of Austen, but not Taylor. It might seem weird that she’s forgiving him, but the cut isn’t as deep. So she’s trying to put her and Taylor’s friendship back together. Rod says he likes to live by a code and handle himself a certain way. Austen sounds like he’s doing that, but he sneaks around. In Rod’s interview, he says, Austen’s decision making is always about him. He’s always the victim in his own eyes, when he’s the cause of the problem. Olivia says she appreciates Rod taking it slow, and he asks if she’d like to go to JT’s dinner with him. He promises he won’t make out with Taylor, and Olivia says, he makes her laugh. IMO, that makes him three-quarters of the way there.

JT oversees the preparations for his dinner while bartender Corey sets up the bar and a violinist tunes up. JT says, a wireless violin is like a mariachi band with swagger. Craig goes over his wardrobe choices with Paige on the phone. Taylor puts on a cut-out dress with a short blazer, and says she thinks she looks like a stripper on her way to a business meeting. Austen calls Taylor and says he thinks Olivia is excited to see everyone. Taylor tells him about Venita’s get-together for Olivia, and how she’d told Venita it had been a week of a whirlwind of emotions. We flash back to that, and she says, Venita told her it wasn’t a good idea for her to come over. Austen says, that’s f***ing ridiculous. She doesn’t think one of Olivia’s best friends should be there in her absolute moment of need? Taylor says, today is about Olivia feeling comfortable and loved.

At JT’s clubhouse, Shep says he remembers the space as a late-night spot, and JT says, during covid it was like a speakeasy. In JT’s interview, he wonders how Shep could throw the perfect catch back in the sea. If he’d caught that particular catch, he’d never let her out of the boat. The usual suspects show up, and Madison is impressed. They make fun of Whitney’s yellow suit, and Venita grabs Madison, pulling her aside. She says, they had a powwow with Olivia, her, and Leva. Taylor called and Ventia said she was sorry, but she thought Olivia needed her real friends around. Madison wonders how Taylor could be a real friend when she was just kissing the guy Olivia liked. In Madison’s interview, she says, if Taylor is being protective of Olivia, it’s a little too late. She thinks Taylor should shut up. Venita says, they’re not macking on Olivia’s boyfriend. Taylor isn’t practicing what she preaches. Madison says, Taylor was sending nudes to Whitney, and Venita acts like she’s 14, twirling around and then making throwing up gestures. I hate these people.

Madison says, Patricia told her, and we flash back to that. Venita is all over-the-top shocked, and Taylor comes in. Madison says she needs a refill, and in Venita’s interview, she says, if Taylor’s not going to make an attempt to be a good friend, she’s tired of trying. Madison gives Taylor a fake side hug, and Craig says, JT was the most popular during quarantine because they had parties here. Leva comes in, and says, everyone looks dapper, since she just stepped out of the 1930s. Olivia arrives, and Madison makes a face when Olivia hugs Taylor. Everyone wonders if there’s going to be food as they stuff themselves with hors d’oeuvres, and JT says, they’re having filet mignon. He asks Taylor if she’s dating, but she says she’s good as is. Venita tells Craig that she has to leave today for Fashion Week, and in her interview, she says, as an influencer, brands extend invites to her. It keeps the relationship going and allows her to be in the forefront of the brands. Olivia thanks Austen, and says she thanks them all for everything. She saw them in the church all sitting together. Austen says he told Craig that she’d laugh, and in Olivia’s interview, she says, it’s nice to see Austen trying. Unfortunately, he knows how she feels. It’s a sad comfort and she hopes they figure out a way to be in each other’s lives. Austen says, it’s a sh*tty club to be in. Craig tells JT, when Olivia moves to the next stage of grief, she’s going to remember Austen’s bad sh*t. Leva asks why Venita’s eyes are super wide like Venita wants to tell her something, and Venita says, Bible beater, holy art Thou, praise the Lord Taylor is sending nudes to Whitney. Leva’s mouth falls open and I just want to knock their heads together for acting like middle schoolers. Leva says, Taylor is officially that girl, and Craig tells Shep to intervene. Leva says that she feels like she no longer knows this person, and Venita looks for food. Are these people bottomless pits? Madison tells Shep that Taylor sent provocative nude pics nude, and knowing how to confuse me, Shep says, Taylor went through a tempest, and he was part of that. She didn’t know how to behave when things fell apart, and she was trying to hurt him any way she could. Madison says she’s been there and done that, but she’s a different person. Olivia was crying on Taylor’s shoulder, so Taylor’s lying is disturbing. I’m doing a not-so slow burn at this point.

Shep tells Taylor that Madison claims she sent Whitney a boob pic, and Taylor admits she did, but says, it was completely dark. He says, it’s her right to text a dark boob pic. He didn’t see her sending it to Whitney, but doesn’t fault her. She shrugs, and in her interview, she says, God created the naked body, and she believes we should all be naked (oh God no). Jesus isn’t going to hate me just because I sent a nude (which I’m putting on a bumper sticker). She tells Shep that she’d flash her boobs right now, but he says, don’t do that. JT suggests sit down to a nice meal, and they gather at the table. He clinks his glass and thanks them for coming. It’s obviously been a tough couple of weeks, and it’s nice to have them here. They can lean on each other. He hopes for smoother waters. Everyone applauds, and food porn! is served. Olivia says she appreciates everyone, and Rod says he’s never had a salad in his life. Both Olivia and I are astounded, and he says, she’s gluten free, and he’s salad free. Venita says she has to catch a flight, and Rodrigo says he doesn’t need fashion week when he’s here with these fashionable a-holes. They discuss JT’s proper powder room, and Criag says he used to pee in the bushes. Olivia likens this to Thanksgiving dinner, and Shep says, time for daddy to have a scotch. Shep tells Madison that Taylor said the photo was dark and not explicit, but Madison says she’s not buying it. Taylor watches them talking, and says she wants to divert the conversation about something brought up earlier. She sent Whitney a nude pic, but you couldn’t see anything. She was upset with Shep, and was f***ing around with Whitney, so he’d cause Shep to be f***ed around with in turn, but you couldn’t see anything. Madison says, she saw it, and she could see Taylors t*ts and vagina. The silence is deafening. There aren’t even crickets. I’m not totally sure I’m believing Madison because it’s the first time she’s said that. Taylor asks what she saw, and Madison says, there was caption that said, come one, come all. Leva says, awkward, and I’m disappointed in her too. In JT’s interview, he says, who hasn’t sent a nude? In Madison’s interview, she says, of course she’s sent nude pics, and Austen’s interview, he says, she didn’t send him a nude. In Craig’s interview, he says, send all the nudes you want… but don’t send them to Whitney. In Shep’s interview, he says, there are so many other people to send pics of your new boobs to. Why Whitney? Taylor says, nothing was seen, and Craig says, he saw the photo – it was put in his face – and he said he shouldn’t be seeing this. Whitney says, it was a joke and it’s been deleted. JT says he’s going to take the high ground. Taylor is a good person who made a bad decision, but the genesis of the bad decisions are male related. Taylor says she hasn’t been the best version of herself, but she’s working on it. She went through a terrible break-up and it crushed her. Madison asks if that gave Taylor an excuse to do what she did to Olivia, kissing the guy she likes. It’s disgusting. Rod scores points by asking if Olivia is all right, since obviously no one really cares about her feelings. She tells him that she’s okay.

In Madison’s interview, she says, she had to be held accountable, while Taylor gets a pass. If you’re going to be a hoochie, be one; own it. Olivia says, clearly she and Taylor have stuff to talk about that’s being discussed around them. She’s pissed at Taylor, but they’ll deal with that. She appreciates the support, but they’ll figure it out. They don’t need to pile up on Taylor. Now let’s eat some f***ing steak. Taylor says she’s done being the topic of conversation, and Madison tells her to practice what she preaches. They thought she was a unicorn girl, and they’re seeing a side of her that’s unrecognizable. She’s fake and phony. Taylor thanks Madison for stepping in, and Madison says, Taylor can’t pretend to be better than thou, because she’s not. Shep says, Madison perceived her that way, and I almost fall off my chair at his astuteness. He says, ten minutes ago, Madison said she did the same sh*t, and Madison says, she never claimed not to be a slut; she’s just retired now. Taylor is sitting here saying she’s not. The definition of slut must have changed, since I thought you actually had to sleep with a lot of people to be one.

In Leva’s interview, a producer asks why Leva thinks the guys shield Taylor, and Leva says, she’s young, naïve, sweet, Southern, and polite. Leva thinks the boys go after Madison, and we flash back to various Madison moments that she brought on herself. I don’t think it’s so much what she does as how she does it and the nastiness that comes along with it. Leva says, there’s something innately in the culture where guys handle certain women with white gloves. Shep basically tells Madison to back off, and Madison tells him, read a Scripture and go to bed. He says Scripture isn’t his thing, and she tells him, then STFU. Shep says, she yells like a banshee. Stop. She says she’s not his whipping bitch, and he’s not going to speak to her like that. JT suggests Shep be respectful of the ladies (WTF?) and be the bigger man. Be chivalrous. He’s the oldest guy in the room. Grow up. Actually, the oldest guy in the room would be Whitney, who has willed himself to disappear. And I know I’ve slipped into Bizarro World where Shep becomes the voice of reason, defends someone who tried to hurt him against a shrew, and gets accused of being unchivalrous for his efforts. Shep says, everything always comes out in the wash, and Madison thanks JT for hosting. Craig wonders if there’s any dessert.  

Next time, Austen tells Olivia that he loves her and knows he hurt her; Olivia doesn’t know how to trust Austen; a mountain weekend with the guys; and Craig wonders if pandas are real. He is so the comic relief this season. Maybe NYC is rubbing off on him.

👻 Haunting My Own House…

Ring the bell tomorrow for soap, tricks, and treats. Until then, stay safe, stay not raining on other’s parades if you don’t celebrate Halloween, and stay knowing you can’t change what’s happened, but you can learn from it and try to do better.