Tag Archives: Below Deck Mediterranean

November 14, 2022 – Curtis Gets His Genetic Test Results, Temping For a Cassadine, Final Charter On Deck & Undone

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis and Portia are all lovey-dovey in the elevator when the door opens, and Marshall clears his throat. He says, not to ruin the moment or anything… and Curtis says, the moment is here. Marshall asks if he got his genetic testing results, and Portia says, he did. Marshall says, they’ll see if he passed on the genetic marker for schizophrenia to Curtis, and any generations to follow. Jordan sees them from down the hall.

At a 12-step meeting, Finn says he hadn’t been to a meeting in two months. This is now his second in 24 hours. He guesses he’s making up for lost time. Maybe he’s here because he’s afraid of using. Maybe he’s just avoiding his life right now. Maybe a little of both.

Elizabeth is going through photographs, when Jeff leaves a message asking to talk. She can set the parameters; any time, anywhere she wants. Just give him a chance. It’s all he asks. There’s a knock at the door, and Elizabeth opens it to Carly. She says, it’s not a good time, and starts to close it, but Carly stops the door, says, Elizabeth needs to make time, and barges in.

There’s a knock at Josslyn’s dorm room door, and Kylie, Josslyn’s RA, says, they need to talk. Dex rolls out of bed, and grabs his clothes. Kylie says she’s coming in, when Josslyn shows up.

Esme wakes up, and says, no! seeing the windows have been boarded over. Temp Nikolas (see below) comes in, and says, he doesn’t like it either. It’s a shame to spoil the view, but security was more important. This room needs something strong enough to resist being pried off, and thick enough to muffle the screams. This is kind of amusing, since the boards don’t even meet, and are kind of haphazardly nailed across.

Trina asks if Spencer is okay, and he says he’s run out of hair products. She really shouldn’t be here. She says, neither should he, but here they are. She just hopes she hasn’t come too late. He says, too late for what?

Carly says, Jordan just left her house an hour ago, and told her Elizabeth was found on the docks after a run-in with Esme. What the hell happened? Elizabeth says she was going to Spoon Island to see Nikolas, and saw Esme. She was calling 9-1-1, when Esme tried to grab her phone. The next thing Elizabeth knew, she was lying on the ground, and Esme was gone. Carly asks if Cam knows, and Elizabeth says, yes. Does Josslyn? Carly says she doesn’t know. She’s on her way to Josslyn’s place next.

Josslyn asks what Kylie is doing, as Dex struggles to put on his pants. She asks if someone gave Kylie permission to go into her room, and Kylie says, someone heard Josslyn complain about bedbugs. She needs to know if they need pest control. Josslyn says, that’s not necessary. She doesn’t have bedbugs. All she said was that she’d heard a rumor. Kylie closes the door, and says she’s glad to avoid a whole procedure, and Josslyn says, it’s her lucky day. Kylie says, carry on, and leaves, when Adam comes by, and asks, what happened with the bedbugs? Josslyn says, nothing because she doesn’t have bedbugs. She can’t believe Adam ratted her out to the RA. Kylie almost came in here when she was gone. He says, it’s not a big deal. Is she afraid Kylie would find her stash? Josslyn says she doesn’t have a stash, and he asks what she’s hiding. She says she’s not hiding anything. There’s thump from her room, and Adam quips, she was saying?

Portia suggests they go to her office, where they can go over the genetic testing results in private. Jordan joins them, and says she was hoping she could speak to Portia for second, but Portia says, they’re actually in the middle of something right now. Jordan says she’ll keep it  brief, and Marshall says, this day’s been a long time coming. They can afford to wait a few more minutes. Curtis says he’s fine. He has to pick up a report from the counselor’s office. Jordan says, Portia’s office? and Portia says she was on her way anyway.

Esme futilely pounds at the boards, and Nikolas thanks Demetrius for a job done well and discreetly. Seriously? Dude is no handyman. Demetrius leaves, and Esme says, Nikolas can’t do this to her. He says, make sure she’s safe and well cared for? Including a healthy breakfast to start her day. She says, he doesn’t get extra points for feeding his captives, and he says he likes to do what’s fair. Her utensils are all plastic and recyclable. Sadly, she’s lost silverware privileges. She says she won’t miss them for long. Once Elizabeth tells the police that he was with them… He says, if Elizabeth had said anything about him, the Police Commissioner herself would have sought him out for questioning hours ago. And even if she did, no one is going to look for Esme here. This is her home now. If she attempts to escape again, he’ll have her relocated to his family’s island in Greece. She looks like she could use a vacation. She says, he’s despicable, and he tells her to count her blessings. The accommodations are much nicer here than in Pentenville, but she’d make a better fit at D’Archam. She says she’s not going to prison, but he will. This will blow up in his face. He says, doubtful, but if it does, there’s no risk he won’t take to protect his family. She says, she’s his family too, and he says, for now, and leaves. She flings the tray of food to the floor.

Spencer says he’s sorry he can’t offer Trina any refreshments, but she says she’s here for the company anyway. He says, such as it is. Prison has stunted his communication skills. In here, the less said, the better. She says, sounds lonely, and he says, better off lonely than making enemies, or the wrong kind of friends. She says, the right kind are waiting for him when he gets home, her included, and he tells her that she said they were toxic. She says, that’s because she didn’t have all the facts, because he was keeping them from her. He says, and he asked Cam to keep them from her, but she says she’s here to talk about him… and her, to see if there’s something left to salvage. And if he even wants to.

Demetrius tells Nikolas that he has a visitor, but Nikolas says he told Demetrius, no visitors. Ava comes out of the living room, and says she was informing Demetrius, the way things are going, she might just get him in the divorce. Nikolas tells Demetrius to keep an eye on the matter upstairs, and Demetrius leaves. Ava says, the north tower? and Nikolas says, that’s why he prefers they meet somewhere else. She says, this is the only place she can guarantee privacy, and this particular matter cannot wait. He asks what that might be, and she says, his boarder.

As they put away the chairs, Alexis says, if it makes Finn feel any better, she hasn’t been to a meeting in two months either. She’s been very busy. She’s been bogged down with that paper. She knows she should be grateful. It’s a job, after she lost the one that she loved, and he says, you’ve got to celebrate these small victories. She agrees, and he says, everyone has an opinion. All his dad talks about is her, The Invader, and her… She says, and me, and The Invader, and your dad; anything except talking about what it is he was trying to avoid at the meeting. What was that?

Carly tells Elizabeth, Esme is crazy. She just wants this whole thing to be over with. The sooner they find Esme, the sooner they can put this whole mess behind them. Elizabeth asks if Carly thinks Esme is the one attacking people with a hook, and Carly says, doesn’t she? Elizabeth says she doesn’t take anything for granted these days, and Carly asks if she’s okay. She tells Carly, she never said she was okay.

Nikolas says, his boarder? and Ava says, Uncle Nosy? Slick Vic? Nikolas says, Victor isn’t his boarder; not yet anyway. She says, he hasn’t moved in yet. Lucky for Nikolas. Ava says she saw his uncle last night, and he dropped the most unsettling piece of gossip in her lap. He says, about what? and she says, Esme Prince is alive and well and roaming around Port Charles. Apparently Elizabeth had a run-in with her on the docks, and called the PCPD. Is he listening to her? The cops are after Esme, so they have to find her first.

Spencer asks if there’s a chance to fix things between them, and Trina says, yes. He asks, why now? and she says, because it was impossible before. He wasn’t straight with her. How much can one person truly mean to another if you can’t even be honest? He says, she should ask his father, but she says she’s asking him. At her party, the night before he came here, there was a letter for her, but he refused to hand it over. He asks why she’s rehashing this, and she says, because she needs to hear it from him. What was he trying to tell her that night? He says, that he lied to her face for months, that he believed in her.

Curtis and Marshall sit on a bench, and Marshall says, if Curtis’s ex-wife and his fiancé pretending to get along is the worst that comes of it, count himself lucky. Curtis says, good point. Back to Marshall. Marshall asks what he did, and Curtis says, he offered to leave. He can’t just head for the door every time things get hairy. Marshall says he did that for Curtis’s comfort. He guesses he thought Curtis wanted his space. Curtis says he woudn’t want do this without Marshall, and Marshall says, come what may? Curtis says, come what may, and Marshall says, so are they going to do this? Curtis says he’s ready when Marshall is.

As they walk into her office, Portia says, what is it now? and Jordan says  she’s picking up on some tension here. Portia says, this is resentment, and Jordan says she doesn’t know what she did to deserve that. Portia says, then she’s a lousy detective, or just plain disingenuous. Either way, Jordan is sticking her nose into Portia’s business – again. Her family’s private business. Curtis’s genetic counseling, and what may or may not come of it has nothing to do with Jordan, his ex-wife. Jordan says she’s here to inform Portia that Esme was spotted in Port Charles, and Portia asks, where? Jordan says, Pier 55. There was an altercation last night between Esme and Elizabeth Baldwin. Portia asks if Elizabeth is okay, and Jordan says, she’s fine. She’s notified Trina, but wanted to loop Portia in as well. Portia thanks her, and says, but they both know Jordan could have said all this in front of Curtis. Jordan says she intends to keep her interest in Portia’s family professional, not personal. She has no idea what Portia chooses to tell or not tell Curtis, but it’s clear Portia still hasn’t told him that Trina may be his daughter. Portia says, so someone else ought to?

Finn says, things have been really messy, and Alexis says she’s here and ready to listen, but he shakes his head. She says, what if he told her, and left out the details? and he says he’s not ready, but when he is… She says, he’ll call her, he’ll find her, and if he can’t find her, he’ll find somebody else. Because they have to talk about it. He knows what happens when they hold back. He says he does. He found out something… about Reiko. She was having an affair. Alexis says she’s sorry to hear that, and asks how he found out, but he says, it doesn’t matter. All these things he thought about his marriage and himself, he doesn’t know what to do with any of them. She says he doesn’t have to know that right now. Take some time to think about it, and she’s sure he’ll figure it out. In the meantime, has he talked about this with Elizabeth?

Elizabeth thanks Carly for stopping by, and says, unless there’s something else, she was in the middle of something. Carly says, scrapbooking? but Elizabeth says, decluttering. Carly says, when she sometimes gets the urge to declutter, she starts with the things least personal, and Elizabeth says, sounds like a good system for Carly. Carly sits next to her on the couch, and says, it looks pretty personal. These are Elizabeth’s family photos. Elizabeth says, it’s really none of Carly’s business, and Carly picks up a photo, asking if these are Elizabeth’s parents. Elizabeth takes the photo, and says, parents, yes. Family? Not even close. She throws it back on the pile.

Adam asks what Josslyn has in there. Or is it who? She asks if she can trust him, and he says he swears. She says she has a cat. It was a stray, that she saw some frat guys harassing, so she scooped it up, and brought it back. She doesn’t want to get caught before she finds it a new home. He says, she’s a good person, and she says, so is he, if he doesn’t say anything. He says, her secret is safe. Is there any chance she could put in a good word for him with Trina? She tells him, Trina is seeing someone, but if that changes, she’ll send Trina his way. He thanks her, and says, see? Good person. He leaves, and she goes into her room, finding Dex on the floor, unconscious. She asks if he’s with her, and tells him, wake up.

Esme’s food is everywhere, and Demetrius comes in. He says, he’ll clean this up, and get her an early lunch.

Spencer says, when he saw Trina at the PCPD, he knew she was innocent. He knew Esme set her up; there could be no doubt. She asks if he knows how badly she needed to hear that, but he says he thought it was more important for him to stick close to Esme, so he could find something that would prove her innocence. She says, that explains why he played Esme, but not why he played her, and he says he wasn’t playing her. She says he was keeping her in the dark, and he says, she’s honest, and when you’re going up against a liar like Esme… She says, he didn’t think she could pull it off, but he says he wasn’t going to risk Esme finding out. Deceiving Trina was the best thing for her. She says, he sounds like Curtis. He also does what he thinks is best for her. Spencer says he has a lot to apologize for, but he’s not going to apologize for protecting her. She says she doesn’t fault his motives; his intentions are golden. But she would have felt more protected with him at her side. Maybe he’s right. Who knows how things would have turned out if he’d told her how he felt? But let her tell him one thing. It hurt that he thought so little of her when she thought so much of him.

Portia asks if that someone else is Jordan, when there’s a knock at the door. Portia says, come in, and Curtis and Marshall walk in. Curtis says he sees they’re still at it, but Jordan says, they’re done… for the moment. She leaves, and Portia says, Jordan gave her a heads up about something. It turns out Esme is back in town. Curtis says, let’s forget about this and go get Trina, but Portia says, Jordan already warned Trina, and Trina knows to be vigilant. She’s already gone over it with her, but Trina wouldn’t want them to hold up this news any longer; not on her account. She asks if that’s the report in Curtis’s hands, and he says, it is. He got a message that the genetic counselor is has been delayed, but he can’t wait any longer. Marshall says, Portia knows her stuff. Can’t she tell them what it says? She says, it’s up to Curtis, and Curtis hands her the envelope, saying, please. She opens it, and Curtis says, let’s hear it. Marshall asks, what are the chances Curtis has for developing schizophrenia like he has? She looks at the report, and Curtis asks if it’s bad news. She says, there are ten genes tied directly to schizophrenia. Ten genes that are ultra-rare, disabling variants that promote the development of the disease. Curtis asks how many he has, and she says, none. Marshall says, none as in… She says, as in zero. As in Curtis is in the clear.

Alexis says, Elizabeth can help Finn sort out his feelings about Reiko. Just talk to her. Finn says, that might not be real productive at this stage, and she asks, why not? He says, remember the messiness he mentioned? and she asks who he thinks he’s talking to. She’s the queen of messy. Don’t let this thing with Reiko put a wedge between him and Elizabeth. Talk to her before the silence does the talking for both of them.

Carly says she never met Elizabeth’s parents, and Elizabeth says, they might as well be strangers. She hasn’t spoken to them in 25 years. Carly says, she hasn’t spoken to her parents in 25 years? and Elizabeth says, not until two days ago, and that conversation will hold her over for another 50. She puts the pile she’s made in the fireplace, and Carly asks if she’s really going to burn all this stuff. Elizabeth says, that’s why she put it in the fireplace, and takes the matches from the mantel. Carly tells her, hold on. She has no photos of her and Bobbie from when she was a kid, and so wishes she did. She knows all of this feels more like a burden than blessing right now, but one day she might change her mind and regret burning all of it.

Spencer says he remember the look on Trina’s face when he asked her how she could make that video of Joss and Cam. He saw how hurt she was, and he hated himself. Almost as much as he hated pretending he still cared about Esme. He’s not saying he suffered; not the way she did. She says, he didn’t have to go down that road. Look where it got him; in here. If he thinks it’s hell wondering what might happen to her, it’s just as bad seeing what’s happening to him. He says, honestly, he didn’t know she cared, and she says, give her a break. He knew. She was clear how she felt about him. Can he say the same? If he ever returned her feelings, he never said so. He didn’t even try, did he?

Nikolas says, Esme hasn’t pulled the trigger on them because she knows her accusation won’t be believed, but Ava says, maybe she’s biding her time. Waiting for the opportune moment to do maximum damage. He says he doesn’t think that’s the case, but she says she doesn’t think he’s giving Esme enough credit. The longer she’s out there, the more time she has to figure out a way to hurt them the most. And one way or another, she’ll do that, unless they hurt her first.

Esme says, Demetrius seems like a good person. He seems like he cares. She doesn’t mean for her of course (🍷); she means for Nikolas. Doesn’t he see that Nikolas isn’t well? He has her locked up against her will. If he were in his right mind, he’d never be doing this. Please, for Nikolas’s sake, call the police before this gets any worse for him.

Spencer says, maybe he’s just not good at talking about that kind of stuff, but Trina says, please. If he couldn’t bring himself to tell, maybe he could have put it on paper… in a letter. He says, the letter is long gone, but she says, she’s not. She’s here. He says, this would have been so much easier over the phone. He tried calling her the other night, but she didn’t pick up. She says she didn’t hear the phone ring, and he says, good; he thought she was ignoring him. She says she was in a hotel room, fighting to fall asleep. She’d just spent a long day at a comic book convention in New York. He says, since when is she interested in X-Men? and she says she’s not. Rory is.

Curtis says, yes! He knew everything would be all right. He kisses Portia, and hugs Marshall, who says, well, he didn’t. He asks Portia if this means Curtis has no susceptibility, and she says, no more susceptibility than average. Nothing inherited from Marshall. It’s actually strange. The odds of Curtis dodging some of the relevant genes are good enough, but all of them? The chances of something like that happening are very slim. Marshall says, his son must be very, very lucky.

Josslyn tries to wake Dex, and tells him, he can’t stay here. He needs to get up off the floor. He says he’s fine, but she says, he’s not, feeling his forehead. She says, he’s burning up. Come on, soldier, get up. She tells him to lean on her, and brings him over to the bed. She says she needs to get him to urgent care, but he just wants to get to the bed. He falls into it, and says he’ll be fine. He just needs to hydrate. She says, he needs antibiotics. And if he won’t go get some, she’s going to need to bring some to him.

Jordan sees Finn, and calls to him. He asks what he can do for her, and she says she was looking for Elizabeth to follow up on last night. Does he know if she checked herself out? He says he wasn’t aware she checked herself in. What happened, and why does Jordan need to follow up with her? Jordan says, if he sees Elizabeth, please let Elizabeth know she’d like to speak with her, and walks off.

Elizabeth tells Carly, good point. She’ll keep that in mind. Carly says, but she’s still going to burn it all, right? Elizabeth asks if there’s anything else, because if Carly doesn’t mind, she’d like to get back to doing what she was doing. Carly says she knows they’re not really friends, but they’ve known each other a long time, and she thinks they know each other pretty well. She’s never seen Elizabeth like this. Elizabeth says, it’s new to her too. She’s reevaluating. Carly says, reevaluating what? and Elizabeth says, relationships. Carly says, with her parents? and Elizabeth says, anyone she hasn’t given birth to. Carly says, if Elizabeth needs to talk and no one’s around… but Elizabeth says, it won’t come to that, but thanks. She appreciates the offer. Carly leaves, but watches through the window as Elizabeth lights a match. She looks at the photo of Jeff and Carolyn that she swiped from the pile.

Dex asks how Josslyn is going to get antibiotics, and she says, let her deal with that. Do not move from this bed. He says he owes her, and she says, big time, and she plans to collect. She leaves, and Carly calls her name, marching down the hall toward her.

Alexis sees Jordan, and says she’s glad she ran into her. Her office has been having a bit of a problem scheduling the interview Jordan promised; an exclusive in exchange for her not printing the letter from the killer. Jordan says she’ll speak to her assistant, and they’ll work something out. Alexis thanks her, and Jordan moves on. Alexis calls Gregory, and says she’s beginning to think Jordan is giving them the runaround. This might be time to activate that insurance policy.

Curtis asks if it isn’t a good thing that he doesn’t have those genes, and Portia says, it is; it’s just highly anomalous. She asks if Marshall has had any kind of genetic screening, but he says, not that he knows of, but he was diagnosed a long time ago. Portia says, the ten genes in this test were discovered a few years ago, and Curtis asks if it matters. Portia says, not at all; this is great. It’s wonderful news and worth celebrating. She says she has to take care of something real quick. Can they give her one moment? Curtis tells her to do what she’s gotta do, and she leaves. Marshall says he’d better take off too, and Curtis says, so soon. What’s wrong? Marshall tears up, and says he’s just so happy. He was so scared for Curtis; scared of what he might have left with him. He’s going to go. Curtis doesn’t need to see him like this. Curtis says, remember the whole reason Marshall stuck around here. He was here through the bad times, so he’s got to stick around for the good. With all due respect, he insists. Marshall says, yeah, and they hug.

Portia tells Jordan that they got the results back from the genetic screening, and Curtis is in no danger of developing schizophrenia. Jordan says, that is a relief, and thanks Portia for telling her, but says, that still leaves an unanswered question. Is Trina Taggert’s daughter or Curtis’s?  

Spencer asks if Trina and Rory had fun in New York, but she says, they’re not talking about her and Rory. He says, they might as well. Officer Cabrera is a good guy, better than most. He’s glad; she deserves a good guy. He gets up, and says, they’re done, but she says, they’re not. The guard says, time’s up, but she says, one more minute. He can at least do that for her. The guard says, Spencer already had one visitor today, and Trina says, anybody special? Spencer says, his grandmother. She told him that Esme was spotted back in Port Charles. Trina says she knows, and he tells her, please be careful. She says, wait. She has something to tell him. She’s grateful for what he did for her, even if it was the wrong thing. She starts to cry, and says she knows what he meant by it. He says, goodbye, Trina, and leaves.

Ava says, if Nikolas will excuse her, and picks up her jacket. He says, they should continue this conversation later. Dinner at the MetroCourt? She tells him that she has nothing more to say to him. Not until he comes up with a plan to make sure Esme doesn’t open her mouth. He follows her to the door, and says he promises to never let Esme hurt her or anyone else he loves ever again. She says, if only he kept his promises as easily as he makes them, and leaves.

Esme tells Demetrius to look out for Nikolas. He’s the only one who can. He says, Mr. Cassadine has always looked out for him. If she’ll allow it, Nikolas will look after her too. Trust him. He leaves, and Esme throws herself on bed. She sits up, hearing the bathroom door creak.

At the hospital, a man goes to the reception desk, and says he’s looking for Nurse Elizabeth Baldwin. The nurse says she’ll see if Elizabeth is working today. Who should she say is asking for her? He says, her father, Jeff Webber. Jeff turns around, and sees Finn.

There’s knock at Nikolas’s door, and he says, back so soon? But it’s not Ava, it’s Elizabeth.

Tomorrow, Josslyn says, her mom took her chances, and now she’s taking hers; Willow wants to track down her biological family; Elizabeth asks Nikolas where Esme is; Brick meets Nina; and Esme says, bye-bye, baby.

👑 Prince Temporary…

I hate to say it, but this guy is kinda better.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Blessedly, it’s the final charter.

St. Paul’s Bay, Malta. The guests are waiting for breakfast service. The alarm goes off, but Elena sleeps through it. Tasha and Natalya serve, the slide is put out, and Elena continues to sleep. Captain Sandy tells the guests, no wearing necklaces or watches when they do water sports. She informs them that they might have to go to the dock tonight, or they won’t make it tomorrow. In her interview, Tasha says, in all her yachting seasons, she hit her lowest ever with this one. She takes pride in what she does, but her personal life infected the season. Her ex reached out to Dave, and it’s sh*t. Natalya wonders where Ellie is, and Tasha tells the guests the special is smashed avocado on homemade toast. I’ll take that with a side of eggs benedict. Dominique seems to love a challenge, and asks for regular pancakes. Tasha gives Dave the breakfast orders, and Dave attempts pancakes again, knowing it will be wrong. And they are – they’re literally raw on the inside. WTF? Even I know how to make a pancake. I used to take care of my neighbor’s kids, and one of them asked me to make a pancake shaped like Goofy. I’d never made a pancake in my life, and I managed to be successful with the Goofycake. And Dave can’t make a simple pancake? It’s like Bizarro World. Tasha asks how Dominique would prefer them, and he says, cooked, but in a surprise twist, he doesn’t want to hurt Dave’s feelings, and tells her to just say it was good. The water toys go out, and Tasha explains to Dave that the pancakes weren’t cooked. But he can’t see it, and says, Dominique is a pr*ck. On deck, Dominique says he’ll wait until he gets home to get pancakes the correct way. Again, it might have been fun if they’d invited him to show them his technique. Elena finally wakes up, two hours late. In her interview, she says, it’s her second day at work, and she’s late. Oh my God. In Tasha’s interview, she says, for f***’s sake. She has enough on her mind. She doesn’t need this. She tells Elena to get the cabins done, and the guests do water sports. In Mzi’s interview, he says, looking back, he was clueless about every operation on deck. Now he’s confident, and super proud. The future is looking up. Tasha’s ex texts Dave, calling him a bully who blames everyone but himself. In Dave’s interview, he’s sick of this guy calling him a bully, but Tasha agreed. She thinks he’s an animal. So to prove that point, he goes to find her like a panther on the hunt.

Tasha gets up from some downtime, and Dave knocks at her cabin. She says, no more arguments; she’s done with it. She’s got sh*t to sort out when she gets home. She doesn’t recognize herself; there’s nothing inside anymore. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave’s behavior was unacceptable this season. She learned a lot about herself in a painful way, but it was also painful to others. She doesn’t know how to be alone. She should be happy without another person; she’s learning. Dave tells her that he’s sorry. Captain Sandy decides to go back to the dock, and tells Storm and Courtney to start wrapping things up. She tells Dave that she’s going to be having dinner with the guests. Elena says, the cabins are done, and Natalya says, she’s magic. In Natalya’s interview, she says, if you’re going to sleep in, then work quick. Dave tells Tasha that he’s doing Asian food tonight, and making sea bream. In Dave’s interview, he says, he did it. He took so many steps backward this season. He feels like he caused drama, and it affected the crew. The least he can do is cook something amazing for the last dinner. Tasha and Natalya decorate the table, and in Storm’s interview, he says, to add to the already difficult docking, the visibility is the worst, and it’s the last time he gets to show what he’s learned being a bosun. He wants to show Captain Sandy that she made the right decision. They basically parallel park, and the captain says, great job. She checks out the dinner table, and says, awesome, and Dave says, the pressure’s on.

Primary Josh toasts to a wonderful couple of days, then guest Tyler gets up and says, Jack and Jill went up the hill, so Jack could l*ck Jill’s candy. Jack got a shock and a mouthful of c*ck, because Jill’s real name was Randy. Which isn’t even a toast. While the captain laughs along with the rest, in her interview, she’s like, come on. Dave comes up with the entree, and Captain Sandy says, it’s delicious, while another guest says, picture worthy. The captain tells the guests about her journey in yachting, and says she got on the drug and alcohol merry-go-round, and was kicked out of 11th grade. She got a job washing boats, and did so well, she was hired full-time and her boss sent her to sea school. Storm tells Natalya that he’s both stoked and sad, and thanks her for being there for him this season. In his interview, he says, it’s difficult. He thinks she enjoys having him be that person for her, but he’ll miss her more than she’ll miss him.  

Dominique says he doesn’t like mushrooms, but these f***ing mushrooms are good. Storm asks for someone to help Ellie, and Courtney tells her that Reid is on his way to help. Captain Sandy excuses herself to get a good night’s sleep, and tells Dave that his food was good, and yummy, yummy, yummy. In Reid’s interview, he says he’s single, but he’s not negative about dating and hooking up. He thinks you can have fun, and not be serious… His grandma is going to kill him. Mzi suggests Reid follow up by helping with laundry, and he does. Dessert is a cheesecake with ginger crumb, which sounds like something I wouldn’t like, but I bet it’s f***ing good. Josh thanks Dave, Reid does laundry, and pretty much everyone goes to bed.

Natalya gets into bed with Storm, and says, it’s the last day. Tasha gets a text from Kyle, saying, he’ll be back in a couple of hours. Tasha texts back, he can stay on the boat tonight. Mimosas are given to the guests, and Reid tells Storm, it’s their last solid day together. Tasha asks if Dominique wants pancakes, and co-primary Sydney says she never wants to talk about pancakes again. Can’t say I blame her. The guests pack, and Natalya says she won’t miss the pantry one bit. It’s time to say goodbye to the guests, and after the hugfest, Josh says, they had a wonderful time. The crew made the experience everything they expected and more. He gives captain Sandy the tip envelope, and the guests depart. Captain Sandy tells the crew to stay in their whites and go directly to the tip meeting. The crew hops up and down, and Courtney says, let’s get lit, a word I will now forever associate with Erika Jayne. Natalya puts on a short blonde wig.  

Captain Sandy wonders what Natalya is up to, when she bounds in, doing a Captain Sandy imitation. She says, charter nine, everybody. This envelope is thick. We started off strong. We ended strong. Wow. High five. She runs down the line of crew members, high-fiving, and then sits down. Everyone cheers, and the captain says, awesome. Wow. They made it through the season. They were down a man with Kyle being out, but Ellie was a breath of fresh air. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each. Their total for the season is $188,100, or $17,000 per person. She’s going to be joining them for a while tonight. Kyle comes back to the boat, and he and Tasha hug. Dave helps him with his bag, and Kyle says he’s feeling good, even though his shoe is a little tight on his ankle. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s lonesome by yourself during the recovery process. After two tequilas, magically everything will feel great. He meets Elena, who’s wearing a tight sparkly dress, and he zips her up. He tells the others that he might sleep with one of them tonight, and they head out in a bus to a restaurant n Venetta.

Natalya asks Captain Sandy, officially, who’s her favorite? If they were hanging off a cliff, who would she pick to save? Obviously, the captain isn’t going to answer this question, but in Natalya’s interview, she says, she knows Captain Sandy would pick her. The captain asks what everyone’s highs and lows were, and Courtney says, she felt welcomed being a female deckie, and becoming lead deckhand was amazing. She couldn’t have done it without them. Dave says, his thorn was going through some of the lowest times, but his was that they all supported him. He’s super grateful. Tasha says, Kyle’s been her rock, and she and Natasha are like twins. Dave was super patient and calm, and made her job easier. Like I said, Bizarro World. Storm says, his thorn was hitting the dolphin because of his lack of experience. His rose was getting along with the crew, and gelling in his role with them. He had a phenomenal time. Natalya says, he forgot a rose, and in Storm’s interview, he says, he knows Natalya hates public affection. He would have done an Oscar worthy Leonardo DiCaprio for her, but he knew she didn’t want that, and he got sh*t anyway. He tells Natalya, that’s more of a personal thing.

Captain Sandy tells them, it’s been a pleasure; have fun. She leaves, and Storm and Mzi go for a smoke. Storm tells Mzi that he can’t keep up with Natalya’s sh*t. Elena wants to party, and Erika Natalya suggests they get lit. They go inside and dance. Elena dances with Reid, and in her interview, she says she wishes they had more time to get to know one another. Kyle tells Natalya that he’s glad they met, and in his interview, he says, Natalya is a massive ball of energy. He’s willing to forgive, but he won’t forget what she did. But who’s counting? When glass starts breaking, it’s time to go. In their taxi, the guys fist bump to their last time out. Storm suggests they jump into the river, but Reid is like, no. Back at the yacht, Storm is ready to jump in, for some reason thinking they were all in agreement, but Courtney encourages everyone to just get back on the boat. Storm gets pissed off, telling Mzi that he looked like an idiot. He tells Natalya about it, but she says, they should focus on their last night together, and tells him not to bring up his sh*t with other people. Don’t be a sourpuss. He says he’s not a sourpuss. Ellie says, the Old Fashioned she drank f***ed her up, and goes to bed. In Kyle’s interview, he says, ankle? What ankle? Everyone goes to the hot tub area, where the stripper pole still stands, and they go nuts dancing. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s never seen anything like it. They’re going wild. Two hours sleep in four days; it’s just what they need. In Mzi’s interview, he says, this is the wildest side he’s seen of everybody. He’s never seen Tasha like this. Kyle and Tasha hole up in a guest cabin, and Tasha says she’s proud of him. He says he couldn’t have done it without her. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm likes her, and she likes him, but she doesn’t know what she wants.

In the morning, everyone groans when the alarm clocks go off. Elena is about to put a fork in the toaster, when Storm stops her, explaining why you can’t do that. She wonders why she didn’t know this, and I do too, since she’s not five years old. Everyone packs, and Elena is the first to say goodbye. She and Reid say they’ll keep in touch, and in Reid’s interview, he sighs, and says, shoot. He doesn’t want to go home just yet. Reid is next to say goodbye, and Storm says, Reid is a legend. Mzi thanks Captain Sandy for the season, and says, it was absolutely incredible. She’s a big inspiration and guide. She tells him that he’s always welcome wherever she’s captain. In Mzi’s interview, he says he’s come a long way. He’s learned he needs to be more assertive. He’s going for his yacht master’s, and then wants to be a bosun like his brother. He’s excited for the future. He hugs Courtney, and she says, being with him was so much fun. Storm tells Mzi that he’s great. Kyle says goodbye to the captain, who says she can see his passion for yachting. He cuddles with Tasha under a blanket, and in his interview, he says, he’s looking forward to seeing Frank. If he keeps the faith, things will happen, but there’s only one way to find out – a one-way ticket to New York. If there are fireworks there, it’s in the bag. Captain Sandy tells Courtney that she’s an asset to any boat. She worked hard on deck and served. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s proud of herself. She came in sh*tting her pants, and became lead deckhand. If she can get some years in as bosun, that would be amazing. The captain tells Tasha, it’s been a pleasure, and thanks her for bringing the level of service that she did. She never lost her temper or spiraled. She showed up every day, and the captain never worried about service. Tasha thanks her, and says she didn’t worry because she had Captain Sandy. She tells Dave that she’s leaving. It wasn’t easy, but they made it to the end. In Tasha’s interview, she says, for the first time in a decade, she’s single. She learned a lot about herself. She has to stand up for herself, she doesn’t need more man drama, and needs to be more open. The future is exciting, and she has a lot to look forward to. A producer says, like what? and she says, finding a man… Jokes. Hmm… but I wonder. Captain Sandy tells Dave that he kept the galley clean, and brought art to the food. In Dave’s interview, as usual, he’s a wet blanket. He says he definitely hasn’t been himself. He’s been treading water the whole season. He won’t get the conversation he’s looking for from Tasha, and he feels terrified that he won’t see her again, but he wants the best for her. The captain tells Natalya that she was a joy every day. She brings light. I can only assume there’s a lot we didn’t see. Off the boat, Storm says he’s going to miss her, and she jumps into his arms. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s sad to say goodbye. When you’re living and working with someone, they become a part of you, but at the end of the day, she doesn’t think he’s her person. She tells him, see you on the flip side, and in Storm’s interview, he says, obviously, he’s grown fond of Natalya. Maybe they’ll see each other in the future. Who knows? He tells Captain Sandy, he’s out of here, and thanks her for the opportunity. He’s forever grateful. She says she made the right choice. His growth was incredible to witness. He’s a great bosun, and she’ll have him back any time. In his interview, he says, being promoted was intense. He learned about himself, and how he comes across when he’s stressed. He wants to be a captain and do dive charters. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, how it ended was incredible. In a perfect world, they learn from their mistakes. To grow is to succeed, and this season was a success. Another one down.

Next time, the Reunion.

🛬 Putting the Tray Table in the Upright Position…

Come back tomorrow for soap and a read of some tea leaves. Until then, stay safe, stay saying something if you see something, and stay celebrating the small victories.

November 7, 2022 – Victor Says Something Big Is Coming, Pancakes Not Crêpes On Deck & Summer

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina sits on a bench in the park, and Sonny startles her from behind. She tells him, Halloween is over; she’s not going to be so forgiving about being scared. He sits next to her, and says he’s sorry. Tell him how he can make it right. She slides closer to him, and says she can think of a few ways. She asks how it went with Josslyn, and he says, no matter how much attitude she throws at him, he’s always going to look out for Josslyn and her mother. He went there to help, but it turns out, Carly had all the help she needed.

Elsewhere in the park, Wiley throws around leaves. Michael tells Willow, they buy all these toys for Wiley, and he’s happy playing with the leaves. I feel his pain, since I’ve bought a lot of pet toys for pets who would rather play with the boxes. Willow says, somehow, she doesn’t think that gets them out of Christmas shopping this year, and Michael says, Christmas is almost here (thanks for the reminder), and before they know it, Wiley’s little brother or sister will be here. Again, he’s sorry he missed her appointment. She says, he can stop apologizing, and he says he definitely won’t miss this one. She says, her appointment isn’t until this afternoon, so they should focus on this good day while they can. He asks what she means by that.

Elizabeth goes into her house, followed by Terry, who says, home, sweet home, and Elizabeth says, the cliché is true in her case; you can’t go home. What is she going to say to Finn? Cameron comes downstairs, and says he wasn’t expecting her until tomorrow. How was the trip? Was the time away everything she needed?

Esme checks out the windows in the north tower. She sees one she thinks she can pry open, but wonders where the ledge would take her. It looks awfully narrow. Nikolas walks in, and asks what she thinks she’s doing.

Laura comes to Anna’s cell, and Anna asks, what happened? Valentin and Charlotte… Laura suggests Anna see for herself, and Valentin comes in. He and Anna kiss through the bars.

In Robert’s office, Holly gets a text from Victor: what have you learned about the ADA’s case against Anna? and she looks like she has a headache. Robert comes in, and says he’s sorry to have kept her waiting. They’re going to have to reschedule lunch. She asks if there are any leads on Lucy’s case. They can work together just like old times.

Victor looks at Holly’s reply: Still gathering intel. Standby. He sighs and says, his patience is wearing thin.

Esme tells Nikolas that she’s trying to get some fresh air. It’s supposed to be healthy for their baby. He says he knows what she was trying to do. The windows are sealed for a reason. It would be dangerous for her to climb out on that very narrow ledge, but she was hoping to force an opening, and maybe her voice would carry. Not to the mainland of course (🍷), but she thought maybe one of the staff would hear her. She says, he caught her; guilty as sin. He says, the staff is paid handsomely to look the other way in awkward situations, and that’s exactly what they’ll do. She asks what his endgame is, and he says, she tried to kill Ava and Diane Miller. She did kill Brando Corbin and Oz Haggerty. Poor Brando was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Oz Haggerty made the poor choice of selling her a black market phone, and that decision cost him his life. She says, she is not The Hook. How many times does she have to tell him that? He says, the attacks have stopped since he locked her up in here.

Nina tells Sonny, she’s glad the Halloween festivities went on as scheduled, but everyone must have had those attacks on their mind. She knows she did. She’s glad the city hired extra security. There hasn’t been a new attack in weeks, right? Is it too much to hope it might be over? (Yes.) He says he doesn’t think Josslyn or her friends are going to find any comfort until that lunatic is caught, and she says she knows he wants to be there for his family and Josslyn, even though Josslyn’s not officially his stepdaughter, and that’s going to be hard for him to pull off. Carly doesn’t want her to be around Donna. He asks what she’s saying, and she tells him, she’s saying she loves him, but if she needs to step back until this threat is over, that’s what she’s going to do.

Wiley moves on to blowing bubbles, and Willow tells Michael that she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to make it sound so dramatic. She just meant, they’re expanding from a trio to a quartet. Wiley’s not going to be an only child anymore, and who knows how he’ll react to that? So on this beautiful fall day, let’s just take this all in. He says, that’s a good way of looking at things. He and Morgan didn’t always get along as kids, so they have to expect that some days Wiley and his younger sibling will love each other; other days, not so much. But their kids will have each other, and have them. That’s all that matters, right?

Finn looks at Elizabeth’s contact info in his phone, when Heather is wheeled out. She says, well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite brooding MD. Tell her, what’s the reason for that fine scowl on his handsome face? Not that she’s complaining; she likes a good scowl. It usually means the sex is gonna be hot, and maybe even a little rough. She winks at him, and he asks what she’s talking about. She says, stop clutching your pearls, grandma. She’s found the only good thing about people thinking she’s crazy is, it gives her the freedom to say anything she likes. He says, for the record, this isn’t his brooding face; this is his happy face. It’s his extremely happy face because he’s giving her the all-clear, and she can be shipped back to D’Archam. She says, please, tell her that he’ll be giving her a personal inspection, top to bottom, and he says, tempting as that may be, his associates will be handling things. She says, such a shame. From their talk the other day, she had the feeling there was something he wanted to ask her. Speak now, Dr. Dreamboat, or forever hold your peace.

Elizabeth tells Cameron that she’s glad she went to Monterey, but she’s even more grateful to be home with the people she loves. He says, all that from going to a spa while Terry’s at a medical conference? and she asks if he doesn’t have a class this afternoon. He says he does, but he left a book; he’d better grab it. He’s really happy she’s home. He goes upstairs, and Terry says, Elizabeth already told her what went down at her parents’ house, but still hasn’t told her how she’s feeling about it. Elizabeth says, she’s angry. What’s beyond anger? Fury? Rage? Terry says, it’s understandable, and Elizabeth says she feels so betrayed by what her parents did. She was in a desperate state, and somehow her dad used that to justify covering up his affair, and her mom used her psychiatric training to keep her from remembering. She went looking for answers, and now that she has them, she feels violated. She has to ask herself, was it worth it?

Anna says she was worried when she didn’t hear from Valentin. She thought maybe Victor made him disappear the way he did Lucy. Valentin says, not yet anyway. Charlotte’s home safe. Laura and Doc helped him bring Charlotte back to Port Charles. He thinks Victor knew he and Anna were working together, and that’s why Victor got him out of the country; so he could deal with Anna with no interference. She says, that’s what it looks like, and asks where Charlotte is now. Laura joins them, and says, Charlotte is at her apartment with Doc; she has security watching them. Charlotte will be staying with them for a while. Anna thanks her, and Valentin says he owes Laura, but Laura says she’s just glad everyone is all right.

Robert says, he and Holly made an incredible team back in the day, and she says, they still could. Does he have more details he can share with her? Ashby walks in, and says, what the hell, Scorpio? He says, and a good day to her too, and she says she’s been hearing rumors that he’s placing calls to his connections – wardens, judges, state attorneys – asking them all about Anna’s case, and trying to get her bail. He says, it’s perfectly normal for him to talk to public officials, and Ashby says, that’s a line of bull, and he knows it. He’s trying to pull strings and call in favors for his ex-wife. He says he recused himself from Anna’s case, and Ashby says, while he tries to work the system on her behalf. She’s warning him. If he doesn’t back down, she’ll demand his resignation.  

Sonny tells Nina, he hopes she’s not saying she’s walking away from him after everything they’ve been through, but she says, she’s not walking away. She’s just saying, she knows his kids are his priority. He says, right, but he and Carly have an understanding, and she says, about her? She highly doubts it. He says, Carly knows he’s not walking away from her, and she says she sure hopes he’s right.

TJ sees Willow and Michael, and says, gorgeous day. Michael agrees, when his phone rings, and he says, it’s work; he’s got to take it. He steps away, and TJ says, he’s guessing by Michael’s upbeat mood, Willow hasn’t told him that she has leukemia. She says she’s going to, after she gets Terry’s results today. Maybe it will all work out… or it won’t. She just hopes Michael understands where it’s coming from, even if she’s not here to explain it to him. He says, she just started the fight. What does she sound like she’s already given up?

Esme says, Nikolas thinks he has her all figured out, and he says he does. She can yell all she wants, but all she’ll get is a sore throat, because up here, no one can hear you scream. He leaves, locking the door behind him, and she screams.

Laura says, Lucy is missing and presumed dead? Her brother is beside himself, thinking he’s never going to see her again. Anna says, but they can’t be sure. Her body hasn’t been found. She even hates saying that; it scares her. All the evidence points to Lucy’s death. Valentin says, it points toward Anna, and Anna says, thanks to his father. Laura says, no doubt it was Victor who put Eileen up to arranging for the tourism drone to be flying over the waterfront, shooting footage at precisely the right moment. Anna says, but it wasn’t her; she wasn’t there. She didn’t fire the shots. She heard them from Pier 47, and came running. That footage of her shooting Lucy is completely fake. Laura says she knows, and she’s going to let the public know they have the wrong suspect. She leaves, and Anna tells Valentin, she appreciates the effort, but there really isn’t much Laura can do. Valentin tells her not to worry. He’s going to get her out. She asks, how? They’re transferring her to Pentenville tonight.

On the phone with Johann, Victor says, it seems the necklace in Britt Westbourne’s possession could be what they’ve been looking for all along, but he needs confirmation. If this necklace is what he thinks it is, then they’re about to begin the final act. Nikolas walks in, and Victor says, they’ll talk soon. Nikolas asks why he’s here, and Victor says he thought he’d drop by and say hello, and pick out his room, since he’ll be moving in shortly. Nikolas says, Victor should have called or texted first, and Victor says he’s sorry. Is his unexpected visit a problem? Why does he get the feeling Nikolas is trying to get rid of him?

Holly says, obviously there’s been a misunderstanding, but Robert disagrees. Eileen is just trying to throw her weight around. The point is, Eileen can’t force him to resign because he’s an elected official. Ashby says, the election is only days away. Does he think he’ll still be a shoo-in if the city’s mayor goes public with these allegations? He says he has another bulletin for her; she’s not the mayor. Ashby says, no, but she’ll continue to run things her way until Mayor Collins decides to grace this city with her presence again. Laura walks in, and says, here I am, gracing you.

Heather says, if she remembers correctly, Finn was looking all flustered right before he put her into a twilight slumber, just because she brought up her ex, Jeff Webber. He is the father of Finn’s bimbo. Finn must have so many questions about him. Finn says he doubts he’d get any straight and/or coherent answers from her, and she admits she doesn’t know anything about the current Jeff Webber’s life; she hasn’t seen him in years. But what is that saying? A leopard can’t change its spots? She’s guessing the Jeff Webber she knew is probably a lot like the man he is today. She’ll give Finn this much for free. Jeff Webber projects a beautiful image; square jaw, strong principles, heroic. Yet he’d always think with his other scalpel, if Finn catches her drift. Finn says, it’s hard to miss, and she says, that was always the problem with Jeff. He was convinced of his moral superiority and would deny any of his shortcomings, then gaslight you, so ne never had to take any responsibility for his own actions. You might say, it’s enough to drive someone crazy. She laughs.

Elizabeth says she can’t even imagine how her parents justified what they did, and Terry says, they thought they were helping her. That doesn’t make it right, but at least Elizabeth knows the truth now. Elizabeth asks how that’s better than being in the dark. She hurt Finn’s first wife. Terry says, Elizabeth didn’t kill Reiko. Blackwood’s did, which she contracted at the hospital after the fall. Elizabeth says, a fall she caused, but Terry says, twenty-five years ago, that virus was all over the region. Reiko could have picked it up a million other ways, just by living there. Elizabeth says, but she didn’t. Reiko’s dead because of her. That’s what this is about. Her subconscious has been trying to protect her from this truth. She thought she couldn’t handle it, and neither did her parents. Unconsciously, she was pushing Finn away so she wouldn’t remember, and now she does. Terry says, this is going to be really hard, but she’s going to be with Elizabeth every step of the way when she tells Finn. Elizabeth is planning on telling him, isn’t she? Elizabeth says she can’t be with him and keep this secret. Maybe that’s her answer; maybe she shouldn’t be with him. Maybe he’s better off never knowing than dredging up this painful past. Terry asks, how does that make Elizabeth any different from her parents?

Valentin says he thought they had more time than that, but Anna says, the judge thinks she’s a flight risk. That’s why she was denied bail. He says, she’s in law enforcement. If they put her in high security, her life is at risk. She says she thinks that’s the point. If Ashby had a role in this, that’s the point. He asks how she’s doing, but she says she doesn’t know. She keeps thinking about this evidence they have against her, the footage of her shooting Lucy; how it’s a deepfake that can’t hold up in court. He says, no. He means, with everything she’s going through, how is she feeling? She says, Victor’s just picking them off, one by one; Luke, Lucy, now her. To what end? What is he doing? What is he protecting? Valentin says he doesn’t know. Victor never trusted him long enough to reveal his master plan, but he does know, whatever illusions of collaboration there were, are gone now that Charlotte is free. They need to focus on Anna’s current situation. She says, there’s going to be a target on her back when she’s in Pentenville. It’s going to be so easy for Victor to take her out once she’s there. He should just do it here. If Ashby’s on the take, why not a guard? He says he’s not going to let that happen, and she says, he can’t promise that, but he says he can. He told her that he has a plan. Does she trust him? She takes his hand, and says she trusts him.

Ashby says she didn’t know Laura was back, and Laura says, obviously. She’s not happy to hear about Ashby’s falling out with their District Attorney. Robert has a long history of service to the city of Port Charles, longer than Ashby. The people of Port Charles trust him, and so does she. Ashby says, of course (🍷), and Laura turns to Holly, saying, she’s thrilled to see the reports of Holly’s death were greatly exaggerated. They hug, and Holly says, it’s good to be back. Laura says, Robert kept believing Holly was out there somewhere after a lot of people had given up. Robert says he should have held out longer. He learned his lesson. Laura says she’s sure if Luke were here, he’d also be relieved to see Holly was all right. Holly says she still can’t believe Luke went out that way, and Laura says, it will never make sense, will it? She’s sure Holly is tired of trying to explain, but she has to ask. What happened? Where has she been for the past two years? Robert says, Holly’s memory’s still a bit foggy. He’s been trying to get her to see a doctor, but she’s giving him the runaround. Laura says she’s sure Doc would be happy to help Holly get to the bottom of this, but Holly says, that won’t be necessary. Laura assures her that Doc is an expert at helping people work their way through trauma, and Holly angrily tells Laura, I said no.

Willow tells TJ, she’s not giving up. She’s going to fight to be here for Wiley and this new baby. He says, no matter what, she won’t be doing it alone, and they hug. Nina and Sonny come along, and Sonny says, they don’t mean to interrupt, but they saw Wiley… Wiley runs up, hugging them, but Willow pulls him away, saying, now is not the time, but she’s sure Wiley would like to see his grandfather if he has free time over the weekend. Sonny says, come on, but Nina says, that’s a great idea; they should go now. He tells her, if she says so, but why does she want to go so soon? She says, let’s go now, and Michael strides over, asking if everything is all right here. Sonny asks why it wouldn’t be, and Nina says, they were just leaving. Have a good day.

Esme opens the window, and says, maybe she can slide across the ledge, use something to smash the window, and climb into the next room. If only there was a rope, or something she could tie herself to… She looks at the bedding, and says, these sheets might just do.

Nikolas says he’s been distracted, and Victor says, by the construction or by Ava? It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Nikolas focuses his attention. Something big is coming for this family. It’s important, more now than ever, that they present a united front. Nikolas says, all right, enough. He’s so sick of these self-aggrandizing speeches. Victor doesn’t trust him enough to give him the details of his plan, so it’s a hard pass if this is just going to be another one of his cryptic soliloquies. If Victor doesn’t have anything real or substantial to tell him, just go.

Heather says, Finn’s not shackled. He could have walked out at any time, yet he hasn’t. So clearly he’s intrigued. She’s happy to answer any of his questions, but first, they need to discuss terms. He says he’s not interested in old information; it’s of no use to him. Valentin gets out of the elevator, and Finn tells the orderly, take the patient to room 1002 to see Dr. Guerra. As she’s wheeled away, Heather says, no. He can’t quit on her now. Her information might be old, but it’s still relevant. Valentin says, trouble? but Finn says, just like any other day that ends in Y. What does he want? Valentin says, that plan they discussed while he was en route back to Port Charles? They need to move up the timeline. Anna is being transferred to Pentenville tonight.

Holly sits down, and Robert asks if she’s okay. She says she’s so sorry. It’s just a lot to process the last few days. Laura says she bets it is. She needs to check in with her family, but she’ll be back in her office later, and Eileen can fill her in on what she missed. She asks Robert to walk out with her, and they leave. Ashby asks Holly, what the hell is she doing? She almost got them both caught.

In the hallway, Laura says she’s going to need more details about Holly’s return, and Robert says, such as? She says, nobody knows how she got here. She just randomly showed up one day at the Quartermaine house, after having been missing for two years, and with memory loss. Robert asks where they’re going with this, and she says she knows he doesn’t want to hear this from her, but is it possible Holly’s not telling him everything?

Michael asks Willow, what did he walk in on? Was Nina trying to get to spend time with Wiley? Willow says, Sonny and Nina were just walking through the park. Their paths crossed, but surprisingly, Nina knew her place, and encouraged Sonny to walk away. Her phone dings, and she says, it’s Melanie. She’s having car trouble, and she’ll be late meeting them in the park. He says, they’ll never make Willow’s appointment if they have to wait. They’ll just bring Wiley. She says, no… It would be so boring for him. She asks TJ if he’s heading to the hospital, and he says he is. She asks if she can go with him. Michael can meet her there after Melanie arrives. Michael says, fine, and she says she’ll see him in a bit, and leaves with TJ.

Sonny says he’s surprised Nina backed off so quickly. It was like she needed to get out of there as fast as she could. She says, he knows how his family reacts when she’s around, and it’s becoming really painful for her to hold out hope that she’s going to have any kind of friendly relationship with certain members of his family. He asks what she isn’t telling him, and she says, forget it. It’s none of her business. He says, tell him, and she says, it’s possible something’s going on with Willow and TJ, and he says, like what? An affair?

Valentin says he doesn’t have to tell Finn what’s at stake, and Finn says, it’s already been handled. Valentin walks away, and Terry comes out of the elevator. Finn says, welcome back. How was the medical conference? Better yet, how was the spa? Terry says, it was exactly what they needed, and he says, they didn’t keep her too busy? She says, they had more than enough time, and he says he knows there was no conference. He doesn’t need answers. He’s just concerned about their friend. Is there anything he needs to be worried about? She says, Elizabeth is home. If he wants answers, Elizabeth can give them to him. She goes on her way.

Cameron asks if Terry left, and Elizabeth says, she had to go to work. He asks if she has a couple of minutes to talk, and she says, of course (🍷). What’s up? He says, it’s something kind of important, and he’d rather she hear it from him first before she hears it from someone else. She says, it sounds serious, and he says, Finn already knows about it and said he wouldn’t tell her, but Josslyn stayed the night. He knows she said that wasn’t allowed, and he’s very sorry. She says, okay, and thanks him for telling her. She guesses things are better between the two of them? He says, things are great. They’re back on track… except… Now Joss is kind of on lockdown because the PCPD thinks she was the intended target of the Brando attack. She says, what? and he says, Commissioner Ashford has this theory that The Hook has been targeting people related to Trina’s trial. He tried calling her about this, and didn’t want to leave it on voicemail, but Sonny’s has some men outside the house. She says, as soon as he goes to school, she’s going to call Dante, and remind her to never go away again. He asks if something happened in Monterey. She and Terry seem off. She says she saw her parents. It was a lot. He asks if she’s okay, but she says she doesn’t really want to talk about it. She does feel better being home with her boys and her chosen family; people she knows she can depend on and trust. He says, even though he lied about Joss sleeping over? and she says she appreciates him telling her the truth. She knows it wasn’t easy. He says, it’s better to fess up than let things fester, but he has to go to school. They’ll talk later. He leaves, and Elizabeth looks at a framed photo of her and Finn.

Robert says, let’s not forget, Holly is the victim here, and Laura says she’s sure he’s right… and it’s not that unusual for someone to suffer memory loss after a traumatic experience. But they both know, Holly has been known to get mixed up with some pretty unsavory people in the past. He says he’s under no illusions about who Holly is, but he trusts her with his life. Laura says, and she trusts Robert with hers, and he says, he knows he’s said it a hundred times, but it’s good to have her back. They hug, she thanks him, and she leaves.

Holly says she has no idea what Ashby is talking about, and Ashby says she doesn’t know if Holly is a hired gun or a true believer, but she does know they’re both working for Victor Cassadine. And he calls the shots. Robert walks in

Victor says, perhaps he’s been too judgmental about Nikolas’s dedication to this family. After all, anyone could be distracted by love, and Nikolas’s loyalty has been unwavering. Perhaps he’s been so focused on making his son more trustworthy, he’s overlooked the real heir apparent standing right in front of him. Perhaps he should let Nikolas into the inner circle, and let him know what all this has really been about. Please. Let somebody in. We’ve been hearing about this big thing that’s happening forever.

Nina says she shouldn’t have told Sonny, and he says, she did. Now she has to explain it. He’s known TJ since he was a little boy, and he’s not the type. She says she’s sorry to interrupt him, but they both know good people can make hurtful decisions. It’s just that ever since Willow’s graduation, whenever she’s seen TJ and Willow together, they’re embracing. They’re always whispering to each other, nobody else is around, there’s tears. It’s just a vibe she’s getting. She also understands it’s entirely possible she’s wrong. That’s partly why she didn’t want to tell him. He asks, what’s the other reason? and she says, if she’s right, she wouldn’t want to put him in a position to tell Michael. He says, that’s what they’re not going to do. They’re going to stay out of this. Michael doesn’t need to know any of it, and he’s not joking. In perfect soap timing, Michael comes along, and says, he doesn’t need to know about what?  

In Terry’s office, TJ takes Willow’s hand, and says, she’s got this. Terry comes in, and thanks Willow for waiting. She hopes it wasn’t too long. Willow says she asked TJ to stay with her until Michael gets here, and Terry says, of course (🍷). Willow asks if Terry has seen the scans Britt ordered, and Terry says, she has. They confirmed that Willow’s liver and spleen are enlarged, and her platelet count is down considerably. Willow says, and that means…? and Terry says, her leukemia is now in Stage IV.

There’s a knock at Elizabeth’s door, and she opens it to Finn.

Esme knots the sheets together like a convict in an old cartoon, and says, I don’t know if this is going to work, Ace (I guess she’s named the baby out of boredom), but it’s better than nothing.

Nikolas says, whenever Victor is ready, tell him about his plan, but Victor’s phone rings. He says, sorry, and answers, saying, what is it?… Charlotte’s gone? Who did she leave with?… Laura walks in, and says, hello, Victor. Aren’t you going to welcome me home? Victor looks stunned.

Robert tells Holly, sorry to leave her. He and Laura had some city business to discuss. Ashby says she’s glad it was convenient for Laura this time, and leaves. Holly says, Laura wasn’t talking city business, was she? She got the sense Laura was doubting her. Robert says, Laura is less inclined to trust Holly, given her history with Luke, but he trusts her. Holly says, that’s all that matters to her, and hugs him.

A guard comes to Anna’s cell, and she asks if he’s there to take her to Pentenville. He says, you’re not going to Pentenville.

Tomorrow, Britt asks if Sam knows where the necklace came from; Elizabeth tells Finn that she knows what happened on the stairs; Sonny tells Michael to be careful what he says next; and Heather says, they have time to catch up.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Għadira Bay, Malta. Natalya says she’s tired, and Tasha says, they haven’t even scratched the surface of the boat. In Tasha’s interview, she says, everyone is exhausted. It’s overwhelming the amount of work to be done. The preference sheet meeting waits for no one, and Captain Sandy radios Tasha, Storm, and Dave.

The captain says, they made it to number nine, the final charter. That actually sounds like a good name for a horror film; Number Nine; The Final Charter. The primaries are Josh and his daughter Sydney, who are partners in an investment company, and they’re bringing along business associates; some of which are professional football players. Tasha reads that the guests want a casino party, and Dave says, they want a surf and turf dinner. Captain Sandy says, the guests are boarding on anchor at 12 o’clock, due to potential weather, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, she was with Kyle on service for the entire season. She doesn’t get along with Natalya, but she’s stuck with her, and it’s a potential disaster. Natalya says, 48 hours, and they’re done. In Storm’s interview, he says he doesn’t want to say goodbye to Natalya. He sucks at goodbyes. He and Natalya cuddle, and Dave texts Kyle, griping about nothing in particular.

It starts to rain, but Reid says he thinks they’re just spotted clouds, and it will pass. Tasha says, rule number one; no bitchiness. The launch taxi comes with new stew Ellie (Elena), and in her interview, she says she worked on a cruise line, but only had experience in the spa. She’s a little bit out of her comfort zone. Tasha  takes her around the boat, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, Ellie is glamorous, but it’s not a fashion show. She hopes Ellie is ready to get her hands dirty. Not too judgy. Captain Lee always said that Kate looked more like a guest then a crew member when arriving and leaving for the season. Tasha shows Ellie the cabin and her uniforms, and takes her to meet Captain Sandy. In Ellie’s interview, she says she was born in Serbia, but moved to Slovenia, then Macedonia. She learned different languages as a child, and has a bachelor’s degree in English and Russian. She’s working on her 7th language, Mandarin Chinese. Natalya tells Storm to keep his little seagull eyes to himself. Ellie changes into her uniform, and Tasha asks Natalya to show Ellie the laundry routine. In her interview, Natalya says she’s freaking out not being in control of the laundry. She has high standards, and it’s hard to let someone take the reins. Provisions come in, and Ellie struggles with the ironing board, finally asking Natalya for help. Tasha’s ex pesters her with texts, and the captain tells the crew to get in their whites. Finishing touches are made on the boat, and the crew lines up.

In Courtney’s interview, she says, these guys are hot. She doesn’t know football, but thinks they say, 32 hut. Tasha gives them the tour, and guest Dominique says he could eat pancakes for every meal, but he likes them a particular way. As Tasha shows them the downstairs guest cabins, Dominique says, he doesn’t want to sleep with water so close to his head. Primary Josh says, he can’t escape it, but Dominique says he’s taking his ass upstairs. When Natalya tells them that she’s from Australia, they get all squee over koala bears, but she says, they scratch you and have chlamydia. I don’t care. I still want to pet one. In Dave’s interview, he says, there was a point in the season when he thought he couldn’t handle it emotionally or mentally because of Tasha. But at the end of the day, he’s here to do a job. He’s going to have tunnel-vision; one focus. We’ll see. Dave makes salmon and sweet potatoes smoked under the dome, and lamb kofta. I don’t know what that is and I hate lamb, but it looks so good, I’d eat it anyway. Guest Michael says he appreciates this moment to bask with primaries Josh and Sydney. In Tasha’s interview, she says, her ex reached out, and wants to get back together. She feels sick at the thought of being alone, but the way he looked at her when he told her, f*** off, was like he wanted her to die. We flash back to that, and she texts him, it’s not reparable. The guests rave about the food, and Tasha tells her ex to stop messaging. Ellie embarrasses herself by walking into the door during service, but Tasha tells her that she’s been incredible. The guests use the Wave Runners and jet skis, and Storm pulls them along in inner tubes. Guest Jordan says, this is f***ing dope. Tasha’s ex texts her that she gave up on her best mate, and in her interview, she says, none of this is okay. It clearly needs to end. She texts him that she can’t make this work.

The guests use the slide, and guest Michael asks the theme for tonight. Tasha tells him, it’s the casino dinner, and he says, Vegas! Dominique corners Dave, and says he likes big pancakes with crispy edges, not too fluffy, made with coconut oil. He explains how he makes them, Dave says he’ll give it a go, and they bro shake on it. Captain Sandy says she’s glad Ellie joined them, and asks where she sailed. Ellie says, the Caribbean and South America, and the captain says, she’s seen some rough seas. Ellie says, they lost engine power in Norway during a storm in an area historically known for shipwrecks. It was a life-changing experience. The captain asks if they used the life rafts, but Ellie says, they couldn’t because the weather was too bad; the waves were 10 to 20 meters. In Ellie’s interview, she says, it was hard thinking about her parents, since she’s an only child. Thinking of the pain it would cause them was heartbreaking. She tells the captain, they were evacuated by helicopter; it was a 27 hour mission. The crew preps for Vegas night, and Dave makes lobster and short ribs surf and turf. Dominique says he lost his gold chain in the water, and pouts. Guest Jordan asks why he wore it while doing water sports, and Dominique says he always wears it. Well, take it from someone who once lost a pair of sunglasses to the ocean, things are gone that fast, so don’t wear your favorite accessories. He wants to go diving for it, and a guest tells Courtney that Dominique’s chain cost the price of a home. In Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s hard to say no to a guest, but they’re in a bay and the current is going out. Someone would have to dive 40 meters, and there’s still no way to find it. She sees him stressing out, but there’s no way they can do it until the morning.

Jordan says, Dominique wants to look for his sh*t, and Courtney tells Captain Sandy that the guest is wondering if there are diving facilities there. The captain asks how deep it is, and Courtney says, 14 meters. Captain Sandy says, it’s even deeper where they were tubing. The chain is like a needle in a haystack. Tell him to make a claim to his insurance company; it’s gone. Courtney gets the unpleasant task of telling Dominique, explaining that it only gets deeper, and it’s the strongest current they’ve had all season. She’s sorry. She knows it’s not the news he wants to hear. Guest Ashley tells him to file an insurance claim. Life happens. In her interview, Courtney says, it’s long gone in Spain. Then she gets confused about Spain/Malta geography. I sympathize, as I, too, am geographically challenged. In Tasha’s interview, she says, losing Kyle brought her and Natalya closer. She’s surprised that it’s actually nice spending time with Natalya. Reid talks to Ellie, and in his interview, he says, his friends think he’s flirty. Ellie says she has a Playboy bunny costume with her, but doesn’t know if it fits the theme, and Tasha tells her, if she’s comfortable wearing it, bring it on. In Ellie’s interview, she says she’s known for her costumes, but there’s not enough time on the boat to bring in other personas. Storm tells the deckhands to put away the toys, and says, everyone is doing a great job. The guests get ready for dinner, and Courtney puts on Ellie’s other bunny costume because of course she has two. Mzi says he can die a happy man. In her interview, Ellie says, luckily, they have skirts so they can be presentable to the guests. They’re working for tips, but not those kinds of tips. Storm comes out dressed like a 70s porn star, and says, he’s the fluffer, director, and lead actor. The guests are seated, and in Dave’s interview, he says, Dominique wants a thin pancake, so he’ll make crêpes. He even has a blowtorch to make it crispy on the outside. Dominique pushes the plate away, and says he asked specifically for pancakes. He’s not eating that sh*t. While I wouldn’t have put it quite so rudely, a crêpe has a very different taste from a pancake, so I think I get where he’s coming from.

Captain Sandy checks on the guests, and Dominique tells her that he’s not a crêpe person. She relays the message to Dave that Dominique wants pancakes, but Dave says, he wants the opposite. In Dave’s interview, he says he was told, the guest doesn’t like American style pancakes, and wants them thin and crispy on the outside. We flash back to that, and he says, so he sent up a thin pancake. He tells the captain, they had a massive conversation about it, and she says, the guest doesn’t look happy. Back at the table, Domonique tells the captain that he’s not upset. The chef’s not wrong, he just made crêpes.  He admits he’s difficult, and she asks if he wants it a little bit thicker, in between a crêpe and a pancake. Tasha tries flipping the latest pancake effort, but fails miserably. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Ellie is doing well with the laundry; she’s surprised. Tasha brings up a giant pancake, and Dominique is skeptical. She says, he has to be honest. They’ve got to nail this pancake. He says, it’s just a little technique, and she says, he has to show them; she’s intrigued. He says he’ll try it, and takes a bite, but it’s a no. The surf and turf is served, and is a lot more well-received. Guest Tyler brags that he can snort a spaghetti noodle and have it come out his mouth, and Dominique asks for noodles. Tasha relays this to Dave, and in his interview, Dave says, the same guest that’s pissed off about the pancake wants something else. Storm and Dave try this party trick, and even though they can’t master it, I’m grossed out. Guest Mook naps, and Tyler makes good on his brag, grossing me out even more. I may never eat spaghetti again.  

The guests play poker, then go to bed. Ellie asks Reid to help clear the table, and thanks him for helping her with her bunny tail. In Ellie’s interview, she says, when she’s at a new job, she tries to impress everyone by jumping into it as quickly as possible. All is quiet by 4 am, and the crew is up early. Tasha’s ex texts Dave, calling him a bully, and Dave radios Tasha to meet him in the galley. He tells her that her boyfriend is calling him a bully, but she says, he’s not her boyfriend. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she’s made so many mistakes. She and Dave shouldn’t have happened, but the relationship with her boyfriend should have ended years ago. Now he’s just trying to hurt her. Dave says he hates bullies, and Tasha asks how he wants her to deal with it. He says he doesn’t. He just wants her to know it’s a super sh*t situation. Like she doesn’t know this already. He says he’s never been aggressive toward her, and she snorts. We flash back to Dave’s night of rage texting Tasha, and Dave being an a-hole in general. She says, some messages, and Dave says, that was one time. It’s a load of rubbish, and it hurts him. Her ex is a wanker, and if he wants to bring Dave into it, he’s in. He’ll f***ing break his neck. Tasha says, this is stupid, and she’s not talking about it. She jets, and Dave acts all dramatic. Tasha locks herself in her cabin bathroom, and in her interview, she says, this has been building and building, and now it’s a massive, out of control snowball.

Next time, the finale, lots of drinking, flashing, and pole dancing; Mzi says, this is the wildest side he’s ever seen of everybody; Reid says, his grandma is going to kill him; Kyle comes back; Dave makes the wrong pancake again; Ellie is late to work her second day; the crew members talk about their rose and thorn; and Storm gets emotional.

✌🏼 Vote…

Tomorrow, join me for soap and tales from the teapot. Until then, stay safe, stay using your privilege to vote, and stay fessing up. It’s better than letting things fester.

November 1, 2022 – Valentin Gets an Unexpected Assist, 21st Birthday On Deck & Fall

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Halloween Festival, Sonny asks if Donna and Avery want to check out the pumpkins or bob for apples, and Avery says, Mama Carly says bobbing for apples is a bad idea. You never know what might be floating in there. I laugh, thinking of Mary Pat’s head in the barrel – best Halloween episode ever. Sonny says, that’s a good point. Avery tells Donna, they have to get candy before there are only raisins left, and Sonny says, raisins are the worst. Nina comes by, and suggests they come with her. She can lead them to all the good stuff.

Sam asks Carly to tell her about Jacksonville, and Carly says, she feels more level and centered than she ever has before. She looks distracted, and Sam says, before what? Sam follows Carly’s gaze, and sees Sonny and Nina with Donna and Avery.

In her office on the phone, Alexis says she’s happy with the lead story, but not the headline. She asks if they can give her revision, and thanks them. Drew comes in with Scout dressed like a butterfly, and Alexis picks Scout up, spinning her around, saying, how beautiful. Drew asks how Alexis’s day is going, and she says, much better now that they’re here. Her laptop beeps, and she says, one second. She looks at the article headlined, Can Cops Stop Hook Before Halloween?

Valentin tells the nun, what an unexpected pleasure to see you… She takes off her cowl, and he says, Laura. He asks if this is some kind of divine intervention, but she says, God didn’t send her. His girlfriend did.

The guard tells Anna that she has a visitor, and Finn walks in. She asks if he was in the neighborhood, and he says he tried to bring flowers with a chisel inside, but these guards are taking their job very seriously. She says, nice try though, and he says, sorry for missing her hearing. He was on his way when he got held up at the hospital with this Heather Webber woman. She says, oh God, Heather. She hopes Heather is in a straightjacket with armed guards, but he suggests they not talk about his problem and talk about hers. He heard she was denied bail. She says, her occupation. Spy for the international community is right next to flight risk in the dictionary. He asks, what happens now? and she says, now, it’s only going to get worse.

Robert brings Holly into his office, and she asks, what’s the plan to break Anna out of jail, short of an actual jail break? He says, now that she’s been denied bail, he’s run out of options, but she says, the Robert Scorpio she knew wouldn’t have stopped until he exhausted every last one. He tells her, he said he was running low, not giving up. He’s still the man she knows.

Elizabeth says she hates to disappoint her parents, but she came here looking for answers, and she’s not leaving without them. Over the last twenty-five years, she’s built a good life for herself and her family. She’s been independent for so long, she can’t remember what it’s like to have parents. Now she needs answers only they can give. Jeff asks what kind of answers she’s looking for, and she says, answers about their past in the Mariana Islands. He says, they haven’t seen her in years, and this is what she wants to discuss? She says, it’s the only thing she wants from them; answers about what happened. Carolyn asks, what makes her think something significant happened? and Elizabeth says, about a year and a half ago in Port Charles, there was an accident in one of the stairwells at the hospital. It triggered a memory. Carolyn asks if she’s sure it was a memory, and Elizabeth asks, what else could it be? Carolyn says, the brain responds to trauma in any number of ways. Could this just be something she made up?

Alexis asks, who likes candy? and Scout says, she loves candy. Alexis offers her a bowl, and says, she can have some now, but she’s giving the whole bowl to Scout’s daddy, so she won’t eat it. Happy Halloween. Scout says, look at her wings, and twirls around. Alexis says she can’t stop looking at them; they’re so beautiful. Drew says, she couldn’t wait to show her grandma, and Alexis says she looks forward to any opportunity to see her grandbaby. Drew’s been out of town, and not alone. His name’s been in the news, along with someone else’s.

At the fair, Donna and Avery run to Carly, who hugs them, and says, their costumes are amazing. (Donna is a pumpkin and Avery is a colorful leopard.) Avery says, Carly’s been gone a long time; they missed her. Carly says she missed them so much. Maybe they can have a sleepover. Avery asks if Aunt Nina can come too, and Donna says, can she? Avery says, they had an awesome pajama party the other night. Sam suggests they let Carly and their dad talk, while they loot some candy. Avery asks, what’s looting? and Sam says, they’ll talk about it, as she leads them away. Sonny says he didn’t expect to see Carly until tomorrow, and Carly says she didn’t expect to see Nina with her daughter, but Nina says, the MetroCourt is one of the sponsor’s of the fair. Carly asks to talk to Sonny in private, and they step away. She asks, what the hell is going on? and he says he brought his daughters to the Halloween Festival. She says, on a date with Nina? but he says, she’s working the Festival. He brought his daughters. What’s the problem? She says, she specifically asked him not to have Nina spend the night when Donna is there. So why is Donna talking about sleepovers with Aunt Nina?

Robert tells Holly that Anna’s been in the PCPD lock-up overnight, pending a transfer to Pentenville where she’s awaiting trial. Holly says, Pentenville’s a dangerous place for anyone, let alone a decorated law enforcement agent like Anna, and Robert says, she’ll be a target. And Victor gets his way when he had her framed for Lucy’s murder. Holly says she was hoping Lucy would be found by now, and Robert says, right now, he’s grateful she was found. As for Lucy, they just sit around and wait for the next miracle. His phone rings, and he says he has to take it. She says, what is it? and he says, Anna’s last chance.

In Switzerland, Laura puts her nun garb back on her head, and tells Valentin that Anna called. She said Valentin was visiting Charlotte, and she was afraid his father had set a trap for him. So she got the first flight out of Milan, and now she’s here. Valentin says, Victor did set a trap by sending him here, but it was for Anna, and Laura asks if something happened to her. He says, while he was out of the country, his father set a trap for Anna by having someone pose as her and shoot Lucy Coe on the dock in Port Charles. Laura says she heard about it; poor Lucy. He says he’s grabbing Charlotte and getting out of here, and she says she’s here to help him any way she can. He says, let’s go, but the door is blocked by a big bald man.

Elizabeth says, this is definitely a memory, but Jeff asks how she knows. People remember things wrong, even important things, so how can she be sure? She says, something went wrong in the Mariana Islands, and their behavior since proves that. The two of them have been missing from her life and her family’s life for the past 25 years. Then all of a sudden they decide to reach out. Not to her, but through Jake and Terry. Something had to have happened to make them want contact. Jeff says, Jake had just lost his father; they were concerned. Elizabeth says, they weren’t concerned over any of her pregnancies, or any of the times she got married or divorced, or when her husband died. There was plenty of time for them to show up; if not for her, at least for their grandchildren, but they never did until now. Why did they contact Jake after Franco died? Jeff says, they’re sorry for what she’s been through, but what is it she wants to know? She says, who is Reiko Finn?

Finn asks Anna if there’s a plan, and if so, how can he help? She says she’s glad to see him, but it’s her problem. Shouldn’t he be with Violet, getting her ready for trick or treat? He says, she’s with his dad. His dad can enjoy the getting ready part, and he’ll take her around the neighborhood later, and eat all the good candy when she falls asleep. Anna asks what costume she’s wearing, and he says, purple princess, showing Anna a picture on his phone. She says, she’s so cute, and he says he made it himself. She says she misses Violet, and he says, Violet misses her. She asked the other day when Anna is coming over for a tea party. Anna says, it might be a while, and he says, in the meantime what can he do to help? She says she meant what she said; stay clear of her problem. He has his life and his family. Be there for them; for Violet, his brother, his father, and Elizabeth. He asks, where’s Valentin in all this? and she says, he’s dealing with something; it’s important. He says, more than her being framed and jailed? and she says, he’ll be here when he can. He says, trust isn’t easy though, is it? and she shakes her head.

Robert comes back, and Holly asks if he found another way to help Anna. He says he’s trying to schedule another hearing before a judge who will grant her bail, but she says, if memory serves, in New York State, once a bail decision has been made, the only way it can be modified is if there’s a change in circumstance. He asks if she’s been brushing up on New York law, but she says she’s been before a judge or two in her day. Has anything changed to help Anna get another hearing? He says, that’s what he’s trying to figure out. He has to find someone who will go over Judge Walsh’s head. She says, this is a big mistake that could backfire disastrously. He needs to stop.

The man comes over to Laura and blesses himself, saying, sister. She says, good day, sir, and she and Valentin start to leave, but the man says, he’s Charlotte Cassadine’s father. Valentin says, that’s right, proudly so. The good sister was just about to show him the bell tower, since he’s waiting for Charlotte to get ready. You know how teenage girls are. The man says, indeed, but he’s never seen the sister here before. What’s her name?

Sonny tells Carly, there’s not much she can say as far as the time he spends with Avery, and she says, but Donna on the other hand… He says, Nina never spent the night when Donna was over. And not that she cares, Nina never spent the night when Avery was over either. She says, what about the pajama party? and he says, that was movies and pizza. She says, okay. She misunderstood. She’s sorry. She thanks him for respecting her boundaries, and he says, about that. Her boundaries aren’t working for him anymore.

Nina asks Sam where Avery and Donna are, and Sam says, Danny and Rocco are helping them rack up candy. Nina asks if Sam came back to run interference in case Carly had a meltdown, and Sam says, Nina is with Sonny, and Nina’s happy, and Sam is happy for her, but Carly is her friend, and she’s here to support her.

Carly says, as long as she and Sonny are co-parenting Donna, he needs to respect her feelings, but he says, that goes both ways. When he asked her not to have Nina spend the night when Donna was over, Nina wasn’t a part of his life. She says, Nina’s been a part of his life since Nixon Falls, but he says, it’s different now; they’re together, and it’s official. She says, congratulations, and he thanks her. He says, it’s getting difficult to separate his relationship with Nina from his family, and she thanks him for making the effort, but he says he didn’t agree to put his life on hold indefinitely; that would not be realistic. And if the roles were reversed, and she was seeing someone, he wouldn’t ask her to keep Donna from them. She asks how he knows she’s not, and he says, is she?

Alexis says she read Drew was on a crusade with Carly to save a working class cemetery from redevelopment, and he says, it didn’t end the way they’d hoped, but it all worked out. She says, now that they’re done with the small talk, why doesn’t he tell her why he’s really here. He asks if it’s that obvious, and she says, he’s in the company of a beautiful monarch butterfly, yet he looks troubled. He says he needs advice on a legal matter that could ruin more than one life.

Carolyn says she remembers Reiko, and Jeff says, she was another physician in Doctors Without Borders. There were a few of them stationed on the various islands. Elizabeth says, but she wasn’t just any physician to them, was she? and he asks what she wants to know about Reiko. Why ask about her at all? Elizabeth says, because Reiko is who she remembers. She has this memory of arguing with Reiko – which is crazy to begin with, since she was a teenager and Reiko was a doctor – but she remembers telling Reiko to stay away from her father. Why would she say that? Just tell her. What was his relationship with Reiko? Jeff says, he needs a breather, and suggests they go for a walk; just him and Elizabeth, father and daughter. She asks why they can’t do this in front of her mom, and he says, fine, since she refuses to let this go. He and Reiko had an affair. Elizabeth says, when she was married to Finn at the time. From what she was told, Reiko was a good person. I say, please, you know better than that, and Jeff says, good people do bad things. Thrown in the middle of nowhere, working long hours, with only strangers as friends, people get lonely. She says, he had his entire family with him, and she looks at Carolyn, who looks at the floor. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. They probably should have gone on that walk. She’s sure it’s a shock. Carolyn says, it’s not.

Holly tells Robert, look at himself. Moving around court officials, looking for loopholes. He says, it’s called practicing law, but she says, it’s not him. It could jeopardize his standing as DA. It could destroy his career and mess up his life. He says he can’t sit around and watch the mother of his child get squeezed by Cassadine. She says, keeping Anna out of Pentenville is just the first step. Anna is going to need him as the DA to help her out later on. If he gets into trouble, it could cause even bigger problems for both of them down the road. He says, she’s got a point. He already has the Deputy Mayor breathing down his throat because she works for Cassadine. It certainly wouldn’t be a good thing if he was caught doing a favor for Anna. She thanks him, and he says he thinks she’s onto something. They could use a break. She says, and while they’re at it, maybe they could figure out how to nail Victor. She starts to get up, but sits back down, and Robert asks if she’s all right. She says she just got a little dizzy for a moment, but she’s fine. He says, she’s definitely onto something, and suggests they get some fresh air.

Laura says she’s Sister Margaret, visiting from the diocese. It’s lovely to meet you, Mr… He says, Mattis, and she says, Mattis, meaning gift of God. His parents must have been people of faith. He says, they are, and she says, as is he. Unless he has other business here in the chapel. He says he came to pray, and she recommends he commune with nature. They’re meant to have a very beautiful sunset tonight. Perhaps he can find God in the sky. He thanks her, saying, he thinks he’ll do that, and she says, marvelous. Charlotte’s escort groans from somewhere in the shadows, and Mattis moves toward him. Valentin and Laura try to jet, but Mattis says, stop. What happened to him? Laura says, that poor soul. They found him, passed out drunk on stolen Communion wine. She thought it would be best to just let him sleep it off. Mattis draws his gun, and says, he only drinks vodka. Laura says, a gun has no place in the house of the Lord, and Mattis says, agreed, but neither do imposters. The bell tolls, and while Mattis is distracted for a moment, Valentin picks up the collection plate, and whacks him on the back of the head, knocking him out. Valentin wonders who rang the bells ten minutes early, and Doc walks in, wearing a priest’s collar. He says he thought his timing was spot-on, and Laura hugs him. Valentin says, peace be with you father, and Doc says, and also with you.

Carly tells Sonny, it’s not about who she’s seeing. It’s about the fact that he is seeing Nina and how that impacts Donna. He says, he’s being very careful in how he introduces Nina to Donna, but Nina is a part of Donna’s life. She says, all right. That’s his decision, and she’ll try to respect it. He thanks her, and says, one more thing. He believes their family is safe from the attacker, but he’s cautious. She says she wants the girls protected, and he says, he also wants protection on her. She says, she’s fine; she can take care of herself. Carly goes over to Sam, and Sonny follows. Nina says she just wants Carly to know, when it comes to Donna… Carly says, don’t talk to her about her daughter. Leave that to Sonny. She asks if Sam is ready, and she and Sam walk away together.

Sam says she’s not telling Carly what to do, and Carly says, Sam would never do that. Sam says, Carly told her that she was in a good place, and she’d hate to see Carly throw that away. Carly says, Sam’s right, and Sam says, tell her about Jacksonville, but Carly says she told Sam already. Sam says, Carly told her the ending. Start over. She wants to hear everything. Carly flashes back to kissing Drew, and Sam says, tell her every single detail.

Anna asks, what’s going on with Elizabeth? and Finn says, nothing compared to what Anna’s dealing with. She says she has plenty of time to ruminate about her situation. She thinks she can spend five minutes for a friend. He says, he’ll give her the five minute version then. Elizabeth is with Terry at a medical conference and spa, and she says, that sounds amazing. He says, the spa is in Monterey, and that’s where Elizabeth’s parents live. Parents she hasn’t spoken to in 25 years. Anna asks if Elizabeth is planning on seeing them, but he says he doesn’t know. Elizabeth didn’t mention it to him; he heard about it from Cameron. He has to believe Elizabeth just didn’t think about it. Her parents aren’t in her life, and it’s all a big coincidence. Anna says, but? and he says, not when he thinks about how much it weighs on Elizabeth. She says she sees why he’d doubt that was a coincidence, but sometimes that’s all it is. He says, and other times? So he’s not completely crazy thinking Elizabeth left him out of the loop on purpose, and she says, no, he’s not. What does he think he’s going to do about it?

Holly and Robert walk to the Festival, and Holly says, this is so charming, and just the right amount of scare. He says, the color’s come back to her cheeks; the fresh air agrees with her. She says, it could be the company, and he says, that too. He’s sorry he’s been preoccupied with Anna’s situation, but she tells him not to apologize, not to her. What game should they play first? She wants him to win her a candied apple, but he says, these days, people buy candied apples, but he feels like he’s already won.

Nina says, of course (🍷) Sonny doesn’t have to tell her anything if he doesn’t want to, but it seemed pretty intense between him and Carly. He says, they spoke frankly about her and Donna, and Nina says, and? He says he told Carly that she doesn’t get to call the shots in his and Nina’s relationship. He respects Carly as Donna’s mother, but the time Nina spends with his daughters is his decision. She says, yay, and Sonny sees Holly. He says, hot damn.

Elizabeth says, Carolyn knew about Reiko? and Carolyn says, she and Elizabeth’s father have been through a lot. They’ve worked through their difficulties over the years, and don’t need Elizabeth dragging it up. Leave it where it lies. Elizabeth says, she’s sorry; she can’t. Did she walk in on Reiko and her father? Is that why she told Reiko to stay away from him? Jeff says, yes, and she says, but it didn’t end there; there’s more. He says, what does it matter? and she says, it’s taken over her life. She’s been blacking out, losing time; she attacked someone. She’s been lying to the man she loves, who happens to be Reiko’s widower, because she doesn’t want to lose him to her dysfunctional family’s history. Finn looks out for her and the boys, and she wants answers as much for him as for herself. Something bad happened. Just tell her what it is.

Doc and Valentin come into the chapel, and Laura asks if it’s all taken care of. Doc says, luckily, the stairs to the crypt are right here. They’re all tied up there, and no one’s going to find them for a while. Valentin thanks Doc for the assist, and Laura says she thought it was best not to come alone. Doc says, the plan was, he was going to wait in the car until Laura came back with Valentin and Charlotte, but when no one showed, he thought there might be trouble. He found the bell tower, and thought it could be a distraction, or at least a signal. Laura says, it was perfect, and Valentin suggests they grab Charlotte and get out of here. They start to leave, and Valentin stops. Laura says, what now?

Sonny says, Holly Sutton, alive and well, and she says, the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. He asks how she is, and she says, physically, she seems to be fine, but the last two years of her life, gone. He says, been there, and she says, maybe he can tell her about it. Robert says, she can read about it online, and Sonny introduces Nina and his old friend Holly, and Nina says, it’s nice to meet her. Holly says, likewise. She just saw they’re selling hot cider; she’ll be right back. Sonny tells Robert, he heard Anna was arrested for Lucy’s murder, and Robert says, she was. Sonny asks if they found a body yet, but Robert says, not yet, Sonny says he also heard Victor Cassadine was behind all this. Robert says, that’s the popular theory, and Sonny asks, how’s Anna? Robert says, she was denied bail, and they’re shipping her off to Pentenville tomorrow to await trial, and Sonny says, Anna can’t go to Pentenville. Nina says she can’t believe they denied Anna bail, and Robert says he’s not happy about it, but his hands are tied. He’s had to recuse himself from this entire case. Sonny says, it’s all Victor’s doing, and Robert tells him that he can’t say that. Sonny says, Robert doesn’t have to because Victor is going to pay. Robert says, on that, they agree, and Sonny says, maybe he can help. Robert asks what he has in mind.

Carly tells Sam, she didn’t save the cemetery, but she was able to do right by Virginia. Sam says, no surprise there, and Carly says she came back feeling like herself, and feels closer to both her mothers than she has in a very long time. And she took her mother’s last name; she’s Carly Spencer. Sam says she likes it; it suits Carly. Carly says, it does and she loves it, and Sam says, Drew went to Florida to visit her, right? Carly says, he helped her with the whole cemetery thing, and Sam says she bets it was nice to have some support. Carly says she couldn’t have done it without him, and Sam says, yet Carly’s barely mentioned him. Why is that?  

Drew says she knows Alexis isn’t a lawyer anymore, but he has questions and trusts her. She says, make no mistake. She is a lawyer. She’ll always be a lawyer. She’s just not a practicing one at this time, which means there’s no attorney/client privilege here. He says, okay, understood, and she says, but he could run by a hypothetical scenario, and she can offer unofficial advice. He says, okay. Let’s say there’s a CEO of a company, and he wants to merge that company with a larger company that happens to be owned by his family. And what if his friend purchased stock in that company before the attempted merger. Would that look like insider trading? She says, hypothetically, did this CEO share this information with the friend before the merger was official? He says, yes, but, and this is important… She says, and thoroughly imaginary, and he says, he didn’t ask his friend to drive up the stock value. In fact, he tried dissuade said friend – she says, said imaginary friendfrom being involved whatsoever. Would that be an example of insider trading? She says, hell yes, and he says, she didn’t even have to think about it? She says, the friend bought the stock based on confidential information from the CEO of the company. That is textbook insider trading. He asks, how bad could this get in real life? and she says, both parties could serve prison time. She asks if there’s been any inquiry from the SEC, hypothetically, and he says, no. She says, that’s good. They would have to prove the CEO and the friend were entering into conspiracy, and that would be harder to do, unless there’s a family or romantic connection. As long as these hypothetical individuals are just acquaintances or casual friends, anyone trying to press charges would have a hard time finding someone to look into it.

Jeff tells Elizabeth to walk him through it. What exactly does she remember? She says, she and Reiko were at the top of a flight of stairs. She warned Reiko to stay away from him, and next thing she knows, Reiko is at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious. He asks if that’s all she remembers, and she says, yes. Can he fill in the blanks? He says, she walked in on him and Reiko in a… close moment, but Elizabeth says, that doesn’t explain how she was at the bottom of the stairs. Does Carolyn know what happened? Carolyn says, she wasn’t there, but Elizabeth says, that’s not what she asked. Is Carolyn protecting him? Jeff says, this is all he can say. Please just leave it alone. Elizabeth asks if he pushed Reiko down the stairs. Come on, we all know the answer here.

Valentin says he has no idea how many men Victor has watching Charlotte, and Laura says, there’s a rear entrance to the building. Maybe they should take that. Valentin thanks them, and says he owes them, and Laura says, they plan to collect. Doc says he still owes Valentin a bullet to the shoulder, and Valentin says, maybe now’s his chance to collect, but Laura suggests the find Charlotte before there are any more surprises.

Alone, Alexis goes through the mail and takes out a letter. She tears it open, and reads it. She looks scared and/or shocked.

Carly says she doesn’t know what Sam means, and Sam says, Drew helped her through a very personal time in her life, and she seems reluctant to talk about him. Carly says, it’s Drew; he’s helpful. Not much more to say. Sam says, if there were something more, Carly knows she can say it to her, and Carly says, since she’s asking, there is something Sam should know. Drew sees them talking.

Sonny suggests he find a way to keep Anna out of Pentenville, and Robert asks if any of his plans don’t involve Anna going on the run and becoming the Bureau’s most wanted. Sonny says, any suggestions? What is Robert doing to stop this from happening? Robert says, whatever he’s doing, Sonny is going to stay out of it. He’s got this under control.

On the phone, Holly says, she has an update. Robert is making moves on Anna’s behalf. He’s planning to intervene with the judge, and get Anna another hearing… Yes, she’s sticking close to him. Her eyes are filled with tears, and she looks at Robert.

Finn tells Anna, he wants to be there for Elizabeth, but he doesn’t want to push to the point where she ends up shutting him out. She asks if he’s going to confront Elizabeth about it, but he says, no. She needs time to figure this out on her own. Him pushing isn’t going to solve any of her problems. Anna says, she thinks that’s wise, and asks if she can make a suggestion. He says, by all means, and she says, whatever reason Elizabeth has for keeping her movements from him, she doubts it’s to push him away. She thinks in addition to figuring things out, Elizabeth might be trying to keep Finn safe from whatever consequences there might be. Finn says, Elizabeth is protecting him, like he’s been trying to protect her, and Anna says, different methods, same intention. She thinks when the time is right, Elizabeth will tell him that, and she has every faith they’ll work it out. He thanks her, and says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he has every faith the truth is going to come out, and Anna will be exonerated and out of here in no time. She thanks him, and says she hopes he’s right. But they both know with situations like hers, the future’s not really very certain.

Jeff tells Elizabeth, yes, it was him. He pushed Reiko down the stairs. He didn’t mean to do it, but that’s what happened. End of story. Carolyn tells him, stop, but he says, he’s told Elizabeth what she needs to know. It’s fine. Carolyn says, no, it’s not. What it is, is over. He says, they’ve given up so much; they’ve missed so much. It can’t all be for nothing. Carolyn says, she’s remembering. It’s time she knows the truth. She tells Elizabeth, what happened was, when she was on the stairs… Jeff says, he’ll do it. He was there; he should tell her. Elizabeth says, so he didn’t push Reiko? and he says, no, he didn’t. It was you, Elizabeth. It was you who caused Reiko to fall down the stairs.

Tomorrow, Jordan tells Alexis that she will do no such thing; Sam says, Spinelli is going to help her find out the goods on Cody; Scotty tells Cody that he knows trouble when he looks it in the eye; and Drew tells Carly that it’s something she cannot do.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Kyle takes a good tumble down the stairs, and calls for help. He tells Natalya that he twisted his ankle, and she tells him, stay there. She radios Captain Sandy, and tells Storm to grab an ice pack. Tasha runs downstairs to help, and Storm wants to assess the damage. He asks what Kyle felt when he fell, and Kyle says, just pain. They carry him to a couch, and Natalya tells the captain that Kyle rolled his ankle. Tasha straps the ice pack on his angle, and the captain asks, what happened? Kyle says he missed the small step around the corner, and she says, if he can’t put weight on it, he’s going to the hospital. He needs an X-ray. Storm and Tasha take him to a taxi, and Captain Sandy sends a text to him, telling him to keep her updated. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the interior is taking the pressure for them being stuck on the dock. Losing a member is hard. She feels sick that it’s Kyle. Word goes around the boat about what happened.

Kyle leaves the hospital, and Captain Sandy and Storm meet him at the dock. His ankle is bandaged, and he says he strained the ligaments. The captain says, the good news is, it’s not broken, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he’s so thankful it’s not broken, but he has to be off his foot for 7 days. Being gay and working in interior, he’s had walls to overcome, and he doesn’t want people looking at him and saying he’s soft. He tells Tasha, and she says she doesn’t want him to leave. In his interview, he says he fought hard to be in this position, so thinking he’s going to be sent home is tough. Tasha says she loves him, and I’m thinking, if she loves him, maybe she should give him the bottom bunk.

In the morning, Captain Sandy says, it’s still terrible, and calls Storm to the bridge. Dave gripes that there are no dish washing tablets, and Tasha asks if he ordered them. He says, it’s not his department, and continues to grumble. The captain tells Storm that she doesn’t think they can leave the dock, but there’s a cove where the guests can do water sports. In Storm’s interview, he says, these guests are used to the world of yachting, and it adds extra pressure. He tells Courtney that he thinks the tip is going to be $30, and Captain Sandy asks Tasha to come to the galley with her. She tells Tasha and Dave that there’s tension here and she can feel it. Service was slow last night, and whatever they’re going through, they’ve got to work through it. She wants to end on a high note. They need to put aside whatever it is, and be professionals. Service was slow, and they need to figure it out. Rise above, and think about the entire crew, not their feelings and emotions. She repeats that she wants to end on a high note.

Guest Grace wants to invite the captain to breakfast, and Tasha asks Captain Sandy if she’d like to eat with them, like she might say no. No surprise, they ask if there’s some way they can do water sports, and the captain says, the sea is so big, but there’s a corner inside a port that she thinks might work. There have SEABOBs and paddleboards. Grace says, the waves are dangerous, and Captain Sandy tells them that Kyle took a bad fall. Primary Katherine says, their luck. No. Kyle’s luck. Wow. Not too self-centered. They are, however, impressed with the breakfast, and Captain Sandy says, Dave is the best chef she’s had, and also the most immature.

In his interview, Storm says he’s aware they need to impress the guests, and the demands on them have been non-stop. Storm and Mzi go to the cove, and put the toys in the water. At the breakfast table, Katherine tells Captain Sandy, if she needs a boat broker, Lila is fabulous. Guest Lila says, she’s sure Captain Sandy is fine; she’s a captain. The guests leave for the cove, and Dave tells Tasha that he doesn’t want to mess up the last two charters. Tasha suggests they speak and try to work properly. What a concept! He says, they wasted a lot of energy, and she says she feels like her normal spark is gone. In Dave’s interview, he says, last night was out of control. He needs to be able to push it away and be professional. The guests get to the cove, where they swim, and use the paddleboards and SEABOBs. On the yacht, Storm helps Natalya do the cabins, and they find tanner all over the bedding – so gross. Kyle tells Tasha that his foot is sore. The doctor told him not to do any vicious activity. How can he be inventive, and not be a sh*tty stew? She tells him that he can Febreze and fold. On the way back, the tender’s anchor gets stuck on a pipe underneath it, and Courtney asks Mzi for help. He dives in.

Primary Garold suggests a strategy, and Courtney says, this is embarrassing. She moves the boat as Garold told her, Mzi gets the anchor off, and everyone cheers. In Courtney’s interview, she says, every day is a school day. When they get back, she apologizes to the guests, and tells Storm that he has no idea what she’s been though. The anchor brought up a pipe. She thanks Garold, and says, sorry, again, although I’m not sure what she has to apologize for. Captain Sandy asks Tasha if they need someone else, but Tasha says, they’ll be fine. They give the guests mini margaritas as the welcome cocktail, and Storm tells Captain Sandy, the guests loved it. In Storm’s interview, he says, the guests were not happy. All they wanted was water sports, but they pulled it off. Now interior needs to take the ball and knock it out of the park. Tasha asks if Kyle fancies helping. It’s Lila’s 21st birthday, and they can’t fail. Kyle blows up balloons, and tells Dave they’d be nowhere without him (Kyle, that is – he’s joking). In his interview, Dave says, it’s a lot of pressure. Last night’s dinner was a nightmare. Tonight’s dinner is his opportunity for redemption. The guests get ready, and the table is elegantly decorated. Dave’s made a two-tiered cake, with orange icing, blue icing dripping down over it. I’m assuming these are Lila’s favorite colors. He says he’s putting 21 sparklers in it. Storm and Courtney offer to help interior, and Katherine tells Tasha that she doesn’t like fish, and Lila doesn’t like raw fish. In Dave’s interview, he says he makes his food according to the preference sheets. We’re screwed, aren’t we? Pretty much all his courses involve fish.

By some miracle, they like the sea bream, coconut broth soup starter. It must be a miracle, because I love seafood, and it sounds weird to me. Tasha asks Storm to help run the dishes, and Mzi cleans cabin mirrors, while Courtney hangs up bathing suits. The next course is tuna – almost always served close to raw – and another miracle occurs. Lila says she didn’t think she liked fish, but now she’s obsessed with it. In Dave’s interview, he says, he’s been so stressed with the tension between him and Tasha affecting the entire boat. He needed that. Katherine says she thinks it’s her favorite meal the entire trip, and I have to say, the tuna does look amazing, and more appetizing than the soup. The servers come in with champagne, sparklers, and the cake. Reid pours champagne directly into Lila’s mouth using a funnel thing. Tasha thanks Courtney and Mzi for their help, and guest Isaac says, Chef Dave, this sh*t is fine. Grace tells interior that it’s midnight, and they want to turn it into as much of a frat party as possible. They’re going into full wild mode. Tasha says, Natalya needs to go to bed, but Natalya says, sleep is not an option. The deckhand’s hunt down a stripper pole, a must for every yacht. In Reid’s interview, he says he set the record in his fraternity for being drunk the longest number of days in a row. He says it’s 69 because he doesn’t want his mom to know the real number. He once sold $1000 of his stock shares to pay his bar tab. They set up the pole near the hot tub, and Tasha serves drinks. Storm causes the dishwasher to overflow with suds, and Natalya tells him, they use tablets. The guests decide to do a conga line through the boat, and in Natalya’s interview, she wonders if this is a joke. Natalya and Tasha have respectively worked 20 and 21 hours with no break, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, it’s obvious with Kyle down, they need extra help. The thought of replacing Kyle is so hard. She knows what she has to do, but she doesn’t want to replace him.

Captain Sandy says, the weather is good, and there’s no danger; they can get off the dock. Thank you, God. Tasha radios the captain to meet her in the pantry. She tells Captain Sandy that she doesn’t think they’ll have Kyle for the rest of the season. She can’t take Courtney because she’s lead deckhand, and Storm needs her. Kyle wants to finish, but it’s not like it’s a large boat where he could just be on laundry. Dave brings Kyle breakfast in bed, which is surprisingly kind of him. The captain tells Tasha that she needs a third person, and goes back to the bridge, telling Storm to free the lines. It’s going to be a little bumpy, but it’s okay; at least they’re off the dock. Storm tells the deckhands, when they anchor, get the toys out immediately. The guests are leaving in three hours. In Storm’s interview, he says, it’s going to feel like ten minutes to the guests. They need to get them in the water as soon as possible. Mzi tells the guests, they’ll make the most of their last hours. Captain Sandy anchors, and the guests cheer. The deckhands put everything out, while Tasha brings a buffet to the table. Lila says she never wants to see the dock again. The captain texts provider Norma that she needs a stew, and Norma says he has just the girl. Katherine says she’s so happy, and suggests they jump off the boat. In Reid’s interview, he says, the guests have to fit in three days in an hour. They’ll try to make the most of it. Tasha tells Dave that she sees Natalya getting exhausted, and she’s a ball of energy. Storm hugs Natalya, and suggests a movie, tea, and cuddle later. Tasha tells Kyle that they need a stew for the next trip, and he says he’s f***ing devastated. She says, but it’s not working, and he says he doesn’t want to be replaced. She says she doesn’t want him to be replaced, and he says, the job is his passion, and being with her is his life. She says she feels like she’s losing her other half, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, the pain in his heart is worse than the pain in his foot, but he respects Tasha’s decision. Kyle tells Tasha that he’s proud of her.

The captain tells the crew to get in their whites, and they line up. Everyone hugs like they’re old friends, and Garold says, Captain Sandy runs a great ship. He thanks her, and says, everyone did a great job; he appreciates them. Geez. Being in the yachting biz, he couldn’t think up something a little more personal? They leave, and the captain tells everyone, they’ll do a quick turnaround. Meet in the salon for the skinny envelope tip meeting. Natalya says she thought they’d say something negative, but they didn’t. Captain Sandy tells them, being stuck sucked for them. They worked so hard. Teamwork makes the dream work. (Ugh.) She tells Kyle, thank God that’s all that happened, and Kyle thanks her, and his two girls who ran to his assistance. The captain says, Kyle is leaving them, and they’re taking on a new stew to fill in for him while he’s hurt. He’s not fired; he’s part of the team. But he’ll be on shore because she doesn’t have an extra bunk. The tip is a surprising $18K, $1600 each. Captain Sandy says, well done, and in Natalya’s interview, she says she thought they’d get the minimum of the minimum of the minimum for being stuck.

In Tasha’s interview, she says, all season she’s had to deal with Natalya’s disrespect, and Dave had issues with her. Kyle has been her rock and emotional support. To lose that, she doesn’t know how she’s going to cope with the next trip. Storm tells Kyle not to forget coffee, and Courtney says, he’s not going to the desert. Tasha and Kyle sit together in a lounge chair, and Kyle tells her that Natalya too much energy; she needed to burn out. In his interview, Kyle cries, and says, Tasha is literally his best friend. They were neighbors, and now their worlds apart. He hopes they can keep their friendship going no matter where they are. He leaves by boat, and looks totally bummed. I’m bummed too. I really like Kyle.

Next time, the final charter; obnoxious NFL players; and Tasha’s ex bugs Dave, who wants to throttle him.

📌 Putting a Pin In It…

Best thing I saw last night – two T-Rex’s cavorting about 🦖, then begging me for some water since those costumes were probably 110 degrees. Here you go, little dinosaurs. Godspeed. Tomorrow, soap, tea, and as many costumes as I can find. Until then, stay safe, stay enjoying the colors of autumn (and pumpkin spice, if you must), and stay understanding good people can sometimes do bad things.

October 31, 2022 – Elizabeth Faces Her Parents, Tomorrow On Deck & Light

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth takes a picture of her and Sarah off the mantel, and hugs it to her chest. She hears the door, and puts it back. Jeff comes in, and says, Elizabeth? She says, dad. You weren’t supposed to be here. Carolyn comes in, asking if Jeff reset the… Lizzie? Oh my God. Is it really you? Elizabeth says, it’s really her, and Carolyn hugs her, but she doesn’t hug back.

Heather screams, hello? Who do you have to sleep with to get medical attention in this place? In the hallway, Alexis sees Olivia, who’s still pretty jazzed, and asks, what’s wrong? Alexis looks through the door window, and says, good God. Who let her out?

Robert says, so Holly decided to wake up. He’s brought her café au lait, and a croissant. She says, he remembered everything, and he says he’s got to go to Anna’s arraignment soon. She says, not looking like that, he isn’t. She sits him down, and he says, it’s been less than 24 hours, and she’s trying to fix him already. She says, in all  this time, he still doesn’t know how to fix his tie properly. He’s hopeless. He says, he was, but not anymore.

Switzerland. Valentin and Charlotte walk into a church, and she says, next to the stables, the chapel is her favorite place. He says, it’s amazing and charming. Does she come here to pray, meditate, or just think? She says she’s not good at praying, and her brain is too busy to meditate. He says he can relate to that struggle (me too), and she says, she thinks about lots of things, mostly missing him. He asks what she thinks about the security there, and she says, Grandpa Victor says, you can never be too safe. Valentin says, that’s one thing they can agree on, when his phone rings. He says, it’s America, and she says, go ahead; she’ll think. It’s Felicia, who says, there’s something Valentin needs to know, and he says he knows Lucy is missing and presumed dead. He’s been trying to get ahold of Anna. He thinks she’s leading the search, but Felicia says, there’s no easy way to say this. Anna’s been arrested.

In her cell, Anna asks Jordan, is it time? and Jordan says, almost. She heard Anna didn’t eat breakfast, and Anna says, the prisoner’s last meal? but Jordan says, it’s an arraignment, not an execution. Anna says, same thing. She wasn’t hungry. She just wants to get this over with. Jordan says, about that. Arden wants to nail Anna to the courthouse door. Is she sure she has the right representation with Scotty? Anna says, Scotty knows she’s been framed, and would love nothing more than to prove Victor’s behind it. Jordan says, knowing he’s behind it and proving it are two very different things, and Anna says, the first thing is to make bail, right? The sooner she’s out of this cell, the sooner she can get Victor in it.

Heather yells, is there a doctor in the house? Alexis asks Finn, what the hell is Heather Webber doing here? Shouldn’t she be in D’Archam? He says, the infirmary sent her here for diagnosis and treatment, and Alexis says, and he has to treat her? Finn says, initially, and Olivia asks if he has the option to refuse, but he says, it doesn’t work that way. She’s a patient; he doesn’t judge, and provides medical attention. Olivia says, proceed with caution. Heather Webber is lethal. Alexis says, she does have a long, perverse criminal history; assault, poisoning, murder… Olivia says, Heather shot her up with LSD, and Alexis says, she kidnaps adults and children alike; Luke, Carly, her grandson Danny. Olivia says she has to check in with Ned and Dante. And Robert is going to want to know. He’s probably at the hearing right now. She tells Finn, do them all a favor, and treat whatever is ailing that woman, and get her back in the insane asylum immediately. Finn says he was hoping to get to the courthouse, but Alexis says, Anna has plenty of support. Heather now has him.

Holly tells Robert, she’s only been in town two nights, and spent the first night crawling out of a lake. She must say she prefers night number two. He asks if she still has no memory, and she says she doesn’t. She thanks him for being a gentleman and sleeping on the couch, and he says, the way she whacked Victor, she deserved the bed. She says, he had it coming after what Robert told her about Luke and Lucy, and setting up anna to take the fall. He says he has to point out something. Victor Cassadine is… She says, a Cassadine; no more explanation needed. Robert says, he should have been hanged years ago, but here he is, and she says, she’ll proceed with caution, but shew won’t back down. He says, fair enough, but let’s not go out of our way to poke the bear. He doesn’t want to lose her again.

Scotty says, Arden knows she’s wasting the taxpayer’s money, but she tells him, the evidence says otherwise. He says, she doesn’t even have a body, when Martin comes in. He says, they sound like they’re haggling over a parking ticket. This is Lucy Coe they’re talking about; a human life, as well as the woman he loves. So please, a little more respect. Arden apologizes, and Scotty says, he loved her too. Martin says, in that case, when he speaks of her now, do it in the present tense, and Scotty says, she’s wily as a fox. No one gets the best of her. Martin says, he just wishes and prays Scotty is right. He wishes Lucy was here.

Valentin tells Felicia, now he understands why his father was so insistent he visit Charlotte. Tell Anna he’ll be on next flight home. Felicia says, Anna has plenty of people looking out for her. Charlotte only has him, which is why Anna wanted her to insist on her behalf that he stay with his daughter. He says, if he stays, he plays into Victor’s plan, and she says, nothing is more advantageous than an enemy who thinks he’s winning. Stay with his daughter, and make sure she’s safe. Trust her. Victor is not going to get away with this. She turns around, and Victor is there.

Carolyn tells Elizabeth, it’s a lovely surprise, so unexpected, and Jeff asks how she got in… not that she’s not welcome. Elizabeth says she jimmied the door; she doesn’t have a key. She was hoping they’d be out of here. Jeff says, she wasn’t planning on seeing them? and she says she hasn’t seen them in years. Why should today be different? If they’re worried about the door, she’ll pay for the lock. Jeff says he doesn’t care about the lock; he cares about her showing up after all this time. Is she all right? She says, that’s what she’s here to find out, and Jeff asks how the kids are. Cameron must be in college by now. Carolyn says, when Jake called, he sounded so grown up, and Jeff says, he’s into art, right? Elizabeth says, painting, like his stepfather, her late husband Franco. Carolyn says, they’re so sorry for her loss, and Jeff says, truly they are. Elizabeth says, it’s been an adjustment, and Jeff says, it still seems like the boys are thriving. Jake with his painting; Aiden, the master chef. Carolyn says, master dessert chef. The pictures he posted on social media made her mouth water. Elizabeth says, they follow her children on social media? and Jeff says, they check in, and take a peek every now and then. Despite Elizabeth’s ups and downs, she’s provided her boys with a wonderful life. Carolyn says, and she’s managing to move on from the tragedy with a new man in her life. Jeff says, he’s a doctor like them. Maybe they didn’t set such bad example after all.

Gregory comes into the hospital, and asks Finn if he’s free for breakfast. He’s a poor substitute for Elizabeth, but she’s out of town, so he’ll do his best. Finn says he appreciates the offer, but he has a patient to attend to, and Alexis says, good luck. Godspeed. Heather yells, a bedpan! My kingdom for a commode. Finn goes into the exam room, and she says, that’s more like it. He says he’s Dr. Hamilton Finn, and she asks, what kind of a name… Wait. She knows him. He’s the one that slut Elizabeth Webber took up with five minutes after her son was cold.

Gregory asks why Alexis wished Finn good luck and Godspeed, and she says, because the new patient he has is a raging psychopath. He takes it she knows from personal experience, and she says, it’s also public record. She should be in D’Archam. He asks if they should observe, but Alexis says, her best advice is, don’t let Heather notice him. She’s glad she ran into him. Diane is on the mend. He says he’s glad to hear it. He doesn’t want to keep her. He assumes she’s going to the arraignment, but she says she sent a reporter to insure The Invader’s newfound reputation for fairness and impartiality. He says, good call, and she says she’ll give credit where credit is due; he’s a constructive influence. He says, if they’re a good team, why is she avoiding him?

Holly says she’s touched Robert still cares, and he says he never stopped caring. He and Ethan turned Monte Carlo upside down looking for her. She says, instead he found her half drowned in the Quartermaine boathouse, and he says, half drowned, but still gorgeous. She stares into space for a moment, and he asks if she’s remembering something. She tells him to stop asking her every five minutes. She’ll tell him if she does. He says, will she? and she asks if he’s cross-examining her. He’s every inch a DA. He’s still a man of honor, devoted to justice. He says he has to get to the courthouse, but she says, not without her.

Felicia asks, what brings Victor by? and he says, to see justice done. She asks, shouldn’t everybody be on side of justice? She’s sure he’s hoping Anna walks free, and the police find who framed her and expose them. Victor says, he knows Anna is Felicia’s long-time friend, but the PCPD, including her husband, have to follow the evidence wherever it leads. Would she rather Lucy’s killer go free? She promises Lucy’s killer won’t get away with it.

Scotty says he knows Martin is hurting, but he has to ask himself, what would Valentin say if he were here? Victor comes in, and says, if Valentin believed in Anna’s innocence, he would be here. His absence speaks volumes. Wouldn’t they agree?

Charlotte asks if something is wrong, and Valentin asks if she gets homesick. She says, she loves the school, and her friends, and of course (🍷) the horse Grandpa Victor bought for her. Valentin says, that was kind of him, and Charlotte says, she’s glad Valentin was here to see her compete. Valentin says he loved that; he could not have been more proud. He wishes they could be together all the time.

Jordan says she hates this, and Anna says, not as much as she does. She wasn’t about to let that smug ADA have the satisfaction of reprimanding Jordan and Mac for playing favorites. She holds out her wrists, and Jordan says, she promised herself that she wouldn’t allow a repeat of what happened to Trina. She knew Trina was innocent. Anna says, it ended well for Trina, and Jordan says, it will for Anna too, and cuffs her.

Valentin says, Aunt Nina misses her, and Charlotte says she misses Aunt Nina too, and grandmother. Valentin says her grandmother misses her. She’s been through a lot with a family emergency in Italy. Charlotte says, her grandmother told her; her mother’s house burned down. He says, when she gets home, Charlotte’s grandmother will want to spend as much time with her as possible. Charlotte says, Anna too? and he says, Anna too.

At the courthouse, Olivia asks to borrow Robert for a second, and drags him away from Holly. He says, she looks like she’s seen a ghost, but Olivia says, more like an acid flashback.

Finn says, Heather is Franco’s mom. His condolences. She says, right. He’s so sorry for her loss, he’s keeping Franco’s widow’s bed warm. Finn suggests they talk about the reason she’s here, but she wants to talk about him and that whore of a daughter-in-law. He says, they’re not going to talk about his personal life, but she says, she’ll talk about whatever she wants to. He asks if she wants him to order her a nice psychiatric consult; there must be someone on staff she hasn’t already assaulted. She laughs, and says, spicy. She likes him. He deserves better than that bed-hopper Elizabeth. He’s just a shiny stethoscope; a place holder until another shining knight comes along Elizabeth can push away, like she’s going to do to him. He says, she doesn’t know Elizabeth at all, and she says, and he does? She laughs, and he looks at her chart. He asks if she’s been overseas, but she says, only in her dreams. He wonders how she came in contact with something mostly found in the rainforest, and she says, there’s all kinds at D’Archam. There are crazy people in that place. Finn says, Miss Webber… and she says, he’s screwing her son’s wife; call her Heather. He says, he doesn’t want to alarm her, but this strain of bacteria is particularly voracious. It literally feeds on your own skin. She asks if he means it’s going to eat her alive, and he says he’s not going to let that happen, but he needs to know how she contracted it

Robert tells Olivia that his office wasn’t informed Heather was being sent to the hospital. She says, what if Heather escapes? It’s happened before.

Anna comes into the courtroom, and Felicia tells Victor, whoever thought they could get the better of Anna Devane, messed with the wrong person. Victor says, sadly, it seems Lucy learned that the hard way.

Carolyn says, where are her manners? and asks if she can get Elizabeth something to drink, but Elizabeth says, no thanks. Jeff wonders why they’re still standing, and tells her, have a seat, but she says she doesn’t want to sit. Carolyn says, they’re happy to see her, and Jeff says, they thought of coming to Port Charles so many times. Elizabeth asks, why didn’t they? I’m thinking, maybe they knew the kind of welcome they’d get, and Jeff says, with the kind of medicine the practice, they’re in Costa Rica one minute, and the next, in West Africa. Carolyn says, but it all worked out. Elizabeth is a mother, a nurse; she has a rich full life. Elizabeth says, Carolyn does not get to say that to her. They don’t get to be absent all these years, and now act like they’re proud of her life. All of her achievements and successes are because of her and her drive; it had nothing to do with them. Jeff says, it was never their intention to hurt her. She might not believe this, but they made the decision they thought was best; the people who could provide what she needed. Carolyn says, Kenny and Jessica were good people, but Elizabeth says, they were neighbors; they were strangers. She had to run away to find her way back to her family. Jeff says, they were worried sick when she ran away, and Carolyn says, they wanted fly home to search for her. Jeff says, when they heard she was with her grandmother, they knew she’d be safe and okay. Elizabeth says, what they’re saying is, because she was self-sufficient enough to make it to her grandmother’s, it was her fault they stayed away? Jeff says, they made a mistake. In hindsight, they should have reached out to Audrey first. Elizabeth says, how about giving up Doctor’s Without Borders, and stay home and raise their children? Did it ever occur to them? Was it ever even an option? Of course (🍷) not. Saving the world is more thrilling than being a parent. They chose strangers over the welfare of their daughter. Jeff says, they just wanted her to have a nice normal life, but Elizabeth says she knows their reasons and excuses; the lives they’ve saved, and the people they’ve helped. But none of them were their daughter. None of them were her. It’s not selfish for a child to want to be important to their family. Jeff says, she was and is important to them, but she says, they didn’t call; she didn’t know if they checked in. She was 15 and needed both her parents. Jeff says, they did what they thought was best, and Elizabeth says, by cutting her loose? Carolyn says, they wanted her to have a home, but Elizabeth says, they were her home. Not four walls and a roof, but them. She kept thinking when came back from Sarajevo or wherever they were, their next stop would be her; that sooner or later, they’d come back for her. But they never did. Not when she graduated from high school, not when she graduated from nursing school. Not when she was raped on Valentine’s Day, and wanted to die. Not when she had Cameron, Jake, or Aiden. Carolyn wipes tears from her cheeks, and Elizabeth says, not when she thought they’d died, or when they came back. Not when she married Franco, and not when she lost him. They think pictures make them a family. They’re a lie. That’s why she came back. The lies have got to stop.

Finn says, obviously, Heather is a clever person, and Heather says, like son, like mother. He says, it must be child’s play for her to sneak out and sneak back, with no one the wiser, and she says, Finn is too good for Elizabeth; leave her before she leaves him. He says, they’re not here to talk about Elizabeth; they’re here to talk about her. She says, don’t say she didn’t warn him. She’s never wrong. Just ask Jeff Webber if it rings a bell. How about her old friend Anna Devane. Is she still around? He asks if Heather isn’t the one who hit Anna over head with something, and she says she also tried shoot Anna. That snooty little slag. That’s what she’s heard they call people out Anna’s way. He says, don’t talk about Anna that way, and she asks, how is sweet, slatternly Anna these days? He says, it’s probably none of her business, and she says, it sounds like she’s in trouble. Maybe there’s a God after all.

Alexis says she hasn’t been avoiding Gregory. Why on earth would he think that? He says he encouraged her to write the letter to the killer. From now on, he’s sticking to teaching, and leaving The Invader to her. She asks if he’s quitting on her?

Valentin asks if Charlotte doesn’t want to go home, and she says, of course (🍷) she does, but she doesn’t think possible with the timing and everything. He says, let’s go sightseeing. She can show him the town; it looks magical. She says, it is, and he tells her to change, and put on proper walking shoes. He’ll take her to a café, and they can look at the snow on the mountains and sip hot chocolate. Bring an extra coat. She says, her grandfather insists she bring her escort everywhere, and he says, the more, the merrier. And don’t forget her backpack.

Anna asks if Felicia reached Valentin, and Felicia says, he’s safe; so is Charlotte. Victor tells Arden, it would be a shame, a miscarriage of justice, if Lucy’s killer went free, but she says she knows how to do her job. He says he knows, and he’s sure this job is just a stepping stone to bigger, better things. The bailiff says, all rise. Court is in session, the Honorable Judge Walsh presiding.

Jeff says, they’re sorry for the pain they clearly caused Elizabeth. It’s the last thing they wanted. They’re sorry for the hardships she’s endured, but they don’t know what she wants. She was less than pleased when they contacted Jake, so as much as she resents them not being in her life, it’s too late to start. Elizabeth, they abandoned her, and when she doesn’t like them contacting her son, she’s the bad guy? Carolyn suggests they take a moment, but Elizabeth says, they’ve wasted a lifetime of moments; they don’t get any more. They have no idea what she’s been through. She’s here because she’s being haunted by what she can remember, and what she can’t. She’s missing pieces of her memory, pieces of her life. She thought she could come and get answers, but she sees she wasted her time. They can keep their pictures and their excuses. She’s done. She storms out.

Heather asks where Finn is going, and he says, she’s going to need another doctor; one she doesn’t share personal history with. She says she’s no longer worthy of his care? What happened to his vow. First do no harm? He’d really leave her to the ravages of this flash eating disease? Maybe he and Elizabeth do deserve each other; the coward and the tramp. Finn says, when you’re right, you’re right, and she says, which part? His cowardliness or Elizabeth’s faithlessness? He says, his oath. He must do what he can to prevent harm. He gets a syringe ready, and says, he’s going to do what he can to take care of her. She’ll feel a little prick. She says, that’s the story of her life, and he gives her the shot. She says, that’s it? and he says, they’re all done. She asks, what now? and he says, now she’ll lose consciousness. It was a sedative. She says she needs a cure, not knock out drugs, and passes out.

Gregory says he thought Alexis’s silence meant she no longer wanted his input, and she asks if he got this confirmed by two independent sources, or did he make it up all on his own? A, she was busy; B, since when is he so insecure about his input? He lived with an investigative reporter for years. Alexis is sure she must have valued his opinion. He says, she didn’t. She was a professional, reporting from the trenches; for him, it was all theoretical. She was talking about the world, and he talked about how the world was talked about. Does that make sense? Alexis says, absolutely, and he says, it worked for a long time, until it didn’t. She says she wonders what that’s like. She never had a partnership like that. He tells her, who says it’s too late? Finn comes out, and says, wow. Alexis says, told ya, and Finn says, somehow she still didn’t do Heather justice. He needed a breath of fresh air. Anyone want to go for a walk? Alexis tells Gregory, you go, and Finn asks if she’d like to join them, but she says she’s busy. She’ll see Gregory soon. Got it? She walks away, Gregory says, got it.

Valentin tells Charlotte’s escort that he and Charlotte will be doing some sightseeing. Charlotte is going to introduce him to some progress with chocolate, and the escort doesn’t have to tag along. The escort says, where she goes, he goes, and Valentin says he appreciates the man’s dedication, but he’s her father and will keep her safe. He hands the escort some bills, saying, comprendre? The guy tosses the bills on the floor, and Valentin says, maybe he’ll accept this, punching him in the face, but the guy is barely moved. Valentin tries again, but the escort grabs his hand, twisting it, forcing Valentin to his knees.

Arden says, Anna Devane is a trained assassin. The people can present visual evidence that she fired the shots that killed Lucy Coe. Scotty objects, saying, there’s no evidence there even was a murder. Arden says, they also have the gun discovered in Miss Devane’s car, and the ammunition that was discovered in her home. Not to mention the clothes she was wearing at the time of the shooting. Given the defendant has adequate means to leave this jurisdiction and the country undetected, they respectfully request bail be denied. Judge Walsh thanks her, and it’s Scotty’s turn. Scotty says, for cryin’ out loud, everybody knows that evidence was planted. That’s why he’s filed a motion to dismiss. He gives the judge the paperwork, and the judge says, the motion is denied. Scotty says, just like that? and Judge Walsh asks if Scotty would like him to deny it again. Scotty says, it was worth a shot. His client is willing to surrender her passport, so she won’t be skipping town. Arden says, she worked for the WSB, and probably has dozens. The judge says he’s heard what he’s needed to hear, and asks Anna to rise.

Valentin struggles with the escort, when suddenly the escort falls over. Someone (a nun? we don’t see her face) stands there with a candlestick in her hand.

Judge Walsh says, given the defendant’s history, including a long career in law enforcement, both local and international, the latter of which is also based on subterfuge, deceit, and the trading of lives for secrets, as well as the gravity of the charge, the court is left with no other choice – bail is denied.

A nurse looks at Heather’s chart, and Heather opens her eyes.

Finn tells Gregory, Cameron thought the spa Elizabeth was staying at is in Monterey; that’s also where her parents live. Gregory says, Finn is worrying again, but Finn asks if he’s wrong to be concerned. Gregory says, in principle, no, but when Finn worried, everything spirals into these scenarios where he feels compelled to rescue Elizabeth. Finn says, not this time. If Elizabeth needs anything, Terry’s with her, and as Cameron reminded him, Elizabeth doesn’t need him watching over her.

Elizabeth walks out of her parents’ house, then says, no, and goes back in. She says, they’d like that, wouldn’t they? For her to run out of here, and them thinking, they did everything they could; it just wasn’t enough. She slams the door, and says she’s sorry to disappoint them, again, but she came here looking for answers and she’s not leaving without them. I guess she forgets two minutes ago, they were practically begging her to stay.

Scotty tells Arden, enjoy her victory, and she says she is. He says, when he proves Anna was framed, she’s going to look like a patsy. He walks off, and she looks at Victor. Victor tells Martin, you see? Justice is a wonderful thing. Felicia tells Anna, this is just round one. They’re going to fight this, and they’re going to win. Robert says, damn right, and Holly says, if worse comes to worse, she’s more than happy to bust Anna out of jail. Anna says, it’s not a bad idea, and hugs her. Jordan says she’s sorry, and Anna says, she knows. So is she. she holds out her wrists, and Jordan cuffs her, leading her away. Victor looks smug.

Valentin says, what an unexpected pleasure to see you, and the woman takes off her cowl. He says, Laura.

Tomorrow, Alexis asks Drew why he’s really here; Anna tells Finn, in situations like hers, the future isn’t really certain; Valentin asks if this is some kind of divine intervention; and Holly tells Robert, it could be a mistake that backfires disastrously.

🚤 Due to Halloween activities, I had an incredibly late start, so we’ll delve into Below Deck Mediterranean tomorrow. In the meantime, check out the new Deck, which premieres tomorrow.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1066522/below-deck-adventure-captain-kerry-titheradge/

Hannah sez: Happy Halloween!

👄 Just Jumping To the Left…

Hope you had a happy and safe Halloween, and go easy on that candy. See you tomorrow for soap and yachting. Until then, stay safe, stay not worrying about things you can’t control, and stay not going out of your way to poke the bear.

October 24, 2022 – Holly Introduces Herself To Victor, Whiney Brat On Deck & Hand

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna opens the lower compartment of her trunk, and finds a gun. After examining it, she puts it back. She also finds some black clothing, and flashes back to watching the video of Lucy getting shot.

Drew and Carly kiss on the beach, as the camera wildly pans around them, and I feel a little dizzy.

Nina sees Sonny at the hospital, and says, she knows they’re here for Sasha, but has he heard anything about Lucy? Was she found? Is she okay? He says he wishes he had good news, but there’s no word yet. He knows it looks bad, but you can’t bet against Lucy Coe.

In a conference room, Sasha tells Martin, they don’t have to discuss this now. She knows he’s focused on Lucy, as he should be. He asks if she’s kidding. He’s doing this for Lucy. She’d give it to him if she knew he was neglecting a client, especially if that client’s Sasha. Sonny and Nina come in, and Sasha thanks them for coming. Martin said the judge made a decision about her guardianship, and she asks him to tell her.

Scotty tells Felicia that he’s going nutty, and Serena’s going out of her mind. Felicia has to give him something to take back to her. Felicia says she’s been texting Mac constantly for updates, but there’s just no news other than what they already know. Two shots fired, and no sign of Lucy anywhere. He says he can’t believe this is happening. He’s going to hire his own divers, and have them look. She says, Mac and Anna are doing everything they can, but he says he feels in his gut Lucy is alive, and there’s always miracles. She says, he’s right, and they walk into the MetroCourt Gardens, seeing Holly and Robert at a table. Felicia tells him, what was he saying about miracles?

Jordan says she has a job to do, so if Arden doesn’t mind… Arden says she does mind. Victor Cassadine has a team of lawyers who are salivating to sue for unlawful arrest. Jordan says, that’s going to be difficult, considering she didn’t arrest him, but he is a person of interest in Lucy Coe’s disappearance. Arden says she didn’t see him in that drone footage, did Jordan? and Jordan suggests she call Arden’s boss and see if he agrees. Arden says, do not involve DA Scorpio, but Jordan says, it is his case, not Arden’s. Arden says, with all the evidence against his ex-wife and the mother of his child, Robert will have no choice but to recuse himself. Jordan says, they’re in the very early stages of the investigation; it’s way too early to be talking recusal. Just to be clear, the evidence they have at this point is all circumstantial. Arden says, we’ll see, and leaves.

Drew says, that felt different, and Carly agrees. He says he means in the best possible way, and she says, what now? He asks if she means right now, or the big picture? She says, both, but mostly right now, and he says, now they head back to Port Charles. She says she knew he’d say that, and he wonders why she asked. She says, on the off-chance he wouldn’t, and he asks if she doesn’t want to go home. She says, she does; she misses her kids like crazy. She’s just reluctant to go. She found something in Jacksonville that made her not want to leave. He asks, what? and she says, you.

Anna puts everything back the way it was, closing the trunk and stuffing her gloves in her pocket. Dante comes along, and says, she’s still here. Did Jordan cut Victor loose? She says, she had no choice. He lawyered up, and he’s convinced he got away with murder.

Jordan says, Arden is putting a lot of stock in what could be considered falsified evidence, and Arden says, Jordan is giving her friend Anna a whole lot of specialized treatment. Jordan says she’s using the discretion of her office, and Arden says, an office Anna Devane occupied for how many years? She’s been with the PCPD off and on since the 80s. Jordan was her hire, wasn’t she? Jordan says, in the beginning, and Arden says, maybe Jordan’s discretion isn’t so professional after all. How many people in this department, from the old timers to the officers who’ve got five years in feel loyalty to Anna Devane? How many would be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt? Or turn a blind eye? Or actively steer the investigation in another direction? There’s a case here, and she intends to prosecute it. Because she didn’t learn from the last one where she was way off base because of doctored evidence. Jordan calls Robert, and tells him to call her when he can; it’s important. Mac asks, what’s got the ADA all fired up now? but Jordan says, first things first. Any news from harbor patrol? He says he was on a police boat all night and most of the day. They came up empty. She says, no sign of Lucy? and he says he was hoping she had better news. She says, they have a suspect, but he’s not going to like who it is.

Dante says, whoever shot Lucy, it’s just a matter of time, and Anna says, she needs to share something with him. He says, the woman who washed up at the Quartermaines, and she says, Jordan told her it’s not Lucy. He asks if she knows who it was, but she says, no. He says, she’ll never believe it. It was Holly Sutton.

Felicia and Scotty go over to Holly and Robert, and Felicia says she doesn’t believe what she’s seeing right now. Scotty wonders if they died and went to heaven, but Holly says she doesn’t think they’d let him through those gates. Felicia hugs Holly, and Robert tells her, careful; they just fished Holly out of the lake. Scotty asks if there’s a hug for him, and Holly says, always, hugging him. Robert says, he wants to take her home to rest, but Holly says she doesn’t need to rest. She needs faces, people, especially the people she missed so much. Felicia says, not as much as they missed her. Where has she been, and how did she end up in the lake? Robert says, her memory is fragile right now, and Holly says, that’s a kind way of saying, it’s all a fog. She doesn’t remember much about the last two years. Scotty says, poof! She’s just back in Port Charles with no clue? She says, that’s the gist of it, but Felicia says, now that Holly is home, she’s sure everything will come back

Martin says, it’s Sasha’s right to contest the decision, but she should know it could take months, and Sasha says, the decision being? He says, Brando’s death makes it even more imperative that she remain under the guidance of a guardian, and she says she can’t imagine it being anyone except Brando. Who did the judge choose? He says, that’s the thing. He’s sorry, but seeing she has no other living relatives, it will have to be a court-appointed guardian. She says, he means a stranger? and he says he’s afraid so.

Carly tells Drew, when she left Jacksonville in her 20s, she thought she was going after everything she wanted. In retrospect, she wasn’t really running toward anything; she was trying to escape all the mistakes she made here. He says, the funny thing is, she ended up with a lot of what she wanted, and she says, she did. She figured out who she was at her core, and that was huge. But she never realized she was running away. Now she’s able to admit that. He asks if she’s afraid if she leaves now, somehow she’ll lose that clarity, and she says she’s afraid if they leave, it’s going change them; how they are together, the ease between them. She can talk to him about everything and nothing. She loves being with him, and she’s afraid to lose that.

Sonny says, so Sasha’s life and day-to-day decisions are going to be left in the hands of a stranger? and Martin says, that’s correct. Sonny says, that’s not happening, and Nina says, they can fight it. Sonny says, and they’ll win, because if Sasha needs a guardian, he’s in. Nina says, so is she. They’re here to help in any way possible. Martin says, no disrespect intended, but the court will never sign off on somebody with a criminal record, and Nina says, there has to be something they can do; someone else to step in. Gladys walks in, and says, there is. They’re looking at her. I’m wondering why the judge didn’t appoint Gladys right away.

Mac asks where Anna is now, and Jordan says, she believes she was framed. He says, of course (🍷) she was framed, and Jordan says, she went looking for evidence to prove it. He says, obviously. He gets Anna wants to clear her name, but he’s surprised Jordan let her walk. In a good way, Jordan is usually about playing it by the book. She says she still is. That so-called incriminating video may have convinced the ADA, but to her, it screams set-up. And whether or not Anna has it in her to kill Lucy, she doesn’t for one second believe Anna would do it in such a stupid and obvious way. There’s something else going on here. Mac says she’ll get no argument from him, and she says, and in the rush to declare Lucy dead and charge Anna, people seem to be missing the fact that Lucy’s been missing less than 48 hours, and they have no body.

Holly asks why Robert didn’t tell her Lucy was missing, and Felicia says, he was probably too busy pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He says, it’s still sinking in, and Holly says she’s so sorry. What happened? They’ve all wanted to tear Lucy’s hair out at some point – she knows she has – but wanting to kill her. Who would go to those lengths? Victor walks in, and Scotty suggests they ask him.

Anna says, Holly’s alive? and Dante says he saw her in the flesh. Anna says, that’s incredible. She has to call Robert. He says, Robert already knows, and she says, that’s probably why she couldn’t reach him. He says, Robert was one of the first on the scene when the Quartermaines found Holly in the boathouse, and she says, he must be so happy. Damte says, it was a wild reunion, and she asks if Holly is all right. Where has she been all this time, and why didn’t she contact them? He says, her mind seems kind of fuzzy on the details, but they checked her out at the hospital, and she seems fine. Anna says, maybe it’s a sign, and he says, of what? She says, if Holly can be found, maybe so can Lucy. She’s going to see for herself. She goes to her car, but Arden comes by with an officer, and says, Anna’s not going anywhere.

Drew says, looking back on life, it’s a trip, isn’t it? and Carly says, sometimes fun; sometimes not so much. He says he had a similar experience as she did. He joined the Navy right out of high school. Now he realizes he was just looking for a home, and he found that. Those guys are his brothers in every sense of the word. It did fill a void for a little while. She says, but the void’s still there, and he says, after everything that happened, after thinking he was Jason, everything became so clear to him. His whole life he’s just been looking for who he was, where to belong, someone to belong to. She asks if he doesn’t think he found it in Port Charles with the Quartermaines, and he says, yeah, but where he really feels it is with her. He doesn’t want her to think he’s looking to her to be the answer to all his problems. That everything is just going to slide into place, and be happily ever after. She says, good, because happily ever after doesn’t exist, and certainly not with her. He knows her, and inevitably, she’ll get fired up about something, and go tearing off to God knows where, doing God knows what. He says he knows and he’s okay with that. Remember the conversation they had in her kitchen after the Quartermaine picnic? She says, of course (🍷) she does, and he says, she told him that she was scared to see the end before it had even begun. After their time here, does she still feel that way? She says, no. What they have feels solid. He says, in a way it didn’t before, and she says, she guesses Jacksonville not only changed her, it changed them. He says, doesn’t that tell them all they need to know?

Gladys apologizes for being late; stuck in traffic. Sasha tells her, Martin was just filling them in on the judge’s decision. Gladys says she figured as much; a court-appointed guardian? Nina says, Sasha’s not too happy about it, and Gladys says, and Sonny and Nina are out because of their… history. That leaves her. Sonny asks if she’s serious, and she says, he’s the one who told her it’s time to step up and be here for her family. Somebody has to do what Brando wanted, so why not her?

Mac looks at the video, and Jordan says, well? He says, it looks like Anna with a gun, but there has to be another explanation. The video is doctored or… She says, something. He says, this much he knows. No way in hell did Anna lure Lucy to the docks, and shoot her in cold blood. Jordan says, which means someone else did, and set Anna up to take the fall. He says, in other words, Lucy may be the victim, but Anna was really the intended target. She says, exactly, and he says, she knows who’s after Anna, doesn’t she?

Victor apologizes for the interruption, but asks Robert if he has an update on Lucy. Scotty says, Victor is the one who should know, since he’s been spending all that time with her, and Victor says, if only he could. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to find her, so if anyone has any idea how he can help, please let him know. Scotty says, Victor will be his first call, and Victor goes to his table. Holly says, Cassadine? and Robert says, Victor. Scotty says, the rottenest apple in the whole barrel, and Felicia tells Holly, and that’s saying something. Holly says, he seems sincere about wanting to find Lucy; why were they hostile to him? Felicia says, because they think he’s behind Lucy’s disappearance, and Holly says, that suit doesn’t scream cold-blooded killer to her, but Felicia says, looks can be deceiving. In fact… Robert shakes his head, and Holly tells him, don’t give Felicia that look like she wouldn’t catch it. What has that man done?

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Arden says she has a warrant to search Anna’s car. A warrant has already been issued for her home. Officers are on their way as they speak. Anna says, that’s very efficient, and Arden says, when the system works, it works. Anna says she knows Jordan didn’t sign off on that, and Arden says, fortunately, she’s not judge and jury. Dante says, funny. He was going to say the same thing about Arden. Arden says she admires his loyalty, but it’s misplaced. His former boss is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Lucy Coe. Dante laughs, and says, that is insane. Arden says, maybe, maybe not. Let’s take a look and find out. Anna pops open the trunk, and the three of them look inside like there’s an extinct animal living in it. Maybe a baby triceratops.

Walking on the beach, Carly says, Drew was right about everything. Not only is what they have worth pursuing, she wants it. But she wants it because it’s something she chooses, not because it’s something she’s hiding in. He asks if she feels like hiding, and she says she feels like he’s the best thing that’s happened in a long time. She doesn’t want to mess it up because she doesn’t something stupid or makes a dumb mistake. He says, she won’t, and she says, make a mistake? but he says, no. She won’t lose him over it. She asks how he knows, and he says he just does.  Zzzz… Wake me when they’re done with this conversation.

Sonny says, when he told Gladys to step up her game, he didn’t mean she should take on this kind of responsibility, but she says she wants to take on this responsibility. She wants to be here for Sasha, since Brando can’t be, and help her through this awful time. Nina says, keep it in the family? That’s good, right? Sasha says, that’s very good, and takes Gladys’s hand across the table. Gladys says, she’s not Brando – no one is or could be – but she promises to give it her best shot. Sasha says she knows Gladys will. The last thing she wants is a stranger telling her what she can and can’t do, so is it a possibility for Gladys to be her guardian, even though she’s not technically family? Martin says, it’s not the worst idea in the world. In terms of succession, New York State doesn’t distinguish between the mother and the mother-in-law. The judge might be persuaded to see it in the same terms, provided Gladys is a suitable option. Nina says, what’s the worst that could happen? They say no. Gladys says, then it’s decided. Unless Sonny thinks she’s not up for the job.

Jordan tells Mac, Anna is convinced Victor set her up to cover his own tracks. It’s a win-win. He gets rid of Anna and Lucy in one shot. Mac says he thought Victor liked Lucy, and vice versa. Felicia told him they were all over each other when Martin was out of town. She says, they were, but according to Anna, it was all an act on Lucy’s part. Lucy was working for her, trying to get an angle on Victor to connect him to Luke’s murder. Problem is, Lucy went a little rogue. He says, sounds about right, and Jordan says, Anna tried to call her off… He says, but Lucy being lucy, she didn’t listen. So Anna thinks Victor found out and turned the tables. She says, Victor denies it of course (🍷), but if that drone footage can’t be disproved… He says, Victor gets away with murder – again.

On the phone, Victor says, warrants have been issued already? That’s impressive. Remind him to make a sizable contribution to ADA Arden’s campaign if she should decide to run for a higher office.

Robert thinks it’s enough excitement for today, and wants to get Holly home and put her to bed. Felicia says, really, and he says, while he sleeps on the couch. Holly says, this is the worst example of deflection she’s ever seen attempted. What is so terrible about Victor Cassadine? Scotty says, where should he begin? and Felicia tells Robert that Holly’s not going to stop asking. Holly says, like a dog with a bone, and Robert says, an elegant, sweet, loveable dog. Felicia says, Luke is gone, and Holly says, gone, as in… Robert says, yeah, gone, and Felicia says, they had no reason to believe Victor was responsible. They thought it was an accident… Scotty says, accident, my foot. They all know it was premeditated murder. Holly says, she can’t believe it. Luke, of all people. How can that kind of energy cease to exist? Robert says, they’ll talk about it at home, but Holly says, she’s not going anywhere just yet.

Arden comes into the station with Dante and Anna, and Mac says, she can’t just go around harassing law abiding citizens to high-profile the case. Arden says, he may want to rephrase the law abiding part when he sees what they found in the trunk of Anna’s car. She shows him a bag with the gun in it, and Dante says, which Anna showed them voluntarily; she popped the trunk herself. Arden says, also, here are the clothes the perpetrator was wearing at the time she shot Lucy Coe, and Dante asks how she knows what they were wearing. Arden says, from the footage, and as Mac will see, she bears an uncanny resemblance to Miss Devane. Jordan says, footage that hasn’t been verified. They don’t know if anything on there is real. Dante quietly tells Anna that he has to take care of something. They’ve got to play by the rules. The system is working against her, but the advantage they have is, they know someone set her up. They’re going to fix this. Trust in that. Seriously. Does anyone think Anna would be this stupid? Although it was stupid of her not to drive the car somewhere else to look it over.

Drew says, Carly’s not going to lose him, because he understands the true meaning of what she’s lost, and the weight that comes with it. He was lost for over two years. It’s not like a fight or break-up or differences you can’t work through. When you lose something, it’s gone, and if by some miracle, you get it back, it’s never the same. The time you don’t have together, and the time you couldn’t reach out and hold someone you love, you don’t get that back. But loss does teach you the difference between what you simply like and value, and what is truly irreplaceable. She’s irreplaceable. There’s nobody like her, and no one is to him what she is to him. That’s just a fact. They kiss.

Sonny says he thinks Gladys would make a great guardian, but since she’s throwing his words back at him, he also told her, they’re all in this together. Nina says she hopes that includes her. She knows she’s no technically family either, but part of her will always think of Sasha as the daughter she never knew. Sasha says, she’s honored, even though she doesn’t deserve it, and Nina says, if life was about deserving, the people in this room would all be in trouble. She loves Sasha, and will always be here for her. Sasha says she loves Nina too, and they hug. On the phone, Martin says, let him know as soon as possible, and Sasha says, Lucy? but he says, no, nothing yet. You know what they say, no news… Right now, he has to be honest. He feels pretty lousy. Sonny says, they’re all pulling for her, and Sasha hugs Martin.

Mac tells Anna that she doesn’t have to say anything without a lawyer, and Arden says, she seems to have the silent thing down pat. Jordan says, silence is not an admission of guilt, or didn’t they teach the Fifth Amendment when Arden went to law school? Arden says, what she was taught was to follow the evidence, and that’s all she’s doing – her job. Mac says, they don’t know how the gun and those clothes got in Anna’s car. Someone planted them. It had to be Victor.

Dante goes the Gardens and asks if Robert has heard from Anna, but Robert says, his phone hasn’t made a peep all day. Felicia asks if it’s about Lucy, and Dante says, Lucy still hasn’t turned up. The ADA is convinced she’s got her shooter. Scotty says, of course (🍷) she does. She works for Robert, but she’s always jumping to conclusions. Robert asks, who does she suspect? and Dante says, Anna.  

Anna says, Arden is falling for it. Just like he knew she would. Arden sees that, doesn’t she? Arden says, Jordan knows what needs to happen, and Jordan tells Officer Williams to take the evidence to forensics to be analyzed. Arden says, Mac has more than enough to arrest Anna, and knows it. Do his duty, or she’ll find someone who will.

Robert says, Arden is investigating Anna for shooting Lucy? and Felicia says, that’s ridiculous; it’s a set-up. Dante agrees, and Scotty says he’d bet the farm on who’s behind it. Holly says, excuse her, and stomps over to Victor’s table. Robert says, dammit, and Victor gets up, saying he’s sorry. He doesn’t believe they’ve met. Holly says, consider this their introduction then, and slaps him across the face.

Carly says she loves this. The ocean is so incredible. It’s amazing how it can make you feel so small in the face of such vast beauty. You’d think it would make you feel the opposite, but it’s empowering. He says he feels it. Such a big part of the year was spent sweeping away all the stuff that doesn’t matter, and letting go of everything that happened to him. It was a nightmare, but he survived. It’s over, and it shaped him into who he is, like this experience shaped her. She says, 100%, and he says, it’s not like they’re going to lose sight of themselves. It’s not who they’ve become; it’s who they are. This is us. She says she thinks she’s going to like them a lot, and he says, he already does, and kisses her.

Martin says, he’ll officially petition to have Gladys appointed as Sasha’s guardian, and Sasha thanks him. Nina thanks him too, and says she can’t imagine how distracted he is, and he’s here getting things done. He says, with any luck, at least they’ll have one happy ending. Sasha tells Martin, don’t lose hope, and he says, to better days, little one, and leaves. Gladys asks if Sasha is ready to go home, and Sasha hugs Sonny and Nina, who says, she’s got this. Gladys thanks Sonny for everything, and she and Sasha leave. Nina says she’s so impressed. With everything Sasha’s had to go through, she still has empathy for Martin. Sonny says, it gives him hope that she’ll get through this, and Nina says, Sasha is going to get through this. Because she has them. He says, damn straight, and kisses her.  

Holly tells Victor, that was for Luke Spencer. The next one will be for Lucy Coe and Anna Devane. Robert runs over, and says he thinks she made her point, but she says, there’s a lot more where that came from. Robert pulls her away, and Victor says he’s tempted to press charges. Dante says, for what? He didn’t see anything. Victor sighs, and Felicia says, she was checking her email. Scotty says he should throw his drink in Victor’s face, but he doesn’t want to waste good vodka. Victor’s day is coming. Tick-tock. They all move along, and Victor’s phone rings. He says, give him some good news… Yes. He thought their little surprise package would pay dividends. Now how about casa Devane?… The search is underway? He almost feels sorry for Anna. It would be such a shame for them to find something in her own home that would put her away for the rest of her life.

Arden says, it must be nice to be Anna. Defenders and special treatment wherever she goes. A crime was committed. It’s her job to prosecute the case. End of story. Mac asks if she doesn’t recognize a frame job when she sees one. Or is she just another name on Victor Cassadine’s payroll? She says she could have his badge for that, and Anna tells him not to fall on hid sword for her. He says he’s not arresting her, and Arden says, she’ll have no choice but to report him to internal affairs. Anna tells Jordan, just do it. They’ll figure it out later. She rolls up her sleeves, and Jordan handcuffs her and reads her rights.  

Tomorrow, Josslyn asks Dex, how long before Sonny betrays him; Finn says he knows the real reason Elizabeth and Terry are going away; Nikolas tells Victor, the Cassadine legacy is in his hands; and Britt says, here goes nothing.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Valetta, Malta. Natalya and Kyle continue to argue tells Kyle to calm down, and he tells her to face her f***ing sh*t. Tasha tells them, stop, and walks Kyle away from the table. She knows he’s not trying to be a knob, but… He says he’s not apologizing again. Storm says Natalya didn’t tell him the captain got involved. It didn’t seem like a big deal; it was a chill vibe. She’s been super off to him, when he’s only been nice to her. He leaves to have a smoke, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, she feels like everything exploded into big drama. It’s becoming a sh*tshow, and she needs to stop it, but she doesn’t know what to do. Kyle tells Tasha that he will not shut up when he’s being attacked, and in Reid’s interview, he says, one thing he learned in conflict was, if an argument happens in public, deal with it later. Kyle and Tasha come back, and Natalya tells him that they were friends, but now they’re just colleagues. Kyle says, they were never friends; she’s never even asked about his life. Reid tells Kyle to just block it out, and say, cool. In his interview, Reid says, he has no idea what this is about, but when he was in college, people would get drunk and fight, and he’d try to lessen the tension. Tasha says, she and Natalya need to be holding the peace, but Natalya says, it happened at work. It’s Tasha’s role to tell Kyle that he can’t call her a bitch. In Natalya’s interview, she says, if the chief stew doesn’t want it to happen outside of work, handle it during working hours. Courtney suggests they go get tequila, which will certainly solve things, and they go to a pub. Kyle says, after this season, he and Natalya will never have to see each other’s faces again. Natalya says, Tasha hasn’t stood up for her, and isn’t addressing this, but Tasha says, they’re adults. Natalya says, Kyle called her a bitch during work hours, and the captain heard it. Which isn’t true, what the captain heard was Kyle telling Tasha about it. Kyle tells her, he’ll say it again with pleasure.

Natalya leaves the table, and Storm comes back. He tells Mzi that he found a McDonald’s for him. He ordered six hamburgers, and then they said they were closed. Mzi says, Storm needs to talk to his woman, and Courtney tells Natalya to go back with Storm, but she says she doesn’t think he wants to. She wants to put knives in Kyle’s pillow, and Courtney says, she saw Kyle apologize, and Natalya accepted it. She wonders what happened. At the table, Reid suggests they talk about something else, and I feel sorry for him. He seems halfway normal and doesn’t realize these people are five-year-olds in adult bodies. Courtney tells Storm to shut up; he’s going home with Natalya, and she puts them in a taxi. Natalya digs in her bra, pulling out what looks like maybe a received letter and envelope, and a lottery ticket. She hands them to Storm, and he asks what it is. She says, it was in her bra, explaining nothing. Even worse, they never revisit this. WTF? Courtney tells Tasha, whatever is going on, the situation needs be resolved, and they need to have professionalism. Kyle can’t speak like that. Tasha says she’ll deal with it tomorrow. Reid moves to the other end of the table with Dave, saying, he knows they don’t have much to talk about, but he doesn’t want to be in the middle of that. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s frustrated to see Natalya like this. He still cares, and wants to make sure she’s okay. They cuddle in her bunk. I’m so sick of some of them. and long for the days of Captain Lee, Kate, and Chef Ben.

They leave the restaurant, and Dave walks with Tasha. He says, they only have 10 more days. He starts asking about her boyfriend, and in his interview, he says, he should probably give up this point, but he thinks there’s hope; he can’t help it. Tasha tells him, it’s been sh*t enough tonight, and the crew gets in the taxis. They get back to the boat, and Dave sends a sweet dreams text to Tasha. Then he’s off to the races with wishing it were better between them, it’s hard loving her, and it sucks between them. Tasha tells Kyle, some people have serious issues, and he says, they’ll deal with it tomorrow. He’s not playing the victim, but he did feel under attack. Courtney tells Natalya that she needs to speak to Kyle.

In the morning, Captain Sandy says, the wind is terrible, and Kyle thinks he’s still drunk. Tasha texts Dave, thanking him for caring, but asking him to please text only work related things. In his interview, Dave says, fair enough, but the next couple of charters are going to be sh*t. In Tasha’s interview, she says she wants him to realize there are boundaries. She doesn’t want to go back in the mess they were in before. We flash back to that, and she says she’s got enough on her plate. It’s the last thing she wants. The captain says, the wind is going to be over 30 knots, and the swell is a massive bummer. She calls Tasha, Dave, and Storm for the preference sheet meeting.

Captain Sandy says, it’s charter 8, and they’re all still together; they’re a strong team. The primaries are Garold and Katharine, who own a 58 foot sailing yacht. They’re celebrating their 25th anniversary, and want the crew to tend to their every need. Their youngest daughter Lila is a yacht broker, and will be celebrating her 21st birthday. Dave says he’ll smash out some sushi when they arrive, and do a Spanish theme for the anniversary dinner. The captain says, they spend summers jet skiing and snorkeling, and want all the toys out all the time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they’re getting off the dock. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, there’s a major weather system that’s not going to change. There’s no way they’re getting off the dock. It’s so rough, they’ll have no protection in this weather. She tells them, the pressure’s on, like they don’t already know. Tasha says she’s having the meeting she would like to have had yesterday, and the stews sit at a table. Tasha says, what happened when they were out was because people get alcohol in their system, and things are heighted. There was no need for shouting. Natalya says, Kyle called her a bitch, and got so hotheaded, Captain Sandy stepped in and said it’s not appropriate. Again, not exactly what happened. Kyle says he was 100% wrong, and it’s on him, but Natalya says, after he apologized, he called her a bitch again, so his apology means nothing. Kyle tells her that he said it to her face, and she says, he said it in front of the crew; it’s not appropriate. Kyle says, Natalya has attacked him and his profession, and said, he and Tasha are unprofessional. Tasha says, Natalya said she was a bad manager, that she can’t manage her time, and she’s unapproachable. And Tasha said it behind her back. Things are said in the heat of the moment, and she understands; they’ve all said something. But going forward, if one of them feels something is upsetting, or needs to change, they need to speak about it first; not let it make them angry down the line. They can try to make it better. Natalya agrees, and Kyle says he’s not blowing smoke up Natalya’s ass, but it’s the facts. He’s genuinely apologetic about his use of words, and has no excuse except he’s exhausted. He tears up, and she laughs and hugs him. He says he’s going to miss her, and Tasha comes in for a three-way hug. She suggests they hit the refresh, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he was defending himself with Natalya. He was bullied in school, and had a tough time. With Natalya, he wasn’t thinking about where she might be coming from. Natalya says, new rule; no talking sh*t. Kyle says, but he loves talking sh*t. They just won’t talk sh*t about the interior. They don’t want to change too many things.

Tasha makes coffee, and provisions come in. The captain announces the guests’ arrival at 12 o’clock. The guests come up the dock, and Captain Sandy welcomes them to their home away from home. Tasha will show them around, and then she’ll have a chat with them about the weather. Katharine says, at least it’s sunny, sounding hopeful, but the captain says, they’re not leaving the dock. They’ll talk inside. In the captain’s interview, she says, they see the sun, and there isn’t much wind, but outside the port, it’s bad, and wind brings waves. Tasha says, the guests look angry about not leaving, and Kyle says, it’s a bummer. The guests are given champagne, and the tour. Birthday girl Lila already seems like she’ll be a pita, whining about how she wants the ocean. In Tasha’s interview, she says, it’s a test. They had a chief stew that was constantly testing them. He would put gum on an apple in the fruit bowl to see if they were checking the fruit bowls. The captain shows Lila the screen, and she agrees, it’s bad. Captain Sandy says, it’s dangerous. They can’t leave, but the minute it lays down, they’ll take off. Kyle tells Dave, 30 minutes to lunch, as Tasha searches for mint. She says, last charter they had a bunch of mint, but Dave says, it wasn’t used. All I can think is, it’s not like it’s expensive or difficult to grow; what’s his problem? She says, she can’t help what the guests want, and he gives her attitude. She tells him to stop being sh*tty. She has no time for it. He pretends not to know what he’s doing, and she says, he’s been rude to her all morning.

Tasha says, Dave won’t communicate, when she’s going out of her way to be helpful. Captain Sandy shows Storm the waves on screen, and says, they can be deceiving because you can’t see the swell. Storm says, he’ll have Courtney take out the tender to check the other side of the marina, and tells Mzi to go with her to see how the swell is. They head out, and Courtney asks if he’s sure it’s safe. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s never been in a tender with a swell this bad. All she can see are massive f***ing waves. Holy sh*t. The guests sit for lunch, and Storm tells the captain that it’s not safe, while Courtney tells the other deckhands how scary it was. Storm suggests they get the guests to shore for a museum tour or something, and in the captain’s interview, she says, it’s bad timing. They have super active guests who are into water sports. They have to think of something or they’re screwed. Storm calls provider Rico, and leaves a message asking if there are any things the guests can do in town. Kyle serves, and one of the guests says, it looks beautiful. Kyle says, thank you, but what about the food? Storm tells the guests that cannons are set off every day at St. Peter Paul Baston, and a private tour has been arranged. Courtney and Reid go with them, and Storm cuddles with Natalya in her bunk. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s been so stressed lately with the interior, it’s nice to have Storm to cuddle with. On shore, primary Ben asks if Mzi thinks they’ll get off the dock tomorrow, and Mzi says he thinks so, even though he clearly doesn’t know.

The view is spectacular, and Ben says, they’re not in Alabama anymore. Katharine wonders if they’ll be able to go out, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s hard to keep them entertained for 12 hours. It’s not a great situation. The cannons are fired, and there’s applause. Katharine says, very cool, and the cannon guy asks if there are any questions. She asks if he thinks they’ll get off the docks tomorrow, and he says, oh yeah, like he knows. I don’t know why guests always think repeatedly asking will make it happen faster. On the boat, the stews create a Spanish theme to match the food. Dave says he’s making chicken and prawn paella, and he’s doing as many starters as he can. Tasha practically has to extract the information from him, and asks if he’s okay. He says, not really, and in his interview, he says, he’s having a hard time processing that there’s no chance. The thought was so dumb. It’s stupid, and he wants to run away. I look up his age, and he’s 35 not 15. The guests come back, and Tasha tells Natalya about Dave’s incessant non-work messages, and how she told him to stop. Natalya says, Tasha is hanging in, and doing good in maintaining. The guests are greeted with sangria, and decide on an 8:30 dinner. I’m not liking daughter Lila much; she’s a real brat. Natalya tells Courtney that Dave is being short with Tasha, and Captain Sandy checks out the table, impressed with Tasha’s rose napkins. In her interview, she says, interior is pulling out all the stops; the setting, the theme, all the courses. It’s a lot of pressure for the chef. They’re all committed to keeping the guests happy, and that makes her happy. There are silver mylar balloons in numbers 2 and 5, and the guests get excited over them. Go figure. Courtney tries to help serve, and Dave is vague with her. She says, he’s in a mood, and it’s not good. He makes a million appetizers… excuse me, starters, and grumbles about too many people asking him questions. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave is being unprofessional, giving her the cold shoulder because she set boundaries. Their job is communicating, especially with these guests. Lila whines that dinner is taking too long a time, and Katharine tells her to pace herself. Lila says, if they were in a restaurant, dad Ben would be wondering what the hell is going on. Katharine says, it’s fine. Storm has been there helping with service, and tells Kyle, they’re not stoked. Lila goes to the bathroom with her sister or friend or whatever she is, and says, she’s annoyed. It’s embarrassing. It’s supposed to be five-star, and it’s slow, and no one said anything. She’s an asshat. There, someone said something.

Captain Sandy wonders who’s complaining, and Katharine says, positive thoughts about getting off the dock. Tasha and Dave set up the paella on the bar inside, and in the captain’s interview, she says, she senses major tension between Dave and Tasha. She’s not sure why, but she’s going to keep an eye on them, and see it stays at this level. Lila wails that she doesn’t think this is seven-star, bumping the rating up by two. Or down, depending on how you’re looking at it. Kyle tells Tasha, the daughter is complaining on the father’s behalf, but Tasha tells him not to say anything until after service. In her interview, she says she feels like telling Dave now, but paella won’t help the situation, and it will take 45 minutes to make more. These guests clearly don’t want to wait. Ben says, it’s not the best thing Dave has made them, Lila says, she’s not hungry anymore, and I wonder if they were doing drugs in that bathroom. Tasha tells Dave that the guests are happy, and everyone heads for bed. Like the junior d-bag she is, while passing the galley, Lila says, dinner was amazing… and when she passes the corner, adds, kind of. Reid thinks she’s hot, so he obviously doesn’t care about personality. Mzi doesn’t see them getting off the dock tomorrow, and they clean up.

Kyle heads down the stairs, balloons in one hand, dishes in another, and we don’t see it, but he takes a tumble. Yeah, I don’t like that staircase. I can’t even imagine drinking then going down that staircase. Kyle lies at the bottom, face down, and calls for help. Natalya runs up, and radios for Captain Sandy to come to the pantry.

To be continued…

🥁 Marching To a Different Drummer…

Meet me here tomorrow for soap and a Winter House read. Until then, stay safe, stay tipping as well as you can, and stay understanding, when you lose something, it’s gone, and if by some miracle, you get it back, it’s never the same. But loss does teach you the difference between what you simply like and value, and what is truly irreplaceable.

October 17, 2022 – Carly Gets an Unexpected Apology, Health Enthusiasts In Leather On Deck & Bad Things

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly runs into Peyton at the hotel restaurant, and asks how the Guild voted. Peyton tells her that the parkway isn’t going to be rerouted, and Virginia Benson’s remains will have to be moved. Carly failed, and she’s sorry. Carly says, no, she’s not, and starts to leave, but Peyton says, they’re not through. Not by a long shot.

Drew leaves a message for Tara, asking how the Guild voted. There’s a knock at his hotel room door, and he opens it to Bobbie. He says, what a surprise, and she says, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. When she saw what Peyton was saying about Carly on the news, she had to come and support her. She just left Carly at the bar, and she’s putting up a good front, but they both know better than that.

Scotty meets Mac and Felicia at the MetroCourt, and Felicia says it’s time for them to bring everything out in the open, and talk about Dominique and her son.

Britt hunts Cody down in Kelly’s, and says she wants to give him one last chance.

Anna tells Lucy, this is her operation, and it’s her duty to protect her civilian assets by any means she sees fit. Lucy says she has everything under control, and the only way Anna is going to bring Victor down is with her help. Victor listens in, and says, well played, Anna, and wonders how he should retaliate.

Carly says, Peyton just can’t leave her alone. She already knows what Peyton is going to say; she’s here to gloat. She wants Carly to know she won, she’ll always be better than Carly, and Carly will always be trash. Did she leave anything out? Peyton says, ever since Carly was a little girl, she’s had that spark. It’s remarkable how some things never change. Carly says, what’s changed is her need to give in to Peyton’s narrow world. She can’t believe she bought into Peyton’s BS that some people are better than others. She wanted to be like Peyton, and be liked by her. But not anymore. She sees Peyton for the small-minded snob she is, and Peyton doesn’t define her worth anymore. Peyton agrees, and says she came to apologize.

Drew asks if Bobbie thinks Carly is holding something back, and Bobbie says, Carly is tough, but she has a hunch this is hitting Carly harder than Carly is letting on. And being away from her kids is a lot for her. Drew says, on top of it, Jacksonville has stirred up a lot of unpleasant memories. He’s not surprised Bobbie picked up on some underlying stress. Bobbie wonders if Carly is covering for her sake, and Drew asks why she thinks he can answer that.

Cody apologizes to Britt for his lack of attention, and she says he completely checked out on their last date, then only sent random what’s up? texts, with no mention of future plans, He says he’s been dealing with some huge news, and she asks what it is; he owes her an explanation. He says she told him the father subject was off-limits, and she tells him, she only said that so he would stop asking about her twisted relative. He says, he’s supposed to be open? That’s either hypocritical or a double standard; he thinks both. She asks if he’s comparing Mac to Faison, and he says, who told her?  

Victor listens in, as Lucy tells Anna that she’s the one who found out Victor is working with the deputy mayor, and she’s one come hither look away from finding out the rest of his nefarious plan. Then Anna can take it to Robert. She thought Anna wanted to be done forever with Victor. Anna says, Lucy has done an outstanding job, and Lucy says, then let her finish it. Anna says she brought Lucy in to find out what’s going on with Valentin. She should have ended Lucy’s involvement then. Lucy asks why she didn’t, and Victor wonders who else Anna is working with besides Lucy and Robert. There’s a knock at his door, and when he opens it, Valentin is there.

Peyton says, Carly was so passionate at the Guild meeting. The love Carly had for her mother Virginia. She wonders, if Reese were still alive, would Reese feel the same about her? Carly cared so much for Virginia, and others like her. Carly says, Peyton means the people beneath her? and Peyton says she treated Carly unfairly – then and before. She had no idea Virginia was buried in that cemetery. When Carly came to Jacksonville, and was upset about the parkway, Peyton admits she felt some satisfaction. Carly says, at least Peyton’s being honest, and Peyton says, when she lost her husband and daughter, she was reeling. It was easy to focus her pain and anger on Carly; there was no one else to blame. She held onto that for a long while, but she never should have blamed Carly; you were a child, Caroline… Carly. She’s ashamed of her actions, and it’s taken her so long to realize how wrong she was. She’s desperately sorry, and hopes Carly can forgive her.

Drew asks why Bobbie thinks he has insight into Carly, and Bobbie says, she likes to think she knows her daughter better than anyone, but lately, Drew is giving her a run for her money. He says, it’s no secret that he and Carly have become closer friends since he came back to Port Charles, but Bobbie says, it’s way more than that.

Britt tells Carly that Maxie filled her in; she said Mac might be his father. He says, then why is she giving him a hard time, and she says, because he ghosted her. Does he think she should let that go? He says, if she has an ounce of compassion, and she says, she does; that’s why she’s here. She understands why he went radio silent. This is the second time he found out he’s not who he thought he was. Normally, she wouldn’t tolerate someone disappearing, but under the circumstances, she’s giving him a chance to come clean. He says, it’s a heavy subject to discuss with someone he barely knows, and she asks if he’s playing that card. She opened up to him at the Q picnic, or did he forget? He says, he hasn’t forgotten, but talking about his messy feelings isn’t easy for him, especially to someone as intimidating as her.

Scotty asks if it’s a legal issue, but Felicia says, it’s a family issue, and Mac says, Cody might be his son. Scotty says he knows Mac had a thing with Dominique before him, but he assumed the kid was Leopold Taub’s. Mac says, it’s possible, but Felicia says, it’s just as likely Cody is Mac’s son. They think Dominique might have given birth in Shadybrook. The timing fits, and it’s possible Dominique was drugged and convinced by the staff she was hallucinating. Mac says, if Leopold knew Dominique was pregnant and the kid wasn’t his… Felicia says, he would have given the baby to the Bells, and Mac says, so he couldn’t claim Dominique’s fortune. Leopold and the woman who raised Cody are both dead… Felicia says, they were hoping Scotty would know something, but Scotty says, the only thing he knows is, he never met Cody before he came to Port Charles. Felicia asks if anything they’ve said jogged his memory, and Mac asks if Dominique ever said anything about her time in Shadybrook that made her seem aware that she had a child with him.

Britt says she gets that Cody needs time to deal with his new family, but if he wants to see where it goes with the two of them, don’t ask her out. She leaves, and he follows her out. He says he does want to talk to  her about this, but doesn’t know where start. She tells him that Maxie said he didn’t want to take a DNA test. Why?

Anna says, Lucy was a valuable asset, and Lucy says, now she’s not? Anna says, the situation has changed. It’s just the nature of the game. Lucy says, Anna brought Martin back – by the way, thanks for that – but she knows Anna didn’t bring him back out of the goodness of her heart. Anna says she figured he could convince Lucy to bow out, but Lucy says she wins; it didn’t work. She told Martin everything. Anna says, that was the worst thing she could have done.

Victor invites Valentin in, and Valentin sees Victor’s laptop. He asks if Victor is watching a TED talk on world domination, and Victor says, Valentin has no idea the lengths he goes to ensure this family’s future. Valentin says, that’s because Victor never tells him, and no matter what he does, he can’t get out from under Victor’s thumb, but Victor says he’s not the only one holding back, is he?

Peyton says, there was no excuse for her behavior, and how she treated Carly. Carly agrees, and says, Peyton was an adult. She was a child, and it was Peyton’s responsibility to protect her. Peyton says, yes, it was, and instead of looking inside, she was blinded by her prejudices. When Carly spoke at the Guild meeting, she saw the little girl who was her daughter’s best friend. Carly was like a sister to Reese. Carly says she loved Reese. She’ll always regret that Reese got hurt. Peyton says, her too; she regrets so many of her mistakes. She did love her daughter, and wishes she’d done better by her and done better by Carly. Carly says, they can’t change the past. They can try to make peace with it, and learn from it, and move forward. Peyton says she tried to make it up to Carly. She changed her vote, and made Carly’s case with the Guild, but she couldn’t change their minds. The cost of shutting down the parkway at this point was too high. She’s so sorry. She wishes Carly everything good in her life. She starts to leave, and Carly says, Peyton’s husband did wrong by her. Peyton deserved better, just like she and Reese did. Peyton grabs Carly’s hand for a moment, then leaves.

Drew tells Bobbie, if he’s been good to Carly, it’s nothing compared to what she’s done for him. Bobbie says, Carly did go out on a limb to help him and Michael with Aurora, and Drew says, and Carly lost her half of the MetroCourt. He wishes it had turned out different. She says, her too. Why did he drop everything and come Florida to help Carly? Is it because he felt guilty about what happened to her after the merger failed? He says, no. He came because Carly means a lot to him, and if she needs him, he’ll be there. When he came back to Port Charles, it was obvious the rest of the world had moved on while he was mourning everything he’d lost. There was a brief period where he and Carly had to get used to each other again, but was his constant when everything else in his life was out of control. She says, he’s lucky. Friendships like that are rare. Treasure it. He says he will, and Bobbie says, she needs to check into her room. Plus, she’s exhausted from the trip. Drew says he bets she is, and she says he’s in her daughter’s life. He says, him too, and she leaves. His phone rings, and he asks Tara if there’s any news on the Guild vote. Will the cemetery remain intact?

Scotty tells Mac and Felicia, nothing Dominique ever said implied she had a son. For cryin’ out loud, she woudn’t hurt a fly. She would have moved heaven and hell if she knew she had a kid, to raise it. So this thing caught him flatfooted. Mac says, he’s not alone. It took him a while to wrap his head around the fact that Cody could be his son. Felicia says she hopes Cody agrees to a DNA test, and Scotty says, or not. Mac asks if Scotty knows something he doesn’t, and Scotty says, what he knows is, Cody is bad news. Cody sucker punched him when Obrecht introduced them. Mac does not want anything to do with Cody Bell.  

Cody says, Britt woudn’t understand, and she says, try her. He says, everyone expects him to be excited about Mac being his dad. Why wouldn’t he be falling all over himself about a dad upgrade? She says, Mac’s a good guy, and he says, that’s just it. Everyone says Mac is great at everything. He’s a great father, great husband, great detective. People aren’t that good. She asks if he thinks Mac has a dark side, and Cody says, no, but he has a past. There, he said it. She applauds, and says, congratulations. She has a past too. He says he’s made so many bad decisions, and has a sketchy past, and Mac is this paragon of virtue. She says, he’s afraid Mac won’t accept him? and he says, not afraid. Okay, maybe he doesn’t want to set himself up for rejection. Why would he? She says he doesn’t know Mac will reject him, and he says, he doesn’t know Mac won’t, so why bother? Put herself in his shoes. If there was something that could blow her whole life up, wouldn’t she be better off not knowing?

Valentin tells Victor, of course (🍷) he’s holding back. Every day, Victor keeps him separated from his daughter and forces his cooperation. Victor keeps him on a short chain, and every time Victor chokes it, Valentin’s patience grows thinner. Victor is using Valentin’s daughter as leverage. Victor says, it’s so discouraging to hear this coming from his son, and Valentin says he hasn’t seen his daughter in months. Victor allows him to text her, and make very short phone calls. He uses her as leverage, while Valentin has complied. He framed Jennifer Smith for Luke’s murder, and took care of Victor’s Laura problem by orchestrating events so she felt compelled to go to Italy. What does he get in return? Victor keeps his daughter from him while he’s proven his loyalty. Victor says, has he though?

Lucy says she told Martin that he has nothing to worry about. He has her heart, and the only reason she’s stringing Victor along is because Anna asked her to. Anna asks if she told him anything else about what they’re doing, but Lucy says, she couldn’t tell him anything else because she doesn’t know what they’re doing. Anna says, so basically, Martin doesn’t know anything, but what little Lucy told him could put him in Victor’s sights. Victor is a dangerous man, and Lucy needs to take him seriously. She needs to get out before it’s too late, or Anna will be forced to take more drastic measures.

Cody asks Britt, why should he have someone judging him now just because they share DNA? He never knew his real father, so why change things now? She says she knows how he feels. She’s lived in her father’s shadow her entire life. Even after he died, she couldn’t escape his horrible legacy. Cesar Faison left her something with the power to disrupt her life. The details don’t matter. The important thing is, she had to make a decision; live in the dark or face her fears and deal with  it. After a long time, she realized not knowing was worse; she had to know. So she really understands his fears, but no one is saying he has to have a relationship with Mac. What he does with the information is up to him. But if he chooses to ignore the question, he’ll spend the rest of his life wondering what the answer is, and she doesn’t think that’s something he can live with.

Mac says, that’s right; Cody sucker punched Scotty. Dante brought him in, but Scotty refused to press charges. Scotty says, sometimes he’s a victim of his own generosity. Cody blamed him for giving away what Cody thought was his inheritance. Mac says, when he met Cody, he seemed to be carrying some resentment toward Dominique for giving him up, and Scotty says, the guy’s got issues. Felicia says, of course (🍷) he’s got issues. His whole identity has been called into question. Now he finds himself meeting the two men in his mother’s life who know more about Dominique than he does. They have to give him time to adjust. Scotty says, that doesn’t excuse Cody being a grifter, and Felicia asks, who called Cody a grifter? Scotty says he’s just quoting Britt, and for cryin’ out loud, she likes him. Mac says he refuses to rush to judgement about Cody. Felicia’s right; they don’t know him. Doesn’t he deserve another chance? Scotty says, not if he could hurt Mac’s real family, and Mac says, he has a point, but Felicia says, they’re both missing one important thing.

Lucy tells Anna, she’s gone toe to toe with Bobbie Spencer, Tracy Quartermaine, and everybody else in town. She’s ended up in her underthings on the Nurses Ball stage in front of everybody for how many years now? One year, she ended up hanging upside down in her underwear. She also wore a beautiful red dress and hat to her wedding, and she made it work. She’s not scared and not a quitter, and she’s going to see this thing through to the end. Anna says, none of that matters; Lucy is out of her depth. This isn’t some charity gala or TikTok challenge. Lucy says, she knows what she knows, and she knows she’s Lucy Coe, and knows when she has a man wrapped around her finger. Victor is right there, not to mention, he’s not the first guy – the other Victor – that she’s had eating out of the palm of her hand. Anna says she’s aware of Lucy’s skills. Is Lucy aware of hers? Lucy says, all right, truce. Can Anna trust her? She can get the goods to put Victor away, just stay out of her way.

Valentin says he let Victor in his life, and accepted Victor as his father. In return, Victor took his daughter hostage. He’s made something up to tell the people who love Charlotte, but every time he tells the story, it gets harder to believe. Because it’s one thing to send your child away while you’re recovering from an injury, but to leave her there month after month, and never let her come home? He’s never been away from Charlotte this long, and people know that, and they’re asking questions. Victor says, Valentin told him that he took care of all that, and Valentin says he did. Laura is dealing with her mother, but there are multiple people. Nina, Lulu’s family, Dante the police detective, and what about their family? Alexis is the editor of The Invader. So if he were Victor, he’d reconsider his tactics. If Victor doesn’t, all his plans and work are going to come crashing down. Victor asks if that’s a threat, but Valentin says, it’s reality. Victor says, he’s right. It’s not fair to keep Charlotte from Valentin for so long. Valentin has been by his side, helped him put his plans into action, and shown his loyalty in intercepting Nikolas’s insane false confession of the murder of Esme Prince. Valentin has put in a of time and effort on his behalf. It’s time Valentin was met with the appropriate reward.

Carly has a glass of wine in the hotel restaurant, and says, sorry mom. Too little too late. No surprise there, huh? Drew joins her, and she says, they didn’t… He says he knows, and puts his arm around her. He sits down, and says he just found out about the vote. She says, Peyton told her, and he says, that’s the last thing she needs. Carly says, she actually came to apologize, and he asks how it made her feel. She says she wishes she could tell him that she didn’t care, but she does. When she was a kid, she wanted Reese’s life, especially her mother. She wanted a beautiful mom who would go around town in a convertible, go to the country club, and play tennis, throw these big parties, and do lunch. A far cry from her mother. Her mother packed a lunch for work because she couldn’t afford to eat in the café. She was always balancing her checkbook, and saving every penny so she could buy Carly a pair of tennis shoes, and they were always wrong. When Carly was a freshman, she got an award for having a 4.0 GPA, but she never told her mother about the assembly. She went with Reese’s family, and can’t imagine how much that hurt her mother. She was a rotten daughter. She thought she could make up for it now, and failed her. He says, she didn’t, but she says she failed her mother every day for years. She never appreciated her mother, and Virginia knew it. Carly thought she could make up for it by having her buried near the ocean, and she failed her mother there too.

Anna tells Lucy, this has gone too far. The risk to Lucy, and now to Martin, is too high. She brought Lucy into this, and can take her out. Lucy asks if Victor isn’t going to think it’s funny that she’s been fawning over him all this time, and now she’s ghosting him. She thinks in time, Victor will figure out what they’re up to, and Anna says, let her deal with that. Lucy is out. She’s not letting Lucy do this anymore. Lucy says, Anna isn’t letting her do anything. Anna thinks she controls everything, but Anna doesn’t control her. She leaves, and Anna says, you’re wrong about that.

Valentin asks what Victor deems an appropriate reward, and Victor says he’s going to let Valentin visit Charlotte. It doesn’t do anyone any good to keep father and daughter separated indefinitely. He’ll call the school and make the arrangements. Of course (🍷), there is one condition. Valentin will leave immediately, and on his plane. Valentin asks, why? He’ll leave first thing in the morning on a commercial flight. Victor asks if Valentin expects to be given time to launch an ill-advised rescue mission. That doesn’t align with his plans. If Valentin wants to see Charlotte again, he’ll leave within the hour on his plane, alone, except for the men he’ll have guarding Valentin, or he doesn’t see Charlotte at all.

Felicia says, whatever Cody’s upbringing, whoever his father is, Cody is Dominique’s son. He may have inherited her good qualities. The same ones that made Mac and Scotty fall in love with her. Mac’s phone rings, and it’s Cody, who says he hopes Mac doesn’t mind; his wife gave Cody his number. Mac says, not at all. What can he do for Cody? Cody says he’s in. Set up the DNA test if Mac still wants to. Mac says he does. He’ll set it up, and they’ll talk soon. He tells Felicia and Scotty, that was Cody. The DNA test is on.

Cody tells Britt that Mac is setting up the DNA test. She asks how he feels about it, and he says she was right; he had to know the truth. Don’t let it go to her head. She says, too late, but she’s actually surprised he took her advice. Besides her patients, people usually do the opposite of what she’d do. He says, people should listen to her more, and she says, actually, she should take her own advice. There’s something she needs to deal with.

Carly frets about finding a new resting place for her mother, and Drew tells her to remember what Virginia said; there’s no problem a few hours at the beach can’t solve. Why don’t they grab a couple beers and honor her by taking her advice, and figuring things out at the beach? Carly says she has an idea. Maybe they haven’t lost yet.

Felicia tells Mac, the first step is to get answers, and whatever the outcome, his whole family is behind him. He says he’s a lucky man, and kisses her, but Scotty says, this will probably come back to bite him. He’s getting another martini.

Cody asks if Britt would care to share, or is it a state secret? She says, okay. It’s about her brother Peter. When he died, some of his things were left to her. She passed them to Maxie to get rid of, but at the last minute, told her not to destroy them. Maxie brought them back to her, and after all this time, she still has the box stuffed in an armoire. She should finally get rid of Peter for good. He says, seeing as how she just helped him, it’s only fitting he helps her get rid of her brother’s effects… if she wants. She says, okay. Why not?

Valentin goes to Anna’s house, and she says, they have a Lucy problem.

On the phone, Victor asks if they’re clear on everything. He wants a repeat performance of the cable car tragedy. There’s a knock at his door, and he says he’ll talk to them later. He opens the door, and Lucy asks if he’s up for some company. He says, my, my, my. If it isn’t the star of the show.

Tomorrow, Nikolas tells Esme that she’s expendable; Scotty tells Ava that she has to undo Nikolas before he undoes her; and Victor tells Lucy, join him on the cruise, and she’ll find out.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Tasha asks, what just happened? and Kyle says, Natalya tried to come for him, but that’s not going to happen. Natalya mumbles that she’s a second stew and so is Kyle, and Kyle tells Tasha what happened, calling Natalya a bitch, but Captain Sandy hears them. She tells Kyle not to talk about another crew member behind their back; it’s not okay. She asks, where’d the love go? and Tasha says, it’s just a brother/sister tiff; they’ll get over it. The captain tells Kyle to never talk about someone behind their back. Go and talk to that person, then talk again, not behind their back. He doesn’t want to be that person. Storm tells Courtney and Reid that they’ll put out the weights and yoga mats in the morning in case the guests want to use them. He doesn’t know how big they’re going tonight, so they’ll see. The guests come out in their BDSM outfits, and take photos. Storm watches Dave try to pry the salted fish out of the oven, and says, it looks like Dave has a creature in there. In Dave’s interview, he says he has a baked salted fish that he’s going to have to hacksaw out of the oven because it was too big. Two of the guests are sleeping, and Tasha tells Dave, four for dinner. He says, it’s a big fish for two people, and I wonder if one of the nappers is the one who wanted the fish. Primary Eric is wearing leathers that are pretty tight, and in his interview, Kyle says, he got himself in with no food, and he wonders how he’s going to get himself out with a full belly. Natalya tells Tasha that Kyle is grinding her gears, and Tasha says they’ll talk later. Captain Sandy marvels at the fish in the galley, and Dave says he smashes it, then prays it’s cooked. Dinner is served, and Dave brings the encrusted fish to the table, after sprinkling it with vodka so flames shoot up. He says, the salt dries the skin, so it can just be pulled away, and demonstrates. The guests are loving the food, but primary Eric says, his spiky choke collar is making it difficult to eat. Storm checks on Natalya, and she says, it isn’t her day with her team. Kyle apologizes to Natalya, and adds that no one is making him say he’s sorry. She tells him that it’s okay, and they hug it out. In Kyle’s interview, he says he vomits everything out, and Natalya does too. Even with that said, he screwed up. That’s not the person he needs to be. He tells Tasha about his apology, and in Tasha’s interview, she wonders why Kyle apologized. Natalya is in the wrong, and keeps being disrespectful. We flash back to that, and she says, the apology shouldn’t be coming from Kyle. She tells Kyle that he’s sweet, but has nothing to apologize for. The guests go to bed, and Natalya gets into Storm’s bunk with him. In his interview, he says, interesting tactic for a break-up. Tasha tells Dave about Natalya and Kyle’s apology, while Natalya tells Storm that she’s trying not to lose it with Tasha. Tasha claims she’s not working when she’s done extra hours. Tasha can’t handle confrontation because she has no balls whatsoever. In Dave’s interview, he says, Tasha hates confrontation, but running away from problems has consequences as well.

In Mzi’s interview, he says, Courtney is finding her feet as lead deckhand. She deserves it. While he’s disappointed, he grew up with four siblings, so he’s used to not getting what he wants. Breakfast is served, and the water toys are put out. In Kyle’s interview, he says, the primaries say their guests are clients, but he thinks the primaries might be the guests. Something is fishy, and it’s not the ocean. They tease me with amazing looking eggs benedict, and the guests decide to work out, while Eric takes the usual thousand photos. In Dave’s interview, he says, he tried to blow the guests away with dinner, but half of them missed it. Now he has to be amazing again. In Reid’s interview, he says he’s always struggled with banter and quick wit on a new boat. He thinks the crew was close before he got here, and it’s intimidating, although he appreciates and loves their personalities. A guest hits the side of the boat with a WaveRunner, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s her first time as lead deckhand, Storm left her in charge, and a guest smacks the side of the boat. Reid checks for damage, and says, it’s fine. The incident is relayed to Storm, who tells the captain. She tells him, it’s no big deal. It’s called chartering; it’s called normal. They make mistakes. No one was hurt, and nothing was damaged. It’s not a big deal. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, that’s how communication should happen. That’s how you gain trust. Tasha tells Natalya that they’re doing a jungle theme for dinner, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, they still haven’t resolved their conflict. She doesn’t agree with Tasha’s management style, but at this point, she just wants to do her job. Kyle searches online for jungle sounds.

The guests get ready, and the table setting looks really cool; mosquito netting all around, and lots of green. The guests have their choice of animal ears, and Eric wonders which ones he should choose. Kyle says, if Eric has a big trunk, he suggests the elephant ears. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s happy about her and Mzi’s friendship. Even though he’s disappointed not getting lead deckhand, he never takes it out on her, and he’s supportive. Storm watches Natalya clean up, and says he’ll try to wrap up when she does. In his interview, he says, Natalya needs to decide if they’re good friends, or do they lie in bed kissing all night. He could have the conversation with her, but she won’t respond. In Natasha’s interview, she says, it feels like Dave is back to his old self. It’s a nice energy, and they haven’t had a spat. Dave blowtorches the fish, and it’s pronounced tender and tasty. Kyle tells Dave, the master devoured it like an animal. Reid calls home, and in his interview, he says, Decatur, Alabama is a small town, where everybody knows everybody else’s business, and it’s not for him. He wanted to travel and see the world. Decatur will always have a special place in his heart, but he wants to be somewhere where he can be someone and do something. He also wants to be able to have fun. The guests go to bed shortly after 11 pm, almost unheard of. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she doesn’t want to feel like she’s walking on eggshells with Natalya. Natalya wants to be the boss, but she’s not. Tasha and Kyle clean up, and get to bed around 1:30. One thing to be said for these guests, they make it an early night, and aren’t too messy.

It’s the final day of charter, and Storm goes over the lines with Reid. Dave makes breakfast, and in Storm’s interview, he says, a new crew is a recipe for something to go wrong. Reid seems understand from his experience, but the only way to find out is, just do it. They dock at Grand Harbour Marina, and Captain Sandy says, the boat is so light, it blows around like crazy. She tells the deckhands, excellent work, and it’s time for guest goodbyes. Eric complains that Natalya didn’t pack herself in his suitcase, and in her interview, she says, yuk. Eric says, they did a great job. The food was spectacular, and the hike location was beautiful. They leave and the captain tells the crew to get into their reds, and come to the main salon for the tip meeting. Then they’re turning the boat around. Natalya gripes to Courtney that she and Tasha aren’t getting along, and haven’t addressed what happened the other day.

Captain Sandy tells the crew, it was a great charter. Dave’s salted fish was freaking cool, and the interior killed it as always. She tells Reid, welcome and great job, and Reid says he loved working with everyone. The captain says, it’s the biggest tip all season – $27,500, or $2500 each. In Reid’s interview, he says, the weird situation and nude photo shoots were uncomfortable, but whatever. He’s here to make money, not cause problems. Captain Sandy tells them, turn the boat around, then they can drink all they want. Natalya criticizes the way Kyle is making a bed, saying, it’s the sh*ttiest bed she’s ever seen. They argue, and Tasha tells them, teamwork. On deck, Courtney asks if Reid fancies anyone in the crew, other than her, and he jokes that she has an undiagnosed case of narcissism. By definition, it’s a love of self so great, it kills you. Courtney says she doesn’t love herself, so put that away, and Reid says, it’s not necessarily loving what’s inside, but the exterior. Courtney says she doesn’t love her exterior, and he says, but she loves her posterior, which doesn’t make sense. In Courtney’s interview, she says, body image is hard for her, and Reid said something that’s literally letting it roar in her brain. It pisses her off, since they only met three days ago. He has no idea how she feels, and you should be careful what you say to people.

Courtney goes inside and starts crying. Reid sees her in the crew mess, and asks if she wants to talk. He’s sorry. She says, it’s okay, but he says, it’s not. She’s an awesome person. She says she’s just being a girl. She’s the last person to love herself, and it pisses her off when people say she does. In Reid’s interview, he says he messed up, and might have ruined relationship building with Courtney and Mzi. He needs to make almonds amends. Courtney thanks him for apologizing. She goes to her cabin, and tells Natalya that she was embarrassed. Maybe she’s giving the impression that she loves herself. Natalya says, she should love herself, and in her interview, Courtney says, she was a tomboy, much to her mom’s dismay. Her mom wanted her to be super girly, but she followed her brothers. Natalya says, Courtney is the main bitch on this boat. Tasha brings Kyle a drink, and the partying is on. They go to a restaurant, and Reid says he’s only known Courtney for three days, and regrets the hurt he caused. She says, he wouldn’t have known it was going to affect her like that, and he says, she should love herself. She’s awesome, amazing, and beautiful; he respects and loves her. Courtney  says, he didn’t mean any harm, and in her interview, she says, he didn’t know how badly it was going to affect her, but maybe it’s a good thing. Now he knows how a joke can affect somebody. Kyle toasts to Natalya, saying, cheers to being a cheeky MF’ing bitch, but at least she speaks her mind. Storm says, Kyle got in trouble with Captain Sandy. We flash back to the captain telling Kyle not to talk about people behind their backs, and Natalya says, they’ll talk about it during work hours, but Kyle says, there’s nothing to talk about. He called her what he called her. He has nothing more, and she’s getting nothing more from him. If she’s looking for attention, she’s not getting it from him, especially after trashing Tasha. Reid tells him to stop.

To be continued… Because they’ve gotten lazy with giving us previews.

🛒 Adding To Cart…

Peek in tomorrow for soap, BravoCon news, and Halloween relatable music. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting the boundaries of others, and stay being careful what you say to people. You never know how a joke can affect somebody.

October 10, 2022 – A New Common Denominator, Repeat Guests On Deck, Wasp In a Fig, This Week’s Vampire, New Witches In Town & Little Red

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina and Sonny walk into the MetroCourt Garden, where there’s a large photo of Brando on display. Sonny says, Nina made the place look great; she even found a great photo of Brando. She says, planning the post funeral reception is the least she can do for Sasha. He kisses her and they hug. Michael and Willow walk in, and Willow says she sees the way Michael is looking at his dad. Keep telling himself, this day is about Brando, and they’re here to help Sasha and Gladys any way they can. He tells her that she’s right.

Maxie comes in with Dante and Sam, and thanks them for the ride. Austin is still at the hospital, and she didn’t want to be alone. Olivia leads Gladys and Sasha in, saying, she knew the Garden would be the perfect place for the reception; they got a perfect Autumn morning. Sonny asks how Sasha is doing, hugging her, and she says she’s okay. She thanks him and Nina for coming, and Nina says, they woudn’t be anyplace else. She hugs Sasha and says, the funeral was very touching. No matter what Sasha and Gladys think, they’re all here for them. Sasha thanks her, and says, everything looks beautiful. Looking bottles on one table, Sasha says, of course (🍷) Brando would be the first person to say they shouldn’t have gone to so much fuss. She can just hear him. She walks over to the photo, and touches it.

Funeral program in hand, Josslyn knocks on Dex’s door. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she could ask him the same thing.

Curtis goes to Jordan’s office, and says he got her message. It sounded important. She says, it is, and he asks if there’s a break in whoever attacked Diane and Ava, and killed Brando Corbin. She says she was just at Brando’s funeral, and after Diane telling them the attacker was a woman, they don’t have very much. That’s not why she asked him to come by. She hands him a large envelope, and asks him to read what’s in it. His future depends on it.

In an exam room, Ava tells Portia that she has a very busy day ahead. She has to figure out what she’s going to do now that she’s closing the gallery. She’d appreciate it if they can wrap this up. Portia is talking to Amy, and Ava says she’s feeling really good. Her wound is almost healed now, so is there something else wrong with her? Portia thanks Amy, who leaves, and Ava says, whatever it is, she can take it.

Nikolas closes the secret safe in the bookcase, and Victor says, counting his blessings? Nikolas says he was just adding some documents, and Victor says he assumes Nikolas will soon be adding another important document to that safe of his; his finalized divorce decree. But of course (🍷) Nikolas insisted on hiring his own lawyer, so Victor hopes he’s filed all the paperwork correctly. Nikolas tells Victor, he said he would handle it, didn’t he? and Victor says, he’s seen how Nikolas handles Ava, signing a false confession to a murdering Esme. That little mea culpa of his could have sent him to prison for life if Valentin hadn’t gotten it away from Ava. Fortunately, his ridiculous romantic gesture won’t be coming back to haunt them, and neither will Esme Prince, may she rest in peace.

Oz is zipped into a body bag at the docks, and I’m disappointed, since I thought his character would have made an interesting addition to the canvas. An officer tells the paramedics that they can take him, and radios, a dead John Doe found on Pier 55, apparent stab wound, no driver’s license or ID. They leave, and Esme comes down the stairs.

Sasha says she’s so grateful to Nina; all the trouble she’s gone to. Nina says, it’s no trouble at all, and Sonny says, she thought of everything, right? Like Brando’s favorite drink, beer; root beer. Gladys says, it was always his favorite, ever since he was a little boy. Michael – who I like less every time I see him – says he can’t watch this anymore, and asks if Willow would like a drink, but she says she’s good. He goes over to the bar, and Dante asks if he’s all right. Michael says, no, he’s not.

TJ brings Willow a club soda, and tells her, drink up; doctor’s orders. She raises her glass to him and takes a sip. Nina glances at them, and Sonny asks if everyone can gather around. Raise their glasses. They’re going to make a toast to Brando. Brando was an incredible son, a kind and loving husband. He left them way too soon. He had a big laugh, but most important, he had a big heart. To Brando, he’ll never be forgotten. Everyone raises their glasses or bottles, and takes a drink.

Josslyn asks why Dex isn’t at the hospital, and he says, then he wouldn’t be here to let her in. She says, he knows what she means. He’s covered in bruises from what Sonny did to him. He says he is a little sore, and she says, a little. He says, okay, he hurts everywhere, especially his wrists, but it could have been a lot worse if she hadn’t shown up. He never really got the chance to thank her for that.

Curtis says, it looks like the divorce papers are ready to go, and Jordan says, he can see it proves she submitted them to the court. She wants him to keep that. He says he doesn’t need proof. He takes her at her word that they were filed. Now they just need the court to sign off, and they’ll officially be divorced. She says she’d feel better if he held on to the receipt. It’s something he can show Portia, since she botched things the first time around. He says, this is what doesn’t make sense to him. She’s one of the most organized people he’s ever known, so it just doesn’t add up that she misplaced the original papers. She tells him, what can she say? Nobody’s perfect. She thinks she proved that during their marriage, right? He says, it takes two people to make a marriage, and two people to mess it up. Let’s be honest. They both knew their marriage was over long before they signed those papers. She says, maybe for him, but not for her.

Portia says, physically, Ava is recovering just fine. But as her doctor, it’s Portia’s job to treat the whole patient, and she wants Ava to take care of herself. To be honest, she’s a little worried about Ava’s well-being. Trina told her that Ava closed her gallery, and she knows it was far more than just a business deal. Ava says, it’s Portia’s fiancé’s fault really, and Portia asks, how that is exactly? Ava says, Curtis came to her and said he was worried about Trina working at the gallery with some serial slasher roaming around, and he was right. As much as she hates it that she won’t be working with Trina for now, she has to do whatever she can to protect Trina from any future attack. Portia says she thinks Ava did the right thing for Trina and for herself, but she needs Ava to know that working at the gallery was far more than just a job to Trina. And she never got a chance to thank Ava for arranging the Fellowship at The Chuck for her. Ava says, that was Curtis’s idea exactly. She just made a couple of phone calls, and gave Trina a sterling recommendation, which is well-earned. She’s just sorry Trina is upset with Curtis for setting it in motion. She said she already has one protective father looking out for her. If there isn’t anything else, she’s really spent more than her fair share of time at GH. Portia says, there’s just one more thing. She wants Ava to focus on keeping herself out of harm’s way, and since the gallery is already off-limits, at least Ava knows she’s going to be safe at Windymere, right?

Victor tells Nikolas, Esme is lying at the bottom of the harbor, thanks to Nikolas’s wife. And no one need be any the wiser, despite Nikolas’s ridiculous attempt to take the blame for the murder, in an attempt to woo Ava. So just proceed with this divorce as planned, and no more confessions in the name of love. Are they clear on that? Nikolas flashes back to making the videoed confession on Ava’s phone, and Victor says, Nikolas. He was always a poor judge of women, and a fool for their charms. So tell him the truth. What else has Ava got on him?

Esme says, bad for you, Oz, but good for me. She goes into her bag, and takes out her wallet, looking at how much money is in it. She says, this won’t get me through the day. Windymere, here I come.

Ava tells Portia, she’s no longer living at Windymere. She’s happy Nina’s offered her a place to stay; she’s staying with Nina. She’s grateful for that, and plus, there’s the added benefit that Sonny is looking out for Nina. Portia says, which means Sonny will be looking out for Ava, and Ava says, as Avery’s mother, Sonny wants to keep her safe. Portia says, she’s glad Ava has someplace to go but… Ava says, but what? and Portia says, Ava knows she has no love for Nikolas or his son, but she knows Ava is still in love with her husband. But for Ava’s sake, she hopes Ava finally leaves Nikolas and never looks back.

Curtis says he’s surprised to hear Jordan say that, but he’s with Portia now, and she says she knows. All she’s saying is, she never made it a secret about how she felt. She was ready to fight for their marriage if he had been. He says he couldn’t. By that point, there was too much damage for him to try again; too many secrets, too many lies. He’s a former cop, so he knows some of the deception comes with the job, but not all of it. She says, no, not all of it, and he’s a man who values honesty above everything else in a relationship. He tells her, he’s not saying he’s holier than thou, but in his book, if you can’t trust the person you love, who can you trust? She says, and he’s found what he’s look for in Portia? and he asks if that’s a question or a statement. She says she wants him to be happy. She hopes he knows that. He says, then why does she make it sound like there’s a reason they won’t be?

Josslyn points to Dex’s open shirt, and asks if it’s his look for the day, or is he going to button that? He tries to button it, obviously in pain, and he says, his wrists. He’ll just grab a T-shirt. She says she’ll do it, and she buttons it for him. He thanks her, and she says, he can thank her by making sure that Sonny never does this to anyone again.

Olivia asks Nina for a word, but Nina says, not today, for Sasha’s sake, please. Olivia tells her that she just wanted to say the set-up is really beautiful. It’s tasteful, it’s lovely, it’s well done. Nina thanks her, and says she appreciates that.

TJ asks how Willow is feeling, and she says she’s hanging in there. She tells him, don’t look now, but Nina is watching them as if they’re stealing the silverware. He asks what Nina’s problem is with them, and she says, Nina saw them hug the other day at the hospital, and has it in her head they’re having an affair. He says, what? and she says, don’t let it get to him; she doesn’t. It seems Nina judges everyone by her own shabby standards.

Michael hugs Sasha, and says he’s here for her, whatever she needs. She says, he may regret making that offer, but he says, never.

Sam tells Dante, she keeps trying to remind herself that Brando’s not alone; he’s got Mike. It’s just still really sad. He says, Brando was too young to die, but he sees Sasha is handling it so well; he admires her courage. It makes him more determined than ever to find out who did this. Maxie asks if she can borrow Sam for a second, and Sam says, sure. They leave, and Michael tells Dante that he hopes the investigation leads to the actual perp. Unlike their father. Dante asks what he’s talking about. Sonny?

Sonny sits with Gladys, and asks how she’s doing. She says she can’t do it. She can’t be brave like Sasha. He says, it’s normal. Brando was her only child; nothing hurts like that. She says she can’t fill up her mind with other things and forget, and he says he doesn’t think that’s what Sasha is doing. He thinks she’s holding it together for Brando’s sake. It’s what he would have wanted. She says she keeps thinking about when she came to town to see Mike. She told everyone Brando was dead. She couldn’t stand to admit she was ashamed of him and his addiction. Then one day, he showed up. She was given a second chance. She and her son had a chance for the kind of life their cousin Sonny had; picture perfect marriage, beautiful, loving children. He had it all. Sonny says, looks can be deceiving; time has proven that. He takes her hand, and says, nothing in life is guaranteed. He and Michael look at each other, and Gladys says she made a decision this morning. The best thing to do going forward is for her to pack up and go back to Bridgeport. Sonny says, he’s known her to be a lot of things over the years; a little greedy, a little selfish. But one thing he’s never known her to be is a coward.

Sasha thanks TJ and Willow for coming, and TJ says, of course (🍷). Molly had to stay at the courthouse, but asked him to pass along her condolences. Sasha asks him to thank Molly, and says she knows he and Brando had a little falling out, but it meant a lot to Brando that they patched things back up. She wishes they’d had more years of being friends. Nothing lasts forever. Willow asks TJ to give them a minute, and he steps away. Sasha says she’s okay, but Willow says, it’s the day of her husband’s funeral. No one expects her to be okay. She’s just sorry she hasn’t been around more for Sasha. Sasha says she understands why Willow stayed away, and Willow says, she does? Sasha says, Willow didn’t think she could handle her having Michael, and Wiley, and a baby on the way. Sasha is happy for her. Willow’s life is pretty perfect.

TJ says he appreciates Nina pulling out all the stops today for Sasha, but he’s not surprised, considering his Uncle Curtis is one of her biggest fans. She says she feels the same about him, and TJ says, what he doesn’t understand is why she’d stick her nose in, and suggest something is happening between Willow and him.

Jordan says she knows Curtis and Portia love each other. It’s plain to see when they’re together. They’ve done more than just buy a house together. They’ve done everything they can to create a family. Not just for the two of them, but his dad and Aunt Stella. He says, and don’t forget about Trina. Even though she’s away at college, living in the dorms, it’s her home as well. She says, of course (🍷), and it’s because of Trina that… He says, what about Trina? and Jordan’s phone rings. She says she needs to take this, and answers. She says, what?… When did this happen and where?… She’ll be right there. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, we have another victim.

Amy asks if Ava and Portia have heard; it happened again. Portia says, they haven’t heard. She’s just trying to get her patient safely home. Ava asks, what happened again? and Amy says, a John Doe was just brought in. Another guy is dead after being stabbed. According to the coroner, it’s likely the same woman with a hook. They weren’t able to identify him, but she recognized him right away, because he’s been a patient here not too long ago. Ava asks, who is it? and Amy says, the bartender guy who testified at Trina’s trial. Portia says, Oz Haggerty? and Ava practically flies into the elevator, saying, she has to go.

Nikolas says, Victor just doesn’t get it. It’s not about what Ava has on him, or what he has on her. Victor says, tell that to the young lady Ava pushed over the parapet, and Nikolas says, Ava swears it was an accident. Victor says, fine. Say he believes that. Does Nikolas really think the police or a jury would? Ava had just discovered Nikolas had slept with his son’s girlfriend. They’ll think she was out for revenge, and to frame Nikolas for the crime. Nikolas says, it would be an act of love. Ava didn’t twist his arm; she didn’t threaten him. He proved she can trust him despite the terrible mistake he made with Esme. He earned Ava’s trust by putting his life in her hands. He did it willingly, with his eyes wide open. But Victor can’t understand that, can he? Victor says he can understand Nikolas acting like a damn fool, and Nikolas says, it’s sad. Despite all of Victor’s conquests, he’s never been in love.

Esme comes to the door at Windymere, and tells herself, who says you can’t go home again?

Sonny says, Gladys can’t cut and run. She has to be here for Sasha, and be strong for her, because Brando can’t be. Sasha has lost a child and a husband. No one knows that kind of pain, only Gladys does, because she’s lost a son and a grandchild. Gladys has got to be here for Sasha; they’ve got to be here for each other. Today, the next day, and the day after. Gladys says she wishes she was as strong as he thinks she is, and he says, she’s not going to have to do this alone. She doesn’t have to grieve alone; he’s going to be here for her. Brando used to come to him for advice, not for tuning up engines or business. Brando thought he had all the answers, but he told Brando he didn’t. Brando used to say, how can he be a better father, a better husband? and Sonny would say to him, there’s nothing more important than family – success, power, money. He just wants Gladys to know, she’ll always be a part of his family. They get up, and she says, of course (🍷) family’s the most important thing… A lot of money doesn’t hurt though, right? He says, that’s the Gladys he knows, and hugs her.

Willow says she knows her life looks perfect, but it’s not, and Sasha asks if there’s an issue with the baby. Willow says, no, the baby is fine, and Sasha asks if there’s an issue with Willow. Willow says, no, she’s fine. It’s just that it’s not all smooth sailing. Sasha says she gets it. Willow lost Harmony not long after she found out Harmony wasn’t her biological mother. That’s a lot. Willow says, if this year taught her anything, it’s that good and bad things can happen at the same time. Which is why she feels fortunate to have a friend like Sasha, and she hopes that never changes. Sasha says, never, and they hug.

Nina says, whatever is going on with TJ’s quote-unquote friendship with Willow, she’s just giving him a friendly warning. Take it from her. He does not want Michael Corinthos as an enemy.

Michael asks if the PCPD had legitimate reason to suspect Dex Heller, and Dante says, he can’t talk about the details of an ongoing investigation. But Dex was brought in as a person of interest until Diane told them her attacker was a woman. Why? Michael says, before Diane made her ID, Sonny took matters into his own hands, and almost played judge, jury, and executioner. Talk to Dex if he doesn’t believe it.

Dex says, he already told Josslyn, he doesn’t want to get the cops involved, and she says, but he didn’t tell her why. He’s not a fugitive, is he? He says, no, and she says, he’s not afraid to incriminate himself in his own kidnapping and torture? He says, no, and she asks, then why is he protecting Sonny? He says, she hates her stepfather; he gets it. She says, and he doesn’t? and he says, Sonny’s not his favorite person at the moment, no. She says, so many good people have been protecting Sonny; someone has to take him down. He says, she sounds like her brother, and she asks how Dex would know she sounds like Michael?

Esme tries her key, and says, they changed the locks? Like that’s going to stop her.

Victor says he will not be schooled in the art of love by a man who bedded his son’s ex-girlfriend, because his own wife wanted nothing to do with him. He’s experienced real passion, the kind Nikolas will never know. Nikolas asks if Victor is talking about what he had with Liesl Obrecht? He believes that’s called obsession, not passion, and she clearly wants nothing to do with Victor. What Nikolas and Ava have happens once in a lifetime. Victor asks if Nikolas doesn’t mean had; their divorce is well underway. Nikolas says, Victor can force him to divorce Ava, but the way he feels for Ava will never… The door rattles, and Victor holds up his hand, and moves quietly toward it. He unlocks it, and Ava comes in.

Dante tells Michael, they’re supposed to be here honoring Brando, and supporting Sasha and Gladys. Can he put it on hold just for today? Michael barrels on, saying, the PCPD brought in Dex for questioning. Sonny shows up to get him out, and Dex and Sonny leave together. Then Dex disappears for 48 hours. Dante knows their father as well as he does. Where does he think Dex was?

Gladys thanks Nina, and says, everything is so lovely. Nina says, there’s no need to thank her, and Gladys says, maybe she can repay them like this. She knows everyone thinks she’s self-absorbed, and sometimes she is. But she’s seen the strain between Sonny and Michael. She just spent two years trying to make things right with Brando. They were almost there, and then she ran out of time. Don’t make her mistake. Don’t think he has forever to make things right with Michael. Do it now.

Dex tells Josslyn, it’s no big secret that when he’s out with Sonny, and they run into Michael, Michael goes after Sonny with both barrels. He has to say, the way boss keeps his cool with Michael attacking him is impressive. She says, it sounds like he admires Sonny, and he says, Sonny looks after the people he cares about. She points to his wrists, and says, this is Sonny looking after the people he cares about? He says, he didn’t say he likes it, but he gets it. Josslyn asks if he doesn’t see. That’s exactly what Sonny is doing. He wants Dex to be able to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s never going to do that for Dex. Dex needs to quit Sonny’s organization now, before he gets in deeper. Dex asks her, who says he wants out?

On the phone, Jordan says, the John Doe has been identified by a previous stay at GH. His name is Oz Haggerty. Portia takes Curtis aside, and asks what he’s doing here. He says, Jordan asked him to come by to show him a new set of divorce papers. They’ve officially been filed. She says, it won’t be long now, and he says, too late to back out. Jordan hangs up the phone, and asks if they don’t have a wedding to plan. Curtis says, they do, but if there’s anything Jordan needs to help find the attacker, they’re here to help. Jordan says, sadly, the files are getting thicker and thicker. The only thing they have to go on is, Diane said the attacker was a woman, but they’re not any closer. Portia says, there is something three of the victims have in common; her daughter.

Ava tells Victor, don’t touch her, and he says, listening at keyholes now, are we? She tells him, don’t flatter himself. She has zero interest in what he and Nikolas talk about. Nikolas asks what she’s doing here, and she says she wanted to tell him, there’s been another fatal attack. This time, the victim was that bartender, the one who Esme tried to keep from testifying for Trina. He thanks her for the update, but says, she could have just called. She says she was just going to get some of her clothes, but never mind. If he’d please ask the staff to pack up her things and send them to Nina’s. Victor says, perhaps he should come with her as added protection, and she says, suit himself. Nikolas thanks her for the warning, and Ava leaves, Victor following her. Outside, she says, on second thought, she can take care of herself. He says he has no doubt, but it’s a wicked world out there. They leave, and Esme comes out from behind the bushes, and goes in the door they stupidly left unlocked.

Esme looks around, and strides through the sitting room. She opens the bookcase, revealing the secret safe, and wonders what the combination is. She says, Spencer’s birthday, and puts it in. It opens, and Nikolas comes in the room. He asks, who the hell are you?

Nina says she knows it’s been a difficult day for everyone who loved Brando and loves Sasha. She tells Michael to make sure Willow gets home safe, and gets some rest. Willow says she can take care of herself, and asks TJ if he’ll give her a ride. He says, of course (🍷), and Michael thanks him, saying he’ll see Willow home. They leave, and Sonny asks if Nina can give them a minute. He wants to have a conversation with his son.

Portia says she doesn’t know how, but Trina is the common denominator. First, it was Ava, and she’s not just Trina’s boss; she’s Trina’s mentor, and supported Trina during the trial. Then Diane came in when Scotty had to step away, and was brilliant in defending Trina. Now there’s Oz Haggerty. It was his testimony, saying he sold the black market phone to Esme Prince and not Trina, that proved Trina was innocent. Jordan says, yes, at first glance, Portia’s theory seems correct; it seems to be a pattern. But what about Brando Corbin? Is there a connection to Trina that Jordan’s not aware of? Portia says, he’s the only exception; Trina barely knew Brando. Curtis says, unless… and Portia says, unless what? Jordan says, unless Brando wasn’t the target. Josslyn Jax had just been in that same alley behind Charlie’s, and Josslyn is connected to Trina.

Josslyn says, just so Dex knows, the next time Sonny turns against him, don’t wait for her to come rescue him. He says, there might not be a next time, but she says, yes, there will be. Sonny will betray Dex, like he has everyone else. She just hopes Dex can see the man Sonny really is, before it’s too late for him. She leaves, and Dex says, son of a bitch.

Nina goes to get some water, and Sonny says, Gladys shared something with him that he wanted to share with Michael. She said it was too late to make things right with Brando, but she thinks it’s not too late for him and Michael to get things right. He took that to heart, and just wants Michael to hear him out. He wants to make things right, whatever it takes.

Dante knocks on Dex’s door, and Dex asks how he can help Dante. Dante says he wants to ask Dex some questions about what happened between him and Dante’s father after Brando Corbin was killed.

Tomorrow, Trina tells Ava, something horrible is going to happen; Esme tells Nikolas that he’ll have to try harder next time; Valentin asks Nina for help; and Dex asks if he should call a lawyer.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Valletta, Malta. At the crew dinner, Storm leaves the table, having had enough of Natalya’s roller coaster ride. Natalya says, he’s the most dramatic person, and Mzi goes to find Storm in the restroom. Storm tells Mzi that he’s always the bad person every time, and it has nothing to do with her. She’s making him look like an idiot. Mzi tells him to calm down, and Storm says he’s going back to do anchor watch. He wants to go back to doing his job. This is bullsh*t.  Storm leaves, saying, f*** all these people. He’s done with this sh*t. Mzi goes back to the table, and in his interview, he says, he’s trying to comfort Storm when he feels bad himself. Everything is everywhere. He’s not living his best life. Natalya tries to trash talk Storm some more, but Mzi tells her, please don’t talk. Storm gets back to the boat, and tells Jason that he’ll take over the watch. In Jason’s interview, he says, he’s done, and he’s pumped. Somehow, Tasha’s shoes have gotten wet, and Dave gives her a pair of his. It’s unclear whether he’s going barefoot, is now wearing heels, or he usually carries spare shoes. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she and Dave are still friends, and her boyfriend clearly wants her away from him, but she can’t because she has to work with Dave. It’s the worst thing about yachting; you have to put your work life first. Kyle says, let’s shake our caboose, and they get ready to move on to a club.  They take a couple of taxis to the club, and in Mzi’s interview, he says, the lead deckhand situation was soul destroying, but Courtney’s happiness overrides his sadness. He’s going to drink to numb some emotions. Everyone cuts loose on the dance floor, and Tasha goes outside to call her boyfriend. She says she misses him, when Dave comes by. She tells Dave that she’s talking to her dogs, and he says, come dance. She blows him off, but her boyfriend has already overheard, and tells her, just leave me the f*** alone. F*** off. Tasha runs to the restroom, crying, and Kyle follows her. She tells him that her ex (another thing that’s unclear – sometimes she calls him her boyfriend, and sometimes her ex) told her to f*** off. She doesn’t want any men in her life; just Kyle. Kyle tells her to blow her nose, and take deep breaths, and she says she’s sick of men. He tells her, stop it. He means that out of love. She’s an outstanding woman, and doesn’t need a man to complete her. Get off the man train. Never cry over a man again. Say f*** you. I don’t need you in my life. Got it?

Courtney asks if Tasha is okay, and Natalya wonders why everyone is upset. Courtney grabs Kyle’s bag, and the crew starts walking to the taxi. Kyle walks Tasha out, and she says she loves him. They get in the taxis, and in Tasha’s interview, she says she was always in long term relationships. She gets attached to people very easy, and never experienced being single. She puts all her time and energy into one person, and makes them feel loved. She guesses she wants that feeling back. They take a regular taxi to the water taxi, and shakily get in. Kyle says he loves a boat ride, and Courtney suggests they go straight to the snacks. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm gets emotional when he’s drinking. For no reason, he literally stormed off. She’s just over it, and she’s not chasing anyone anymore.

At 6:30 everyone gets up, and Jason packs. Captain Sandy curses the wind gusts, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, becoming lead deckhand is amazing. She’s excited, but feels bad about the Mzi situation. She thinks he’s fine and doesn’t think his ego is hurt, but she doesn’t know. The captain radios the crew that they’re going back to the dock. When the guests come on board, the sun comes up, and this all blows away, they’ll get off the dock. Natalya complains that Kyle could offer to help with laundry, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, if they ran the boat Natalya’s way, there would be no guests, they’d be on top of the laundry, and there would be a good place to sleep in the guest beds. Natalya asks if Kyle wants her to be the supportive friend today. She has six personalities, and can pick one. Anchor is home, and Storm says, it’s cold, and not a vibe. Jason helps out with the docking, and Captain Sandy gripes that she has to dock in the rain. The boat docks without incident, and the captain tells them, good job. They prepare the boat for the guests, and Jason says goodbye to everyone. He says he enjoyed meeting them, and be true to themselves. Courtney wonders how guys pack so light, and Jason goes to the bridge to say goodbye to Captain Sandy. She says, it’s been a pleasure, and he says he’ll text her his information. In his interview, he says, he’s glad to go home, but he’s sad that he’s leaving because it’s not what he planned or expected. He came to this place, and there were three friends and one outsider. Unfortunately, the outsider was him. It makes him sad; the emotional part. Storm tells Courtney that Jason was amazing this last charter, but she says she guesses he didn’t want to be here. Captain Sandy calls Storm, Dave, and Tasha to the crew mess for the preference sheet meeting.

The captain says, it’s charter number seven, and what’s cool about this charter is, the co-primaries are repeats, Jonathan and Eric. We flash back to their charter, which I have no recollection of at all, and Captain Sandy says, Eric is an entrepreneur who was so successful, he was able to retire at 59. Jonathan is a personal trainer, and they’re coming with clients. One guest wants their cabin spotless at all times, and another is a professional dominatrix, and wants a BDSM evening. Dave has to explain what BDSM is to Tasha, and in her interview, she says, people think a yacht is elegant and posh, but this theme is quite seedy. The captain says, it’s going to be an awesome charter, and Storm says, as long as they keep doing what they’re doing, it will be fantastic. In Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s a lot more pressure for her now that she’s lead deckhand. She hopes the new deckhand is helpful, good at his job, and good looking.

New deckhand Reid arrives, and meets Captain Sandy, who radios Storm. Reid says he’s had 18 hours of flying, but he’s glad to be here. The captain introduces Reid to Storm, and says, Reid has worked on tugboats, so he knows lines. Storm says, they have less than an hour, so let’s get cracking. Storm introduces Reid to the crew, and Kyle introduces himself as Captain Kyle. Reid finds out Dave will be his roommate, and says, the boat is pretty. Kyle tells Tasha that Reid is handsome, and in Reid’s interview, he says he’s from Decatur, Alabama. It’s got small town charm, but no opportunities. He graduated, 4th generation, from the University of Alabama. Storm texts Natalya, asking to talk, and she tells him to come to the twin cabins where she’s working. She asks why he left the table last night, and he says he needed to come back to the boat. She says she knows he’s pissed off at her, and he says, she lectured him in front of everyone, when it should have been a private conversation. It must be fun to turn it into a sh*tshow. She says, when they get out to have a good time, and there’s drinking, it inevitably becomes a vibe she doesn’t want to be around. It’s too heavy too quick. In her interview, she says, she knows when she’s in love; the other person’s energy matches her own. She sees Storm as more of a friend than boyfriend. If she can’t see someone as the father of her children, why date them? Storm says, the last thing he wanted was to make her feel bad, and in his interview, he says, it’s his first time as bosun, and it’s more stressful. There are more feelings on his side with Natalya, so he has to switch to work vibe. He doesn’t want it to affect his work.

Provisions come in, and Natalya tells Courtney, this sh*t drives her up a wall. This is their life now. She complains to Kyle that there are 80 bottles of wine, and nowhere to put them. It makes her frustrated. He asks what the actual problem is, and she says, too much is being ordered, and everyone agrees. In Reid’s interview, he says, one of his best friends told him, when he gets on the boat, keep his head down and his mouth shut, and don’t piss anyone off. He’s good at putting his foot in his mouth. He asks Mzi, what happened with the other guy? and Mzi tells him, it wasn’t what he’d call a bad attitude, but he was beefing with everyone. In his interview, Reid says he gets nervous and cracks jokes only he thinks are funny. He has a sh*tty sense of humor. The only one who thinks he’s funny is him. Natalya bitches to Storm about provisions, and tells Tasha that they’re out of space. They can’t keep dumping sh*t here. Tasha tells her, calm down, and watch the way she’s speaking. Natalya tells Courtney that she’s going in hot, and Courtney relays the beef to Mzi. Tasha says, Natalya is a bit cranky, and Natalya says, they have five boxes of beer. Tasha says, that’s why she asked for help from the deck crew, and Natalya says, Tasha needs to learn how to delegate. Kyle is setting the table, and they don’t need that right now. Tasha tells her not to be disrespectful, and don’t shout at her. On her way upstairs, Natalya mumbles, she’s f***ing insane. Dave laughs, and says, he told Tasha that she’s a ticking time bomb.

Tasha says she’s going out for fresh air, and whines to Courtney that this is bullsh*t. Tasha tells Kyle that she won’t be spoken to like that. Natalya comes back, and says she’s right here, and she wasn’t yelling. If Tasha wants to have a chat with her, take it somewhere private; don’t bring it up with Kyle. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya is trying to make her look bad at her job, and she’s not bad at her job. She’s Natalya’s boss, and Natalya is pissing her off. Natalya’s not respecting her. Natalya tells Tasha to speak to her, and not everyone else, and slams out. Kyle hugs Tasha, and tells her that they’re taking a second. Tasha says she won’t bring him into it, and he laughs, saying, ain’t nobody getting him down. The captain radios for the crew to change into their whites. She notes that the boat looks pristine, and tells them, really good job.

The guests arrive, and Captain Sandy welcomes them back. The guests meet the crew, have a champagne toast, and Tasha gives them the tour. She points out two chairs on the bow that I don’t remember seeing before, and tells the guests they can sit in them while the boat is moving. Mzi shows Reid what to do with the luggage, and Storm shows him how to watch during departure. Eric and Johnathan check out the galley, and Johnathan asks if Dave can do a whole sea bass. Eric says, the last time they were on the yacht, the chef was excellent. They’re foodies. We flash back to Chef Tom, and again, no clue. Did I lose time? In Dave’s interview, he says, the last chef was amazing; f*** off. When he’s challenged, he goes at twenty times his original pace. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Reid worked on tugboats, and his family owns a towing company. He’s a line handler; it’s all they do. So she’s fine with him on lines. They pull out, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s her first time as lead deckhand. The boat wasn’t crushed, so she’s doing good. Natalya unpacks BDSM outfits and accessories, and Kyle puts on a mask. She says, he doesn’t know where it’s been, and he throws it back down. The crew changes uniforms, and Eric does a solo Titanic pose on the bow. In Tasha’s interview, she says she didn’t mean to confront Natalya face-on, but she could see it getting more heated. The guests are on vacation. They don’t need negativity training. Two of the female guests get nakey, and Storm helps them into the bow chairs. In Storm’s interview, he says, what’s going on? He’s trying to be respectful. Captain Sandy looks out, and says, holy sh*t! They’re completely nude in the chairs. Tasha says, their vaginas are out, and in her interview, she says, she’s not jealous. It’s just the weirdest thing she’s ever seen. Maybe the panties could stay on. I thought one of them was a germaphobe. Wouldn’t that freak them out?

Storm coaches Reid on dropping anchor, and tells him, good job. In Storm’s interview, he says, Reid seems keen to get things done. Jason was in limbo, and he wants to be in more communication with Reid to avoid Jason-like problems. They arrive at Dwerja Bay, and Tasha says, they need someone to go to the beach. She asks if Natalya wants to go, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, she takes everyone to the beach, while they take the opportunity to relax on the yacht with no guests around. Because you can’t please this a-hole, and it’s not like there’s no work when guests aren’t there. Eric asks Kyle if they found a nude beach, and Kyle says, it’s a nude beach now that they’ll be there. Storm says, they’re going on a hike first, and Tasha checks in with Dave about lunch. He says he’ll come up with the food, and Tasha puts a few plates on the bar inside. Eric and Johnathan can’t help themselves, and pick at the food before it gets to the table. Eric apologizes to Tasha for them being pigs, and ruining the display. They have no will power. The deckhands get chairs and supplies ready for the beach. Dave tells the guests what they’re eating, and guest Amanda pronounces it the perfect lunch. Eric tells the other guests that in the center of every fig is a dead wasp. The fig reacts to the wasp, and dissolves its decomposed body parts. He tells them, look it up, so I did. See below.

The guests get ready for the beach and their hike. Storm tells Natalya that he’s going now, but he’s coming back to put the toys out. She says she hopes everything is fine with them, and he says, it is, but keeps working. She hangs around, even though he’s working, and she annoys me even more. The beach is weirdly cratered, and Mzi says, welcome to the moon. Reid says, NASA faked the moon landing, and this is where they did it. Natalya says, they need to make this place look like a Catalina wine mixer, whatever that means. Reid asks Mzi and Natalya how it’s been on the yacht, and Natalya says, being the only legend is hard. She has a lot to deal with. Courtney brings the guests to the beach, and Eric thinks it’s a great place to do nudes. In Courtney’s interview, she says, she wants to eat, drink, and be merry on a yacht. She’ll even pose nude if that’s what it takes. Courtney drops Mzi off at the boat, and returns to the beach. Reid leads the hike to the top of an incline, and tells the guests, it’s quad day. In Natalya’s interview, she says she hates physical activity, and doesn’t like someone telling her what to do. It’s not her thing. Tell us something we don’t know. The hike doesn’t look easy.

Eric takes some nude shots on the top of a cliff, Reid assisting. In Reid’s interview, he double face palms. He says, he came from a conservative background, and it’s awkward. Eric jokes that he has a tough life. While the guests are gone, Natalya finds a spot to dip herself in the water, sans pants, and is getting out just as a guest comes down. She admits she had to go to the bathroom. This is what we here at the shore call a shore pee. On the boat, Dave asks what Tasha is going to do about Natalya, and she says, they live in the present, not the past. Kyle makes welcome back drinks, and Courtney returns with the guests. Tasha asks Natalya how it was, and Natalya whines that it was hot and there was no shade. The guests play on and with the water toys, and in Natalya’s interview, she says she knows Tasha and Kyle were talking about her. The dream team has gone downhill.

Tasha asks Dave when the dinner plans are, and he says he’s going to do the bass. In Dave’s interview, he says, it’s super difficult. He’s going to have to bend it to put it in the oven, and he wonders how he’s going to get it to look good. It’s going to almost fuse together. He shoves it in, and hopes for the best. In Kyle’s interview, he says, a BDSM party, it’s f***ing outstanding. We’re all animals who need to be tamed. Zookeeper Kyle to the rescue. The guests get dressed up, along with the interior. Natalya says, she wants a red district vibe, and hangs sheer red curtains. Tasha tells Dave to get dressed up and make that tip money, and in Dave’s interview, he says, Tasha looks so hot. The table is done in black with red accents, and the stews take pictures of it. Reid realizes he has the wrong size pants, and Natalya suggests he gain some weight. He says he just lost twenty pounds, and Storm says he’s talking to people who use the metric system. Reid asks if twenty pounds isn’t six meters, and I actually think he is kind of funny. Kyle takes pictures with Natalya and Tasha, and they ask if Captain Sandy wants to join, but she says she’s good. Kyle sees the clean freak guest sitting alone, and apologizes that they were late cleaning her cabin. He tells her the head of housekeeping wasn’t on the boat. The guest is cool with that, but Natalya tells Kyle that he’s pissed her off. There’s no head of housekeeping. They’re equally responsible, and the problem is time management. Make it better, and don’t try to blame her. He says he’s not blaming her, and she didn’t hear the full story. If she thinks she’s going to come for him, he’ll put her in her place. She will not come for him like she does everyone else. She’s 24, so act mature. He walks away, saying, he’ll switch this bitch off in two seconds. Not on his watch.

Next time, Reid inadvertently insults Courtney; Natalya is fed up with interior; and Kyle says, Natalya’s been talking trash, and tells her to stop spreading sh*t.

🦟 About Those Figs…

Eric wasn’t wrong, but it’s not as gross as it sounds. My concern is, how many wasps hang around fig trees?

https://www.treehugger.com/are-there-really-wasps-your-figs-4868822

🧛🏽 No Babysitting For You…

The latest chapter of the Vampire saga. It’s really very good.

https://collider.com/interview-with-the-vampire-season-1-episode-2-recap-after-the-phantoms-of-your-former-self/

🧙🏽‍♀️ More Rice Drama…

They had a preview Sunday night, and this looks good too.

🙌🏽 Shaking It All About…

Stop in tomorrow for soap, a cuppa tea, and a random musical interlude. Until then, stay safe, stay being well-read, and stay not thinking you have forever to make things right, and do it now. Don’t make Gladys’s mistake.

October 3, 2022 – The Hook Has One Nasty Modus Operandi, Storm Chooses a Lead Deckhand & Break

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up and hears a door open. She says, Drew? and Drew comes in the room. He says, she’s awake, and she says, he’s here. He asks, where else he would be? and she says she doesn’t know. She thought maybe he left. He says, if he had, would she have missed him?

On the phone in her office, Maxie says, they need to rethink this whole presentation. They want it to be classic and clean, not sterile. Sasha knocks at the door, and Maxie says she’ll call them back. Sasha apologizes for interrupting, but Maxie says she’s not. She’s so sorry. She hugs Sasha, and Sasha says she knows she’s supposed to take a step back from the company, but she didn’t know where else to go. Maxie says, forget the company. Whatever Sasha needs, she’s here.

The inmate (whose name we find out later is Book, so we’ll go with that now) tells Spencer to pick up the book he dropped on the floor. Spencer says he’ll get it later, but Book says, pick it up. Spencer says, you dropped it, you pick it up, and Book says, he told Spencer to pick it up. He cracks Spencer in the head with a book, and Spencer falls to the ground. He kicks Spencer, and Spencer asks, what is his problem? Book says, Spencer is the one with the problem – him.

Gregory wonders why Elizabeth is asking about Reiko, and she says, Finn doesn’t mention Reiko, to her at least. He says he’s sure it brings up difficult memories for Finn of losing Reiko.

Alexis asks Finn, what’s going on? Is Diane okay? Robert says, tell him she didn’t…

Walking into Charlie’s, Trina says she can’t begin to tell Josslyn how good it felt; not just to be back on campus, but to have no one stare at them like they’re a bunch of circus performers. Apparently, they’re last semester’s news. Josslyn says, ugh. She tried every social media platform and can’t find him anywhere. Trina asks, who? and Josslyn says, Dex. She has no way to reach him.

Dante is having coffee at Pozzulo’s when Sonny walks in, and asks what he’s doing here. Dante says, waiting for Sonny. Frank said he’d be right back. He thanks Frank for the helluva cup of coffee he made, and Frank says, anytime. Sonny sits, and says, any news on Diane? Dante says, no, but he is here about the attacks, and Sonny says, what about? Dante asks, where’s his employee, Dex Heller? Sonny asks why Dante is looking for Dex, and Dante asks if he’s working today. Sonny says, it’s Dex’s day off. Why is Dante asking these questions? Kristina flies in, followed by Cal, and she says she can’t with this guy. He’s scaring off all the customers. No offense. Sonny says, hello, and she says hello to him and Dante. She asks if Sonny could please get rid of this one, and reassign Dex to her. Sonny looks like he has a headache.

Trina asks why Josslyn is looking for Dex, and Josslyn says, she heard he was being questioned by the PCPD about the attacks. Trina asks if they have evidence against him, and Josslyn says, circumstantial. Dex was in the area either before or after all of the attacks. The evidence she has points away from him. Trina says, then he’ll be cleared, but Josslyn says, Trina wasn’t. Not nearly as quickly as she should have been at least. Trina says, good point, but she still doesn’t get where Josslyn fits in. Josslyn says she just thinks it’s strange. Dex starts getting questioned, then he goes completely MIA? Trina says, he could be anywhere. It’s not like Josslyn knows him that well. He could be lying low so he can stay out of the spotlight, or maybe he is guilty and left town. Josslyn says, maybe, and Trina says, or he’s with family. Josslyn shakes her head, and Trina says, or a significant other. What’s going on? Why is Josslyn so interested in this guy?

Carly asks if Drew is a ninja, and he says, damn. She figured out his secret identity. She says she didn’t hear him leave, and he says, that’s good. He was trying to be quiet so she didn’t wake up. She says she can’t believe how late it is. Although she’s not surprised. She had trouble falling asleep last night. He says he heard her tossing and turning, and she says, sorry. He says she doesn’t have to be sorry. Is she always such a restless sleeper? She says, sleeping alone takes some getting used to, and he says he could help with that. She looks at him, and he says, not like that. He could, and totally would in a heartbeat, but they’ve already had that conversation. He was going to tell her, he learned some sleeping techniques in the service, and those techniques can help you fall asleep in less than five minutes. She says she could have used that last night. She had this awful dream that Virginia’s grave was being dug up, and Peyton was just standing there laughing. He says, but they’re not going to let that happen, and she says she wanted to tell him that she appreciates his offer to help her… He says, but, and she says, she thinks she should just call Diane and see what her legal options are. He puts his hand on his arm to stop her, and says, about Diane…

Maxie gives Sasha some tea, and sits down. She says, sorry, and Sasha says, what for? Maxie says, after Nathan died, people were forever trying to ply her with tea. Half the time, she felt like throwing it in their faces, and she’s now realizing they were just trying to do what they could for her. What she’s saying is, Sasha is under no obligation to drink that. Sasha says, she likes Earl Grey, and takes a sip. Maxie asks if there’s anything else she can do for Sasha, anything at all, and Sasha says she needs an outfit for Brando’s funeral. She was going through her closet, and the only thing that was appropriate was the dress she wore to Liam’s funeral, and she can’t… Maxie says, of course (🍷) not, and Sasha says she was going to go shopping, but as she was walking into Wyndham’s, she remembered her credit cards don’t work. Maxie says she’s really sorry about he conservatorship. Sasha came to the right place. She can definitely find Sasha the right outfit. Sasha thanks her.

Finn tells Alexis and Robert, Diane made it out of surgery, and the venom protocol he administered seems to have worked. Alexis says, thank God. So she’s going to be all right? Finn says, that’s the plan, and Robert asks if she’s awake. He wants to get information on the bastard who did this to her. Finn says, she’s still unconscious, but he’ll be the first to know when she wakes up, and Alexis says, she’ll be the first to know; Robert can stand in line behind her.

Elizabeth says, Reiko meant a lot to Finn, didn’t she? and Gregory says he wishes he could tell her stories about Finn and Reiko’s time together, but the truth is, he wasn’t around when they were married. That’s what he calls the dark period; he and Finn weren’t in contact. She says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to bring up difficult times. He thanks her, and says he hates that he and Finn missed out on all that, but he mostly hates that he wasn’t there to support Finn when Reiko died. She says, but he’s here now, and he says, something he’s grateful for every day. If she doesn’t mind him asking, what brought all this up? She says she’s been thinking a lot about the past lately, and he says, the past is a tricky thing. Even when you think you’ve let it go, it has a way of hanging onto you.

Spencer asks how he’s Book’s problem, and Book says, Spencer used his connection’s to steal his job. It took him 12 years to be assigned to the library, and Spencer shows up and he’s out? Spencer says, that’s a long time, and Book says, it is. Pick it up. Spencer says, okay, and gingerly reaches for the book, when Book steps on his hand. Spencer says, sorry. He didn’t mean to offend Book. Book says, anything useless offends him, and it doesn’t get more useless than Spencer. Rumor has it Spencer’s daddy wanted to buy this place last year. Now hardworking citizens have to pay to feed and house Spencer. He thinks maybe he should give them a tax break. Cyrus walks in, and says, he who commit’s violence against his brother shall be covered in shame, and destroyed forever. Book tells him to take his bible thumping somewhere else, and Cyrus says he’ll stop the proselytizing, but only if Book lets Spencer up. Book takes his foot off Spencer’s hand, and Spencer gets up. Cyrus says, conflict disheartens him, and he abhors violence. Book says, from convict to convert. He’s a regular walking after school special. Cyrus says, it’s not too late for Book. If he changes his mind, he knows where to find Cyrus. Book says he sure does, and tells Spencer, he got lucky with the save. Next time, he’ll make sure they’re not interrupted. He leaves, and Cyrus asks, how’s the hand? Spencer says he had that under control, and Cyrus says, not from where he was standing. Spencer says, and now? Cyrus did him a solid. What does he want for it?

Carly tells Drew, she can’t believe Diane was stabbed. She looks at her phone, and says, she has messages from Josslyn, Michael, and Sonny. Boy, she’s mother of the year. He says, the fact that she wasn’t glued to her phone first thing in the morning, most people would think is a good thing, but she says, not when your family’s in danger. The hell with this. She doesn’t care what Sonny says; she’s going back to Port Charles. He asks if she really thinks it’s a good idea. He and Sonny don’t necessarily see eye to eye on a lot, but when it comes to her safety, there’s a murderer loose in Port Charles, and the only common denominator… She says, is Sonny, she knows. Her kids are in danger. He says, Sonny has the kids guarded, but he only has so many resources. So one less person to guard means more protection for everybody else. She says, so if she stays she’s protecting her kids? Come on. He says, in a way, that’s true. Not to mention the fact she has unfinished business here, and he happens to know it’s hugely important to her. She says she doesn’t know, and he says he can send for Josslyn and Donna; have them close if it will make her feel better. She says, that leaves Avery, and Ava and Sonny are never going to let them bring her here. And she doesn’t want to disrupt Josslyn and Donna’s lives. Josslyn is just starting school again. Ugh. They’re safe? He says, they really are, and she says, thanks to him for making that video, she knows Donna and Avery are happy. He says so she’s not going to hop on the next flight out? and she says she’s going to stay put… for now.

Trina says she feels like she’s missing something. Why is Josslyn trying to find Dex? Josslyn says, forget she said anything. Trina’s right; it’s none of her business. She heard Ava is close to getting discharged. Is she going back to the gallery soon? Trina says, no, and neither will she. Ava fired her. Josslyn says, why? and Trina says, maybe fired is a little extra, but Ava thinks it’s safer if the gallery stays closed. Josslyn tells her, she can’t believe she’s saying this, but Ava might be right. Trina says, and she’d be fine with it if Ava had come to the decision all on her own, but Curtis convinced Ava to pull some strings at The Chuck. Josslyn says, the actual art museum? and Trina says, yes, and now she’s the proud recipient of the Murphy-Katz Fellowship. Josslyn says, that sounds like a pretty big deal, and Trina says, it is; it’s a huge honor. Which is why she fully intended on applying next year. But now it’s been given to her as a distraction to keep her away from the gallery. Josslyn says she knows Trina doesn’t like how it came about, but she’s going to take it, right? but Trina says, no way.

Gregory says he doesn’t think Elizabeth has anything to worry about, and she says, meaning? He says, his son lives in the here and now. As important as Reiko was, he’s moved on. He’s lived a whole life in the years since Reiko died. He fathered a child, and now he wants a future with her. Finn doesn’t smile like that at just anybody. He’d venture to say, Finn saves that smile just for her. Finn and Alexis join them, and Gregory asks Alexis, how’s her friend? Alexis says, she’s going to be okay, thanks to this guy, and Gregory says, my son, the hero. Finn says, nah, it was a team effort. Speaking of which, will Elizabeth help him check Diane’s vitals? She says, of course (🍷), and she and Finn leave. Gregory tells Alexis, she’s okay, and Alexis says, she’s okay.

Kristina tells Sonny, Dex blends in with the clientele at Charlie’s, and he has the unique ability to carry on a conversation. She tells Cal, no offense again, and Sonny says, his concern is Kristina’s safety; he doesn’t care whether she’s entertained or not. She asks why Dex can’t keep her safe, and Sonny laughs. She looks at Dante, and says, oh. He’s flexing his big brother muscles? Dante says, what? and Kristina says she gets that Dante doesn’t like Dex, but just because he’s a cop… Dante says he has no opinion about Dex one way or the other, but until he’s ruled out as a suspect, he shouldn’t be around. She says, that’s ridiculous. Dex didn’t attack anyone. She looks at Sonny, and says, tell him, but Sonny says, he’s doing his job. What does she want Sonny to tell him? She tells Dante, okay. Do it faster. Clear Dex so he can get back to work. Dante says, aye-aye, captain, and Kristina asks if that’s really why she hasn’t seen Dex around lately. Since when is Sonny swayed be the PCPD? Sonny says, until they know who’s behind these attacks, she’s going to trust whoever’s assigned to her. Got it? She says, no. She don’t got it.

Finn says he’s had a kind of interesting afternoon, and Elizabeth says, do tell. He says, her buddy Nik informed him about her telling Ava that his alibi was a lie, and she asks what he said. Finn tells her, he said a lot of nonsense, but the main point was that Finn put her at risk. She says, that doesn’t make any sense, considering they decided to tell her together. Finn says he guesses Nikolas doesn’t see it that way, and she says she’s sorry Nikolas got on his case; he shouldn’t have done that.  She guesses in his own misguided way, Nikolas is just looking out for her, and Finn says he’ll take her word for it. She says, at one point, she and Nikolas meant a lot to each other. That kind of connection never really goes away, does it?

Sonny says, Kristina’s safety is not up for debate, and she asks why Dex would hurt Ava, or Diane, or kill Brando. Sonny tells her, he never said Dex did, but she says she’s not an idiot… even if he and her mom doesn’t think she’s living up to her potential. He says, he and her mom just want to keep her safe and breathing, and she says, maybe he does. Mom had a lot more to say on the subject. Dante says he hears that. His mother still tries to tell him how to live his life to this day. She says, please, it’s not the same with sons, and he says, maybe, but he bets his mother could give her mother a run for her money in the opinionated mother department. Maybe they could make a drinking game out of it (🍷 wild card). Kristina says she has to get back to work, and Sonny asks her to do something for him. She says, yep, she’ll take the bruiser with her, and kisses Sonny on the cheek. She says, come on, Cal, let’s go to Charlie’s, and they leave. Sonny and Dante sit down in Sonny’s office, and Sonny asks if Dante thinks Kristina is right about Dex. Dante says, maybe. They did a search of Dex’s place earlier. Sonny asks what they found, and Dante says, nothing; not even Dex. Sonny wouldn’t have anything to share about that, would he? Dante’s phone rings, and Sonny flashes back to introducing Dex to Carver, and saying, he’s well-known for getting people to talk – by any means possible. Dante says he’s on his way, and tells Sonny, Diane is out of surgery. They both dash out the door.

Alexis says, Gregory should go home; he doesn’t have to stay. She thanks him, and he says, she’s welcome. He did what exactly? She says, he kept her company, and kept her from losing her mind. She’s sure he has better things to do now, like lecture people… give lectures, and grade papers. She’s really good, truly.

Josslyn asks if Trina is really going to turn the Fellowship down, and Trina says she doesn’t want to. Josslyn says, then don’t, but Trina says she can’t. Is this how it’s going to be when her mom and Curtis get married? Will he ever stop hovering and making preemptive decisions about her life, or is this her world now? And if it is, there are going to be problems. Trina’s phone dings, and she says, Rory. Josslyn asks what Mr. Cutie Cop has to say, and Trina says, he wants to know if she’s available. Josslyn says, available for what?

Cyrus returns a book to the shelf, and Spencer quickly slides away from him. Cyrus looks at another book, as the guard returns, and says, the new English version just came in. He finds it more elegant than the King James, doesn’t Spencer? Spencer says, he wouldn’t know, and Cyrus says, that seems to be a theme with Spencer, including with the man Spencer just managed to make into an enemy. Spencer says, Book. Why do they call him that anyway? Because he works in the library? Cyrus says, because he once beat a man into a vegetative state with an Oxford Dictionary. But he’s sure Spencer had it under control. Cyrus sits down with his Bible, and Spencer says, Cyrus still hasn’t answered his question. What does Cyrus want in return from him?

Maxie hangs up a garment bag, and says, Sasha’s all set. She didn’t even need a fitting. Sasha asks if Maxie is sure they shouldn’t have asked Nina, but Maxie says, Nina loves Sasha. Of course (🍷) she’d want Sasha to have this. She asks if Sasha needs a bag or shoes. She can have Crimson send up some options. Sasha says she has everything she needs… except Brando. She misses him so much. She misses everything she thought their life was going to be, and doesn’t know what she’s supposed to do now. Maxie takes her hands, and says, what Sasha is going to do is go home, and hang the dress on the back of her closet so it doesn’t get any wrinkles. Then she washes and dries her hair, so she doesn’t feel rushed tomorrow. And do her nighttime beauty regimen because routines are important. With any luck, tomorrow, Sasha will feel like she’s in a bubble where nothing can get to her. But if that bubble breaks, and it all comes rushing in, just look around her and see the people who love her, and that includes Maxie. Then she focuses on the next minute, and the minute after that. Don’t worry about what happens in the next hour, or even a week from now. Just take it one minute at a time. Sasha asks, what if she can’t do it? but Maxie says, she can. Maxie survived it, and Sasha can too. They hug.

Carly calls out, perfect timing; breakfast is here. Drew comes out wearing a towel, still wet, and says, thank God. He’s ravenous.

Dante and Sonny come out of the hospital elevator, and Dante tells Robert, he got the word Diane was out of surgery. Robert says, she’s in recovery, and Dante says, that’s good news. Robert says, the best, and Dante asks when they can talk to her. Robert says, not until she regains consciousness, and Dante says, that would be helpful. Sonny asks if Alexis is there, and Robert says, she’s probably off harassing the staff, so they let her in to see Diane. It’s interesting. All the victims have one thing in common. Sonny says, Robert wishes it was the mob, doesn’t he? but Robert says, he wishes he would find this guy before he does it again. Sonny says, can Robert believe it turns out they want the same thing?

Carly says, really? and Drew says, sorry. She says, uh-huh, and he goes to change. He tells her that he talked to one of the top media consultants at Aurora. They recommended a colleague, a reporter at a local news station who can interview Carly at the cemetery. She says, that’s great. If the public can really see how this project is affecting people and their families, maybe they can stop this parkway in its tracks. He says, that’s the best case scenario, and she says, she can hear hesitation in his voice; what? He tells her, they’re talking about turning the dial on public opinion, and they have to remember that dial can turn two ways. She asks if he thinks they’ll have to deal with some backlash, and he comes out, saying, he just wants her to be prepared. In order to maximize impact… She says, she has to shame the Jacksonville elite. He says, she has to get personal. She’s got to be vulnerable. Maybe talk a little bit about how much Virginia meant to her. She says she can do that, and he says, good. She also has to withstand scrutiny. They’re going to shine the light on her past, and they both know, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Is she going to have a problem with that?

Gregory tells Alexis, he could be grading papers right now, or planning his next lecture, and she says, exactly. He says, but nothing is more important than supporting a friend, and she says, are they friends? He says he’d like to think so, and she says, her too. Sonny joins them, and asks if there’s any update, but Alexis says, they’re just waiting for Diane to wake up. She introduces Sonny to Gregory, and says, Diane has been representing Sonny and his family… Sonny says, for a long time now, and Alexis introduces Gregory as a colleague and a friend. Sonny says, nice to meet him, and Gregory says, likewise. He’s going to go track down his son. He’ll be back. He leaves, and Sonny asks if it was something he said, but Alexis tells him that she has no idea.

Cyrus says he doesn’t want anything from Spencer; they’re family. Spencer says, they may be related, but they’re not family. If Cyrus thinks coming to his defense is going to make him overlook everything Cyrus as done… Cyrus says, he saw a fellow child of God was in trouble, and he stepped in. He would have done the same for anyone. Spencer says, what a good Samaritan he is, and Cyrus says he’s sensing sarcasm. Spencer asks if Cyrus really expects him to believe he didn’t know Spencer was in Pentenville, but Cyrus says he’s sorry. He guesses he missed Spencer’s big entrance. Spencer sits across from him, and says, bull. Cyrus orchestrated that whole thing with Book, so he could fly to Spencer’s rescue, and Spencer would owe him. He hasn’t changed at all. Cyrus says, oh, but he has.

Trina tells Josslyn, there’s a comic book convention out of town. Rory is into graphic novels. Josslyn says, that’s cool; she didn’t know that. So if it’s out of town, will they stay in a hotel? Trina says she guesses, and Josslyn asks if she and Rory are there yet. Trina says she doesn’t know; maybe. It’s hard to think about after her last weekend getaway. Josslyn says, that weekend getaway will live on in infamy for all of them, and Trina says, except for Esme, who seems to have gotten off scot-free. Josslyn says, Dante told her there are still precincts in Europe looking for Esme, but Trina wonders how likely it is they’ll find her, especially if she’s not in contact with anyone at home. Josslyn says, not even Spencer, and Trina asks if Josslyn and Cameron have gone to see him. Josslyn says, they talked about it, and Trina says she bets Spencer would really like that. Josslyn asks if Trina would want to come, but Trina says she doesn’t know. She thinks it’s better to leave things where they are. Josslyn tells her, right, but Trina said she missed the opportunity to speak to him before he was shipped off to Pentenville. If she’d made it on time, what would she have said to him?

Carly says she thinks she’s a little offended, and Drew asks, why? She says, he doesn’t think she can handle a couple of questions from a reporter? and he tells her, that’s not at all what he said. She says, when the reporter looks into her background and her connection to Jacksonville, a couple of things are going to come up. She’s the grand-niece of the notorious madam Ruby Anderson, and there was a car accident involving Peyton’s daughter, and she was somewhat involved. She doesn’t think it’s going to come out that she had sex with Peyton’s husband. She doubts Peyton wants to publicize the man was sleeping with a sixteen-year-old, and committed suicide. Drew says he’s guessing Peyton would want to exert her influence without revisiting the scandal, and she says she doesn’t get it. Peyton suffered a terrible tragedy. Where’s her empathy? How can she just go around steamrolling families who have no means to fight back? He says, all they have to do is focus on the message the parkway is unnecessary. When the opposition tries to discredit her, or however the other news outlets try to spin it, they have no control over that. She says she’s not afraid; let them come at her. He says, good. So the answer’s no. She doesn’t have a problem with the possible use of her past against her. She says, no. She has a problem with their food getting cold because she’s really hungry. He says he’ll fix her a plate, and goes to the table. He says, it looks incredible, and she looks at him and says, it really does.

Kristina arrives at Charlie’s and Josslyn asks how she is, hugging her. She says, it’s good to see Kristina, and Kristina says, her too, and says hi to Trina. Josslyn says she can’t believe Kristina found Brando, and Kristina says, and Josslyn found Ava. Josslyn asks how Kristina is holding up, and Kristina guesses she’s okay. The whole thing is so surreal. Josslyn says, tell her about it. Kristina says she just wants the PCPD to find out who’s doing this, so they can put it behind them, and Josslyn says, and the people under suspicion can move on. Kristina says, people like Dex? and Josslyn says, Kristina heard? Kristina says, not in so many words, but she figured. Dante definitely hasn’t ruled him out, but the weirdest part is, she thinks Dante’s suspicions are starting to get to her dad.

Gregory asks how Finn is doing, and Finn says, when he’s not worried about his patients, he’s probably worried about Elizabeth. Gregory says he can’t help Finn with the former, but as far as Elizabeth goes, he thinks she just needs a little reassurance. Finn asks what makes him say that, and Gregory tells him, she was asking about Reiko earlier. Finn asks, why? but Gregory says he’s not sure. Maybe after all they’ve been through, and all Finn has supported her through, she’s feeling a little insecure.

Kristina tells Josslyn that she basically begged her dad to reinstate Dex as her bodyguard, and he flat-out refused. Josslyn says, so she thinks Sonny’s concerned because he believes the police are right to suspect Dex? Kristina says, feels like it, and Trina asks if they’re going to order. Her stomach is growling, she’s so hungry. Kristina says, give her one second, and she’ll take their order. She goes in the back, and Josslyn tells Trina, Sonny was so weird when she went to see him about Dex, and Trina says, Josslyn went to see Sonny? Josslyn says, yes, and now Dex is nowhere to be found. If Sonny thinks Dex is guilty, Dex is in serious trouble. Trina asks, what happened to Dex being none of Josslyn’s business? and Josslyn says she has to go. Trina asks if Josslyn wants her to come, but Josslyn says, it’s probably better if she stays. Stay, eat; she’s sorry to bail. Trina says, please be careful, Josslyn says she will, and leaves.

Carly says she needs to get dressed, but Drew says, no one’s making her. She says he’s already been on a run and taken a shower. She needs to start her day. He asks if she wants him to step out, but she says she can use the bathroom. She thanks him for being here, and says she couldn’t have done it without him. He says, yeah, she could, and she says, she could, but she’s glad she doesn’t have to.

Cyrus tells Spencer that he’ll spend the rest of his life atoning for his mistakes, and yes, he has more days behind him than in front. But the way Spencer is going, the same could be true for him. Spencer asks if that’s a threat, but Cyrus says, Spencer has nothing to fear from him. Allow him to give Spencer a word of advice. Don’t let his disdain for Cyrus cloud his instinct for survival. Spencer says he’s doing just fine, and gets up. Cyrus says, yeah he is, and that fact makes him assume Spencer has some protection in here. The word is out about Spencer’s powerful relations. That scares some, but not all. Take Book for instance. Nothing to lose, and no qualm taking chances. That’s a lethal combination. Spencer is lucky Cyrus has ways of handling people like that. Spencer says, baptism? and Cyrus laughs. Cyrus says, joke if you must, but the Old Testament has many lessons for us. This is a dangerous place. Spencer says he’s noticed, and Cyrus says, despite his past issues with Spencer’s grandmother, he thinks they can agree Spencer needs to be protected. And like our Creator is for all of us – he taps Spencer’s chest with the Bible – he’s here for Spencer. All Spencer has to do is call. He leaves, and Spencer ponders this.  

Dante says, he’s more and more convinced that Dex isn’t their attacker, and Robert suggests they look at what they’ve got. We see Diane, hooked up to machines, and Alexis and Sonny looking through the window. Robert says, first and foremost, all of our victims share a connection to Sonny. Coincidence? Doubtful. Dante says, next up, they have the clanking metal sound Josslyn and Brando heard at their crimes scenes. Robert says, could be jewelry, could be dog tags. It could be something they haven’t even considered yet. Dante says, this perp is careful. No bloody clothing, or slaughterhook found at the Quartermaines’ or Brando’s garage. Robert says, and the venom used in two of the attacks; clearly our killer is honing their technique. Dante says, whoever it is, has one nasty modus operandi.

Finn tells Gregory, he lost Reiko a long time ago. He’s had relationships since then. Why would Elizabeth be asking about her in particular? Elizabeth walks up, and says, sorry to interrupt, but Diane’s vitals are improving. She should be awake soon.

Josslyn walks into Pozzulo’s, and Carver is there with a big knife in his hand. He asks if he can help her, and she looks at the knife.

Wow. A little messy for a guy who’s supposed to be such an expert. But then again, he hasn’t been great at his job in general so far.

Tomorrow, Josslyn tells Michael that she thinks she knows why no one has seen Dex; Ava tells Ryan that Esme overstayed her welcome, and she’s gone; Sonny says he’s going to do what he has to do to see Diane gets justice; and Drew asks why Carly is still blaming herself.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Jason tells Storm, he’s censured himself 80% in the way he talks and acts, and Storm says, still sometimes he doesn’t click. In Jason’s interview, he says he didn’t want to quit, but if he’s that much of a cancer, end it for him. He’s closer to the fish in the water than the deck crew. Dave tells Tasha about how he wants to do a pop-up restaurant in the states. She can do the cocktails and coffee. In Tasha’s interview, she says, since she was 15, she’s been in one relationship or another. She’s kind of worried about the issues going on with her boyfriend. She doesn’t want to go down that road again, but she craves someone to be there for her. Storm talks to Captain Sandy, saying, he has an issue he’s trying to address, but there’s a lot going on. He had a chat with Jason about his attitude, but Jason says he’s not going to change, and wants to go. Storm told him that he didn’t want him to leave; that’s why they were having the conversation. The captain says, if Jason wants to quit, she needs details, and Storm tells her, Jason is grumpy, and ignores him and Courtney. He said he didn’t want Jason to feel like a victim, and he wasn’t ostracizing him, but they need a good vibe. He said he appreciated Jason’s work, but the last few charters, he’s been affecting everyone. He just doesn’t jive with the team. Captain Sandy says, when people say they don’t want to be here, she doesn’t want them to stay, but until she can find someone, they may need Jason for the next charter. Storm says, they’ll get through it, and he’ll try to diffuse the situation. The captain calls Jason to the bridge. Natalya asks Storm how the chat went. Storm tells her and Mzi that Jason doesn’t want to be here, but until they find someone, the captain wants him to stay. They’ll see. Captain Sandy tells Jason, Storm said he wanted to leave, and Jason says, his personality came into play, even though he’s been biting his tongue. She says, sometimes people just don’t gel. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with his personality; it’s just a conflict. Sometimes it happens. They crew needs to have a rhythm, and the guests pick up on it. He’s always been respectful, and she’s asking him to continue to do the job until she can find a replacement. He says he’s running at capacity, but doesn’t want to leave her high and dry. In his interview, Jason says, he’s taking a risk. He doesn’t know how to behave. The captain says, the next charter starts in an hour. They need to focus on the job, and find a way to navigate. Mzi tells Courtney about Jason saying he doesn’t want to be here, and Captain Sandy calls Dave, Storm, and Tasha for a preference sheet meeting.  

She tells them, it’s charter number six, and it’s going to be shorter. Primary Myiesha is a project manager, and she’s bringing along her successful girlfriends. They want to let loose and be three sheets to the wind by the end of the cruise. Translation: They want to be drunk five minutes into the cruise. Dave says, one of them is vegan, and the guests would like a  surf and turf dinner, even though some of them don’t like fish. In Dave’s interview, he says he has no idea what to do. It’s a shorter cruise, so it’s harder. If he f***s up, there are no second chances. Captain Sandy says, the cool part is, Myiesha is friends with famous Maltese pop star Destiny, and they’re going to surprise the guests with an appearance. Tasha asks Dave about lunch, and he says he’s doing a Moroccan theme. Storm talks to Natalya in her cabin, and we flash back to her telling him to take it slow. She tells Storm that she just broke up with someone, and it’s still fresh. Storm says he appreciates the chat, and in his interview, he says, it’s not the first time he’s been told to slow down. So much is happening with the team, he’s going to have to compartmentalize. If it goes sideways, everything could go to sh*t. He needs this to be his main focus. Captain Sandy tells the crew, 30 minutes, and they do a last minute spiff-up of the boat. Storm says, they’re still a team, right? and Jason says, right.

The guests arrive, and Captain Sandy welcomes them to their home away from home, which is her standard spiel. She tells them, Tasha will show them around,  their luggage will be brought on board, and then they’ll take off for their vacation. Kyle passes out champagne, and Tash gives the tour. Tasha gives them the lunch menu, and guest Whitley checks for the not meat option. The captain radios that the lines are all free, and Myiesha says, the inside has great energy. Whitley asks Mzi his sign, and when he says, Libra, she says she loves that for him. He’s a beautiful being. In Mzi’s interview, he says, so beautiful, and laughs. Kyle thinks he should be the 8th guest, and Natalya says, he already acts like it. Why not continue? Tasha’s boyfriend harasses her with texts, and the drop anchor in Ghadira Bay. In Dave’s interview, he says, he needs to be focused more, instead of just focused on Tasha. He just wants to keep the vibe going from the last charter. The eating preferences aren’t ideal, but he wants to try and give the guests some variety. Natalya does unpacking, and isn’t sure what to do with a vibrator she finds. In his interview, Mzi says, Jason is leaving, someone new is coming in. There are a lot of moving parts right now. Lunch is served, and after tasting the entrée, Myiesha says, lamb is her favorite – hell yeah. The water toys are put out, strawberry mojitos come, and the guests approve. Captain Sandy calls Norma to find a deckhand, and Norma already has someone for her. Courtney tells Storm that Jason is being strangely nice, and Natalya and Kyle discuss the Hawaiian theme for the surf and turf dinner. Some of the guests are taken out on jet skis, and Mzi shows Myiesha how to use the slide. It all looks so fun. In his interview, Dave says, the surf and turf confuses him. Some of the guests don’t eat meat, and three don’t like lobster. It’s a tough one since he’d normally make beef and lobster. The dinner decorations are gorgeous; bright colors, faux flowers and faux parrots hanging all over the place, and soft yellow light coming out from under the big lazy Susan in the middle of the table.

Storm tells Captain Sandy that he knows he’s expected to delegate, and wants to put someone in the lead position. Mzi is his good friend, and he’s been working hard, but Courtney blew him away, and he wants to go with her. He doesn’t want to cause any upset, but he’s doing it based on experience and performance. In Storm’s interview, he says, he doesn’t want to hurt his friend. It’s hard, dude. It’s going to be a f***ing nightmare. Kyle tells Natalya, the table is their best work so far; he’s proud of himself. Dave decides to make sea bass as back-up, since he’s not sure what any of them eat. The sound technician arrives, and Tasha radios the crew to help with the equipment. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Destiny better be good at singing, and Kyle wonders if there’s a body in one of the cases. Tasha asks if Kyle can think of a distraction, while they get Destiny upstairs, since it’s a surprise. He suggests he flash his penis. Destiny arrives, and Kyle distracts the guests with taking group photos. Tasha greats Destiny, and says, they managed to make it a surprise. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s not much of a singer, but she did majorettes for nine years. She carries her baton everywhere. We see a demonstration of her twirling. I took baton lessons, but I was mediocre at best. One of the guests says, a luau, ooh-la-la, apparently confusing Hawaii with French Polynesia. Destiny gets ready, and somehow Kyle gets confused, and tells the guests that sea bass is one of the choices. In Dave’s interview, he says, he might not have explained it properly. The turf is meat, and the surf is scallops. Kyle offered the sea bass as an alternative, and added another course, when it was just for the one who didn’t eat meat.

Kyle apologizes to Dave, and dinner is served, with Whitley just having vegetables. Dave has several orders of sea bass to cook, and tells the filets, cook, mother***ers. The guests talk astrology, as Dave plates the fish, and Tasha tells Destiny, sorry for the wait. After the last course, Tasha tells the guests to come to the sundeck. She has something sweet for them. She radios for all crew to come to the sundeck, the guests sit, and Destiny comes out. She says she’s performing a very special song to very special ladies, and sings Je Me Casse (I break). She’s very good; reminiscent of Lizzo. Kyle films on his phone, and the guests dance. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, holy cannoli, she’s f***ing awesome. To kill short charter, they need to create memories with moments. She was one them. The crew helps get the equipment back in the boat, and Destiny leaves. The guests have tequila shots, and Natalya whines that Kyle isn’t helping. In Natalya’s interview, she says, the majority of the time, the two of them aren’t doing anything. It’s laziness. She’s such a jerk. It’s not like they’re not working. Tasha says, she’s making drinks, and Kyle says, the main priority is the guests. In his interview, he says, what the hell is she talking about?

Natalya says she’s just asking them to help; cut the bullsh*t. Kyle tells Tasha, she’s mental, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya isn’t the easiest person, and trying to undermine her whenever she has the chance. Stop it already. Kyle snarks that Natalya is the one who maintains the pantry so lovely. Natalya cuddles with Storm for a millisecond, and the guests continue drinking. Kyle says his energy levels are crashing, and he and Tasha clean the pantry kitchen, while the guests dance. Kyle says he’s getting too old for this sh*t, and the guests finally dance their way to bed.

In the morning, Courtney hands out yoga mats, and a couple of the guests do yoga. Storm frets over choosing a lead deckhand, and breakfast is served. Captain Sandy sees bad weather coming right for them, and tells Storm that she wants to stay anchored next charter. It’s time for the guests to depart – that wasn’t a vacation; it was a party – and the crew gets in their whites. When Tasha clears the table, Myiesha says she noticed a change in wardrobe. One guest doesn’t want to pack, but another says, they never really unpacked. Natalya tells Kyle to listen before speaking, and in his interview, he says, it’s not his first rodeo. It only gets worse. He feels Natalya needs to be put in her place. She wants to talk sh*t, and he doesn’t have the time. The crew lines up to say goodbye, and Myiesha says, Captain Sandy’s people are wonderful, patient, and serves with a smile. It was beautiful to see. She thanks the captain for having them, and says she hopes they meet again. She gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, and when the guests are gone, the captain tells the crew to meet in the main salon for the tip meeting. Fastest. Charter. Ever.

Captain Sandy says, from interior to exterior, they killed it. Jason was awesome on deck, and she’s grateful, but they’ve found someone who will be here before the next charter. She thanks him for working hard. The tip is $14,000 or $1,272 each. Not bad for one night. Jason volunteers for anchor watch while the crew goes out. The crew does some clean up, and Tasha’s boyfriend texts her that he loves her, but hopes that’s the case in a few hours. What’s wrong with this guy, and why is she hanging onto him? In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s trying to ignore it, but she’s a person and has feelings. As a leader, she doesn’t want anyone to see her break down. She cries in the bathroom, and Kyle asks if she’s all right. She says she feels lost. She doesn’t want any men in her life. She’s fed up. Kyle asks what she feels she needs to do, and she says she feels like running away. She doesn’t want to face it. Kyle says she’s got a job to do. Eyes are on her, and that has to be her main focus. He hugs her, and says, no more tears left to cry, only happy penises. The crew gets dressed to go out.

Kyle says, vamos, and they take a water taxi to shore, then a regular taxi to a restaurant called 506. Natalya asks if the deck crew is nervous about getting someone new on the team. Storm mumbles about appointing a lead deckhand, and Natalya says she’s the lead deckhand. She’ll watch while they clean windows, and she drinks iced coffee. Storm is triggered by this, and says, they’re going have this conversation tonight. He asks Mzi and Courtney to step aside with him, and Natalya tells the others, it’s about lead deckhand. Storm tells Mzi and Courtney, they’re going to get a new person. It might throw them a new spinner, so he’s making Courtney lead deckhand. It’s nothing against anyone, and was a hard decision. He tells her to make it what she wants to make it, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, they’re obviously outside, Storm is somewhat drunk, and she’s scared to believe it. Courtney says she knows Mzi is Storm’s boy, and they bounce off each other. Everything will stay the same. Storm continues to stammer, and Mzi – who is the nicest guy on the planet – says, no need for explanation; there’s no hard feelings. Storm asks if he wants to cuddle, and they have a three-way hug. In Mzi’s interview, he says, it’s disappointing and unexpected, proving what I just said. When Storm gets back to the table, Natalya berates him for doing this at the bar. She says, Mzi is taking it hard, and Storm’s been drinking. Funny, since she kind of egged him on. I think this chick is problematic. Storm says, Mzi isn’t upset, and Natalya says, it was a sh*tty thing to do. Storm asks if he should lie, and she says, no. She’s saying he should have had the conversation tomorrow. She asks if he feels lighter, and he says, clearly not. He was until he sat down. He gets up, and walks off, saying, he can’t take her anymore. Get out of his life. He’d done with this sh*t.

To be continued…

🌾 Bringing In a Sheaf…

Come see me tomorrow to get the soap skinny and a cup of tea or two. Until then stay safe, stay encouraging inclusivity, and stay remembering, nothing is more important than supporting a friend.

September 26, 2022 – Dex Saves the Day – Again, Beach Club All Day Off Deck, That’s It, Most Recent House, It’s Back & Bye-Bye

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna and Valentin go to her place, and she suggests he start a fire, and she’ll get them a couple of brandies. He says, good idea, and she says, consider it a down-payment; she owes him a pair of shoes. They were very nice shoes. He says, not to mention comfortable. But no mission is without sacrifice. She says, yeah, they failed, but he says he doesn’t know. She says, Lucy is still in Victor’s clutches, and he says, her own choice, but they got off and on the Haunted Star undetected. They returned the stolen zodiac… She says, borrowed, and he says, borrowed zodiac, and here they are; slightly damp and missing a shoe, but otherwise none the worse for wear. And they’re together. He’d call that a win.

Nikolas tells Ava to take the envelope; it’s hers. She says she doesn’t care if it contains a cashier’s check for a million bucks. It can’t buy back her love and trust, both of which he threw away when he had sex with Esme Prince. He says, it’s not money. He’s not trying to buy back her love. Like he said, this is proof of just how much he loves her. She opens it, and takes out a paper. She asks, what is this? and he tells her, you might say, it’s his life, and as she can see, it’s now in her hands.

At the MetroCourt, the hostess asks if she can get Robert a drink, and he asks for white wine. Mac and Felicia come in, and Mac says, they’re two minutes late, and Robert already has his nose buried in his emails. He told Felicia Robert needed a break. Robert tells him to speak for himself. He’s been looking for Brando’s killer since he got out of bed. He’s thinking, this guy probably sharpened the hook on Ava first. Felicia asks if they can agree both Scorpio brothers need a break. She needs a break. She’s not squeamish, but can they talk about something else besides hooks? Mac says, of course (🍷). He can’t deny her anything, and she flips Robert’s phone over, saying, that’s better. Robert says, now that she’s got her way, what are they going to talk about? She says she can think of one topic for sure, and they look at Cody who’s sitting at the bar.

Cody orders a bottle of beer, and the bartender says, foreign or domestic? He says, always domestic. And also, could he make sure to have a bottle of champagne chilling for when his date arrives? She’s a bit more upscale than him. He looks over at Mac’s table, and says, oh great, him? Is Mac stalking him now? He tells the bartender, on second thought, hold the beer and the bubbly.

At the hospital, Britt tells Terry that she’s officially off the clock. Wish her luck. Terry says, from the looks of things, Britt’s luck is already improving, and Britt says, she’s going on another date with Cody. The last time they saw each other was at the Quartermaine picnic, and they all know how that ended. Terry says, tonight is a new night. Have a good time. Britt thanks her, and they see a vase of roses on the desk. Terry asks when those were delivered, and Britt says, more important, who are they for? She reads the card, and says, lovely Terry, til we meet again. When did Terry get a secret admirer? Terry snatches the card, and says, it’s not a secret. His name’s Yuri, and she met him at the Quartermaine barbecue, which just goes to show the night wasn’t a complete disaster. Finn runs up, and says he needs her. Britt says, it’s too late; she’s off the clock. Finn says, not her. He needs to talk to Terry. It’s important.

Alexis tells Gregory, if Brando was specifically targeted, they need to figure out why. Was it someone he worked with? Was he in a dispute with someone? Anything to give them a clue as to who Brando’s killer is. He asks if they’re following clues now, and she says, if it’s any kind of inconvenience for him, she’s perfectly capable of following up on her own. He says, and cut him out of what might be an important article? Not a chance. When do they start? She says, now, and gets up.

At the garage, there’s a bloody handprint on the desk. On the floor, Diane lies unconscious in a pool of blood.  

Anna tells Valentin, it’s good get out of those damp clothes. Sorry she didn’t have a robe for him. Does he want a blanket? She hands him a drink, and he says, it’s not necessary. She says she ran out of brandy, so scotch. Is that okay? He takes a sip, and says, always, especially when it’s this good. They clink glasses, and she asks, how is he? He says he thinks he’s dreaming because she’s even more beautiful by the firelight, and she thanks him, but says, that’s not what she was asking. In the space of nearly two years, he was raised to believe a lie, that Helena was his mother and Victor was his father, and now Charlotte, the one person he loves without reservation has been taken from him as leverage. He wants to maintain everything is fine and he’s handling it. She’s been where he is, or close enough. Keeping a cool façade when her life was literally blowing up in flames. She wanted to scream and cry, but she was to afraid, because if she started, she didn’t think she would know how to stop. And then if she was broken, truly broken, what would happen to her child? Or she could just be projecting all that. He says, sometimes he thinks his fear for his daughter and his rage for Victor Cassadine is the only thing that’s keeping him sane.

Mac asks if Cody is following them now, and Felicia says, he’s probably wondering the same thing about them. Robert says he doesn’t have the slightest idea what they’re talking about. Who’s the dude at the bar? Mac says, he’s new in town. As a kid, he went to camp with Dante. He works at the Quartermaine stables now. Felicia says, come on. Robert’s going to find out sooner or later. Robert asks what he’s going to find out, and she says, his name is Cody Bell. Robert says, his name was on the list of 50 people still at the Quartermaines’ at the time Ava was attacked, and Mac says, that’s not all he is. Cody takes out his phone.

Britt says, Finn seems more serious than usual. Did he identify the venom that killed Brando Corbin? Terry says, Britt is off the clock, and has a date waiting for her, and Finn tells her not to let them keep her. Britt’s phone rings, and she tells Cody that she was just on her way to meet him. He says, good thing he caught her. He thought maybe they could try something different. Maybe they could meet up at the PC Lanes and go bowling. She says, excuse me? and he says, drink a couple beers, roll a few frames. What’s her size? He’ll rent her a pair of bowling shoes. She says she’s in a dress and heels; she’s not going bowling. They either stick to the plan and meet at the MetroCourt, or she’s going home – alone. He says, the MetroCourt it is. He’ll see her soon. Terry says, change in plans? but Britt says, no. Bye. She leaves, and Terry asks if Britt is right. Did Finn want to talk to her about the toxicology report? He says he pinpointed the venom, and he’s waiting on a supply to treat the venom, so they have it on hand, just in case. She says, if it’s all settled, then why did he want to… It’s about Elizabeth, isn’t it?

Outside the garage, Gregory asks why the door is open, and Alexis says, Brando’s assistant is probably still working. He says, with all the crime that’s been going on around here, he doesn’t have a good feeling about this, but she says, it’s just a garage. Let’s go inside it. They walk in, and Alexis says, oh my God. Gregory says, what the hell? and we see Dex kneeling next to Diane.

Valentin tells Anna, Charlotte is in this world because of him. He knows every parent can say that, but this was different. Helena made an embryo, but it was his call to go with a gestation host. He chose the surrogate. He’s solely responsible for her being alive. It might have been the most selfish thing he’s ever done. He knew the laws he’d broken, the crimes he committed, the people he’d wronged. He made so many enemies. He can hide her all he wants, but she’s always going to have a target on her. She asks if he had to do it over, does he think he’d make a different choice? and he says, of course (🍷) not, and she says she feels the same about Robin. Apart from the fact she’s spectacular, Anna can’t imagine a world without her. Until she became a mother, she lived her life for herself, and as he knows, that led to a series of terrible decisions. She basically sold her soul to the highest bidder. Robin changed all that; Robin changed her entire perspective. She wanted to be a better person, for Robin, the way he wants to be a better person for Charlotte. He says, the only difference is, she succeeded. His case is still very much in doubt.

Nikolas tells Ava, go on. Read it. She reads, I, Nikolas Cassadine, being of sound mind and body – that’s debatable – do hereby acknowledge and confess that I, and I alone, am responsible for the disappearance of Esme Prince. I know this because I killed her.

Robert says, the way Mac is looking at Cody, you’d think he had something on him, but Mac tells him, forget about it. He questioned Cody about the Quartermaine picnic. He has an alibi. Robert asks, then why so interested? when Britt comes in. Felicia asks if Britt wasn’t with Cody on the night of the attack, and Robert asks, since when does Britt Westbourne qualify as a legitimate alibi? Mac has already had a crack at him. Maybe Robert should go over and rattle his tree.

Britt says she’s definitely ready for that champagne cocktail, and Cody asks if she’s sure. Maybe they should relocate to that cool, new burger joint off the highway. She says, first it was bowling, now it’s a burger joint. If he doesn’t want to go on a date with her just say so. He says, it’s not her; it’s them. He nods toward Mac’s table, and she says, the Scorpio brothers? He says, the Chief of Detectives has a brother? and she says, law enforcement runs in the family. Robert’s the DA.

Mac’s cell phone dings, and he tell Robert to wait. There’s been another attack; the details are minimal. Robert says, anything to do with a hook? but Mac says, no. Robert says, then they don’t know if it’s tied to Brando or Ava. It could be totally unrelated. Mac says, it happened in Brando Corbin’s garage, and Robert says, Sonny’s cousin was the second victim. Mac says, they could be looking at victim number three. He needs to take Felicia home, then get to the scene. Felicia tells him to go; she’ll take a Ride Share. Robert tells Mac, then he’s going to the hospital. He wants to be there when the victim gets there.

Finn tells Terry that he’s been worried about Elizabeth, but she’s finally wanting to understand the root cause of all the things she’s been experiencing; the memory loss, the blackouts, all of it. Terry thanks him for telling her, and says, it’s a relief to hear. Ever since Biz found them talking about her, it’s like a wall went up between her and her best friend. He says he knows, but with Doc’s help, she’s finally remembering things from her past she’s been repressing for years. Terry says, about her family? and he says he thinks so. She says she knows better than to push for more. She doesn’t want him to betray Elizabeth’s confidence. She’s just really glad if Biz goes looking into her past, she won’t be going alone.

Gregory tells Dex, whoever he is, step back, but Dex says he needs to do this. He swears he came in and found her like this. He needs to stop the bleeding. Gregory tells him to step back, and put his hands where Gregory can see them, and tells Alexis to call 9-1-1. Dex continues to work on Diane, and says, he’s already called 9-1-1; the paramedics are on the way. Alexis asks who he is, and he says he works for Sonny Corinthos. She’s his lawyer. Are they going to help him or not? Please. Gregory goes over to Diane, and says he can barely feel a pulse. Dex says, they need to stop the bleeding, and Alexis makes another call.

Valentin asks if Anna believes the ends justify the means, and she says she’s not supposed to. He says, but she does, doesn’t she? and she says, yeah, on occasion. He says he thinks it’s his guiding principle. The desired outcome is worth whatever he has to do to get it. He wants to be a better man for Charlotte, but what he wants more than anything is to keep her safe. And if that means he has to murder his own father, so be it. She asks if this is a disclaimer, because she knows who she’s dealing with; she has no illusions about him. He says he enjoyed their evening on the Haunted Star, but he could make the argument that it was a missed opportunity. He had Victor off-guard; he could have cut Victor’s throat. She asks why he didn’t, and he says, for one, there would be a fail-safe in place. Victor lives; Charlotte lives. If Victor dies… She says, yeah. He couldn’t take that chance, and he says, there was another reason he couldn’t kill his father tonight – her.

Ava says, so Nikolas wrote a letter claiming he killed Esme, something they both know isn’t true. He says, the truth is, Esme accidently fell off the parapet and drowned in the water. That accident happened after Ava found out he slept with Esme, and no jury will believe that was an accident. He made that confession to protect her. She asks if he really thinks this is going to work. Does he really think this melodramatic gesture made at the 11th hour is going to change how she feels about him? This so-called confession is just a reminder that he did indeed have sex with his son’s girlfriend. And should it ever be made public, the whole world would know about that. If he expects her to see it as something heroic, he’s just delusional. He says he can do a lot of things, but he doesn’t have a time machine. He can’t undo his errors in judgement. She asks if that’s a polite euphemism for adultery, and he says, the only thing he can do is make sure she doesn’t suffer the consequences. She says, look at her. She’s suffering every day; she suffers all the time. She’s not talking about the wound from the hook. She’s talking about the pain she feels over how he hurt her; the betrayal, the loss of self-esteem. The sheer humiliation that she ever bought into his promises of love and fidelity. Those wounds are never going to heal. He says, if nothing else, he can protect her from what Esme can do to her, even from beyond the grave. His confession might not mean anything to her today, but keep it. Put it in a safe deposit box, and consider his life on deposit as well. And if the day ever comes she needs to withdraw it… She says she’ll keep it under lock and key, but she’s going to need more than a piece of paper. She’s going to need much more.

Britt says, Cody saw Mac and Robert rush out of here. Does he feel better now that their gone? He says, not really, and she asks, why not? Why does he break out in hives at the mere mention of the Scorpio name? He tells her, let’s just say, he and law enforcement don’t make a good match. She says, let her guess; he’s against it. He says, no. They just tend to be against him and people like him who don’t always play by the rules. It’s something he and Britt have in common. She says she’s reformed, and he says, is she? She says, she made a deal, got a clean slate, and she’s sticking to it. Felicia approaches the bar, and asks the bartender for a glass of water. While he’s getting it, she says, another date night. She’s glad the Quartermaine picnic didn’t them off. Cody says, her husband isn’t going to scare him off either. He’s tired of Mac looking at him like he’s hiding some hook up his sleeve. Now he has to deal with Mac’s brother, who’s the DA? Is this is the locals idea of an investigation; there’s a killer running around, so let’s just blame the newest guy in town? Felicia says, Mac is just doing his job. If Cody has nothing to hide, he has absolutely nothing to worry about. Britt suggests she and Cody take a table, and Cody asks Felicia why it feels like her husband is investigating him for personal reasons. She asks what makes him say that? and he says, you tell me. Is it just because he knew Cody’s mom?

Diane is carried out of the garage on a stretcher, and Mac runs in. He asks Alexis to catch him up, and she says, Diane. He says, Diane Miller? and Gregory says, she’s hanging on, but just barely. Mac sees Dex, and says, him? Again? Gregory says, he was the first one on the scene. He found Diane and called 9-1-1. If it wasn’t for him, she’d be dead now. Mac asks what Dex was doing here in the first place, and Alexis says she needs to go to the hospital and be with her friend. Gregory asks Mac if it’s all right for them to leave. They’ll answer any questions he might have. But just for the record, what he saw Dex doing saved Diane’s life. Mac says, of course (🍷). Go ahead, but they’re going to want to question them. Alexis thanks Dex. She says she knows he works for Sonny. Mac is a good man. Listen to him and tell him the truth. She and Gregory leave, and Mac says, Alexis just gave Dex some good advice. The question is, is he going to take it?

Anna asks if Valentin thinks she’d have a problem with him killing Victor, but he says he doesn’t know. Maybe; maybe not. But she’d have a problem with him killing her good friend Lucy, which he’d have to do; he couldn’t leave a witness. Anna says she’d be a witness, and he says, there is that. He’d be asking her to stay quiet about the death of her friend, and he knows she wouldn’t do that, so he’d have to kill her too. She says, could he?

Nikolas asks, what more can he do to prove himself to Ava? If Esme’s disappearance is ever investigated by the police, his confession proves her innocence and his guilt. She says, he has a history of making grand declarations that come to nothing. She needs proof that can’t be faked or forged. He says, fine. What else does she want him to do? If he’s able, he’ll do it. She takes out her phone, and says, here’s what’s going to happen. He’s going to take his confession, look into the camera, and read every single incriminating word. She holds up her phone, he gets ready, and she says, action.

Felicia says, like they told Cody the night they met him at the Quartermaine party, back in the day, they ran in the same circles with Dominique. The person Cody really needs to talk to his Mac; he knew Cody’s mother much better than she did. Cody says he already talked to Scotty, and Scotty was married to his mother. So arguably, he knew her better than anyone, and he claims she never said anything about him. Britt says her champagne is getting flat, and Felicia says she’s so sorry; she’s ruining their date. Britt says, she kind of is, and Felicia almost leaves, but stops and says, Cody really should talk to Mac. Cody asks why he should make it easy for Mac. Her husband’s been asking a lot of questions about him, even though he’s relatively new in Port Charles, and he never even met Ava Jerome or the other victim. Is Mac laying the groundwork to frame him? Felicia says, that’s not fair; he doesn’t know Mac. Cody says, but it’s fair for Mac to assume he knows him? and Felicia tells him, like she said, Mac and Dominique were close once. He says, oh yeah? How close?

Mac says, if Dex knew the garage was closed because the owner was murdered, and his body is in the funeral home, why did Dex just happen by? Dex tells him, he didn’t say that; Mac did. Mac says he’s just trying to help Dex. His fingerprints are all over the place. Diane’s blood is on his hands, literally. Dex also showed up just after Ava Jerome was attacked, and to top it all off, he was seen at Charlie’s shortly before Brando was attacked in the alley outside the pub. Either he has the worst timing in the world, or he knows a helluva lot more than he’s saying. Dex says, his boss always told him not to talk to the cops without a lawyer present. Is he under arrest? Mac says he’s questioning Dex. Dex either answers him here and now, or at the PCPD. What’s it going to be?

Finn says, got it, and hangs up the phone. Robert says, there’s been a report of another stabbing? and Finn says, Mac’s bringing them in now. The paramedics wheel Diane in, and the doctor says a bunch of medical stuff as she’s wheeled past the desk. Gregory and Alexis come in, and Finn asks how they got here about Diane so quickly. Gregory says, they were going to Brando’s garage to speak with his assistant. They were trying to get information as to why Brando was targeted by the attacker, and they found Diane on the ground. Robert joins them, and says, Brando Corbin, Diane Miller, and Ava Jerome. They’ve all got one thing in common – Sonny Corinthos.

Valentin says, yeah, he’d kill Anna, if he had to, to save Charlotte. Just like she’d kill him to save Robin. She says, yeah, she would. She’d miss him though. He moves closer, and says, anything short of that, he wouldn’t harm a hair on her head. He’s loved her since he first saw her. An insane, crushing love that never stood a chance. Now look at them. On the floor of her townhouse. He’s baring his soul in front of the fire, and the look in her eyes doesn’t look like pity. She says, it’s not, and kisses him.

Nikolas reads as Ava films: I, Nikolas Cassadine, being of sound mind and body do hereby acknowledge and confess that I, and I alone, am responsible for the disappearance of Esme Prince. I know this because I killed her. The means? My own two hands, by pushing her off the parapet at Windymere, my family’s estate on Spoon Island. The motive? Revenge… justice, guilt; take your pick. Esme Prince was my son Spencer’s girlfriend, and I had sex with her. To be very clear, it was consensual, and if anything, Esme initiated things, but I shouldn’t have given in to my worst instincts. My behavior was indefensible. However, Esme used that lack of judgement to destroy my marriage. Not only that, she used it to destroy the relationship with my son, and any chance of reconciling with Spencer was ruined. In effect, Esme destroyed my life, and when she taunted me on the turret, in a fit of rage, I grabbed her and pushed her to her death. Honestly, my only regret is not dong it sooner, to spare the ones I love the pain that I caused. This I solemnly swear. Ava says, cut, and he asks if she got all that.

Felicia says she has to go, and asks the bartender for her check. She tells him that she interrupted Britt and Cody’s date. Put the drinks on her tab. Britt says, that’s very sweet, and Felicia says, of course (🍷), but Cody says, no. He doesn’t want her charity. If she wants to give him something, tell him what she and her husband are hiding from him, especially if it’s about his birth mother. She says she understands his frustration, and understands the questions he wants answered, but it isn’t her story to tell. If he wants answers, he has to talk to Mac. It’s not like it’s some state secret. He says, if it’s no big deal, why not tell him now? Why does he have to hear it from her husband? She writes something down on a napkin, and gives it to him, saying, it’s Mac’s personal cell phone number. However, before he makes that call, he needs to ask himself if he really wants to know the truth. Felicia leaves, and Britt says, this date got way more intense than she expected.

Terry tells Finn and Robert that Diane’s wounds are similar to those found on Brando and Ava. Dr. Dempsey has to operate immediately. Diane is wheeled past, and Alexis says, she looks so helpless. Gregory takes her hand, and she thanks him. Finn tells Terry, if the hook was soaked in the same venom that killed Brando, they don’t have much time, and they head for the OR.

Anna and Valentin finally get busy, and Valentin says he’s wanted this for years. He doesn’t want to rush. She says, they can go slow next time.

Ava says she appreciates Nikolas putting his words into action, but if he thinks she’s just going to fall back into his arms, think again. She asks what he’s smiling at, and he says, she rejected him – tonight. But he can see he made progress. So no, she won’t be back in his arms this time, but she will be in the future, and that’s enough for him. He’s leaving her with the recording and the and letter. He’s literally leaving her with his life in his hands. He starts to leave, but comes back, and says, one more thing. He puts a Ferrero Rocher chocolate on her blanket and says, a chocolate truffle for her. He leaves, and she eats it, smiling.

Britt says, whether Cody is willing to admit it or not, this date is pretty much over for her. He says he’s sorry. He really didn’t want tonight to go like this. She says she believes him. Dominique is his biological mother. Of course (🍷) he’s going to have a million questions about her. She understands that, and she’s guessing if Felicia is that eager for him to talk to Mac, it’s for good reason. So why don’t they quit while they’re ahead? She gets up, kisses him on the cheek, and says, bye. He’s about to leave, when the bartender asks if he wants the phone number. He says, yeah. and takes it.

Mac says, back to Dex. Is he going to talk now or talk later? Dex asks if Mac sees an attorney here. No attorney, no talk. Mac says, Dex leaves him no choice, and tells an officer that they’ll be taking Dex down to the station. He doesn’t think they need handcuffs. Right, Dex? Dex says he’s not going to talk, but no, he’s not going to resist arrest by not going to the station. Mac says, smartest thing Dex has said all night, and the officer escorts Dex out. Mac follows, pausing to look at the blood on the floor.

Robert says, any change in Diane’s condition, he wants to know right away, and Finn says, got it. Gregory asks how Alexis is doing, and if she wants him to call one of the girls, but she says, no. Then she’ll have to tell them what happened to Diane, and she’s not ready to do that. He says he understands that, but… She says she was just thinking about how long she’s known Diane; it feels like forever. Diane is the one person who’s been there for her for everything. He says, and if Diane lives, her, him, and Dex made a difference, but she says, that’s not good enough. He says, she’s not a doctor. There’s nothing more she can do here. She says she’s not talking about here. She’s talking about the paper. It’s time to have a conversation with the killer. She starts to leave, and asks if he’s going to just stand there, or is he going to double-check her spelling. He follows her out. Terry gives Finn the results on the lab tests he asked for, and he says, Diane’s system is tainted with the same substance that killed Brando. His phone dings, and Terry asks, what is it? He says, confirmation that the anti-venom just arrived. He has to prep an injection. If there’s a chance of saving Diane, he’s taking it.

There’s a song part, and Anna and Valentin get busy… then busier… then busiest.

Tomorrow, Jordan needs Portia’s help; Josslyn suggests a friendly competition; Drew goes to Jacksonville, and finds Carly; Curtis thanks Sonny for what Sonny did for his family; and Dante bets Dex has plenty to tell him.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy calls Tasha to the bridge, and says she doesn’t want to crush Tasha’s spirit. She’s awesome at service, but when she comes downstairs, it’s filthy. She asks if they really need two people on service when the guests are winding down, and Tasha says, last night, she also had to make food for the guests. The captain asks if one person can’t clean the floor of the pantry while the other is tending to the guests. It should be cleaned before they go to bed, so when she wakes up, it’s not a sh*tshow. Tasha says, physically, there aren’t enough hours inf the day, but Captain Sandy says, they don’t have to be with the guests 24/7. Before they go down, she wants the floors cleaned. She doesn’t want Tasha to think she’s not doing a good job; it’s just dirty. Tasha promises to get it done, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, it’s a kick in the stomach, but it’s her job to take criticisms like this. She’s going to try her best because she cares about her job. She tells Dave about what happened, and he says, she works hard, the guests are happy, and they adore her. She does an amazing job. Tasha says, they’re not just cleaners, and Dave says he couldn’t do it without her. The captain radios the crew that they’re going back to the dock. As soon as the anchor is home, they get underway.

Natalya says, it serves Tash right, and I’m really starting not to like her. As they dock, Captain Sandy curses the wind, and Mzi saves the boat from hitting a dolphin by using a fender. In Mzi’s interview, he says he thinks they’ve made progress. He’s getting in the rhythm, and thinks Storm is becoming a good bosun. He trusts Storm more than Storm does. The captain tells Mzi, good job. The wind was blowing the bow all over. Tasha’s boyfriend continues to pummel her with texts, and Captain Sandy calls for the tip meeting. She says, charter five is down, and they did an awesome job. They haven’t had one service complaint all season, which is unusual, but at the same time, they have to maintain the vessel. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each, and the captain says she has another surprise. They’ve been doing such an amazing job, the owners gave them the day off tomorrow. Dinner tonight on the owners, and the beach club tomorrow all day. Champagne is poured, and Captain Sandy wishes Mzi a happy birthday. As she leaves, she tells everyone, don’t forget to turn the boat around.

Kyle and Tasha start organizing the pantry, but take a break in their cabin. Tasha tells Kyle, they’re human beings; they need a half hour. In the laundry, Natalya makes up a song about Kyle and Tasha not getting things done, and annoys me further. Storm works on the waterline, and in his interview, he says, it’s Mzi’s birthday, and he wants to have fun, but they need to get things done. He made mistakes during the last charters. We flash back to those, and he says he wants Captain Sandy to see he’s committed to the job. Kyle and Tasha go back to pantry organizing, and Kyle says, it grinds his t*ts. Tasha says, she never wants to be on anyone’s sh*t list, but she is. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the only way for them to catch up is to not go out. We see a clip from earlier in the day, and Kyle volunteers to stay and help. Everyone starts to get ready for dinner, and Kyle tells Natalya about staying behind to do the pantry. She tells him, it’s bullsh*t; it’s ridiculous. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s Mzi’s birthday, and they’re being selfish. They could have sorted it out in the five hours they just had. She bitches to Courtney, and Kyle says, winge, winge, winge. Natalya goes on and on about the pantry because she’s an idiot.

Jason asks if Tasha and Kyle need help, and Natalya says, this is rubbish. It’s the crew night out and Mzi’s birthday. They can do it tomorrow. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya should be thankful. They’re doing her a favor using their fun time to organize. But if Natalya wants to moan about it, Tasha can’t win. Agreed. Still working, Storm says he’ll see them at the bar. They get to a museum that’s been opened for them, and go up a million steps to a large balcony overlooking the water. The waiter asks if they’d like wine, and Storm says, yes, and tequila. Courtney tells the waiter, what he says, goes. It’s his birthday. Mzi says, it feels quiet, and they toast to his birthday. Back on the boat, Kyle says, he’s spent more time on his knees scrubbing floors than… Well, you know. They finish up, and Tasha, Kyle, Jason, and Storm leave to join the others at the restaurant. Natalya asks, who’s single? and Dave says, Tasha is back with her boyfriend. Natalya takes this opportunity to smack talk Tasha, and says, you shouldn’t mess with how someone feels. Courtney says she’s been in that situation, but Dave says, he and Tasha are good. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s not going to be all caring. She’s done with it. The others get there, and Natalya tells Storm that he should have come with them, since it’s Mzi’s birthday. Msi says he’s not upset, and I have serious doubts that Natalya is all caring about Mzi’s birthday like she’s pretending. Storm says he and Courtney are homies, and flirts with Natalya. Kyle predicts them having wild sex. Courtney says, let’s bounce, and in Jason’s interview, he says, the rest of the crew are just co-workers to him. When he was in business, he avoided corporate events, and still had better friendships.

The crew moves on to a club, and Natalya tries to get Dave to trash talk Tasha, but he’s not having it, and says, they worked it out. Mzi works at making eye contact with a woman he sees across the room, and in his interview, he says, it shows intent. She gave him a vibe. He dances with her, and she brings him back to her table. In Storm’s interview, he says, happy birthday. Everyone dances, and then it’s time to go. Mzi says, it’s his birthday, and he’ll do what he wants. Courtney and Dave stay behind with him, while the rest of the crew goes back to the boat. Tasha is very proud of the pantry, and shows it off. At the club, Mzi’s new friend Mariana says, she’s married, but not dead, and Mzi says he has a big day tomorrow. In Mzi’s interview, he wonders where she got a husband all of a sudden, and Courtney tells her, goodbye forever. On the boat, everyone is either eating or sleeping, and Storm says he got Natalya a watch, and shows it to Kyle, Jason, and Tasha. In Kyle’s interview, he says, personally, he wouldn’t purchase material items for someone until he knew them better, but he wants to be a witness when Storm gives it to her. Storm hunts Natalya down in her cabin, and when he tells her that he has a present for her, she gets all weird. She asks why he’s buying presents, and tells him to take it back. She opens the watch, and asks, why? Kyle calls her an ungrateful hoe, and says she needs to start facing her feelings and realize what she needs. In the taxi, Mzi says, he’s in love with a married woman, and Courtney says she’s not married. Natalya tells Kyle that the gift stressed her, and he says, she’s insane. When she gets older, she’s going to hate herself for wasting time. After years of holding back, even though he felt like Quasimodo, he talked to Frank. In Natalya’s interview, she says, it’s too intense too soon. She’s never been around a relationship that lasted. Her mom just moved out one day, and after a while, she wondered where her mom went. Her brother explained their parents were getting divorced, and she felt like an idiot. Well… She might love someone then and there, but it’s always a short and sweet thing. Tasha and Kyle giggle over texts back and forth with Frank, talking about making babies. Tasha says she can’t wait to see and have their babies. Mzi has trouble hoisting himself to the upper bunk.

The crew gets up around 8:30 for their day off. Storm admits to Mzi that he actually bought the watch for his sister, and decided to give it to Natalya. In Storm’s interview, he says, Natalya is beautiful, but so full of attitude. She’s crazy, but he likes it. She grounded him. He knows it’s early for gifts, but that’s how he is. They all have mimosas, everyone gets ready, and they leave.

They get to the Surfside Beach Club in Sliema, and Courtney says, it’s like heaven. She can’t wait to be hungover tomorrow. Kyle says he’s just going to sleep, and Natasha’s boyfriend sends more texts. Dave goes into the water, and Kyle says he’s moving her. Tasha tells him that she’s still upset. What Captain Sandy said hurt her heart. In her interview, she says, she can’t get out of her head. Between that and the horrible messages from her boyfriend, she’s in a bad head space. She tells Kyle that it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. Jason separates himself, and is eating lunch, when Mzi asks him to join them. Jason says he’s good, and in his interview, he says, it’s best to break it into math terms. There are 8 yachties; 2 have a toxic relationship, and 4 hate his guts. That equals 1 day that f***ing sucks.

Natalya tells Mzi that she’s freaking out; it’s too soon. She loves the watch, but in the car, Storm told her to cancel her trip to Mexico, and go to South Africa for two weeks with him. OMG – NOT A WHOLE TWO WEEK COMMITMENT! Mzi says, Storm is emotional, and she says, that’s what’s freaking her out. One moment, she thinks this could go somewhere, but then she wonders how he can get so emotional when he’s only known her for a few days. Kyle tells Tasha that he thinks the dynamic has changed, and Natalya feels guilty. I think, highly unlikely. Dave says, the pantry is very neat, and Tasha says she’s proud of it. Natalya twerks, and Courtney joins her. Jason sleeps. Kyle says, Natalya is always on fuse because she doesn’t face her emotions, and Tasha tells Dave that she’s upset about Captain Sandy’s comment. She has a lot of respect for the captain, and loves working for her. She feels like she’s let her down. Dave says he doesn’t agree, and thinks Tasha is incredible. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave seems himself now; like the person she first met. She didn’t like when he was putting her through all the drama, but he does make her feel better. Natalya tells Storm that the watch is too much. She loves it, but is concerned about the meaning behind it. Storm asks, what meaning? and says, there’s no hidden agenda; don’t read into it. She says she’s worried, since she doesn’t want to settle down, and he says he’s not asking her to, but if she’s getting that vibe, he’ll back off. Kyle says he’ll have to go for a piercing after all this drama, and Storm tells them that he doesn’t get it. He’s been respectful, and hasn’t said anything about commitment. Kyle says he would die for a man like Storm.

They change for dinner, and Storm walks down to the beach. Natalya says, drama, drama, but goes over to him, and asks if he’s okay. He says he’s not jumping into the sea; he’s just having a moment. Natalya hugs him, and Kyle says, they’re making him sick. He doesn’t know where he is, Malta or Love Island. Storm tells Natalya that he didn’t ask her to check on him. He’s not doing what he’s doing for that reason. Natalya says, he wants her to care, then he doesn’t want sympathy. Storm says he didn’t throw a tiff, and Natalya says, they’re supposed to go out to dinner. He can throw his tantrum by himself. I’m wondering if she’s in the same show I’m watching, or is she trying to gaslight him? He’s not throwing a tantrum by any stretch of the imagination. He was just walking on the beach by himself, and she acts like he’s doing something loud and wrong. He says, it’s the first chance he’s had to release any emotions. Don’t feel like she needs to come after him. He’s not asking her for anything. Natalya says, that’s confusing. Again, is it me? She seems like the confusing one. He’s been consistent and she’s been all over the place. She tells him that she’s been trying day by day, but they need to take it slower, and he says he doesn’t understand what he did to make it fast. She says she’s never had a relationship, and he says, they’re not in a relationship. She says, so it’s chill then, and in Storm’s interview, he says, if she’s thinking it’s too fast, they’re of different mindsets. He doesn’t want to ruin what they do have, so he’ll slow down. Like her, he doesn’t want to get hurt. Natalya says, they’ll rip the Band-Aid off and have a fresh start. Clearly she doesn’t understand what ripping the Band-Aid off means, and they join the others. The crew finally leaves for dinner, and Courtney says, the beach stuff was so fun. Natalya thinks Jason should make an effort to be part of the group.  

They get to a restaurant, and Courtney says, no shots. She points out that Jason is so quiet and so serious, and Kyle says, despite the hate, exclusion, and inclusion, it’s been an absolutely fantastic time. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Natalya is like the Tasmanian Devil; cute to look at, but hella annoying. The crew toasts to a great day off, and Kyle and Courtney go for a smoke. Courtney says, her dad’s struggling. He’s gone to a home, but she’s been so busy, she hasn’t had time to think about it. She gets teary, and in her interview, she says, last season, her dad was supportive and amazing. We flash back to her video chatting with him, and she says, it’s been a bad year for her. Last year, her dad went in a home. She cries, and says, now he can’t talk, and can’t walk. He’s just lying in bed. She was working, scrubbing toilets, and wondered what she was doing with her life. She loves working on deck. It makes it easier to be here. Kyle tells her that she’s a strong woman, and hugs her. They go back to the table, and the crew goes back to the boat.

Storm tells Mzi that he’s going to be causing drama tomorrow, and in Storm’s interview, he says, the last couple of charters, Jason was insubordinate. We flash back to that, and he says, now he’s doing the same thing to Courtney. It’s the first time he’s had to deal with something like this, having a conversation with someone about their work ethic and personality. He doesn’t know what to expect, but Jason’s attitude stops tomorrow.

In the morning, Captain Sandy says, the pantry looks great, and Storm says, time to talk to Jason. Everyone gets up, and the captain tells Tasha, nice work on the pantry. Kyle and Tasha do the cabins, and the boat is turned over. Provisions come, and Dave asks Tasha if he’s being helpful, or overstepping his boundaries. She says he’s helped a lot, and Storm tells Natalya that he needs to have a conversation with Jason. She tells him, good luck, and in Storm’s interview, he says, managing and understanding people is new to him. He’s learning the position, and understanding his responsibilities. He wants to try and make Jason feel like he’s part team of the team. Hopefully he takes it well. He asks Jason if they can chat.

Storm tells Jason that he wants to see if they’re on the same page. He feels tension between them, and Jason and the crew. He wonders where Jason’s head is at, and has some things to say, but wants to hear from Jason first. Jason says he’s trying not to step on toes, and Storm says, Jason gets in a mood, and they all feel it. He becomes snappy, and it becomes difficult to work in an environment when Jason is like that. He wants to challenge Jason to be proactive, and show he wants to be here. Jason says, it’s baffling when Storm says he should be proactive. He’s been carrying more than his load. Storm says he feels it’s the other way around, and being the quitter he is, Jason says he doesn’t want to leave them high and dry, but replace him. Storm says, Jason sounds like he doesn’t want to be here, and Jason says, that’s literally what he’s saying. Storm says he’s not here to make Jason the victim, and wants him to stay.

To be continued…

⚰️ Last week was the finale of Tales of the Walking Dead. Gee, that was quick.

🐉 Jumping Dragons…

This week’s latest on House Targaryen.

https://people.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-recap-the-princess-and-the-queen/

😱 Not Again…

Oh God. Winter House is coming back Octomber 13th. The house that turns middle aged people with decent jobs into 14-year-olds with serious behavioral problems.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/winter-house-season-2-cast-premiere-date-trailer

🌊 Riding the Wave…

Stop in tomorrow, when there will be soap and a roll of the dice. Until then, stay safe, stay practicing forbearance, and stay always having a fail-safe in place.

September 19, 2022 – Brando Answers Jordan’s Questions, Guys and Dolly’s On Deck & Conga

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia asks, had Jordan been honest with Curtis about everything, would they still be together right now? He says, she wasn’t, so what does it matter? but Portia says she thinks it does. Humor her. He might think it’s silly, but she needs to know this. He says, he and Jordan may still be legally married on paper, but they haven’t lived their lives together for over a year. She says, that’s not what she’s worried about, and he asks what she is worried about.

As they walk to the pool, Trina tells Josslyn, it was the best of summers; it was the worst of summers. She can’t believe it’s already over. Maybe it’ll start snowing tomorrow. She sees Josslyn is distracted, and asks if she’s thinking about Brando. Josslyn says, Brando… Ava… and whoever attacked them both. We see a guy with sunglasses is watching them.

Alexis sees Gregory at the hospital, and says, hello, professor. He says, good to see her, and asks if they’re here for the same person, pointing at Finn’s office. She says she’s here to see her friend who’s an infectious disease specialist. Him? He says, coincidentally, he’s here to grab lunch with the same infectious disease specialist. He’s early. Will she wait with him? She says, actually, she has a… sure. They sit, and he says he read the news this morning about Brando Corbin. He gathers Brando is a relation. She asks why he’d jump to that conclusion, and he says, like any good journalist, he pays attention to details. Is he correct? She says, no; he’s Kristina’s cousin. He says he’s sorry to hear what happened to Brando. He knows all too well how it feels when tragedy strikes close to home. She says, this was a lot closer than he thinks.

Finn walks Elizabeth to Doc’s office, and says, nervous? She says she has no idea what to expect when she walks in there, and he says, she’s going to do great. He’s meeting his dad for lunch, but before he goes, he’ll check in. She thanks him, and he kisses her, saying, she’s got this. He leaves, and she knocks on Doc’s office door. He tells her to come in.

Sasha kisses Brando’s hand, and says, he came back to her. She strokes his hair, and he brushes a tear from her cheek.

Sonny comes out of the elevator with Jordan, and says, they both know the same person who attacked Ava, attacked Brando. She says, he knows she can’t discuss the investigation with him, but he says, she’s the one who told him both the victims are connected to him. Can she give him anything she found out? She says he has the resources to protect himself and his family – use them. He doesn’t need any help from her. He says, they worked together before, and she says, and she made it clear when she came back to Port Charles, those days are over. He says, even if sharing information is the only way to stop a madman?

The tubes now removed, Sasha asks Brando how he’s feeling. He says he’s tired, and his throat hurts, but he doesn’t care, and she says, that’s the morphine. He says he thought it was seeing her, and she laughs, saying, that’s also the morphine. At least he’s awake love. She loves him so much. He says he loves her too, and coughs. She says she’ll see what’s taking Dr. Robinson so long, and he says, he’ll be here. She leaves, and in the hallway, she tells Nina, Brando’s awake. They hug, and Sasha asks if Nina has seen Gladys. Nina says, Gladys was feeling a little lightheaded, so she walked her to the cafeteria. Sasha says she’ll text Gladys in a minute. She needs to find Portia. Nina tells her to stay with her husband; she’ll find Portia. Sasha says she feels like their prayers were finally answered.

Jordan says, if she brings Sonny in on this case, and they catch the person, all a good defense attorney needs is a technicality to get the murderer back on the street. Sonny says, at least they’ll know who it is, and she says, her people are working on it. She’s sure he has people on it too. In the meantime, let’s hope Brando wakes up soon, and can tell them something. Nina comes by, and says she has good news. Brando’s awake. Jordan asks if he’s talking, but Nina says, Sasha didn’t mention that. She’s looking for Dr. Robinson. Jordan tells her, keep looking. She’s going to talk to Brando right now. She leaves, and Nina hugs Sonny.

Elizabeth says, she asked for this appointment, but now she doesn’t know where to start, and Doc says, there’s no right or wrong way to do this; take her time. She sits down, and says, her problem went deeper than she was admitting. Ever since she checked herself out of Shadybrook, it’s been getting worse.

Sunglasses guy watches Josslyn, and Dex walks in. Trina says, looks like Josslyn’s dumpster diving partner is here. Isn’t he the reason Josslyn was in the alley when Brando got attacked? She followed him out of Charlie’s, right? Josslyn says, yeah, except she didn’t see him there.

Portia tells Curtis, Finn is on his way to examine Brando right now, and Curtis says he supposes she wants to check in on Brando as well. She says she has a few minutes before Finn is done; long enough for him to answer her question. Is there any world where he and Jordan still would have been together? He says she knows what it’s like to be married to a cop, and she says, that you’ll have to accept there are some things you’ll never know. He says, which is what he did, except what Jordan kept from him weren’t the casual details of a case. The secrets she kept from him were personal. If she had just shared them with him, it would have strengthened their foundation, and brought them closer together. She tells him, so he’s saying, if Jordan had been honest, they wouldn’t have separated. IMO, this is kind of dumb. Like a, what if Superman fought the dinosaurs thing. It didn’t happen; it doesn’t matter.

Finn goes into Brando’s room, and Sasha says, Nina went to get Dr. Robinson, but Finn says, Nina found her. She requested a consult. He puts on gloves and asks how Brando is feeling. Brando says, peaches, and Finn tells him that he needs to take it easy. He’s still at risk for sepsis and other post-op infections. Jordan asks if she can have a word with Brando, and Finn says, when he’s done with his consult. She tells him, time is of the essence. The sooner she gets a statement, the sooner they can get the attacker off the street. Brando coughs, and Finn says, as soon as he’s done, Brando is all Jordan’s. Jordan leaves, and Finn asks if Brando is experiencing any chest pain or shortness of breath, but Brando says, nope.

Curtis tells Portia, nobody’s perfect. They all have things they don’t tell one another; if it’s an embarrassing situation from their past or a big mistake they’re not proud of. She says, true enough, and he says, but all of those things have no bearing on who they are now or where their lives are now. Maybe they forget them, and leave them buried, but what about the secrets that have a bearing on their relationship, and influence who we are to each other? Those have to be shared because every good relationship, the basis of it is honesty. Without that, they have nothing. She says, he’s right. You have to tell the truth, no matter how hard it may be. He says, it is how he feels. In reality, Jordan lied to him. Her secrets did break them up. All he can tell her is the truth of now. Does he regret the way things went down with him and Jordan? Of course (🍷) he does, but if she’s asking if he wants to be with Jordan, the answer is no. He loves Portia. He loves their life together, and can’t wait to marry her. She says, same here, and he says, good. Now can they stop with all the what ifs? She says, sounds good. She has to check on Brando. He says, just to be sure, they’re good, right? She says, they’re good, and he says, because if she needs to hear it again, he and Jordan are over. She says, does Jordan know that? and leaves.

Alexis tells Gregory, she’s not going to lie. When she found out how close Kristina was the to the attacker, her heart stopped. He says, there’s nothing more terrifying for a parent than realizing you can’t protect their kids every moment. He asks how Brando is doing, and she says, Kristina texted, and he’s out of surgery. Gregory says, that’s good news, right? Speaking of news, he was impressed with The Invader’s coverage of the attack. She says, do go on, and he says, people have a morbid fascination with these crimes, and he commends her for resisting the urge to sensationalize to sell more papers. She says, it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. These families of the victims have been through enough. It’s certainly not going to help if she turns their stories into sideshows. He says he couldn’t agree more. In fact, he has a proposition for her.

Elizabeth tells Doc, she wanted to believe so badly her problem was over, she checked herself out, but the behavior didn’t stop. He says, she’s had more incidents? and she says, at the Quartermaine picnic, she blacked out. One minute, she was alone, and the next, Nikolas was asking if she was all right. It was only 10 or 15 minutes, but she can’t account for the time in between. She could have been doing anything.

Nina’s phone rings, and she steps away to take the call. Sonny tells Jordan, now it’s just them. He gets why she doesn’t want the general public to have this information, but he’s not the general public. He needs her to protect his family, just like she needs him to figure out who did this. She says, why is that? and he says, because they’re not just talking about a psycho. This person attacked the mother of his child and his cousin. He’s not going to be left in the dark on this. She says she’s sorry, but because he was at the crime scene, he already knows too much. Finn comes out of his office, and she tells Sonny that she’s asking him not to tell anybody that Ava and Brando were attacked with a hook. He says, he won’t tell the general public, but that’s it. Finn comes over to them, and says, he’s sorry to interrupt. Brando’s all hers. Jordan thanks him, and goes in to Brando’s room.

Jordan says she’s glad see Brando is doing better. Is he up for a few questions? He says, fire away, and Sasha says she forgot to text Gladys. She’s going to be so happy. She’ll see if she can track Gladys down. She leaves, and Jordan says she’ll cut to the chase. Does he know who did this to him?

Doc tells Elizabeth, the Quartermaine picnic is a big event with a lot of people, but right before she blacked out, she was alone? She says she’d just had an argument with Finn, and he asks, what about? She says she felt like he wasn’t respecting her boundaries, and Doc asks if her other blackouts were also precipitated by an argument. She says, yes, and he asks if every time she’s blacked out, she had an argument with Finn, but she says, no. A couple of times, she’s had this memory. She’s not entirely sure what it’s about. All she knows is, it has something to do with her father.

Alexis asks, what kind of proposition? and Gregory says, PCU is sponsoring a panel about the history of ethics in journalism. She says, how niche, and he says, since she’s currently running a newspaper, he thought she might imagine herself to be part of that niche, and accompany him.

Jordan asks Brando to tell her the first thing he remembers, and he says, he walked into the alley, and someone else was there. Their back was to him, then the sky opened up. When that happens, it’s a total downpour; he could barely see. Then that person turned around, and he saw the hook. The next thing he knew… She says she’s sorry. She knows it’s difficult for him, but she has to ask. Did Brando see their face? He coughs, and says, no. It was raining and they had their hood pulled down over their face. She says, even so, could he tell if it was a man or woman? but he says, no. She asks the color of the hoodie, and he says, black. She asks if he could tell how tall they were, but he tells her, it’s hard to say. He saw them turn, he saw the hook, and it was in his chest before he could react. Portia comes in, and says, if Jordan is done, she’s like to examine her patient. Jordan says, of course (🍷). If there’s anything else Brando can think of, let her know. He says, there was a noise; like a jingling sound. She asks if he can be more specific, and he says, it sounded like when Sasha wears these bracelets that clink together. It sounded like that. She says, so he thinks this person might have been wearing jewelry? and he says, yeah; it sounded like that anyway. Does she think this will help find whoever did this?

Dex takes off his shirt, and lies back on a chaise. We see he’s wearing dog tags that jingle. Frankly, I don’t think it’s him. Mostly because that’s what they want us to think. Josslyn approaches, and asks if he forgot something. He says, probably, but can she be more specific? She hands him his sunglasses, and says, he left these at Charlie’s. He says, he wondered what happened to them. Thanks for getting them back to him. She says, actually, she tried getting them back to him yesterday. She followed him out the back exit into the alley, but didn’t see him anywhere. It’s a good thing she didn’t double back. She barely missed seeing Brando get stabbed. He says he heard about that; he’s sorry. She says she wanted to let him know the police are looking for him to find out if he saw anything. He thanks her for the heads up, but says, Dante already questioned him. It’s scary, a near-miss like that. She says, it is, and asks if he saw anything, but he says, no. Unfortunately not. If he had, he would have intervened. She says, it’s so weird, isn’t it? They were both right there in the alley, and neither one of them saw anything. He tells her, you know what they say; timing is everything. She says she feels so helpless, and so surrounded. He says, surrounded? and she says, two stabbings, and she knows both people. Both times, she was so close to the scene and couldn’t do anything to stop it. He says, she saved Ava’s life, but she says, he saved Ava’s life. He says, only because she was there. He couldn’t have done it without her. She says, he’s right, and laughs. He asks, what is it? and she says, nothing. She thought… She should go. She has to talk to Trina. He thanks her again, and we see sunglasses guy still watching. Trina asks if Josslyn is okay, and Josslyn says, she feels totally paranoid, like someone is watching her. Trina says, Josslyn has had a couple of traumatizing events that were near misses. No wonder she’s freaked out. Josslyn says, don’t look now, and Trina says, don’t look at what? Josslyn says, the man behind her; is he staring at them? Trina can look now. Trina says she sees him. The good news is, Josslyn’s not being paranoid. The bad news is, that guy is definitely staring at them.

Nina says, any news? and Sasha says, Dr. Robinson just went in. Nina asks how Sasha is doing, and Sasha says, fine. Updating Gladys gave her something to focus on. Nina says great, but how is she doing – honestly. Sasha says she’s better than she was last night. She’s been so upset about the guardianship. First at Brando for wanting to do it at all, then accepting it’s necessary to get her the help she needed. Then this happened, and all she could think about was what would she do without him? She’s barely surviving losing their baby; how would she survive losing her husband? Nina says, does Sasha know what she sees right now? and Sasha says, a train wreck? but Nina says she sees someone who’s shaken, but deep inside of her, she’s solid. Sasha says, last night, she was falling apart. Now Brando is awake, and all that matters is him getting better. She’s not going to give him any more reasons to worry about her. Nina says she knows Sasha is going to do whatever her husband needs, but no one expects her to carry all this on her own. If Sasha needs a shoulder to cry on, she’s here. Sasha takes Nina’s hand, and thanks her.

Doc says, tell him about the memory, and Elizabeth says, it comes in fragments. She’s young, maybe a teenager, and he says, like she was when she was estranged from her family. She says, yes, and he asks, what happens in the memory? and she says, there’s this woman. She reaches out, and… Elizabeth flashes back to being in the stairwell, and the woman asking what she’s doing. She grabs the woman’s arm, and tells her to stay away from her father. The woman tells her, stay out of it; her father wouldn’t want her involved. Elizabeth grabs both of the woman’s hands, and says, don’t talk about her father. She’ll see what happens if she does. Doc asks if she knows who this woman is, but Elizabeth says she doesn’t remember the woman’s face, or anything about her really. All she knows is, she’s confronting the woman over her father. She gets up, and says she doesn’t know where this memory came from or what it’s all about. Obviously, it’s something she’s buried for a really long time. And if grabbing and threatening this woman are the parts her mind is ready to show her, how bad is the stuff she can’t remember, and why is this memory coming back to her now?

Josslyn and Trina stomp over to sunglasses guy, and Josslyn asks why he’s staring at them. He takes off his sunglasses, and says, he wasn’t. She says, yes, he was, and he has 30 seconds to explain why before things escalate. He asks what her problem is, and she says, him. Was she not clear? Dex comes over, and says he’s got this, but Josslyn says, she’s got this. If she wanted his help, she’d ask for it. Sunglasses guy says, Dex heard her. This is none of his business. Dex says, sunglasses guy just made it his business. Trina says, speaking of business, and pulls Josslyn aside. She says, Josslyn’s mother doesn’t own this, and she’s making a major scene. Does Josslyn want to give Nina a reason to throw her out? Josslyn says, fine, and tells sunglasses guy, but she still wants him gone. Dex says, he’ll take it from here, and points to the door. They walk out to the hallway, and Josslyn and Trina go back to their chaises. Dex asks sunglasses guy, what happened? He was supposed to be guarding Josslyn discreetly. Sunglasses guy says he was. He doesn’t know how she caught him. Dex says, she’s got good instincts. Sunglasses guy should head out; he’ll keep watch. Sunglasses guy says, Dex has been up all night keeping an eye on he, but Dex says, it’s fine. Sunglasses guy has been made, and he’s already here. He’ll call Sonny; just go. Sunglasses guy leaves, and Dex goes over to tell Josslyn that he won’t bother her anymore. She says, great. What did Dex say to him?

Jordan sees Curtis going by, and asks him to wait. She says she’s glad she ran into him. There’s something she has to tell him.

Portia says she concurs with Finn. Brando is still at risk for infection, and they’re keeping an eye out for sepsis. But the fact he pulled through surgery and regained consciousness so quickly is a good sign. Brando tells Sasha, see that? He’ll be home in no time. She says, just when she thought she was going to have some peace and quiet, and he says, with his mother around? Sasha says, she’d turn Gladys out, and he says, not possible. She laughs, and says, wouldn’t it be great if it were? Portia says, Brando is in good spirits too; that’s even better. His blood pressure is a little elevated, so she’s ordered something to bring that back down. The nurse will be in shortly to give it to him. He says, goodie, and Sonny walks in. He asks if Brando can have another visitor, and Portia asks if Brando is up for another guest. Brando says, the more the merrier, and she tells him, let’s not to get carried away. She tells Sonny to take it easy on Brando, and he says, she’s it got it. She leaves, and Sonny says he was worried about Brando. Don’t do that again.

Doc says, if Elizabeth is willing, they could use hypnosis to retrieve the memory in its entirety. She says, if they unlock this memory, will she be able to remember what she was doing when she blacked out at the Quartermaine’s? and he says, it’s possible. Frankly, he’s more interested in the original memory. That seems to be the cause of her unexplained behavior. The sooner they uncover the cause behind that, the sooner she can heal. She says, that’s why she’s here, so… He says, they don’t have to do this today, but she says, yes, they do. She needs to know. It’s the only way she’s going to get her life back.

Gregory asks if Alexis is busy or just not interested, and she says, she’s fine. She’s happy to go with him. He says, excellent. He looks forward to the debates they’ll have about it. Finn joins them, and asks, how’s Kristina? Alexis says, hanging in, and Finn tells Gregory, sorry he’s late. He got called in for a consult on Brando. Alexis asks how he is, and Finn says, he’s awake. He’s alert and stable. She says, Kristina will be happy to hear that, and Finn says, Commissioner Ashford stopped by to ask Brando some questions. Alexis says, it’s a good sign if he’s able to answer some questions, and Gregory says, if Finn’s friend is doing so well, what’s wrong? Finn says, it seems that both Ava and Brando were attacked with a hook, and Alexis says, sorry? What did he say?

Dex tells Josslyn that he reminded sunglasses guy that sexual harassment is a crime; one that he didn’t want to find out the penalty. Trina thanks him for having their back, but he says, Joss had it handled. She knows him; he can’t help getting involved. Josslyn says, it’s nice to know there are still decent people in the world, and he says, she’s welcome. He goes back to his chaise, and she smiles.

Sonny asks if Brando saw who did this, but Brando says, like he told Commissioner Ashford, it happened so fast, it could barely register. Wrong place, wrong time. Sonny asks what Brando was doing out there, and Brando says, he went looking for Dex. He knows Sonny trusts him, and respects Sonny’s judgement… Sonny says, he trusts Brando and respects his judgement. Why was he following Dex? Brando says, they were all at Charlie’s, and he saw Dex talking to Josslyn. Dex left out the back, and not two minutes later, Josslyn went after him. He doesn’t know. Something was nagging at him to make sure she was okay. Sonny says he appreciates Brando looking out for Josslyn, and Brando says, Sonny accepted him into his family as soon as he came to Port Charles. Sonny says, Brando is definitely family, but Brando says, Sonny didn’t have to bring him in the way he did. It meant the world to him. He’ll always be there for the Sonny and the family. Sonny hopes Brando knows that’s a two-way street. Brando says he knows. Besides, he still owes Sonny for bringing Gladys back into his life. Sonny laughs, and says, it’s a lifetime debt. He hopes Brando is good for it. Brando says, he sure is, and coughs.

Curtis says he’s listening, and Jordan says, she doesn’t like the way they left things before. She wanted to say she was sorry. He says he accepts, and he said that. She says, right. She knows he’s upset with her for misplacing the divorce papers, but she doesn’t know what else to say. He tells her, what else is there to say? They should just move on. She says, the three of them? Portia’s mad at her too. He says, Portia has been busy all night. Between Trina’s party, and learning he and Jordan were still married, it’s been a crazy last few days. There’s no hard feelings. She says she hopes not. It means a lot to her that they can still be friendly even though they broke up. She really hopes they can remain in each other’s lives. He says, if that’s the case, then can they clear the air? She says, about? and he says, please tell him the truth. Was it really an accident, or did she hang on to the divorce papers on purpose?

Doc says, Elizabeth is standing in front of a door, and she says she sees it. He says, when she steps through that door, she’ll be on the stairwell, and she’ll remember what happened there. It may come back a little at a time, a little more and a little more, or it may come back all at once. Is she ready? She says she is, and he tells her that he wants her to reach out and open the door. She raises her hand as if turning a doorknob, and he says, step through. What does she see? She says, it’s just like before. She’s on the stairs with the woman. She’s grabbed the woman, and they’re arguing. She flashes back to saying, don’t talk about her father, and Doc says, what then? She says she doesn’t know, and he tells her, just relax. They were talking about the stairwell. Feel herself there. Feel the floor beneath her feet. She says she can feel it, and he asks how she feels emotionally. She says she feels… wait. We see the scene as she talks, and she says, the woman is at the bottom of the stairs now. In Elizabeth’s mind, she walks down the stairs, and she tells Doc, her arms and legs are sprawled out around her. She’s still; unconscious. Elizabeth thinks the woman is hurt. Doc asks where she is, and Elizabeth says, she’s standing right over her.  

Finn says, Kristina didn’t tell Alexis? and she says, not that part. The police did tell her to keep some details to herself, so she guesses that hook thing was one of those details. Gregory asks how Finn found out, and Finn says, he thinks he heard the Commissioner talking about it. He figured Kristina would have told Alexis. Alexis says, that’s a reasonable assumption to make, and Gregory says, so what the police are keeping from the public is, the same weapon used was used to attack both Ava Jerome and Brando Corbin. Alexis says, the same type of weapon doesn’t prove it’s the same assailant, and Gregory says, it’s a good element to establish reasonable doubt, but what’s the most logical conclusion based on what she knows? Alexis says, the most logical conclusion is, the same person was behind the attacks, and Gregory says, until they’re caught… She says, it could very well escalate, and the person will most likely do it again.

On the phone, Dex tells Sonny, they have a problem. Joss spotted Norman. Sonny says, damn it. That’s because Josslyn is just like her mother; suspicious. Does she know Norm was working for him? Dex says, no, he made sure, and Sonny says, good. Does Dex have eyes on her now? Dex says he does. He’ll keep watch until she and Trina leave. Then Sonny can have someone else pick up surveillance. Sonny says, good job, and Dex thanks him. Dex asks if there’s any update on Brando, and Sonny says, he woke up. Dex says, that’s great, and Sonny says he’ll get back to Dex when he gets out of the hospital. Keep an eye on things. Dex says, Sonny can count on him.

Jordan says, is Curtis is asking if she lost the divorce papers on purpose? and he says he knows her. He knows she’s not careless. In fact, she’s very much the opposite. If she was going to clinic out of town, she would have made sure every I was dotted, and every T was crossed. She says, even if the carbon monoxide in that basement hadn’t scrambled her brain a little, why would she avoid filing the papers? He asks if she thought he’d change his mind about the divorce, and hang on to their marriage.

Nina asks what the call was about, and Sonny says he’s just trying to keep his family safe. He’s grateful Brando is okay, but somebody is out there going after people who are close to him. He’s going to have to beef up security. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, that includes her. He doesn’t want to scare her… She says, he’s not, and he says he doesn’t want her to have second thoughts about his business and things like that. She says she knows what she’s getting herself into, and kisses him.

Sasha says she knows Brando is supposed to be taking care of her now, but she can handle her treatment and recovery. He says she shouldn’t have to do this alone, and she says she won’t let him down, she promises. He says, she never could. It’s him and her versus the world; they’re a team. And he wants to be the one looking out for her, helping her get better. Getting her back on her feet, and standing with her. He promises he’s going to heal as fast as humanly possible, and give her the amazing life she deserves. She says she’s so lucky to have him, and he says, they’re lucky to have each other. She says, she’s been thinking – he says, uh-oh – for their first wedding anniversary… She knows they’re only halfway there, but she wants then to take a long vacation somewhere beautiful. He says, anywhere with her is beautiful, and she says, and isolated. He says, that’ll be a nice change, and she says, where they can celebrate each other all day and all night. He says he likes where her head is at. March 10th can’t come fast enough. They kiss, and he starts coughing. He says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to ruin the nice moment. He coughs some more, and when he takes his hand away from his mouth, he sees there’s blood on it. He suddenly goes into a seizure, and the alarms go off. We see his blood pressure dropping quickly.

Tomorrow, Jordan tells Stella, even the darkest secret can’t stay secret; Portia says, there’s something she needs someone to know; Sasha prays for another chance; and Doc asks who Elizabeth sees.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we last left, Storm was dealing with a tangled pair of anchors. In Jason’s interview, he said it was dangerous work. If you get hurt, it’s not a nick; it’s an arm that’s gone.

Storm dives down, and Captain Sandy waits. When he comes back up, she tells him that he needs to tie a line on the chain. He can’t physically lift it. Kyle tells Natasha that he’d pay money to go back to bed. He was on the phone with Frank for an hour and a half last night. We see a clip of that, and the captain tells Storm nautical stuff. Storm ties the line, and the guests finish with their yoga class. Captain Sandy says they’ll use the windlass (whatever that is) to relax the chain. Courtney asks the guests how yoga was, and they say they’re relaxed. The anchor begins to come up, but it’s still not free. Storm goes back down, and fiddles with it. He comes up, and tells the captain, it’s free. She tells him, nice work, and in his interview, he says he’s seen worse tangles, like a hair scrunchie, but everything worked out. It’s all about the journey, but it was stressful. Kyle wails about Frank, and Natalya asks what he’s done today; fluff a pillow? In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s getting frustrated with Tasha and Kyle. They’re distracted, and need to get their heads in the game. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Natalya feels like she’s pulling all the weight in interior. He’s on both service and housekeeping, while Tasha is on service, and Natalya is on housekeeping. She wants to be a martyr. The guests come back, and Jason bitches about the tender being on the wrong side of the bimini, and in his interview, he says, they’re working hard, not smart. At this point, he’d rather figure out the Dewy Decimal System than figure out how to not argue with this yacht crew. He asks when was the last time we heard a joke about the Dewy Decimal System (google it), and I’d have to say, never.  

The guests have breakfast, and one asks if the chef plates the food too. Kyle says, he does everything; they just serve it with a smile. Storm gives Jason some tasks to do, and the guests rave about the food. Tasha’s boyfriend sends her annoying texts, and she tells him, not now, since he has zero respect for the fact that she’s working. Tasha tells the guests that Dave is making sushi rolls for the picnic, and Kyle says, they want to do the last day properly. Guest Shelby tells him not to last day her. Storm tells Jason that everything is all over, and Jason says, there was nowhere to put it. Storm gives him several suggestions, and says, it’s the 6th charter. He’s asked Jason not argue. In Storm’s interview, he says, that’s not how they do it. He thinks Jason likes arguing, and he’s doing more work than he wants to be doing because of Jason’s attitude.  

The guests go in the water, then sun themselves on deck. Dave makes sushi, and Kyle serves cocktails. Captain Sandy sees the pantry, and Says, it’s not good; it’s disgusting. They have to manage this chaos. She radios Tasha, and asks her to get the pantry clean. Storm tells the captain that he’s going with Courtney and Dave to the beach, and she says, there’s going to be more wind tonight. She wants the water toys in before sunset. In Storm’s interview, he says, he was thinking about the captain telling him to delegate more. He plans to name a lead deckhand. With Mzi and Courtney, he has a good team. Choosing is tough, but what makes it easy is that he’s definitely not choosing Jason. Courtney reminds Mzi that his birthday is tomorrow, but she’d set the bar high with her lap dance last season. We flash back to that, and they  load the tender for the picnic. Storm drops them off along with the supplies, and the guests get ready. In Dave’s interview, he says he’s enjoying the charter. He has a good vibe with Tasha, but he’s not putting on any pressure. He’ll keep it here, and see where it goes. Um… I guess he’s still holding out hope then? They set up on the beach, and Tasha shows Mzi and Dave how she can squeak her eyeballs, and I’m freaked out. The guests board the tender, and Courtney asks, who rule the world? They all yell, girls! and she takes off for the beach. Captain Sandy says, that’s girl power right there.

The guests are impressed with the beach and the set-up, saying, it’s beautiful, and the crew has outdone themselves. Courtney brings Mzi back to the boat, where Kyle and Natalya are decorating for the Guys and Dolly’s party, featuring pseudo Guy Fieri and Dolly Parton. Natalya says she googled Dolly Parton, and found out she owns a bar in Nashville; it’s all pink and white. In Natalya’s interview, she says she had no idea who Dolly Parton was. She doesn’t do well with going back in time. Captain Sandy stops by, and says, it’s very pink. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s more confident driving the tender now. In the beginning, she was nervous. We flash back to that, and she says she feels like a Bond girl; a boss bitch rocking out. Dave makes sorbet on the beach, and it’s served in ice cream cones. One of the guests says, he’s an exceptional human being. Mzi says he’ll dress up with Natalya tonight; the things they do for tips. Natalya puts on four bras to get the Dolly look, and give Mzi a blonde wig and a sexy outfit. In Mzi’s interview, he says, he does not work 9 to 5.

The guests return, and Natalya and Mzi meet them in costume. Captain Sandy says she doesn’t know who Mzi is, but she loves it. Storm asks Courtney how the beach went, and she says, it was cool. The guests loved it. In Storm’s interview, he says, Courtney is a fantastic deckhand. She’s killing it. She’s had two lessons and drives the tender better than he does. If she sees something needs to be done, she does it before being asked. He has his eyes on her to be lead deckhand, but Mzi is a personal friend. He’s going to be bummed. Courtney and Storm go back to the beach to pick up the crew and the supplies. The guests get dressed up, some as Guy, some as Dolly. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s happy with her boobs. She was called flatty Natty, then bam. The captain looks around the pantry/service area, and says, it’s not a good way to leave the boat; it’s a mess. Natalya whines to Courtney that she has to do cabins plus laundry. How come she has to do everything, while Kyle and Tasha just put out plates? She enjoys doing the setups, but it’s getting too loungy. Courtney says she knows how Natalya is feeling. It’s frustrating, but she needs to say something. Courtney tells Storm that she’s on her last nerve with Jason; he ignores her. Storm tells her, if Jason is disrespectful, come to him. Kyle tells Natalya, this charter of girls giggling is driving him up a wall. This trip is not his kind of day. Natalya says, it’s not anyone’s. Storm tells Courtney that she’s a rock star, and she goes to bed. Dave finishes the birthday cake, and the crew comes out with sparklers, singing Happy Birthday to guests Monique and Aurora. Storm tells Natalya that he needs to have a conversation with Jason, and Natalya says, if he hasn’t changed his attitude halfway through the season, he probably won’t. She’s behind him 100%.

Natalya gets in Storm’s bunk with him, and they cuddle. The guests change into more casual clothes, and Kyle serves shots. Storm asks how Natalya’s day was, and she says, as good as it could be. Kyle tells Tasha that he’s distracted. He’s constantly over-thinking Frank. He thanks her for her patience, and says, it shows what kind of a leader she is. The guests do the Worm, and ask for Purple Rains and tequilas. One complains that they’re slow making drinks, and says, this is the worst bottle service ever. They order more drinks, and ask for pizza bites or something drunk friendly. Tasha tells Kyle that she’s not waking Dave up, and asks if he can help make something. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s 4 in the effing morning. He wonders if these girls are aware they’re supposed to leave tomorrow. One of the guests suggests a hot tub time machine, apparently too drunk to know that’s not real. Kyle brings them nachos, and Tasha says, she’s going to bed; they can clean in the morning. Natalya stumbles to her own cabin, and the guests finally call it a night at 5:47. Kyle says, thank God, and goes to bed, leaving the dishes and whatever other mess there is.

In the morning, Natalya says, the floors need vacuuming; this needs to stop. Mzi says, the guests must have gotten lit last night, and in his interview, he says, when he was at university, they celebrated his National Birthday Week. Then it became his International Birthday Week. Every day was a different activity. He’s not sure how he feels about keeping it to one day. Captain Sandy asks who’s laptop is on the bridge, and Natalya says, it’s Tasha’s. The captain says, tell her to keep it in her cabin. She saw Natalya working this morning. The pantry is a mess, and it’s freaking her out. Natalya says, when she got up, everything was a mess, and there were dishes; she felt overwhelmed. Kyle and Tasha were only up until 3:30. Nice assumption, since it was more like 6. The captain says, this is not okay, and Natalya says, every morning, she thinks it’s like a one-off party. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the pantry should never be left like that. The night person should deal with it. It should be immaculate. The floors should be clean, and the decorations put away. In Natalya’s interview, she says, maybe she shouldn’t say anything to Captain Sandy, but she’s fuming. Get it done. The captain says she’ll take care of it.

Tasha’s boyfriend sends more annoying texts, and in her interview, Captain Sandy says, this is not good. She’s witnessing Tasha slipping in areas she doesn’t normally. Come on; put things away. She sees Tasha and Kyle in the crew mess, and tells Tasha to get organized. It’s driving her insane. The pantry is a disaster. The guests begin to get up, and guest Lisa says, she’s fine. She didn’t behave like a lunatic last night. Storm asks if they had a good night, and they say, it was great. He suggests putting the jet skis in the water, and they enthusiastically agree. Tasha tells Natalya about the captain being pissed at her, and Natalya says she’s been getting up to a mess from the first night. Tasha says, she wasn’t even on the boat yesterday, and Natalya says she doesn’t have the time to do both cleaning and breakfast prep in the morning. Tasha offers to help clean, and Natalya says, she doesn’t need Tasha  to clean, but somebody needs to prep the breakfast or make sure things are clean. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the way Natalya is speaking to her isn’t respectful. She doesn’t realize the extra hours Tasha puts in to make sure the guests have everything. She does it for their tip as a team. She thinks Natalya wants to be chief stew, and is trying to make her look bad, so she looks better. Mzi takes one of the guests out on a jet ski, some use the water toys, and others loll in the water on floaties. Tasha tells Kyle, it’s the worst morning ever. Captain Sandy started screaming at her. Natalya says, they need to stay up and clean or pull for breakfast. It’s bad management style. Kyle tells her, don’t even joke. The guests sit down for their final breakfast, and Tasha and Dave blow up balloons. The captain tells Storm to get the toys in the boat, and Courtney asks Mzi to talk to Jason about putting away the jet skis. Mzi asks if she and Jason aren’t vibing, and she asks if anyone’s vibing with Jason. Mzi asks Jason to pull in what he can, so they can get going. In Mzi’s interview, he says, Jason is an asset, but he blows hot and cold. How do you control that? Since he’s easy to get along with, maybe he can help the team by dealing with Jason. Breakfast is served – mushroom eggs benedict. It doesn’t get any better than that. Captain Sandy runs into Kyle near the pantry, and says, they need to be organized. The pantry is a mess every day. There’s a stain on the floor  that’s two days old, and it makes her want to throw up when she sees it. They’re great on service, but this needs work. Natalya is always cleaning, and it’s not fair. In Kyle’s interview, he tells us that he doesn’t know what to say. What the f*** is happening? He doesn’t know.

The crew gets into their whites. Kyle tells Tasha that the captain said the pantry disgusts her, and Natalya is always the one cleaning. In his interview, he says, Natalya making verbal complaints is fishy suspicious. It’s a fish market at the moment. Tasha looks in the pantry, and says she didn’t leave this stuff here. She’s not going out tonight. She’s going to do the pantry. Kyle says he’ll do it with her. Kyle tells Natalya that she threw interior under the bus, and she says, the only person cleaning is her. He says he’s busting his ass every time to maintain things, and they get messed up. Tasha says, if the captain wants it sparkling, that’s what she’ll get. In Natalya’s interview, she admits she’s the snitch, but it was either that, or she was going to knock someone out. Their minds are elsewhere, and she’s not apologizing. Enough is enough.

Captain Sandy radios Storm about departure, and tells the crew, 20 minutes. The guests pack, and interior is very quiet. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the one thing she can’t stand is a snitch. There was no reason to betray her. The guests’ luggage is taken out to the tender, and the guests say their goodbyes. Co-primary Shelby says, the trip made her feel happy. They kept killing it, and she thanks the crew for making them feel at home. She gives the captain the tip envelope, and says, see them in America. Everyone waves goodbye as the ferry takes the guests to the mainland. Captain Sandy says, they’ll do the tip meeting at the docks, and asks to see Tasha on the bridge. Kyle tells Tasha, it’s just another test to see how strong she is. She can do it.

Natalya tells Courtney, sh*t is going down. Tasha got called to the bridge. In her interview, Tasha sighs, and says, Natalya is complaining about stupid things. Tasha goes to the bridge, and sits down.

To be continued…

🚙 Changing Lanes…

Pop in tomorrow for soap and whatever else I can come up with. Until then, stay safe, stay cheering for the underdog, and stay sharing secrets that have a bearing on your relationship. Because every good relationship, the basis of it is honesty.