Tag Archives: Below Deck

Feb14

February 13, 2023 – Willow Meets Her Great Aunt, That Question, Insubordination On Deck, Respect & Funny

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sam and Dante make it to London, and immediately get busy in their hotel room.

Willow says she wants to be Michael’s wife for as long as she can, and he says he wants that too. He asks if she wants to get married in the hospital, but she says, absolutely not.

Obrecht gets in the elevator with Carly, and after it starts moving, she presses the stop button. She says, alone at last.

Josslyn wonders if Dex is a wedding crasher or on the guest list, but he says, Sonny wanted him there for security. She says, he looks good enough to blend in, and he asks if he looks good enough to be seen with her – if they could be seen together. She says she hates that he works for Sonny a little less today.

Nina thanks Sonny for giving her the kick in the pants she needed. It’s great to be here, celebrating Curtis. He says he’s proud of her, and knows she’s nervous about Willow, but she says she can’t tell him how much it means to her to have him by her side.

Spencer tells Trina that she looks beautiful, and says he was surprised when she texted him. It was generous of her mother, especially considering Portia’s opinion of his family. He can’t say she’s wrong. His father continues to live down to his expectations. Zeke comes in with Sterling, and says, if it isn’t his gorgeous niece. He asks who her friend is.

Laura comes in, startling Ava, and Ava says her mind was elsewhere. Laura asks if she’s thinking of Nikolas.

Drew says, it’s not an act; Curtis is actually not nervous. Curtis says there’s nothing to be nervous about. They have history, and they’re definitely in love. He and Portia are a sure thing.

Portia tells Jordan that she and Curtis are getting married, and it’s what they both want, but Jordan asks how she can say that when Curtis doesn’t have all the information. It’s very likely Trina is his daughter. Portia says she’s not doing this today. Stay out of her business. She wants Jordan to leave, but Jordan says, it’s not her who Portia has to worry about. Stella knows her secret too.

Obrecht says it’s her chance to eviscerate Carly for her monstrous treatment of Nina. She calls herself a mother? No one worthy of that title would deprive another woman of her child. She can forgive Carly about Nelle. Nelle was deeply troubled, and Carly didn’t know she was Nina’s until after Nelle perished. But Willow, month after month of keeping that secret, and now might be the only time she and Nina get to have as mother and daughter. Carly robbed them from it, and as much as she hates Carly for it, she prays Carly never experiences that kind of pain.

Willow says she doesn’t want to marry Michael in this room or the hospital chapel. Their love is so much more beautiful than the lights, smells, and sounds there. He says, wherever she wants, he’ll make it happen, and she says, there’s a huge chance she’s going to die. She refuses to spend whatever time she has left in this bed. She wants to be with their children, and go to sleep with him lying next to her, without a machine beeping away the second like a ticking time bomb. She wants to go home.

Sam jumps out of the bed, and Dante asks where she’s going. She says, if she gets back in, they’re going to end up making love, which means they’ll probably fall asleep because they’re jet-lagged, and they need to be out there looking for Esme’s nanny. He says, in the hopes they get pointed in the direction of the killer, and she says, there’s her detective boyfriend. He says he’d rather be in bed with her, and she says, later. After they find Maggie Fitzgerald. He asks, what happens if they strike out? and she guesses he strikes out too. He says, they’d better get to work then.

Trina introduces Spencer to Sterling and Zeke, the coolest uncle ever. They shake hands, and Sterling asks if Portia is nervous, but Trina says, just excited. She can’t wait to marry Curtis.

Portia asks exactly what Stella knows, and Jordan says, that she and Trina both had a close match on the ancestry website; someone in Port Charles. Then Stella’s match disappears at the same exactly time Trina takes herself off the website. Portia says, that doesn’t prove anything, and Jordan says, maybe not, but it was enough to convince Stella. Portia says, Stella’s not sick. She didn’t officiate the wedding because she knows Portia could be lying to Curtis. And it’s all Jordan’s fault. She wanted this to happen. She kept pushing and prying. Why couldn’t Jordan just leave her alone? Jordan says she’s a cop. Something didn’t add up, so she investigated. Portia says she’s warning Jordan for the millionth time, stay out of her business. Jordan asks why Portia thinks she didn’t say anything. She knows it’s not her secret to tell, but Stella… Portia tells her, Stella’s not going to say anything either.

Ava tells Laura that she can’t help but think of Nikolas with regret. She really wanted their marriage to work. Laura says, of course (🍷) Ava did. She did too. Ava says, it took Laura a while to come around, but she’s not going to dwell on it. Today is about Portia and Curtis, and she’s so happy for them. Laura says she is too.

Nina says, here’s the man of the hour, and she and Curtis hug. He says he’s glad Sonny could make it, and Nina asks how he feels. Curtis says his great day just got even better now that she’s here. It means a lot. She says she’s glad to be here.

Terry asks if Finn has heard from Elizabeth. She texted that she was on her way, but it was a while ago, and now Terry’s kind of worried. Finn says, don’t worry, and points, as Elizabeth walks in.

Josslyn says, on one hand, she was hoping Sonny and Nina would be no-shows, so she didn’t have to deal with them today, and Dex says, on the other hand? She says, he’s here, and he asks how she’s been. She says, it’s a mixed blessing. Her baby niece has a name – Amelia. The bad news is, the doctors wanted to use the stem cells from the cord blood, but they couldn’t harvest enough. He says he’s sorry, and asks, what’s the next step? She says, there’s still a chance for the bone marrow registry, but the chances are slim, and Willow’s getting weaker every day. He takes her hand, but drops it when Trina and Spencer come out. Spencer asks what Dex is doing here, but Trina says, let’s walk. He says, Dex didn’t answer his question, and Josslyn asks why he cares. Spencer asks if Dex is with her, but Josslyn says, Sonny posted him here for security. Spencer says, it’s a good excuse to hang around Josslyn, not that she cares now that she’s a free woman, and Trina asks why he’s doing this. Josslyn says, because he wants to fight. Normally, she’d give him one, but they’re at Trina’s mother’s wedding. Trina says, which she needs to get back to, and asks Spencer to come with her. He says he’ll be there in a moment, and tells Dex, no one wants you here, dude. Dex tells him, dude, like Miss Jax said, he’s working.

Laura says she’s happy to see Elizabeth, but Elizabeth says, not happier than she is to see Laura. When she’s with Laura, Laura makes her feel like everything is going to be okay. Laura asks if something is wrong, and Elizabeth says, nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. Today is about love, and she intends to enjoy every minute of it.

Sonny says, it’s big of Taggert to show, but Taggert says, selfish reasons. The Hook is still out there, and he wants to make sure his daughter is okay. Sonny says he’s got his people looking out for things, and Taggert guesses for once, he’s grateful. They shake hands.

Molly says she’s sorry she’s late, but TJ says, they still have plenty of time. She says, it looks so beautiful in here, and he says, it’s a little different from their Domestic Partnership ceremony. She says, just a little bit, and he says, any regrets? She says, of course (🍷) not. What they have is all she could ever want.

Portia tells Jordan, if anyone can keep a secret, it’s Aunt Stella. Look how many years she hid the fact Marshall was alive, and she did it for the family. She’ll do the same this time. Jordan says, even if Stella stays silent, can Portia really walk down the aisle with this hanging over her? How long before she breaks? Portia says she’s carried it this far, and Jordan says, and maybe will indefinitely, but life happens. What if Trina needs her complete family medical history at some point, or decides to look into this whole DNA match herself? Portia says, or what if none of that ever happens? That would be Jordan’s worst nightmare, wouldn’t it? Because the man she still loves would be getting married and living his happily ever after with someone else. Jordan says, Portia is right. She does still love Curtis. She wants him to be happy, and he’s happy with Portia. She wants this marriage to work, which is why she’s begging Portia to tell Curtis the truth, that Trina might be his daughter. If she does it before the wedding, it gives them a fighting chance, but if Curtis finds out later on his own, Portia will lose him just like she did. Jordan leaves.

Carly says, this must be especially triggering for Obrecht, given she just lost her daughter, and Obrecht says, people keep reminding her that Britt died a hero, and Carly flashes back to thanking God that Josslyn is alive, and Josslyn saying, Britt saved her life, and it cost her her own. Obrecht says, yes, of course (🍷) it’s a small consolation, knowing Britta gave her life courageously, but she’d rather have her daughter here. Carly says she’s so sorry, and Obrecht says, if she means that, help her niece.

Michael says he’ll talk to Dr. Randolph about getting Willow released, but she’s at a wedding right now. Willow says she can wait a few hours, even until tomorrow if necessary, but that’s it. She wants out of here. She wants to go home and be with their son and daughter, and plan their wedding. He kisses her hand, and says, that sounds good to him. He asks what it looks like, and she says, when they were first married, it was in his family’s living room. Maybe they could do it there again. He says his family would be thrilled; they love her. She says, so they’re agreed. He’ll take her home.

Drew asks if they should get this show on the road, but Curtis says, there’s something he needs to do first, and leaves.

Terry asks where Elizabeth was. Is everything okay? Elizabeth says, it’s great, and Terry says, Elizabeth has been worrying her, but now she seems steadier, calmer. Elizabeth flashes back to telling Finn that she’s going to turn herself in, and tells Terry that she’s been struggling with a decision. Now that she’s made it, she’s not feeling better, but resolved.

Drew says, Nina looks very nice, and she says, as does he. He asks if she got in an Amelia sighting, and she says she did; she came straight here from the hospital. He says, cute as ever, and she says, even more so. He says, she’s a blessing, and Nina says, this wedding is a blessing. To have something to celebrate is a gift. Is he flying solo, or will Carly be joining him?

Spencer says he’ll inform his Uncle Sonny that Dex was being intrusive, and he sent Dex away, but Josslyn says, Dex is doing nothing wrong. What’s the problem? Spencer says his problem is he doesn’t like Dex, and Josslyn asks if he’s five. He says he also doesn’t like the way Josslyn defends Dex, but she says she’d defend anyone this way. He can’t just roll up and start yelling at Sonny’s employees. He asks if she’d be this defensive about just another one of Sonny’s guns, and Trina says, enough. She invited Spencer here as her guest, and now he’s going out of his way to pick a fight. Sonny comes out, and asks, what’s going on?

Michael says he’ll take Willow home, and they’ll get married at the Quartermaines’, but he needs her to do something for him in return. He needs her to believe in the possibility of a miracle; just acknowledge that miracles do happen. He needs her to promise him that if they find a donor, she’ll agree to the transplant.

Obrecht says, help Nina reconcile with Willow, but Carly says she can’t do that. Obrecht says, Carly did all she could to create distance between them. Help bring them together for whatever time Willow has left; the only time Nina will ever get with her daughter. Carly says, Obrecht acts like Willow’s dislike for Nina is her doing, but Nina caused that all on her own. Because of that, she’s not pressuring Willow to accept Nina if she doesn’t want to. Obrecht says, and they say she lacks compassion, and starts the elevator again. Carly says she can’t build a bridge between Willow and Nina, but maybe she can try to build one between Willow and Obrecht.

Sam says, they caught a break tracking down the last family Maggie worked for, but Dante says, that was all her, and her P.I. skills. She says she doesn’t want to brag, but he says, she should. She got some very rich, private people to open up about Maggie. Not that it’s a lot to go on. She has no phone number or address; no email address, just a P.O. box. Sam says, that’s a very defeatist attitude, and he says he doesn’t mean to be. He’s just saying they have their work cut out for them. She says, that’s true, but it’s okay. They don’t have modern technology to fall back on. They’ll have to do this the old fashioned way. He asks, which way is that? and she says, he’ll see.

Portia checks herself out in the mirror, and flashes back to Curtis asking her to marry him, and her telling Curtis, when he came back into her life, happiness was again a possibility, and she wants that forever. He asks if that’s a yes, and she says, yes. She’s going to marry him. She remembers telling Curtis that Trina isn’t his daughter; Taggert is her father. She reaches for her bouquet, but then starts to walk to the door. There’s a knock, and Curtis asks if they can talk.

Josslyn says, what’s going on is, Sonny’s nephew is an entitled inconsiderate ass, and she goes inside. Trina says she appreciates Sonny having his own security, but it’s really not necessary. Her father has it covered. She goes in, and Spencer follows her. Sonny asks Dex what that was about, and Dex says, Sonny’s nephew wanted him to leave, but he wasn’t doing that until he checked with Sonny. Sonny says, it looked like Spencer was provoking Dex, but Dex didn’t take the bait. He says, Dex can go, but wants him to know that he got a date from Pikeman. The shipment’s going to be two weeks from tonight. He wants Dex to go with him to make sure the shipment is transferred without incident. Dex says, understood, and Sonny says, this is important. Dex says he appreciates Sonny giving him a chance to prove himself, and Sonny leaves.

Ava asks Trina, what’s wrong? and Trina says, nothing, but Ava says she knows better. Trina says she just saw Spencer roll up on one of Sonny’s people, and it’s a side of him that she doesn’t like.

Drew tells Nina that he thinks Carly is sticking close to Willow and Michael, and also thinks she wasn’t invited. Nina says, she wasn’t. She just thought Carly would be his plus one. He says, no date for him, and steps away.

TJ says, it’s almost time, and Molly says, it’s so exciting. Marshall wonders where his son disappeared to.

Portia says, they still have a little time, and starts to open the door, but Curtis says he doesn’t want to see her in her dress before it’s time. She says, it’s not like him to be superstitious, but he says, today’s not the day to tempt fate. He loves her, and felt the need to tell her that one more time before they take their vows. Trina comes into the hallway, and listens, as Curtis says he’s so happy life brought him and Portia back together, and he was able to rediscover her, so they can love openly and honestly; no secrets. They get to do it right this time. Trina slips away, and he says he can’t wait. Portia says she loves him to, and starts to say something else, but he says he’ll see her at the altar. He’ll be the one wearing his heart on his sleeve. She says, Curtis… but he’s already gone, and she cries.

Michael asks Willow to tell him, if she has the chance, she’ll fight to stay with him and the children, and she says she doesn’t want to leave him and the children; there’s nothing she wants less. Of course (🍷) if she gets the chance, she’ll fight with everything she has. He says, then he’ll go on praying for a miracle, and she says, as will she. Carly comes in, and asks if everything is okay. Willow says, it’s better than okay. She and Michael are getting married.

Sam tells Dante to let her do the talking, and he asks if she doesn’t think he can do a good British accent. She says, he can do a good Brooklyn accent. Maybe they should say they’re here on a referral from a friend. Maybe a couple they met in London, or the last family Maggie worked for. He asks if they should say they want her to work for them, and she says, to take care of their perfectly behaved children. He wonders what part of the story is more of stretch, and she says she thinks they should go to Plan B. Tell Maggie that they’re here on Esme’s behalf. They’re looking for the nanny who raised her because Esme is in trouble, and desperately needs her help.

Carly doesn’t blame Willow for wanting to go home, and Willow says, hopefully today. Michael says, tomorrow at the latest, and Carly says, then they’re going to have a wedding. Michael says, at the Quartermaines’; they want to recreate the first one. Carly says, that sounds beautiful and fitting. When? Michael says they haven’t picked a date, but Willow says, obviously sooner than later. In two weeks? Michael asks if it’s doable, and Carly says, with her and Olivia at the helm, anything is doable. They’re going to make sure they have the most perfect wedding. She suggests Michael take a walk, so she and Willow can discuss details. He leaves, and Carly says she really does want to talk to Willow about the wedding, but mainly she wanted Michael to leave the room. He wouldn’t like this. She needs to ask Willow for a favor.

Laura tells Curtis, they’re ready to start, and Spencer tells Josslyn that he’s sorry. She says, he’s always sorry… until next time.

Portia approaches the entrance to the church, and Sterling says, there’s his beautiful daughter. Trina says, she looks incredible, and Portia thanks them. Trina says she’s so excited for Portia and Curtis; she’s excited for all of them. Portia tells Trina to promise to remember how much she loves her, no matter what, and Trina says she promises, but Portia is getting married; she’s not being deployed overseas. They’re not saying goodbye. The music starts, and Terry says, that’s their cue. Trina asks if Portia is ready.

Trina walks down the aisle, and Sterling tells Portia, now it’s their turn. He’s so proud of her. Proud of the way she’s raised her daughter, proud of how she conducts her life. He and her mother feel blessed that she’s found someone to love her as much as she deserves to be loved. She says she loves him, and he says he loves her too. She takes his arm.

Here Comes the Bride plays, Terry opens the doors, and Portia and Sterling come down the aisle. Portia hands Trina her bouquet, and Trina mouths, I love you. Sterling shakes Curtis’s hand, kisses Portia on the cheek, and she and Curtis join hands.

Dante says, it’s true that Esme needs help, and Sam says, however awful Esme was – and they can all agree she was awful – she’s convinced Esme doesn’t remember. He says, Maggie helped raise her, so she’s going to want to help her, and she says, you’d think, and Maggie is probably worried that Esme’s gone off the grid. He asks which way she’s leaning, and she says she’s thinking the simplest way is the best way. He agrees, and suggests they go find Maggie and see what happens. She says, sounds like a plan, and he says, since the post office is closed until morning, they should stop at the pub they passed on the way in. She says, of course (🍷), and they leave.

Obrecht thanks Willow for seeing her, and Willow says, Obrecht is her great aunt. She didn’t know she had a great aunt at all. Obrecht says, it’s an adjustment for all of them, but life is full of surprises, and unexpected chances. She doesn’t intend to waste this one. Willow comes from a family of strong women. Not without flaws of course (🍷). They’ve certainly made regrettable mistakes, but they come through for each other, and they’ll come through for Willow. Like it or not, Willow is one of them now. Willow sort of smiles.

Michael sees Dex, but says, now is not a good time. Dex says he’ll keep it brief. Sonny just gave him some important information; they set a date for the Pikeman shipment. Sonny will be there personally to supervise, and wants Dex with him. It will give Michael the evidence he needs to take Sonny down. Michael asks, when’s the shipment? and Dex says, in two weeks.

Laura welcomes everyone, and says she’s so happy to be officiating this wedding, to have the honor of marrying Portia and Curtis, two people who clearly love each other. She and Curtis have been friends for a while, and she happened to be with him on a night he heard Portia was in danger. To say he jumped into action would be an understatement. Without hesitation, without fear, he was willing to risk everything to keep Portia and her daughter safe. It’s moments like that, that are so telling, and make it clear what’s really important. What was clear to her that night, was that there was already a strong bond between these two people; a bond that has only deepened since then, because here they are, ready to join their lives, and with Trina, become a family. So before they get the ball rolling, she has to ask the question they already know the answer to. Can anyone here show just cause why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony? If so, speak now, or forever hold your peace.

Tomorrow, Laura asks Curtis and Portia if either of them know any reason they shouldn’t be joined in holy matrimony; Heather gives someone a Valentine’s present; and Ryan says, everyone needs a back-up plan, right?

👰🏽 I have never once been to a wedding, including my own, where they’ve asked that question.

Below Deck

Rodney Bay Marina. In Fraser’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what’s worse; the captain telling him to stop speaking or telling him that the interior isn’t doing their work. He knows they are. Captain Sandy tells Tyler that he’s the hardest worker, and in her interview, she says she hears everything. She’s had over 30 years of experience, and expects respect for the chain of command. Alissa and Fraser have no regard for authority, and it’s frustrating. A bee bites Tony, and he curses the whore that birthed it. In Tony’s interview, he says, there’s a belief that garlic helps reduce the pain of a bee sting. He doesn’t know if it’s accurate scientifically, but it’s magic and it works. I can buy this, since garlic is a natural antibiotic, although I’ve never actually tried it. I was only stung once when I was four. No surprise, I was trying to pet the bee, but only annoyed it. Fraser tells Alisson, in his 29 years of work he’s never been talked to like that, and won’t be silenced by someone who doesn’t see the whole picture. They’re all doing their jobs. In Alisson’s interview, she says she’s upset since they’ve worked hard. They’re always up later than deck the team, who gets off every day. We flash back to demanding guests, and Alisson says she thinks the captain is delusional. Fraser says, it’s a solid crew, and Captain Sandy’s not a part of it. It’s time for the guests to depart, and primary Janine says, they came and conquered. There are hugs all around, and she thanks them for their wonderful service; they had so much fun. The crew made eight women happy. She gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, saying, this is for you, and jokingly tries to take Rachel, saying, this is for me. The captain tells the crew to turn the boat around, and then meet in the main salon for the tip meeting.

Captain Sandy tells the crew, charter 6 is down, and they did a great job. She knows it’s been stressful, but the walls are thin, and she hears everything. She looks at Fraser, and says, so can the guests. If they’ve got a complaint, take it to their cabin. She doesn’t want it penetrating the boat. She tells them that they’re going to play volleyball on the beach for an hour, and in her interview, she says, all the gossip, finger pointing, and backstabbing has permeated the boat. She wants to turn this around with a team building exercise. On a previous boat, she had had $10K a year to do them, and it works. The tip is $23K, or $1739 per person. In Hayley’s interview, she says she’s with the interior for a reason. She hasn’t been outside in two years. Alisson says she loves the idea of volleyball, but not if it cuts into her napping. She tells Fraser that she’s taking heed, but doesn’t think the captain cares about what she said. Fraser calls up medic Conor, and asks if Conor will come look at his foot to see if it’s infected. When Conor arrives, Fraser tells him, that when he took off his sock, he tore the scab off. Conor says, it might be infected, and to keep the sand off of it. In his interview, Fraser says, it’s brilliant. Alisson is in bed, and doesn’t want to come, but Fraser tells her, it’s not a good look. In Fraser’s interview, he says he doesn’t need this, and has to remind Alisson that she has no control over her life when she’s on the ship.

Captain Sandy asks Rachel to be the coach, and says, Rachel sees the big picture; so many don’t. Fraser tells Alisson to come on; it’s a compulsory bond, and not his call. She bitches that she needs to sleep, but joins everyone as they leave for the beach. The captain explains that she always asks for team building exercises; they have to rely on each other. Tyler says, it feels weird be on land, and in Tony’s interview, he says he’s so happy. They finally get to move. There’s a lot of drama, and he thinks they need team building. The captain makes Ross the captain of the interior, and Fraser the captain of the exterior. In Rachel’s interview, she says she’s not into sports. Having balls near her face makes her want to run. Fraser tells the captain that he can’t get sand on his toe, and in her interview, Captain Sandy says she wishes she’d known about his foot. She could have delayed or rearranged the exercise, and it’s lack of communication. Fraser never reported he’d gotten hurt, and should have. Ross says he has no idea of the volleyball rules, and in Hayley’s interview, she says she doesn’t think their team is the most athletic. She did a sit-up once. She tells Ross that she feels like a fetus in a wig, rolling in the sand and getting sunburned. It’s severely embarrassing. Fraser plays cheerleader, and the interior wins, 6 to 0. In her interview, Hayley says, zero isn’t even a real number. The captain says, the exercise is used so they can see the strengths of each other’s team, but since Fraser couldn’t engage, it was a moot point. In her interview, she says she knows he said he was hurt, but it’s obvious he doesn’t want any part of this. If not trained, stepping into the role of chief stew is a huge learning curve. The potential is there, but she’s seen a lot of different chiefs, and can see where Fraser is. In Fraser’s interview, he says he feels like the captain is mentally taking a machete to his throat. Hayley says, there’s no praise; just what they’ve done wrong. Fraser says, the captain doesn’t value their work, and that’s why he doesn’t value the captain. Rachel suggests he not take that approach, and in her interview, she says, Fraser doesn’t take criticism well, and it reflects badly on his leadership. She’s seen him get offended when it’s just the captain’s style. Alisson tells Fraser that the next time the captain comes for him, she’ll hear from the crew, but I wonder what the rest of the crew would think about that.

On the way back, Alisson asks Katie what’s with her and Ross, and complains that Ross is the one flirting with her. Katie ignores her, and in Katie’s interview, she says she’s getting annoyed. She doesn’t know for sure, but Alisson could be telling the truth. Having sex with someone changes the dynamic of everything. We flash back to that, and Katie says, if she sleeps with someone, then they do something stupid, it makes her look like an idiot. Back at the boat, the crew gets ready to go out, and Ben calls Camille. They go to a restaurant, and raise their welcome shots to an epic charter. A kitty comes by, and everyone’s all into it, except for Fraser who whines, it’s a stray, and not while they’re eating. Ross sits with Katie, and in his interview, he says he likes to play the field. He doesn’t know what qualifies as a sex addict, but he does foresee having a partner for life. He’s made an active decision that it’s just going to be him and Katie, and there’s a good chance he’s going to get laid tonight. Alisson decides to be an a-hole, and literally walks in between Ross and Katie’s chairs, and in between Katie and the table to get to her chair. I’ve met women like her before; the ones that don’t like other women. Fraser bitches about the captain, and says they have an amazing team. Alisson says, the captain sucks the deck team’s d*ck, and in Ben’s interview, he says, Alisson is throwing bait and trying get a rise out of Fraser, but the captain is a badass you don’t want to cross. We flash back to Captain Sandy telling the captain of the boat next door that she’s not moving, and Ben says, she’s a great captain, but hard on the interior because there’s no flued connection. Alisson is just talking out of spite to get someone on her side. Fraser tells Alisson that from now on, the captain’s harsh words will be like water off a duck’s back.  They eat, then go back to the boat. Ross says, it was a great evening out; no injuries and he didn’t offend too many women. Alisson comes on to Ross, asking for a drag of his cigarette, but he tries to keep his distance. In Katie’s interview, she says, being cheated on has made her insecure. She created feelings with Ross, and now she’s upset. It sucks. Ross and Katie go to her cabin, while the others get in the hot tub. He tells Katie that he wants to go to the guest cabin. Tyler tells Ben that when he started in yachting, he didn’t drink. Now here he is. Ross tells Katie that talking about Alisson isn’t productive, and it pushes him away, but Katie says, him staring at Alisson makes her look like an idiot, and he leaves because he’s a big baby who can’t handle real talk.

In Katie’s interview, she says, don’t f***ing disrespect her. Alisson said she looked stupid, and she wanted to know what Ross had to say about it. In Tony’s interview, he says, Katie and Ross are like a cheap telenovela that he doesn’t want to see. Alisson is la otra (the other woman). Ross grumbles that he’s a victim no matter what, and tells Tony that Katie claimed he was flirting and grabbing Alisson throughout the evening. Tony says, it’s a sh*tshow, but Ross has a reputation, and Ross says he just went to bed. In Ross’s interview, he says, he’s slightly frustrated. It seems he and Katie have reached a dead end, and he doesn’t know what happened. He doesn’t enjoy drama; it’s like a throbbing headache. He doesn’t want to put any more effort in. He texts Katie, just you and me. No more Alisson bullsh*t. Everyone has pizza for lunch, and in his interview, Ross says, it’s awkward because he’s not sure if Katie read his text. In Katie’s interview, she says she keeps coming back, but she doesn’t want it to end because of Alisson. It’s giving her the power. Why play into that? Fraser tells the stews, when they’re done, they can get tanning time, so Alisson and Hayley jet through their tasks as quickly as possible, and lie on the bunny pad. Captain Sandy tells Tyler that he’s the only one she sees working, and he says he enjoys job. She says, that’s obvious, and goes out to find Hayley and Alisson tanning. She says, Tyler is still working, and Alisson says, they all had set tasks. Fraser said once they were done, they were allowed to tan. The captain asks if they won’t help Tyler finish his, and Hayley says, they didn’t realize he was still working. Alisson says, he’s on his last task, and the captain wonders if they asked if he needed help and he said he didn’t. Alisson says, all he had to do was the silver, and it’s not a two person job, but Hayley says she can help if he needs it. Captain Sandy says, if they asked and he said, no, that’s fine. She tells Alisson that her lack of respect is going to be addressed, and to come to the bridge. In Hayley’s interview, she says, there’s a way to speak to a captain, and the way Alisson does is not the one. It’s painful to watch her make the wrong move.

The captain tells Alisson that there have been a lot times the crew has overstepped. It’s something she won’t tolerate, and there needs to be a level of respect for the position. She knows Alisson feels secure, but she’ll be off the boat so fast. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Alisson has no regard for authority. She doesn’t have to respect the captain as a person, but has to respect the position. Alisson says, they were only out there ten minutes, and weren’t aware Tyler was still working, and basically says, the captain had no need to chastise them. Captain Sandy tells Alisson that her communication style has to change, and Alisson says, cool. Yes, Sandy… Captain Sandy. In her interview, the captain says, that was like a f*** you in her face. Alisson tells Hayley what the captain said, and told her that she’d be off the boat so fast it would make her head spin, and in Alisson’s interview, she says, what she told the captain was in defense of the whole interior team. She’s frustrated with how the captain is treating Fraser, and he won’t say anything. When it comes to defending those she cares about, she doesn’t have a filter. The captain tried to make her feel insecure, so she has to try harder. Captain Sandy radios Fraser to meet her on the bridge, and tells him that Alisson has been insubordinate three times. Alisson’s crossed the line, and she won’t tolerate insubordination. She needs to see a change in things, and expects him to shoulder what needs to be improved. He’s permeated the boat like a cancer, and infected her entire program. Fish stinks at the head, and right now, he’s the head. It’s blatant disrespect. In her interview, she says, Fraser lacks respect for authority, and needs to earn her respect back. It started with him and it has to end with him. She tells him that he’s created the worst experience she’s had with a chief stew. Any words that come up the stairs from a crew member that are gossip or insubordination, she’ll fire whoever it is, and him. He apologizes, and says, he’s still learning. He’s sickened about how she feels, but it’s his mistake, and it won’t happen again. She says, that’s a first step. They can be allies or it can go another way. The hierarchy has to be respected. This is their reset.

In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s so embarrassed and ashamed by his behavior; it was immature, and he has to learn from his mistake. Ross tells Katie that he’s waiting for an apology, and she says she wanted to answer his text, but doesn’t understand why he doesn’t believe her. He says, Alisson is trying to drive a wedge between them. She’s the one flirting, not him. Katie says she’s sorry, and he says he’s never been involved in so much ridiculous drama in his life. She says, welcome to his life now. Alisson tells Fraser about her meeting with the captain, and says, the captain didn’t like her tone. She said Alisson would be off the boat so fast it would make her head spin. I’m not sure why she added that head spin, since Captain Sandy didn’t say that. She tells Fraser that she was just defending him and the team. He says he appreciates and loves Alisson as a person, but she has to respect the hierarchy. As much as they have their own opinions, they have to keep them to themselves. They’ve got to be strong.

Captain Sandy calls Ross, Rachel, and Fraser for the preference sheet meeting. The next primary is Kaura who’s in real estate, and has also entered several pageants. She was Miss Classic Universe (whatever the hell that is), and she’ll be celebrating her win with associates she’s met through the pageant circuit. Her goal is about being queen. They want a drag show, and a Beach Queen Olympics, and one guest has anti-inflammatory diet restrictions. The captain says, they’re hitting reset, and only have three more charters to go. Rachel says she wants a crown too. Afterwards, Fraser calls his mom, who asks, what happened? He tells her that he voiced an opinion, the captain caught wind of it, and named him the cancer of the crew. It makes him disgusted, especially after what he went through with his father. He’s ashamed and going to do his utmost to put things back on an even keel. He feels horrendous about what he did wrong, and he’s 100% responsible. He’s embarrassed, and going to learn from it, but he feels stupid. His mom tells him, it’s okay, as moms do.

In her interview, the captain says she wants to make it crystal clear that she’s not willing to tolerate insubordination. She wants zero pushback. It’s permeating the vessel negatively. Alisson was defensive and condescending. We flash back to that, and she says, Alisson is past being on thin ice; she’s falling through. People need to know there’s a boundary, and where the line is. Alisson tells Hayley that she had a dream the captain fried her. Should she apologize or let it go? Hayley asks what image she wants to portray, and in Alisson’s interview, she says she doesn’t think she was disrespectful. Hayley tells her to do what she thinks is right. It might not be what she said, but the way she delivered it. Captain Sandy calls Ross to the bridge, and shows him where they’re going to anchor. She says, if the wind picks up, they’ll head for their go-to spot. She adds that she needs him as a witness, which doesn’t look like it makes him too happy. She calls Alisson to the bridge, and I get all excited. Ross wonders what’s going on, and the captain tells Alisson, yesterday, when she said, Yes, Sandy, I mean, captain, it was a f*** you in her face. It’s insubordination, and shows a lack of respect for the position. And it’s insurmountable.

To be continued…

⚓️ I’m not just being mean when I say, good. Camille was lazy AF, but Alisson seems to have no clue that she’s working for someone. I would never talk to any boss the way she talks to Captain Sandy. And I even always address her, and any of the other captains, as Captain. Except for Glenn, who has told everyone to call him Glenn. I’m surprised at Fraser. He’s turned out to be a big crybaby and I wouldn’t have expected it, but maybe Alisson infected him. Hayley is a walking TMI booth, but she does her work and doesn’t complain. And while I sometimes think she’s too harsh, and Captain Lee will always be my Boat Daddy, they could do worse than Captain Sandy. She’s extremely fair, and is always willing to work with a crew member, as well as help them up the ladder. Buh-bye, Alisson.

💕 Popping Candy Hearts…

I’ll be trash talking Summer House, which is even more awful, tomorrow, along with the usual soap and a peek at New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay not taking Valentine’s candy from strangers, and stay aware that life is full of unexpected chances. Don’t waste them.

Feb9

February 8, 2023 – Elizabeth Asks Scotty For Help, VanderBack, Sequel Role, Incident Statement, Please Don’t Leave & Everything

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava dreams that Nikolas is in the bed with her, but she says, this isn’t real; he’s dead. He says, she bludgeoned him, and she says, it was an accident. He says, an accident of passion. It’s always been like that with them, and always will be. She tells him to go away, but he says he’s not going anywhere. What’s between them is forever. She wakes, and sees blood on her hand. She pulls back the covers, and the sheets are bloody. She screams, then really wakes up. Her bedroom door opens.

Carly finds Michael in Willow’s room, and asks if he needs anything, but he just wants to see Willow’s face when she meets the baby. She’s been sleeping since the C-section. Carly suggests he take a break, but he says he can’t leave until Willow opens her eyes.

Elizabeth looks at a picture of her boys, and flashes back to Finn telling her to sleep on it before she turns herself in. There’s a knock at the door, and it’s Laura, who asks if she’s heard from Nikolas.

Finn goes to Alexis’s office, and she asks, what’s going on? He says he needs some hypothetical legal advice, but she says she’s not even a hypothetical lawyer. He says, how about some advice about the law from someone who’s good at it? and she asks, what’s up? He asks, what kind of charges someone would be facing if they were an accessory to a felony? He’s asking for a friend.

Nina looks at the baby through the window, and Obrecht joins her. Obrecht says she remembers when Britta was born; she was vocal and disapproving from the start. And as beautiful as Nina’s granddaughter. Nina says, it’s good to see Obrecht here, and Obrecht says, of course (🍷) she’s here; she had to see her grandniece. She asks how Willow is, and Nina says she thinks Willow is sleeping. Willow doesn’t really want anything to do with her. If Willow wants to see her, she’ll be there in a second, but she made a promise to herself not to upset her daughter.

Willow wakes up, and Michael asks if she wants to meet her daughter. She can’t wait to meet Willow. Welcome back. He says he loves her so much, and kisses her forehead. Carly slips out of the room, and in the hallway, she tells Sonny that Willow’s awake. Michael tells Willow that their baby is perfect, and wants to meet her mom. Willow says she needs to see her now, and asks Michael to bring her their baby.

Scotty joins Obrecht and Nina, and asks how the newest member of the family is doing. Obrecht asks if that’s why he’s here, or is he checking up on her? He says, the kid may need a lawyer. It’s never too soon to start suing people. The hardest thing for him about memorials is, people say nice things, then go back to their lives. She says, her Britta’s gone, but her heart rejoices for Nina, and she can’t wait to meet her grandniece. Nina gets a text from Sonny that says, Willow’s awake.

Sonny says, their son has a daughter, and Carly says, now that she’s here, Willow can get the stem cell transplant she needs, and this nightmare will finally be over. He says, babies are miracles. Can she believe their granddaughter is going to save Willow’s life? It’s amazing.

Willow says she remembers them showing her and Michael their baby. Then they took her away. He says, Willow asked him to go with her, and she says, then she remembers… not exactly. Did something happen? He says, from what he was told, Willow started hemorrhaging, and her heart stopped on the operating table. She says, Michael was there, but he says he was in the NICU with their daughter. She says, then he came back, but he tells her that they wouldn’t let him back in. She says she heard his voice, as clear as she’s hearing it now. He told her to come home and live. He tells her that he did say that, but he was in the waiting area, praying as hard as he could for her to come back. She says, and she did.

Finn tells Alexis, someone he knows made a really big mistake, but it’s over. He’s worried confessing will ruin their life without making anything better. She says, so this crime is not ongoing? He says, no, and she says, murder? He says, no, and she says, accidental death? He says, no one got hurt, not really, and she asks if the friend was part of planning the crime. He says, they got roped into helping the person, and chose to protect them rather than going to the police, and she says, so this person might be an accessory to the crime after the fact, which would be a misdemeanor at worst. He says, that doesn’t sound so bad, and she says, or a felony, depending on the details of the crime.

Elizabeth says she hasn’t spoken to Nikolas since they argued at the hospital, and Laura says, it was obvious they were both shaken by it. Is she okay? Elizabeth says, no. She thinks her friendship with Nikolas is over. Laura says, after everything they’ve been through all these years? Doesn’t Elizabeth think it’s possible they just need a little time? She knows it’s not her business, but does Elizabeth know what happened between Spencer and Nikolas? Elizabeth asks her to narrow it down, and Laura says, Spencer wants to sue for custody of Nikolas and Esme’s baby. Elizabeth looks shocked, and Laura says, Spencer said he knew something about Nikolas; something he thinks is unforgivable. Elizabeth asks if Spencer said what it was, but Laura says, he told her it was best she didn’t know, but he insists Nikolas should not be allowed to raise the baby. Elizabeth asks how Nikolas reacted, and Laura says she’s never seen him so devastated. It’s like he really lost everything.

Austin asks if Ava is okay. Does she want to focus on some breathing? She takes some deep breaths, and says, Nikolas, he’s dead. Austin says, he is, and she says, he was going to take Avery. She just wanted to stop him, and she hit him with a statue and he fell. Austin says, he did, and she asks what he’s doing here. He says, she asked him to spend the night and keep an eye on her, and she says, he scared her, walking into her room like that. He says he heard her scream, and was worried about her, and she tells him, get out. He goes to the door, and says, at some point, they’ll have to talk about what happens next. She says, what happens next is, he leaves and forgets he was ever here, and they never speak of this again. He says that works for him, but what is she going to say when people notice Nikolas is missing? She tells him, she’ll say, Nikolas was here and they argued about Windymere. He regretted giving her Spoon Island and wanted it back, but she wouldn’t give it to him, so he stormed off. She doesn’t know what happened to him after that. He says, that’s good. A good lie manages to stay as close as possible to the truth. She asks where he learned that, and he says, his family. She thanks him for not turning her in, but says she meant what she said. He should go and never look back. As far as she’s concerned, he was never here. He says, if only it were that easy, and she asks, what’s hard about it? He says, his cousin Mason. Mason is the reason he stopped by last night. He’s after Ava. She says, Mason’s a thug. Does Austin think she’d let him in her house? Austin says, he came here just in case, and she says, if Mason had shown up instead of him… He says, if Mason had glimpsed her hiding Nikolas’s body, he would have had her for life. She says she’s glad it was him, and he’s right; she’s going to keep it really simple. Nikolas was here, he left, and she doesn’t know anything else. They don’t want the cops focusing on Spoon Island. He asks if Nikolas’s kid is going to be a problem, but she says, Spencer won’t be a problem. Elizabeth might be.

Elizabeth tells Laura, after she ran into Nikolas, Finn came to see her. Laura asks how that went, but Elizabeth says, not well. Laura asks if Elizabeth was angry before she ran into Nikolas, and Elizabeth says, she told Nikolas what her parents had done to her as a teenager, how they hurt and betrayed her. He knew she was struggling because of it. Laura asks what he did, and Elizabeth says, he just made it about himself. He made it seem like he was inconvenienced by her pain. Laura says she’s sorry Nikolas let Elizabeth down, but she also feels sorry for Nikolas because Elizabeth has been such a positive influence in his life. Elizabeth says, not always. She’s not as perfect as Laura thinks she is.

Finn says he’s worried his friend’s life is going to be torn apart because they thought they were doing the right thing, but Alexis says, they weren’t. Clearly, there’s a victim here. Was the victim aware of Elizabeth’s involvement? He says he doesn’t think so. Not yet, unless they figure it out. She says, if there’s a chance it can be figured out, his friend needs to get ahead of it, and come forward voluntarily, and he asks if they’ll still go to prison. She says, probably. Here’s a thought. Would his friend consider testifying against the person who committed the crime in the first place?

Carly and Sonny fawn over the baby, as she’s wheeled past to see Willow. The nurse takes the baby into Willow’s room, and Carly says, she’s so beautiful, and she’s smart. She, Bobbie, and Josslyn went to the NICU to see her. They were blowing kisses and waving, and Carly swears the baby was looking right at her.

Willow holds the baby, and Michael says, she’s so beautiful and awfully big for a preemie.

Laura says, Elizabeth has something more on her mind than just Nikolas. Whatever it is, she’s here for her. Elizabeth says she knows, but she’s come to realize her friendship with Nikolas is bad for both of them. She’s sorry. Laura says she’s sorry it’s come to that, but Elizabeth has to do what’s best for her. Nikolas is spiraling, and she’s worried about him, but saving Nikolas from himself isn’t Elizabeth’s responsibility. Elizabeth says, it’s not Laura’s either, but Laura says she’s his mother. She’ll never give up on him.

Finn isn’t sure if his friend would testify, and Alexis thinks he should try to convince them. Cooperating with the prosecution can go a long way. It could reduce his friend’s sentence. He says, reduced, as in no jail time? but she says she doesn’t know the details of this case; she doesn’t want to know. He thanks her for the advice, and she suggests his friend call Diane or Martin, someone they can give the details to, because his friend is on a slippery slope. He says, that’s what he was afraid of, when there’s a knock at the door. Gregory comes in, and Finn says he’s on his way out. He jets, and Gregory asks if he interrupted something important.

Sonny says, Carly knows she’s dying to go in, but Carly says, Michael and Willow deserve a little time with their daughter before she busts in the room. He says, it reminds him of the first time they saw Donna, and she says, her too. They thought spina bifida was going to limit Donna’s life somehow; that she was going to grow up with extra struggles. He says, but she’s perfect, and Carly says, she is. They’re so lucky. He says, they are.

Michael films Willow with the baby, and she says, Wiley is going to be so excited. He says, no pressure, but he thinks before they introduce their kids, their daughter needs a name. They have to give their daughter a name that’s not Annabelle III or Ashoka. She says, actually, she knew the baby’s name the moment she saw her.

Carly tells Sonny that she’s happy for Michael; he was denied this chance with Wiley. He says he hates to think of the pain Michael went through, and she says, because of Nelle, Nina’s daughter. He says, who Nina never knew (try saying that 3 times real fast).

Scotty steps away to take a call, and Obrecht says she knows every cell in Nina’s body is aching to go to her daughter. Nina says, it’s torture, but it’s what Willow wants, and Obrecht says, for now. Perhaps someday, and soon. It’s not right that Carly gets to share in this moment with Michael and Willow. Carly is no better than they are, but she gets to share in this moment while they’re shunned. She’s forgiven her transgressions, while Nina is considered the transgressor. That is unacceptable. How she’d love to dig Carly’s skeletons out of the closet and into the light. Nina says, come to think of it, there is something Carly’s trying desperately to hide. Obrecht says, tell her more.

Austin says, so Nikolas was holding Esme Prince captive, in a tower no less, and Elizabeth was helping him? He didn’t know she had it in her. Ava says, still waters with that one, but he doesn’t get how Elizabeth is a threat. If she was helping Nikolas, wouldn’t it be in her best interest to keep quiet? She says, of course (🍷) it is, but Elizabeth’s conscience tends to flair up at the most inopportune moments. If her guilt sends her to the cops, Spoon Island will be swarming with police, and they could find the body. He says, we need a plan, but she says, not we; just her. This is her problem. He says, the second he saw her hiding the dead body, her problems became his problems, and she says, that’s noble of him, but nobody would have any idea they had a relationship beyond doctor and patient. No one will ever know he was here. The doorbell rings.

Ava answers the door to find Laura on the porch, and says, Laura wasn’t the person she expected. She invites Laura in, and Laura asks if Ava was expecting her son, but Ava says, definitely not. Laura asks Ava to tell her what happened with Nikolas last night.

Gregory says, it’s not like Finn to rush out like that, and Alexis says, he had a lot on his mind. He says, a nice way of telling him to butt out, and she says she likes his shorthand. He asks how her day is going, and she admits the editorial meeting was a little rough. He asks if there are any new developments in The Hook case, and she says, no, which is why they have to keep the pressure on the PCPD, so they find the lunatic. He asks how she’s going to do that, but she says she’s not sure. He suggests an early lunch and a little brainstorming, but she asks if he doesn’t have classes this morning.

Nina tells Obrecht that she saw Drew hugging Carly, comforting her, and wouldn’t have thought anything about it, but it was clear they were trying to keep their relationship a secret. Obrecht wonders what there is to hide. Even she knows they have a history of friendship. No one would be surprised if it evolved into more, so why would it matter if it had? Nina says she has no idea, and Obrecht suggests she find out.

Ava asks why Laura thinks she saw Nikolas last night, and Laura says, he and Spencer had a horrible argument. Nikolas seems to think Ava sided with Spencer against him. He stormed out, and she assumed he would come here. Ava says, he did. He barged in like he still owned the place. He went on and on about how it  belongs in the family. Austin slips out, and Ava says, in the end, they both said things they can never take back, so it’s just as well they’re divorcing. She wants him out of her life. Laura doesn’t see how that’s possible. Not if Ava is helping Spencer to blackmail him.

Carly asks if she can come in, and Michael says, 14 minutes and 20 seconds; Willow owes him twenty bucks. Carly asks how Willow is feeling, and Willow says, never happier, now that Amelia is here.  Michael says, let’s make it official, and introduces Amelia Grace Corinthos to Carly. Carly says, it’s perfect.

Nina asks if Sonny got to hold the baby, and he says, no, but he saw her on the way in. She says, Willow and Michael must be thrilled, and Sonny’s phone dings. He says, Willow is sending a text from Michael’s phone, and asks if Nina is ready,. He shows her a picture of the baby, and says, their new granddaughter has a name; Amelia. Nina says, Amelia Grace, and hugs Sonny.

Gregory says he doesn’t have a class today, and Alexis says, it’s hard to tell. He asks what she’s getting at, and she says, he never talks about his classes much. He says, of course (🍷) he does… doesn’t he? She says, most professors love talking about their classes; the interesting conversations, the offbeat questions, their students and how they inspire them. He says, here’s an offbeat question for her; what’s her point? She says, maybe he’s not as invested in teaching as he used to be, and he says, because he doesn’t tell her about his classes? She says, it’s possible he’s just over it, and ready for a change.

Ava says, Laura, of all people, can’t condone what Nikolas did, and Laura says she probably wouldn’t if she knew what it was, but Ava and Spencer are holding it over his head, aren’t they? She knows Nikolas treated Ava badly, but does Ava think it’s a good strategy to respond in kind? If they keep tearing into each other, how will that end? Ava flashes back to the argument with Nikolas and whacking him in the head, and tells Laura that she didn’t want this. Laura says, of course (🍷) Ava didn’t, but she’s worried about her son. He’s lost Ava, and apparently had a terrible falling out with Elizabeth. She’s afraid Spencer’s threat to take away his child is going to be the last straw. Whatever secret Ava shares with Spencer, Spencer lorded it over his father last night. Nikolas felt so betrayed, and was so angry. She feels like something horrible is going to happen now and she’s going to lose her son for good.

Finn offers his condolences to Obrecht about Britt, and she thanks him… for his absence at Britta’s memorial. At least he’s not a hypocrite like so many others at this hospital; giving Britta her due only after she’s gone. Since he’s feeling so generous today, perhaps he can do something about his friend Elizabeth.

Elizabeth thanks Scotty for coming over, and he says, she calls, he comes, they are family. She says she’s glad he’s part of the boys’ lives, and he says he’s going to cut to the chase. She sounded funny on the phone, and said she wanted to see him in a professional capacity. Now she’s telling him that she’s happy he’s part of the boys’ lives. What gives? She says she’s in trouble.

Laura says, there’s nothing to stop Nikolas from throwing in with Victor now, and Ava says, Nikolas hates what’s become of his life. He doesn’t think there’s anything for him here in Port Charles. But for what it’s worth (🍷), she doesn’t think he’ll throw in with Victor. Laura hopes Ava is right, but wishes he’d return her calls. She supposes she’ll hear from him eventually. He probably just needs a little time to lick his wounds. She’s probably overreacting. Ava says, she’s reacting as any mother would.

Nina thinks it’s a good sign that Willow sent Sonny the photo, but he says, it’s not the real thing. She says, he’s right, and hugs him.

Carly holds Amelia and says, she’s beautiful. Michael says he thinks some peace and quiet might do the baby some good, and Willow says she knows what he’s trying to do, but she doesn’t want to take her eyes off Amelia. Carly says, Willow has the rest of her life to look at Amelia; she can rest. Willow says, when she puts it that way… and closes her eyes.

Alexis asks if there’s a chance Gregory is no longer interested in teaching, and he says, they already talked about him becoming a journalist. She says, this time, she’s not just talking. She’s offering him a job.

Laura says, if Ava hears from her son, text her, and Ava says, absolutely, but Nikolas made it clear that he never wants to see her again. It’s probably for the best. All they seem to do these days is hurt each other. Laura says she wishes it could have gone differently, and Ava says, so does she, more than anything. Laura leaves, and Ava leans against the door.

Finn asks what Obrecht thinks he needs to do about Elizabeth, and she says she just lost her daughter, but is her Scotty here with her? Obviously, he’s not, because Elizabeth called with yet another life crisis she’s ill-equipped to handle. Since her Scotty is both blessed and cursed with an excessively kind heart, he ran to her aid. Why? What does Elizabeth want with Scotty?

Scotty says, what kind of trouble? but Elizabeth says she’s not exactly sure. He says, she needs a lawyer, but doesn’t know why? and she says she knows what she did. She just doesn’t know how bad it is legally speaking. He says he’ll help her any way possible, so spit it out, and she says she committed a crime. Actually, several crimes.

The nurse wheels Amelia out of Willow’s room, and Michael comes out. Sonny starts to say something, but Michael sees Austin, and runs after him. He asks if there’s any news about the stem cells, and Austin says, Dr. Randolph should be on her way. Michael asks if they can wait for Terry in Willow’s room, Austin says, sure, and follows Michael in. Nina says, it sounds like they harvested the stem cells. Willow is going to get the transplant, right? This whole ordeal is going to be over. Sonny says, she’s going to live a long and happy life, and Nina says, hopefully, she’ll be part of that life.

Carly asks Austin if there’s any news, and he says, there is, but they should wait. Willow says she’s awake, and asks if Austin has met Amelia. He says he has, but wasn’t aware they’d named her. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Willow says she misses Amelia already, and Michael suggests she get some shuteye. They’ll wake her when Terry gets here. She says, or they can cut to the chase. Have the stem cells been harvested? She’s ready to move forward right away. She wants to get treated, and get out of this hospital as soon as possible. Her children need her. Austin doesn’t say anything, and Michael asks if there’s something wrong.

Tomorrow, Willow says, whatever it is, she can handle it; Elizabeth says she’s decided to turn herself in; and Nina asks what Sonny is thinking, and he says, she’ll see.

Vanderpump Rules

This was pretty much the same old, just with the players moved around. Lala talked about Randall’s mess of a life, and the LA Times article. Among the many sins of Randall listed were, his casting couch, sending assistants to run drugs, and $25 million in lawsuits. In Lala’s interview, she said, the LA Times confirmed what 50 Cent had said; Randall was a little Harvey Weinstein with less money and power. James had a new girlfriend, Ally, who’d already moved in. Raquel told us that James had found her replacement in three weeks. She was surprised when James called Ally the love of his life, since five minutes ago, he’d said the same thing about her. James was also drinking again after over two years of being sober. It was the old I just like a glass of wine with dinner justification, and I wonder how long before he’s the old James again. I’m pretty sure the old James has been lurking just beneath the surface this whole time.

Scheana and Raquel went to some spa to be wrapped in infrared blankets, which the manager said was the same as a cardio workout. If it was, we’d all be doing it. Raquel was going out with Peter, sort of. She told Scheana that she wasn’t trying to date Peter. She just wanted to under James’s skin. She could do worse. He’s certainly the most mature of the bunch. No surprise, James made a comment about Peter’s belly, even though Peter isn’t fat. Why does this twit continually call people fat to insult them? It’s wrong on so many levels, especially in 2023. In Raquel’s interview, she said she thought Ally was in for a rude awakening, and she couldn’t believe what she’d tolerated when she was with James.

Schwartz and Katie were divorced, and Schwartz thought they had a good friendship. It had been a healthy divorce, although he thought divorce was a dramatic word. You should just say, I want to start a happy new beginning… without you. Schwartz had also played pickleball with Randall, and was on Lala’s sh*t list. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, it seemed insane that Lala hadn’t seen what was coming, and we flashed back to some red flags. The girls made plans to go to Hotel Ziggy where James was going to be DJ’ing, and Raquel said she thought it was going to be stressful with Ally plus James plus Peter.

It was Lala’s first time being single and sober, and it freaked her out. Rachel decided to rip the Band-Aid off and get to know Ally. They talked on a couch in the bar lounge, and it was all rainbows and unicorns. Until some weird guy, wearing only a towel, came by, and said it was his couch. His face was blurred, so I’m guessing he thought better of his decision making when sober. But seriously, WTF? Schwartz tried to talk to Lala, and said he couldn’t believe she cut him from her life for hanging out with her ex seven months after the fact. Lala said, if he didn’t want to be on her team, that was fine, but then he wasn’t going to be in her orbit. He said he hadn’t been being malicious, and she sent him a malicious text, making a derogatory comment about his marriage. In Schwartz’s interview, he wondered who the f*** Lala thought she was. He’d been at the lowest point in his life, and Lala hurt his feelings. Cry me a river. I don’t blame her for being pissed. Lala apologized for her timing, and in her interview, she said, it was the year of burning bridges. Either you were with her, or out of her life.

This season, twerking: a girls trip; Vanderpump Paris opens; a Schwartz piñata; Garcelle (!); delays in Schwartz & Sandy’s opening; and Schwartz calls Lala a bootleg Housewife.

🃏 No Joke…

So that’s where Morgan has been all this time.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/bryan-craig-teases-his-role-in-the-joker-sequel

🏋️‍♂️ Dropping the Bar…

It’s not even low anymore. It’s on the ground.

https://people.com/tv/peacock-shares-statement-after-brandi-glanville-caroline-manzo-rhugt-incident/

😭 Say It Ain’t So…

My dream vacation was to cruise on a yacht with Captain Lee driving and Kate as chief stew. Alas, it looks like it will never be. Like I’d have a year’s salary to spend for a few days on a boat. Still, the show won’t be the same. It’s suffered from Kate leaving. This will be the final nail unless they pull one huge rabbit out of a hat.

Why Is Captain Lee Rosbach Leaving Below Deck? Details on the Bravo Star’s Departure After 10 Seasons
https://pagesix.com/2022/12/13/captain-lee-rosbach-leaving-below-deck-over-health-issues/

💃🏽 Whiskey Tango Foxtrotting Out…

Check in tomorrow to find out what’s happening in Port Charles and have some tea. Until then, stay safe, stay not crossing a bridge until you come to it, and stay not believing an infrared blanket is the same as a cardio workout.

Feb7

February 6, 2023 – Nikolas Threatens To Take Avery From Ava, Here’s Your Hat What’s Your Hurry & Lift

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Linc tells Brook that he never forgets the terms of a deal, although he has to admit, his financial advisors balked at it. Her catalog is a goldmine. She says, he must be scared to walk away from all that money, and he asks if this isn’t what she wants; her songs back, and him out of her hair. She says, among other things, and he tells her all she needs to do is sign on the dotted line.

Outside The Savoy, Chase suggests Blaze walk away from Linc and find a manager who respects her, but she says her contract is ironclad. The career she worked so hard for would be over. She asks him to excuse the pity party, but when he leaves the business, she’ll be all alone. He looks inside, and sees Linc put his hand on Brook’s knee. At the table, Linc says, there’s one more thing he needs from Brook, and squeezes her knee.

At the hospital, TJ asks if Trina is looking forward to the rehearsal dinner. She says she is, and he says he is too. He thinks her mom left already, and Trina says, she did. Just act like he never saw her. He says, whatever it is, she can tell him. After all, they’re about to be family.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she didn’t want there to be any more lies between them before she turns herself in. He says he can understand her wanting to confess, but he can’t let her throw it all away.

Spencer asks where his father went, but Laura says she doesn’t know. She asks what Spencer has done, and he says he doesn’t know what she means. She says, he’s been clever since he was a little boy, but he can’t fool her. She doesn’t know what kind of twisted Cassadine game he’s playing with his father, or how Ava fits in, but she knows it will be destructive to the three of them unless he lets her help him before his relationship with his father can never be salvaged. What is he holding over his father’s head?

Outside Kelly’s on the phone, Mason tells someone that it was Ava who gave him a hard time the other day. Austin watches from the doorway, looking grim, and Mason says he’ll report back. Austin grabs Mason by the lapels of his coat, and says, if Mason wants to come after him, go ahead – give it his best shot – but don’t dare threaten Ava.

Ava opens the door at Windymere to find Nikolas outside. She says, clearly, from the sour expression on his face, he’s spoken to Spencer, and he asks if this is how it ends between them. She turned his own son against him, and saw fit to weaponize Spencer. She says, he did that all himself. Now begone. This is her house now. He stops her from closing the door, and says, they’re not done until they finish what they started.

Chase watches as Brook pushes Linc’s hand off her knee, and tells Blaze, that dirtbag doesn’t give up. Blaze tells him, easy. He told her what happened the last time he tried to defend Brook’s honor; he was suspended without pay. He says, but still…

Brook says, if Linc thinks this agreement gives him special groping privileges, he can shove it, but he says, she can’t blame a guy for trying. She says, she can blame him. Hashtag metoo. He tells her that their disagreement falls under the non-disclosure agreement, and she says, like she could ever forget. She gets the rights to her songs back, and he gets her silence in return. He says, after all the bellyaching she’s done about getting his songs back, he’d say it’s a small price to pay. She looks over at Chase, and Linc says, her handsome singing detective never has to know. They’ll both have what they want. Blaze and Chase’s careers will continue to climb. It’s a win-win for all four of them. She says she thought Linc touching her was unbearable, but watching him put his scuzzy hands on another woman… He tells her to spare him the moral outrage. Just sign her name.

Finn says, if Elizabeth goes to the police, it’s going to cost her everything she loves; her family, her career. Is easing her conscience worth all that? She says, it’s not about easing her conscience. It’s about who she is, or who she used to be before her life went sideways. He says, before Nik roped her into keeping his baby a secret. Let him go to jail, not her. She appreciates that he still cares, but suggests he do himself a favor and wash his hands of her and let her go. He says, when he was in trouble, she didn’t wash her hands of him.

Mason says, Austin’s sense of loyalty is totally out of whack. He’s Austin’s family, and Austin wants to defend Ava? She’s the one who wanted to put the cops on him for The Hook attacks. Austin says, Ava was one of the first to be attacked, and lucky to be alive. He can’t blame her for trying to figure out who the attacker was. Mason says, if Austin was in his shoes, he would totally take Austin’s side, but hey, he’s not the one who wants Ava for himself.

Trina tells TJ, if she says anything to her family, they’ll totally overreact. She just wants to check on Spencer. He says, ah, and she says, him too? but he says, Spencer is Molly’s cousin. He’s known Spencer most of his life. He seems to have zero impulse control, but he is a good guy. He really cares, and TJ thinks that might actually be Spencer’s problem. Spencer cares too much, and it makes him vulnerable and easy to hurt. All that cynical, spoiled BS is just a put-on. Just like when he was a little kid, and he was entitled, obnoxious, and precocious. He used to wear cravats and smoking jackets. But what he thinks Spencer really was, was lonely, and he thinks Spencer still is.

Laura says she saw her son’s face go pale when Spencer vowed to gain custody of his child. There was a not-so-veiled threat behind that vow. Spencer flashes back to Ava giving him the link to the video, and telling him that he can’t unsee this. If he chooses to use it, he’ll be his father’s sworn enemy. Spencer tells Laura that he doesn’t consider it to be a threat; he considers it to be the truth. She says, the truth can be weaponized, and he knows it. She’s speaking to him as someone who loves them both. She deserves to know the truth. He says, it’s because he loves her so much that he can’t share what that truth is. If his father goes down for this, it will be because it’s his choice. He’s not letting Nikolas destroy anyone else in this family in the process.

Nikolas says, Ava wanted the house and she got it. She can redecorate, tear it down from its studs, or burn it to the ground. She can erase every trace of him in the house, but what she can’t do is erase what was between them. She says, where did his feelings for her lead him? Into the arms of his son’s girlfriend. He asks if she thinks he wanted Esme, and she says she knows Esme’s no innocent, but he took what she had to offer. Nikolas says, Ava is the one who was arguing with Esme before she fell, but he kept it quiet. He protected her, and was even willing to take the blame for her. And this is how she repays him? By turning that very confession against him? By giving it to his son to use against him in gaining custody of his unborn child? Has she forgotten Spencer came to town just to break them up, and destroy her in the process? She says she’s forgotten nothing, but she happens to agree with Spencer that the baby deserves better than Esme, and certainly deserves better than him. He says, it’s not about the baby and she knows it. Call it what it is. It’s revenge. She says she doesn’t care what he calls it, as long as it stops him.

Chase says, enough’s enough, and Blaze says, just don’t punch him. Chase says, he’s not. He’s just going to put Linc in his place. He walks into The Savoy, Blaze following.

Linc says, all he needs is one little signature. Is she in or out? Chase asks, what the hell is going on here? and Linc says, they were just concluding a little business negotiation. When Chase’s manager signs this document, she gets her song catalog back, not including the rights he’s already sold. It’s his way of saying thank you for all she’s done for him. Brook pushes Linc’s hand off her knee again, and tells Chase, it’s okay. This agreement gives them both what they want. She signs it, and says, it’s done. Linc says, that wasn’t so hard, was it?

Laura says, it sounds like Spencer is implying Nikolas has done something illegal; something that would compromise her position as mayor if it were made public? He says, it’s best she doesn’t know what he knows, and she takes that as a yes. He asks her to trust what he’s doing, and drop this, and she says, drop what? Her feelings for him and his father? He says, not for him, but for his father. He thinks Nikolas is a waste of her time. She says she remembers when he worshipped the ground Nikolas walked on, and he says, his mother was dead; Nikolas was his only parent. When he was a little kid, he believed in Nikolas. She says, he still can, just tempered with the knowledge that no one is perfect. He says he’s sorry; that time has passed. At every turn, Nikolas has disappointed him. That man chooses his own selfish desires over everything and everyone. That’s just who he is, and Spencer has had enough. He’d have done them all a favor if he’d just stayed dead.

Nikolas tells Ava that Esme meant nothing to him, but she says, what about Elizabeth? Was she nothing to him too? Did he use her like he uses everybody else? He says, yes, he used Elizabeth, but not the way she thinks. It was all a lie. There was no affair. He never slept with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth says she didn’t walk away from Finn when she found Peter on the stairwell, but their cover-up almost blew up in their faces when they found out Peter wasn’t dead. Peter knew Finn was responsible for that fall, and hung it over their heads. Finn says, his point is, Elizabeth wouldn’t let him lose everything and everyone he loves. She stood by him, knowing the risks, and it brought them closer. She says, it seems like a lifetime ago, and he says, not to him. She says, he’s under no obligation to help her, but he says, it’s never felt like an obligation with her. She asks, then what is it?

Linc says he’s sure Brook isn’t going to regret this. He’ll get a copy of the contract to her asap. He goes to the bar with Blaze, and Chase asks, what was that all about? Brook says, they were negotiating, and he says, with Linc’s hand on her knee? It was all he could do not to punch Linc out again. Brook says she’s glad he still cares enough to get all riled up. She’s also relieved he didn’t throw any punches. He says he’s learned the hard way, and she says, now that she has her songs back, he can forget all about the music biz. When the CCRB reinstates him, he can go back to being a cop. He says, Linc doesn’t just give away important assets like her song catalog. Is Linc going to buy out his contract like they’d hoped? She says, not exactly, and Chase asks what she had to give Linc to get her songs back.

Austin says, not that it’s any of Mason’s business, but he and Ava are just friends. Mason says, could have fooled him, and Austin says, moving forward, that’s something Mason understands? Mason says, absolutely, but since they’re just friends, Austin won’t mind if he pays her a little visit tonight. Austin asks why he’d do that, and Mason says he doesn’t have to tell Austin this, but love/hate is stronger than love or hate.

Elizabeth asks if she and Finn are fighting about this, but he says he’s fighting for her. Somebody has to. He doesn’t want to see her throwing her life away for someone like Nik Cassadine. She says she’s not turning herself in for Nikolas.

Trina tells TJ that she doesn’t want to violate Spencer’s privacy by giving details, but they were in the chapel after Britt’s memorial, and Spencer’s dad and grandmother came in. Spencer asked her to leave, and she could tell it was going to be a major blow-up. She could text Spencer, but it’s easy to lie in a text. If she sees him, she’ll know. He says he and Molly are like that. In their work, they don’t get to always share what they feel. So they’ve gotten good at hiding their emotions, but not from each other. One look at Molly, and he can tell if she’s happy, worried, or her last nerve is about to snap. She can do the same thing with him. But they’ve known each other since they were teenagers. How long as Trina known Spencer? She says, about a year and a half, but it seems longer because of everything that’s happened. He says he thinks that’s why her family is concerned, and she says, they don’t like Spencer for her. He says, they don’t want her to get hurt, and she says, that’s why TJ would be doing all of them a huge favor if he didn’t mention she was here. He makes a zipping motion across his mouth, and asks if she’s going to continue looking for Spencer. She says, he’s probably gone or dealing with his family, and she doesn’t want to be late for the rehearsal dinner. He says he’ll ride down to the garage with her, and she thanks him for listening. He says, that’s what family is for, and they leave.

Laura says, Spencer doesn’t wish his father was dead. When he thought Nikolas was dead, he was shattered. Spencer says, he was a child then; he’s not now. She says, when he found out Nikolas was alive, they never connected as father and son after that. She guesses she kept hoping that when he came home from boarding school, there would be a chance, but he says, he’s grown up now. He doesn’t actively wish his father was dead, but he knows that he doesn’t want Nikolas in his life anymore. She says, he might feel that way now, but he knows what it feels like not to have a father. Is that something he wants for his younger sister or brother?

Ava says she knows Nikolas is desperate, but now he’s trying to deny his squalid affair with Elizabeth? He says, there was no affair. It was a lie, and it wasn’t his. Elizabeth invented that. She says, that makes no sense. It ended Elizabeth’s relationship with Finn. He says, better that than anyone know the real reason Elizabeth was spending so much time here. He was keeping Esme locked in the north tower. They thought Esme was dead when she fell from the parapet, but months later she showed up pregnant with his child. She threatened to use the baby against him, and at the time, he had every reason to believe she was The Hook killer. She asks why he didn’t call the cops, and have the little demon locked up, but he says he didn’t want his baby born in prison. And it wasn’t safe for the baby or anyone else if Esme roamed free, so… Ava says, so he held her prisoner. That’s why the north tower was off limits to everybody. He says, Elizabeth found out, and begged him to call the police, but instead, he convinced her to give Esme some basic medical care. He appealed to their friendship, and it ended up destroying their friendship. Forever. She says, it turned out Esme wasn’t The Hook killer, but he says, they didn’t know that until that rookie cop was killed when Esme was under lock and key. After that, he was going to fly her to Cassadine Island to have the baby there. But before he could make that happen… Ava says, Esme escaped, and ended up at GH with no memory. She still doesn’t get why Elizabeth would make up the story about their affair, and Nikolas says, Finn was getting suspicious that Esme was on the island, and one day, he came here, and saw a bottle of prenatal vitamins. He found Elizabeth with a second bottle, and when he asked about them, she panicked, saying the first thing that came into her mind; that she was pregnant from sleeping with him. Esme was a one-time mistake, and Elizabeth was just his friend. There was never anyone else but Ava.

Brook says she did have to throw Linc a bone, and Chase asks, how bad is it? She says she agreed to write a dozen commercial jingles for Linc. When she delivers, they’ll be done. He asks if that’s it, and she flashes back to Chase telling her that he doesn’t want to be a pop star; he wants his badge back. She asks if this isn’t what Chase wanted. Now he can go before the Review Board and become Detective Harrison Chase again, and be done with the music business for good. Chase looks over at Linc brushing back Blaze’s hair.

Linc tells Blaze that he just finished his business dealings with Brook. Now he can focus all his attention on her, and making her so big, Lady Gaga will want to be her opening act.

Brook asks if Chase heard what she said, and he says, what if he doesn’t want to be done with the business just yet?

Elizabeth says she doesn’t deserve Finn’s charity, not after the way she treated him. She lied to him and made him believe she’d cheated on him, and for what? To imprison a pregnant woman? He says, it’s not charity. She doesn’t need that, but she needs to stop beating herself up. Nikolas didn’t tell her that he was planning on imprisoning Esme, did he? He imagines Nikolas pulled her in a little at a time. Go get prenatal vitamins doesn’t sound so bad, and he imagines Nikolas reminded her of the revenge porn Esme made of Cam every chance he got. She says, he mentioned it a few times, and Finn says, she’s a reasonable person who made a reasonable mistake. He’s talking as her friend, which is what they were, and as her friend, he’s going to keep her from throwing away everything she loves. She says, everything except her self-respect. She’s made up her mind. She’s going to the PCPD and tell Jordan everything. He asks if she’s thought about the boys. Who’s going to take care of Aiden and Jake? He imagines that will fall on Cam’s shoulders. He can see Cameron dropping out of school to get a full-time job. Laura is gong to be dealing with Nikolas, Spencer, Esme, and a baby, and all the drama. This is going to fall on Cam’s shoulders. Is she willing to do that to her boys just to clear her conscience?

Ava asks why Nikolas waited until now to tell her. Why did he make her think the worst of him? He says he was protecting Elizabeth from going to prison. He’d already lost Ava when he slept with Esme. What else did he have to lose, so he went along with Elizabeth’s story. She says, it doesn’t change anything between them. Of course (🍷) she admits she’s done a lot of things she regrets. He says, God knows neither one of them is perfect. That’s why he’d hoped that one day after the baby was born, and Esme was taken care of, he’d tell her everything, and maybe she’d forgive him. Maybe he could find a way to repair the damage he caused. They could get past the betrayal and bitterness, and find a way back home; the home they shared and loved.

Brook says she doesn’t understand. Chase made it abundantly clear on multiple occasions that his true calling is catching bad guys. He says, that’s the ultimate goal, but when he signed on, it was for two reasons. One, to get her song catalog back. Mission accomplished. But two, to nail Linc for sexual harassment. Not just with Brook, but with every female he tries to make a star. She’s still up for that, isn’t she? She says, Linc will get his… someday. But Chase deserves to follow his dreams, which means going to that Review Board, and convincing them to give him his badge back. He asks where that leaves Blaze. He’s grown to like her a lot. How long does she have to put up with Linc and his sleazeball ways? What if the guy doesn’t take no for an answer? And what about every other pretty, trusting face that comes along. If he’s all about taking down bad guys, what kind of person would he be if he just looked the other way? He signed on to take down Linc, and that is exactly what they’re going to do… together.

Elizabeth says, Finn knows how much her boys mean to her, and he says, of course (🍷) he does. She says, that’s why she’s doing this. The truth is going to come out; it always does. This way, she can hold her head up high and face the consequences of her actions. And her boys will know their mom’s not a coward. He says, her boys know that, just like they know she’s human and capable of making mistakes, especially when she’s helping a friend save the community from a killer. She says, in the eyes of the law, she’s an accessory to a kidnapping. The sooner she faces it, the better for everyone. She starts to leave, and he says, wait. If she’s determined to do it, do it, but do him one favor. Sleep on it one night; talk to Jordan in the morning. He asks if she isn’t supposed to be at the rehearsal dinner. Maybe it will be a reminder of everything she’d be giving up. He hopes she realizes what she’ll be losing, and stops punishing herself.

Spencer says he’ll be all the father that baby needs, and Laura asks if he’s ever babysat a baby. Has he ever changed a diaper? He says, no, but he can watch tutorials online, and figure it out. He is capable. She says she’s never seen him make a meal in his life, and he says, the baby’s not going to be eating real food for a year, right? That’s plenty of time for him to learn how to cook. She says, the point is, he’s always been taken care of. Does he really think he can meet the emotional needs of a baby? Babies are very demanding. He says his plan is very simple. Whatever his father did, he’s going to do the opposite. She says, despite his many mistakes, Nikolas is still her son, and she’ll never give up on him, but she needs Spencer’s help.

Ava asks if Nikolas really meant what he just said, and he tells her, every word. If only she hadn’t conspired with Spencer to take his unborn child away from him. She, of all people, knows how that feels. When Ryan Chamberlain murdered Kiki, it was agony, yet she still weaponized (WOTD) Spencer to take his unborn child from him. How could she be so heartless? The real question is, what does she think he should do as a result? An eye for an eye; that’s her way, isn’t it? Since she’s forgotten what it’s like to lose a child, someone has to remind her. So brace yourself, my love, because that someone is me. Wow, he looks kind of scary.

Chase says he and Blaze should record another song together, and she says, Blaze and Chase together again. Maybe they could record an entire album this time. Chase doesn’t see why not, and they hug. Linc says, it looks like they’ll all make a lot more money with each other, and Chase thinks they should toast to make it official. Linc says he’ll do the honors. Here’s to everyone getting exactly what they want. The four of them clink glasses.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she did promise Portia that she’d go to the rehearsal dinner, but she’s not promising she’ll sleep on her decision. She’ll most likely be up all night. He says, as long as she doesn’t go to the police for now, and she says, for now. But in the morning, if she does decide to turn herself in… He says, she won’t be alone, and they hug. She thanks him for caring whether she deserves it or not, and he says, if they all got what they deserved, who’d be left to run this place?

Austin tells Mason to stay away from Ava, and Mason says, don’t be greedy. Austin says he’s not asking Mason, he’s telling him; stay the hell away from Ava. Mason says, Austin still thinks he’s a knight in shining armor. First, it’s Maxie and her baby, now it’s Ava Jerome. Austin says, Ava is a big girl. She can fight her own battles. Mason says, then why is he doing it,\? and Austin says, because he knows Mason, and knows the twisted mind games he likes to play. Mason says he learned from the best, and Austin says he remembers, but he’s grown up. Some of them are changed people. Mason says, Austin is boring and predictable. He’s heard enough. Nighty-night. He leaves, and Austin tries to call Ava, but gets voicemail.

Spencer says he hates telling Laura no, but she’s asking too much. Nikolas Cassadine was born with every luxury, every privilege, every opportunity to be the kind of man, the kind of father a son could look up to. That man has squandered every opportunity and privilege, including her love for him. If it’s salvation he seeks, it’s going to have to come from someone else. Laura says, it’s not Nikolas’s fault; it’s hers. She should have stayed on the island and raised him. She leaves.

Ava asks if Nikolas is threatening to take Avery from her. That’s impossible. He has no grounds for custody. Nikolas laughs, and says, who needs the courts? He has Uncle Victor by his side, and access to all of his resources. When Avery is gone, he guarantees Ava will feel an emptiness in her soul for the rest of her life. That’s a promise. He’ll start now. Don’t worry. He’ll tell Avery that she said goodbye. He starts to walk out, but Ava whacks him in the back of the head with a statue, and he drops to the floor.

Tomorrow, Taggert asks why Jordan feels she needs to protect Curtis; Valentin says, Felicia’s plan will never work on his father; and Victor says he knew he was right to put his trust in Spencer.

Below Deck

Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. Fraser asks Alissa and Tyler to meet him in the main saloon. In Ross’s interview, he says he has vague snapshots of the crew’s night out. He remembers something about crunchy fish. He was out of control. In Katie’s interview, she says she was in a relationship for three years. She and her boyfriend had even bought a house together. Then he cheated, but she learned from it, and moved on. She wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Ross is 100% a f***boy, and now she has a wall up. Katie tells Ben that Alissa is nice to her face, then talks sh*t about her behind her back. Ben says, that’s what she did to Camille. Tony tries to juggle bottles of water in the crew mess, and fails miserably. Rachel tells Fraser that they have to work bigger, faster, and stronger, and encourages him to be strong on service. In her interview, Rachel says, Captain Sandy has a lot of constructive criticism, and she thinks it’s good to hear what can be improved. And if it doesn’t improve, she’s throwing herself over the side of the boat. In Tyler’s interview, he says his strength is in housekeeping, and likes cleaning in general. He thinks he’ll be a great husband, since managing a house is the same as working on a yacht. Ross tries goofing around with Katie, but she’s not having it, and Ross’s interview, he says, Katie is pissed off, and she has a right to be. He has no idea how to fix this. He needs to have sex. He snort laughs, and I’m like, eww! Katie tells Ross that when Alissa drinks, she’s all about him, and he plays into it. He says he should be more aware, and apologizes. I can’t figure out the allure of this guy. Does he fart diamonds or Birkin bags, or something? In Ben’s interview, he says, Ross just melts Katie with his charm, and he just wants to shake her. Alissa hassles Hayley about cleaning the toilet, and calls her a gross, dirty bitch when she’s out of earshot. Hayley tells Fraser that she could whine about Alissa, but there’s no point. They have to work together. If she said something, Alissa would see it as attacking her. In Hayley’s interview, she says, Alissa is very young, and has a lot of growing to do. Her attitude is a problem, and now Hayley is feeling like maybe Camille wasn’t the problem after all. Rachel tells Captain Sandy that she talked to Fraser, and in her interview, the captain says, some chief stews want to be friends with the crew. Fraser works in circles because he doesn’t know how to tell people to do their job. That’s his problem, but then it becomes hers, and affects the guests. In Tyler’s interview, he says, South Africa is a conservative country. He went to a Christian school, and thinking about coming out to his parents makes his stomach churn. Captain Sandy radios Ross, Fraser, and Rachel for the preference sheet meeting.

The captain tells them, charter 6 will  be a one-day charter, and in her interview, she says, it’s nice to have a one-day charter, but it’s tight to get everything in in 24 hours. It’s hard on the crew, and she hopes they bring the energy. Primary Janine is a real estate professional in NYC and recently divorced. She spent her honeymoon in St. Lucia, and this is her do-over trip. They want a bonfire on the beach, and fire dancers. Captain Sandy says she’s putting pressure on the department heads to provide the level of service expected. She tells them that she knows they got thrown a captain and crew change, but she gave them grace for that. She tells Rachel that the food is excellent, and she’s proud of Rachel for sticking to three courses. She thanks Ross for turning Tony around, and says she wants to see Fraser do that. It’s not about making friends, but doing your job, and necessitating respect. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s physically and mentally exhausted. If it’s to be done correct, he needs to do it himself, but it feels like he’s pushing his limits. Captain Sandy doesn’t appreciate the work he’s doing. He tells Hayley that it felt like the captain said he’s doing a terrible job.

Rachel tells Fraser, that’s just Captain Sandy’s approach, and in her interview, she says she agrees with the captain, but she’s concerned that Fraser feels attacked. He can’t take criticism or observation well, and acts like a big baby. She tells him not to let it throw him off. Alissa says, Captain Sandy is a cold robot, and Ben texts Camille. In the morning, the wind is 22 knots, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, if she was a sailor, she’d be in heaven, but she’s driving a motor yacht. The wind is not their friend. She wants to get off the dock at the first window of opportunity. Fraser calls the provider for fire dancers, and the provisions come in. Rachel tells Alissa to set up the bar with crackers, nuts, and olives. In Ben’s interview, he wonders, who celebrates a divorce? How bad was the bloke she was with? Ross reads that the guests are actually celebrating two divorces and a birthday. Ross and Ben pick up the guests in the tender, they’re met with the usual champagne, and Fraser gives the tour. In Rachel’s interview, she wonders why no snacks have been put out. They have starving guests; they’re hangry. Rachel tells Fraser that the guests want to eat now, and tells Alissa that it’s customary to put out nuts, olives, and requested snacks from the guests’ preference sheets. Alissa says, they listed Doritos and gummi bears, but she didn’t think they matched with the crackers. In her interview, Rachel says, Alissa is in her own world and her own head. She needs to stay focused on task. Unfortunately, she’s going to have to be the bad guy. She loves bad guy pants, and brought the shoes with her.

While they’re on service, Alissa tells Hayley that Rachel yelled at her. In Hayley’s interview, she says, there seems to be some confusion, but don’t discuss it in front of the guests. Alissa mumbles that Rachel needs to take her meds. Lunch is served, and the water toys are put out. Whatever the pasta dish is that’s being served with lunch looks incredibly appetizing, and a guest says, the pasta is perfectly cooked. In Rachel’s interview, she says, Fraser is frasled. She wants to give him a Xanax. Tyler calls home, and tells his mom, the boat was in shambles when he got here, but he’s cleaning it up. In his interview, he says he gets his OCD from his mom. He wants to get out the Q-tips and dig out dirt in tight places, and hang everything color-coded. Captain Sandy goes over bonfire logistics with Fraser, while the guests play on the water toys. Alissa yaps on the phone with her mother as she works, and Fraser asks Hayley, what’s going on? and Hayley says, Alissa’s sass turned into something more, and she’s worried. Fraser says, yesterday, Alissa’s attitude was peculiar, and Hayley says, Camille is looking preferable. In Fraser’s interview, he says he thinks Camille leaving spiked some odd behavior that’s not appropriate. Alissa got her way, and now she’s acting however she wants to, but he’s not blind, and he’s not dealing with it much longer. He sees her on the phone on the sundeck, and tells her to get off. He tells Rachel that he hates doing the beach set-up, but doesn’t trust anyone else to do it right. Rachel says he’s burning himself out with his running around. In her interview, she says she’s seen chief stews who are new to the game burn out because they don’t trust anyone or manage their department properly. Fraser can’t delegate, and it’s an all around clusterf***.

Fraser asks Alissa to do dinner service while he’s dealing with the bonfire, and in her interview, she says, it’s the best compliment a micromanager could give someone. She’s putting the Camille confusion behind her, and focusing on work. She excels at being a stew, and needs to prove it. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s insecure about leaving Alissa on dinner service, but if he wasn’t at the beach, the aesthetic wouldn’t be right. He’s not used to trusting people. Alissa asks the deckhands to take out the trash, and in Ben’s interview, he says, they’ve been helping interior a lot, and he thinks Alisson is taking advantage. Hayley says, Alissa is getting to her now. Captain Sandy tells Rachel to communicate to Fraser what she needs, and at the end of the charter, they’ll evaluate. In her interview, the captain says, Fraser has to make mistakes in order to learn from them. It’s not about tearing anyone down, but making them accountable for the expectation. The guests go to the beach, which is decorated with tiki torches. The fire dancers entertain them, and Tony surprises everyone with his fire dancing talent. In his interview, he says he was a fire dancer from 2011 to 2016. The guests go back to the boat, and change for dinner. Hayley tells Fraser not to leave her with Alissa again. An upscale surf and turf dinner is served, the lobster poached in ginger, and for dessert, there are s’mores with individual mini fires for the guests to roast them.

Final day of charter. It’s dreary out, and Rachel asks how Fraser is feeling. He says, he feels it took a lot of faith for him to depend on Alissa for dinner service, but he’s happy with how it turned out. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the Caribbean is non-stop wind. If she can find a window in the morning, she’s taking a shot to get off the dock. She says the deck crew are in it to win it, and tells them that they’re awesome; they’re her dream team. Alissa gripes that the captain favors the deck team. She sucks crew d*ck. In her interview, the captain says, voices carry. She rises above it, but if it’s a constant problem, she’ll eliminate that problem. Why can’t they find people who know how to work and have a good attitude in exchange for the massive tips they get? It’s like the crews get worse as the seasons go on. Kind of like what happened with Real World.

Fraser tells the guests that they might want to pack now, so they can spend as much time as possible relaxing before the leave. Some of them do their packing, and breakfast is served. Guest Lindsay suspects she’ll be coming home to a lot of laundry. The captain tells Fraser that he shouldn’t rush the guests off the boat. She docked early because of the weather, but she never wants the guests to feel rushed. She asks him to talk to her privately, and behind her back, Alissa says she’s a bitch. Fraser says he wasn’t rushing them. He wanted them to maximize their experience by enjoying the last moments. In her interview, Captain Sandy says, Fraser has an excuse for everything. He never takes accountability. No matter how you spin it, telling the guests to pack is pushing them off the boat. Thunder rumbles, and breakfast is declared a masterpiece. Alissa radios the deckhands to help with the trash, and in her interview, the captain says her cabin is next to the pantry, and she hears everything. She hears the chatting, and Alissa calling the deck to come get the garbage. She comes out to find Fraser, Alissa, and Hayley there, and asks if one of them can strip her bed since they’re just standing around. It’s not fair to the deck crew who’s busting their ass. Fraser tries to justify everything, and she tells him, it’s not the time; stop talking. In Fraser’s interview, he says, it was pure rage. He’s never been told it’s not the right time to speak, and never been so sickened by a captain in his life. He’s in actual shock.

I guess it doesn’t take a lot. And pure hatred? Exaggerate much? Methinks perhaps Fraser is not chief stew material.

Next time, the crew plays volleyball; Captain Sandy says she won’t tolerate insubordination; and the captain tells Fraser that fish stinks at the head, and he’s the head. 🐟

❄️Winter, Winter Everywhere…

Join me tomorrow for soap, Grammy talk, and a possible peek at New Jersey (although I’m really starting to think the Housewives are over). Until then, stay safe, stay practicing common courtesy, and stay honest, because eventually, the truth is going to come out; it always does.

Feb4

February 3, 2023 – Elizabeth Tells Finn the Truth, Back Peddle, Guilty, Blackout Blessed, Blame Game, Rumors, Gifting, Blackeye, Godfather On Deck, Farewell Sal, Pup (!) Guide, 3 X 3 Quotes & Cold Night

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn asks why Elizabeth lied about being pregnant with Nikolas’s baby.

Josslyn goes to Dex’s apartment, apologizing for just showing up. She throws herself into his arms.

After a performance at The Savoy, Brook compliments Chase and Blaze, and tells them that they’re single keeps climbing the charts. Blaze goes inside the club, and Brook tells Chase that he’s a natural.

Ava holds the door for Austin, and they run into Kelly’s. She calls him the hero of the hour. She heard he helped save Willow’s life, and Willow is important to a dear friend of hers. He says, she should thank Dr. Navarro; he was just part of a team. She wants to buy him supper, and won’t take no for an answer. She’s feeling generous, since her divorce has really paid off.

Nikolas says he appreciates Spencer wanting to be involved in his new sibling’s life, and Laura says, they know Britt’s memorial was hard on him. They’re both very sorry. Nikolas says, he wouldn’t have missed it if something important hadn’t come up, and Spencer says, there’s always something more important than him. Why does he keep coming in second? How many times will Nikolas fail before he ruins the baby’s life? That’s why he’s seeking full custody of Nikolas’s child. Laura says, he’s just angry right now, but Spencer says, it’s not a rash decision made in the heat of the moment. Nikolas says, Spencer has no idea what it take to raise a child, but Spencer says, neither does Nikolas. Laura tells them to stop. She knows they love each other. Spencer says, a long time ago, Nikolas meant the world to him, and Nikolas says Spencer is his world. Maybe the problem is, he spoiled Spencer and didn’t prepare him for life. Spencer says, Nikolas taught him life’s hardest lessons, like, heroes aren’t always who they seem to be, that the people you love can hurt you in unimaginable ways, and the people you trust to protect you can sacrifice you for their selfish interests. Nikolas broke his heart a thousand times, and he refuses to let Nikolas do the same to his sibling. He’s dead serious.

Chase asks if Brook has heard from Michael, because he’s not answering calls or texts, but she says she hasn’t. He says, Sasha texted, and said she saw the baby, but Willow is still in the ICU. She takes his hand, and says, Willow is tough. She’s going to pull through. Have faith. He tells her, they can’t do this anymore.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she was never pregnant. She didn’t have an affair with Nikolas or anyone. She never cheated on him. He wonders why she said she did, and she says, he saw her with those prenatal vitamins. He says he thinks she needs to start from the beginning, and she says, when she came back from California, she felt guilty and couldn’t face him. She wasn’t thinking, and went to Nikolas to get support from her oldest friend. She discovered Nikolas had gotten himself into a bad situation and needed her help. He asks, with what? and she says, Esme.

Josslyn tells Dex that she’s been on overload; so much joy, sadness, and fear at the same time. She’s happy he was home. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, her niece was born, and she’s healthy and perfect. Josslyn, her mom, and grandma visited her in the NICU, introducing her to the matriarchy. Dex says, if Josslyn’s niece is anything like her, she’s going to be amazing, and stubborn. He means that as a compliment. She says, Willow still hasn’t held her baby; she hemorrhaged after the C-section. She’s stable, but not conscious, and Michael is with her in the ICU. She’s so weak from the leukemia. What if she doesn’t wake up? Dex holds her.

Chase says he still wants to keep his promise to take Linc down, and get Brook’s songs back, but the CCRB spring meeting is coming up. If the Review Board votes in his favor, that’s it. He goes back to being a cop full-time, and can’t go after Linc anymore. And face it, they’re no closer to their goal. Brook says, these things take time, and he says, Blaze isn’t interested in turning Linc in for sexual harassment, and he’s not going to pressure her, which leaves them with tempting Linc to buy out the contract; signing Brook’s songs back over to her just in time for him to quit. She says, it’s still a solid plan, and he says, they have to move on it. He has to be done with this by the time the CCRB meets. She asks if he doesn’t mean done with her.

Josslyn tells Dex, the reason her niece was delivered early was so they could use the stem cells from the cord for Willow’s transplant. What no one is saying is, maybe Willow’s too weak, and maybe it’s too late. She feels guilty even saying that. He says she can say anything to him. Sometimes saying something out loud can take away it’s power. Willow has the best medical care money can buy, and she wants to live. Attitude can make a crucial difference. Josslyn says she hopes so. She just feels so powerless. And Britt’s memorial was today. She couldn’t go because of her niece of course (🍷), but she still feels like she should have been there to pay her respects. Britt saved Josslyn’s life, and it killed her.

Elizabeth tells Finn, the night she was on the docks, Nikolas was there too. Esme told her that Nikolas knew she’d been in town for weeks; she’d shown up pregnant with his child. Nikolas thought she was behind The Hook killings, and couldn’t let her hurt anyone else. At the same time, he had to protect his unborn baby. Finn asks what he did, and Elizabeth says, he kept Esme locked in a tower at Windymere. He says, that’s pretty disgusting, even for Nikolas, and she says she wanted to go to the police, but Nikolas convinced her not to. Finn asks, how? and she says, he told her that he wanted to make sure his child was safe from harm, and the people of Port Charles were safe from Esme, so she agreed to help him. That’s when Finn saw the bottle of prenatal vitamins at Windymere; she was providing Esme with medical care. When Finn saw her with the same vitamins at the hospital and asked her about it, she panicked. She said she was pregnant with Nikolas’s baby to keep their secret. She asks Finn to say something.

Austin says, so in the divorce, Ava got the house, and it’s a big house, called Windymere. It suits her. She seems like the lady of the manor. Congratulations. She says, it’s the least she was owed, and he says, when he first came to Port Charles, she was divorcing Nikolas, but they worked it out. She doesn’t want to do that now? She says, different circumstances. At that time, she left Nikolas to protect her daughter. Now she’s leaving to protect herself.

Laura says, Spencer has reason to be angry, but every parent makes mistakes. It doesn’t erase the bond between parent and child. Nikolas says, it’s okay. He owns everything he’s done to Spencer, but is taking his child away what’s best for the baby, or is Spencer getting even with him? Spencer says, this isn’t about revenge. It’s about how unfit Nikolas is to be a father. Not only because of what Nikolas has done to him, but what he’s done to other people as well. Unlike Nikolas, he’s going to do what’s best for the baby. Laura tells Spencer to think about what he’s saying, and he says he’s discussed this with his friends, and discussed his case with Diane Miller. He’ll do everything in his power to make sure Nikolas doesn’t destroy another innocent life. Laura says, he’s still a kid himself. He can’t raise the baby all alone. Nikolas says, she’s right. He loves this child, and he’ll make damn sure he doesn’t repeat… Spencer says, Nikolas is incapable of keeping that promise, and Nikolas says, if Spencer goes down this path, he’ll be forced to fight him, and he’ll use every weapon in his arsenal to make sure he gets custody. Don’t make him do this. Spencer says, it won’t go that far. Nikolas is going to hand him custody of his own free will.

Finn says, Elizabeth is now an accomplice to a kidnapping, but Elizabeth says she thought she was doing the right thing. She was protecting an innocent baby, and Esme couldn’t kill anyone as long as she was locked up. He says, Esme was the number one suspect in The Hook attacks. How long was Elizabeth going to let the police keep thinking that, when she knew Esme wasn’t the murderer? She says, it wasn’t until Officer Cabrera was killed that she knew she’d made a huge mistake. He has no idea how badly she wanted to say something, but at that point, she’d already given up everything to help Nikolas. She put herself in legal jeopardy, which would affect her kids, and threw away her relationship with him. She’s beaten herself up every single day for this, but she couldn’t see a way out. Then Esme escaped. When she was found, everything Elizabeth did, and everything she gave up, was all for nothing.

Josslyn says, Dex warned her about survivor’s guilt, and he was right. She wakes up in the middle of the night with her head spinning, wondering if she’d done something different, would Britt still be alive? He says he’s the one who got her to leave before the police showed up, and she says, his argument made sense. She knows it woudn’t have made a difference if they’d stayed, but she still feels guilty. It’s the same thing with Cam. She knew the right thing was to break up with him, and feels guilty about that too. Dex says he really messed up her life.

Chase says, that’s not what he meant, but Brook says, that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. He says he doesn’t want to be a pop star; it’s not his passion. He wants his badge back. She says, they might not even reinstate him, and he says, then he’ll have to figure out what’s next, but music isn’t his future. She says, translation, he doesn’t want to be around her, and he asks her to stop putting words in his mouth. It’s time to finish what they started. She says she gets that she screwed up by not writing the letter when Dante asked her to, and ruined any chance of them having a relationship, even a professional one. Is she wrong?

Nikolas says, like hell he’s going to grant Spencer custody, but Spencer says, Nikolas doesn’t have a choice. One way or another, Nikolas is going to be out of his child’s life. Laura tells them, stop it right now. They’re father and son, and should be able to work out their differences. Spencer says, Nikolas had every opportunity to work out their difference, but he couldn’t… or wouldn’t. Nikolas asks if Spencer thinks guilting him over his shortcomings is going to motivate him to sign his child over, and Spencer says, motivate. What a good word. The motive; revenge, justice, guilt. Take your pick. Laura says, but Spencer told them this wasn’t about revenge, and Nikolas flashes back to Ava recording his confession, and him saying, the motive; revenge, justice, guilt. Take your pick. Again using Nikolas’s words, Spencer says, any chance of reconciling with him is ruined, and Nikolas says, this isn’t a game. Spencer says, honestly, his only regret is not doing it sooner, and Nikolas flashes back to using those words Spencer says, this, I solemnly swear, and Laura asks, what’s happening right now? What aren’t they telling her? Nikolas says, this is Ava’s doing. She’s thrown in with Spencer, hasn’t she? Spencer says, it sure would be a shame for other people to find out what he knows, like Commissioner Ashford. Nikolas says, he wouldn’t, and Spencer says, not if Nikolas relinquishes his parental rights. Laura says, stop right here. Nothing that’s been said or done up to this point can’t be taken back. Nikolas says, there’s no coming back from this. His son is truly gone.

Finn says he knows Elizabeth and Nikolas are friends, but going along with something like this doesn’t seem like her at all. Elizabeth says, at times she didn’t recognize herself. He saw her when she came back from California, after finding out she’d killed his wife. He says, it wasn’t like that at all, but she says she was responsible and will feel guilty about that for the rest of her life. Everything was compounded by the way she hurt him. She’ll never forget the look on his face, and how he walked out of here. She was rapidly losing her grip, and there was nothing left to hold on to. He says he never should have walked out like that, but she says, his reaction was normal. Hers on the other hand… there’s no excuse. She should have remembered what really matters, and hung on for dear life to her boys and him. Instead, she shut out everything good in her life. He says, Nikolas bears responsibility here too, but she says she’s not letting him off the hook, especially now that he’s gone too far. Finn asks how that’s even possible.

Chase says he and Brook were friends first, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss that, but she put her wants and needs ahead of his. He can’t forget that. So they’re going to take Linc down, get her songs back, and have that squared away before the CCRB meeting. She says, understood. There won’t be anything left between them by them. She excuses herself, and goes into the club. Blaze comes out, and asks where Brook is off to. Chase says, beats him, and she says, it looks like she came back just in time. She hands him a beer, and says she proposes a toast to the gig they just knocked out of the park, their adoring audience, and their new single, which drops next week, and she guarantees will be a smash. Or how about the unlikely partnership between the ex-cop and would-be folk singer? May it be long and profitable. She lifts her glass, but he doesn’t, and she asks, what’s wrong? He says he told Brook that he wants out, and she says, he can’t quit.

Austin says, if Ava is standing up for herself, good for her. It seems to be something she’s good at, since he saw it first hand with his cousin. She asks if Mason has given him any more trouble, but he says, it’s been quiet on that front. She asks if he’d tell her if it wasn’t, and he says, 100% no, because it’s not her problem, and he’s a grown person who can look after his own life. She says, there was a time Ava Jerome would have gone in for the kill – metaphorically speaking – anytime anyone crossed her. He asks, what changed? and she says she became Ava Cassadine, who made excuses in the name of true love, but she’s gone. He says, in his experience, when people are in relationships like the one she’s had with Nikolas, it doesn’t just end with a signature. She says, maybe not, but she did something today that should make it clear to Nikolas where they stand. And what could come of crossing her.

Nikolas asks if Ava isn’t Spencer’s sworn enemy. Does Spencer hate him this much? Spencer says, if he hated Nikolas, he wouldn’t be giving Nikolas this chance. For redemption. They both know what would happen if he went to the police with this information. Laura, who looks like her head is about to explode, says, what information? Spencer says he could have gone directly to Commissioner Ashford, who was standing right here at Britt’s memorial, but he didn’t. He came to Nikolas because he wanted to give Nikolas the choice. He can sign away his parental rights, and go on living his life, or face what happened when Spencer goes to the police. Nikolas grabs him by the shirt, and asks if this is what Spencer means by being his own man. He’s every bit a Cassadine. Nikolas walks out, Laura looks at Spencer, and follows.

Nikolas beelines for the exit, and Laura says, if he goes out that door, he’s making a big mistake.

Elizabeth tells Finn that Nikolas promised to keep her out of it if he got caught, although she’s not sure she really believed it. Then Esme was found, and it became clear that there was nothing Nikolas could do to protect her if Esme regains her memory. He did find a way to keep his promise, which ironically made her realize she could never trust him again. Finn asks what Nikolas did now, and she says, he brought her mother to town. He wanted her to do to Esme what she did to Elizabeth; make sure she never remembers, so she can never implicate either one of them, no matter the damage it did to Esme like it did to her. That’s all of it. He has no idea how many times she wanted to tell him the truth, but she didn’t for a lot of reasons. She didn’t want to make Finn an accessory. She wanted to protect Nikolas and herself. It went too far, and she lost everything, but couldn’t stay silent anymore.

Josslyn says, Dex didn’t mess up her life. He saved her life. As grateful as she is to Britt, The Hook had Britt cornered when he showed up. He says, a lot of awful things have happened to Josslyn, as a direct or indirect result of knowing him. She’s been an accessory after the fact, left the scene of a crime, and even broke up with her boyfriend. She says, obviously he’s influenced her choices, but they’re still her choices. That includes breaking up with Cameron. If things had been perfect between them, she woudn’t have looked twice at Dex. He asks if she’s sure about that, because he was definitely looking at her, and she says, when the video of her and Cam came out, things were never the same, and she could feel them growing apart. More and more, Cameron felt like someone she used to be close with; someone she cared about, but didn’t connect with. She didn’t say any of that because she didn’t want to hurt him, but in the end, she ended up hurting him even worse. The break-up was bad, but when he found her and Dex together… He asks if she regrets it, and she says, of course (🍷) she regrets Cam walking in on them. He asks if she regrets being with him.

Blaze says, Chase is hugely talented, and it would be a waste for him to walk away, and he says, the music industry and performing isn’t him, but he had a nice time collaborating with her. She says, her too, and he says, let’s face it, he’s just holding her back. She says, even if that were true, she woudn’t care. Working with him has reminded her of her love of singing and performing, and why she got into the business in the first place. Before he came along, she was thinking of quitting. He asks, why? and she says she signed a contract with Linc, and working with Linc has made her question why she’s doing this. She thought her love of music could get her through anything, but singing with Chase is the only thing making this bearable. Linc comes out, and says, there’s his hot new star. He puts his arm around Blaze, apologizing for being late, and asks if she couldn’t have worn another outfit. Chase says, show’s over. There’s no need for Linc to be here. Linc says, cool it, Mr. No Longer a Detective. He’s actually looking for Brook. Chase says he’ll let Brook know Linc is in the building, but Linc says, there’s no need. He’ll tell her himself. He goes back inside, and Chase asks if Blaze is okay.

Linc finds Brook at the bar, and asks, how’s his favorite ex-nightingale? She says she’s so not in the mood to deal with him tonight, but he says, tonight’s her lucky night. She’s finally getting rid of him for good. She says she’s heard that before, and he says, this time, it’s true. Don’t tell him that she’s forgotten their deal.

Laura tells Nikolas that she doesn’t know what just happened, but he can’t leave things like that. He asks if she shouldn’t be lecturing her grandson on the evils of blackmail, but she says, Nikolas is the adult. He has to go face his son. He says he doesn’t know who that person is anymore, and she says, it’s still Spencer, the same little boy he loved and cared for. They’ve both done horrible things to each other, and she doesn’t know what that was about, but she knows the worst thing Nikolas can do is play into what Spencer has done. He says, Spencer threw in with his ex-wife, intending to destroy him. It wasn’t enough for Ava to divorce him and take his home (um… did he divorce her?), she had to take his son too? Laura says she’s so sorry. She’s as blindsided as he is, but take a moment to calm down. He needs to go back into that chapel and face his son, because Spencer is now at the precipice. He’s about to make a decision he’ll regret for the rest of his life. Don’t turn his back on Spencer now. Spencer needs him.

Austin says, so that moment with Mason wasn’t just a fluke, and Ava says, it was nothing. She just likes to know where someone’s weak spots are. He says, that’s her thing. How’s that working for her? She says she supposes she hasn’t met her match yet. She thought she had. He says he’s really sorry, but she says, it’s no matter. She’s used to taking care of herself, and intends to keep doing that. She puts on her coat, and says she’s off to her new castle. Enjoy his evening. He says, her too, and she leaves. By the looks of it, Port Charles is having the same cold weather we’re having. Mason walks out of the darkness, and into Kelly’s courtyard.

Nikolas hugs Laura, saying, she’s the best mother he could ever have. He’ll always love her. He leaves the hospital, and she starts to cry.

Linc says, Brook signs a non-disclosure agreement, while burnishing his reputation with the media. In exchange, he returns all the rights to her songs, except for the ones that were already sold of course (🍷). She says she remembers, but it’s been so long, she thought he forgot. He says he never forgets the terms of a deal, and his lawyers are meticulous. She says she’s aware, and he says he must admit, his financial advisors balked at this deal; her catalog is a goldmine. She says, he must be scared to walk away from all that money, and he says, this is what she always wanted, isn’t it, to get all her songs back, and him out of her hair? She says, among other things, and he says, perfect. He takes a document and pen out of his coat pocket, and says, all she has to do is sign on the dotted line.

Chase says, Blaze doesn’t have to put up with Linc. Walk away, and find  a manager who respects her. She says, the problem is, her contract is ironclad; her career would be over after she’s worked so hard for it. She’s trapped. It’s not like she has a support system. Excuse the pity party, but when Chase leaves the business, she’ll be all alone. She looks at Linc sitting inside, and says, well, not alone. Chase sees Linc put his hand on Brook’s knee. Is it déjà vu all over again?

Josslyn tells Dex that she should have let Cam know her feelings had changed. Everyone says it’s better to be honest, and now that she’s lived it, she knows it’s true. She should have told Cam how she felt. She won’t make that mistake with Dex. He asks how she feels, and she says, scared, but the good kind of scared. A small part of her wants to hide, but most of her wants to run right into it. He says he likes how she runs toward what scares her. If it’s any help, she scares him too. He kisses her.

Elizabeth says she knows what she has to do now. She just wanted to tell Finn first. She didn’t want there to be any more lies between them before she… He asks what she’s going to do, and she says, turn herself in.

Ava walks into Windymere, dropping her coat and bag on the settee. A fire roars in the fireplace, and she strolls around the living room or sitting room or whatever it is.

On the phone, Mason says it was Ava Jerome who gave him such a hard time the other day… He’ll report back. He turns around and sees Austin in Kelly’s doorway, looking like he could kill.

Spencer comes out, and asks Laura where his father went. She says she doesn’t know. What has Spencer done?

There’s a knock at the door at Windymere, and Ava opens it to find Nikolas there.

On Monday, Linc asks if Brook is in or out; Chase asks, what if he doesn’t want out just yet; Austin tells Mason to give it his best shot; and Laura asks what Spencer is holding over his father’s head.

🛥 Black Sheep Drama…

Sure they plied her with alcohol. Producers: Want a drink? Camille: Give me a double!

Camille Lamb Walks Back Diss Against Below Deck Co-Star And Producer Amid Firing Drama

💎 No Surprises Here…

Like we thought it would be otherwise. So where did those earrings end up anyway?

https://people.com/tv/tom-girardi-estranged-husband-rhobh-star-erika-girardi-indicted-on-fraud-charges/

🗽 I’m Happy If She’s Happy…

So should we congratulate her, or…?

https://pagesix.com/2023/02/03/leah-mcsweeney-im-blessed-to-have-blacked-out-with-rhony-legends/

👠 Claws Out…

Let the finger pointing begin.

The Real Housewives Of New York City Cast Are Allegedly Blaming Each Other For RHONY Legacy Falling Apart

☎️ What a Spread…

I only watch this peripherally, but I do like The Marge.

https://pagesix.com/2023/02/03/margaret-josephs-jennifer-aydin-spread-gorga-cheating-rumors/

🛍 What’s Inside…

I’m fascinated with these. Instead of, it’s an honor to just be nominated, I’d say, it’s an honor just to get the gift bag.

https://pagesix.com/2023/02/03/inside-grammys-2023-gift-bag-liposuction-skincare-and-more/

🧂 Who Dun It…

True story. I once gave myself a black eye. And no, I wasn’t in a blackout, but I had taken allergy medication. I had my legs wrapped around the chair I was sitting in at the kitchen table. The phone rang, and I got up to answer it, but forgot to unwrap my legs first. I went headlong into another chair. My husband had been out with the dogs, and when he came back in, he found me sitting on the floor with tweety birds flying around my head. He said, I can’t leave you alone for five minutes, can I?

Lala Kent Claims Heather Gay Got Black Eye From RHOSLC Co-Star, Talks Encounter With Vicki and Shades Kardashians, Plus Says Jen Didn’t Think of Kids

👶🏼 Baby Goddaddy…

No. If anyone on Deck should be the godfather of Kate’s baby, it’s Josiah. Who could forget the shame cocoon?

Below Deck’s Fraser Olender Wants To Be The Godfather Of Kate Chastain’s Baby

👄 Goodbye, Dear Pioneer…

While this happened in January, I’d be remiss not to include it. We weren’t close, but I knew Sal back in the day, and he included me in his first Creatures of the Night book. RIRHPS.

http://www.back2stonewall.com/2023/01/sal-piro-father-of-the-rocky-horror-picture-show-floorshow-passes-away-at-71.html#comment-465851

🐕 Almost Pup Time…

The definitive Puppy Bowl guide.

https://www.cbsnews.com/essentials/how-to-watch-the-2023-puppy-bowl/

🌩 Quotes of the Week

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. – Henry Ford

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one through a wall.)

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

A mother should be someone who inspires you, not someone you have to survive. – Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), General Hospital

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

That’s not funny *** No, it’s not, but I’m going to keep drinking until it is. – Ma’Dere (Loretta Devine) and Kelly (Sharon Leal) respectively, This Christmas

I suppose there are two views about everything, said Mark. Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there’s never more than one. – C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength, compiled in Words to Live By

Maintain composure in times of heightened emotion, reacting only when thoughts are calm and clear. Being sensible will open doors for solutions and creativity. – Jaren L. Davis

📻 Finding the Frequency For Kenneth…

See you on Monday really Tuesday for soap and a sure to be appalling Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay being open to compromise, and stay saying what you need to out loud. Sometimes that can take away it’s power.

Jan31

January 30, 2023 – Marshall Makes a Big Decision, Hangry Pregnant Woman On Deck, Why They’re Idiots & New Month Coming

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Marshall is concerned about Trina going to Britt’s memorial while the killer is still out there. The doorbell rings, and Curtis opens the door to Stella.

At the hospital, Portia is firming up some wedding details on the phone when Terry comes by. Terry says, Portia is in the homestretch, and her wedding day will be here before she knows it. Portia says, if she can get everything done in time, when Jordan comes out of the elevator.

Valentin wonders why Anna has been peeking outside since 2 am, but she says, they didn’t get here by lowering their guard. Felicia asks if they’d like a kick for their coffee, offering them some bourbon, and Anna says, it’s 5 pm in Paris. Valentin says, being a fugitive messes with your sense of time, but Felicia says, they won’t be fugitives for long. They’re going to nail Victor Cassadine eventually.

Willow says, by this afternoon, she and Michael will be able to see their new daughter, and he says, their daughter is going to be beautiful just like her mother. He just knows the stem cell transplant is going to work and couldn’t be more grateful. He couldn’t face life without her. She says she’s not going anywhere now that she’s evening the playing field at their house; two males, two females. His phone dings, and he says, Melanie is here to pick up Wiley. He leaves, and Willow tells the baby, it won’t be long now. She has to stay strong. There’s a knock at the door, and Sonny comes in.

Drew asks if Willow had a setback, but Carly says, just the opposite. She thinks Willow is going to be okay. She and Drew hug, and Nina sees them, ducking back out of sight. Drew says, they probably shouldn’t have done that, and Carly agrees it was risky. I don’t think the hug is as risky as them looking all guilty about it.

Stella says she cut her trip short so she could help with the wedding prep. She loves London and her cousin Wanda, but Wanda understood how important it is. She asks how Trina is doing, and says she’s sorry about Trina’s friend Rory. She wonders what the world is coming to, and asks, what about that awful Esme Prince? She heard Esme showed up. Curtis says, she’s been remanded to Spring Ridge until her trial, and Stella hopes Esme stays there permanently. Justice will be served, and Trina can move on. Until then, they have a wedding to lift their spirits, and she has a surprise for the bride-to-be.

Portia asks if Jordan is here for Britt’s memorial, and Jordan says, TJ is attending, and she wanted to be there for him. The boutique texts Portia, confirming her appointment for her dress, and Terry says she’s going to be beautiful. Terry gets called to a meeting, and says she’ll see Jordan at the memorial.

Maxie takes Sasha for a manicure, saying, on days like today, she’s found that feeling she looks her best gives her a strange sort of strength to get through it. Although she totally falls apart afterwards when she’s alone, but then she has to figure out dinner or read a bedtime story. Sasha says, it’s different with kids. She’ll never forget Britt’s kindness when she and Brando lost Liam, and she’s sorry for Maxie’s loss. Maxie says she’s sorry for Sasha’s loss too. She can’t believe she’s saying goodbye to Britt today. Sasha says she feels like all she does is say goodbye to people.

Anna asks Felicia if there are any signs of life from Monsieur Martin, and Felicia says she left coffee and muffins outside their room. She imagines they’re pretty tired. Valentin says, or they died with smiles on their faces. Anna says, they’re all still going to have to lay low. Despite everything they’ve been through, they still don’t have enough concrete evidence to nail Victor. They need irrefutable proof, and she’s feeling like she lost her patience. Felicia says, they need to refocus and regroup. Getting justice for Luke is the most important thing. Anna says, of course (🍷), but thinks not being home for the holidays affected her more than she realized. She hasn’t seen Robin, Emma, and Noah in ages, but Valentin says, she got messages to them. Felicia says, Valentin and Charlotte had just been reunited, and now he’s on the run again. It must be really hard on him. He says, not as hard as her thinking he’s dead.

Michael asks what Sonny is doing here, because he can’t help but be a turd, and Willow says she asked Sonny to come. She was about to tell him that Dr. Randolph says there might be another way to treat her leukemia. She’s about to have a C-section; their baby is being born today. She’ll be premature, but she’s developed enough to withstand it. Michael says, once the baby is born, the doctors will take the stem cells from the umbilical cord and the placenta, and treat Willow’s leukemia. Willow says, after more rounds of chemo, and Sonny says he’ll pray for all three of them. He can’t wait to see his granddaughter, and he’s sure Nina will be overwhelmed… Unless they’re not welcome to see their grandchild.

Drew says he can’t wait to go public, and Carly says, it’ll be over soon. Right now, they have to practice restraint. He says, easier said than done, and they start walking. Nina comes out, and says, my, aren’t you two cozy. She just arrived to see her daughter because she lost so much time with her. Drew says he just got here; they must have just missed each other. Nina says she imagines he was in a rush to see Carly, and he tells her, and Michael and Willow. The whole family needs support right now. Nina says she’s surprised how quickly Drew forgave Carly after she lied to him, but she should expect it. Because no matter how much damage Carly does, people still flock to her side. Carly asks if Nina really wants to compare damage, or the people who forgive you no matter what.

Anna tells Valentin that Charlotte won’t grieve him. Laura will explain everything, and Charlotte will understand. Charlotte is a smart cookie. He says, she’s remarkable, and will read between the lines. She knew he was planning her escape from boarding school without him telling her. If he has to stay away from her to keep her safe, he’ll manage. Felicia says she has to run to the pharmacy; her allergies are acting up. She leaves, and Valentin says he doesn’t believe her. Does Anna? Anna says, she doesn’t have allergies, and he wonders if Felicia is giving them some alone time. If she was, thank you, Felicia. He kisses Anna.

Maxie tells Sasha, days like this bring to mind Nathan for her, and probably Brando and Liam for Sasha. Sasha says she thinks about them every day. Now they’ve lost Lucy and Britt. Maxie says, they don’t know Lucy is gone yet. She’s keeping hope alive. Sasha says, Lucy still hasn’t turned up, but Maxie says, she hasn’t turned up dead either. Maxie asks, what if they had a defeatist attitude when the Deception stock was tanking? They turned things around by remaining positive. Sasha says, true, and Maxie says, they kept the faith because their company is resilient. They are resilient. And dammit, Lucy Coe is resilient too.

Stella says she wants to take Portia and Trina out to lunch, but Trina says, Portia is picking up her dress from the boutique. Stella says, even better, they can have lunch, and all go to the boutique together. Trina says she’s sorry, but she can’t go because of Britt’s memorial, and Stella says, she didn’t know; such a tragedy. Trina says, sorry to mess up Stella’s plans, but Stella tells her not to worry about it. Trina says she hadn’t planned on going, but a friend needs her. Stella suggests she drive Trina to GH and pick up Portia while she’s there, and Trina runs to get her phone. Stella tells Curtis that she’s so looking forward to this wedding. She’s got her officiant’s license and speech all prepared. She asks Marshall how the music is coming for the reception, and crickets chirp. She asks, what’s going on? and Curtis says, it’s a work in progress. She asks, what’s the problem? and Curtis says, these things take time. He asks if TJ knows Stella is in town, and Stella says, she just talked to him last week. Curtis and Marshall exchange glances.

Jordan asks how Trina is doing, and Portia says, she’s doing as well as she can be. Jordan says, the wedding must be a welcome distraction, and Portia says, it was nice catching up, and tries to jet, but Jordan says she needs to speak with Portia on a sensitive subject. She had an intense conversation with Taggert earlier about Portia, Curtis, and Trina.

Drew wonders if Nina knows what’s going on between them, and Carly looks worried.

Sasha says, Deception stock is thriving now, and Maxie says, because they were able to think on their feet. Sasha says, surprisingly, they have Gladys to thank as well. If she hadn’t signed off on the plan, the stock would still be tanking. Maxie asks if it’s weird for Sasha that Gladys makes all the financial decision, and Sasha says she thinks Gladys’s heart is in the right place, but it’s taken some getting used to. She can be persistent about what she wants. Maxie says, like what? and Sasha says, Gladys wants to sell Brando’s garage. They already turned down one offer, but Gladys got another one recently, and is hounding her about it. She wants Sasha’s blessing to sell it, but Sasha got the distinct impression Gladys is going through with it if she likes it or not.

Jordan says, Taggert was concerned about the security at Portia’s wedding. He’s worried the killer will see it as an opportune time to strike, and Trina will be there, as well as everyone closest to her. Portia says she and Taggert have already discussed this, so she doesn’t know why he’s going behind her back, second-guessing her about their daughter. She looks at Jordan and says, there’s the judgement, but Jordan says she’s not judging Portia. Portia says she’s made it perfectly clear that her life and decisions are her business, and Jordan says, Portia seems stressed out by these decisions. It might do her some good to unburden herself. Portia says, so Jordan can have Curtis all to herself?

Trina says, it’s nice for Stella to arrange this surprise for her mom, and Stella says, her mom is part of the family, and so is Trina. Trina says she knows family is the most important thing to Stella in the world. Stella flies out to Europe multiple times a year to see a cousin she just met. Stella says, she and Wanda are two peas in a pod, and Trina says, they found each other on genealogy site, right? Stella says, that’s right, and Trina says, it makes her wish she’d followed up on her match. She took a test in high school and found out she had a relative in Port Charles, but then she freaked out and decided she didn’t want to meet random people, and deleted her account. Stella says, maybe one day she’ll feel ready. Everybody’s doing it. Even Jordan was contemplating finding more family members. She wonders if Jordan used her site, and Trina says, Jordan asked her about it at her celebration party when her charges got dropped. Stella asks when Trina took the test, Trina says, senior year, and they leave.

Nina says, that her daughter could be saved by her grandchild is a miracle, and hugs Sonny. He says, Willow’s putting on a brave face, but she seems anxious, and Nina says, a C-section is routine, but it’s still risky. She imagines more so if you have leukemia. He says he thinks Willow is nervous, but acting like she’s not for Michael, and Nina says, there may be something she can do for her daughter after all.

Anna and Valentin make out on the couch, when there’s a knock at the door. She says, that’s Felicia’s knock, and Felicia says, open up; it’s cold out here. Anna opens the door, and asks if Felicia got everything she needed, but felicia says, Anna knows she doesn’t have allergies. She does have a surprise. Charlotte runs to Valentin, and hugs him.

Drew says, Nina could have heard them, since she was right there, but Carly says, if Nina had seen or heard anything, she would have made a huge deal out of it. If Nina knows anything, there’s no way she could stop herself from making a comment. He says, what about Sonny? If he knew about them, would he tell Nina? She says, no way. Sonny knows the stakes. He says, if Ned reports them to the SEC, knowing they’re in a relationship gives him a good case. Carly says, as long as they stop themselves from any more spontaneous displays of affection, they’re okay.

Michael hands Willow a candy bar, saying, their loving and giving son decided he wanted his baby sister to have this when she comes out. Nina comes in, and Michael says, it’s not a good time, but Nina says she was hoping she could talk to Willow alone, just for a few minutes. Willow says, it’s okay, and Michael leaves. Willow says she assumes Sonny told Nina about the C-section, and Nina says, he did, but she’s here for Willow. She knows Willow has plenty of support from people she needs to put on a brave face for, when really, she’s terrified. Willow says she wouldn’t say terrified, and Nina says, Willow doesn’t have to worry about her feelings. Willow can tell Nina her concerns, her worries, and her frustrations. Just let it rip. Be totally honest with her.

Michael sits in the hallway when Sonny comes along. He asks what Sonny wants, and Sonny says he just wants to be here for his son.

Marshall peeks out, and asks if the coast is clear. Curtis says, Trina and Aunt Stella left, and Marshall says he loves Aunt Stella, but… Curtis says, Marshall doesn’t have to explain. Aunt Stella can be a bit much. Marshall says, Stella knows Curtis wanted him to get those genetic tests done, but Curtis says, he and Portia didn’t tell her anything else. She doesn’t know they asked him to perform at the ceremony or asked him to get genetic counseling; they respect his privacy. Marshall says, she’s going to know soon enough. He went ahead and got those tests done.

Jordan says she’s not interested in Curtis, but Portia says, Jordan has been using Trina as a wedge between them since she got back. She’s questioning Portia, and before that, Jordan interrogated her daughter without even giving her a call. Then Jordan arrests her. Jordan flashes back to telling Curtis about Trina’s interrogation without telling him, and making herself a scapegoat for Stella. She says, Portia doesn’t know the things she’s done to protect her, Curtis, Trina, and the family they’re building. She has no designs on Curtis. Portia says, yet she keeps bringing things up, and Jordan says, if she was going after him, she’d have said something to Curtis months ago. Stella comes up behind them with Trina, and says, said what to Curtis?

Curtis says, Marshall got the genetic counseling? and Marshall says, he did it all, but doesn’t have the results back yet. Curtis says he’s glad Marshall pushed through and did it, and Marshall says he was tired of the uncertainty. Curtis says he’s proud of Marshall, and Marshall says, Curtis and Portia pushed him. He considered not saying anything, but realized that was falling back into his old ways. For 40 years he’s been afraid, and it became second nature to go it alone. He’s tired of running and being afraid. He’s got a wonderful son, and a family he wants to share everything with, the good and the bad. He’s got loved ones, and he’s ready to let them in. Curtis says, in the words of Aunt Stella, amen to that, and Marshall says, Portia pushed him to get the testing, but Curtis was the reason he did it. Curtis says, this is great news, and Marshall says, but what if it isn’t?

Portia says she thought Stella wasn’t due for a couple of days, and Stella says she heard Portia had a million things to do and wanted to help. Now what is it Curtis needs to know? Jordan asks if Stella remembers how she misplaced the divorce papers, and Stella says, don’t tell her they’re still married, but Jordan says, no; they’re officially divorced. There are no obstacles from her that would prevent Portia and Curtis from marrying. She leaves to make a call, and Stella says, that seemed a bit tense. Portia says, it’s just her, and Stella says, that’s why she’s here. Trina says, Aunt Stella came to take Portia to lunch and pick up her dress, and Portia asks if they can wait while she has a consult with Terry. Stella glances over at Jordan, and says she can entertain herself.

Charlotte tells Valentin about confronting Victor, and Anna tells Felicia, that was a kind thing to do. Felicia says, it didn’t seem fair for Charlotte to grieve her father after what she’s been through. Plus, Valentin is helping them take down Victor. Anna thinks there’s more to it, and Felicia says she missed so much of her daughters’ lives, off on one adventure or another. Seeing how vulnerable Valentin was missing his daughter triggered something in her… but don’t tell him she said that. She needs him to live in fear of her in case he hurts Anna. Anna says, Felicia’s secret is safe with her.

Valentin says, Charlotte confronted her grandfather? and she says she couldn’t help herself. He says she’s so strong and outspoken, and he’s so grateful she wants to take care of him, but he needs her to promise him that she’ll never do that again. Just know he’ll always come back for her. He promises. It will take more than Victor Cassadine to keep them apart. She says, he went away because Anna needed help? and he says he did. She says, Anna must be special to him, and he says, she is, but not as special as Charlotte.

Maxie tells Sasha that she understands selling the garage could be upsetting; it probably feels like another goodbye. And with Gladys calling the shots, she would hate how powerless that would make her feel. Sasha apologizes for making this about her when they’re mourning Maxie’s sister-in-law, but Maxie says, there’s no monopoly on grief; no right or wrong time for it. She lost it when she found Nathan’s favorite can of soup. Sasha is allowed her moments. Sasha asks how Maxie does it. After suffering so much loss, she’s not just surviving; she’s thriving. How did she learn to keep going and not give up on life?

Willow asks if Nina has a point. The last thing she wants is to bring Michael’s spirits down. Nina says, Willow doesn’t have to keep up a brave front for her. Willow can tell her whatever she wants. Willow says, but she can’t. This is all so new, and with their relationship being what it is, she needs her boundaries. If she gives in, the lines get blurry, and she can’t take that right now. She appreciates Nina’s effort, but she can’t. Terry comes to the door, and says, it’s time to prep Willow for her C-section. She tells Nina that she has to go, Nina tells Willow, good luck, and leaves.

Sonny asks how Michael is doing, but Michael tells Sonny not to worry about him. Sonny says, Michael is still his son, and if he needs anything, Sonny is here for him. Nina tells Michael that Terry just went into Willow’s room, and Michael leaves. Sonny asks how it went with Willow, and Nina says, Willow doesn’t want anything to do with her. He hugs her, and over his shoulder, she sees Drew with Carly. Sonny asks if Nina isn’t supposed to be at Britt’s memorial, but Nina says she can be late. She wants to wait until Willow goes into surgery, and they’re prepping her now. It looks like Drew has already forgiven Carly for lying to him for months about Willow being her daughter. He says, Drew’s that kind of guy. She can’t let Carly get in her head; they have to focus on Willow. She says, Willow doesn’t want anything to do with her because Carly lied. If Carly had told the truth, she wouldn’t have fought with Willow all those months. He says, she doesn’t want to go down that road. Fighting doesn’t help anyone. She says, sometimes wars are unavoidable, but she’s agreeing with him. They need to focus on Willow.

Willow is wheeled out, and Drew and Carly run over. Terry says, Willow is in good hands; she’ll be monitoring everything. She’ll see Willow in recovery after her baby’s born. She leaves, and Carly tells Willow, everything is going to be fine. She can’t wait to meet Willow’s little girl. As Willow is wheeled into the elevator, Sonny and Nina walk over. The elevator doors are framed by the couples on either side, and the doors close. Sonny hugs Nina.

Valentin thanks Felicia for bringing Charlotte to him, telling her, it means more than she’ll ever know. She tells him that he’s welcome. Sitting on the couch, Anna says she’s sorry Charlotte’s father hasn’t been with her these past few months, but Charlotte says, Anna doesn’t owe her an apology. Actually, she owes Anna. Anna took care of her papa and brought him home to her, and she thanks Anna. She and Anna hug.

Maxie says, over time, Sasha will learn that she doesn’t need to hold on to the things or personal mementos that remind her of her loved ones. She’ll accept she doesn’t need them to hold on to her memories. They’re just things, and her love can never be sold or torn down. Sasha’s memories of her loved ones are going to stay with her forever.

Curtis says, if it’s bad news, they’ll get through it together, and Marshall says he’s not sure he’ll get the results back in time for the wedding. He doesn’t think he can perform, but Curtis tells him not to worry about that. Marshall says he couldn’t bear it if his illness overshadowed Curtis’s big day, and Curtis says, it’s not a thing. He’s not mad that Marshall can’t play at the ceremony, and he doesn’t want Marshall to be either. What’s important is, he has his father at his wedding. That is the greatest gift of all.

Stella tells Jordan that she’s not going to beat around the bush. They’ve been through too much together, and know they can trust and rely on each other, right? Jordan agrees, and asks what’s on Stella’s mind. Stella says, Trina told her about a genealogy test she took in school about the same time Stella took hers, but something seems off about it. Trina also said Jordan spoke to her about it, and she wonders if it’s because Jordan thinks there’s something suspicious too.

Tomorrow, Stella says she thought Jordan knew her well enough not to play her for a fool; Trina says, Josslyn must have felt like there was no other option; and Esme asks someone if they can help her regain her memory.

Below Deck

On the beach, pregnant guest Louisa says she’s going to kill someone because she needs food. It was made clear beforehand that she needed to snack frequently, so Fraser couldn’t have brought some cheese cubes with him or something? Rachel radios Alissa, who doesn’t answer, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, the clock is ticking, and sh*t is about to be sticking. She’s tired, frustrated, and lunch is a clusterf***. The guests play bocci ball, and Rachel arrives. In her interview, Rachel says, the pregnant lady is hangry, but she’s brought bean salad, which was on her preference sheet. Then she says, beans, beans, the musical fruit… You know the rest. The guests are served, and a cork or something pops Alissa in the head, which is pretty amusing. Norma texts Captain Sandy that a new deck-stew will be coming this evening, and Ben texts Camille that he misses her. Rachel does a  forward seal flop into the tender, and the guests applaud. Louisa says, Fraser is her favorite human on the planet.

The guests go back to the boat, and Captain Sandy asks how it was. They tell her, amazing, and are served welcome back mango shots. Katie wants Ross to move into her room when the new stew comes, but in his interview, he says, their relationship isn’t stable, and there’s the potential for problems. He doesn’t want to roll the dice on that. Alissa whines to Hayley that people are making her feel like it’s her fault Camille got fired, mostly Ben. Hayley says, they were thing, and in Alissa’s interview, she says her emotions are jumbled. Camille left because of her own actions, but it sucks. Captain Sandy calls Fraser and Ross to the bridge, and tells them the new deck-stew is coming. His name is Tyler, and he has a lot of experience, and he’s strong in service. In Fraser’s interview, he says, thank God. He knows some of the boats Tyler has worked on, and he has more experience than both girls combined. He’s feeling hopeful. The captain tells Fraser not to just stick Tyler in laundry and forget him. Alissa is all weird and nervous about why two department heads were called to the bridge because everything is about her, and Captain Sandy radios the crew about Tyler. In Hayley’s interview, she says, please let them not be Satan.

Tyler arrives, and Ross walks him around the boat. He finds out that Tyler is from South Africa, and tells Tyler that he’s walked into the middle of chaos. In Tyler’s interview, he says, he enjoys, in a very sick way, the weird parts of yachting that other people don’t find enjoyable. Everything has order; there’s only one way to fold a towel. However, his OCD has not been diagnosed. Fraser tells him to get settled, and Captain Sandy radios the crew to get into their blacks. Fraser tells Rachel that he wants to improve communication. He tends to get in his head. In Rachel’s interview, she says she can tell when service is bad. Everyone starts running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Talking to Fraser can be like talking to Beaker from the Muppets. We see their Fraser and Beaker’s pictures next to one another, and I laugh because they do kind of look alike.

The guests are seated for dinner at a beautiful table, and Fraser says, it’s in honor of the baby on the way. They toast to the last night, and Fraser introduces Tyler. In Hayley’s interview, she says, Tyler is amazing housekeeping; it’s very different. We flash back to Camille drinking on the job, and Hayley says, Tyler is good at things she’s horrific at doing. It’s going to work out well. Tyler tells Hayley that he’d just started a relationship, and had a crying fit when he had to leave. In his interview, he says his sexuality is fluid. He’s never had a long term girlfriend or boyfriend. He grew up in a small religious town, and moving in yachting he’s been able to explore himself. Fraser tells Rachel that she blew it out of the park. That’s how to finish a charter. The guests head for bed by 11:30. In Katie’s interview, she says, she and Camille jived well, since neither one of them cared about housekeeping. Tyler isn’t  like that at all.

Final day of charter. Captain Sandy asks Rachel how dinner went, and Rachel says, awesome. She thanks the captain for the swift kick in the ass – in a good way. The captain says they’ll talk later, but they’re heading to the dock soon, and she radios the deckhands to haul anchor. They head to Rodney Bay, and breakfast is served. Hayley says she can’t wait to shave her vagina. It’s the little things in life. TMI, but that is funny. Goodbyes are said, and primary Adam says, the trip was awesome, and every one of them had a great time. There were a few little hiccups along the way, like when they were looking for drinks or help and had to find someone. We flash back to that, and he says, Louisa also needed more snacks. We flash back to Louisa wanting to kill someone, and Rachel tells Fraser, no more tasting menus. He says, no more sitting around, and Adam thanks the crew for taking care of them and keeping them safe. He gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, and the guests leave. Fraser says, it was a sh*t review, and he only has himself to blame, but Tony says, it’s no one’s fault. It’s a team thing. The captain radios the crew to meet in the Sky Lounge.

Captain Sandy welcomes Tyler, who says he feels welcome already. She tells them that feedback isn’t saying you’re a bad person or not doing a great job. How do they know something should be changed if no one tells them; it’s constructive. In her interview, she says, feedback makes you better. The tip is $22K or $1,833 each. Because they worked hard, she’s arranged for a boat to take them to the Pitons. She tells them to turn the boat around, so they can have the day off tomorrow, and asks if Rachel wants to go for coffee. Ben calls Camille, and in his interview, he says, Camille had 30 minutes to pack her stuff. That’s not the way he wanted it to end. Camille says she doesn’t feel like talking to the crew. Fraser asks the stews to meet him in the Sky Lounge, and Rachel and Captain Sandy go to the Swiss Bakery for coffee. The captain tells Rachel that she’s a joy to have on the boat, but Rachel says she’s not accomplishing things to the standard she’s used to, and needs to get faster. Fraser tells Alissa that she need to continue getting her head around preparing for beach picnics, and she starts crying. She gets up, and says she feels bad. She knows she can do better. She’s done. She’s so tired. Good Lord. What is this twit’s problem? She wanted Camille gone, she’s gone, and still can’t please her. In Alissa’s interview, she says, they’re a stew down, and she still has anxiety over the Camille situation. She’s f***ing done. Rachel tells the captain that there was inconsistence with the interior. She has support from Fraser, but sees him spreading himself thin. Captain Sandy says, Rachel is a beacon of light for them, and has to communicate what she needs to Fraser. In the captain’s interview, she says she wants the department heads to work it out before she steps in. She wants Rachel to talk to Fraser. She thinks Rachel can handle it; she has that spirit. In Tyler’s interview, he says he knows what needs to be done. He doesn’t need anyone to tell him what to do, just when to stop doing it. Fraser and Ross agree to remain bunkmates, and everyone gets ready to go out. At the restaurant, they give a welcome toast to Tyler. Ben gets a text, steps away, and comes back with Camille. In Alisson’s interview, she says, what the f***? and I die laughting.

Ross is amused, and in Fraser’s interview, he says, it’s nice to see Camille. He hopes she’s not furious with him. There’s no bad blood; she was just a bad stew. Alissa gets on her high horse, and refusing to ride away on it, says she wouldn’t think of coming back. Rachel says, Camille seems relaxed, and Camille says, Ben seemed upset on the phone. She knows their time was cut too short. Alissa can’t shut up, and goes for cigarette with Hayley. She says, if she’d been fired, she’d be embarrassed. It just shows she’s not regretful, and it’s awkward. Hayley asks if Alissa feels like speaking to Camille, but Alissa says, no; she’s done. Camille must feel like it’s her fault she was fired. Camille and Fraser go for a smoke, and Camille tells him that she has no resentment. He says he really likes her, and in his interview, he says he’s pleased she came with an open heart. It’s not easy to tell someone you like them when you’re firing them, and he’s pleased to redo their goodbye. She says she’s going to miss Fraser, and this is what she needed to walk away with her head held high. They all walk back to the boat, and Ben says he’s going to miss Camille. She kisses him, and in his interview, he says, it’s like nothing he’s experienced. He’s head over heels. As she gets into a taxi, he tells her to behave herself,  but she says he knows she doesn’t do that. In his interview, he says he feels his heart sinking. Back at the boat, Ross says he knows Katie’s is disappointed, but he and Fraser can talk HOD to HOD. She tells him, it’s fine, and he says he’s designated a guest cabin for them. They go to it and get busy in the shower. Katie goes back to her room, and in Ross’s interview, he says, there was built up tension between him and Katie that needed to be released. If he could, he’d do it six times day every day, since he’s obviously a sex addict. Ugh a million times.

At some point the next morning, a boat picks the crew up, and there’s a massive bottle of rosé, along with other liquor, and loads of food waiting. Hayley says, this is what life should be like, and everyone checks out Rachel’s tattoo on her back. In her interview, she says, it was nine and a half hours. She likes fish, bright colors, and Asian, so she told them to slap it on, but make it bigger than a tramp stamp; more like a target. Ross says he’s over excelled in the drinking department, and his organs will fail before he’s old. We can only hope. Fraser tells Alissa that she’s second stew, and therefore in charge when he’s not around. At the Pitons, they jump off the boat and swim around, then get in a mini bus. They go to Sulphur Springs Park, where there are mud baths near a potentially active volcano. I pray for one of them to fall in. The director tells them that the mud is an exfoliant, but it’s also 100* F in the baths. In Hayley’s interview, she says she’s got mud in her hair and holes she didn’t know existed. They say it makes you look ten years younger, but she thinks it makes you look like you’re covered in sh*t. Ross starts being inappropriate with Alissa, and in Katie’s interview, she says, he’s blatantly doing it right in front of her. They just had a magical night, and now he’s disrespecting her. In the bus, someone tells Ross not to hump Fraser, and Rachel suggests he not hump anything.

They get back to the boat, and Ross acts like an idiot, hanging upside down from a mast. Katie tried to get him to sit down, but instead, he goes over to the food table, picks up one of the serving spoons, dips it in some rice dish, and eats from it; food falling all over the place from his mouth. It’s beyond disgusting, and my stomach turns. They go to a restaurant, and Ross can barely walk. Why they bring him is beyond me. Katie says he’s beyond drunk, and he orders a rum and Coke. Everyone puts in their drink orders, and he calls the waiter back, ordering a rum and Coke again, which the waiter informs him that he did already. In Tony’s interview, he says, my brother crossed the line with liquor. Ross gets up to have a smoke, and Alissa buttons the bottom of his shirt. In Rachel’s interview, she says, Ross is f***ing hammered, and acting the fool, but she can’t throw stones. We flash back to Rachel’s spontaneous karaoke number when there was no karaoke, and she says, maybe Ross should stop failing humanity and himself. His parents should be proud. Alissa puts a flower in Ross’s hair, and I’m hoping he throws up on her. She says she believes she’s hotter than Katie, and in her interview, she says, Ross is a scumbag, but it’s fun to see everybody squirm. You can’t ruin a relationship that’s not there, and as much as Katie wants to be his wifey, he’s not in the market. I actually think all Katie wants is a boatmance without interference. Ross can barely keep his eyes open when they go back to the table. Katie tells Fraser that Alissa was all over Ross, and it’s embarrassing. He’s being stupid, and she’s an idiot. Ross keeps drinking, and Tony is like, let’s go. In his interview, he says he doesn’t like to see Katie sad, and it’s getting to the point it’s rude. Hayley tells Fraser that she can see why Katie is angry, and Alissa holds Ross’s hand. In Hayley’s interview, she says, Alissa is breaking all the girl codes. If that was her boyfriend, she’d probably chuck them overboard because she’s mental. Alissa says, Ross flirts with her all the time when no one’s around, and in Tyler’s interview, he says he’s only 23, but hopes he has a better moral compass at 38. This is unacceptable. Alissa tells Fraser that Ross has no self-respect, and tells Ross, f*** off.

Next time, Katie says, she’s heard it loud and clear that Ross is a f***boy, and her wall is 100% up; Alissa calls Hayley a gross, dirty bitch; the next primary spent her honeymoon in St. Lucia, and now that she’s divorced, is having a do-over; Captain Sandy thanks Ross for turning Tony around, and gets on Fraser’s case.

⚖️ Why I can’t stand this crew. Ross – well, look at him. He’s a disgusting human being as well as a bad drunk. Katie – I’d actually like her if she wasn’t so stupid. Why on earth would you subject yourself to this kind of treatment? And how embarrassing in front of your crewmates. Hayley – I’d like her if I didn’t have to constantly hear about her self-love proclivities, her hair situation, and whatever other personal crap comes in her head. Fraser seems like a great guy, but his timidity about being a leader is causing his department to fail. I like Rachel, but she’s a chef, and therefore, crazy moody. Too early to tell anything about Tyler, although so far, he seems like a decent human. Tony seems to be too. Alissa – how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. Does this chick need meds or what? She acts like she’s on some moral high ground, then deliberately screws with someone else’s deal. She doesn’t have many good things to say about anyone, and thinks she’s the sh*t. But then she makes a U-turn and cries whenever anyone points out that she might not be perfect. Pick a damn lane. Captain Sandy also seems to be a quality person and captain, but I wish she’d dispense with phrases like, team work makes the dream work and knocking it out of the park. Please, retire that stuff. I also wasn’t thrilled that she couldn’t be bothered to give Captain Lee (who, like LVP, can do no wrong) a call before she fired Camille. As for Camille, lazy AF, but it no longer matters. I don’t know if it’s because Kate is gone or what, but this crew leaves a lot to be desired.

🏡 Bringin’ It On Home…

Join me tomorrow for soap and tea. Until then, stay safe, stay not being like anyone on Deck, and stay accepting that you don’t need to hold on to things or personal mementos to remind you of your loved ones. You don’t need them to hold on to your memories.

Jan28

January 27, 2023 – Terry Gives Willow Another Option, She’s Fine, Paris Meeting, Messy On Deck, Last Return, Early Roll Call, AniPug, Quotes Of Ten & Borderline

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up and asks why Drew is smiling. He  tells her that when she sleeps her nose wrinkles.

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Victor says, give him the latest. Have  they determined the cause of the flooding? A man with a French accent says, the water main under the building burst, and Victor says he’s aware the pipes are old, but it’s inconceivable that they should happen to burst on the very night Valentin and Anna come to retrieve his guest. Have they found  his son? The man says, not yet. Or Miss Devane or Miss Coe. Victor says that’s not the answer he was looking for, and asks, what’s the hold-up? The man says, the adjoining catacombs collapsed; it’s too unstable. Victor says he doesn’t care how dangerous it is. He wants a team down there right now looking for his son.

Martin goes into the elevator, and flashes back to the first time he met Lucy when he was dressed as Santa, and their subsequent romantic encounter. He looks at a photo of her on his phone, and says, my dear sweet Lucy, where are you? The elevator stops, and the door opens. He sees someone there, and says, they’ve been ignoring his calls, which he doesn’t appreciate. Now what the hell… He’s grabbed by the lapels and pulled out.

Victor says he’ll pay triple the rate. His son might be trapped in those catacombs; he could be injured. He sees Alexis sitting at one of the tables in the restaurant. He says, just find him, when Alexis comes over. He asks if she’s having breakfast with her daughters; he’d love to see them. She says, he never gives up, and he says, family is worth every effort. She says she’s sorry to disappoint him, but she’s here to see the mayor, not her children. Victor says, that’s a pity, and excuses himself, going over to the bar. Alexis follows him, and asks how everything is going with Nikolas. He says he assumes she’s referring to his utter and total disappointment in his nephew. Fathering Esme’s child is just… She says, so unseemly. She guesses things are a little tense at Windymere, and he says, they would be. He’s taken a suite here at the MetroCourt. Not that it has anything to do with the conflict with his nephew. She asks, then why? and he says he thought Nikolas would have told her. He’s handed Spoon Island over to Ava as part of the divorce settlement.

Ava is looking at the settlement papers, when Nina comes out. Ava says, Britt’s memorial is today, isn’t it? At General Hospital? Nina says, they’re honoring her work as Co-Chief of Staff. She thinks Britt would really like it. Practicing medicine was important to her. Ava asks how Nina is holding up, and Nina says she’s fine. Her job right now is to be strong for Aunt Liesl, and that’s what she’s going to do. Ava says she was referring to the Willow situation. They haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet. Ava can’t believe it. Willow is Nina’s daughter? Nina says, a fact she wouldn’t know if that bitch Carly had her way.

Michael tells Willow, good morning, and she says, is it morning? It’s always so hard to tell in here. Did he get any sleep? He says, a few hours, and takes her hand. She asks him to promise he won’t let go, and he says he promises.

Ava says, what Carly did was unconscionable, and Nina says, first with Nelle; now it’s Willow. Ava says, to be fair, Carly didn’t know Nelle was Nina’s daughter until after Nelle died. Nina says, and that makes it okay? but Ava says, of course (🍷) not. She’s not defending Carly. Nina says she hopes not, since there is no defense. Of Course (🍷) St. Carly will be forgiven, because she was protecting Willow from evil Nina, who no one would ever want as a mother. And now that she’s not a bone marrow match, there’s no foul, no harm. She knows that’s what Carly is going to say, and people will buy it. She doesn’t care if the whole world forgives Carly; she’s not – ever. She’s not going to rest until that woman pays for what she did to her.

Drew says, it’s so incredible being alone with Carly. Does she have any idea how hard it is pretending to be just friends? She says, really? She thought it was easy. She’d see him across the room, and think, there’s Drew. Whatever. She’s kidding. When she would see him across the room, like at the Quartermaines’ on Christmas, he has no idea how bad she wanted to come across the room and kiss him. He says, if she’s feeling the urge… and kisses her. Wake me when this is over. She thanks him for sticking with her. He had every reason to bail. She’s really glad he didn’t. He says he is too, and she says, any regrets? He says, except for the fact they can’t go public? and she says, it’s so frustrating because the Aurora/ELQ merger didn’t even happen. She doesn’t know why there’s this issue with insider trading. He says he guesses it helps on some level, but someone could still report it to the SEC, and she asks if they can talk about something else. He says, please, and she tells him to start. He says he loves waking up with her, and she says she loves waking up with him. Is there anything else he likes doing with her? He says he can think of a few things, and she says, tell her more. He says he’d rather show her, and they get busy. Zzzzz….

Terry comes into Willow’s room, and asks how she’s doing. Michael says, she’s in some pain, and suggests upping her medication, but Willow says she doesn’t want that. If she gets more medication, she’ll just sleep, and she refuses to waste… She asks if Terry is here to discuss treatment since Nina isn’t a viable bone marrow match, and Terry says, the donor registry could still come through. Michael says, they can’t count on that though, and Terry says she woudn’t advise it. Michael says, so what now? and Terry says, there is another option. As they know, when bone marrow is taken from a donor, stem cells are harvested, and Willow’s body can use those healthy stem cells to fight leukemia. But bone marrow isn’t the only source. They can also find stem cells in cord blood from the umbilical cord and placenta. Willow says, if Terry is talking about taking something away from the baby to help her, the answer is no, and I wonder how she passed nursing school. Michael says, if there’s an option that can save both Willow and their daughter, they need to hear the doctor out.

Alexis finds it hard to believe Nikolas would give up Windymere, and Victor says, perhaps he felt he owed it to Ava for sleeping with his son’s ex-girlfriend. She says, when he puts it that way… It still seems out of character for her nephew. Laura joins them, and says she hopes Victor is happy. Victor says he doesn’t know; is he? She says he’s gone too far this time, and he asks what on earth she’s talking about. She says she was just contacted by the Paris authorities. Valentin is dead. Alexis says, Valentin is dead? and Laura says she’s sorry. A portion of the Paris catacombs collapsed last night. Alexis says, how? Why? Laura says, it flooded when the water main broke. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but they’ve already recovered three bodies. One of them has been identified as Valentin. Alexis says, what about Anna? Wasn’t she traveling with him? Laura says, Martin told her that he saw them leave Ireland together, so yes, and Alexis asks, what about the other body? Laura says, a woman, but she hasn’t been identified yet. Alexis says she can’t believe Valentin is gone, and Laura says, it’s just horrible. All she can think about is Charlotte. She’s going to be completely devastated. Alexis says, and Robin, but Laura says, they don’t know about that yet. As bleak as it may look, there’s always the possibility that Anna survived somehow.

Martin walks through the woods, blindfolded, and asks if it’s necessary. Clearly, he’s cooperating. Robert and Felicia are with him, and Felicia says, it’s best for all of them, him included, if he doesn’t know where they are. Martin says, mission accomplished, and Felicia knocks on the door of a small house. Anna opens the door, and tells them to get inside. She and Felicia hug, and Felicia says, it’s good to see her safe. Anna says, and breathing, and Felicia says, well, there’s that. Robert says, good to see her, and Martin asks if he can please take this thing off. Robert says, so sorry, and undoes the blindfold. Lucy runs out, saying, Marty, Marty, Marty, and throws herself into his arms. He tells her that she’s a sight for weary eyes, and she says, take it all in, and then kiss her this instant. He says, if she insists, and he does. He says, the nightmare is over, but Valentin comes out, and says, not quite. There’s the small matter of his death.

Basking in the afterglow with Drew, Carly says she wants to stay right here forever. Is that too much to ask? He says he’s got to admit, hiding out sounds pretty damn perfect right now, and she says she doesn’t want to go back to the real world. It’s where Willow has cancer, Wiley might lose his mom, and Michael… She sits up, and grabs her phone, saying, she promised Michael that she would take Wiley to visit Willow. Drew says, Michael asking her to bring Wiley is promising that things are going to be okay between them, and she says she’s lucky Michael has a big heart. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Sonny. It’s probably news about Nina. She says, hello?… No… Are they sure?… Okay. Thanks for calling. Drew says, Nina’s not a match? and she says, no. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, Willow is so sick. What if they don’t find a donor in time? She leans back in his arms.

Nina tells Ava that she could strangle Carly for trying to keep her daughter away from her. Who does she think she is? Ava tells her, stop it, and Nina asks if Ava is saying she doesn’t have the right to hate Carly. Ava says, of course (🍷) she does, but Carly isn’t what’s important right now, and Nina says she’s not going to let it go. She can’t let it go. Ava says she knows. Because it’s easier to be angry with Carly that facing the pain and fear of losing another child. Willow is Nina’s daughter, and she’s very sick. Nina says, she can’t save her. She can’t.

Willow says she won’t do anything to jeopardize the baby’s health, and Terry says she understands, but the baby won’t be affected in any way, other than being delivered by C-section a few weeks early. Willow says she knows she agreed to have the baby early to prepare for the marrow transplant, but she was never comfortable; she’s still not. Their daughter will be born when she’s ready. Terry says she’s consulted with Dr. Navarro, and she’s confirmed that this late in the pregnancy, the risks to the baby are minimal. 99% of babies born at this stage not only survive, but thrive, and after the birth, the umbilical cord and placenta are no longer serving a purpose. It’s possible to harvest stem cells from the blood. Michael asks, what’s the success rate of this type of transplant? and Terry says, nothing’s 100%, but it’s the best chance they have. Because the stem cells are coming from Willow’s baby, they only need about half the HLA markers to match, which is less than bone marrow stem cells. Michael says, that’s incredible, and we finally agree on something. It is pretty amazing. Terry says, in her medical opinion, this is by far Willow’s best option. Will she give it a shot?

Robert asks if there’s any reason they needed to bring Martin here, and Valentin says, it was vital. Anna says, otherwise, Lucy would have driven them crazy. Felicia says, when Anna called this morning, saying they brought Lucy back, she doesn’t remember the last time she was so relieved. And Anna’s life as a fugitive is over. Robert asks if they’re forgetting the fact that the PCPD has a videotape of someone looking a lot like Anna putting a bullet in Lucy point blank, and Felicia says, Lucy will just say the shooter wasn’t Anna. Charges dropped, right? Anna says she doesn’t know as she’s ready to reveal herself just yet; not since they’ve gone to the trouble of convincing Victor that Valentin is dead. Robert says, any plan that puts Valentin six feet under is fine with him, and Felicia says, they really need to think about this. There are people other than Victor who will be very upset. Are they willing to have that on their conscience?

Victor asks, who contacted Laura, and why did they call her and not him? Laura says, because Charlotte is Valentin’s next of kin, and Alexis says, poor Charlotte. Victor asks how they know the body is Valentin’s, and Laura tells him not to pretend he cares. He says, of course (🍷) he cares; Valentin is his son. Laura says, who he tried to control by threatening Valentin’s little girl, and Victor says, Charlotte was never in any danger, but Laura says, face it. Victor only values family when it works to his advantage. He says he needs to make some calls, and leaves.

Nina tells Ava that she’s filled with regret; what they missed out on and what could have been. Ava says, stop talking in the past tense. Willow is not gone. There’s still hope. Nina says she was Willow’s hope. She was supposed to be the game changer. Her bone marrow was supposed to save Willow’s life, and then Willow would forgive her and love her, but Willow doesn’t want to be her daughter. She doesn’t want anything to do with Nina. Ava says she’s been there, and knows how much it hurts, and Nina says she can’t breathe. She just feels the pain going through her body with every heartbeat. Now she has to go to the hospital, and say goodbye to her cousin when she knows her daughter is there fighting for her life, and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it. She won’t survive losing Willow. Ava hugs her.

Michael asks what Willow thinks, when Carly peeks in, and asks if it’s a good time. Michael says, of course (🍷). Bring him in. Terry says she’ll give them some time to consider their options, and leaves as Wiley runs in. Michael lifts Wiley onto the bed, telling him to be careful, but Willow says she wants the biggest, strongest hug she can get. She hugs him, and says she’s missed him so much, and he says he’s missed her too.

On the phone, Victor says he wants to know exactly what the Paris police know, down to the last detail. This is unacceptable. His son was never supposed to be harmed. He wants answers and he wants them immediately.

Alexis and Laura sit at a table, and Alexis says, Victor seemed really shaken up. Laura says, did he ever, and Alexis says, well done, Madame Mayor; she was very convincing. Laura says, you this better work.

Anna says, Laura and Alexis know the truth. They brought them in on it. Felicia says, what about Charlotte? Valentin can’t be okay with letting her believe he’s dead. Valentin says, there’s a plan in place. Laura knows exactly what to say to Charlotte. Anna says, and if everything has gone according to plan, Laura should have broken the news to Victor right about now. Robert is sure their illustrious mayor is right on schedule. He laughs, and says, sometimes he just can’t believe that little Laura, on the run from Frank Smith, holding the Cassadines at bay with a machine gun. Now here they are, the epitome of law and order. Felicia says, look who’s talking, Mr. District Attorney, and he says, my, how the mighty have fallen.

In the bedroom, Martin asks Lucy to swear to him she’s all right, and she says she’s fine. He says, they didn’t hurt her or touch her in any way? and she slips off his jacket, asking if she doesn’t feel all right. He says she feels incredible, and kisses her. He says, still, it had to be awful being Victor’s prisoner, and she says she did spend every minute of every hour of every day praying to get out of there, and did manage to concoct a few escape plans. He says, that’s his girl, and she says, surprisingly, physically they treated her okay… except for the part where she was chained in the basement. Literally. She thinks it was all part of the plan to get Anna and Valentin… He says he could just kill that smug son of a bitch, and she says, the worst part, she actually had to swim through the catacombs, and it was disgusting and icky. Okay. Deep breath. She breathes, and says, that is all in the past, and she’s back and home safe with him. He kisses her, and says, yes, she is. He  thanks God for that, but watching her get shot, that drone footage… She says she knows, and rubber bullets are really not rubbery, but they hurt. He says, it’s not funny. It was one of the worst moments of his life. She says, her poor baby. She’s so sorry he had to go through all of this. He asks if it’s just him, or does this not feel real? She says, it’s real, and she knows just how to convince him. They get busy.

Ava says, Nina has to hold on to hope, and Nina asks if there is any. Ava says, of course (🍷) there is. As long as Willow is alive, there’s always a chance to reconcile, but Nina says, if she beats this cancer, the possibilities of that are remote. Ava says, look at it this way. Nina’s feelings changed the second she learned Willow was her daughter. She immediately saw Willow in a different light. Nina says, but that wasn’t the case for Willow. She’s made that abundantly clear. Ava says, still early days, and Nina says, she tried to remember the first time she saw Willow – it may have been the park or the classroom – when she was only Miss Tate, and giving Charlotte a hard time. She couldn’t stand Willow. Ava says, because Nina thought Willow was picking on her kid, and Nina says, turns out Willow was her kid too. It makes sense that they didn’t get along; Willow is a lot like her, never running from a fight. Willow’s always been really strong. Ava says, now it’s Nina’s turn. Don’t let Willow push her away. Nina asks what Ava wants her to do. Should she force herself into Willow’s hospital room? Ava says, that might be going a little too far, and Nina says, Ava is a really good friend. Ava says, don’t give up, and Nina says, no giving up. Ava says, that’s more like it, and they shake pinkies.

Willow talks bagels with Wiley, and he asks when she’s coming home. She says she’s not exactly sure, but the second the doctors say she can, she’s running straight to the gatehouse. He says, in a hospital gown? and she says, if she has too. Carly says she’d like to see that, and Michael says, him too. Carly takes a handmade card out of her purse, and tells Wiley to give mommy the card he made her. Willow opens it, and it says Get Well Mommy on the inside. She says, he didn’t make this, but he says he did. She says, these pictures are amazing. They must have been drawn by a professional artist. He says he’s the artist, and she says she loves it. Michael and Carly slip out of the room, and Willow says she’s putting the card next to her pillow, so it’s the first thing she sees when she wakes up. In the hallway, Michael thanks Carly for bringing Wiley, and she says, seeing Willow’s face light up when she saw him was everything. He says, it means the world to Willow, and she says, it meant the world to her that he asked. She hopes this means they’re okay. He says, they are… At least they will be eventually. She asks what Terry had to say, and he tells her, it was actually good news. There may be a way to save Willow.

Alexis says she was relieved to get Laura’s call this morning; she was starting to lose hope. Laura says she was too, but it’s true. Anna, Valentin, and Lucy are safe, and back in the U.S. Alexis says, good, and asks if she thinks Valentin’s supposed death will hold up under Victor’s scrutiny. Laura says, she thinks so; at least in the short term. She thanks Alexis for her help, and Alexis says, The Invader will print an official story that the French authorities say Valentin was caught in an underground flood in Paris. He’s been declared dead. Laura says, excellent. She has to get going. Britt Westbourne’s memorial is going to start very soon. Alexis says she’s so sorry. What happened to Britt is tragic. Laura says, she did die a hero, and Alexis says, if only all of them could say the same thing. Laura says, they’re good? and Alexis says she’s got it from here. Laura thanks her, and leaves.

Lucy comes up for air, and says she has to tell Martin something.  You know how they say when you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes? He says, it must have taken a while, and she smacks his arm. He says, that’s not what he meant; she’s the definition of ageless beauty. He was thinking his Lucy is a woman who’s lived one heck of a life. Lucy says she sure has, and he says he loves that about her. She lives each day to the fullest and then some. She says, her last conscious thought before she hit the water was that she didn’t want it to be over, and he has a lot to do with that. There’s so much she still wants to do, and there’s so much life left to live. She’d kind of like it if he’d do it with her, and be by her side. He kisses her, and thanks her for coming back to him. She says, any time, and he says he means it. He doesn’t know what he would have done if she hadn’t. She says, he knows she would never, ever let Victor Cassadine get the best of her. Never. He kisses her.

Anna asks if Robert has heard from Holly, and he says, no, but he doesn’t expect to. At least not until she finds Ethan. She asks, what about those pieces of the Ice Princess that Victor was looking for? and he says, Victor thinks that was destroyed in the explosion. She says, they’re getting closer and closer to Victor paying for what he’s done to Luke.

Felicia says, it’s good to have the gang back together, isn’t it? and Valentin asks if he’s part of the gang. She says, he did okay in Paris. He managed not to slow Anna down. He says, that’s high praise, and she says, how about this? As long as Anna trusts him, she’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But the second he steps out of line… He says, message received.

Carly tells Michael, this is incredible. It’s the answer they’ve been looking for. He tells her not to get too excited; Willow hasn’t agreed to it yet. Carly asks, why woudn’t she? and he says, Carly has seen how protective Willow is over the baby; she’s going to say no. Carly says, that’s insane. They have to convince her to do this. He says he’ll do his best, but ultimately, it’s Willow’s decision. They go back into Willow’s room, and Wiley is saying, okay, baby, it’s time to come out. We’re ready for you. Willow says, Wiley’s right; it’s time. They’d better call Dr. Navarro. They’re having a baby. He kisses her, and says he loves her. She says she loves him too, and he asks if Wiley is excited.

Victor looks at his phone, and Alexis says she’s sorry to intrude. Has he been able to find out anything? He says, not yet, and she sits down. She says, it’s absolutely unfathomable that Valentin is gone. They got off to a rocky start, but they ended up in a good place. She so sorry for his loss. He says, don’t be. Screw these reports. He refuses to believe his son is dead.

On the phone, Valentin thanks Laura, and says he’ll pass along that update. He tells the others, Victor bought it, and Anna says, that’s great. Felicia says, they finally have him off-balance, and Robert asks, what’s the next part of the plan? Anna says, they exploit Victor’s guilt. Maybe he’ll admit to something in his grief stricken state. Robert says, ramp up the pressure, and Valentin says, big time. Anna says, ideas? and Felicia says, don’t worry. She’s got plenty.

Carly cries in the hallway, and Drew sees her. He asks if Willow had a setback, but she says, just the opposite. She thinks Willow’s going to be okay. He says, that’s incredible, and they hug. Nina walks out, sees them, and moonwalks back out of sight.

On the phone, Ava tells Demetrius that she wants Nikolas out of Windymere by tomorrow… No, this is not a negotiation. The house is hers; she wants him out… Good… No. She doesn’t plan on moving in right away. She’s staying here for the time being.

A nurse tells Michael that she’ll have Terry paged right away, and Wiley asks if she has any apple juice, confusing the nurse with a waitress. Michael says, sorry about that, but the nurse says, no problem, and tells Wiley that she thinks they can scrounge up some juice. He asks what scrounge means, and she says, let’s find out. They leave, and Michael says, Willow means it? She’s going through with the cord blood transplant? She says, yes. She’s going to trust the doctors that their daughter won’t be hurt. He says, she won’t. She’s strong just like her mother. Willow says she can’t wait to meet her, and he says, neither can he, and someday they can tell her how she saved her mother’s life.

On Monday, Curtis says, this is great news, and Marshall says, but what if it isn’t; Stella has a surprise for the bride-to-be; and Nina says, aren’t you two cozy.

🗽 Sure She Is…

The more she keeps saying how happy she is, the less I think that’s the case.

Ramona Singer Dishes On Retirement From The Real Housewives Of New York City; Says She’s “Never Been Happier”

💎 Allez les Filles…

Maybe they were celebrating LisaR making her exit.

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Star Sutton Stracke Hangs Out With Lisa Vanderpump In Paris

⚓️ Out Like a Lamb…

I’m with Captain Lee on this one. All she had to do was give him a quick call, which she apparently had time to do after the fact.

Below Deck’s Captain Lee Calls Out Captain Sandy for Not Informing Him of Camille’s Firing, Suggests She Lacks “Respect” as Fans React

Passive aggressive much?

Captain Sandy Yawn Seemingly Responds to Captain Lee Criticizing Her For “Lack of Procedure and Respect” Following Camille Lamb Firing

While we’re at it, none of these people are a prize.

The Below Deck Mid-Season Trailer Is Here!

🤯 Already…

They didn’t waste any time. I’m not surprised. It’s very engaging, and the creatures are pretty cool.

The Last of Us Renewed for Season 2

🥀 Dropping Like Flies…

Already the roll call is forming.

https://www.distractify.com/p/lance-kerwin-cause-of-death

https://ew.com/celebrity/stars-we-lost-in-2023-celebrity-deaths/

🐶 Double the Doug…

If anyone deserves it, Doug does.

https://people.com/pets/doug-the-pug-working-on-animated-show/

🎬 Quotes of the Week

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once. – Albert Einstein

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Indian Proverb

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. – Oscar Wilde

Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. – John Kenneth Galbraith

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. – Henry Ford

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. – Vince Lombardi

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity… successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results. – DuPree Jordan, Jr. (Getting out my tiara…)

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to do to maintain the life you’ve created. – Judge Lynn Toler, explaining to a man why he has to work to feed his children (sigh)

Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve. – Erich Fromm

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

☁️ In the Cloud…

If you’re still hanging in with me, hang out on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s happening on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay resilient, and stay not sleeping with your son’s ex-girlfriend. It’s unseemly.

Jan27

January 26, 2023 – Nina Gets the Lab Results, a Thought, Heartfelt Tribute, Looking Ahead, How She Wants, About That Black Eye, Golden Pets (!) & Looks Like

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny tells Nina that she has to eat, and she slices some cheese from the platter in front of her. She says, it’s no use. She can’t sit here waiting for the results of her bloodwork. Not when her daughter’s life depends on her. She picks up her phone, but he tells her, it’s all going to work out. She says she appreciates him trying to distract her, but she needs to get to the hospital right now. Nina goes into bedroom, when there’s a knock at the door. Sonny lets Sasha in, and tells her that Nina will be out shortly. Nina comes out, and asks what Sasha’s doing here, and Sasha says, someone told her that Nina could use a friend. Nina looks at Sonny, and he smiles.

Willow puts down the Crimson magazine she’s reading, and tells Michael, the good news is, pashminas are still in style for 2023. All is right with the world. He says, talk to him, and she says, this waiting is torture. She’s scared. He says he’s scared too.

Brook yells for someone to hold the elevator, and Ned puts his hand on the door. She asks him what he’s doing at the hospital.

At The Savoy, Selina tells N’neka to add Cody’s drink to her tab. He says, generous, and she says, he was very effective in the game tonight. He says, that’s what she pays him for, and she says, money well spent. She wasn’t sure he would show given recent events; her condolences. He asks why the murder of his almost girlfriend would keep him from fulfilling his obligations, when Felicia and Mac walk in. Felicia asks if they should grab a table. He sees Cody with Selina, and says, he warned Cody about that woman. She asks why he cares what happens to Cody.

Nikolas approaches Ava at the MetroCourt bar, and she tells him, please don’t ruin the moment. She’s unwinding from the day. What does he want? He says he’s here because of what she wants. He puts a manila envelope on the bar, and says, the divorce settlement agreement. Congratulations. She’s getting everything she asked for, and he’s losing the one thing he treasures.

Trina says, Spencer’s father might not be the best option to raise the baby, but he’s the only option. Spencer says, not necessarily. What about him? She says she’s sure he’ll be a good father someday in the far off future, and he says, what if the future wasn’t so distant? She asks if he’s saying his father may not be able to raise the baby, and he says he’s planning on making sure of it. He’s going for custody.

Carly says she just came to check on Wiley, but Drew says, she just missed him. He went up to the main house with Olivia for a sleepover. She says, perfect distraction for him, and Drew says he just stuck around to lock up. Carly says she’ll leave him to it, but he tells her, don’t go.

Nina asks if Sonny told Sasha, and Sasha says, Sonny was kind enough to invite her over, but it was Willow who told her. Nina asks what Willow said about her. It’s okay; Sasha doesn’t have to spare her feelings. Sasha says, Willow is reeling, same as Nina. Sasha thinks they’re both struggling to reconcile their history with the news their mother and daughter. Sonny tells them to talk; he has to make a phone call. He goes in the bedroom, and Sasha asks if she’s keeping Nina from leaving. It looked like she was going somewhere. Nina says she was going to GH. She had a test to determine if she was a bone marrow match for Willow, and there’s a chance the lab will have the results tonight. Sasha says, the odds are really good Nina is a match, right? and Nina says, a sibling is the best match, but Nelle is gone. Sasha says, let’s hope you’re a match, and Nina says she doesn’t want to think about what will happen if she’s not.

Brook asks Ned to promise her one thing; be nice. He says he’s always nice, and she says, be nicer.

Ava says, Nikolas gave her everything she asked for; Spoon Island and everything on it. He says, Windymere and all the contents in it. She left him with nothing. Not even his pride. She says, welcome to her world. the whole city knows he knocked up a girl who can’t even legally drink this martini. He says, it wasn’t his plan, and she says, it’s never his fault, is it? He lost his son, his wife, his house. He says he’s owning his mistakes, starting with the document in front of her. He gave her everything without a fight. She says, it’s easier to own your mistakes when your hand’s being forced, isn’t it? He’s so weak. She can’t believe there was time she didn’t see it. He says, she saw him and loved him regardless, just like he saw her. They beat the odds again and again. After everything they survived, can she really say the love is gone?

Trina says, Spencer is going to try to get full custody of his baby brother or sister? What about his father? What about Esme? He says, Esme doesn’t know how to parent a child. She doesn’t even know who she is. Trina says, she might remember, and Spencer says, that’s even worse. Neither of this baby’s parents are moral, upstanding citizens; far from it. She says, neither is he, and he says, his father has a proven history of selfishness, amorality, and neglect. Diane Miller thinks he may have a chance. She says, it sounds like he has his mind made up, and he says he wants to do whatever it takes to protect this baby.

Mac stares at Selina and Cody, and Felicia says, he’s looking at them again. She knows him. He cares about Cody. He says, he’s Dominique’s son. She’d want him to look after Cody, whether Cody was his or not. She says, he can’t kid a kidder. He’s such a good man, and there’s always room in his heart for more. She’s not just talking about Robin and the girls, but all those rookies who he took under his wing on the force; giving them guidance and counsel. She knows how much Dante appreciates him; Cody might too. He says, Cody’s made it clear that he’s not interested in that. He just wants to make sure Cody doesn’t get mixed up with the wrong people, and Selina Wu is definitely the wrong people.

Cody says he knows Selina wasn’t a fan of Britt, but she says, she and Dr. Westbourne came to an understanding. Her nephew’s quite devastated by Britt’s loss, as she’s sure Cody is. She has sympathy for those grieving. He says he’s sure she’s all choked up, and she says, people express emotions in different ways. She excuses herself, and walks over to where Gladys is sitting. She says, if it isn’t her old friend Gladys.

Carly wonders if Wiley asked about his mom, and Drew says, there were questions. It was kind of tricky. He didn’t want to say more than Michael and Willow wanted him to share, but Wiley’s a smart kid. He did the best he could. She says she’s sure he did great. It’s a fine line. It’s tough to know what to tell him at this age. He says, it’s a delicate balance for sure. Ultimately, honesty is the way to go. She says she really thought she was protecting Willow. She knows Sonny and Nina want to believe she was hellbent on revenge against Nina. Drew came to her defense earlier with Sonny, but other than that, he’s been really quiet on the subject. What does he think?

Trina tells Spencer, if anyone knows what an incredible lawyer Diane is, it’s her, but his dad has plenty of resources. He’s not going to give up custody of his child without a fight. Spencer says he knows, but he has a secret weapon. Ava agrees with him; she’s going to help. Trina says, he’s telling her that Ava supports this? and he says, yes. For the first time they’re in agreement; neither his father nor Esme are fit to parent this child. Trina says, that’s really something, and he asks if Trina’s surprised that he and Ava agree, or does she not agree? She says, it’s not really her place to weigh in, but he says he’s asking because he’s curious what her thoughts are, and her opinion matters to him. She says, since he asked, she doesn’t think he’s ready to be a father.

Mac and Felicia approach Cody, and Mac asks how it’s going. Cody says, date night? but Felicia says, just unwinding. Mac says, sorry to hear about Britt. How’s he doing? Cody says he’s hanging in, and thanks Mac. He says, it’s strange to have people ask how he’s doing. He and Britt didn’t really know each other that long. Felicia says, that doesn’t mean Cody didn’t care about her, and Cody says he did. He thanks Mac for sending Felicia to tell him, and Mac says he thought it might soften the blow. Cody says, Mac thought right, and he appreciates it. Mac says, hearing you lost someone is hard. Living with it is even harder.

Gladys says she knows she should have come to Selina immediately after the game, but she had to run to the restroom and collect herself. Selina says, tough night, huh? and Gladys says, win some, lose some. Selina says, seems like Gladys is losing more and more, and it’s time to cover her debts.

Nina tells Sasha that she feels like the rug keeps getting pulled out from underneath her. First she had to let go of the idea Sasha was her daughter, but thank God they’re friends now. Then she found out Nelle was her daughter after she died, and Willow is her child, but she might be too late to have a relationship with her. Sasha tells her not to say, it’s too late, but Nina says, Willow hates her. Sasha says, Willow is alive, and so is Nina. It’s not too late. Show up for Willow the way she showed up for her. Show her the Nina that Sasha grew to love. And no matter how long or short the time together, it’s precious, and it’s so worth it. Nina says she wants that with all her heart, but Willow’s made it very, very clear she doesn’t. Sonny comes in, and Nina says, Willow and Michael seem hellbent on punishing her… and Sonny.

Brook gives Willow some flowers, and says she hopes Willow likes them. Ned says, they won’t stay long. He’s sure she’s had lots of visitors. Willow says, everyone has been incredibly kind. Chase and Sasha stopped by earlier. She tells Brook, sorry, and Brook says, for what? Ned asks if anyone wants anything from the cafeteria, Michael says he’ll join Ned, and they leave without waiting for an answer. Brook sits next to the bed, and says, they can sure clear out a room. Willow says she didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject, but Brook says, it’s fine. Willow asks how Brook is coping with the break-up, and Brook says, great… mostly.

Michael thanks Ned for coming, and Ned says, they love Willow, but he didn’t come here just for her.

Drew says, Carly doesn’t have to explain. She was trying to protect Willow. She didn’t think Willow would want to know Nina was her mother. Carly says, but it wasn’t her secret to keep. She told Willow and Michael how sorry she is. He says, it’s good to make almonds amends, and she says, but there’s another apology she owes, and that’s to him. She should have said it sooner. She’s so sorry she went behind his back and lied to him, because the last thing she wants is for him not to trust her. He thanks her, and she says, if the circumstances were different, and Willow’s life wasn’t on the line, she doesn’t know if she’d regret keeping the truth from Nina. She’s still processing all the pain Nina caused her family, especially Michael and Willow. He says he never thought she was obligated to tell Nina; that was always Willow’s call to make. She says she sees that now, and she’s so grateful Willow has forgiven her. She’s just wondering, hoping, can he?

Sonny says, Willow may change her mind and Michael may still want to take him down, but Willow did ask him if he’d reconcile with Michael, and Nina says, he didn’t tell her that. He says, a lot was going on, but he thinks the situation has motivated Willow to make almonds amends. Sasha says, if Willow thinks Michael and Sonny can reconnect, there’s hope Willow can do the same with Nina. Maybe things are falling into perspective for her. Nina says, especially if she can give Willow the bone marrow she needs. She wants to show Willow that she’ll do anything for her, and Sasha says, of course (🍷) she will. Nina’s phone rings, and Nina says, it’s the lab. She answers, thanking them for getting back to her.

Brook says she and Chase are in a better place these days, and Willow says, that’s good to know, even if it’s not what she asked. How does Brook feel? Brook says, only Willow would be in a hospital bed asking how someone else is doing, and Willow says, Chase is a hard man to forget. Brook says, impossible. What does she do? Should she hold out hope, or just move on? Willow says, so much of her life these days is about holding out hope, keeping the faith, believing the impossible is possible. Brook says, her situation is different. Her and Chase’s relationship isn’t life or death. Willow says, feels that way though, huh? She puts her hand on Brook’s, and says, if Brook can’t picture her life without Chase, don’t give up. Miracles happen every day.

Ned says he knows things are tense between him and Michael, but he doesn’t like them being at odds. Michael says, none of that matters now, and Ned says, agreed. What’s important is seeing Michael and Willow through this, which is why he’s here. Because no matter what happens in business, they’re first, foremost, and forever family.

Felicia suggests Cody join her and Mac, but Cody says he should be hitting the hay; it was a long night. Mac asks what Cody’s been doing these days, and Cody says, this and that. Anything to keep his mind off of… they know. Felicia asks if they’ll see him at Britt’s memorial tomorrow.

Gladys says she knows her assets aren’t very liquid at the moment, but if Selina will stake her again, she’ll break this losing streak. Selina says, Gladys has exhausted her line of credit. She owes the house $175,000. Gladys says, a hundred and seventy-five grand? Is Selina sure? Selina says, very sure; she’s got an MBA in finance. When can she expect payment?

Ava tells Nikolas that she holds their love in the same esteem he held her dignity. She looks through the papers, and he asks if everything is in order. She says, seems so. What’s the catch? He says, there’s no catch. He just wants to do right by her. She says, no counter? Nothing he wants from her? He says, just one thing, and she says, of course (🍷). He’s forgetting she owes him nothing; he owes her. He says he grants her that, but since she seems to prefer going to his Uncle Victor these days, this might be the one last time he gets to speak to her directly. She says, unless he can tell her that he really didn’t sleep with Esme and Elizabeth, there isn’t much to talk about, and he says, things aren’t exactly as they seem.

Trina says she doesn’t think Spencer is really equipped for this. Financially, maybe, but emotionally? Raising a child takes an insane amount of responsibility, more than they can imagine. He says, his Uncle Sonny said something similar, but how is he supposed to become a more responsible person without taking on more responsibility? She says, he’d be learning at the expense of the baby, and he says, that is literally how all first time parents learn. She asks if he’s thought about what this will do with his social life. He’s still young. Being an insta-father will affect his friendships and put a definite crimp in his future relationships. He asks if she’s saying people won’t want to be his friend or be his girlfriend if he’s raising a baby, and she tells him, she’s not saying it’s one way or the other; some might. He says, what about her? Would she want to be with a man who’s raising a baby? She says she woudn’t know the answer to that. She’d have to be in the situation. He says, what about the situation she’s in with him? Is him going after custody of this child going to impact whatever it is that’s going on between them? She asks what he means, and he says, he means what they’ve been doing. They’re trying to catch the killer by pretending to be friends, potentially more. She says, it worked, didn’t it? Esme showed up, and now she’s locked away. She may not be the killer… He asks what she’s feeling though. Are they playing the game, or is the game playing them? Be real. They’re hanging out, there’s no cameras around. They text each other constantly, but they don’t publicize it. It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes effort for pretense, doesn’t she think? She says, it may not just be play acting for her.

Cody says he hasn’t decided about the memorial, and Felicia says, it may be helpful for closure. He says he’s not sure he really believes in closure, and Mac says, Felicia means, facing what you’re feeling sometimes sets you free. Cody says, sometimes it just reminds you of all the ways you screwed up. He tells them to have a nice evening, and goes to the bar.

Gladys says she doesn’t have that kind of cash on hand, and Selina says, then they have a problem. Gladys says, what about instead of cash, Selina takes her son’s garage, and Selina asks if she’s the owner of the property. Cody listens from the bar, and Gladys says, depends on what she means by owner.

Drew says, everybody makes mistakes, but Carly says, not him; he’s damn near perfect. He says he makes mistakes all the time. He used to blow through town with a chip on his shoulder. All anybody can hope for is forgiveness and the chance to make things right. She says, that’s all she wants. She just wants to make this right somehow. He says, she did the right thing by telling Nina and urging her to get tested. Maybe it will make the difference. Carly says she prays it does, but what about them? Where do they stand? He says he can’t do this again. He knows he seems like an easygoing guy, but he’s got limits. She says she understands, and she’s really sorry. She heads for the door, and he says, in the future, they can’t lie to each other anymore. She says, you said future, and he says he wants one with her. He can’t promise it’s going to be easy. She says she’s willing to try, and he says he’s ready and willing and able, and they kiss. She asks him to come home with her. Ugh. Why does Carly never have any consequences for her actions?

Gladys says, technically, the garage belongs to her daughter-in-law, but they’re in the process of selling it, so she’ll just cut out the middleman and sign it over to Selina. Sonny says, it’s worth a pretty penny. Selina says, her daughter-in-law will consent to this? and Gladys says she has the power to make these decisions for her. Cody flashes back to Sasha telling him about the guardianship, and recognizing the name Gladys. Gladys says, her daughter-in-law will be fine with this, especially when she wins it back. Do they have a deal? She holds out her hand, and Selina shakes it as Cody watches.

Going into Willow’s room, Nina says, sorry. She didn’t mean to disrupt Willow’s visit with Brook, but she thought Willow would want to know tonight. The lab called her. The results of her bloodwork are in. Willow says, and? and Nina says she’s not a match. Despite their familial DNA, she doesn’t have the right markers to be Willow’s donor. She’s so sorry. She thought she’d be able to end this nightmare for Willow. Willow says she’s not sure anyone can, and turns on her side, away from Nina. Nina almost touches Willow to comfort her, but thinks better of it.

Michael says, after all that, Nina isn’t even a match? but Sasha says, they can’t give up hope. Sonny says he’s sorry, but it’s going to be fine.

Nikolas says he knows he hurt Ava. He betrayed their trust and destroyed their marriage. He’s going to have to live with that. One day she’s going to realize their marriage was undermined by outside sources. She says, sources whose names both begin with the letter E? but he says, she’s got it wrong. Once the truth is known, he’s confident she’ll feel differently. She asks what he means, and he tells her, all he can say is, there’s more to this story. He knows he hasn’t given her any reason to believe him, but he loved her, and he still does, with all his heart. So take everything he has, and one day, all those possessions he’s granted her will be theirs again. They’re going to be married and living in Windymere, and they’ll be in love, in lust, and happy. She asks how he can be sure, and he says, because their story isn’t over. One day she’s going to realize all the sacrifices he made, and when that day comes, he’ll be waiting for her.

Trina says, for the last few weeks, she’s started to see Spencer in a certain light, and he says, same here. Why didn’t she say anything? She says, because he burned her, and she’s a little sensitive. He says, fair enough. He hopes she knows he’s never going to hurt her again, and she says she does, which is why she told her mom how she really feels about him. He asks how she took it, and Trina says, her mother was concerned, but she told her that Spencer has grown up; he’s changed. He says, it’s very nice of her to have noticed, and she says she told her mom she can make her own choices when it comes to him; that he’s her friend, and her mother doesn’t have a decision in the matter. So they don’t have to pretend anymore or hide their friendship. He says, friends, and she tells him that she knows she said they weren’t friends, but she was just really hurt. So much has changed, and he’s really been there for her. He says, trusty and steadfast, like a Golden Retriever. She says, not quite; dogs are obedient. She really hopes he feels the same way, and he says, she has no idea.

Carly and Drew walk into her bedroom, and she says she’s wanted this for months. He says, him too, and she says, part of her wanted to guard her heart; play it safe, so she didn’t risk the pain of losing him. But a part of her knew she couldn’t waste this chance. He says he knows her. She’s not afraid to take a chance, and neither is he. They start to get busy.

Spencer says he hopes a baby doesn’t change things between them. By that, he means Joss and Cam, him, and Trina. She says, her too, and he asks her to do him a favor and keep everything he told her confidential. He thinks Diane wants him to keep things quiet for now. She says, of course (🍷). So he’s determined to do this. He says, with or without anyone’s approval, but it would mean the world to him to have her support. She says she does have her reservations about him taking on this level of responsibility, but she’s proud of him for stepping up. He thanks her, and says, she hasn’t seen anything yet, but she will. He’s not like his father. When he makes a committeemen to someone, he sticks to it. And he’s ready to do just that.

Carly and Drew continue to get busy, and there’s a musical interlude.

Brook and Sasha sit on a bench, and Brook says, Willow was in such good spirits. They were teasing each other like always, now this. Sasha says, it’s more than one person should have to bear, and Brook wonders why devastating things are happening to all the good people in her life. They both cry, and Sasha says, Willow has so much to live for. She has so many people who love and support her. Brook says, Chase has to be updated, and Sasha says, it’s going to kill him. They both say, I should call him.

Cody says, the woman Selina was talking to just now, the one he took to the cleaners tonight, what’s her last name? Selina wonders why he asks, and he says he thinks he and Gladys might have a mutual acquaintance. If so, he’d like to keep his distance. Selina says, Corbin, Gladys Corbin. She’s also involved with Deception. She walks away, and Cody says, so it would seem.

Ava says, for a minute there, Nikolas almost had her; she almost believed him. She gets off the barstool, and says she nearly fell for his lies again. But believe her when she tells him, she’ll never let that happen again. She takes her wedding set off, puts it on the bar, and leaves.

Michael goes into Willow’s room, and she says, he heard? He says he did, and she says, that’s it. They’re out of options. He gets in the bed next to her, putting his arm around her, and says, she’s wrong. They can do this. They can find her a donor. She asks, how?

Nina runs out of the hospital, as Sonny follows. She drops something from her purse, then throws the purse down, yelling, damn it! He holds her, and says, tell him what she needs. She says she won’t survive losing another child.

Tomorrow, Felicia asks if Robert is willing to have that on his conscience; Victor says he wants answers, and wants them immediately; and Nina tells Ava that she’s not going to rest until that woman pays for what she did.

💡 Hmm… I wonder if it’s Sonny who’s going to be the match?

🥀 Forever Her Fan…

A lovely farewell from Tony Geary.

Anthony Geary Pays Heartfelt Tribute to the Late Sonya Eddy

🎱 Magic Eightball Says…

Looking toward the year to come.

GH Faves Look Ahead To 2023

🤰🏼 Doing It Her Way…

She’ll have that kid fetching her drinks in no time.

https://people.com/parents/pregnant-kate-chastain-on-raising-her-baby-solo-ill-be-able-to-do-this-exactly-how-i-want/

🧂 She Knows Nothing…

It’s funny how there are never cameras around when you really need them.

https://people.com/tv/rhoslc-heather-gay-admits-truth-about-black-eye/

🦔 Winning Companions…

I don’t know as I’d give a chimpanzee whiskey. Especially after seeing Nope.

https://celebritypets.net/the-2023-golden-globe-award-winners-and-their-pets/

🎣 Gone Ice Fishing…

Pop in tomorrow for soap, tea, quotable quotes, and a better musical interlude than GH came up with. Until then, stay safe, stay being as decent a human being as you can, and stay facing what you’re feeling. It sometimes sets you free. Or reminds you of all the ways you screwed up. Take a chance.

Jan24

January 23, 2023 – Cameron Confronts Josslyn About Dex, One Less Stew On Deck & Miss

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer comes into the penthouse on the phone, saying, he needs three bedrooms. Actually, make if four; three’s sounding cramped… Two car garage?… A wine cellar is preferable, but not essential… Tomorrow… No, this can’t wait… Thank you in advance. Sonny asks what that was about, and Spencer says, it was a realtor. He needs to find a house. Asap. Sonny says he told Spencer that he could stay with him, and Spencer says he appreciates that, but doesn’t think it will look very good in court. Sonny asks what he did now, and Spencer says he didn’t do anything. It’s what he’s going to do.

Nikolas is looking at his divorce settlement, when Laura comes in. He asks, what brings her by? and she says, he invited her. He says he did, and she hugs him, saying, he’s really distracted. Did something just happen?

Esme reaches for a puzzle piece, and an inmate says, girl, you’re sitting in my seat. She puts her hands on Esme’s shoulders, and Esme says she’s sorry. She didn’t know the seat was hers. The woman says she can’t stand people like Esme. People like her think they’re entitled. Esme tells her, she said she was sorry. She had no way of knowing the seat was hers. She looks at the guard, and the woman says, she doesn’t want to do that.

Elizabeth asks what her mom is doing at Kelly’s, and Carolyn says she came in for some coffee. Elizabeth says, in Port Charles? She made it clear to dad that she didn’t want to see either one of them. Carolyn says she’s in town to consult on a psychiatric patient, and Elizabeth says, she’s here for work? Carolyn says, yes and no. She’s hoping to reunite with her daughter.

Dante comes home, and asks, where are the kids? Sam says, they’re on a sleepover with Leo, and Dante kisses her, asking if that means they have time to themselves… Dammit. He has to work tonight. He has to see Heather Webber at Spring Ridge. Sam says, the timing is perfect, and he asks how that can be. She says, because she’s coming with him.

Austin asks what Mason has done, and Mason says, take it easy. He told Austin, he just offered little Georgie a treat. She turned him down though. Either she doesn’t like lollipops, or she’s been warned against strangers. The thing is, he’s not going to be a stranger when he sees her again. Little kids can be so trusting. Austin says, he wouldn’t dare, and Mason says, then don’t make him. Austin grabs Mason by the lapels, when Ava walks in. Austin releases Mason, and Ava asks if she’s interrupting. Austin says, not at all. Can he help her with something? She says, the he told her to come by, and he says, the referral. He’s so sorry. He goes to his desk, and Ava asks if she knows Mason. He looks so familiar. Mason says he’s Austin’s cousin. He comes to visit every now and then. She says she’s having the strongest sense of déjà vu right now… She remembers. Mason was there when she was attacked.

Josslyn asks what Cameron is doing here, and Cameron says, looks like he’s interrupting. So is that it? Josslyn is with Dex now? Is he the reason they broke up? He’s out of here. Josslyn follows him, and asks if they can not do this in the hall. Please. Cameron goes in her room, and Dex says he’s sorry, but Cameron says, Dex is loving this. Dex says, trust him, he’s not, and Cameron says, they were probably laughing their asses off about how clueless they think he is. Josslyn asks if he really thinks she’d do that, but he says he doesn’t know. He didn’t think she’d dump him, and he sure as hell didn’t expect opening the door to another man tonight, so he guesses he doesn’t know what she’s capable of. What is he even doing here? Screw them both. He tells Dex to get out of his way, and heads for the door. Josslyn follows him, and stands in front of the door, saying, please.

Carolyn asks if they can sit. Please. Elizabeth sits back down, and Carolyn asks how she’s doing. Elizabeth asks if Carolyn means, now that she knows the truth, and Carolyn says she knows it’s a lot to process. Elizabeth says, finding out she’s indirectly responsible for someone’s death? Yeah, it is. Carolyn says, Elizabeth has had to process a lot of trauma. Maybe talking can help her contextualize… Elizabeth says, Carolyn is talking like a shrink, and she’s not Elizabeth’s doctor. She doesn’t get to help Elizabeth pick up the pieces, not when she’s the one who messed with Elizabeth’s head. Carolyn says she knows Elizabeth is angry. She’s here, whatever it is Elizabeth needs to say to her. Elizabeth asks why she stayed with dad.

Dante says, Sam wants to see Heather? but Sam says, God no. If she never sees that psycho again, it will be too soon. She wants to talk to Esme Prince. Dante asks, why? and she says, because of Esme’s old nanny, Maggie Fitzgerald. Spencer said Maggie was the only one Esme could count on, so she was hoping hearing Maggie’s name might jog her memory. He says he’s guessing she wants to find out something more specific, and she says, Spencer told her that Maggie had information on Esme’s biological parents. According to Spencer, Maggie wrote something in a letter implying Esme’s birth father was somewhere in New York state, possibly in Port Charles. Which means… He says, she might have made contact with her father? and Sam says, maybe he’s the overprotective sort. What if he’s behind The Hook attacks? Dante says, given The Hook is a woman, her theory is, maybe he hired this woman to get revenge on Esme’s enemies? She says, it’s a theory, and since he can’t talk to Esme without a lawyer present… He says, look at her. She’s pretty good. She says she thinks it’s a gift. So what does he say? They work together on this thing? He says, let’s do it, and kisses her.

Mason says he’s sorry Ava was attacked, but he wasn’t there, and Austin says, perhaps she’d like to elaborate. She says, gladly. She was stabbed, or more precisely, hooked the night of the Quartermaine charity picnic, and Mason was most definitely there. Austin flashes back to the picnic, and Mason telling him, blood or no blood, when he calls, Austin answers, and it will be, yes, sir, and thank you, sir, when he gives Austin instructions. Got it? Watching them, Ava says she got it from here. Mason says he was at the picnic, but that’s all, and Austin asks if Ava is suggesting his cousin Mason was the one who attacked her. Ava says she’s not suggesting that… not yet.

Sonny tells Spencer to sit down and tell him what he’s going to do before he does something stupid. Is this about Nikolas? Spencer says, it involves his father, and Sonny says he knows Spencer is angry, but he’s too young to get revenge and ruin his life. He promised that he’d take care of Spencer, and Spencer has to trust him to do that. Spencer says, this is something he has to do on his own. He has to make sure his father doesn’t ruin anyone else’s life.

Nikolas says he just received his settlement agreement for his divorce, and Laura says she’s so sorry. Even when you’re expecting it, when it comes time to finally sign those papers, it’s hard. Nikolas says he can hardly believe it’s happening. What makes it even more difficult is, he’ll be leaving Windymere. She asks where he’s going. He’s not leaving town again, is he? He says he’s not, but he and Ava agreed she gets Spoon Island in the divorce, and she says, but Windymere has been his home ever since he came to Port Charles. Who gives that up in a divorce? And why does Ava want it anyway; just so she can tear it down? He says, spite, and she says she guesses that make sense, but why is he agreeing to it? He says, because she’s entitled to her rage. He was unfaithful. He’s having a baby with someone else. They both need a new start, and there’s no better start than a new baby, right? Laura says, Esme was arraigned today. She’s been remanded to Spring Ridge, awaiting trial. He says he’s glad the court is taking her pregnancy into consideration, and not sending her to Pentenville. She’s going to be safer in Spring Ridge.

Esme says, please don’t hurt her baby, and the woman says, she thinks she’s special just because she’s having a kid. Heather comes up behind the woman, sticking her makeshift multi-tool in the woman’s back. She asks, how you doing, Ramona? She’s right about one thing – she drives the end in harder – Esme is special, and so’s her kid. Understood? Ramona says, sorry. She didn’t realize Esme was Heather’s friend. Heather says, spread the word, and Ramona leaves. Heather sits down, and Esme thanks her for intervening. She doesn’t know what Ramona would have done. Heather says, no need to worry about that now, or ever again. Esme apologizes for being short with Heather before, and Heather laughs, saying she can be a little extra sometimes. So, friends? She holds out the friendship bracelet to Esme.

Elizabeth says, there were others besides Reiko, and Carolyn says she remembers them all. She could have divorced Elizabeth’s dad, but she chose to focus on the life they were building together. Elizabeth asks how Carolyn could let Jeff treat her like that. Does she have no self-respect? Carolyn says, they had a good marriage. They have a good marriage. Elizabeth says, as long as Carolyn looks the other way. How could she forgive him again and again? Carolyn says she loves him, and Elizabeth says, more than Carolyn loves her?

Mason says, the papers already said The Hook killer was a woman, so it’s definitely not him, but Ava says, the media gets stuff wrong all the time. The cops wanted to interview everybody she interacted with that night, and she forgot to mention… Austin says, Mason Gatlin; G-A-L-T-I-N. Ava says, of course (🍷), the same as Austin’s, but Austin says, only half. Mason says he lives in Pautuck. He doesn’t even live in Port Charles. Ava asks, so what’s he doing here? and Mason says, visiting his cousin. Ava asks how often he visits, and Mason says, only when necessary. Austin says, which is really never. Sadly, Mason has to get going now. Isn’t it time for him to be back on the road? Mason leaves, and Austin closes the door. He asks how much of that Ava heard, and she says, enough to know Austin doesn’t like his cousin very much. Austin thanks her for the assist, and she says, her pleasure. He says, don’t do it again.

Esme takes the bracelet and thanks Heather. Heather tells her, don’t worry. Ramona will make sure all the inmates know Esme is under her protection now. Esme says she doesn’t know what she did to deserve Heather’s kindness, but she appreciates it, and Heather says, the moment she saw Esme, she knew deep down they were the same. Didn’t Esme feel it? Esme says, all she feels is overwhelmed. People keep telling her that she’s a criminal, but honestly, all she is, is scared. What if she did all those horrible things she’s accused of? What if she really killed all of those people? Heather says, then she’s sure Esme had a good reason, but Esme says, what reason could she possibly have? Heather says, to protect her child. A good mother will do anything to make sure their child is safe and happy. Esme says she’s sure Heather is a great mom, and Heather says, she thinks so? She does her best.

Spencer tells Sonny that he can’t think of worse parents than his father and Esme, and Sonny asks what he’s going to do. Spencer says he’s going to hire Diane and sue for custody, and Sonny asks if she’s going to take the case. Spencer says, she’s considering it, and Sonny asks if Spencer thinks he’s ready to raise a child. Spencer says, of course (🍷) not. Not while he’s still living here. That’s what the house is for. The kid will have his own room, and he’ll hire a live-in nanny. He has his own money now. Granted, this house will have to be on a much smaller scale than what he could afford if he had full access to his trust fund. He gets up, and says he’s going to call Ava, but Sonny tells him, sit down. He needs to slow down. Spencer says he wants Sonny to know he can take care of a little brother or sister; he really can. Sonny tells him, what he’s saying proves he can’t.

Dex tells Josslyn to call him after, so he knows she’s okay, and leaves. She goes back in the room, where Cameron is looking at the rumpled bed. She asks why he’s here, and he says, right now, he does not know. She says, he could barely look at her at Kelly’s, and he says he found out about Willow’s cancer. He kept thinking about how she’d said they were friends forever, and he wanted to be here in case she needed him, but she didn’t. She says she’s sorry that happened, but he says, she’s sorry she got caught. She says, he didn’t catch her. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. They broke up. He says, like ten minutes ago, and she says, over is over. She’s sorry she hurt him, but as far as who she chooses to spend her time with… He asks if that’s what they’re calling it now, and she says she doesn’t owe him anything. He says, tell him this. Did she at least wait until after they broke up before she slept with Dex?

Austin says, it’s not Ava’s fight, and she says, fair enough. He says, the good news is, it’s not blackmail. She says, and the bad news? He says, it’s old family business, and she says, Mason seems to think it’s current. He says he doesn’t care what Mason thinks. He lives his life the way he wants to, and that’s far away from the Gatlins.

Cameron says, Josslyn slept with Dex while they were still together, and she says she didn’t want it to happen that way. He says, but she couldn’t help herself, and she says, it was New Year’s. She went to Kelly’s to break up with him. He says he knows; he was there. She says, this was before. He was out on a catering job. So she went home to change for Britt’s party, and went to Pier 55, and she got attacked by The Hook.

Spencer asks, what did he get wrong? and Sonny says, pretty much all of it. Spencer says, this child is his sibling, so of course (🍷) he’ll pay attention and love it, and Sonny says, love is a starting point. You have to support the child, emotionally and physically. You have to let them know you’ll be there, and he’s talking from experience. It took him a long time to learn to be a father. He came to the conclusion to be a good father you have to show up. You’ve got to rock the child; you’ve got to make the child laugh. Make sure they feel safe if they fall down. You pick them up, so they can try again. You raise a child and it stops being about you; it’s all about them. So you’ve got to ask yourself, do you think you’re ready to raise a child?

Carolyn says she’s sorry she made Elizabeth feel that she chose Elizabeth’s father over her. At the time, she truly believed it was best Elizabeth forget about Reiko. She wanted to save Elizabeth from the crushing guilt she was feeling. Elizabeth asks, but still, why stay with dad when he caused so much of that hurt? and Carolyn says she was furious with Jeff of course (🍷), but the damage had been done. She did what she thought was best in an impossible situation. They’ve given each other a lot to think about. She should go. Elizabeth says, wait.

Nikolas says he’s glad Laura brought up Esme. She and the baby are why he wanted her to come by. He plans to sue for full custody, and hopes he has her support. She says she can certainly understand why he’d want to raise the child, and he says, Esme certainly can’t, especially if she’s in prison. She says she doesn’t think Esme will be charged for The Hook murders. She does think Esme will be charged for making and distributing revenge porn, and if she’s guilty, she’ll receive a relatively light sentence. He says he doesn’t care what happens to Esme, as long as he can keep her away from his child, and Laura asks if he’s saying he doesn’t even want her to have visitation rights? He says, even without her memory, Esme’s not fit to be a mother. She says, not allowing that child to see his or her mother is a mistake; one that he will regret.

Esme jumps up, saying, oh! and Heather asks, what is it? What happened? Esme says, nothing. The baby just kicked. Heather reaches out to touch her, and Esme backs away, saying, please don’t. Heather says she’s sorry. Seeing Esme like that reminds her of when she was pregnant with her daughter. It was such a miracle, feeling her kick for the first time. Esme says, sorry for overreacting, and Heather says, it’s the hormones, right? It happens to the best of us. May I? Esme says, maybe when she gets to know Heather better, and Heather says, sounds like a plan. They fist bump, Esme hesitating for a moment, and Heather says, she understands Esme is scared about being a mother, but she’ll be a natural. Esme asks if Heather really thinks so, and Heather says she does. She thinks that baby is very lucky. Esme says, luck isn’t a word she’d use when you have a mom in prison, but Heather says she’s not going to prison. Esme asks why she’s so sure, and Heather says, trust her. Soon the cops are going to realize there’s no way Esme is The Hook killer. Esme asks if there’s another suspect, and Heather says, the PCPD is good at following breadcrumbs. They’ll get there. Sam and Dante come in, and Sam wonders what they’re talking about. Dante asks if she wants to find out, and they go over to Esme and Heather. Dante asks if Heather wants to have a little chat, and Heather says she’s kind of busy right now, but he says, don’t make him fire up the bus to D’Archam. Heather tells Esme that she’ll be right back, and steps aside with Dante. Sam goes over to Esme, and Esme says, if she’s a cop, her lawyer told her not to talk to the police, but Sam says she’s not a cop. She’s a private investigator; her name is Sam McCall. She’s been looking into Esme’s background. Esme asks, why? and Sam says she doesn’t think Esme is The Hook. Esme says, and those other things? but Sam says, yeah, she did those. Esme says, great, and Sam says, she deserves to know who she is and what’s going on, and Esme thanks her. But she’s afraid she can’t help Sam. She doesn’t remember anything about her past. Sam says she thinks maybe there’s someone who does, and Esme says, from what she’s been told, she’s all alone in the world, but Sam says, actually, that’s not true.

Laura tells Nikolas, she thinks Esme deserves a chance to be a mother. If she fails at it, that’s a different story. Nikolas says, she’s a sociopath, and Laura says she visited Esme in the hospital, and all she saw was a scared young woman. He says, she spoke to Esme? and Laura says she was curious about the memory loss thing. She wanted to see for herself. He says, and? and Laura says, she’s pretty convincing. She only said one thing that stood out to Laura. She seems to think Spencer is the father of her child.

Sonny says he thinks Spencer’s heart is in the right place; it’s just that Spencer is figuring out what to do with his own life. Spencer says, Sonny is right. There’s so much he doesn’t have figured out, but one thing he does know is that he want to save this baby from being betrayed by his father; from being abandoned when it becomes inconvenient. Sonny says he’s sorry Spencer ever had to feel that way, when there’s a knock at the door. Dex comes in, and says, sorry for interrupting, but he needs to get something straight with Sonny.

Cameron says, The Hook attacked Josslyn? and she says, it was so scary. She kept coming for Josslyn, and she almost got away, but she fell. If Britt hadn’t shown up, she would have been dead. He says, she’s not hurt? but she says she’s fine. Britt saved her life. He says he’s so sorry she had to go through that, but what does it have to do with this? She says, Britt fought The Hook, but it wasn’t until Dex showed up that The Hook ran away. Cameron says, right. And she was so grateful to him that she had to have sex with him.

Elizabeth says she can understand how Carolyn made bad choices, and Carolyn thanks Elizabeth for hearing her. Elizabeth says she’s not forgiving anything, but she knows how someone can do something unforgiveable in extreme circumstances. Carolyn asks if Elizabeth has done something she thinks is unforgiveable, and Elizabeth says, if she did, she woudn’t talk to Carolyn about it. Carolyn says, of course (🍷). Sorry. Now she really does have to run. On the off chance Elizabeth wants to talk more, she’s staying at the MetroCourt. Elizabeth asks how long she’ll be in town, and Carolyn says, until she finishes her consultation. A few days maybe; it’s impossible to say. Elizabeth says she hopes it works out, and Carolyn says, in her experience, very few things are truly unforgiveable. Often it’s just a matter of time.

Josslyn says she didn’t sleep with Dex out of gratitude, and Cameron says he doesn’t want to know the reasons. Just admit she lied to him. She says she didn’t lie, but he says, she did. In her whole BS speech, it’s not you, it’s me, she never once mentioned Dex. She says, it wasn’t about Dex, and he says, right. They just grew apart. She says, they did. They saw each other less and less, and when they did, she was saying all the right things, but she didn’t feel the way she did before. He says, because of what Esme did? but she says, no. Because she changed. He says, because she started sleeping with Dex, but she says, no, and he says, and she broke up with him so she could continue sleeping with Dex and not feel guilty about it. She says she told him, she’d already decided it was over long before that night. She just hadn’t found the time to tell him. (Ugh. Saying she didn’t have time is so wrong.) He says, sorry he got in the way of her hook-up, and leaves.

Austin says, this is Ava’s referral. Dr. Partha is the best plastics guy on the east coast. He should be able to deal with the scar The Hook left; maybe even remove it altogether. She thanks him, and says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she knows a thing or two about family disagreements. She is the daughter of a crime boss. He says, yikes. Did she ever just want out? She says, at first, she wanted in; she wanted it all. She didn’t know she was a Jerome until she was an adult. What about him? He says he had a great childhood; it was amazing. Then things started to get a little weird when he lost his dad Jimmy Lee; he was a great guy. And he would have wanted Austin to stand his ground. So that’s what he’s going to do.

Dante asks what Heather wants with Esme, and she asks, what kind of question is that? He says he knows she likes collecting babies, and she says, so her maternal instincts got her carried away once or twice. She wants nothing from Esme except the best for her. Dante says, good. Remember the only reason she’s at Spring Ridge is because she promised Robert Scorpio intel on Ryan Chamberlain’s connection to Esme. So what’s she got? She says, she’s got something, all right. Ryan asks about Esme every single day. He says, that’s it? This free ride’s got to end. She tells him not to be hasty. There’s an advantage to her being here, especially since Esme’s here. She can make sure Esme and Ryan bump into each other, and when they do, she’ll be their translator. All the while, she’ll act like she couldn’t care less about the content of their conversation. He’s bound to tell her something, and she thought they wanted information on whether or not Esme had a partner in crime.

Sam asks if the name Maggie Fitzgerald means anything to Esme, and Esme asks who she is. Sam says, she was Esme’s nanny. She basically raised Esme after her adoptive parents died. Esme says, that’s an interesting bit of trivia, but she doesn’t think she’s needed a nanny for a while. Sam says she has reason to believe they stayed in touch via letters, and Esme asks if she can see them, but Sam says she doesn’t have. She thinks Esme may have taken them with her when she left Windymere. Esme says, maybe. She could have done literally anything. Sam asks if she remembers riding on a boat, but Esme says, not really; sorry. Sam says, don’t worry. Just take her time. Esme says she’s starting to think it’s better if she never remembers who she is. Does she want to remember a life where the only person who cared about her was paid to do it? Sam says, Maggie mentioned in one of her letters that Esme’s biological father could be somewhere in New York state. Esme says, if that’s the case, why hasn’t he tried to contact her? and Sam says, maybe he doesn’t know she’s in trouble. Does Esme want her to try and find him?

Sonny asks if it’s an emergency, and Dex says, no, but it is important. Spencer says, he and his uncle are having a family discussion. So, errand boy, go polish a fender. Pick up somebody’s dry cleaning. Sonny says he’s got it, and asks Dex to wait outside. As Dex leaves, Spencer says he really doesn’t like that guy, but Sonny says he doesn’t have to worry about Dex. Trust him. He just wants Spencer to know he’s proud that Spencer wants to protect his baby brother or sister. There’s a lot of his mother in him, and she would have been proud of him. Spencer asks if Sonny thinks fighting for this baby is a mistake, and Sonny says, it doesn’t matter what he thinks. He just wants Spencer to know, if he takes this on, he’ll be in a fight with his father.

Nikolas wonders how Esme thinks Spencer is the father of her baby, and Laura says she doesn’t know. Esme talked to Spencer, and he probably told her who they used to be to each other, but Nikolas says, it seems like more of an Esme trick. Even without her memory, she’s still a schemer. Laura says her gut instinct is that Esme really can’t remember who she used to be, and he says, let’s  hope it stays that way. She asks, why? If she remembers, it will make his case against her stronger. Why would he… Her phone rings, and she goes into the foyer to take it. She listens, and says she’s on her way.

Cameron says, how he felt at Kelly’s is nothing compared to how he feels right now, and Josslyn says she’s sorry, but she’s got to ask him. He can’t tell anybody about her and Dex.

Spencer says he needs some fresh air, but he promises to think about what Sonny said. Sonny says he knows Spencer will, and if Spencer needs him, he’s here to talk, no matter what time. Do what he’s got to do. Spencer leaves, telling Dex that he’s up. Dex goes in, and says he’s sorry for interrupting. Sonny says, that’s okay, but it’s always family first. So what does Dex have to tell him?

Austin says he hopes things go Ava’s way, and she thanks him. She says, good luck to him too, and leaves. In the hallway, Mason suddenly shows up again.

Dante says, Heather has one week to get something solid out of Ryan, or it’s back to D’Archam. She says, not that it will be that easy, but she and Ryan do have a very special connection.

Esme says, it’s kind of Sam to offer, but she has no money to hire find her father or this nanny. Sam says, there would be no charge, and Esme asks, what’s in it for Sam? Sam says, the truth would affect a lot of people she knows. If it doesn’t pan out, neither of them is worse, but if it does, they both get answers. Esme says, let’s do it, and Sam says she’ll get right on it. Esme hopes Sam finds this nanny. She knows it may not be the happiest story, but she needs to find out anything about her father. Heather and Dante join them, and Heather says, what’s this about a nanny? Esme says, it turns out her old nanny Maggie… Sam says, Fitzgerald, and Esme says, might know where her father is.

Laura meets Elizabeth at Kelly’s and says, tell her what’s going on. Elizabeth says, her mother is in town, and Laura asks, why? Does she want to make almonds amends? Elizabeth says, apparently, that’s just a  bonus. She’s here to consult on a patient. Laura says, and Elizabeth doesn’t believe her? and Elizabeth says she doesn’t know. After everything Carolyn and her father have done, can she really risk trusting her?

Nikolas opens the door, and says, thank you so much for coming. We see it’s Carolyn.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin they have no time before it’s too late; Nikolas tells Carolyn to do exactly as he says; Maxie asks when Sam was going to tell her; and Josslyn tells Cameron that she’s afraid of what Sonny might do if he finds out about her and Dex.

Below Deck

Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia’ 3.5 hours to charter. Captain Sandy tells Camille, this isn’t easy, and knowing what’s coming, Camille says, oh my God, no. The captain says she’s letting Camille go this morning. As a captain, she listens to her department heads and trusts them. Even though it’s the last thing she wants to do, she feels she has to let Camille go. She wishes her job was to give people chance after chance, but in reality, she has a charter to run. In the captain’s interview, she says, they need unison and harmony. One person is affecting them, and she gave them a chance to reset. We flash back to five or six times Captain Sandy had to deal with Camille, and she says, she’s had probably ten conversations with her, and Camille blew it. Today is her last day. Camille says, it was nice knowing the captain, and appreciates the talk, but this right here is debauchery. I’m stunned that Camille knows a big word, even if it’s overkill. In Camille’s interview, she says she’s pissed off. She’s done whatever she can do to please them, and doesn’t deserve to be fired. Camille sees Rachel in the crew mess, and says she’s been let go. Apparently her work wasn’t satisfactory, and not to Rachel’s liking. Rachel is like, huh? and Camille says she was told the department heads have an issue with her. Rachel says, they do; it’s about following through with tasks. And Camille’s drinking wasn’t an issue, but her attitude while drinking was, since she was combative. She tells Camille to move on to the next department head, and Camille tells Fraser that she was fired, like he doesn’t know. He hugs her, and asks if they can have a chat. She says she guesses, and they sit in the main salon. As she irons, Alissa sings, with everything that’s going on, I want to sh*t myself. Really. She’s singing this. Maybe there’s just something wrong with all of these people. Fraser tells Camille that he didn’t want her fired, but doesn’t feel her heart is in it. She asks where that’s coming from; she does her work. He says, her attitude’s not working for the crew. He’s sorry. She says she hopes a superstar stew replaces her. She appreciates the conversation, but she has goodbyes to make with people who actually like her. She tells the deck crew that it’s her last day. She’s been fired. Inside, Hayley asks, what happened? and Rachel says, something that needed to happen a long time ago. Ross says he doesn’t have the time, and he’s not getting involved. Katie hugs Camille, while inside, Hayley hugs Fraser, and says she knows it’s hard, but it’s for the best. Fraser says he liked Camille, and in his interview, he says he never wants to be the reason anyone’s spirit breaks, but he has to do what’s best for the bigger picture and the crew. Camille tells Ben that she’s going back to Mississippi. She’s going to miss him. He says he wanted to go on a date, and she says, he’s so sweet. Ross radios Ben, telling him that they have an hour and a half. Camille thanks Ben for his help, and says, it means the world to her. In the crew mess, Alissa says her stomach is killing her. Captain Sandy sees a mess of Camille’s stuff in the hallway, and asks who her roommate is. She radios Katie to help Camille get packed. Ross says, the deck crew has an hour to get the covers on, and chamois the boat. Fraser says he imagines there’s tension in the deck crew, but Alissa says, they weren’t Camille’s direct team. In Alissa’s interview, she says, from the first day, Camille was rude and had attitude. She didn’t do her job, and got herself fired. She was toxic – bye. In Tony’s interview, he says he feels bad for Ben, but now he’ll be able to sleep and not hear boom-boom-boom. We flash back to Camille and Ben getting busy in the top bunk while Tony tries to sleep below. In Camille’s exit interview, she says, she tried to give a f***, but she’s done giving a f***. She knows the work she did, and she’s proud of what she did. She’s walking off the boat like, try me motherf***er. Camille is out. Drop the f***ing mic.

90 minutes to charter. Fraser tells the stews that Camille is gone, but they can be stronger by working harder. And there’s no toxicity. It’s time to show what they can do. He thinks it will be an easy trip for them to start with, since the primary doesn’t drink, and his wife is pregnant. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s running Captain Lee’s boat, but it’s his crew, and she wants to keep him apprised. She FaceTimes Captain Lee, and says he looks a lot better. He says he feels a lot better boat, and she says, his crew is a bit of a tornado. She let Camille go. He says, it was a tough spot for Camille to be in, but Captain Sandy says, she put Camille in one department, and she had a schedule. It was a personality conflict. She has a mouth on her. Captain Lee says, that’s unfortunate, and she asks when he’s coming back. He says he’s working toward it, and can’t thank her enough. He asks her to say hi to the crew for him. On deck, Tony asks Ben if he’s okay, and gives Ben a hug. In Ben’s interview, he says, Camille was the first person he’s opened up to in two years. Now that she’s been taken away, his mind is scattered, and it sucks; he’s sad. Tony says he’s here for Ben.

Provisions come in, and Ross says he know it’s tough, but they need to get the job done. In Ben’s interview, he says, Alissa had something to do with it. She got rid of Camille, what’s next? Sandy? The captain calls Norma, and says she needs a deck stew. Hayley tells Fraser that her ankle is swollen, and in her interview, she says she feels like her foot is going to spontaneously combust. Her ankle is the same width as her calf. Captain Sandy hugs Ben, and says, he and Camile will stay in touch. If he needs to talk any time, she’s here for him. She radios for everybody to get in uniform, and meet in the main salon for a pre-charter meeting. The captain says, it was a tough morning for everyone. They’re down a crew member, and she’s doing her best to get one. In the meantime, she knows it’s hard to bring the energy for this charter, but they can turn this around. In her interview, she says, it’s never a great thing to fire someone, but they have to suck it up, figure it out, and pull it off. She tells the crew, the last charter was stressful, but she thinks this one will be easier.

The guests arrive, and Ben texts Camille that he misses her. In Ross’s interview, he says, Ben just got out of a long-term relationship, and he’s been in this one a couple of weeks. He’s slightly emotional and moping, and he needs to pull it together. Captain Sandy tells the guests that Fraser will show them around, then they’ll go to their first anchorage. Fraser give the tour, and it starts to thunder. The captain says, just our luck, and the guests marvel at the scenery. Fraser tells Alissa to prioritize laundry, and primary Adam asks the captain to join them for dinner. Alissa calls her mom, and tells her, the girl who was a big bitch got fired, and her mom says, it doesn’t pay to be difficult. Alissa says, Camille’s little boyfriend is pissed at her, but you can’t get anyone fired if the actions aren’t there. Anchor is dropped at Soufriere Bay, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he feels like it’s going well; it feels normal. They’re better off without Camille. He tells Rachel that Camille was not a good apple, and Alissa says her stomach has been non-stop bubbling. She thinks it’s stress. Camille literally made her feel insecure, and she started thinking everyone was talking about her. In her interview, she says she’s conflicted. Camille latched on to her, she gave Camille reaction, and everybody saw. She’s feeling stressed and insecure. Normally, she has control over her emotions, and it sucks. She dabs at her eyes, and I roll mine. Was it last week she said she just wanted Camille gone?

The guests play on the toys, while Captain Sandy checks out Hayley’s ankle. Hayley says, it’s gone down; yesterday it was a proper cankle. In Hayley’s interview, she says, on land, she’s an esthetician, and lives the life of a Kardashian. She thinks she’s allergic to the Caribbean and work. She’d rather stick needles in people’s faces. Rachel tells Fraser that the guests want a lot. It doesn’t matter if she’s doing eight courses or ramen, she hates cutting corners. In her interview, she says she hates doing an around-the-world dinner. People who request it think it shows they have money and wealth, and that they’re well-traveled. But there’s such thing as no in the industry, so she needs to stay focused. Alissa says, her mental state is sh*tty, and there’s nothing wrong with her. Fraser suggests she has the mid-season blues. Captain Sandy gets a fax with the replacement stew’s info. Fraser and Alissa decorate the dining area with flags of the world. Tony gets something out of the mini fridge in the galley, and says he keeps expecting a head to be in there, but Rachel says, no, it would be in the freezer. Hayley ices her ankle. Captain Sandy tells the guests that she’s 32 years sober, and in her interview, she says, she was the kid who was always in trouble. For her, alcohol was trouble with a big T. Life was better beyond her wildest dreams after she quit drinking. Rachel tells Fraser, all chefs are the same way; fueled by caffeine and hatred. The starter is a Japanese inspired soup. The soup comes in little porcelain containers that the guests pour themselves, and one of them spills it. Primary Adam says, it should have been done for them, and Captain Sandy agrees. In the pantry, Alissa tells Hayley, girl poured miso soup all over the table. The captain said next time it will be poured by the server, so now it’s her fault. Next is Caribbean ceviche, which most of the guests find too spicey. The captain marches to the galley to tell Rachel that it’s too spicey, and the guests can’t eat it.

Rachel says she’s retiring after this, and Fraser says, the guests were complaining. Rachel says she hates her life, and in her interview, she says, the last charter, her food wasn’t hot enough. We flash back to primary Kamna telling her the food was bland, and she says, some people have different palates. It’s how they perceive it. The next course is Turkish stuffed dates, and then Mexican empanadas. Captain Sandy asks if guest Louisa is having a boy or a girl, and Louisa says, a girl. Ross makes a Cup O’ Noodles in the galley, which seems ironic. In Rachel’s interview, she says, everyone thinks a course tasting menu is a great idea until they’re sitting through one. It’s long, and she thinks she’ll make a disclaimer next charter. Almost two hours in, the captain gets up, and heads for the galley, mumbling, service is terrible. She asks, what’s taking so long? and in her interview, she says she thinks Rachel is awesome. She’s a great chef, but she can be her own worst enemy. It needs to be quicker. It’s embarrassing for a superyacht. Some Italian dish is served, and guest Imogen dances by herself on deck. Rachel says she’s so over this, and tiramisu rounds out the meal. Everyone goes to bed, and Ben is on anchor watch. He gets a VHF call from the nearest yacht starboard. The captain says, if the wind picks up, he’s concerned they’re  going stretch anchor and end up too close to the St. David. He suggests they move, and in Ben’s interview, the last thing he wants to do is wake up the captain, but he needs help. He has no power here, but that’s why the captain has four stripes. He tells Captain Sandy about the call, and says, the other boat is concerned they’ll swing and be on top of them. Captain Sandy gets on the radio, and says she understands the other captain has concerns. The other captain says, the wind kicked up to 25 knots last night, and if it happens tonight, they could come within 10 to 20 meters of the St. David. He suggests they move, but Captain Sandy says, they’ll have to keep watch, and if it happens, they’ll handle it. He tells her that it’s an interesting, but disappointing response; he’s surprised. In his interview, Ben says, the rule is, the second one at anchorage should move, but the captain doesn’t see a problem, and she’s 100% right. Captain Sandy tells the other captain that if he’s nervous, he could move, but he says, they have guests on board who are enjoying their time. He’d appreciate it if they moved. It would be the fair and thoughtful thing. She says she understands, but they have guests as well, and they’re staying here. Let’s hope we don’t speak again tonight.

In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, being a female in the industry, she’s had challenges from men, but she also had support. This is a clear case of mansplaining. They’re fine. She tells Ben to stay on the bridge, and the wind ends up not getting above 3 knots. Ha-ha! She was right! The captain points out that the other captain was a Nervous Nelly. Ross and Fraser talk relationships, and Fraser says he wants non-complicated intimacy, but Ross doesn’t want a relationship at the moment. In Rachel’s interview, she says she doesn’t know if it’s because she’s old that she’s getting frustrated. The season sucked, but she doesn’t know if it’s her. We flash back to the culinary disasters so far, and she says she thinks she’s going to have PTSD after this season. The breakfast special is shakshuka, a North African and Middle Eastern egg dish that sounds wonderful. At the breakfast table, Louisa announces that she hasn’t pooped in three days. Nice. A medic comes and looks at Hayley’s ankle. He suggests icing, elevation, and Ibuprofen. She asks about her big toe going numb, but he says, it’s normal, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, there’s nothing wrong. She’s a massive dramatized bitch. Captain Sandy radios Rachel to meet her on the bridge. On deck, Adam says he’s stressed because Fraser works so much; he’s constantly on it. The captain says, there’s no question Rachel is incredible, but she has to work on timing. Rachel says, it was eight courses, and Captain Sandy suggests not doing those. In her interview, the captain says, Rachel is a great chef, but she’s putting too much on her shoulders. She takes on too much, and delivers less. She asks how communication is, and tells Rachel when she hears the table is being cleared, she should be plating. The guests weren’t happy.

In Rachel’s interview, she says, no one wants to hear criticism, but the captain’s feedback is valid. She needs to do better. Waiting for some water, Adam wonders if they’re a stew short, and should he help? Fraser brings the water, and Adam asks if they normally only have three stews; he seems to be working a lot. Fraser says, they lost someone yesterday, and in his interview, he says he’s totally mortified, and needs to step up. The guests are sent off for a beach lunch, and Alissa says she feels like a big fat loser. Fraser radios that the guests are hungry, and Rachel says, the food is on the way. Louisa says she’s borderline going to kill someone, and I can relate. Captain Sandy says, it looks like chaos, and needs to change. This isn’t working, and it’s unacceptable. Rachel says she hates her life.

Later this season: beauty queens and punks; what happens on the boat stays on the boat; a trip to the Pitons for the crew; Ross is waiting for a formal apology; Sandy tells Fraser, when you create cancer on the boat, the fish stinks at the head, and Fraser’s the head; Camille meets up with Ben, and he brings her to a crew dinner; Captain Lee comes back, and says, it’s like riding a bike, but it’s a big bike.

🧞‍♀️ Post-Holiday Bluing…

Join me tomorrow for soap and tea. Until then, stay safe, stay doing the right thing because it is the right thing, and stay remembering, very few things are truly unforgiveable. Often it’s just a matter of time.

Jan17

January 16, 2023 – Nina Explains Things To Willow, Horrible Guests Who Break Stuff On Deck & a Dream

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia says she’ll be damned if she’ll allow Spencer to worm his way back into Trina’s heart again, and Curtis says he gets it. Just tread lightly. She says, it’s too late for that. She’s already made it extremely clear, and Spencer knows how she feels about the matter as well. He says he’s not talking about Spencer; he’s talking about Trina. If Portia tries to keep Trina from him, she might end up doing the exact opposite, and push her straight into Spencer’s arms.

Spencer thanks Diane for coming over, and she says, her fee for an after hours consultation is quite substantial, but he says he’s good. He’ll cover her retainer right now to prove it. She asks if it’s a criminal matter. He just got out of Pentenville, and hasn’t even had a chance to cash his commissary check yet. He tells her that he doesn’t need a commissary check, but don’t worry. This isn’t a criminal matter, but a civil one. She says she’s listening, and he says, it involves Esme Prince’s baby – full custody.

As they walk into the chapel, Elizabeth asks if Nikolas is sure the police found nothing at Windymere, and Nikolas says, it’s as if Esme was never in the north tower. She asks, how? and he says, Victor took care of it. She says, Victor knows? How did he figure out what they were up to? He says, Victor knows what he was up to; he left her out of it. She thanks him, and says, so the police are satisfied, and they’re not an immediate concern? He says, no, but his family is.

Esme is startled to find Laura there when she wakes up, and Laura says she’s so sorry. She was trying not to wake Esme up. Esme says, she’s not a doctor? and Laura says no, just an interested party. Esme asks how she got in here, and Laura says, funny. She was about to ask Esme the very same question.

Carly says, her guess is that Nina is in the lab getting her cheek swabbed, and Drew says, she agreed to be tested? Sonny asks if that’s why Carly came into the chapel. She didn’t guilt Nina into it, did she? Drew says, Sonny has this all wrong, and Carly says, it was Nina who laid the guilt trip. Sonny asks what Carly has to feel guilty about.

Willow tells Nina, get out, and Michael says, not now. Willow says, not ever. She wants Nina out of this room, and out of her life for good. Nina closes the door, and says she’s sorry. Willow’s life may depend on her. Willow suggests Nina talk to a shrink about that savior complex of hers, and tells Michael, get her out of here. On second thought, don’t give her another reason to drag them into court. Get hospital security. Nina says she’s not leaving, not yet, and Michael says he thinks Willow should hear what Nina has to say.

Laura tells Esme that one day, she just disappeared. Some say she went to Europe, and others say she stayed here in Port Charles, and committed some pretty heinous crimes. Esme asks what Laura thinks, and Laura says she’s not sure. Esme coughs, and Laura gets her some water, saying, that’s why she’s here actually. She gives Esme the water, and tells her, drink. She doesn’t want to get dehydrated right now. So tell her, where was she all those months she was missing, and how did she get here with hypothermia? Esme says she wishes she knew, and hands Laura back the glass. She says, so Laura sat here, watching her sleep, giving her a nice drink of water. Does she know Laura? Laura says, her name is Laura Collins. She’s the mayor of this city. Esme says, wow. She’s guessing, from what people think of her, Laura isn’t here to give her the key to the city, and Laura says, no. She’s here because she’s the grandmother of the baby Esme is carrying.

Portia says she needs another drink, when there’s a knock at the door. She tells Curtis, if that’s who she thinks it is… Curtis gets up, but she says she’s got this; she’s calm. She opens the door, and Taggert is there. She tells him to come in out of the cold. She didn’t realize he was back in town. He says he came back when he saw the photo of Trina with that Cassadine kid. Does he need to worry about his baby girl?

Sonny asks what Carly has done, when Dante joins them. He says he heard about Willow, and Sonny says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Dante. There’s a lot going on. Dante says, it’s cool. He stopped by Willow’s room, but Michael and Nina were there. He didn’t want to interrupt. Carly says, Nina was in Willow’s room? and Dante says, yeah. What’s her prognosis? Carly says, Willow has stabilized, but she’s in desperate need of a bone marrow match. Dante says he should get tested, and Carly asks Drew to show him where the lab is. Drew leaves with Dante, and Carly asks to talk to Sonny. They step away to a more private area, and Carly says, Nina is Willow’s mother.

Willow asks Michael to tell her what’s going on, and Nina says she doesn’t want to upset Willow. Willow says, epic fail, and Nina says she’s so sorry for all the arguments they had. She’s sorry for all the ways she’s disappointed Willow. Willow says, Nina’s told her this before; it’s just lip service. She never means it, and this time’s no different. Nina says, this time, it’s very, very different, and Willow asks, why? Nina says, now she knows Willow’s her daughter, and Willow laughs. She says, Nina has lost her mind, but Nina says, she just found out. It was kept from both of them. They lied to Willow. Willow says, Nina is accusing someone else of lying; that’s rich. She asks if Michael believes Nina, and he says he does, because it’s true.

Elizabeth says, why would Victor want to keep evidence in a storage unit of Nikolas keeping Esme captive? and he asks why she thinks; leverage. She says, against who? Nikolas? That’s disgusting. He says, no, that’s Cassadine, and she says, so this isn’t over. Does he have any idea where the storage unit is? He says he has no idea, and she says, so that’s it. His uncle has the power to destroy them both. Nikolas says he’s quite sure Victor doesn’t know she’s involved, or he would have mentioned it. He has no evidence leading back to her, or Nikolas would already know. She says she doesn’t know how he can be so sure, and he says he can’t, but he can promise to do whatever it takes to shield her from any trouble he’s brought on her. He’ll take all the blame if that’s what’s needed, but right now, it’s not Victor they have to worry about talking; it’s Esme.

Esme says, Laura is Spencer’s mother? but Laura says she’s Spencer’s grandmother. Spencer’s father, Nikolas, is her son. Esme stayed with her and her husband Kevin when she and Spencer were together. Esme says, Kevin Collins, the psychiatrist? and Laura says, yes. Esme says she met him; he looked so familiar. Laura asks if she looks familiar, and Esme says, the guy who came to see her told her that his name was Spencer. She’s confused. Laura said Spencer is her grandson, but she’s carrying Laura’s grandchild? Laura says, it’s a lot of names to keep up with, and shows Esme a picture on her phone. She asks if this is the guy who came to visit, but Esme says, the guy who came was younger. Laura shows her another picture, and Esme says, that’s him, and smiles. That’s her baby’s father. We see it’s Spencer.

Diane says, take it from the top, and Spencer asks, how hard is it to gain full custody of a newborn? She says, there was a time father’s weren’t favored in family court, but that hasn’t been the case for decades. He says, what about custody awarded to another family member? and she says, that’s a little trickier. Given his family’s unusual history, she’d say Laura would be in the best position to petition. Don’t forget, Esme will need to be stripped of all parental rights. But given that Esme is Esme, she sees that as a possibility. He says, what about a sibling getting custody? and she says, a sibling of the baby? He says, does that happen? and she says, yes. It’s rare, but in this case there’s no… Esme’s baby isn’t his, is it? He shakes his head, and she says, is Nikolas the father?

Michael says, Drew confirmed it. Nina is Willow’s biological mother. Willow says, no. Drew was looking into her family, and would have told her this himself. Nina says, Drew didn’t know until Willow was hospitalized, and Willow asks how he found out. Michael says, new information came to light, and Willow says, and Drew told Nina? Nina says, Carly told her, and Michael shakes his head slightly. Nina says, they’re all very worried about Willow, and Michael tells Willow, they don’t have to have this conversation right now. Willow says, if not now, when? She may not have much time left. Michael says, no, but Willow says she doesn’t have much time to wait. She needs to know how this happened. And she needs to know now.

Carly tells Sonny, that’s why she came to find Nina in the chapel. She wanted to tell Nina that she and Willow are biologically related, and Nina needed to get tested as a bone marrow… He tells her that she can stop right there. How did she come by this information? She says, Harmony told her, and he says, Harmony’s been dead for months. How long as she known? She says, what’s important right now is saving Willow; the details don’t matter. (Ha-ha-ha! Okay.) He says, the details do matter. They matter to Willow, and they matter to Nina. And they sure as hell mattered to Carly, because she kept her mouth shut. He wants to know, if it’s true, why did she take so long to tell them? Drew joins them, and says, it’s true, and Sonny asks if he knew too.  

Nina tells Willow that she didn’t know she had twins, and Madeline gave one baby to Harmony. She made Phyllis Nina’s nurse, and had Phyllis give Nelle to the Bensons. Willow says, Nelle was her sister. She fought her own sister in court. After she found out Harmony wasn’t her biological mother, she had no relations, and now it seems she has two. Nina says, she has more. Her Aunt Liesl, and sweet little James. Willow says, if this is true, that makes… Wiley her nephew. Nina says, it is true. She thought she lost her only child, and Willow thought there was never going to be a chance for her to have a relationship with her real mother. Maybe this is a way for both of them to get something they never had before.

Taggert says he thought Trina was done with this Spencer creep, and Portia asks him to keep his voice down; she’s upstairs sleeping. And she thought Trina was done with Spencer too, but apparently, they’re friends again, no matter what they think. Taggert says, we’ll see about that, and Portia says she understands his sentiment, but thankfully, Curtis talked her off the ledge before she made things worse. Taggert says, oh he did, and Curtis says he was telling Portia that he thinks they should give Trina space to figure things out for herself. Taggert says, no offense, but he’s not Trina’s father.

Laura asks why Esme thinks Spencer’s the father of her baby. Did he say he was? Esme tells her, he said it was possible. It is possible, right? Laura says, Esme and Spencer have quite a history, and Esme says she hopes he’s the father. He was so kind to her. He told her they used to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but they broke up. Laura says, yeah, and Esme asks if the first photo Laura showed her was of Nikolas. He’s her son? Laura says, yeah. Has he been here to see her? Esme says, not yet, but if he’s any but as nice as her and Spencer, she wouldn’t mind. Can she ask Laura a question? Laura says, of course (🍷), and Esme says she gets the feeling not many people in this town like her, and it’s weird not knowing if she’s guilty for the accusations about her or not. Someone must have cared about her other than maybe Spencer. Laura said Esme lived with her, right? Can Laura tell her anything about herself? There’s a knock at the door, and Dante says, sorry to interrupt. He was hoping to get some answers. Esme says she’ll try her best.

Spencer asks if he has a chance, and Diane says, the courts aren’t usually keen on taking a child from both biological parents, unless it’s for good cause. He says, it should be easy enough to convince a judge that Esme is unfit. Not only is she facing legal challenges, her state of mind and health are factors. Diane says, those are good points, but a good lawyer could argue all of them on behalf of Esme. He says, lucky for them, Diane isn’t just a good lawyer; she’s the best. She says, while flattery is nice, a good case is nicer, and he says he knows it’s possible, because Michael was able to gain custody of Avery. She says, correct. His Aunt Alexis won that case, but it was short lived. Ultimately, Michael gave Avery back to Sonny and Ava, and now they have joint custody of their daughter. But she’s assuming he doesn’t just want temporary custody. He says, no. If he gets his way, this baby will never know either of its parents.

Willow asks Michael to give her a few minutes with Nina alone. Please. He kisses her head, and says he’ll be close by, but she says, this won’t take long. He leaves, and Nina says, it’s a lot, huh? She’s reeling too. She sits by the bed, and says she spent years and years looking for her child, and the pain of that loss has haunted her every single day, but she has a daughter… who hates her. Willow says, don’t put words in her mouth, but Nina says, it’s no secret they fight with each other, but she’s hoping that ends here and now. That they can move forward, and build a new relationship. They can look back on this with a new sense of wonder about how they’ve come so far, and they can tell that story to Wiley, then tell that story to the new little one. Willow says, they won’t be telling either of her children stories. She asked Michael to leave to spare Nina some dignity, but make no mistake. The fact that they have a blood tie changes nothing between them.

Sonny asks if Drew hid the truth from Nina and Willow too, and Drew says, he would have told her if he’d known. Sonny says, so this is a vendetta, but Carly says, it’s not, and Drew says, Carly wasn’t trying to hurt Nina; she was trying to protect Willow. Sonny says, make that makes sense to him, and Drew says, Willow was furious after the visitation hearing, and didn’t want Nina anywhere near her. Sonny says, that’s because Willow didn’t know Nina was her mother. Carly asks if he’s forgotten the hell Nina put Willow through, and Sonny says, Carly can fool Drew all she wants, but she’s not fooling him. She wasn’t doing this to protect Willow. She was doing this to get back at Nina. Carly starts to protest, when Michael come by, and says, enough.

Diane says, Spencer has every right to feel betrayed, because he was, but he has no obvious legal right to his father’s child. She’s going to be blunt, because that’s part of her charm. She’s concerned a judge is going to hear the anger she just heard, and wonder about his motive. So she has to ask him, is what he’s trying to do in the best interest of the child, or is he seeking revenge against Nikolas and Esme? He says he doesn’t care about his father and Esme, although sticking it to his father would be the icing on the cake. She says, there it is again, and he says, this is about saving a child from an amoral mother and a dangerously selfish father. This is about breaking a cycle; a cycle he’s all too familiar with. When his father wasn’t pretending he was dead, he was choosing a woman over Spencer. This goes beyond bad parenting skills. His father is a toxic and damaging person. He doesn’t want to sit idly by while his father breaks another child’s heart or damages another child’s self-esteem. His little brother or sister deserves better. She says, as did he. Well said, and they can put forth that argument, but she has to tell him, the odds are stacked against him. He says, what if there was something he could do to even those odds?

Elizabeth says, it doesn’t appear that Esme will recover her memories any time soon, and Nikolas says, good. Elizabeth says, good for them; not for Esme. Nikolas says, a blank slate can be a blessing. Esme has no memories of the low-down dirty deeds she’s done. She doesn’t have to carry the guilt like he does. She says, it’s a double-edged sword. Being spared the pain is a blessing, but knowing there’s something you can’t access is torture. It’s just torture. He asks if they’re still talking about Esme, and she says she doesn’t think Esme is going to remember anytime soon, which makes Victor’s evidence moot. He says, it’s a pile of junk. Even with Esme’s DNA on it, it doesn’t pinpoint the time and location. She lived at Windymere for months on and off. As long as she doesn’t remember, they’re safe. It’s going to be okay. There’s no evidence, no testimony, no proof.

Dante shows Esme a picture of the ornament, and asks if it looks familiar. She says, it looks like a Christmas ornament, and he says, she had it on her before she was admitted. Can she take another look? It might give them a clue as to where she was before she ended up here. She stares at it for a while, but says, it doesn’t look familiar, and Laura asks to take a look. She says, it looks hand-painted, and Dante says, it’s probably part of a set. They’re trying to figure out who made them. Esme looks at it again, but says she’s sorry; it means nothing to her. Dante gives her his card, and says, if she thinks of anything, give him a call, but she says, no. Why would she help the police build a case against the girl she used to be?

Michael says, Willow’s life is imploding, and they’re out here fighting like children. Carly asks how she is, and Michael says, on top of the fact that she’s sick, she has to deal with the fact that the woman she actively hates, that she told to drop dead, is her mother. Drew says, they’re here for both Michael and Willow in any way possible, and Carly says she’s sorry. They’ll put aside their differences and focus on Willow, but why the hell was Nina’s first instinct to go talk to Willow instead of getting tested? Sonny says, Carly has no right to question Nina after what she’s done, and Carly says, go to hell. Michael says he needs to talk to Sonny in private, and they head for a less trafficked area. Michael says, Carly knew Nina was Willow’s family, and didn’t say a thing, and Sonny says, that’s because she wanted revenge on Nina. Michael says he doesn’t give a damn about Nina. Willow is his one and only priority. Sonny says, okay. He wants to help Michael. How can he? Michael says, by dealing with his feelings about what Carly did to Nina later; away from him and Willow. Sonny says he can do that, and asks how Michael is holding up. Michael says he doesn’t care about himself; he cares about Willow. She’s devastated, and he wants to make things better for her. Sonny says, that’s what Michael is doing. He’s looking out for Willow’s best interest. He’s there for her as a partner, and as a father. He’s doing all the right things.

Diane asks what Spencer means by even the odds, and he says he was with Esme for years. According to his father, he was only with her for one night. Who’s to say he’s not the father? She says, that’s an interesting wrinkle. She’s always and only about presenting the best possible case for her clients, so if he tells her that he’s the father, she’ll take that into court. But if he has even an inkling that a DNA test might prove otherwise, she’s not going down that road. She will not be a party to fraud. So if that’s what he’s looking for, he has to keep looking for another lawyer, and don’t forget, his father can bring in his own DNA test. And what does Spencer think those results will be? Spencer asks what his options are, and she says, here’s her charming bluntness. Again, it’s very difficult to strip a child away from its biological parents. It’s a long shot. And they would be fighting on two fronts. While Esme doesn’t have the resources his father does, she still has rights, but his father is going to level everything he’s got at Spencer. He’ll attack Spencer. Spencer is fresh from Pentenville. Not his first stint, but his second, so he’ll be playing defense. He says he’s sure she can handle that, and she says, of course (🍷) she can handle it. She’ll present a very effective case, but she’s got to warn him, she can’t guarantee him a win.

Dante tells Laura, chalk one up for nature versus nurture. Even in Esme’s state of amnesia, her instinct was to protect herself. Laura says she noticed that. She asks if the Christmas ornament is related to The Hook killer investigation, and Dante says, they don’t know yet, but they’re pivoting away from Esme as the prime suspect. Could she be involved on some level? Maybe, but there’s no way she committed the acts herself. Laura says, that’s a relief, but she’s still under investigation for the revenge porn charges? He says, yeah, and the drugging of Oz Haggerty. She says, Esme will be discharged soon. Will she be granted bail or held in a facility? He says, that’s above his pay grade, but he’s sure the DA will be calling her soon, and they can figure out the right answers. She says she’s not sure there is a right answer. No matter how they choose to deal with Esme, the public will be watching and judging.

Elizabeth says she should get going, and Nikolas says, the talk about memory loss seemed personal. Did she ever figure out why she was losing time? She says she’s sorry. She never told him, but she did. The sleepwalking and blackouts were the result of the illustrious Carolyn Webber using her psychiatric expertise to repress Elizabeth’s memory. He asks if her father knew, and she says, yes. She knows her situation isn’t the same as Esme’s, but she’s been where Esme is, and knows what it’s like to not be able to rely on your memory, or to be confused about the lack thereof. He asks, what happened? What made her parents so desperate for her to not remember?

Curtis tells Taggert, he may not be Trina’s biological father, but he is speaking from experience. She didn’t appreciate him weighing in on her personal life, and all but told her mother to butt out of her business before she went up to bed. Taggert says, Trina’s always been strong-minded and independent, but giving her space to make her own mistakes is a lot different than standing back and watching her put herself in danger. He and Portia didn’t let her play in traffic as a child, and they’re not going to let her play with the Cassadines. He knows that family too well. He tells Portia to have the princess call him when she wakes up. He’s sorry for ruining their evening. He leaves, and Portia says, Curtis knows she values him, his opinion, and his support. It’s just that when it comes to Trina, Taggert is territorial. He says he gets it. For now, he’ll just keep his parenting advice to himself. That is until they have their own. He hugs her.

Carly tells Drew that she can deal with Sonny’s anger; she expected it. But the way Michael avoided her eyes… He says, they all need a little time, and she says, and if it affords Willow more time, it will all be worth it.

Willow says, if there’s proof Nina is her biological mother, she’ll accept that fact, but she’ll never accept Nina. Nina continually tried to destroy their family. She kept Sonny away from his loved ones, then insinuated herself with Willow’s son, and ripping their reputation to shreds… Nina says, Willow isn’t well… and Willow says, she hasn’t been well in months, but that didn’t stop Nina’s torment. She accused Willow of having an affair with TJ, when he was supporting her through her diagnosis. Nina says she didn’t know, and Willow says, she didn’t care to know. She jumps to conclusions because Nina has been hell-bent on taking her and Michael down by any means necessary. And this is the same story she wants to tell Wiley someday? Not a chance. Nina says she thought Wiley was her only tie to a woman she believed was her only daughter. Losing a child left her broken and untethered. If anyone understands how that effects a mother, Willow does. A crime was committed against her, and Willow. Willow was taken without her consent. She couldn’t save Willow’s sister Nelle, but she’s saving Willow.  

Michael says he has to get back to Willow, and Sonny says, of course (🍷).

Nina says she’s the closest donor match, and Willow says, if she is, what does she want in exchange? Nina says, nothing. Willow doesn’t owe her anything. Does Willow think she came in here to emotionally blackmail her. Willow says she doesn’t know what she believes; she only knows she doesn’t trust Nina. Nina says, okay. She accepts the fact that this might not change anything for Willow, but she wants Willow to know she’s going to the lab to get tested. She looks at Willow, and says, they have the same eyes… This might not ever change Willow’s mind, but Willow is her daughter, and if she has the power to save Willow’s life, she’s not letting anything stop her. Not even Willow. She leaves.

Portia tells Curtis, discussing parenthood in the abstract is one thing. Bringing a child into the world is another. He says, all right. Let’s do more than discuss it. They sit down, and she says she loves him. He says he loves her too. They have their entire future ahead of them. She asks, in that future, does he really see himself as a father? He says he knows there are no guarantees, but hell yeah. He’d love to continue the Ashford name with a child of his own.

Diane says, if Spencer is serious about gaining custody of this baby, she will seriously consider taking this case. But he has to stop calling her Miss Miller, and call her Diane. He says, as long as he can call her, and thanks her, but she says, don’t thank her yet. It would be a long and arduous road. He says, understood, but she says, is it? The most terrifying thing about wildfires is, once they’re lit, they’re almost impossible to control. Once a case like this gets into a courtroom, it’s like a wildfire has been lit within a family. Look at Sonny and Michael, or more recently, Michael, Nina, and Willow. He says he doesn’t have much of a family, especially where his father is concerned, and she says, okay, but a decision like this will upend his young life. And it might impact ever single one of his relationships. So before he calls her again, she wants him to think long and hard about how far he’s willing to go. Once this wildfire is lit, it’s going to rage with unforeseen consequences.

Nikolas says he’s so sorry that happened to Elizabeth, and she says she’s sorry Victor is threatening him. He says, you have to love the irony of relying on Esme to evade both the law and his uncle. The fates must be laughing themselves silly. She says, they’re both at the mercy of Esme’s memory. She might be hypocritical, but her instinct for self-preservation is stronger than her empathy. She wishes there was a way they could make sure Esme wouldn’t get her memory back, but that’s next to impossible. She leaves, and he says, never say never.

Laura tells Dante, this is a very high-profile case, and unfortunately, she’s front and center. She doesn’t like to sound like a politician, but she’s painfully aware of the optics. Esme was her grandson’s girlfriend and lived in the house with them for a while. The baby she’s expecting could possibly be Laura’s close relation. They can’t let her go without consequences, but how can they prosecute a woman who can’t recall the crimes she’s committed? He says he doesn’t envy her and Robert right now; it sounds like a nightmare. She says she can’t help but feel for Cameron and Spencer. Their lives were so impacted by Esme’s actions. How do they get restorative justice for them? If they take it on faith that Esme’s memory is gone for good… Dante says, that’s a big if, and asks if Laura thinks she’s faking it.

Esme looks at the photo of the Christmas ornament again.

Drew says, revealing the truth was painful, but in doing so, Carly gave Willow a chance to survive. Carly says she hopes so; she prays. She thanks him for not making feel worse.

Michael goes in to see Willow, and says, talk to him. She says, why her? Why couldn’t it have been anyone else besides Nina?

Nina tells Sonny that she has a daughter. It’s Willow and Willow doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. He hugs her.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin, shut up or give up; Martin says, everybody’s luck runs out; Sasha asks Willow if she’s refusing the transplant; and Sonny says, as long as there’s life, there’s always hope.

Below Deck

Camille and Alissa argue within the guests’ hearing range, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, screaming at the top of their lungs on charter is not okay. She tells them to stop, but they continue with you-no-you squabble. Fraser asks Hayley, what happened? and she says, the girls are shouting at each other. Camille calls Alissa a bully, and Alissa says she’s not taking this disrespect. The captain reminds them that they’re on charter. They’ve got to compose themselves. Camille tells Fraser that Alissa said she had an attitude, and threatened to go to the captain. Captain Sandy tells Alissa not to discuss it now; wait until after charter. They need to reset, and get through the night. In her interview, the captain says, on a scale of one to ten of how unacceptable it is for the crew to argue, it’s a ten. Holy cannoli. Captain Sandy calls Camille to the crew mess, and Camille says she’s so sorry. The captain tells her, it can never happen again. If it does, they’ll both be fired. Fraser comes to the crew mess as Camille is saying that Alissa was tarnishing her reputation. She was standing up for herself. Fraser tells Camille that she doesn’t need to be talking about this now, but the captain says, it’s not his call. In her interview, Captain Sandy says, there are three stories; their stories and the real story. She’s going to listen to both Camille and Alissa without judgement, and then make her judgement. Camille tells the captain that she’d just come back from the beach picnic, and Hayley said she had ironing. She told Hayley to just give her a second; she’d just gotten back on board. Then Alissa said she had attitude, and threatened to bring it to the captain, pointing out that Camille was on her last leg. Alissa said, everybody noticed Camille’s attitude, and everybody had a problem with her. Captain Sandy reminds Camille that, with this charter, she was giving Camille the opportunity to show her that she was in it to win it. Camille says, as far as she’s concerned, she’s done her job, and the captain asks, who started yelling first? Camille tells her that she said Alissa was childish, and that’s what started it, and the captain says, it wasn’t okay for Alissa to threaten her. Camille says, that’s when it escalated, and in Alissa’s interview, she says, Camille had the biggest attitude from day one. In Camille’s interview, she says she knows Alissa has been praying for her downfall since day one. Alissa says, she gives three chances, then she doesn’t deal with the bullsh*t. Bye. Camille says, Alissa gave her no chance, and she’s full of bullsh*t. Captain Sandy tells Camille that she requires mutual respect of co-workers. She won’t tolerate anything less. Camille promises not do it again.

The guests talk prices of Gucci, Lamborghinis, and other expensive stuff. Captain Sandy tells Alissa that she’s from the school of thought where there are three sides to every story, and asks, what happened with Camille? Alissa tells her that Hayley just let Camille know there was ironing, but Camille said she wasn’t going to listen, and got into it with her. Then Camille called her a bully, and started screaming in her face. She’s been letting Camille walk on her. The captain says, if Alissa is triggered on charter, she has to walk away. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Fraser is the one who needs to worry about them. She expects her department heads to sort out problems. The interior isn’t being managed properly, or this wouldn’t have happened. She tells Alissa to reset. She thinks Camille’s been doing a great job. Alissa says, she thinks Camille has picked up the pace, but still isn’t working as hard as everyone else. The captain says, if that’s an issue, they need to talk it out. Screaming is unacceptable, and if it happens like that again, they’ll be off the boat so fast. The guests ask for snacks, and get up to dance. One of the guests leads the others in a dance routine. Fraser wonders if he should check on them, but Alissa says, the last time she checked, they were in a deep conversation. Apparently, not anymore. The captain tells Fraser not to do what he did in the crew mess to her again. He can’t do that in front of the crew. If she wants to have a conversation, she’ll have a conversation. It can’t happen again. Fraser thinks he needs to take a breather.

The guests get ready for their Bollywood Night dinner, and Captain Sandy calls Fraser to the bridge. Camille whines to Ben about Alissa threatening her job, and telling her that everyone is talking about her, notices her attitude, and has a problem with her. In Ben’s interview, he says, he’s a safe place for Camille, and a shoulder to lean on. It’s what he wants. He tells her that she’s doing a great job, and in his interview, he says, yachting is a lonely place, especially if you’re on the receiving end of a lot of bullsh*t. But it’s going to piss soon if Camille doesn’t change. The captain tells Fraser that she respects him and what he’s trying to do, but two people screaming at each other while on charter is unacceptable. In the captain’s interview, she says, Fraser is in the position where he wants to be friends and lead, but it’s impossible. You have to choose one. She tells him that he knows their personalities, so she’s leaving it with him, but she needs to know he’s aware of the seriousness of the situation. In her interview, she says, Fraser needs to step it up and figure it out. The situation isn’t being managed, and if you can’t manage, maybe you’re in a position you shouldn’t be in. In Rachel’s interview, she says, with everything that went on with last night’s dinner, she needs to smash the sh*t out of this one. They want an Asian menu with Indian canapes. Champagne is popped, and the guests toast to Bollywood. Primary Karan says, everyone is going to dance, and he’s going to judge the dancing, but he won’t be dancing himself. That does seem like a conflict of interest if you’re the judge. There’s applause for the starters, and Captain Sandy says, what a day. The food just keeps coming and it’s amazeballs. Guest Rahul, possibly the most obnoxious, says he likes seafood, but it stinks. Things slow up before the entrée appears, and Fraser tells Rachel, they’re getting impatient. Rachel says she’s feeling bad energy. Alisson says, this charter’s got everyone moody, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s not McDonald’s. Three hours in, the entrée is plated, and Alissa says, they’re eating like wolves. In Alissa’s interview, she says, dinner was horrible; it wasn’t seven star service. She needs to entertain them. She gets out the hookah, and brings drinks. The guests decide it’s time to dance, and make an incredible mess; burning the table and breaking stuff. One guest tries to bring a lit sparkler in near the curtains, until he’s steered away. Rahul demands grilled cheese, and Alissa says she wants to die. Camille and Ben get busy in Ben’s bunk. It’s 4 am as Alissa makes the sandwiches. In her interview, she says she’s f***ing exhausted. The guests are still drinking as Tony gets up. Alissa tells him not to let them see him. They’ll never go sleep if they have friends. She says she feels like vomiting and crying at the same time. The guests finally go to  bed at almost 5 am, and Alissa says she hates them.

Final day of charter. Captain Sandy radios the deck crew to haul anchor; they’re ready to go. They head for Rodney Bay Marina, and the captain says, it’s a nice riding boat. You can feel the weight. The guests toast to an amazing time. They dock, and in the captain’s interview, she says, Katie is doing a phenomenal job. She has a strong exterior, but the interior needs work… for sure. She calls the crew to the aft deck for the guest departure, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he’s thrilled beyond belief that they’re leaving. They’ve been on board far too long. Karan says he was happy with everything except the beach, and primary Kamna says, they had the best crew, and made amazing memories. In Hayley’s interview, she says, goodbye, you absolute wankers. Never come back. The captain says they have to turn the boat around, and they start to do some work, but then she calls for the tip meeting. I’ve never understood why they just don’t wait to start working. It can’t take that long to count.

Captain Sandy congratulates them for completing the charter. She knows it wasn’t easy, and they worked long hours. Alissa never stopped smiling, and she saw how hard everyone worked. She tells them, if the guests ever complain, but she doesn’t, don’t worry about it. There will always be people they can’t please, and her opinion is all they have to worry about. She says, the tip isn’t a reflection of their work. It’s $20K, or $1530 each. In Alissa’s interview, she says, it’s not acceptable. She thinks they should have kept a security deposit for these f***ers. They were burning sh*t – we see the captain finding the table, and says, that’s not okay – they were breaking sh*t – we see them break a glass. If you can’t tip the crew, go on a cruise; don’t rent a yacht. Fraser says, cheers to the freaking weekend. In their cabin, Alissa tells Hayley that she needs to stay away from Camille. Camille reminds her of her dad. In Alissa’s interview, she says, her dad is controlling and toxic, and constantly bringing her down. Her upbringing shaped who she is now, but at this point she’s not letting anyone bully her. She wants Camille gone. Camille says, they’ve got to figure sh*t out, and Alissa says she could have walked away, but come at her with an attitude, and she’ll have one. Camille thinks Alissa should take responsibility for her attitude, and Alissa says, that’s why she understands and is so forgiving of Camille. Camille says she needs less forgiveness, and more apology, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, guess who’s in the middle again? All she can do is watch and hope it sorts itself out… which is not happening. Ben says, the chicks next door are arguing, and tells them to stop, but Camille says, it’s got nothing to do with him, and shoos him out. Alissa says, if you call her crazy, you’ll get extra crazy back. She sees Fraser, and gets all teary-eyed.

Ross wonders what all the noise is, and Fraser tells Alissa to just get ready. Camille tells Katie, there’s no figuring it out, and Fraser doesn’t want to deal. Katie says, the deck crew has no problems unless Ross is in the doghouse. They get in taxis, and Rachel says she’s going to write a book, but instead of Eat, Pray, Love, hers will be Eat, Drink, F***. They get to the restaurant, Rachel thanks everyone, and they toss back a shot. In Katie’s interview, she says, Ross has to show her that he’s changed tonight. Every night out, ended up the same way. We flash back to Ross getting drunk, and trying to nail anything that moves. Katie says, her boyfriend was very unfaithful, and it was a huge trigger that he changed when he drank. Words are sh*t if you don’t put action behind it. They order, and Alissa stands at the bar with Ross, smoking, as she tells him that she’s not a smoker. She asks Ross if he and Katie are solid, and Ross says he guesses. In Ross’s interview, he says, Alissa is naughty, but he has real emotions with Katie. He and Alissa are just fun. Alissa says she’s a work horse at work, and a play pony when she’s at play. I decide that I don’t like most of this crew, when the food comes. Alissa talks nonsense, and in Camille’s interview, she says, Alissa is trying to get under her skin. She has to be fake, but she’s good at it. She could be an actress in another world. Hayley and Fraser go for a smoke, and Fraser says he’s fed up with the bullsh*t, but he doesn’t know what else to do. Hayley says, he could get rid of one of them, but Fraser says, they’re both great workers. Hayley agrees, when Camille comes by, assuming they’re talking smack about her. Hayley tells her, they were saying nice things, and Camille tells them, say what you want about her, she’s got herself regardless. Fraser says he’s trying to fix it, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, don’t come at her. How much drama does Camille need? She tells Camille that she hopes they find agreement, and steers Camille toward the taxis. Alissa gets in a taxi, saying, Ben’s girlfriend is a sloppy ass bitch, and he’s obsessed with Camille’s diseased p***y. Wow. In Rachel’s interview, she says, what the f***? This group is crazy. Alissa starts to cry, and tells Fraser that Camille has been talking sh*t to other people about her.

They move on to a club, and Ross orders a round of tequila shots. Tony wisely goes back to the boat, stuffs his face, and goes to bed. Fraser tells Hayley that he wants to help make it better, but she says, they’re four charters in; it’s not getting better. Alissa tells Fraser, if they were one down, they could handle it, and in Frasers interview, he says, the captain told him to shut down what’s going on. As chief stew, he needs to fix it and make it right. He has a decision to make, and he hates it. They leave, and Rachel says, her romper has been romped out. Back at the boat, everyone goes to bed, and Camille gets in Ben’s bunk. In Tony’s interview, he says, here we go again. He’s trying not acknowledge it, but… He makes a noise like bedsprings squeaking.

In the morning, Captain Sandy tells Rachel that she was up at 6:30, and the boat was so quiet; it was great. Fraser tells Hayley that he doesn’t know how many more chances he can give. It’s hard because he’s been there. She asks if he wants to give one more, and he says, he’d been given chances when he needed them, and has hope in people. In his interview, he says, no one believed in him, so he turned things around for himself. He sees it in everyone. It’s 29 hours to charter, and Camille is surprised they have to work. Captain Sandy calls Fraser, Ross, and Rachel for the preference sheet meeting. Charter five’s primaries are Alex, who’s in real estate, and his wife Louisa. Louisa is 27 weeks pregnant, and requires extra meals. They want an around-the-world multi-course meal, all the water toys, and a beach picnic. The captain says she guarantees it won’t be like the last one. Camille asks if Ben is having fun, and says, it makes her sad that they only have three more weeks. It’s hard to stick with someone in yachting. Katie brings a bottle of champagne into the cabin, and she and Camille drink. They’re about to join Ross on the dock, when Fraser sees Camille with a drink in her hand. He asks what she’s doing, and she says she’s literally done with all her tasks. He tells her that she can’t drink on the job. It’s not a holiday. In his interview, he says, seeing Camille with a pint sized glass of champagne tells him she has no care or willingness to do the job. Rachel says, Camille has been drinking pretty much all day.

Rachel tells Fraser, it’s a very Camille thing to do, and Fraser says, effing hell. In Fraser’s interview, he says, they have to work. Tomorrow’s the charter. It’s not a holiday. Camille sits on the dock with Ross, and Fraser radios, asking her location. She says she’s on the aft deck, and Ross tells her, run. Fraser sees her jetting up the plank, and says, this isn’t the aft deck; it’s outside. He tells her that the cabins aren’t done, but she insists she did her jobs, and helped the girls do theirs. He shows her pictures on his phone of things not done, and in his interview, he says, Camille has an excuse for everything. He doesn’t know if that’s a good sign… He knows it’s not. He points out that she was also drinking the guest champagne, and says in his interview that he likes giving chances, but if you can’t play a role in supporting the bigger picture, you have no role on this yacht. Camille and Katie drink in the cabin, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he can’t get a wink of sleep. He’s terrified he’ll make the wrong decision. He loves Camille, but she’s not doing her job. What does he do with that?

In the morning, Fraser hints to Hayley and Alissa that he might be working on a new schedule. He asks to speak to Captain Sandy, and Hayley wonders if this is actually happening. Alissa tells her, it’s done. It sounds like they’re talking about an execution. Fraser tells the captain, as much as he adores Camille as a person, last night was his final straw. Hayley asks Alissa if she thinks they’ll manage, and Alissa says she’ll manage regardless. Captain Sandy says, Camille is the common denominator in the problems. She has a great personality, but they have to do what’s best for the boat. In her interview, she says she’s proud of Fraser. He took charge. It’s another growing experience, and she’s here to support that.

Three and a half hours to charter. Captain Sandy calls Camille to the bridge, and Fraser says, this is awful. Alissa says her stomach hurts, and Hayley says, Camille’s about to lose her job; it’s harsh. Camille goes to the bridge, and the captain says, this isn’t easy for her. Camille says, oh my God, no, and Captain Sandy says she’s letting Camille go this morning. Camille looks like a deer in headlights.

To be continued…

🥫 Full Of Beans…

Join me tomorrow for more soap drama and a spot of tea. Until then, stay safe, stay searching yourself before reading others, and stay never saying never.