Tag Archives: Bessie Smith

Feb20

February 19, 2024 – Valentin Has a Surprise For Alexis, Fraser Is Done With This On Deck & Kitchen

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly knocks repeatedly at Dex’s door and asks if he’s there. She says she’s looking for Josslyn and knocks again.

Brook tells Tracy that the Deception feature looks huge, and Tracy asks if she’d say they got maximum exposure at a bargain rate. Brook tells her that she would say just that. Tracy’s negotiation skills were awe inspiring. She got credit, Carly got a great first issue, and Deception got huge exposure. Everybody wins, except Nina. Tracy asks if she didn’t tell Brook that they’d be able to run this company with or without Maxie, and Brook says, let’s not even go there. Lois comes in and says, has she got a surprise for them.

Marshall comes out of the hospital elevator, and Stella says, hello, stranger. It’s so nice to see… Is he in there? He realizes she’s talking to him and says he’s so sorry, kissing her on the cheek. He got kind of caught up in his head there for a minute. She asks if he’s okay, and he says he’s perfectly fine physically. He just came from his psychiatrist. She asks how it went, and he says he was prepared for bad news. He knows how to deal with bad news. But he got good news and he’s got no idea how to handle it.

Gregory looks at The Invader headline, DEAD ON ARRIVAL, and reads, notorious criminal is shot while being transferred from Pentenville. Alexis says, notorious doesn’t even scratch the surface of who Olivia Jerome was, but it’s technically correct. He says, the headline does lean in the direction of the more lurid, but it doesn’t tip over into it, and she thanks him, taking the tablet. She tells him, it says she didn’t see her death coming. That’s unfortunate. It’s a mercy she didn’t deserve. He says, wow, and she says, it doesn’t matter what she thinks. If she can get readers who expect some sparkling headline to actually read this article, they’re going to read something that really matters. About gun control, about rising violence – Valentin approaches the office – about prison reform. Yes? Gregory says, from what he read, she got the catalyst she was looking for, and Valentin says, she usually does. There’s no one better at turning a headline into a cause than his cousin.

Carly says, come on, Dex, open the door, when Josslyn opens it. She says, he’s gone.

Trina is looking at her turtle dove, when Curtis rolls in. She asks, how was physical therapy? Was everyone blown away by him? He says, it was okay, and she says, he’s improving every single session. Everyone can see that. She and mom are amazed by how far he’s come. He thanks her for the encouragement, and she says, they’re going to throw him the biggest party this zip code has ever seen once he’s back on his feet. He says, walking over to her and her mom for a hug is all the celebration he needs. So she doesn’t have to worry about a party. She says she guesses she should cancel the caterers then, and starts to leave, but he says, she doesn’t have to hide from him. And she doesn’t have to run away from how she feels.

Stella tells Marshall that people don’t usually need her help handling good news, so she doesn’t have much experience in that area, but she’ll give it a shot anyway. Marshall says, his psychiatrist has been weaning him off his meds, and she says, for a few months now, right? He says, yes, and in all this time, there’s been no episodes. No seeing things, no hearing voices… She says, no indication of schizophrenia? and he says, it confirmed what Portia first suspected and what all this testing and observation seems to bear out. She says, back in the day, he was misdiagnosed, and he says, yes ma’am. She says she guesses there’s no sense in railing at the past, and he says, it’s not like he can track the doctor down and what? Beat him up? Sue? She says she’s not sure it would do any good if he could. So instead, why don’t they just thank the good Lord that the sword that’s been hanging over his head for 40 years is finally gone. He’s finally free. He says, that’s the thing. He doesn’t feel free.

Josslyn says, when she got here, it was too late, and Carly asks, too late how? She says, Dex was already gone, but Sonny was here and gave her this – she picks up the letter and dog tags (I’d thought he kept one, but I guess not) – as a consolation prize. She tosses it back on the table, and Carly says, so Dex left on his own. Josslyn says, it’s not like he had much of a choice, and Carly says, but Sonny didn’t hurt him. Josslyn says, not according to Sonny, and Carly asks what Dex’s letter said. Josslyn tells her that it said that he left because it was safer for everybody and that he loved her, and he was grateful for the time they had together. Carly says she’s so sorry, but Josslyn says, Dex was right. He said this was going to happen. Sonny had to send him away. He was too much of a liability. Whether it was the cops or Sonny’s enemies, they were going to come for him. He knows way too much about the organization. Carly says, he does. He’s right. Josslyn asks what she’s supposed to do. She’s supposed to be grateful that Sonny sent him away instead of having him killed? (Well… yeah.) Assuming that’s what happened. Assuming Sonny didn’t make him write this letter and kill him anyway. Carly says, Sonny wouldn’t do that, and Josslyn asks if she’s sure. She didn’t think Sonny would leave Carly. She didn’t think he would turn on Michael. (Speaking of which, why is no one angry with Michael since he’s the guy who started all this mess?) She didn’t think he would treat someone who saved his life like a traitor, but he did all of that and more. So before Carly sits here and tells her that Dex is somewhere safe, please ask herself, would she bet her life on it? Because Dex just did.

Valentin says he’s sorry. He’s interrupting? Alexis says, of course (🍷) he is, hugging him. But actually, it got her off her soapbox. He says he thought she was just hitting her stride, and Gregory says, she was. In fact, they were just in the middle of… Valentin says, running a newspaper. He understands. They should be taking a victory lap for showing restraint for running a story that in lesser hands would have become a voyeuristic tale of a vicious criminal brought down in a manner even more grisly than she herself employed. Alexis thanks him for saying that, but she doesn’t think that’s why he dropped by, and he says, not entirely. He’s guessing Shawn Butler hasn’t talked to her yet. She says she just got an email from him, but she hasn’t had time to respond to it yet. How did Valentin know he was trying to reach her? Valentin says, he and Shawn have just completed a rather substantial business arrangement and Shawn was supposed to tell her. Alexis asks, what kind of business? and Valentin says he bought The Invader.

Trina says she’s not hiding anything; she’s fine. Curtis says, okay. He has to take her at her word, but he just wants her to know if there’s ever a time she’s not fine, she doesn’t have to pretend anymore. She asks if he thinks that’s true, deep down true, and he asks what she means. She says, sometimes people will ask you if you’re okay and you can desperately see they’re hoping you’ll say you’re okay. That way they can say they checked in to see how you were doing. But God forbid you tell them the truth or give them a hint that things are not so great. They get uncomfortable. He says he knows. Then they start glancing at their watch or checking their phone, and what do you know, they’ve got a message, and all of a sudden, they’ve got to go somewhere, anywhere. And not too long ago, you were laughing, having drinks, putting something on the grill, no problem. Now it’s like they don’t know what to say or how to handle it. He knows a little bit of how that’s like, but that’s not how it goes here, and not with him. She says she does know that, but she’s afraid to let everything she’s feeling come out. He says, why is that? and she says, because she feels like if she does, she’ll fall apart and she’ll never be able to put herself back together again.

Alexis says, Valentin is joking, right? He’s never expressed any interest in The Invader, let alone buying it. He says he knows this comes as a bit of a shock given his lack of experience with publishing or the media, but she stepped out of law and became an editor and look how well that turned out. Gregory asks if she’s okay, and she says she will be once she calls Shawn. Valentin says he knows she has a long history with Shawn and should make that call, but he did make a substantial offer above market and Shawn took it. She says, Shawn doesn’t chase money. It’s not his thing. His thing is political and social issues. Valentin says, in his non-profit organization, which not only funds The Invader, it underwrites various media outlets around the world, and with this infusion of cash, it will bolster his non-profit and expand his reach. Gregory says, and he’s doing this out of the goodness of his heart? but Valentin says, not entirely. His heart’s not that good, but The Invader’s business possibilities are. Alexi says she didn’t get into this to print money. If she had, they’d still be telling stories about UFOs and celebrity diets. Valentin says he knows that and respects her incorruptibility, and she says, if he’s come here to take away her editorial control and put a corporate slant on things, she can save him the trouble of making a really difficult call because she quits.

Lois reads, it is with great joy, together with their families, Brook Lynn Quartermaine – she rubs Brook’s arm and says, that’s you – and Harrison Chase invite you and a guest to the celebration of their wedding. Doesn’t it just get them where they live? Brook says, they’re just perfect. Aren’t they, granny? Tracy flashes back to Gregory telling her, no more petty fighting and arguing. All that matters is those two beautiful souls belong together and we all do everything we can to make that happen. Brook says, they’re just perfect, but Tracy says, far from it.

Josslyn tells Carly that she knows who Sonny is and she knows what he’s capable of, and he just doesn’t want to admit the fact that he was vulnerable, that he actually owes Dex. Carly says she doesn’t believe Sonny had Dex killed. Sonny let him live and he did that for Josslyn. Josslyn says, Sonny doesn’t get to play God their lives just because the rest of them let him do it with theirs. She won’t let him keep her and Dex apart. She won’t do it. She’s been here all night looking for something – she starts pulling open drawers – looking for an address, a phone number, something from Dex’s life before he came to Port Charles, something that will help her find him. She looks at the dog tags and says, he did two tours in Afghanistan, and he came back, so he can’t be gone now.

Curtis tells Trina that he gets it. She feels like if she gives it an inch, it’ll take all of her, but that pain she’s feeling, that hurt, can’t be contained forever. She can try to hide it, she can lock it deep inside her, but it’s still there. And it ain’t getting any smaller. It will turn toxic, and all that toxic grief will seep out and eventually, it will get to her heart. It’ll make it harder and that magical light inside her will dim. That’s not going to happen to her. She says, but she doesn’t know what to do with all that she’s feeling, and he says, share it. Let it out. He did and it broke him to pieces, but he was surrounded by family. His family fixed him – her mom, Aunt Stella, his dad, TJ, her. They all put him together. When he had no strength, they gave him theirs. And she, too, is surrounded by family and love, so let it out. Fall apart if she has to. They’ll catch her every single time.

Stella says she’s not sure she understands, and Marshall says, this misdiagnosis. Ever since Portia showed him that his test results didn’t show the genetic markers for schizophrenia, he’s been wrestling with this in his head. And now that he’s been weaned off his meds, there hasn’t been any reoccurrence of symptoms. It’s no longer a question mark in the back of his mind. It’s a fact. It’s real. He was misdiagnosed. She says she hopes he’s not blaming himself for believing what they doctor said all those years ago, and he says, it’s hard not to. He got one diagnosis, and he didn’t question it. She says, nobody did. Doctors were gods back then. What they said was the final word. He says he has one question. If what he was experiencing wasn’t schizophrenia, what the hell was it? And what if it happens again?

Josslyn says, every second she spends crying brings more miles between her and Dex, and Carly says she knows Josslyn is hurt. She knows Josslyn is angry at Sonny, but Dex is alive, and it could have gone differently. Josslyn says, the only reason it didn’t is because of Carly, so she has Carly to thank, not Sonny. Carly says, it’s the least that she owed Dex, but he was working for her, so some of Josslyn’s anger should be directed at her. Josslyn says she also knows that Dex was going to protect Sonny. No matter how many times she warned him otherwise, he still believed in Sonny. Just like Carly. Why, when he’s been so awful? Don’t say, because of Donna. Carly says, it is because of Donna. Because Donna loves her father every bit as much as Josslyn loves hers. It’s a really difficult question to answer and she’s probably not going to understand and that’s okay. She and Sonny have a history, and she knows he’s flawed. She knows him better than anyone. He’s hurt her and disappointed her, but she’s hurt him and disappointed him. Josslyn says, it’s not the same, but Carly says, let her tell Josslyn something. There have been people in her life who wouldn’t quit on her no matter how bad she messed up, so she doesn’t quit on Sonny, even when she doesn’t agree with him and even when he’s wrong. Josslyn says, Sonny doesn’t deserve her loyalty or Dex’s.

Valentin says he admires Alexis’s journalistic integrity, and of course (🍷) he wants to make money, because The Invader’s a business, not a hobby. But Alexis has been solidly in the black since taking over and he sees no reason to change her approach. Alexis says, it’s highly unusual for a new owner to leave everything exactly as is. Typically, they want to tinker or fine tune. Gregory suggests she hear the man out before she makes any decisions, journalistically or otherwise, and she says, fine. Please continue. Valentin says, she is the editor. He has no interest or desire to tinker with her work, and she says, that’s a relief. He says, The Invader is her baby, and he intends to keep it that way, and she says, good. Maybe they can even work together sometime within those parameters. Gregory says, that’s great, and Valentin says, that’s the spirit. But with Shawn gone, she’s going to need a publisher, someone with vision and prior experience. She says, of course (🍷). Does he have somebody in mind? Nina runs in and says she hopes she’s not late.

Tracy asks if Brook is seeing what she’s seeing, but Brook says she can almost guarantee she isn’t. Lois takes the invitation and reads, it is with great joy that together with their families, Brook Lynn Quartermaine – that’s you – and Harrison Chase invite you to the celebration of their wedding… Oh. Tracy says, exactly. Even Yuri rates a plus one. Lois asks, what’s that supposed to mean, even Yuri? She happens to find Yuri very handsome and charming, and that accent is to die for. Tracy says, he is free to attend the wedding with a companion of his choice, which she would be if there was an and a guest, which there is not. And she can only assume it’s Lois’s subtle way of implying that she’s not going to be able to find someone to take to the wedding. Lois says she had nothing to do with that, but if she did have something to say about Tracy’s love life or the dating apps she should be on, she wouldn’t be that subtle. Brook says, they can all agree on that, and Tracy says, there is nothing subtle about removing and a guest from her invitation. And do not try to tell her that this is just a coincidence, because years ago, she didn’t think Lois was good enough for her son, and now all these years later, Lois doesn’t think she’s good enough for anybody. Lois says, good enough, sure. Nice enough, that depends upon the day Tracy is having. Tracy says, rest assured, there are plenty of people around the globe who would be thrilled to be her guest, and Lois says she would gladly welcome any one of those lucky winners that she wants to bring. Tracy tells Lois, sure, she says that now, and Brook says, nobody is trying to slight her. It was a misprint. The and a guest was accidentally dropped from her invitation. See for herself. Here’s the master they sent to the printer. Tracy looks at the paper, and Lois says, see? So bring whoever she wants. Tracy says, fire the printer, but Lois says she’s not firing anyone. It was an honest mistake. Tracy can bring someone. She can bring a boatload of someone’s. Just let her know so she can make sure there are enough chairs. But just between us girls – and Tracy knows she can tell Lois – who’s the lucky guy? Come on.

Nina asks if Valentin told Alexis, and he says he was just about to, but her entrance kind of speaks for itself. Gregory asks if Alexis is okay, but she says, hell no. He knows Nina Reeves, the former editor of Crimson magazine. Valentin says, Nina may have been editor… Nina says, she’ll take it. If Alexis is thinking she accepted Valentin’s offer with the intention of pushing her out as Editor-in-Chief and taking over, then… Alexis says, did she? and Nina says she likes that, getting straight to the point instead of beating around the bush for half an hour. Alexis says, did she? and Nina says she was as surprised as anyone when Valentin proposed that she become publisher of The Invader, and once the surprise wore off, she got really excited because she’s watched what Alexis has done here. She’s taken this common tabloid newspaper and turned it into a vehicle for serious journalism. Alexis says, that was the point. It’s what she and Shawn Butler agreed upon from the beginning. Nina says, and she’s so honored to be part of this team. She’ll do anything she can to help Alexis hone her vision. Alexis says she appreciates that very much. What she would like to know is why the person she’s now taking orders from got fired from her last job.

Trina tells Curtis that she doesn’t know if this feeling is ever going to go away. She hates it, but she can’t make it stop. It’s like, without Spencer, all the color in the world is gone. It’s just grey and she feels like a zombie just going through the motions. Everything she thought was important, like art or good grades or the Sorbonne, she looks at it now and none of that is important. And it’s not like she doesn’t care. It’s like she doesn’t care that she doesn’t care. Curtis says he hears her, and she asks if he thinks it will go away with time. He says he’s not thinking anything, just listening, and she says she keeps getting emails from PCU asking if she’s coming back for the fall semester, and she doesn’t know if she can do that. He says, so don’t. Don’t do it. She says, but what if she never can?

Carly says, Josslyn doesn’t need to remind her that Sonny often hurts the people he cares about, then rationalizes it by saying he’s following some code. She’s watched him do it for years. Hell, she’s watched him do it to her. But she knew what she was getting into when she chose to be a part of Sonny’s world. So did Dex. Josslyn says, so this code just justifies everything Sonny’s done? and Carly says, no. It just explains it. It’s his world. It’s how he operates. It’s what he’s done for years. By now it’s a part of his DNA. Josslyn asks if loyalty is a part of this code. Why is it everybody, Dex included, has to be blindly loyal to Sonny, but he doesn’t have to be loyal to them? Carly says, Dex isn’t stupid or naïve. He’s ex-military. Adapting to situations is what he does. He’s lucky he was dealing with Sonny, and he’s even luckier he had Josslyn. Josslyn says, no. She’s part of the reason Dex is in this mess, but Carly says, she’s not. She’s probably the only reason Dex is still alive. Her and the fact that Sonny loves her. Josslyn says, he doesn’t, but Carly says, he does. Or Dex wouldn’t have gotten the option to leave. Josslyn says she doesn’t want Sonny’s kind of love. She just wants Dex back, so can Carly please help her find him? Port Charles is the only true home he’s ever known. Carly says, before Josslyn takes off and blows up her life trying to find Dex, she needs to ask herself a very important question. Josslyn says, what if she doesn’t find him? but Carly says, what if she does?

Trina tells Curtis that she can’t think of doing the things normal people do in college, not after losing Spencer. She’d just be pretending, and she doesn’t even have enough energy to pull that off. She can’t even bother trying. Curtis says, it may be one of those times where fake it til you make it doesn’t apply. If she’s not feeling college, don’t go. She says, try telling that to mom, and he says, that’s going to take some time, but she’ll get there. No matter how old, dependent, or self-sufficient Trina becomes, she’s always going to be her mother’s child. And he mom wants what every parent in the world wants, and that’s for her to be happy. Trina says she doesn’t think she’ll ever be happy again, and Curtis asks if she has an idea of what it would take to be happy again. She says, a miracle, and he says, barring that? She says she just needs to find a way to keep Spencer present in her life because she feels like she’s losing a little bit of him every day. And what if one day, the only thing she has left of him is this? She shows Curtis the turtle dove.

Marshall says he wasted half his life because some doctor thought he knew what was wrong with him, and Stella says, but doctors know more today than they knew back then. He says, but he may never know what happened to him and he has a hard time letting go of that one. She says she thinks he can be forgiven for that. What happened to him back then was a mystery and people need a mystery solved. He says, and as much as he wants answers, he’s not sure he can afford to spend the limited time he has left on this earth trying to find them. Is it fair to his family? Is it fair to the people he cares about? She says, only he can answer that.

Josslyn says she knows exactly what she’s going to say when she finds Dex. She’s going to tell him, the hell with Sonny. He’s coming back home with her. Carly says she doesn’t doubt Josslyn has what it takes to find Dex, but Dex isn’t in Sonny’s world anymore. He’s not under Sonny’s thumb. Isn’t that what Josslyn always wanted? Let Dex start a new life.

Valentin says, Nina’s exit from Crimson… but Nina says she’s got it. Alexis asked a very valid question. She deserves a response. She tries to keep her personal and professional worlds apart. Drew chose to merge the two. He put Carly in place as Editor-in-Chief solely to get back at her. So if anyone put Crimson and its staff at risk, Alexis should be looking in Carly and Drew’s direction, not hers. Alexis thanks her for being so forthright, and Nina says she’ll always be like that. Any more questions? Alexis says, not at the moment, and Nina says she knows her exit from Crimson was a little dramatic, and the whole drama between her and Carly and Drew is a little scandalous, but a little scandal does not need to get in the way of serious journalism. Ask Woodward and Bernstein. Gregory says he knows it might not be his place to point this out,  but Woodward and Bernstein investigated a scandal; they weren’t a part of the scandal. Nina says she knows she hasn’t run a daily before, but she has years of experience in publishing. Perhaps a little bit more than Alexis. Alexis says, that’s true, and Nina says she knows how this industry works. She can get things done and she’s prepared to make this work. Is Alexis?

Curtis says he wishes he had something different to say, but his advice is the same. If Trina wants to keep Spencer present, then share her memories of him. Tell her mom, tell Josslyn, tell him. She says, but even he’ll get tired of that, and he says, try him. And she can start with that figurine. What makes it so special? She flashes back to both she and Spencer bringing their doves to Paris, and Spencer saying that he takes it everywhere with him. She tells Curtis that it’s a turtle dove. There’s a pair of them, like in the Christmas carol – ♪ two turtle doves♪. Spencer originally wanted to give her this for Christmas, but so much happened, he gave it to her months later. She didn’t care about the delay. She loved them, like she loved him.

Marshall says he guesses he’ll just have to learn to live with the fact he may never know what was wrong with him, and Stella says, better than the alternative. They laugh and she asks how he’s doing now. He says, better. Better than he has in years. The symptoms haven’t shown any signs of returning and the stress… He’s waiting for it to happen again. He didn’t know how much it was weighing on him until it was gone. She says, he’s been carrying a heavy burden for a long time. Is he ready to put it down? He says, the past is the past. Let’s focus on today. He’s been focused on yesterday and he hears today is where the good stuff is anyway. She asks if he’s sure about this, and he asks, what other choice is there? How can someone take a look at him and diagnose a condition he had 40 years ago that hasn’t reared its ugly head since? He’s got to let it go. She says, you can’t stop a man with a plan, and he says, she-bop-du-bop-bam (or something like that)! Not this man. Not this plan. He can’t tell her how much he appreciates her listening to him. He appreciates her more than she knows. She says, it’s what she does, but he says, it’s a lot more than that. He kisses her cheek, thanks her again, and leaves. She calls Felicia and asks if she can trouble Felicia with something.

Tracy says, at the moment, there is no one in particular she wants to take to the wedding, and Lois asks if Tracy wants her to introduce her to someone. Or she could help Tracy set up her dating profile for that apps. Tracy says she really doesn’t. She’s actually quite content being single. Lois says she’s talking about someone pleasant for the wedding. Someone who will open the door for Tracy, or take her coat, give her a little dip on the dance floor in the middle of the reception. Tracy says, pass. She thanks Lois though. Brook says, Tracy Quartermaine and a guest, and hands Tracy the invitation. Better? Tracy says, much, and takes it. She leaves, and Lois says she can see it in Brook’s eyes. She’s worried about her grandmother. Don’t be. Tracy doesn’t need anyone but Tracy. Brook says she’s not so sure about that. For all granny’s bravado, there’s a loneliness inside her. It’s been there ever since she lost Luke. Maybe this wedding will be a way for her to feel a little less lonely. Lois says, yeah.

Alexis shakes Nina’s hand, and Valentin says he knew she’d make the right decision. It’s for the best for The Invader. Alexis says, that’s what they all want, and Valentin says, they’re going to take off. He knows Alexis has some work to do. Nina says she also has some work to do, familiarizing herself with the operation. Alexis says she’s just a phone call away and she’ll do everything she can to make this arrangement work. Nina says, that makes two of them. It’s unanimous. They leave, and Alexis says she knows what Gregory is thinking. Just go ahead and say it. He says he’s thinking she’s taking a risk, but she already knows that. She says, of course () she knows that. She sees what’s going on. She’s not ready to leave The Invader. She wants to see what those two have going on.

In the hallway, Nina thanks Valentin for having her back and he says, of course (🍷), but make no mistake. He’s expecting great things from her and Alexis. That is, if she meant what she said. Nina tells him that she meant every word. The Invader can be a bit self-righteous, but Alexis does great work. But the newspaper could use a little sexing up. He asks how she intends to do that, and she says, it’s simple. You just focus on the stories that the readers are hungry for. He says, such as? and she says, such as Carly and Drew.

Josslyn picks up the dog tags and tells Carly that she can’t let Dex go. She’s sorry. He just means too much to her. She’s going to find him and if he doesn’t want to come back to Port Charles, they’ll go somewhere else. Together. She leaves the apartment.

Tomorrow, Laura asks Robert what his office has decided; Cyrus wonders why someone wants to say that to him; Sonny asks if someone is going to do this for him or not; and Diane serves papers to someone.

Below Deck

Port Louis Marina, Grenada. Barbie and Cat agree to try to work together peacefully, and in Cat’s interview, she says she was excited to work with girls, but… In their respective interviews, both she and Barbie say, this girl is a bitch. Fraser says he needs a drink. The crew starts drinking on the boat, then go to the restaurant. They talk tattoos on the way, and Max tells Fraser that two years ago today, his dad died. After drinks are served, Fraser toasts to a great charter, and Xandi tells them, the way to toast in French is sens mon cul, which translates to smell my ass, but they don’t know that. Barbie says she had three nannies growing up. One cooked, one cleaned, and one did her hair. I’m sure this will endear her even more to everyone. Jared tells the crew that he and his girlfriend weren’t getting along, when she got pregnant and moved to Alaska, not telling him about the baby until well after his daughter was born. Now, he FaceTimes with her twice a week. The last thing he wants to be is a deadbeat dad. On the boat, Captain Kerry eats dinner while he FaceTimes with his girlfriend. In his interview, he says he adores her, and he’s going to learn Turkish so he can ask her to marry him. He’s not single. Sorry, ladies. The crew moves on to do some dancing, and Sunny says she’s in paradise with a hot guy – i.e. Ben. She’s not expecting anything, but she’s thinking of something. Kyle says that Barbie is the kind of girl he’d take home to his mom, which surprises me, and the crew heads back to the boat. Jared says he finds truth in Barbie’s eyes. Back on the boat, it’s hot tub time. Fraser realizes he spent 300 f***ing dollars, says, what a bunch of lunatics, and goes to bed. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Xandi is pissed as a fart. A fart goes everywhere, so she’s pissed as. The first time a British friend said she was pissed as a fart via Facebook, it took me a minute to realize she didn’t mean angry. Sunny texts Ben that she wants to kiss, and he tells her to meet him in the cabins. They kiss for a while, and Ben jets.

In Jared’s interview, he says, the first charter was rough, and we flash back to his many mistakes. He says he’s been f***ing up. Slow down, calm down, and breathe. Think past the tip of your nose. Kyle thinks he’s in love with Barbie, and in Cat’s interview, she says, in the boats she’s worked on in the past, she was close with the crew. This crew is hard to connect with, and she feels super alone. It sucks. Captain Kerry is surprised the boat looks like no one was there the night before, and Jared says, that’s because he was up at 6 tidying it for the captain. Apparently, past the tip of his nose is brown. Fraser has an interior meeting and says he’s going to mix things up. Cat will be on housekeeping, Xandi on service, and Barbie wherever he needs her. In Ben’s interview, he says, everything he said he was not going to do, and here we are. This could be trouble. In Sunny’s interview, she says she separates work and play, but she likes him. The captain calls for a preference sheet meeting.

The primaries are Tara, an event planner, and her husband Steven, a contractor. They’re bringing friends Michelle and Robert who are engaged, as well as another couple. Fraser reads that the guests want to go to a waterfall where two of the couples will renew their vows, and one will be married. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, Annandale Falls is absolutely enchanting. He can’t think of a more perfect setting. We see the Falls and right he is; it’s stunning. Fraser reads that the guests want surf and turf the first night, and then an old Hollywood themed dinner, as well as a wedding cake. Fraser radios Cat to meet with him, and in his interview, he says, it’s evident Cat is a sensitive soul. He feels that she might want to be heard more. He never had someone to look after him when he started in yachting, and he wants to be that someone to someone else. They sit down and have a beer, and Cat tells him that her dad passed away when she was 9 and her mother passed away when she was 13. She and her brother were thrown into the system and separated. The family she went to was involved with a cult religion and wouldn’t let her talk to her brother. In Cat’s interview, she says she lived in Orange County from 13 to 18 years old, and was part of her family’s culture, life, and dynamic. She felt like a prop. She tells Fraser that it was extreme, and in her interview, she says she wanted to forget her past life. At 18, she chose her brother and living her life for herself. She became independent, and now she and her brother are close. He’s her best friend.  

Provisions come in, and after going up and down the stairs with boxes and bags, Anthony says his ass is going to be a badass ass. Fraser calls another interior meeting in the master cabin and says his standards haven’t been met. This is not how you roll a towel. It’s unacceptable. The high standard not being met puts them back where they were, so he’s putting Xandi on housekeeping, Cat wherever, and Barbie on service. In Fraser’s interview, he says, maybe Cat is overwhelmed. Super yachting is very intense, but if you want it bad enough, you’ll do what you have to in order to get there. His first job was the crew mess stew, the crew member to the crew, the bottom of the barrel. His first day, the chief engineer found out he was gay, and the engineer was homophobic. While Fraser was doing dishes, the engineer poured the boiling tea Fraser just made him on Fraser’s hand. This was his first day in yachting, but he told himself, just keep f***ing going. One day, none of this will matter. He’ll be at the top and get the engineer fired. And one day he did. Unfortunately, he does not tell that story, but I’d like to hear it. Fraser asks Barbie to be extra sensitive with Cat, and Barbie says she’s sorry she’s so terrible, but he says he doesn’t want to hear that. In Barbie’s interview, she says, what the f***? She has no filter, but she apologizes and owns her sh*t. She’s making an effort, but he’s stuck on, don’t hurt Cat’s feelings.

The guests arrive, and Fraser gives the tour. In his interview, Fraser says, the guests seem a bit tacky, but fun. In the captain’s interview, he says he sees a quality team, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. They’ll go step by step until they operate the vessel how he wants. They head out to sea, and there’s a whole big to-do between Fraser and Barbie on how a margarita is made. When Barbie leaves, he tells Cat that he wants a margarita made in less than 30 seconds and don’t give him attitude anymore. In Barbie’s interview, she speaks in Spanish, saying, she’s five minutes from losing control. He’s such a d*ck.

In Anthony’s interview, he says, it was amazing growing up France, but school wasn’t for him. He didn’t dream of having a Ferrari, but dreamt of making his mom happy (aww!). He wanted to take care of her so she wouldn’t need to work and went to culinary school. Fraser tells Barbie not to ignore him, which is becoming her M.O., and she says, yes, sir. He says, she’s giving him attitude, and she says he’s jabbing at her. She feels underappreciated. In Fraser’s interview, he says, Barbie is great at service, but if she can’t compose herself, it’s a serious issue. If she can’t learn quick, he’ll filter her out of the crew. Lunch is served and we get our first dose of food porn. The entrée is cordon bleu, which I don’t even like, but I’d make an exception here. Guest Robert wants Fraser to tell the chef they hated it to f*** with his emotions. (This was in a funny way, not a mean way.) In Ben’s interview, he says, Jared is picking up his game, but they’ll see how long it lasts. The guests play in the water, and the crew runs out of food in the crew mess. Fraser talks to Barbie about her attitude again, and Barbie says she feels like she’s trying and not being appreciated. He tells her, that’s her paranoia. It’s how she responds to him, if she responds at all. Her attitude isn’t going to fly. Barbie says, he’s treating her like a bitch, and he says, she’s being a bitch to him.

Fraser says, Barbie is giving him attitude and she’s rude to him. He doesn’t like working with that. She says, fair enough and she’ll work on it, but she’s not happy. He says he’s sorry that’s the case and hopes it changes. In Anthony’s interview, he says he’s thinking game night equals steakhouse, his way. His way looks pretty damn good, and the table is very cute with those red and white popcorn containers that look like bags in the centerpiece. In Fraser’s interview, he says, car park tailgating football is the theme, and he’s going with it. For service, he dresses like a referee and wears a whistle. Anthony says he’s reinvented French onion soup, and I’m in. Primary Steven prays before the meal, and thanks God for the food, asking that it makes them better and makes them do awesome sh*t. Ha-ha! That’s kind of how I pray.  While cleaning cabins, Cat tells Xandi that she’d like someone who makes her laugh, but there’s been no genuine banter between her and any of the crew members. The entrée is surf and turf, and I think about how long it’s been since had that. Robert thinks the filet is chewy, but it’s not the chef; it’s a bad cut. Barbie tells Anthony about the steak and asks if he has any A1. In Anthony’s interview, she says, it’s not his fault. They’re in a little island. Do they think the islanders make filet mignon every day? Barbie grumbles about Cat not doing the toilet paper right or something, and in Cat’s interview, she says, growing up with trauma makes you insecure. Her foster family did things to make her feel like she wasn’t perfect, and she had to be. How her work ethic is viewed is important to her. If she’s made to feel weak, it gives her anxiety.

The captain tells Anthony that they need more food put out for the crew. The deckhands alone could eat a whole chicken breast. Nothing extravagant. It can even be sandwiches. In his interview, Captain Kerry says, all chefs are artists and strive for perfection. But the crew needs fuel, not something amazing. Fraser mumbles that he just doesn’t like Barbie. Barbie sits with Kyle, and they have tea.

Second day of charter, Halifax Harbour. Jared sees Sunny on a jet ski without a life jacket, and calls her back in. Jared feels the need to broadcast Sunny’s mistake, and in her interview, she says she’s annoyed. She knows she made a mistake, but he made her look bad on the radio. The problems in the team should be dealt with within the team. The captain doesn’t need to know the mistakes. She tells Ben he can f*** off, and Ben thinks she’s having a day. Fraser goes to the bridge and tells Captain Kerry that he had a talk with Barbie about being harsh and disrespectful to one of the other girls, and he’s been getting attitude. He requested she be nice to Cat, and she thinks it’s something against her, but that’s not the case. Now she’s being vile to him. He’s a very kind and caring person, but he’s said his piece and he’s done with this.

To be continued…

🍦Admitting I’m Powerless Over Ice Cream…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and VanderNonsense. Until then, stay safe, stay navigating social media with care and contributing positively, and stay focused on today. It’s where the good stuff is.

Feb18

February 17, 2021 – Cyrus Calls a Board Meeting, NJ Is Off To a Rollicking Start, Lisa Goes Off Brand, News From the Garden State, Today’s Fact & Bessie’s Kitchen

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

There’s a knock on Jordan’s office door. She thanks Curtis for coming, and says she wasn’t sure if her request would carry any weight. She sees his face, and says, sorry. It’s been almost two months since he’s been staying at the MetroCourt. She never thought he’d be gone this long. He says, it’s not like they resolved any of their issues, and she suggests they work on fixing them. She made an appointment with Dr. Massey. If Curtis doesn’t want to work on them by coming home, they can work on them in counseling. He says, no, they can’t.

At the hospital, Cyrus asks Britt where she’s going, and she says, as Chief of Staff , she usually circulates through the departments, checking in and supervising. Portia watches, and flashes back to when Cyrus told her that he was willing to withdraw his statement to the DOJ. They can’t prosecute Trina’s father without his statement, but Jordan declined. Portia wonders what those two are up to.

Lenny welcomes Phyllis home, and asks, why the suitcase? She says she knows she should have stopped home, but she wanted to make sure they didn’t burn the place down in her absence. She tells Lenny, she’s just joking; no need to get upset. Lenny says, it’s not that. Mike remembered something. Sonny says , no. He actually remembered someone.

Nina stares daggers at Carly and Jax at the cemetery. Jax sees her and reaches for her, but she shrugs him off. He says he didn’t expect her there, and she says she was at Nelle’s grave, but she saw him, and they need to talk. He says, they can talk after; Jocelyn needs him. Nina says she’s sure Carly needs him too, and asks if they can talk afterward, but she says, no. They need to talk now. She knows what he and Carly did. Dante asks Olivia, what’s going on? and Olivia says she doesn’t know, and she’s not asking. Carly walks over to Nina and Jax, and asks, what’s going on? Nina tells Jax, go ahead and tell her. No, never mind. Let her do it. She tells Carly that she knows what they both did to her daughter.

Jordan asks Curtis when he became too macho for therapy. He was the one that suggested family counseling before they got married, and he was right. It did them a world of good to air their grievances in a safe space, and Stella even came to the wedding. He asks how they’re supposed to tell a stranger about their compromises. How is Jordan going to open up to a stranger, but not to her husband?

Cyrus sees Britt going into the elevator, and says, not to interrupt her perpetual motion, but she should get off the elevator. They don’t want to tie it up for the patients. He tells her that he called a board meeting, and she says, she’s aware and appreciates the honorary seat, but she doesn’t have a vote. Her energy is better spent on patients. He urges her not to skip the meeting. It’s everything they’ve been working for. Portia joins them, and asks if everything is okay, but Britt says, everything is fine. Cyrus says, they were talking about the board meeting. As a Department head, Portia is welcome to join. Portia asks why she would need to be there, and he says, winds of change are blowing through General Hospital. Trust him; she doesn’t want to miss it.

Phyllis tells Sonny, that’s exciting; tell her everything. He says he was by himself. He was groggy, and he dozed off. Music was playing, and he was dancing with someone who had blonde hair, but he couldn’t make out her face. Phyllis says, they were wondering about the wedding band. It could be the wife that gave him the watch. He says he doesn’t know, but she definitely felt important to him. Phyllis said, like she told him, as the medicine starts working, he could possibly remember things in his life. Sonny says, maybe it was just a dream and not important. They have no way of knowing, so… He starts to walk away, and Phyllis says, that’s not necessarily true.

Jax tells Nina to keep her voice down; they’ll talk afterward. She says, no. He had his chance to be honest about her daughter, and he didn’t do it. No secrets or lies. She wants the whole world to know what he and Carly did to her daughter. Carly walks over, and says, it’s not the time or the place. Sam wonders what’s going on, but Jason says he doesn’t know, and Sam leaves. Nina says, she knows what they did to her only child, and Jax says he was trying to protect her. Nina says, he wasn’t protecting her; he was protecting Carly. Carly always comes first. Her child didn’t even merit having a funeral, just a lousy prayer at the grave. If it had been up to Carly, she wouldn’t even have had that. Nina doesn’t know what’s worse, the sheer hypocrisy or the heartless lies. She knows Carly was there when Nelle died, and they were both there when Nelle fell to her death.

At the board meeting, Cyrus says his assistant is passing out a prospectus regarding the spearheading of the research project he’s been doing in the hospital lab. It’s going to be a financial addition that will keep them from having to gouge the patients. He was inspired by Finn’s discovery, and Finn’s generous donation of the patent for Blackwood’s, but it’s a niche market. General Hospital is ready to enter into the field of pain management, an enormous market. One of the board members says, it’s an interesting presentation, and another board member says, it will help a lot of patients, and be a financial windfall for the hospital. Cyrus says, he’s glad they recognize the incredible potential. With the board’s approval, he’ll be ready to present his findings to the FDA. It requires a unanimous motion. Lesley comes in, and says she objects big time.

Jordan tells Curtis, plenty of people feel more comfortable talking to a trained medical professional, and the legal issue will be covered by doctor/patient confidentiality. Curtis says, that doesn’t always apply, and she says, they can still figure out the root of what’s going on between them. He says, that is the root. It’s tied to dancing around the truth; the lies and secrets. If she can’t speak freely to him, he doesn’t see how they can fix the relationship. He can’t live like this anymore.

Phyllis tells Sonny, she doesn’t have much experience with bipolar patients, but she did her research. There are racing, intrusive thoughts when in the manic phase. Sonny says, like the handiwork he tried there, and Lenny says, don’t remind them, Phyllis says, and the supreme confidence that led him to believe he didn’t need to figure out who he was. But like she said, when the medication builds up in the bloodstream, those thoughts leave. It might be enough to lift the fog, so he can see clearly, and remember who he is. Sonny says , maybe so. How was her trip? Lenny asks if she was able to give her former patient the answers she wanted, and Phyllis says, she was able to give answers, but not the ones her former patient wanted to hear.

Nina asks if Carly is speechless for once, and I laugh. She tells Carly not to try to deny it. She watched Nina’s daughter fall to her death. Carly knew her daughter was in the river for weeks, and said nothing. She let Nelle rot. Why is that? Carly knew if she tried to save Nelle, she could have. Carly tells Nina, don’t. This is her husband’s funeral, and Nina is going to destroy it. Nina says, just like Carly destroyed her daughter’s body, and Carly says, Nelle was a horrible person. She was a killer and a kidnapper, and on the day she died, she slashed Brooke’s throat. Nina says she doesn’t deny Nelle was trouble, but who made Carly judge and jury? Her daughter deserved dignity in death, even if she didn’t get it in life. Tell the truth. If she was capable, would Carly have saved Nelle, or did a part of her, even a small spark , hold back because she wanted to see Nelle die?

Nina says, tell her the truth. Carly owes Nina that much. Could she have saved Nelle? Diane approaches, and says, as Carly’s attorney, she strongly advises Carly to walk away. Jason agrees, but Carly tells Nina that she tried to save Nelle, despite what Nelle did. Nina says, she believes Carly hated Nelle, but doesn’t believe Carly tried to save her. Carly says she doesn’t give a damn; not after the stunt Nina just pulled. That’s exactly the reason why she and Jax didn’t tell Nina the truth. Nina can’t handle the truth. Nina says, Carly doesn’t care that her daughter is dead, even though Carly should have saved her. Nelle never had anyone in life. Nina has heard stories about Carly. Carly did horrible things, but got a second chance. Why is that? She has a whole town filled with Carly enablers. Jax says, enough, but Nina says, the best part is, Carly got Jax to go along with it. Carly is never happier than when she gets someone else to drop everything for her and back her up. Maybe Carly will bring Jax up to the major leagues now that Sonny is gone. Carly says she remembers this side of Nina. The side that drugged Ava, and cut Avery out of Ava’s womb. When Nina is in pain, and her grief is overwhelming, she takes it out on everyone around her. She and Nelle aren’t so different after all.

Phyllis tells Lenny and Sonny, her patient’s daughter passed away months ago, but the real tragedy is, she didn’t know who her daughter was until after her death. Lenny says he’s so sorry. He knows how much guilt Phyllis carries about the situation. He’ll drive her home, so she can drop her things off, and they can talk about it during the drive. He asks if Sonny thinks he can handle things, and Sonny says, no problem.

Leslie tells the Board, they don’t need Cyrus or his drugs. Cyrus says, sorry. Who is she to make that determination? She’s a board member emeritus. It’s honorary and meaningless. Leslie says she doesn’t get to vote, but those who do, should use it wisely.

Jordan says, Curtis knew secrets were part of the package when they were dating, engaged, and then married. It’s not about trust, it’s about her doing her job . If he’s being honest, his profession is trading secrets. He says, technically, it’s uncovering secrets. He gets that her job requires information she can’t share, but in the past year, she’s been keeping secrets that go well beyond work. Secrets about her being compromised by Cyrus. His nephew was kidnapped, and he was left blaming himself for Taggert’s death, when Taggart was alive and in hiding. It started with work secrets, but it’s still about him. In each case, she made the decision to keep him in the dark. How is that being a team? Jordan says, it can be. He showed up; that’s a good sign, especially after her ultimatum. She admits she was too harsh. She felt it was the only way to get through. So has he decided to come home?

Sonny asks the lone customer if he’d like another whiskey, but the customer says he’d rather get moving. He takes out his keys, and drops them, and Sonny says he’s not driving anywhere. He’s had too much to drink. The customer hands Sonny the keys, and says he can do the honors.

Nina tells Carly, one way she’s different from Nelle, is that she wasn’t an impoverished little girl from Florida with one kidney and an abusive father, but she’ll sure as hell stand up to Carly and defend her. Jason says Nina is ruining sonny’s funeral, and Nina says, he’s just proving her point; Carly has her trio of enablers there. Diane is just doing her job, but it’s not like she wasn’t warned that Carly would come first with Jax. Carly says, they’re done. She doesn’t know what Nina tried to accomplish, but she failed. Nina says Carly failed compassion, honesty, and saving the life of someone right in front of her. She’s the worst kind of selfish. She goes around thinking she’s so selfless, and her friends support it. She’s superficial, sugar sweet, until you get between her and her needs. It’s oddly poetic justice that Sonny fell to his death, like Carly watched her daughter fall. Nina starts to walk away, and Jax follows, but Nina turns and says she doesn’t even have the words for him. He had her convinced he was a white knight that would never lie to her, but just like everyone else, he is a liar. He just does it with a tan and a smile. She adds that she was wrong. She did have the words. She leaves, and Jax goes back to what’s left of the mourners.

Olivia, Dante, and Sam go back to the Quartermaine mansion. Monica says they’re home early, and Olivia says, long story. Monica asks Sam if her mother caused a scene, but Sam says, not this time; she couldn’t make it. Olivia says she wondered about that. Alexis should have been there to support Kristina. Dante suggests a Olivia check on Leo, and Monica says he and Wiley were having so much fun with video games, she didn’t even need to look in on them. She and Olivia go upstairs, while Sam and Dante go into the living room. Dante says, it might sound insensitive, but how about a drink? Sam says, it doesn’t sound insensitive. It’s actually welcomed. He says, Scotch or Scotch? and she guesses it will be Scotch. Dante asks how she’s holding up, and she asks if he’s serious. They just came from his father’s funeral, and he was just in the hospital because of her mother. She’s more concerned about him. They clink glasses, and Sam tells him, she’s not saying they needed her mother there for something of significance to go down, but she wasn’t feeling well, and thought it best not to go. Dante says, what about her? It couldn’t have been easy not being with Jason. Sam says, aside from co-parenting, things have been strange between them, but today crystallized things. She knows exactly where they stand. ** clink glass not saying need something of significance went down mom wouldn’t been there not feeling well thought best not go**

Cyrus says, Dr. Webber’s dire warning has no merit. The science is on the up and up. He looks to Britt for confirmation, saying she approved the research. Britt says, right. She did verify the scientific research, and while the findings seemed to be impressive, she wants to make it clear to the Board that this is not her field of expertise. Cyrus says, that’s why the research is important. Portia says, it’s what would be deemed adequate, considering his past in prison. It’s a valid question, especially since this is a could be a very addictive narcotic. A board member reminds her that Cyrus was framed; he was exonerated. Cyrus says, her concern is noted, but she has no vote. Portia says, that’s true, but she does have the right to block a unanimous motion. A board member says, the hospital could use the potential income, and Cyrus says, all of their voices will be heard on the floor when they vote at the regular shareholders meeting in a few days. This meeting is adjourned.

Curtis tells Jordan, of course (🍷) he wants to come home, but he’s not ready. Jordan asks, why? and he says, if he does, then nothing changes. She asks what he needs to have changed? Is he asking her to quit her job,? He says, of course (🍷) not. He admires her commitment to her job, but he needs something of his own; his own life. He does trade in secrets and lies, and he’s got to figure out how to make peace with it. Figure out who he is aside from a P.I. He doesn’t expect her to wait. She’d said, if he couldn’t come home and forgive her, he needs to let her go. She says, that was the anger talking; she takes it back. Curtis says, she’s right. He needs to let her go.

Jordan asks what he means by let her go. She doesn’t want to lose him. He says he doesn’t want that either. She wonders if he’s asking for a divorce, and Curtis says, nothing that permanent. They have to learn to be individuals again, and be okay being separate, if they want to have a chance to find their way back to each other again. Jordan asks if he wants a separation, and Curtis says, to him at least, that means they both have a chance to clear their heads, so they can figure out what they really want. He admits he can’t guarantee an ending, and knows they can’t go in with a preordained ending. It’s not fair to either one of them. Jordan says, please don’t walk away, and Curtis says, he’s not. Hopefully, it won’t be forever. Someone has to see how dysfunctional a couple they are, and call that out. The only way to face it, is to call it by its name, or else… He just can’t live like this anymore.

Cyrus approaches Lesley, and says he’s not sure what that power play was all about. Lesley says, he’s responsible for putting her granddaughter into a coma. How does he sleep at night? He says, she’s been listening to rumors, and she says, not from her daughter, the mayor. Cyrus says, she may have delayed things, but the board members are enthusiastic about the new medication. That’s how he sleeps at night. He walks away.

Britt looks at Jason’s phone number in her phone.

Back at Sonny’s house, Diane says she assumes part of Nina’s accusation is true. She gets Carly and Jason’s friendship, but she’s the attorney. She can’t continue to represent them to the best of her ability, if she’s the last one to know; she has to be the first. She waits, and then says, someone better start talking, since apparently, Nina has no edit button. Tell her the gory details. Go. Jax says, Nina isn’t entirely inaccurate, and Diane says, that means some of it was accurate. Carly says she told the police that when she saw Michael and Wiley were safe, she went after Nelle. That was true. Diane says she knows about what Carly told the police. Tell her what she doesn’t know. Carly says she caught up with Nelle in the clearing, they fought, she fell, and Nelle took off. She heard Nelle screaming, and found her dangling from the cliff. Nina wasn’t lying, but she only hesitated for a second; she did try. She got on the ground, and reached out. Honest to God, she tried to save Nelle, but she fell; she couldn’t hold on. Jax tells Diane, that’s when he found Carly, kneeling at the edge of the cliff. He’s the one who convinced her not to tell the police, because there were no witnesses to back her up. Calling him Mr. Jax, Diane says she understands advising Carly to alter the truth, and understands why Carly went along. As their attorney, she keeps their dark family secrets. She is paid a tremendous amount of money to know when, where, and how to bend the truth to suit their needs. Now Carly flat out lied and it’s a matter of public record. Jason asks, how bad is it? but Diane says, it’s too soon to tell. Jason looks at his phone, and Carly says, go. He leaves, and Carly shakes her head.

Olivia tells Monica, she’s going to miss this place. Monica asks what she’s talking about, and a Olivia says, she doesn’t know what’s going on with her an Ned. He didn’t just hook up with Alexis, he lied about it for months. She doesn’t know where they stand, and as nice as it’s been for her to stay there, it’s not her home. Monica says, the last time she looked, this was her house, and Olivia says, because Alan gave it to her? They laugh, and Monica says, much to Tracy’s chagrin. She wasn’t born into the family, but gradually over the years, she became a Quartermaine through and through, and so has Olivia. Like it or not, she’s one of them.

Dante asks what Sam is saying. She became clear about things after the crazy at the cemetery? She says, if she and Jason were still together, things would have played out differently for her today. He asked, how so? and she says, for starters, she’d still be there helping clean up the mess, instead of having a drink with him. He says, it’s preferable, a win, and she says, she’s not part of Jason’s world anymore. He asks what that makes her, and she says he can call her Sam. They smile at one another.

Cyrus tells Portia, he wants her to know that he’s not holding the Board meeting against her. She says, if doctors prescribe the medication wrong or too casually, the hospital could face a lawsuit, so she questions its review. He says, so noted. On a different subject, his offer stands regarding Taggert. Get Jordan to do her part, and Taggert will no longer be in jail, and no longer in danger. That will make her daughter happy, right? He leaves, and Curtis comes out of the elevator. Portia says, she sorry to put him in the middle of those, but she needs to talk to him about his wife.

Jordan looks at her and Curtis’s wedding picture, then turns it face down on her desk.

Phyllis and Lenny come back to the bar, and everything is a wreck, all the tables and chairs overturned. Phyllis says, what on earth…? and Lenny says, what happened? Phyllis wonders, who would have done this? Robbery is one thing, but why destroy the Tan-O? Sonny comes in, and says, Oh my God, what happened?

Jason goes to Britt’s office, and she thanks him for coming . He asks if the room is secure, and she says she checked it herself after the board meeting . He says, he takes it that it wasn’t a good meeting, and she says, Cyrus ambushed the Board, presenting his plan for the new pain medication. He wants to fast track Board approval, so he can take it to the FDA, and she had to play along. Jason says, good, but she says, it’s highly addictive. She hands him the folder, and he says he’ll look it over. She asks, when? The vote is in a few days, sooner than anticipated. She wonders why Cyrus is fast tracking the drug, and Jason says, Sonny is gone, and Cyrus sees an opening.

The Quartermaine’s doorbell rings, and Monica sees Lesley on the porch. She says Oh my God, and Lesley says, hello, Monica.

Dante tells Sam that it sounds like she’s embarking on a new chapter. He gives her another drink, and asks who this new Sam McCall is going to be. She says, for the first time in a long time, she doesn’t know, but she’s excited to meet her. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), him too. They clink their glasses, as Olivia watches.

Leslie tells Monica, she loves the remodel, so tasteful. Who is her decorator? Monica says, cut to the chase. What inspired her unprecedented visit here? Leslie says, she’s there about the hospital . She needs Monica to help expose Cyrus as the monster that he is.

Carly asks Diane, how much trouble is she in? Diane says, it’s all hearsay, with no evidence to back it up. The Philadelphia authorities closed the case. If there isn’t a lot of pressure, the PCPD may close their case, and choose to leave well enough alone.

Nina walks into Jordan’s office, but Jordan says she was heading home. What’s up? Nina says she has new information to report on the murder of Nelle Benson.

Tomorrow, Jordan asks if Nina is accusing Carly and Jax of lying to the police, Jackie tells Martin that she found his mother, Cyrus says Brando isn’t as useful as he first thought, and Sonny asks if someone knows who he is.

👠 A new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey has begun, and already Teresa has created pandemonium. Wasn’t it last season when she threw the Solo cup at the camera? Tonight, she threw rumors around. Jackie and Evan had a party for Evan’s birthday. Delores had a butt lift, along with few other procedures, which was a topic of conversation, along with Teresa’s possible dating life. Even the women who hated each other were excited to see one another because, covid. Although I did find it a little disconcerting that no one appeared to be concerned at all; no social distancing or masks, and this was filmed a while ago. Teresa had too much tequila, and tried to spread gossip, but was bad at it, since she could remember zero details, only that Evan did stuff at the gym. Marge was doing some renovations on her new house, courtesy of – no surprise – Joe #3, and was planning a girls trip to lake George. Frankie Jr. was living with David, but – again, no surprise – Delores still didn’t have a ring. She’d waited until the night before to tell David what she was having done, and he wasn’t happy, not approving of elective surgery.

Jennifer had a family meeting, minus her mom, to discuss the explosive fights between her parents that her mom was instigating. In her interview, she said it was the last thing she wanted to do, but felt she had to step in for her father’s sake. A friend called Jackie, and told her about Teresa claiming Evan was cheating on her, and spreading the rumor at the party. It looked like Jackie had her lips done, and I was like, no. She and Teresa had a sit-down at Marge’s house, and while Marge provided the neutral territory, she got the hell out of there fast. Jackie said all she wanted was for Teresa to admit she spread a baseless rumor with no evidence behind it. Teresa refused to tell Jackie who she’d heard the rumor from, wouldn’t admit it was a lie, and refused to apologize. If she had any sense at all, Jackie would have never tried to use an analogy to explain anything to Teresa, but she did, suggesting she heard Gia does coke in the bathrooms at parties. Teresa does not understand an analogy, and when she hears one, takes it as fact. After hopping up and down, and pointing her finger at Jackie, Teresa called her the c-word, let loose a string of bleepity-bleeps, and stomped out past Marge, who was sweating bullets, and saying, oh my God.

Next time, Joe #3 thinks Joe #2 is going through something, Teresa starts dating, and Halloween happens.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City – The Reunion – Part Two

Andy said they had so much to get through, like this was something important.

Mary was up first, and we took that flashback trip. Whitney thought it was hard to watch. Did you know Mary had her odor glands removed? Me neither. Heather wondered if it could be done for BO, but Mary said, no; she has a condition where they repeatedly got infected. It sounded pretty awful. Jen claimed she hadn’t been to the hospital the day Mary said she smelled like one, and Mary apologized again. Jen insisted it was the first time, but the video didn’t lie, and backed Mary up. Jason from Provo asked about Mary not going into a 7-11 if Black people were outside, but Mary said she’s Black (in case we hadn’t noticed), and she was referring to a group of men standing out front. Meredith said her interpretation was that Mary was talking about sketchy people. Mary admitted being attracted to light-skinned men, but said all shades of Black were beautiful. She said she realized she could be offensive, and had to work on that. Jen’s constant disparagement of Mary for having married her step-grandfather was discussed. Heather said it was cruel, and true to form, Jen gave a bunch of excuses.

Andy wanted to get to the bottom of Jen’s scariness. Whitney clarified that she thought Meredith and Lisa were scared of Jen’s reactions to things, not Jen herself. That’s what I thought. They’re scared Jen is going to throw a tantrum at any moment. Heather said the name Mary was like a rip cord to Jen, and Lisa called Heather out for being scared of Jen. She hadn’t asked Lisa about what Whitney told her, before passing it along to Jen. Lisa got pretty worked up, waving her arms and saying, Whitney and Heather, bad weather, a tornado that spins the truth, destroy. It got so quiet, you couldn’t even hear crickets. Then Heather said Lisa was a sh*t friend to Meredith, and Lisa called Heather a horrible person and a liar. She said everyone else had talked about Meredith’s marriage, but she never did. Meredith said she and Seth were in a positive space, and it had been a long journey with a lot of hard work. The next one who said something negative about her marriage and family, in any way, shape, or form, wasn’t her friend.  

Somehow, they started talking about Mary’s marriage again. For some reason, Andy found it weird that Mary hired family members to clean her house. I thought it made sense, since those might be the people she trusts most, and one of her bags is worth a year’s salary to some people. We found out that the age gap between Mary and Robert Sr. was the same as the one between Whitney and her husband; eighteen years. Mary talked about being married for twenty-two years, and said she’d been married before, but the break-up had nothing to do with Robert Sr. She said they didn’t sleep in the same bed anymore, but they were happy, and it was hard to find happiness, especially in a man. She told Andy, as long as they were happy, and the Man upstairs was happy with both of them, that’s all that mattered. Andy asked about rumors that Mary’s church was a cult, and Heather interjected that the Mormon church was also often called a cult. Andy brought up a question about Mary using church donations to buy her accoutrements, but she told him that her church members saw how she lived, and wouldn’t have stuck around if they thought they were paying her way. Her grandmother had left quite a bundle to Robert, Sr., having had several lucrative businesses. Mary and Jen finally made nice, but we’ll see how that goes next season.     

Heather was grateful to have been on the show, and said it was therapeutic. Whitney said she’d seen a change in Heather, who finally realized her worth. Heather said Rihanna was the healing moment, and Andy told her to get on an app. We also found out that Heather and Whitney discovered they were cousins. Heather said she wanted her kids to be wild, and have multiple partners, and I thought Mary’s eyes would pop out of her head. Heather said she wanted them to get wasted, and live. Andy asked about negative blowback, and she said some Mormons felt she didn’t represent them well, and she understood – she would have felt the same way – but the majority of the feedback had been supportive. Lisa said they attracted the same crowd, then doubled back to the liar thing.

It sounded like Jen had been busy on social media, posting negative stuff and digs at everyone, and Whitney said Lisa had put her down to her face and behind her back. Andy wanted to take a break, and said the sooner they came back, the sooner they could leave, which didn’t make it sound like he was having a good time. Heather wasn’t sure if she wanted to move forward with Lisa, and Lisa said, good, but don’t sabotage her other friendships. Meredith asked if Andy was sick of it, but he said he loved it, as he twirled his moustache and touched his horns. During the break, Jen had her makeup touched up, and Lisa jumped around, pointing her finger at Heather, and talking like a jackhammer. Heather asked if Lisa was watching her own performance, while Mary sat quietly. Meredith said Lisa and Heather both interpreted each other’s words in the worst way, and Whitney left to get Advil. Meredith couldn’t leave with her fast enough. Lisa said Heather was mean, and Heather said it was a defense mechanism. Lisa split, complaining that it was negative, and she needed a hug from John. Mary woke up, and wondered, what is this? and Lisa whined to John that Meredith was supposed to be her best friend. She said it was effing crazy, and they didn’t need to be filming this. Andy wondered if she was coming back, and Meredith said she hoped so. Lisa told John that they could go on without her.

Next week, the dudes join the group, and Jen walks off.

📟 Jersey Skinny…

Teresa spills some tea.

https://extratv.com/2021/02/15/teresa-giudice-talks-drama-ahead-on-rhonj-how-she-met-bf-louie/

Melissa gives Luis a thumbs up.

https://pagesix.com/2021/02/15/melissa-gorga-likes-teresa-giudices-new-boyfriend-luis-ruelas/

Sounds like sour grapes in the Wakile home.

https://pagesix.com/2021/02/16/ex-rhonj-star-kathy-wakiles-son-calls-joe-melissa-gorga-farm-animals/

📌 That’s a Fact…

This month we celebrate Black History. This year, the first since an important national reckoning with our history and reality of racial injustice, at Havenly, we wanted to mark the occasion with a celebration of Black History in the home design industry and highlight some talents that we think everyone should have on their radar.  – Lee Mayer

Read Diversifying Design: Black Designers I Admire here:

https://havenly.com/blog/diversifying-design

🦢 Feather Ball Time… Tomorrow’s TV doesn’t sound like much. Bravo is airing the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad Summer House, which I’ll no doubt watch, even though I’m horrified. Until then, stay safe, stay dignified, and stay hiring whoever you want to do your cleaning. It’s your house.