What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha opens her eyes, and Brando says, hi, beautiful. She asks if she missed the fireworks, and he says she sure did. She says, that means he did too, but he says, being here with her, he ain’t missing nothing. She asks if she’s told him that he’s the best husband in the entire universe, and he says, no, but he just wants her to get better so they have decades of 4^th of Julys ahead of them. She says, now that they’re past the worst of it, be straight with her, how bad is the fallout?

On the phone at the hospital, Portia says she called weeks ago to make an appointment with a genetic specialist. It was rescheduled and she wants to see if she can be fit in as soon as possible. It’s urgent. Curtis comes in with Marshall, and says, urgent? What’s going on?

Rory asks if he can make a confession, and Trina says, he’s the cop, not her. He says he’s been wanting to do that for a long time.

Sonny asks who bought Carly’s half of the hotel, but Olivia tells him, the real estate agent woudn’t say. She should have just gone with her gut. She offered to buy Carly’s half of the hotel, but Carly turned her down flat. She should have ignored Carly and done it anyway, and they wouldn’t be in this situation right now. He tells her not to blame herself, because Carly’s independent to a fault. Olivia says she knows that, but why couldn’t Carly have just said yes to her or to him. Now they’re stuck with some buyer who’s clearly not going to let Carly keep it. They see Drew, and Sonny says, unless she has a guardian angel.

Nina tells Carly that she just bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt; she just closed the deal. Carly says, Nina is unbelievable. Her petition to visit Wiley didn’t go her way, so she’s going to stick it to Carly and her family, and take away something else she loves? Nina says, just the opposite. She didn’t buy the hotel for herself; she bought it for Carly.

Portia says, this was a consult for a patient, and Curtis says, an urgent consult. She says she may have overstated just a bit, and Marshall says he bets that gets a quicker result. She says, it certainly does, and asks, what brings them by GH? Certainly not a fireworks mishap she hopes. Curtis says, nothing like that. He just wanted to give her an update. She asks if he found evidence that Trina was set up, and he says, no, but thanks to Marshall, they have a lead.

Trina says, Rory’s been waiting a long time to kiss her? She’s glad he finally did. Unless… He says, what? and she says she told him that she wanted a distraction. Was that all that was? He says, definitely not… actually, maybe… He doesn’t know. They should probably check and make sure, doesn’t she think? She says, it’s the responsible thing to do, and he says, exactly, kissing her again.

Brando says, the only thing Sasha needs to worry about is resting and recovering, and she says, so it’s that bad, but he says, no, it’s… She says she’s so embarrassed, and he asks, why? She says she had a breakdown on live television. Doc is holding her here. Maxie and Lucy must be fielding all kinds of questions. He says, they’ve got it covered, but she says she feels awful. This is the second time she majorly messed up; it’s not fair. Gladys comes in, and says, can they believe the cafeteria ran out of hot dogs on the 4^th of July? and Brando says, that has to be illegal. Gladys says, Sasha is awake. How is she feeling? Brando says, she’s stressed, so please tell her, everything at Deception is fine, that Lucy and Maxie are handling PR, and everything will be back to normal in no time. Sasha says, it’s her mess. She should be there to clean it up. Gladys says, it’s being handled, and everyone is far more concerned about Sasha. Sasha says, this time out was much needed. She feels much better now. Tomorrow, she goes home, and it’s back to business as usual. Brando and Gladys exchange glances, and Sasha asks, what’s that look? Brando says, they’ll talk about it tomorrow, but Sasha says she wants to talk about it now. Is something wrong? What aren’t they telling her?

Olivia asks how the kids liked the fair, and Drew says, they loved it. They’re back at her place now, safe and sound. She thanks him for taking them, and he says, it was fun. He asks if Carly is around, and Olivia says she hasn’t seen Carly for a minute, but she’s sure Carly is around somewhere. Sonny says, they heard someone bought Carly’s share of the MetroCourt, and Drew asks if they think it was him. Sonny says, was it? and Drew says, he kind of wishes it was. He thought they had more time to strategize. Sonny says, Drew’s been doing a lot of that lately, strategizing on Carly’s behalf, and Drew says, but it hasn’t been doing anybody any good, has it? Olivia asks if they’re going to clue her in, or keep speaking in code, and Drew says, he tried to sell Nina Crimson, so he could reimburse Carly so she could keep the hotel. Olivia says, that’s a great idea, and Drew says, unfortunately not great enough to work though. Sonny says, but Drew had to try, and Drew says he did. Carly woudn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for him.

Carly says, Nina bought her half of the hotel, and Nina says she did, to give it back to Carly, no strings attached. Carly tells her, she doesn’t know what to say, and Nina says she doesn’t have to say anything. Nina doesn’t think it’s right that Carly lost everything just because she was trying to help her son. That’s not fair. Believe it or not, she just wanted to do this for Carly. Carly says, if Nina is sincere… Nina says she is, and Carly says, then something’s in it for her. What is it? Good PR? Does Nina want to reinvent herself being her financial savior?… Oh, Nina is just praying Wiley finds out about this one day. Nina says, no. She understands what she did to Carly’s family is unforgiveable, and Carly says, so Nina is going to give her back her hotel, and it’s going to make up for everything? but Nina says, no. Nothing she could ever do will fully repair the damage she caused Carly. Carly says, Nina means ripping her family apart, and turning Sonny into a man his kids don’t even recognize? She can never repair that. Nina says, okay. So Carly agrees she owes her. Carly says, hell yeah, Nina owes her, and Nina says, then let her do this

Portia asks, what’s the new lead? and Curtis says, one of Marshall’s band members, Jack, got the name and address of the bartender that Trina and Josslyn found. He’s the same man who sold Esme that burner phone. Portia says, the one that was planted in Trina’s bag; that’s wonderful. Curtis says, but when they went back to the bar and his apartment, he was nowhere to be found. Marshall says, they figure he’s lying low because the cops were called to The Highsider. Portia says, he hasn’t been back to work since then? and Curtis says, no. Shady, right? She says, very shady. But what if they don’t find him? It’s just another dead end. Marshall tells her, don’t lose faith. He and Curtis are nowhere close to giving up on exonerating Trina. Curtis says, there’s already another plan in motion.

Brando says, they need to discuss treatment options for when Sasha is released, and Sasha says, treatment options? She already told them, she’s feeling so much better. She was stressed out. Under normal circumstances, she would have been fine, but putting a baby carrier that soon after Liam’s death was not normal. He says he gets that, but she hadn’t seen the baby carrier yet when she took those pills. She says, the pills; he found them on her after he brought her in here. That was just a one-time thing to help her deal, she swears. He says, that wasn’t just a one-time thing, and Gladys says she told him the truth, that Sasha used uppers to get through the IPO. Sasha says, because she was stressed, and Gladys says, she told him that too. Sasha asks if Gladys also told him that she stopped, and Gladys says she’ll let them talk. She leaves, and Sasha tells Brando, listen to her; she’s okay. She doesn’t need any more treatment. He says he loves her and he’s worried about her, but she says, he doesn’t have to be. She’s done with the pills. He has to believe her. He says he wants to, more than anything in the world, but he can’t.

Olivia tells Drew that he can’t blame himself, but he says he set the whole thing in motion. He met with an executive consultant, who pitched him the idea of merging ELQ and Aurora. He thought it was a great idea. He got on board; he got Michael on board. Pitched it to Ned, which turns out was a big miscalculation. Olivia tells him, she thinks the less said about Ned switching sides, the better, and he says, in order for the strategy to work, he had to inflate the stock value of Aurora, which is a legitimate tactic. Had the merger gone through, the stock would have helped it’s value. With that said, he never should have let Carly get involved. Sonny says, as if Drew could stop her, and Olivia says, once Carly sets her mind on something, that’s it; they all know that. All they can do is support her and she’s going to need a lot of that right now. She’s got some tough times ahead of her. Dex walks in, and tells Sonny, the car’s ready; visiting hours are going to be over soon. Sonny thanks him, and says he’s going to check in on Sasha and Brando. Olivia asks him to give Sasha her best, and Drew says he heard what happened; it’s so awful. Sonny says, Carly isn’t going to take his help, but if she needs anything, he’s here. He leaves, and on his way out, his phone rings. Sonny thanks Brick for calling him back, and says he needs Brick to check some information for him… Yeah, right away.

Carly says, now, after months posturing, Nina wants to do what’s right now? and Nina says, that’s not fair. Carly says, Nina wants to talk fair? and Nina says, ever since she… we got back from Nixon Falls, she’s been trying make up for her mistakes. Carly asks if that’s what Nina calls sleeping with her husband, and dragging them all to court just so she can force herself on Wiley? Nina says, he’s her grandson, then composes herself, and says, can they try to think about this practically? She knows there’s nothing she can do to balance the scales, but maybe this will top it a little bit more toward the middle, and that’s all she wants. Carly says she’s sure Nina believes that. She’s sure Nina has convinced herself that she’s trying to make amends, because the truth is far less flattering. Nina bought her half of the hotel, so Sonny couldn’t. Um… wait a minute. Sonny tried, and Carly said no, so what the what? Carly says, Nina and Sonny have been inseparable lately. She’s sure Sonny told Nina that he was going to offer to help her. Nina says, he did, and Carly says, and that just kills Nina, doesn’t it, knowing Sonny ran to her rescue? but Nina says, it didn’t kill her. She expected it actually. She knows Carly and Sonny will always be connected. That’s what happens when you share children. Carly says, funny Nina mentions that, because Michael is Sonny’s son, and yet Sonny sat in that courtroom and listened to Nina’s lawyer attack Michael, and he did nothing. That is why she’s turning down Sonny’s offer to help her, and she’s turning down Nina’s. Nina had her attorney accuse Michael of being violent towards women, and nothing could be further from the truth. Thank God the judge could see through Scotty’s lies, and thank God Michael kept his cool and defended himself, but the fact that it happened at all is on Nina. What Nina did to her family, sleeping with her husband, that’s nothing compared to what she did to Michael. Carly will never forgive her for what she did to Michael in that courtroom. She’d rather crawl on broken glass than take anything from Nina. Nina says, Carly is such a saint, and Carly’s attorney attacked her for all the things she’s done in her past. She had to do what she did; Carly backed her into a corner. Carly puts her finger in Nina’s face, and says she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care if Nina believes her own lies, and doesn’t care if Sonny believes every single word. Nina can’t come in here, and cry a little, and say pretty things, and give her back her hotel, and expect everything to be okay. She opens the door, and says, this place is Nina’s. She’ll be out by the end of the week. Nina leaves, and Carly slams the door behind her.

Drew says he’s really sorry he cost Olivia her business partner, but she asks if he heard her; it’s not his fault. He says, she honestly doesn’t blame him, not even a little bit? and she says, things might have gone a little different, had Michael not tried to drive Ned out of the company… He says, the intention was never to ice out Ned, but she says, by the time they told Ned about the Aurora merger, it was done deal, with no place for him in the family business. Drew says, that’s not true, and she says, no place he wanted. Drew says, so Ned, the guy who led the charge to reclaim ELQ for the Quartermaines, sided with Valentin? She can’t be okay with that. She says she stands by her husband, and he says, fair enough. She says she just wishes the members of this family weren’t always at odds with one another, and he says, it seems to be the Quartermaine way, even before the vote. He told Michael the merger would be the thing to cement his place in the family. She says, he got that right; he’s a Quartermaine through and through. He says he was trying to protect the family from Valentin, and she asks how that worked out for him. He says, not great, but it’s nobody’s fault but Ned’s. What Ned did was incredibly selfish, and it burned a lot of people in the process. She says, Drew got burned by the Quartermaines for the first time. Don’t worry, it won’t be the last. Welcome to the family.  

Curtis says, he was able to use one of his P.I. connections to access the known associates of the bartender. They should have the names and addresses any minute. Portia says, and he thinks that’s where the bartender is? and Curtis says, that’s the hope. She says, but why? and Curtis says, because he knows he’s connected to the crimes Trina is accused of. He’s sure the bartender is scared if he gets drawn in, it will be trouble for him. Marshall says, and who knows what else might be unearthed from his past? and Curtis says, so if they can get this bartender guy to admit he sold the phone to Esme, it could blow this case wide open. Portia says, the trial starts tomorrow, and shakes her head. Curtis’s phone rings and he says, here he is, right here. He steps away, asking, what’s he got? Portia thanks Marshall for trying to help Trina, and he says, she raised a wonderful young woman. The fact that she’s got all these people willing to go to bat for her is a testament to that. She says she prays it’s enough, and they can end this finally once and for all. He pats her arm, and says, of course (🍷).

Rory says, it’s official; not a distraction. Her? Trina says, definitely not a distraction. She really likes him. He says he likes her too, a lot, and she says, he’s obviously a great guy. He says, oh no, here comes the but, and she says she really wanted him to kiss her. She enjoyed it and doesn’t regret it, but… He says, see? and she says, this can’t happen again. He says, does she mind if he asks why? and she says, it’s complicated. He’s so awesome to her and her friends… except for the time he arrested Spencer and Cameron… He asks if she’s backing off them because she’s still hung up on Spencer.

Sonny asks Gladys, how’s Sasha? and she says, thank God he’s here. She messed everything up. He asks what she means, and she says she knew Sasha was struggling. Sasha asked her not to tell Brando, so she didn’t. If she’d been up front with him, it wouldn’t have gotten this bad. He says, she thought she was helping her daughter-in-law, but she says she only made everything worse. He says, they can only do what’s best in the moment. If you ask him, all she’s done is step up for Sasha. She asks, then why does she feel like she’s failing Sasha? but he says, she’s not failing; she’s trying. That’s not failing. Does she know who would be proud? Mike. She says, he thinks so? and he says, he knows so, hugging her. Aww. He’s being the other Mike.

Brando says, Sasha told him that his mom was overreacting about her using again, and Sasha says, she was. Like Gladys said, she just needed some help to get through the IPO. By the time Gladys found out, she’d already stopped using. He says, the point is, she lied to him. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do with that. She says, she lied to him because why worry him over nothing? She didn’t want to start their life together that way. He says, which brings him to the next question. Was she using drugs when they got married? She says she was not high during their ceremony. She did take some pills the morning she proposed, but that doesn’t change anything. He asks how she can say that, and she says, pills or not, she wanted to marry him, more than anything. Being his wife makes her so happy. He makes her so happy. He says, she makes him happy too, and she says, those drugs have nothing to do with her feelings for him. She just needed a little something extra to help with the stress and the pressure, but it’s over now. Brando takes her hand, and says, he’s an addict too, remember? The road to sobriety isn’t a straight line. She had a set-back. She says, that’s all it was, a set-back, and he says, he’ll be there to help her get through it, and make sure she’s fully comfortable with the rehab plan. She says, rehab? and he says, she can’t snap her fingers, and think she can get herself back on track. She says, she was stressed, and he asks if she thinks this is the last time she’s going to feel that way. There are therapists who can help her deal with those triggers. She says, okay, she’ll go to therapy, and he says, rehab therapists. She says, she just wants to go home with him, and he says, she needs more than he knows how to give. He cares about her too much to pretend otherwise. He’d ask her to do it for him, but they both know it’s something she has to do for herself. Gladys pops in, and says, Sonny is here, but she can tell him Sasha isn’t ready for visitors. Sasha says, Brando should go talk to him. Thank him for coming, but tell him she’s not ready. Brando asks her to think about what he said, and leaves.

Sonny asks how Brando is holding up, and Brando says, he appreciates Sonny coming by, but now is not a good time. Sonny says he understands, and asks if there’s anything he can do. Brando says he wishes Sonny knew how to get through to Sasha, and Sonny says, Brando will figure it out. Just keep showing her that he loves her, and he’s going to be by her side. Eventually, she will start listening.

Trina tells Rory, she and Spencer were never together. Spencer has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going on between them. Rory asks what that is exactly? and Trina says, let’s be real. Her trial starts tomorrow, and she’s no closer to proving Esme set her up. If she’s convicted… He says, that’s a huge if, and she says, if she is, what future can they possibly have?

Drew says, Olivia definitely loves her husband, and she says, damn right she does. He says he just hopes she sees he was trying to do what was right by the family. He didn’t deserve what Ned did. She says, that’s the thing. It’s not about who deserves what. These are Quartermaines. He says, for better or worse, and she says, a lot of times it’s for the worse. Do they love each other? Yes, they do, but they just can’t help giving in to their worst impulses. He says, he thought they could come together against Valentin. Instead, Ned turned against them. She says, that kind of thing is going to happen again and again. And when it does, Drew has a choice to make. He can either hang on to his bitterness and drive the family further apart, or choose to forgive. You bring together the people you love. He says, until the next time someone stabs you in the back, and Olivia says, that will happen. That’s just the way it is. She wishes that wasn’t the case, but she can accept it. So can he. Carly comes in, and Olivia asks how she’s doing, hugging her. Carly says she doesn’t know. The most surreal, twisted thing just happened.

Sonny tells Brando that he’s got go; he’s sorry. Is Brando going to be all right? Brando says, he thinks so, and they hug. He thanks Sonny again for coming, and Sonny goes to the elevator just as Nina is coming out.

Nina says she’s here to check on Sasha. She’s guessing that’s why he’s here too. He says he wants to talk to her in private, and tells Dex to give them a minute. She asks if something is wrong, and Sonny says, come on, taking her hand and walking her down the hall. Dex sits next to Brando, and says he’s sorry about Brando’s wife. Brando thanks him, and Dex says, she’s going to be okay. Brando says, no offense, but Dex doesn’t know that, and Dex says, the odds look good with the support system she’s got. Between Brando and Sonny, they’ll get her through whatever’s going on. Brando says he wishes he had Dex’s confidence, and Dex says, Brando’s a vet, right? Brando says, Marines; he fought in Iraq. Dex says, so Brando’s seen and experienced some rough stuff, and he’s still here. Brando says he heard Dex is a vet too, and Dex says, Army; Afghanistan. Brando says, whereabouts? He had a buddy who was stationed in Bagram for a while. Dex says, they were there too, which isn’t that big a coincidence, since most of them got sent there. Then they sent them to Kandahar. Brando asks how many tours Dex did, and Dex says, just the one.

Sasha says she needs Gladys to have her back on this. Gladys saw how she stopped taking the pills the first time. Gladys says, she didn’t stop for long, but Sasha says she’s learned her lesson. She can’t push herself at work anymore. Going forward, she’s going to make a point to take more downtime. Gladys says, Sasha is acting like it’s no big deal, and Sasha says, it isn’t. Gladys says, Sasha had a break in reality on national television, and Sasha says, that part was a big deal, but that was an isolated incident. They forced her to model a baby carrier. Gladys says, all right. So Sasha is just going to go through the rest of her life being triggered by infants and anything related to them? It’s clear Sasha hasn’t processed losing Liam, not to mention everything she’s been through since. Why is she fighting this? Get the help she so obviously needs.

Marshall and Portia sit down, and Marshall says he’s been meaning to thank her. She says, for what? and he says, for allowing him to stay with her and Curtis. He’ll be out of their hair as soon as he’s able. She says, there’s no rush, and he says, it’s a hell of a time. With Trina’s trial, and now all this… She says, it’s fine. They love having him. He thanks her, and she says, there’s something she wants to tell him too. She’s well aware of the stigma of mental illness, even to this day, and it took a lot of courage to open up to them about his diagnosis. He says, better late than never, and she says, she thinks so. Doesn’t he? He says he’s grateful things are finally okay with him and his son, and she says, schizophrenia usually presents itself in the early 20s, so he must have been living with symptoms for a while before he realized what they were. He says, mainly paranoid, thinking the government was watching him. And actually, that wasn’t going on that long before his arrest. She says, paranoia was his only symptom? and he says, it’s possible he wrote off some other things, but he doesn’t think anything abnormal. Curtis comes back, and Portia says, please tell her that his contact found something that can help Trina.

Olivia says, Nina bought Carly’s half of the hotel? and Carly says, as a gift for her. Isn’t that sweet? Drew asks, what’s the angle? and Carly says, there are tons. Mainly she wants to ease her conscience for the hell she unleashed on Carly and her family, but as always, all roads lead to Wiley, so she’s sure Nina is just doing this to ingratiate herself with him. Olivia asks what Carly said, and Carly tells her that she said hell no. Olivia says she figured, and Carly asks if she’s surprised. Olivia says, no, but part of her wishes Carly had taken Nina up on it. Carly says she’s sorry. They were partners, and she made a decision that left Olivia twisting, but no matter how bad she feels, she can’t accept Nina’s offer; she won’t accept Nina’s offer. Olivia says she sympathizes; she gets it. It’s just the thought of running this place with her… She’s got to go. She promised to tuck Leo in. Carly tells Olivia to kiss him for her, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). They’ll talk tomorrow. She leaves, and Drew says, Carly is committed, he’ll give her that. She said she was going to dig herself out by herself, and look at her; offer number three turned down flat. Carly says, Nina accused Michael of being violent towards women in open court. She could be starving and destitute, and she wouldn’t accept a damn dime from that woman. He says he gets that. So what’s the plan now?

Nina tells Sonny, stop freaking her out, and he finally stops walking. He asks if she bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt, and she says, yes, and she’s actually surprised he didn’t beat her to it. He says, Carly doesn’t want his help. Why? She says, why did she buy Carly’s half of the hotel? She wanted to give it back to Carly. He says, and? and she says, Carly accused her of being self-serving. Sonny asks, can Nina blame her?

Curtis says his guy emailed him a list of all the known associates of the bartender, and the addresses. Taggert is going to help him check them out. Portia says, that’s wonderful, and Curtis says, by tomorrow morning, they should have all the evidence they need to fight these charges against Trina and end this ridiculous nightmare. Marshall says they should get started, and Curtis says, it’s late. He suggests he take Marshall home and he’ll get started on the leads himself, but Marshall says, not happening, and Portia says, really? Marshall says he’s lost enough time with his family. He doesn’t intend to waste anymore, and she and Trina are part of that family now. Curtis says, how do you argue with that? Marshall says, you don’t, and they leave.

Rory says, everything will work out, and Trina asks how he knows. He says, because he has faith they’ll get the answers they need to exonerate her, and she says, that means more to her than he knows. But until the trial is behind her… He says, she’s going to take life one day at a time? and she says, it’s more like hours at this point. He says, so how about for the next couple of hours they just enjoy the here and now. No worrying about the future or what tomorrow will bring. Her, him, and the pleasure of each other’s company. What does she say? She tells him, she says yes. They hold hands, and look up at the sky. He asks if she knows anything about the stars or constellations, and she says, just that they’re beautiful. He says, they really are, and they gaze at the stars.

Sasha asks if Gladys knows how frustrating it is to keep telling people you’re fine and no one believes you. She doesn’t need to be shipped off to rehab. Gladys says, they just want what’s best for her, and both Brando and Doc think she would benefit from more specialized treatment. Sasha says, and it doesn’t matter what she thinks? and Gladys says, of course (🍷) it does, but maybe it’s a good idea to get some outside opinions; not to mention, professional ones. Sasha says she appreciates them trying to help, but they’re wrong. She does not need to go to rehab, and in 24 hours, it won’t be anyone else’s decision but her own.  

Dex tells Brando, he enlisted right after high school. He doesn’t regret serving, but he almost died so many times, he lost count. Brando says he knows what Dex means. A guy near you that dies, and you didn’t; is there a reason, or was it just random? Either way, what are you supposed to do with the life you got to keep? Dex says he decided not to tempt fate. When his tour was up, he got out. He’s going to grab some coffee. Does Brando want anything? Brando says, no, and Dex leaves.

Carly says she doesn’t have a plan, but hell will freeze over before it involves Nina Reeves, and Drew says, copy that. She decided what was important to her, and she stuck to it. That takes guts. She says, or a serious stubborn streak, and he says, that too. She says, it’s just that her family is really all she has right now. She’s not going to risk losing them for anything or anyone. He asks if they need to do another toast to rising again, and she says she’d settle for just finding her way. Right now she’s feeling really lost, and she doesn’t like the feeling because it’s foreign, and it’s scary, and it’s not her. He says he knows, and holds her.

Nina says, she expects Carly to think the worst of her, but not Sonny, and he says, that’s not what he meant. She and Carly have been going at each other’s throats; that’s their history. Why wouldn’t Carly think she’s self-serving? Nina says, he has a point, but Carly’s not 100% wrong. She bought Carly’s half of the MetroCourt because she was trying to repair some of the damage she caused. He asks if she’s being serious, and she says, yes. Which would not only make her feel better, but she wanted to maybe make things easier for them to move forward. All that pain. Wouldn’t it be nice if it was behind them? He says, it is better she bought it than someone else. They can’t undo the past; they can only make peace with it. She says, has he? and he says, he hasn’t been clear with her lately; things have been up in the air. But he does want to be with her. Whatever it takes; wherever it leads them. He’s all in. She touches his face, and he kisses her.

Tomorrow, Ava says, it’s time Trina told them what the evidence is; Laura asks if she has reason for concern; Victor says, since Valentin failed, he’s taken matters into his own hands; and Spencer tells Esme that something is going to rock her world.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

When we last left, LisaR was demanding if Sutton called Diana an MF’er and soulless. Sutton says, Diana was mocking her miscarriages, and we flash back to Diana saying, here we go with the big blue. Teary at the end, blah-blah-blah. LisaR says, all she heard about was the MF’er and soulless. Garcelle says, LisaR wasn’t at the party, and Erika says, LisaR talked to Diana. Sutton says, she and Diana had started to connect, but LisaR says she doesn’t think Diana got the same takeaway. Sutton says, for her, it felt real, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, they left the conversation in a good place, she thought. We flash back to that, and Sutton says, she was trying to relate to Diana. Kyle says, Diana thought her apology was phony, and that’s where she stepped in. Garcelle says, Kyle jumped ship pretty quick, and we flash back to the party, and Garcelle saying, Diana has a chip on her shoulder that has nothing to do with her, followed by Kyle saying, Diana does not have a chip on her shoulder. Kyle says she’s not jumping ship; they’re all on the same ship. Garcelle insists it felt like Kyle jumped ship, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she makes her own decisions based on how she feels. She doesn’t know where this is coming from. Maybe from the last 11 seasons, where Kyle’s feelings jumped ship every five minutes? They go inside, and mess with Sutton’s phone, finding her a match on Bumble. Sutton says she’s not looking to find a date on Bumble, and in her interview, she says, she’s not here to chat. She wants to see them face-to-face, in a crowded room, with Josh stalking her so it doesn’t get rapey. It happens. Someone says, they have a taker, and Sanjit appears on Sutton’s phone. They all say hi, passing the phone around, then put the phone in Sutton’s face. In her interview, Kyle says, it’s a recipe for disaster, but a fun disaster, and one she wants to be part of. Sutton says she likes Sanjit; he’s normal and smart. She tells the women, don’t scare him. Not until they’ve had at least one date. She apologizes to Sanjit, who seems to be a good sport, and they plan to talk later. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, not that she’s watching Erika, but she said she was going to have one drink. We flash back to Erika drinking, and Garcelle holds up three fingers. She asks if she and Erika can have a conversation, and Erika says, sure. Garcelle says, they were having a good time at her birthday, and Erika’s liquor level was beyond, but under no circumstances should she curse out, not just a kid, but her kid. In Crystal’s interview, she says, as a mother, she completely understands. Erika owes Garcelle a genuine apology. We flash back to Crystal hustling Jax away from Erika at the party. Erika says she agrees and takes full responsibility. She was sh*t talking, and treating the teenagers like adults. It was wrong, but it didn’t come from a bad place. It wasn’t vicious, but it was wrong. Garcelle says, seeing her on the boat in Mexico, then seeing her at the party, Erika needs to balance her meds and her cocktails. Erika says she’s on a new med that makes her sleepy, and Kyle jumps in, saying she’s never seen Erika lose her composure, so she should be cut some slack. Garcelle says, this is what she means by jumping ship. She’s having this conversation with Erika; she’s not talking to Kyle. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Garcelle isn’t 100% wrong, but is she happy Erika is letting her hair down, and not being as guarded? Absolutely. I guess it doesn’t occur to this dimbulb that Erika’s reasons for drinking like that might not be good. Sheree (not that one) says, in this moment, Garcelle needs Kyle to be neutral, and Erika admits to having a few too many sneaky margaritas. And before she insulted Garcelle’s twins, she’d complemented them, saying how well-spoken they were, and not acting like teenagers absorbed in their phones. Sutton says, they were raised right, and Erika says, it’s a testament to Garcelle, and I think, nice move. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s great when a stranger compliments you on your parenting, but even better when it’s a mom who knows what it’s like doing it alone. She’s still annoyed, but Erika scored a point. I’m actually surprised Garcelle isn’t thinking like me. Not only did Erika know she’d score a point, she steered the conversation in a different direction. Erika says she’d still do Oliver, and Sheree says, her too. Garcelle says she’ll have to watch both you heifers, and she’s not bringing him around anymore.

I miss what store it is, but it’s like athletic shoe world, a massive wall of shoes, and shelves upon shelves of shoes. Garcelle is there with Jax and Jaid, and in her interview, she says, labels are important, more to some than others. We flash back to a Dorit head-to-toe designer moment, and Garcelle says, Jaid is all about fashion, but Jax couldn’t care less. She sees a pair that are $2200, and tells Jaid, move away from the Diors. She sees a pair for $9800, and in her interview, she wonders, what does it do? Does it do the dishes? The laundry? She tells Jaid that he can’t go over $500, and in her interview, she says, she never in her life thought she’d pay $500 for a pair of shoes. When Jaid was 11 and asked for Gucci, she told him, absolutely not. We flash back to 2019, and Garcelle tells her sons, get a job, and Jaid says, but we’re 11. She says she can’t address her life now; it’s too big. She would never have thought of it. We flash back to some Garcelle moments, and she says, coming from where she does and now having money, she’s proud of what she’s able to do. Jaid picks out a pair for a conservative $300, and in her interview, Garcelle says, when she and Mike broke up, the odds were against her; an older mother with two babies, who didn’t have much. People thought she wouldn’t be able do it. Jaid keeps looking and finds a Yeezy pair for $650. In Garcelle’s interview, she tells us, she’s proud to say she raised three solid young men, who are sweet and compassionate. They deserve a splurge now and then.

It’s Christmastime in Beverly Hills, and we see all the lights. It’s also Hannukah at Kyle’s house. Mauricio dances in, and you know he’s high. Dorit and her kids join them, sans PK, who’s working in London. In Dorit’s interview, she says, it brings back scary thoughts. PK was in London when the home invasion happened, but it’s very important that she keep things normal for her kids, She’s grateful for Kyle being around the corner. It’s a safe environment, and keeps her anxiety at bay. Mauricio’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law arrive, and in her interview, Dorit says, Hanukkah is probably her favorite holiday. She grew up with the Jewish traditions, and now she wants her kids to experience them. One of the boys tells the Hanukkah story before they light the candles, and it’s very cute. In Kyle’s interview, she says, growing up, she didn’t know what the Jewish traditions were, but when she made a commitment to the faith, she wanted to bring them into her home, and celebrate the holidays. Seeing Dorit happy, relaxed, and enjoying Hanukkah makes it mean a lot more now to have these special moments with friends and family. Mauricio tells Dorit that they’re her second family, and Dorit says she’s grateful.

Diana’s son Innis comes by with his girlfriend Ava. Innis says, Diana’s dream is to have him live across the street, and in Diana’s interview, she says she loves having a full house. Her father was an orphan, and had no family. He talked about his loneliness, and how special family is. Losing her brother, she understood that time with her kids is irreplaceable. Ascher (her fiancé? Her husband? I forget) wonders if it’s a culture thing that Diana doesn’t want her kids to go anywhere. Diana says, growing up, there were a bunch of cousins, and everybody had a plot of land. Innis says, it’s an American thing for kids to move away, and in her interview, Diana says she’s glad her kids have seen how the rest of the world lives. They’re lucky to be able to visit her parents in Bosnia. They taught her kids the language and culture. Her daughter Eneya lives in England, where she does horseback riding. Eneya is different from her; she’s allergic to horses. They call Eneya, who says she’ll be riding for Bosnia in March. Her dad is with her, and Diana says, she has a good dad, and in her interview, she says, she selfishly loves having her family with her. She’s hoping Eneya rides in California, so they can spend time together. Her home is important; she likes it to be warm and welcoming. Despite some people thinking she’s rude and cold, her family wouldn’t agree she’s cold. Rude is questionable. See? I want to like her, but…

Kyle meets Garcelle and Sheree for lunch. Sheree talks about going to Sutton’s boutique, and says, they sat and had some girl talk. She’s trying to understand, and Garcelle says, she’ll catch on. Garcelle tells Kyle that she was having a one-on-one with Erika, and wanted a moment with her. It’s not about not wanting Erika to have fun. Erika’s drinking is becoming a lot. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Erika suggested a threesome to her older son, told her younger son to f*** off, and almost fell off the boat. We flash back to all those things, and Garcelle says, that’s not just, she’s a little tipsy, get her an Uber. What more does Kyle want it to be? Kyle says, Erika was being free and letting her hair down, but Garcelle asks if Kyle doesn’t think it could lead to alcoholism. Doesn’t she think it’s a problem? Kyle looks at her like Garcelle has two heads with her mouth hanging open, then says she thinks that’s dramatic. Garcelle asks if she doesn’t think Erika drinking when she takes meds is a problem, and in Kyle’s interview, she says she does have past experience on this topic. We flash back to the infamous limo scene, and LisaR saying, Kim is close to death. Kyle says she’s learned from those experiences, and those kinds of words hurt people. Apparently she can’t tell the difference between dramatics and actual concern. Garcelle says, Erika said she was on new meds, and Kyle says she takes Lexapro, but it’s a small dosage. It’s not a big thing. Since she doesn’t add something like, Erika’s on the same meds, I don’t know if this applies, or she’s just talking out of her ass. Sheree says, someone saying what Erika did to someone’s sons is a person not in control, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she dealt with Oliver’s addiction, and watching someone going down a dark path is hard, especially someone you love. Erika’s not at that point, but she thinks they need to do something before it gets bad. Sheree says she sees both sides. Erika’s been through a lot and she’s bringing the wall down, but Garcelle’s point is valid too. Garcelle says, it could be dangerous. If they see a problem, she thinks they should nip it in the bud.

Diana and assistant Lia are on a mission to get rid of Diana’s storage. Lia says it seems overwhelming, but it’s not that bad. We see pictures of Diana with Elton John and Lady Gaga, and in her interview, she says she lives a big life. She goes to a lot of parties, and has a lot of friends. A producer asks, what’s the craziest thing that’s happened at one of her parties? and she says she had a rock star beat up a prince. But she’s not going into names. Lia suggests, except for what she wants to save for her daughters, she donate the rest, and in Diana’s interview, she says, to help others is a huge honor. When she was a refugee, she was on the receiving end. Her parents were at the mercy of charities for years. She gets involved in things she doesn’t even understand, but as long as it helps someone, she’s in. That’s nice, but if she doesn’t understand it, how does she know it’s really helping someone? Erika comes over, and they give each other not-a-fake hug. Erika drools over the clothes and accessories, and in her interview, she says, there’s easily a million bucks in this room. She had things like this her entire adult life, and right now life has changed for her. She doesn’t feel jealous or bad. Life can’t be solely pinned on the value of material things. If she wants something, she can get it. She’s not broke broke. She sold a lot of her collection, but it’s fine. I dunno. It sure sounds like it’s really not. Erika says, Diana missed Sutton’s party, and Diana says she woke up feeling like her head was going to explode. Erika says, it was a topic, and they have champagne. She says, Sutton told them at the table what happened at the party, leaving out the part where LisaR brought the topic up. Diana says, she thought she’d seen it all, then met Sutton. Why does Sutton want to not like her? Erika says she got in trouble last year. Garcelle and Sutton were her biggest critics, but Sutton pulled the worst out of her. Diana says, in the first five minutes she was in the group, Sutton had a fight with nearly everyone; it can’t be her. In Erika’s interview, she says, Sutton poked a major f***ing bear. Sutton might think things are good, but they ain’t with Diana. She doesn’t think Sutton can survive that confrontation. She says she told Sutton that she thought she and Diana got off on the wrong foot, but she can fix it. We see a clip of Erika telling Sutton to give Diana the benefit of the doubt. Sutton says, she doesn’t tell a lot of people about her miscarriages, and Diana made fun of her. Erika tells her, try again. Erika tells Diane that Sutton was sh*tty to her, and she didn’t swipe it under the rug, but she can live with it. Diana asks how she learns to forgive and forget, but Erika says she doesn’t.  

In Kyle’s interview, she says, when you’re born and raised in L.A., and it’s 90 degrees on Christmas, you get desperate for snow. She doesn’t have it, so she’s going to create it. We see a snow machine pumping snow into her yard. She calls Erika, and says she had snow brought to the house. She wishes Erika could be here tomorrow for the Children’ Hospital benefit with Jamie Lee Curtis. Erika says, Diana’s on her way to lunch with Sutton, and Kyle says, that’s interesting, twirling her mustache. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she’d thought she and Diana ended on a good note, but LisaR inserted herself, so now she’s going straight to Diana. She calls Garcelle from the car, and says she thinks Diana will be tricky. Garcelle says, you can’t be in this group and hold a grudge because someone yelled at you. Sutton says she can come across as harsh, but she’s complex, funny, witty, and a good friend. She promises to give Garcelle a full report.

Sutton and Diana hug, and I don’t know about fake, but it seems halfhearted. Diana asks what they do, and Sutton says, have some lunch and talk about what they need to talk about. She wonders where to start, and Diana suggests the beginning. Sutton says, they can Sound of Music this, but since she wants to go back, Diana had said her words were clumsy before she even knew Sutton. We flash back to Diana saying that, and Diana says she was trying to give Sutton the benefit of the doubt, thinking she doesn’t mean to hurt with her words. But she’s changed her mind. She thinks Sutton means what she says. Sutton says she’s there to make peace, and come to an understanding. She doesn’t want Diana to be mean and shoot daggers. She wants to be civilized. Diana says, the way Sutton provoked her at the party was inappropriate, and Sutton says, it was wrong of her to be sarcastic. Diana says, some things aren’t up for sarcastic remarks. Sutton says, what she did wasn’t right, and she’s willing to say that, but she needs Diana to say that what she did wasn’t right; mocking Sutton’s miscarriages. Diana says, it’s how Sutton said it, but Sutton says she was sincerely trying to bond, and Diana is rolling her eyes. Diana says, Sutton isn’t genuine, and she feels like she needs professional help to communicate with Sutton. Sutton says, if Diana doesn’t think she’s sincere, Diana has a problem. She doesn’t share her miscarriages with many people. Diana says, Sutton threw it in there like she was raising Diana two. It’s too heavy of a subject. Sutton says, how dare Diana? and Diana says, everything goes back to Sutton. Sutton says she was speaking on behalf of all women who have miscarried, and Diana asks if she’s the world’s miscarriage spokeswoman. Sutton says, Diana is delusional, and Diana says she gave Sutton the fakest hug in her life, and Sutton thought it was sincere. She couldn’t wait to shake Sutton off. Sutton asks, who’s fake now? and Diana says she is. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Diana has a problem with herself. She’d choose dealing with Erika over Diana, Sutton says she had no idea, and it was sh*tty of Diana. Diana shrugs, and Sutton says, shame on her. Diana says, for what? Not letting Sutton walk on her and abuse her? Huh? Diana asks if Sutton thinks she can provoke someone, and yell and say mean things, then hug it out 10 minutes later. She cut Diana deep, and if Diana said it was all good, it would be fake. Sutton asks if Diana wants to move on or not, and Diana says, tell her how to move on in a way that’s not fake. Who is Sutton? Sutton says, she’s reactionary. She’s a hot head, but she’s a good friend, and loyal to the end. Diana says, so you say, and Sutton says, so I know. They go back and forth for a few rounds with that, and Sutton finally says she doesn’t know what to do. They’re playing ping-pong. She gets up and says she’s going to go. She has lots of Christmas cards to do. They can be pleasant at Kyle’s thing. Diana agrees, saying, it’s a charity event, and Sutton leaves.

I swear, I’m starting to need Tums or something during this show.  

Next time, Jamie Lee Curtis; Crystal struggles with her eating disorder; Kathy returns; and Erika drinks… and drinks… and drinks.

🍝 On Top of Spaghetti…

Come on by tomorrow for soap (she says with trepidation) and something to Charm you. Until then, stay safe, stay doing your part for the environment, even if it’s just carrying a candy wrapper around in your pocket forever rather than littering, and stay knowing we can’t undo the past; we can only make peace with it.