Tag Archives: Gladys Knight

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

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below Deck

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

❄️Winter, Winter Everywhere…

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

February 16, 2022 – Harmony Has Quite a Story, Ryne Leaves Jen & Lift

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow wonders how the State Department can have no record of her birth. That’s just wrong. She had a copy of her birth certificate, and she lost it. This is a bureaucratic nightmare. She hopes her mom can find her copy, so she can prove she was born in the US. Michael says, Harmony’s been putting Willow off about her birth certificate. Could it be that she just doesn’t have it? She asks if he means could it be more than a clerical error, that her mother is hiding something about her birth, and he says, maybe that’s why she’s been so evasive. Willow says her mother’s been lying to her the whole time.

Alexis says, not to sound distrusting, but she knew there was something Harmony wasn’t telling her. Harmony says, she’s sorry, but she kept this secret from her daughter her entire life, so it’s hard to just come out and say it. Alexis says, this is a safe place; Harmony can talk to her. Harmony says, the reason she can’t tell Willow that she forged the birth certificate is because she’s not Willow’s mother.

Felicia tells Louise that she’s her Mimi, and asks if she can hold her. Brook says, of course (🍷), and gives her to Felicia, who makes baby talk.

Josslyn visits Carly’s room at the MetroCourt, and Carly says, it’s good to see her. Josslyn says, her too, but it hasn’t been that long, and Carly says she’s still getting used to Josslyn not living at home. Josslyn says, Carly isn’t living at home either. Is she okay? Carly says she’s fine, and doesn’t want Josslyn to worry. Josslyn says, it’s kind of hard not to when Carly is living here, and not with Avery and Donna. Carly says she saw them for breakfast, and Josslyn says she knows. Avery told her, right before she asked when Carly would be home to stay.

Portia meets Curtis at Kelly’s, and he says, happy day after Valentine’s day, and hugs her. She says she’s so sorry, but he tells her, stop. She’s a doctor and she was needed. They can still celebrate. She sits, and asks what he had in mind, and he says, that depends on what the rest of her evening looks like. She says, barring another emergency, she’s off the clock for the next 32 hours, and he asks how she feels about a quiet evening in. She asks what he means by quiet, and he says, let him rephrase that, but she says she’s kidding. She would absolutely love some private time. So where does he want to go? Her place, his place… He says, what if there was another option?

Willow tells Michael that Harmony didn’t pick up. She guesses she’ll have to track her mother down after class. Michael says, Paris isn’t going anywhere; they’ll be other trips. She says she knows, but this isn’t even about the passport anymore. She thinks he’s right. She thinks her mom’s been keeping something from her, but she can’t dwell on that right now. She has to get to the hospital. She doesn’t want to be late. He tells her that he loves her, and gives her a hug, saying, they’ll get to the bottom of this. She leaves, and Sonny walks in. He asks if Michael has seen his mother. He needs to find her before she does something they’re both going to regret.

FYI, there’s been a musical tweak and some new photos in the credits.

Felicia tells Louise that she has no idea how happy this makes her. And wait until her Grandpa Mac sees her. He’ll be putty in her hands. She thanks Brook for taking such good care of her granddaughter, and Brook says, except when Peter kidnapped her. Felicia says, all that matters now is that she’s here, and that she’s safe, and that her mommy’s going to be home very soon. Nina sees them from down the hall, and Brook tells Felicia that she might want to give Louise some time with her name. She’s used to being called Bailey. Felicia says she will, but she can tell Louise is one smart cookie. Just like her mama. Brook says, what else? When she rubs her ears, she’s ready for a nap. Felicia says, good to know, and Brook says, she usually sleeps through the night, but she might need some time in a strange… a new place. Chase says, they just spent a few nights at the beach house, and Brook says, she got it though. But if she’s ever upset, Felicia can just give her Mr. Snuggles. That’s her stuffed doll. Felicia says, sure thing. She can tell how hard this is for both of them, but she promises them that Louise will be well taken care of. Chase says they know she will, and Felicia says she’s going to take Louise to their place after she visits with Mac, and then get her all settled in. Then they can come and visit any time they want; she means that. Brook thanks her, and says she should go. She jets, and Nina follows her. Felicia tells Chase to make sure Brook is taken care of, and he says, good call. He tells Louise, see you later, and leaves.

Alexis says, why doesn’t Harmony start from the beginning? and Harmony says, she and Douglas used to live at a commune in Colorado. It was called Friends of Peace and Love. It was led by the prophet Josiah. This pregnant woman named Joan joined their community, and she and Harmony became friends. About a week after Joan gave birth, Harmony woke up one morning, and Joan was gone. Alexis says, so Joan left the baby there, and Harmony says, Josiah told them that God wanted her and Douglas to raise the little girl as their own. Alexis says, and so they did, and Harmony asks, who was she to question God?

Josslyn says she’s not trying to put Carly on the spot, but she feels like a bad big sister when she can’t answer every question. Carly says she’s so sorry, and Josslyn asks what she should tell Donna. Carly says, tell her the truth, and Josslyn says, which is? Carly says, she doesn’t know when their mom is coming home, and Josslyn asks if Carly knows. Talk to her. Carly says she thought Josslyn wasn’t going to put her on the spot, and Josslyn says she’s not a little kid anymore. She can handle it. Carly says she knows Josslyn can, and Josslyn says, she’s worried. Carly tells her, don’t worry, but Josslyn says, it’s a little late for that. She watched Carly for months fight for their family. Then when Sonny came home, what was supposed to be this happy celebration and reunion, turned out to be a bunch of lies and cover-ups. She doesn’t blame Carly for leaving, but this all must be so hard on her. She needs to make sure Carly has somebody to lean on, especially now that Jason’s gone.

Curtis tells Portia, he’s been looking for a new place. Now that Aunt Stella’s recovered from her stroke, she doesn’t need him around so much, so he was going to give Stella his place. That way, they could have some much needed privacy. She says, that’s very generous of him, and he has to do what’s best for him. He says, it’s not what’s best for him, but what’s best for them. She asks what he’s saying exactly, and he tells her, he’s saying, whatever place he finds, he wants it to belong to both of them.

Michael asks what Sonny thinks mom’s going to do, and Sonny says, he’s been calling her, but she’s not getting back to him. You’d think she’d be in the suite or the office this time of day. Michael asks, what’s the urgency? Is it about the surprise Sonny planned, because he heard it did not go very well. Sonny asks what Michael’s mom said, and Michael says, nothing. When he asked her about it, she said she didn’t want to talk about it, which isn’t a good sign. So what happened? Sonny says, he screwed up, and because of that, mom’s hurt and angry, and he doesn’t want her to do something worse. Michael says, like what? and Sonny says, hire a divorce attorney. Michael says, divorce? and Sonny says he needs to get to Michael’s mom, and tell her it’s too much too soon; they can get through this. Michael says, last time he talked to mom, she didn’t say anything about a divorce. She said she needed some time to think. Sonny says, that was before she found him with Nina.

Brook presses the elevator button like a madwoman, and Nina asks if she wants to sit or have some water. Chase has caught up, and says he thinks that’s a great idea, but Brook says she just wants to get out of here. Where the hell’s this elevator? Nina says, it must have been excruciating saying goodbye to Bailey, especially with Maxie missing, and Brook says she’s worried about Maxie. It was always the plan to give Bailey back to her family, and they did it, so yay. They should be celebrating. Nina says, if Brook needs to talk to anyone, call her, but Brook says she doesn’t think that will be necessary. The elevator comes, and Chase tells Nina, he’s got this, and gets in with Brook. Nina leans on the wall for a moment, then sees Willow. She asks Willow if something is wrong with Wiley.

Josslyn says she can’t imagine the pain Carly is in, and Carly says, it’s a lot, her losing Jason when she needs him the most. It feels like a cruel joke. Josslyn says, Carly still has her, and Carly hugs her, saying, that means everything. But she doesn’t want Josslyn worrying about any of this. She wants Josslyn to focus on her life at college, and all the amazing experiences that come with that. They haven’t even had a chance to talk about what happened at the cabin, and why they came back so early. Josslyn says, that would be thanks to Esme, and Carly tells Josslyn to sit down and tell her what Esme did now. Josslyn says, Esme made hot toddies, and insisted they play the world’s most cringeworthy game of Never Have I Ever. She manipulated Trina, and implied Trina and Cameron were in love and Josslyn stole him. Carly says, that’s a lot, and Josslyn says, it is a lot. She called Esme out on it, Esme called a car, and she and Spencer headed back to Port Charles that same night. Carly says she’s sure it was a relief to have Esme gone, but a bummer that Spencer had to leave. Josslyn says, it is a bummer. Spencer can be a bit of a pain, and he’s always been a little spoiled and entitled, but he has decent qualities, and he can be a really good friend, just not around her. He’s so far under Esme’s thumb, it’s like the girl invented sex. It’s just really disappointing that he can’t see through her. He falls for her games every time. Carly says she knows what Josslyn means.

Michael asks what Nina was doing at the Haunted Star, and Sonny says, he guesses she was worried about him, so she wanted to see if he was okay. Michael says, she couldn’t call? She had to check on him in person? Sonny says, she showed up, and he was in a bad, bad way because he thought Michael’s mother had given up on them. And then things happened. Michael asks if Sonny wants to clarify things, but Sonny says, not really. Michael says, so mom eventually did show up for his surprise, but it wasn’t the surprise Sonny had planned. How could he do that to mom? Sonny says, because he thought she was walking away from the marriage, and Michael says, so he turned around and had sex with Nina? Sonny says, he didn’t mean to hurt Michael’s mom, but Michael asks how he thinks she’d feel. Sonny asks if Michael thinks he wanted Carly to walk in on them, and Michael says, it’s bad enough Sonny cheated – that’s disgusting – but to do it with Nina, the woman who kept him from his family for months? Sonny says, it’s complicated, but Michael says, not really. Sonny blew past his wedding vows without taking a backward glance, to sleep with a woman who’s done nothing but lie to all of them. Sonny makes this big damn deal about loyalty, and has sex with the woman who basically held him hostage. How could he be so stupid? Sonny says, watch it, and Michael says, or else what?

Felicia tells Louise that she’s had quite a life so far. She comes from a long line of adventurers, so that shouldn’t be a big surprise. And survivors. There’s no greater survivor than her mommy, and her mommy is going to come back soon, she promises. In the meantime, Louise has her and her Grandpa Mac. Deanna wheels Mac out, and she says, look who’s here, and tells Mac, look who’s been waiting for him.

Josslyn says, enough about Esme. She’s worried about Carly, and doesn’t want her going through this alone. Let her help. Carly says, she does help. Whenever she’s having a hard time, all she has to do is see the woman Josslyn’s become. It makes her so proud. From a tiny ear of corn to this. Josslyn says, her corn phase. She’ll never live it down. Carly says, never. And adult or not, it’s not up to Josslyn to answer Avery’s tough questions. She’s sorry. Josslyn says, Carly’s not coming home anytime soon, is she? and Carly says, her marriage to Sonny is over.

Sonny says he’s still Michael’s father; show some respect. Michael says, like Sonny showed his mom? and Sonny asks what Michael wants from him. Michael says, a little bit of decency would be nice, and Sonny says, he asked Michael’s mother to show up at the Haunted Star, and when she didn’t show up, that meant to him that she wanted out. Then Kristina showed up, and told him that Carly wasn’t showing up. Michael says, Kristina? and Sonny says, it’s a long story. Michael says, first of all, ultimatums? Not romantic. Sonny says, that’s where they’re at, and Michael says, secondly, mom did show up, and thirdly, even if she bailed, that didn’t give Sonny the green light to sleep with someone else. Sonny says, it’s between him and Michael’s mother, and Michael says, and Nina. Sonny says he has to stop Michael’s mother before she files for divorce, and Michael says, honestly? She should file for divorce, because Sonny clearly chose Nina over her. Sonny says, that’s not what happened. He needs to find Michael’s mother. He can’t waste any more time. He leaves.

Harmony says, the story she told Alexis about Willow’s birth is true, and Alexis says, it’s just that Harmony didn’t actually give birth. Harmony says, Joan gave birth at the commune; no doctors, no hospitals. And since Josiah didn’t recognize the authority of the US government, the thought of a birth certificate meant nothing. Alexis says, what about her? and Harmony says she didn’t care about that. She had this new little life to nurture. Alexis asks if she wasn’t worried Joan would come back and claim the baby, and Harmony says, she thought about it all the time. First, it was just curiosity. Then that turned to dread. She and Douglas fell more in love with the little girl, and when Willow was about two, they couldn’t stand the thought of losing her. They left the commune. They left Colorado altogether and never looked back. Alexis says, that’s quite a story, and Harmony says, Alexis thinks she’s awful, but Alexis says she doesn’t. She thinks there was an abandoned baby, and Harmony and her husband loved and nurtured her. Under the circumstances, it was understandable. Joan didn’t tell her who the father was? Harmony shakes her head, and says, Doug paid the forger for the birth certificate, and then, that was it. Willow was theirs. Alexis says, but not in the eyes of the law.

Willow tells Nina, Wiley is fine. She’s just there for her nursing class. Nina says, of course (🍷). Silly her, she forgot. How’s it going? It must be quite a change, going from teacher to student. Willow says, there’s a lot less construction paper and glue, that’s for sure. She asks if something is wrong, and Nina says, no, it’s just that she saw Brook and Chase hand Bailey over to Felicia. Brook plays it tough, but it must be killing her to say goodbye to that baby. Willow says, there’s nothing harder, and tells Nina that she should get to class. Nina asks her to wait one second. They talked before about her having a possible relationship with Wiley if she kept the peace between her, Sonny, and Carly. But what if there’s no chance of peace? Will she ever be able to see her grandson again?

Chase and Brook go back to the beach house, and Brook says, her dad and Olivia must have straightened up. Chase says, that was nice of them, and asks if she wants to… She says, pack his things? That’s a good idea. There’s no reason for them to be living together anymore, so he’ll be leaving too, right?

Back in his bed, Mac holds Louise, and says, she’s been under their noses this whole time. Felicia says, Maxie must have been going insane. She was so close to her daughter, and so far away at the same time. It feels so wrong to be here like this without her. He says, they’ll find Maxie, and she says she knows they will. He says, and Peter will answer for everything he’s done.

Josslyn asks what Sonny did, but Carly says she’s not going into details. Let’s just say Sonny showed her on no uncertain terms that their marriage means mean nothing to him. Josslyn asks if this has to do with Nina. Something happened with Nina. Did Carly see them together? Carly flashes back to finding Sonny and Nina in bed, and tells Josslyn she could say that. Josslyn says, were they… She’s got to  be kidding. How could Sonny do that? And Nina acting all contrite and innocent. My God, she’s a monster. She’s literally out to get their family. Carly says she knows, and she’s never going to underestimate Nina again, but Sonny is responsible for his actions. Carly’s phone dings, and Josslyn asks if it’s Sonny, but Carly says, no, it’s Michael. Carly reads, where are you? Dad at MC headed for your suite. There’s a knock at the door, Carly opens it, and Sonny is there.

Harmony says, understand why she couldn’t tell Willow that she wasn’t her daughter? and Alexis says, she believes in Harmony’s eyes and heart, Willow was her daughter, regardless of biology or the law. Harmony says, if it was a legal adoption, it would be totally different. She would have had that discussion, but she didn’t know how to explain to Willow and didn’t want to lose her, which is ironic, because that’s exactly what happened. Alexis says, but Harmony has a relationship with her now, and Harmony says, thankfully. They were starting to rebuild, but it’s still fragile, and she’s scared this news will completely shatter it. Alexis says, it was Doulas who bought the fake document, right? and Harmony says, they decided together, but he was the one who met with the forger. Does that matter? Alexis says, it may give them a little wiggle room, and Harmony says, really? Does she think Willow doesn’t have to know? Alexis tells her, she didn’t say that.

Chase asks if Brook is kicking him out, and she tells him not to be dramatic. He says, then why would he leave, and she says, they both know he was only here for Bailey. She sees Mr. Snuggles in between the couch cushions, and says, oh my God, Mr. Snuggles. How could she? They have to go to the hospital. He says, they don’t even know if they’re still there, but she says, they have to try. He suggests they call Felicia before wasting a trip, and she says, some mother she is. Letting Bailey go without her favorite toy; she must be feeling so scared. She must be so lost without it. He holds her and says, it’s okay; it’s going to be okay. She cries and says she doesn’t know how to do this. Tell her how to do this. He says he wishes he could.

Felicia tries to get Bailey to stop crying, and Mac suggests she’s hungry, but Felicia says, not yet. He wonders if it’s a dirty diaper, but Felicia says she checked. Mac asks why Felicia doesn’t take her home. The hospital’s not a restful place for anyone, especially a baby. She says, it’s not the hospital; she doesn’t know them. As much as they love her, they’re strangers to her. She needs her mother. He says, or the closest thing to it.

Sonny asks if he and Carly can talk, and Carly says she’ll call Josslyn later, and thanks her for her support. She loves Josslyn. Josslyn says she loves Carly too, and glares at Sonny as she walks out. Sonny says, if looks could kill, and Carly asks if he can blame her. He says, Carly didn’t tell her… and Carly says, did she tell her daughter that she saw him in bed with another woman? No. She figured it out. Unlike him, Josslyn sees Nina for the snake she is. She asks why he’s here, and he says, to stop her from making a huge mistake.

Portia wonders if Curtis is asking her to move into his place with him, and he says, as soon as he finds one. But technically, it wouldn’t be his place, it would be their place. She says, then maybe they could look for a place together. They can find a place they both like, and it will belong to both of them. He asks if that’s a yes to moving in together, and she says, it’s a definite yes, he kisses her.

Josslyn sits with Michael at the MetroCourt, and says she’s glad he was there, and not across town. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, not really. The tension was unreal when Sonny showed up. It was all she could do not to lose her mind on him. Sorry. He says, don’t apologize. He’s pissed at his dad too. She asks if Sonny admitted to Michael that he cheated on mom, and Michael says, he tried to justify it of course (🍷). She says, right. Like he tried to justify Nina letting them believe he was dead. How is this happening? Is Sonny just a completely different person now? He says, completely? No, but his time in Nixon Falls really changed him. She says, and not for the better. He and mom have split up before, but this is different. Sonny is different. It’s like he doesn’t even care about mom’s feelings or what she’s been through, but he’s super worried about Nina. He went from protecting her to sleeping with her. And Nina, with all her fake remorse and wanting to make amends, which lasted right up until she got in bed with Sonny. How could she? He says he doesn’t know, and she says, it doesn’t matter what Nina says, or how many times she insists it’s not true, Nina wanted to tear their family apart. She wanted to take Sonny away from mom, and she’s not going to stop until she gets what she wants.

Nina says, it’s clear she and Carly can’t co-exist peacefully, and she’s wondering where that leaves her and Willow. Is there something she can say or do to convince Willow to let her stay in Wiley’s life despite that? Willow says, honestly… and Nina says she doesn’t have much family, or children to speak of, so if she loses that piece of her life… Willow says she understands the importance of family, and Nina says she can tell Willow does, and she’s not just saying that to win her over. It’s obvious Willow put a lot of thought in what’s best for Wiley. Because if she didn’t do that, she wouldn’t let Nina spend any time with that little boy at all. Willow says, it’s simple. She just wants her son to grow up never doubting that he’s loved. Nina says, it would be nice if they all had that. From what she gathers, Willow had a pretty unconventional childhood. Willow says, that’s putting it mildly, and sits with Nina on a bench. She says, there were times she felt so lost. You’d think it would get better as she got older, but… it is what it is, right? Nina says, yeah. When she was growing up, her mother was not the warmest person. She valued appearance over real feelings. Without her brother Jay, she would have felt very much alone. Willow says, in the commune, there were always people around. It was more that her mom was so wrapped up in the community, she couldn’t be bothered with Willow. Then when they were actually together, her mother was more focused on her being a good follower. Her mother didn’t really know who Willow actually was. Nina says she hears Willow. Her mother used to trot her out at parties like she was a show dog. But if you’d asked her anything meaningful about Nina, like her hopes and dreams, or her favorite color, she wouldn’t know how to answer that. It was really hard, growing up with a mother you think doesn’t care about you at all. Willow says, and even harder, knowing you can’t trust her.

Carly says, pushing her is a bad idea, but Sonny says he’s not pushing. He’s trying to talk to his wife. She says, don’t call her that. He doesn’t treat her like a wife, so he doesn’t get to refer to her as one. He says he’s sorry she found him with Nina, and she says, but he’s not sorry it happened. He says he’s sorry for all of it, and she says she doesn’t want to talk about Nina. He says he just wants to know what happens next, and she says, he means, with life? It’s divorce. He says, really? That’s what she wants? She says she thinks it’s a little late to care about her feelings. Doesn’t he? He says he knows she’s angry… and she says, she’s beyond angry. She’s furious, she’s heartbroken, and she’s disgusted. And all she wants to do is hurt him the way he hurt her. He says, he understands that, and she thanks him for his understanding, sarcastically saying she appreciates that. He asks if there’s nothing he can say to make it right. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says, she met with a divorce lawyer. She says, he was spying on her? and he says, no; she put it on the shared calendar. Do him a favor. Do not hire a lawyer. Let’s talk. She says, no. They’re not going to talk.

Brook says, maybe she’s not just crying over Mr. Snuggles. She always knew Bailey would go back to her real mom. She knows she’s not Bailey’s real mom, so why is this so hard? He says, she may not be Bailey’s real mom, but Brook was her mom in every way that counts. Brook loves her. Brook says, so much, and he says, it’s really hard to say goodbye to someone you love, and she says she doesn’t want to do that anymore. He says, then don’t, and they almost kiss, but the doorbell rings. Chase open the door, and it’s Felicia with Louise/Bailey.

Alexis tells Harmony, there are other ways to acquire a birth certificate, other ways to show proof of identity for Willow, but they’re way beyond that right now. Harmony says she knows, but she’s imagining Willow’s face when she realizes Harmony lied to her again. They just started to get their groove back. Alexis says she gets that. She treasures the bond she has with her daughters, but the way she sees it, Harmony has two choices. She comes clean, and asks Willow’s forgiveness, or continues to deceive her. Harmony says, she doesn’t want to do that. She just has this sinking feeling Willow’s not going to forgive her for this one. Alexis says, up until now, Harmony has been Willow’s mother. She’s loved her, nurtured her, and tried to protect her. Harmony says, that last one is debatable, and Alexis says, she’s made mistakes, but she’s turned her life around, and she’s trying to do better. If that’s still her intent – Harmony says, it is – she’ll do what’s best for Willow, and tell her the truth.

Nina says she’s sorry Willow’s relationship with her mother was so fraught, and Willow says, her too. It would be nice to look to her as an example for how best to be a mom to Wiley. Michael doesn’t get it. He’s so close to his mother, to both his parents, he doesn’t have the same doubts she does. Nina says Willow doesn’t need an example. She’s a wonderful mother to Wiley. So much so, Nina would venture to say the example is her.

Felicia tells Brook, she and Mac decided, until Maxie comes home, it would be best for Louise to be around people who are familiar to her; namely, the two of them. Holding Louise, Brook says, she doesn’t understand. Doesn’t Felicia want Louise with her? Felicia says, more than anything in the world, but not it’s about her; it’s about Louise and what she needs, and right now, she’s looking at it. Brook doesn’t know what to say, and Chase thanks Felicia for having faith in them. Brook says, thanks so much, and Felicia says, thank Maxie. She trusted them with her daughter, and that means she and Mac can do the same. Brook says, now it’s her turn to tell Felicia, please come visit anytime. Felicia says she definitely will, and tells Louise that she’ll see her soon; she loves her. Felicia leaves, and Chase asks Bailey if she’s been missing someone, showing her Mr. Snuggles, who I think is a pig. That’s not a comment on his character, but meant literally. Brook says, finally, reunited at long last, and Chase says, it’s been two hours. She tells him, like she said, at long last. He says, it looks like he’ll be sticking around after all, and she says she guesses so.

Portia says she can’t believe this is actually happening, and Curtis says, unless she’s already having second thoughts. She says, the opposite. She feels like she’s dreaming, and she’s going to wake up in the on-call room, and realize none of this actually happened. He says, no, baby, this is happening. They’re moving in together as soon as he can find a place. She says, why do they even need to wait? What does he think about moving into her place while they search for a new place? He says, it sounds exactly right. What about Trina? Is she going to be okay with this? She says, Trina wants them to be happy, and she’s beginning her own adult life. In some ways, after solely focusing on raising Trina, she’s beginning hers again too. He asks if she’s sure she doesn’t feel like he’s rushing her into this, and she takes his hands, and says, when something feels right, there’s no need waste any time.

Sonny says, so that’s it? Carly says they’re done and they’re done? Carly says, pretty much, and he says, if they just talk, they can work through this. She says, there’s nothing to talk about. He made his choices, so she gets to make hers, and she just wants this over. He says he knows what she walked in on hurt her, and he’s sorry. She tells him, stop saying he’s sorry. She doesn’t need to hear that. He says he didn’t mean it like that, and she says, it’s over. They’re over. He says, okay, he’ll leave her alone… for now. He leaves, and they stand on opposite sides of the door.

Tomorrow, Finn asks Elizabeth if working herself to death is the answer, Victor has something of interest to Drew, and Anna says she’ll stop at nothing to bring Maxie home.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Heather and family went to Nobu for dinner. In Heather’s interview, she said she was feeling like the clock was ticking. Max and Nicki were going away, and family dinners were going to change. Daughter Kat said she wasn’t close to her siblings. She thought it was because of the age difference. She was in the middle and didn’t connect. Heather promised the relationships would change.

Noella met Emily for a pedicure, and in her interview, Noella said she cared enough about the friend group to make peace, and move past what had happened in Cabo. Or wherever the hell they were. She told Emily that there was going to be a divorce mediation, and Emily wondered if James would show. In Emily’s interview, she said she liked Noella, but she could be suffocating. The conversation always had to revolve around her and her divorce. In Noella’s interview, she said she was in fight or flight mode, and fighting for every inch of her life. She felt like she was crying all the time. Emily said, in regard to what happened with Heather, Noella started it by making a snarky comment. Noella admitted she had, and in her interview, Emily said she also had to walk on eggshells with Noella, because she tended to get angry and defensive. She suggested Noella ask about the others occasionally. Noella asked if she couldn’t get a little grace, and Emily told her that she couldn’t get it if she didn’t reciprocate. In her interview, Noella said that she threatened the groups’ projection that everything was okay.  That her pain was triggering something, said something about them. Emily said Noella was beating a dead horse.

Shannon was having the women over for a luncheon, and forgot about appetizers. In Shannon’s interview, she said it was going to be a disaster. She hosted all the time, but didn’t really do lunch; she did evenings when she had all day to prepare. Now she looked like a moron who couldn’t handle it. (Now?) Gina showed up while Shannon was ironing her blouse. As she was wearing it. Gina was concerned Shannon would burn herself, and Shannon said she was trying to iron herself small.  Heather picked up Jen, who said Ryne had packed his bags and left. In Jen’s interview, she said, Ryne came back, screamed at her, and walked out again. She felt completely alone. She told Heather that she was getting a divorce. She never wanted to feel like that again. In Heather’s interview, she said, getting through it was a process. It was a test that proved the relationship.

Heather brought Shannon a hostess gift, a fancy bowl with wrapped candies in it. In her interview, Heather said, weed was legal now, and she’d been experimenting in micro-dosing with edibles. It was fabulous. Jen said she’d had a difficult day, and Heather asked if it wasn’t the first day of school. Jen said the cafeteria and recess were her kids’ two favorite subjects, but Ryne had packed and left. She’d had a challenging day, and reached out for support, which he wasn’t able to give her, and instead, he lashed out. I didn’t see it the same way, but okay. Emily said she and Shane reached their lowest point in years ten and eleven, and we flashed back to some of that. She said, they’d managed to make years twelve and thirteen the best, and Jen asked, how? Emily said, a lot of work. They’d had counseling, and gone to relationship camp. Shannon said, she and David had done that too, and we flashed back to some of those exercises. Jen said they’d done it too, and it was helpful, for a couple of weeks. Emily said she and Shane sat down and wrote out a mission statement for their marriage and family, and in her interview, she said, they’d been in a bagel shop. She’d told Shane that she thought they were both unhappy and didn’t want to be in the marriage. In creating the statement, they completely recommitted. We saw a clip from the Reunion, where Shane said they’d used words like unconditional love and acceptance, and it was a turning point for him. In Emily’s interview, she said, Shane lived by what he said since then.

At the table, Heather toasted to a fabulous hostess. Gina told Jen that they both had to want it. If only one of them was showing up, it wasn’t going to work. Shannon said they could get there. She and David were there at one point, and even though it didn’t work out for her, she still believed in it. Emily asked if Jen was to do whatever it took, and Noella suggested she have no expectations. Emily said Noella wasn’t being helpful, and thought she was jumping ahead. Jen said Ryne came across as mellow, but it was false advertising. Noella said when she’d met the women, she was still holding onto things with James, and Emily asked her a question (which I totally missed), and this somehow offended her. Emily was like, don’t talk about it then, and Noella asked if she wasn’t allowed to talk about her divorce. Emily said that was all Noella talked about. Noella tried to make it seem like she was relating to Jen, but Gina said it seemed like a totally different situation, but Noella insisted she was going through what Jen was. Heather was concerned about Jen talking divorce, and Jen said she didn’t want the relationship to fail. She loved Ryne. She wanted progress and success, but was frustrated because he wouldn’t participate.

Emily said she was confused. Noella wanted to talk about her divorce but went on the defensive when asked a question. She was trying to understand, but if Noella was getting mad, then it was bullsh*t. Emily went to sit with some nicer people, and went to sit with Heather, Shannon, and Jen. In her interview, Emily said, if you challenged Noella or disagreed with her, she turned on you. You couldn’t monopolize a conversation and make it about you, and then get mad if there were questions. The only way Noella connected to the other women was if it was something traumatic. Emily asked fi she should take a valium or Xanax before going back, and Shannon yelled, micro-dose! and ran for the new candy dish. In Shannon’s interview, she said she was never a fan of pot, but micro-dosing took the edge off. A producer asked how it was different from a joint, bong, or blunt, and Shannon asked what a blunt was. Was it a joint? She reminded me of a mom from one of those films on how drugs are bad that they show you in school. Shannon shared a candy with Heather and Emily (Jen passed), and in her interview, she said, now she had a drug dealer named Heather Dubrow. Text came up saying, 10 minutes later, and they were all laughing, Shannon and Emily comparing their derrieres. They did a weird slo-mo thing, where it looked more like they’d dropped acid. Shannon passed out cookies, and Emily told Noella that she should let people ask questions, and not take it personally. In Noella’s interview, she said she was trying to show she was good, but Emily was really testing her. Jen thanked Shannon for the invite, and said she’d been spiraling down, and the lunch helped. I thought it was probably all the champagne.

Gina and Emily took their kids to a Gymboree type place, and sat down while the kids did whatever. Emily said she was irritated when she left Shannon’s. Noella never asked about them, and only talked about herself. Gina told Emily that she thought Shannon seemed irritated with Heather’s compliments on Gina’s new skincare company. Shannon couldn’t handle it. In Gina’s interview, she said, it reeked of Shannon. Jealousy and all bullsh*t was all Shannon.

Heather and Kat did some gardening, and Kat said she’d gotten a negative comment about her rainbow flag on Tik Tok. A rainbow flag was in her bio, and sometimes it felt embarrassing. In Kat’s interview, she said, in coming out, there was always some negativity. It was inevitable, and you’re not prepared for it until it happens, and it hits you like a bus. Heather said she didn’t want Kat not to be self-confident in who she was and who she loved. In Kat’s interview, she said she’d been insecure and unsure until she got support, then she became proud and more comfortable with herself. Heather said Kat’s life was so different from when she was younger. Her parents were great, they did their best, but her mom was very 1950s. You didn’t talk about anything like feelings. She was glad for the relationship she had with her kids, and that they could tell her everything. She’d learned a lot from them; she was still growing at her age. In Heather’s interview, she said, everyone wanted love and to be accepted. It was the base minimum parents should do. It killed her when parents didn’t accept their children.

Jen, Shannon, and Emily met for cocktails and food, and Jen ordered the filthiest martini she could get. She told the women that Ryne had come back, and was sweet. They fell asleep on the couch, holding hands, but they hadn’t had a big conversation. She said they’d had three babies, then gotten married, but they’d had some big hits. When her father died, she was anxious to have her own family. In Jen’s interview, she said, when she and Ryne met, for a couple of years, it was light, easy, and breezy. That’s what had attracted her, but now it was the roadblock in their relationship. Shane couldn’t go deep. Shannon said she loved that Jen was fighting for her family. Emily asked if Shannon was jealous of Gina’s relationship with Heather, and that Gina and Heather were going to NYC. Shannon said she had her own relationship with Heather, and if she’d been invited to NYC, she’d have said she was exhausted. Wow. That doesn’t say much for her energy level. Emily said Gina had thought Shannon was jealous when Heather was praising her about her skincare line. Shannon said, that was an a-hole comment to make, and in Shannon’s interview, she asked, where in the sky was this pulled from? Shannon said she had plenty going on herself, and Emily said Gina thought she’d seemed not happy, but Emily was so pissed at Noella, she didn’t notice. Shannon said Gina needed to put a pin in her ego, and in her interview, she said she thought Emily stirred the pot. She told Emily, sorry to disappoint her. She was reeling right now. It pissed her off.

Next time, Shannon tells John about Gina suggesting she’s jealous, Shannon says Gina is starting to piss her off, and Jen gets annoyingly drunk at dinner out with Rayne, Heather, Terry, et al.

🌈 Time To Ride the Rainbow…

Come on over for soap and most likely some tea tomorrow. Bravo has nothing new to post about, but they are showing a new Galley Talk at 9 pm. That’s always good for a laugh. Until then, stay safe, stay taking new roads, and stay not wasting any time when something feels right.