What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly visits Sonny’s grave, and says, it’s so quiet there. She can finally hear herself think, but she’s not sure that’s a good thing. How did he do it, make running the business look seamless for all those years? She had no idea how hard it was. There’s no room for error. She and Jason are doing their best, but they’re not him. No one is. Elizabeth comes into the cemetery carrying flowers, and says she doesn’t mean to interrupt. Normally she wouldn’t, but she and Carly have something they need to settle.

Brando meets Sasha outside Kelly’s, and she says she’s starving. He says, then they’re in the right place. Order whatever she wants; it’s on him. She says, big spender. If she didn’t know better, she’d think this is a date. He says, then she doesn’t know better; that’s exactly what this is. It’s officially their first date.

Molly meets TJ inside Kelly’s, and he says he ordered her a latte. Mission accomplished? She says, yes. The records were delivered to Pentenville as her mom requested. He says, it must be too early for a visit, but she says she doesn’t care. She’s just happy knowing that her mother isn’t wasting away in prison. Alexis is 90 days sober, and has a new purpose. He asks if Alexis told her what it is, and she says, no. All she said was that she needed it for a friend. It might be all they need to get out of prison. He raises his coffee, and says, to Alexis and her friend, whatever they may be up to.

Alexis looks through a huge binder, when Shawn joins her in the library. He asks what she’s up to, and she says, research for a friend. Molly got the documents she requested. No one should be able to figure out what they’re doing. He says, exactly what are they doing?

Michael finds Brook on the terrace, and says she was up early this morning. She says she can thank little Miss Bailey for that one. He says, good thing she’s cute (ha-ha! I say that about my dogs), and Brook says, yeah, and she’s already on her first nap. He says he thought Valentin took the morning shift, and she says, he does, but he’s helping search for Maxie’s baby. Michael says, Maxie must be losing her mind, and Brook says she can only imagine. Willow comes out, and Brook says, in more uplifting news, Chase is alive. It’s good news for Chase and them. They can finally drop the charade, and get back together. Michael says, that’s the plan, and Brook asks, then why do they look so miserable? 

Jackie tells Chase, good morning, and he says, it’s the best one in a long time. She says she got his favorite protein smoothie; he’s got to rebuild his strength. She’s grateful they made it through this nightmare, and Chase says he thought they said, no tears. She tells him, he said that; she said, no promises. She reaches to help him with the cup, but he says he’s gotten his feeling back. She says, that’s incredible, and Finn comes to the door. Chase says, check it out, and waves the cup around. Finn says, now Chase is just showing off, and Chase says, when he and Willow renew their vows, he’ll be able to put the ring on her himself.

Britt punches the heavy bag, when Jason walks into the gym. She says, let her guess. She’s doing it wrong. He says, that depends, and she says, on what? He says, on why she’s doing it.

Willow says, it’s been a lot to process, but what this means, what comes next… Brook says, what comes next is that Willow tells Chase the truth about her and Michael, and everyone goes back to living their lives. Michael says, that’s a little simplistic, doesn’t she think? and Brook says, maybe, but it’s what needs to happen. Michael says, Chase just crawled his way out of a death sentence. Brook says, that’s right, and the first thing he asked her was to throw him a wedding reception in that rose garden over there. So, no pun intended, they need to nip this lie in the bud as soon as possible.

Chase says he looks forward to a lifetime with Willow, and Finn says, a lifetime with him. Chase says, and he’s back, ladies and gentlemen. Jackie says she’s so sorry for keeping the secret for so many years, until it got to the breaking point that made their family vulnerable. Finn says she isn’t to blame, but she says she is. Peter might have done this to Chase, but if Cyrus hadn’t messed with the paternity test, Chase wouldn’t have almost died. Chase asks what that has to do with Jackie, and she says, there would have never been a test to mess with at this late date if not for her. She’s sorry.

Brando tells Sasha, he would have liked to make it a bigger deal, but his mom is getting released from GH. She asks if Brando is driving Gladys back to Bridgeport, but he says she’s staying with him. She says, doctor’s orders? and he says, mother’s orders. Sasha says, until she’s fully recuperated, and he says, and after. She’s going to stay in Port Charles indefinitely. Sasha says, wow; she had no idea. He says, neither did he, but she wants to stick around and help with the baby.

TJ says he wishes there was something Molly’s mom could do to help Shawn. He’s still being punished. She says, if her mom can help Shawn, she will. TJ asks if she thinks Shawn is her mom’s mystery friend, and she says she doesn’t know; he could be. If he is, then they have two things to celebrate tonight. She brings out a gift box, and tells TJ, happy anniversary. It’s been five months since they became domestic partners. She’s never been happier. He says, him neither.

Alexis says this might help get Shawn out of there. These are sentences handed down from 2015 to the present. He says he was sentenced in 2015, but why the other years? She says she has a hunch about Judge Carson, and he says, the judge who presided over his sentencing? She says, yes, and he asks, what kind of hunch?

Jason tells Britt, be careful, and she says, around him? He says, in the gym. Tempting as it is, don’t go all out on the heavy bag. She doesn’t want to injure herself. She says she’s been good, and he says he’s glad she’s taking care of herself. She says she’s wanted to learn boxing for years. It’s so strong, but beautiful at the same time; like a dance. Jason says, it can be if it’s done right. She asks if he does it right. She’s not putting it off one more day. He says, boxing? and she says, among other things. She moves closer to him.  

Elizabeth tells Carly that she was on her way to Franco’s grave when she saw Carly was there. She hopes Carly doesn’t mind. Carly says, no. What’s going on? Elizabeth puts down the flowers, and says she’s sorry; truly, deeply sorry. Carly was right about Jason, and she was wrong. He didn’t kill Franco. Jason told her that, and she should have believed him, but she lost faith in someone who’s always been good to her, the father of her child. When Jason looked into Jake’s eyes and swore he was innocent, she should have known. Honestly, she did know, but instead of admitting it, she dug in and held on. Carly says she was furious with Elizabeth for that, but Jason wasn’t. He understood and still does.

Britt says, let’s do it, and Jason asks what she wants to do;  the heavy bag or boxing? She asks if they’re not the same thing, but he says, not really. With the heavy bag, you’re concentrating on strength and endurance, and maybe getting some anger out. In the ring, you need strength and endurance, but it’s not the physical act; it’s the art of boxing. She says, you need a partner. She’s more partial to partner activities. It’s way more fun than doing it solo. He says, sometimes, and she asks if it’s one of those times. He asks if she wants him to teach her how to box, and she says, yes please. He says, okay. Get in the ring. He’ll show her the basics. He gets in, and she follows.  

Alexis tells Shawn, last year, News.org did an exposé of hundreds of judges regarding prejudice. He asks if Judge Carson was one of them, but she says, no. There could be a lot of reasons; not enough complaints, the complaints were ignored, or bogged down. He says, so what are these? and she says, those are rulings and sentences that happened around the time he was sentenced. What they’re looking for are discrepancies in Judge Carson’s rulings between white defendants and defendants who are people of color. She hands him a highlighter, and he asks if this is legal. She says, it’s all pubic record, and he says, there are thousands of cases just like Carson’s. She says they have a lot of work to do.

TJ takes out a mug with a picture of him and Molly on it. He says, this is… awesome, and thanks her. Molly says, it has two functions; to remind him of how much she loves him, and to keep him caffeinated during his residency. He says, for someone so unconventional, she sure can be sentimental, and she says she’s a woman of many talents. He says he sees that. They kiss, when Brando and Sasha approach their table. Brando says, hi, and TJ asks, what’s up? Brando says he heard they made if official; congratulations. He says they know Sasha, right? and asks Sasha if he should tell them. Sasha says, why not? She’s pregnant. Brando says, and it’s his. Can they believe it? He’s going to be a dad.    

Elizabeth says Carly was right about something else. Part of the reason Elizabeth lashed out, was because Jason wouldn’t say what she wanted to hear about Franco. He wouldn’t change the way he felt. Carly says, and it hurt Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says, yes. but she shouldn’t have believed the worst of him. She threw bombs in the middle of her family. Cameron and Jake used to be close, and now… Cameron knows he was wrong and apologized, but how is Jake supposed to forgive him? Carly says, he will. Jason has been exonerated, and the more time goes by, the more everyone will heal. She’ll see. Elizabeth says she saw Carly’s relationship with Jason, the hold she had over him, and how he’d be there for her at the expense of everything and everyone, but that’s why Carly would never doubt him, and would always come through for him. What she and Jason have is real and powerful, and she respects that. She’s grateful Carly stood by Jason, and thanks her. Carly says she appreciates Elizabeth apologizing to her. It’s really hard to admit when you’re wrong; she’s terrible at it. Jason’s not the only one who understands. Elizabeth is grieving the man she loved. Carly wishes she wasn’t, but she knows what it feels like.

Britt asks where they start, and Jason says, with her gloves. She asks what’s wrong with them? and he says, they just need a little attention. Is this some weird boxing foreplay? Or foreplay using boxing?

Jackie says her secret nearly killed Chase, and Finn tells her to give herself a break. Chase tells her, what he said, and Finn says, the worst is over. Peter and Cyrus are gone. Chase says, he’s still getting better, and his dad is his dad again. No offense. Finn says, none taken, and Chase says, and this hot shot doctor is back to being his annoying big brother. All is right in the world. Finn says, listen to the kid; no more guilt. There’s really only one thing left to say.

Alexis remembers Judge Carson saying, there are two charges against her. The intended victim, Franco Baldwin, was not injured, so she’s dismissing the attempted murder charge. However, there is still the matter of the assault on Dante Falconari. For that, she gives Alexis three years in Pentenville. Shawn asks if Alexis is okay, and she says she’s just remembering the details of her hearing. He says, good times, and she says, Diane was both surprised and pleased at how light her sentence was. Diane made a point of telling her that Judge Carson was all over the place with her rulings. She dismissed the attempted murder charge, but Alexis almost killed Dante. Shawn didn’t get the same treatment, did he? He says, no.  

Molly asks if it could have been more awkward, and TJ says he could punch Brando in the face again. Molly says, TJ isn’t still hung up on that, and he says he made peace with it, but can do without being reminded. She says, fair enough. But look at them. They’ve moved on, and even have the mug to prove it.

Brando says he thought Sasha was done with morning sickness. She says she is, and he asks why she needed fresh air. She says she doesn’t, and he says, now he’s confused. She says, things seemed tense, and she thought he could use an out. He says, she thought right, and thanks her. He’s sorry for opening his big mouth about the baby. He knows he put her on the spot. She says, a little, and he says he was just excited. A little boy or girl they made together. If he could hire a skywriter, he would.

Britt tells Jason, when Cyrus’s men were about to shoot her up with drugs, she wishes she’d known how to box. It would have come in handy. He says she held her own, and she tells him, says the guy who rescued her and saved her life. He says, with a little help, and she asks if he can ever take a compliment. He tells her they’ll start with foot work, and she does a little dance. He says, not like that. He’s going to teach her step and drag. He puts her back to him, and says, now go; left, drag. She follows him, and laughs. He says, now go backward, drag. She’s got it. She says, gold star for her. He doesn’t have stickers? He says he left them at home, and she says, bummer. Go ahead and ask her. He says, what? and she says, what else she’s putting off that she wants to do.

Carly tells Elizabeth, for so long, your life is one thing, then all of a sudden, it’s something else. Elizabeth says, the before and after, and Carly says, your world is flipped on its head, but you have to keep going. You go to work, get groceries, make doctor’s appointments for the kids… Elizabeth says, everything you did before, except when you lie down at night, he’s not there. Carly says, nights are tough, but mornings are the worst for her. She hasn’t had a decent cup of coffee since Sonny died. He brewed the first pot and would leave it for her. Sometimes she wonders if she’ll ever make a cup for herself that tastes right, and if that’s part of letting go. Or for the rest of her life will the first sip bring immeasurable pain? She doesn’t know don’t know what the rest life looks like without Sonny. She doesn’t want to look. So she stays in the present, and looks straight ahead. Elizabeth says, it’s like a tightrope. You’ll be okay if you don’t look down, but if you do… Carly says, you can’t. You’ll fall, and they’re not allowed.

Shawn says he’s highlighting Carson’s cases, and Alexis asks if he found what she did. He says, Carson went easier on white people than people of color, and she says, there’s a pattern. He says, she has color bias. There’s got to be something they can do about this.

Finn says he realizes, the experience, as traumatic as it was, showed their true colors as a family. In a way, Chase getting sick brought them closer together. Chase says they’re welcome, and Finn says, Chase can joke all he wants, but it highlighted how much they mean to each other. They pulled together, and showed love and grace. They supported each other in a way they never have before. Jackie says, all of which Finn was very much a part of, and Finn says, he’s very proud. When Chase and Violet came into his life, he started to have an idea of what family means. Now after this, it’s not just an idea. Now he knows.

Willow asks what Michael thinks; they’re in this together? He says, absolutely. He doesn’t feel like he can say anything. Face it. He’s the big winner. They love each other, and he’s secure in that. He can’t tell her if or when to Chase, but he can tell her that he’ll wait for as long as it takes.

Elizabeth says she relates to Carly’s coffee thing; hers is desserts. Carly asks if Elizabeth has a sweet tooth, and she says, kind of, but not like Franco did. He was lucky they had a baker in the family. Aiden made whatever Franco wanted; cookies, cakes, flan, you name it. Carly says, flan, wow, and Elizabeth says, every night when she came home, there was always one left for her. Franco would save the last piece for her. It wasn’t some grand gesture… Carly says, like the coffee, and Elizabeth says, Aiden picked up on it. He’s been doing baking since Franco died; it’s therapy for him. Now when he bakes a batch of whatever, he sets aside one piece for her. It’s really sweet, but it makes her miss Franco so much. She does everything she can not to burst into tears. Carly says that’s why it’s good coming there alone. You can cry as hard and as long as you want, and tell them how you really feel. When she visits Sonny, she gives him an earful. Then you go home. Elizabeth says, and you keep your eyes up, and Carly nods. Elizabeth says, it’s good seeing her, and Carly says, her too. Elizabeth moves along, and Carly looks at Sonny’s grave.

Britt throws punches with Jason using the paddles. He says she seems lighter, and she says, in the face of her Huntington’s diagnosis? He says, in general, and she says, it’s not like she’s okay with what’s waiting for her; she’s horrified. But at the same time, maybe she’s in denial or shock, but all she sees possibilities. He asks, like what? and she says, her mom for instance. They have a terrible history, and that’s putting it lightly. Now they’re getting along better. They’re not the kind of people who say the words, and she’s not sure if her mother would have said them if Britt hadn’t gotten diagnosed. Jason says, but she did? and Britt says Obrecht isn’t the type of person to say things to be kind; she’s incapable of that. Come to think of it, she might be too. Jason tells her, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and she says, having the genetic marker for Huntington’s is devastating, but also weirdly freeing. Like having your whole perspective shift about what you have time for, and what’s just not worth it. Like all this crap between her and her mom. He says, it’s definitely not worth it, and she says, the fact that she has a mom, as difficult as she is, who loves her and who she loves, is worth it. That’s what she wants to put her efforts into. And her career. It’s not the money or the prestige. She enjoys it. There might not be a medical solution for her, but there are other medical solutions for other people, and it feels good to give them that. Why is he looking at her like she’s transformed into some Pollyanna? She is not a Pollyanna. He says he knows she’s not, and she says, there are a lot of selfish things she wants to do with her new perspective. Things that make her happy. Things that make her feel really good.

Sasha asks Brando if he, TJ, and Molly are friends, and he says, they used to be. She says, not anymore? What happened? Feel free to tell her to mind her own business. Brando says he and Molly slept together. Molly thought she and TJ were done, but it kind of blew up. He hopes it doesn’t bother Sasha. She says she’s furious… She’s kidding. They both had lives before they… He laughs, and says, so they’re good? She says, better than good, and he says, even though his mom is staying in town? She seemed surprised. She guesses she is, but they haven’t talked about the future yet. He says, maybe they should now.

Shawn tells Alexis, they should talk to the people who did the exposé, tell them about Carson’s record, add it to the list. She says, that’s one way to look at it, and he asks if the publicity would be good. She says, maybe. Or she could get Diane to quietly put the squeeze on Carson. If she’s worried her bias might be exposed, maybe she’ll reduce his sentence on appeal. He says that’s great for him, but does nothing for the others in prison. Alexis says, true. That’s why they have to make a big decision.

Willow tells Michael, Chase is worthy of loving and having love in return. That’s why he deserves to know. She’s scared of hurting him, and seeing the look in his eyes when he realizes it wasn’t real. Michael says he wishes he could do it for her, or that they could do it together, but she says, he can’t. The longer she avoids it, she’s just going to make it worse, so… Brook tells her, good luck, and she leaves.  

Chase asks if they should have a group hug or what, and Finn advises against Chase standing up. He’s been immobile for so long, his legs have atrophied. Chase says, his hands are back in action, but his legs are still crazy numb. Jackie says she’s going to check on Violet and Gregory, and asks if Chase needs anything. He says he’s good, and she says, he’s perfect. She kisses his head and leaves. Finn says, Chase’s legs are numb? He’ll do anything to avoid exercise. Finn brings a metal instrument over to the bed, and lifts the sheet off of Chase’s feet. He tells Chase to let him know when he feels cold on the bottom of his feet. He touches Chase with it along the bottom of one foot. Chase is looking at his phone, and says, whenever Finn is ready.

Britt asks if Jason has ever skydived, and he says, no. She says, her neither. She wants to do that, and go bungee jumping, and glamping. He says, glamping? and she tells him, it’s like camping without the gross, dirty stuff. You have electricity and heat and a bathroom. He says, so it’s not like camping at all. She says, and she wants to see the Andes, and he asks if she skis. She says, no, but she will. She’s heard about cool things, but never acted on them or done them. Now she will. She not only wants to, but she needs to. He says, then she should, and she says she’s also getting a Porsche. He says, that’s a terrible, terrible idea.

Sasha says she and Brando have plenty of time to make plans. Why don’t they order breakfast and enjoy the morning. Deal? He asks if she’s putting him off, but she says she’s a hungry pregnant woman who was told she could order whatever she wanted. Was it a lie? He says, no. He’ll get the waitress. He goes inside Kelly’s.   

Molly tells TJ, it feels like the calm before the storm; before his crazy residency and her studying for the bar. He says, they’ve got this, and she says she knows. There’s nothing they can’t get through if they face it together. A woman come by their table, and stops. She asks if Alexis is Molly’s mother, and Molly says she is, and she’s the woman presided over her mother’s sentence. She’s Judge… The woman says, Judge Carson. 

Alexis tells Shawn, she hasn’t thought beyond the initial research. She has to figure out how to handle it without making it worse for him. He asks if she thinks Carson will believe it’s revenge, and she says, Carson may try to stop them before they start. Whatever they do, they have to do it quickly before she gets wind of it.   

Willow goes to Chase’s room, and sees everyone not looking too happy. She says, what’s wrong? and Chase says, his legs. He can’t walk.

Elizabeth goes to Franco’s grave, and says she misses him, every day, all the time. There isn’t a time she doesn’t miss him. It’s not his fault, but she’s so angry. She tells herself it’s all about Peter, he’s a sick human being, but the grief and anger are so much bigger than that. She kneels next to the grave, and says, all the things they’ll never have, the moments they were looking forward to. She knows she has to turn it around, and be thankful for the things they had, the moments they shared, and the time they had together. Maybe someday she’ll get there, but she’s not there yet. She cries, and says, it hurts so much. She puts the flowers on his grave, and touches the stone.

Britt says, excuse her, and Jason says they’ve talked about this. She’s an awful driver. She says, that’s a little harsh, and he says, she’s always going too fast, being aggressive, beeping the horn, flashing the lights, changing lanes. Can she just pick a lane? She laughs, and he asks why she’s laughing. She says, he’s funny. He’s supposed  to be a symbol of freedom, of rebellion. Jason Morgan, the man who answers to no one, but no one has more rules. He says, it’s different when you’re a fugitive, but she says, they’re not fugitives anymore. Is she going to be sad if she gets a ding in her fancy new car? Not at all. As long as the engine runs, she’s going to drive that baby as fast as she can. She wants to have a good time. Does he remember what that is? He says, vaguely, and she says, top down, the wind in her hair… He says, now it’s a convertible? and she says, obviously. Maybe she’ll take him for a ride if it’s not too scary. He says, speed doesn’t scare him, and she says, even with her behind the wheel? He tells her that he said she was an awful driver, not that she wasn’t safe. She says she’s definitely unsafe, and they almost kiss, but Carly walks in. She says she and Jason need to talk about the Novak situation.   

Tomorrow, Chase says, time is of the essence; Nina confronts Michael about Jax; Laura says, it’s going to be interesting; and Britt asks if she’s being replaced as Chief of Staff.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Last week ended with Erika showing up at Sutton’s Parisian party, sans hostess gift. Sutton said Erika was the gift, but I was like, damn, girl. You couldn’t scare up a Yankee candle? In Kyle’s interview, she said they didn’t know if Erika wanted to be left alone or share. You didn’t always know with her. Erika asked what was going on, and in Garcelle’s interview, she said, Erika was getting divorced, hadn’t told any of them, and she came in asking what’s going on? Lunch was ready, so eating distracted everyone, or trying not to eat, depending. I wondered why Kathy doesn’t get contacts, since she’s constantly squinting at everything. Kyle decided that Mercury being in retrograde had something to do with her and Dorit’s altercation on the plane, and Kathy said Dorit was long-winded. Kyle said Kathy talked in shorthand, and in Kathy’s interview, she said it was better to allude to things, since you never knew who was listening. In LisaR’s interview, she said she didn’t know if Erika was going to open up, but they needed to allow her space to speak and share when she needed to. Sutton talked about buying her new car, and Erika said she’d just gotten a Range Rover, which segued into her saying, let’s discuss the elephant in the room. She told the women that her life had just drastically changed. She’d had to let go of her home, her Lamborghini, and her marriage. She’d made the decision she had to. In her interview, she said Tom had pushed her further and further out, and their conversations had been reduced to a sentence or two lately. She knew her marriage was headed down a sh*tty path, and had to make a choice to do what was right for her. She told them, no one knew, and she did it on purpose, so they wouldn’t be put in a bad position to hold information. It didn’t serve her to talk about what was happening legally, since she was married to a lawyer. In Erika’s interview, she said she’d struggled with it, but once she knew, she took 30 days, closing out parts of her life. We saw a clip of her going through her tons of clothes with Mikey and another assistant. She told the women that she cried every day. She was ending a massive part of her life, and stepping into a void. She’d tried to work it out, and talk to him, but was met with resistance. In her interview, Erika said she’d always been dismissed by Tom – everything was perfect. He didn’t know what she was complaining about. She filed on election day because she’d wanted it buried, and thought it would be a blip on the radar. We saw a bunch of headlines, and she said, not happening. She told everyone that she needed to get a handle on what was coming for her – and it would be. She didn’t see it coming this way. She’d intended on holding Tom’s hand until he died. She’d taken her own stuff, and a sofa and two chairs. Dessert was served, and it looked heavenly. Some kind of chocolate torte with sliced strawberries. Most of them left half of it.

Dorit and Kyle sat down for a talk, and Dorit said it wasn’t the first time Kyle had interrupted her. Kyle said even Kathy noticed Dorit was long-winded, and it was endearing, most of the time. She didn’t deserve to be snapped at, and she would snap back if she was hurt. She was now hyper-aware that not being interrupted was important to Dorit. Dorit said she’d have the same awareness not to dominate the conversation, and in Dorit’s interview, she said it seemed like their stuff wasn’t a big deal compared to what Erika was going through. Erika said leaving the house hadn’t bothered her, since it had never been hers. She was the third wife to live there. Dorit asked if Sutton and Crystal had resolved their issue, and we flashed back to Crystal telling Dorit that she’d felt shamed when Sutton walked in her and she was nakey. Kyle said Crystal had used the word violated, and made it sound worse than the conversation they’d had in Tahoe. She was implying that something was weird. In Kyle’s interview, she said, it sounded like an awkward moment, and there was nothing to be made of it.

Dating coach Damona visited Garcelle, and in Garcelle’s interview, she said, in the dating department, nothing was happening. Chocolate Michael wasn’t the right fit, and it felt like her picker had been off. How could she meet the soulmate? A dating coach would give her options, and help her figure out how to pick one. A matchmaker gave you fish, but a dating coach taught you how to fish. Damona told Garcelle to write the qualities she was looking for on a whiteboard, and they talked past patterns. Garcelle said she had to stop leading with her career, and Damona said it was all about authenticity. Garcelle said she’d left home at 17, and had been taking care of herself for a long time. In her interview, she said, letting someone have her back was relinquishing her power.

FYI, Erika’s new rental had a kitchen the size of my living room, and a pool with a cabana. Not too shabby. Mikey and the assistant came by with some art work to hang. In Erika’s interview, she said after she found a place, she dropped Tom off at work, and left. She felt the uncertainty and instability of being out on her own. She still had three bedrooms, and planned on turning one into a closet. In her interview, she said Tom’s house had been her home for over 21 years. We flashed back to various scenes there, and she said, she felt she should shut up and be grateful. There was pressure to show gratitude toward someone who provided for you. It was great having stuff, but at what human cost?

In her interview, Sutton said she’d never had mammogram, and it was a huge mistake to tell Kyle, who was annoying. Kyle dragged Sutton the doctor, and I thought it was kind of weird that the medical staff was wearing masks, and they weren’t, but maybe it was a vaccination thing. Afterwards, the doctors told Sutton that all was good, and Sutton said she’d been worried when she saw they had such serious faces. I wondered how she determined that, since their faces were half-covered. Kyle asked how Sutton and Crystal left things in Tahoe, and told Sutton that Crystal had brought the coat incident up to Dorit. Crystal said she was really upset, and had felt violated. Sutton said the whole thing was truly innocent, and when they’d talked before leaving Tahoe, Crystal said she wouldn’t bring it up with anyone else; it wasn’t a big deal. Kyle thought Sutton needed to nip it in the bud, and Sutton said she’d put the jam on an old stale piece of toast.

Erika and LisaR went out for a drink, and ordered hot toddies. The waiter asked if they liked whiskey, which I thought was a wee bit condescending. Like they didn’t know what was in the drink they ordered. Erika asked about Rinna Beauty, and LisaR said it was launching soon. In LisaR’s interview, she said it was a first for her; a direct to consumer business. It was both exciting and terrifying. She and Erika toasted to new beginnings. Erika said she’d never felt this vulnerable ever. Tom had left her no room; that was the only way she could say it. In her interview, LisaR said Tom had definitely been the boss, and we flashed back to a dinner with LVP and Ken, where Tom shut down both Erika and LVP (how dare he). Erika said she almost floated the idea of a trial separation, but she knew it would be either you’re in or you’re out, and when you’re out, you’re dead. She didn’t leave a note, and he got served the next morning. When she’d dropped him off, she said she loved him, and he said, thanks, hon, like she was an employee. It was the last she saw of him. He wouldn’t be playing games, and she expected nothing but the worst, since Tom had challenges ahead. I guess we all know what those were now, but at the time, nothing had come out about his business. I’m not a fan of Erika’s, but I will say, I felt for her. She seemed absolutely sincere in how she felt. You could tell she was miserable about the whole thing, and it wasn’t about losing the lifestyle.

Crystal’s cousins, Angie and Tiffany, helped her prepare for her dumpling cooking party, getting ingredients ready ahead of time. Erika came wearing Star Trek hair, and a micro-mini leopard dress. In Garcelle’s interview, she said when she went through her divorce, she didn’t even want to go out, but Erika walked in like sex in heels. She didn’t know what Erika was down for, but she was down for it. Erika talked about a THC oil that Kyle recommended, which is apparently a sexual lubricant/stimulant of some kind, and I’ll leave it at that. Crystal and Sutton had yet one more talk, saying people were talking about their… whatever it was. Sutton said she thought it was dangerous to talk behind people’s backs, and Crystal agreed, saying she’d promised not talk about it with anyone else. Sutton called her out, saying she hadn’t kept that promise, but Crystal said people kept bringing it up to her. We then saw a series of flashbacks of Crystal talking to the individual women, and it was like Crystal was playing Telephone with herself. Every time she told the story, she added something that made it sound worse. WTF with this woman? In Sutton’s interview, she said, if Crystal didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t have. She told Crystal that it needed clarification, and then they should walk away from it. They went back to the group, and Sutton said they had something to share about an awkward moment. Crystal said she wanted the issue to be over with, and Sutton said it was a little defamatory for Crystal to say she’d been violated. Crystal said she’d felt her boundaries were crossed, or some such nonsense. Dorit said she tried to put herself in Crystal’s shoes, and Crystal’s entire experience with Sutton had been bad. Crystal said, it’s over, and Sutton said they’d had a conversation about Sutton’s father (who’d suffered from depression and committed suicide). Later, Crystal had used words like crazy and manic, and Sutton was none of those things. In Garcelle’s interview, she said, Sutton was harmless. Maybe she could be out there, but she wasn’t manic or crazy. In Sutton’s interview, she said, sorry, but Crystal was a mean high school girl. Crystal told Sutton that she was going to believe her, the choice of words not going unnoticed. I have to add, they again showed the clip of what happened from the viewpoint of the hallway. Sutton knocked, coat in hand, walked in, said, I don’t know what’s going on in here, but here’s your coat, and left. And it was that fast. Not only is Crystal being a mean high school girl, she’s trying to gaslight Sutton.

Angie and Tiffany joined in the cooking lesson, and the women got aprons that said Cute as a Dumpling, with a cute dumpling graphic and their name. Kyle said it felt like a lot of work, and in her interview, Garcelle said she and Kyle couldn’t stop stuffing their faces. The dumplings looked so good, I swear I could smell them. Garcelle said she knew Erika wasn’t ready, but Erika should meet her dating coach, and see what the new world was like. This got a hard no. There was a dessert table, laden with delicious looking confections, which I’m sure everyone took one bite of. Kyle said she thought Erika seemed lighter, and in her interview, Erika said she trusted them, and knew they wanted to be supportive, but she had so many challenges ahead. There was so much they didn’t know.   

Next time, Garcelle asks her sons how they’d feel if she remarried, LisaR talks about Scott Disick dating Amelia, Crystal takes a kickboxing class, and Sutton says Crystal needs a sense of humor.

✍🏽 Very Truly Yours…

Will I ever get to bed at a halfway decent time? Tune in tomorrow, for soap and pricey places. Until then, stay safe, stay childlike, but not childish, and stay shifting your perspective on what you’ve got time for, and what’s just not worth it.