Tag Archives: Lisa Vanderpump

Dec8

December 7, 2021 – Maxie Confronts Peter, Can’t Keep Her Down, Schwartz Loses Two Bets, a Break-Up, Ladies Of the Lake, Miami’s Coming, Back On Fear & There

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer comes into the gym and sees Josslyn. He says he heard about Jason. He doesn’t even know what to say except he’s sorry. She doesn’t think there’s much else to say, and he asks how Sonny is doing. She guesses about what you’d expect. They’re all just really, really sad… and shocked and angry. He says he was kind of surprised when she texted. He thought she’d be laying low. She says she’d rather be under her covers, but Jason would hate that. So instead of moping around all day, she decided to let off some steam; punch something. He says, and she thought of him, and she asks if he can handle it. He tosses her some boxing gloves, and says, lace up, Jax. She puts them on, and they fist bump.

Esme dashes into Kelly’s, going over to Trina’s table. She asks if Trina minds if she sits, and Trina says, sure. Trina is doing some work, and Esme points out that she looks busy. Trina says, the life of a college student, when Cameron comes over and asks if he can get Esme anything. She says, a large half-caf latte with soy milk, no foam, and Trina says, God forbid. Esme asks if he got all that, and he says they’ll see when she takes a sip. I have this vision of her getting a lukewarm cup of Sanka. Esme says she just loves Cameron’s sense of humor, and Trina says, he’s a real crack-up. Esme says, and now, down to business, and Trina says, they have business? Esme says their trip isn’t going to plan itself. They’re going to have so much fun.

At the hospital, Michael says he’s sorry he wasn’t there when Carly heard about Jason, but she says, it’s okay. She and his dad wanted to be the ones to tell him. They didn’t want to do it over the phone. He says he would have hated that. If he had to hear it from anyone, he’s glad it was Drew. She says, her too, and they sit. He says he can’t believe this is happening again. He knows they’ve survived without Jason before, but… She says, he doesn’t know how. They’ll handle it the second time like they handled it the first time. As a family. She puts her arms around him.

Willow stands outside the chapel, and hears Sonny tell Nina, whatever happened between them in Nixon Falls needs to come from him, and it will. Nina says she understands, but despite all the pain she caused people – and she knows they’ve gone on with their lives – she has to tell him that their love is the purest thing she’s ever known. She’s so sorry, but she can’t regret that. Willow is like, whoa, and jets. Sonny says he refuses to accept that what Nina did, lied to him and his family, was an act of love. She says, it wasn’t; she can see that now. But it went on for so long. She didn’t know how to get out of it. She didn’t know what words to use. How do you explain something like that? She felt like she was just trapped, like her lies were trapping her, and she was living this life she never intended. In a way, it’s like they have that in common.

Peter is sitting in the interrogation room, when Mac comes in. Peter asks, where’s his lawyer? and Mac says, he hasn’t arrived yet. Peter says he hopes Mac knows better than to question him without representation. That’s literally his job as acting Police Commissioner, isn’t it? To protect Peter’s rights? Mac says he doesn’t give a damn about Peter’s rights because he’s not there as the Police Commissioner. Right now, Peter’s talking to Maxie’s father.

Maxie comes into the station, and asks Anna, where is he? Anna asks, what’s wrong? and Maxie says, pretty much everything. She needs to talk to Peter. Anna thinks it’s a terrible idea, but Maxie says she didn’t ask for Anna’s opinion; she asked where Peter was. Anna says, he’s here, but he’s not allowed visitors, and Maxie says, is that what she is? A visitor? She thinks they can make an exception given the circumstances, but Anna says, that’s not up to her to decide. Maxie says she knows; it’s up to Mac, who they both know is going to say no, unless Anna backs her up. Anna asks, why, after everything Peter put Maxie through? All the physical, mental, and emotional torture. Why is it so important for her to see him?

Mac says he’s dealt with some cowards and lowlifes in his time, but Peter is in a class all by himself. Peter tells him, that’s sweet, and Mac says he takes it back. Peter is in a class with Faison. Peter says, like father, like son, he supposes, and Mac says, coming to town, pretending to be an actual human being. Meanwhile, manipulating Mac’s daughter the entire time, using her grief over Nathan to worm his way in. Peter says he loves Maxie, and Mac says, all the time Peter spent with her, and his grandkids. Peter says, i.e. James, the child he brought into this world with his own hands? Mac says, if only he could take Peter out of it, and Peter says, it’s too bad he’s in police custody then. Mac says, bad things happen in jail all the time, and Peter asks if that’s a threat. Mac says, just a fact, and Peter says, noted. Here’s another one. If anything happens to him, Louise stays gone for good.

Spencer tells Josslyn that he and Esme have been talking a lot about that trip she wants to take. Maybe they could do it on Josslyn’s winter break. Does she think Sonny would let them use his cabin? She says, whoa, and he asks if she thinks he wouldn’t. She says she’s sure he would, but she never agreed to this vacation. He says she and Cameron have to go; Esme really wants to get to know his friends better. She says, so let’s get coffee, or have lunch. Do they really have to go on vacation? She’s sorry, but she just doesn’t think a weekend getaway together would best improve their relationship, if he knows what she means. He says, a toddler would know what she means. Why doesn’t she cut Esme a break? She says, she set Ava’s car on fire, and he says he agrees she went too far, but she only did it for him. She says, in that case… and he says, Esme loves him. She asks if Spencer loves her, and he says, yeah. She asks, why? and he says, she’s gorgeous and exciting and passionate… Josslyn says, so she’s hot, and he says, it’s not the sex… It’s not just the sex. He knows Esme can be a lot, but so can he, right? She says, she doesn’t think he wants her to answer that, and he says, they fit, all right? He thinks if she just gave Esme a chance, she’d see how incredible she really is. She says, okay. Tell her about the real Esme.

Esme asks what Trina is studying, and Trina says, a lot of things, but right this second, nature photography. Esme says, like the exhibit at the gallery? and Trina says, something like that. Cameron brings Esme’s latte, and says, it was such a hit, Trina’s professor asked her to give a presentation to her class. Isn’t that cool? Esme says she doesn’t know; it sounds like a lot of extra work. Trina says, which is why she should get back to it. Esme takes a sip, and Cameron says, well? She says, no offending foam; it’s perfect. Cameron starts to leave, but Esme says she and Trina were just talking about their trip. She’s so excited. Spence is too. Cameron says he didn’t think anything was decided, and Esme says, they’re still batting around ideas. She was thinking winter break. She hasn’t been skiing in ages. Do they ski? Cameron says he does, and she asks if there’s a mountain nearby. He says there is, and Esme says, how amazing does that sound? Skiing by day, snuggling by the fire at night. Her and Spence, Cameron and Josslyn, and Trina, of course (🍷).

Sonny tells Nina not to text him again, because he’s not going to meet her, and she says the only reason she reached out was to warn him about Peter. It’s not like she reached out because she wanted to spend more time with him. She’s not delusional, contrary to popular belief. She knows he loves his wife. He says he does, and she says she’s trying to preserve that. She’s trying to protect his relationship with Carly from whatever this psycho may have planned to break them up. He tells her, don’t worry about Peter, and she says, she’s being honest. She doesn’t want to cost him any more than she already has. He might not believe her, so if Peter is trying to stir up more trouble… He says, Peter’s not going to cause more trouble. Trust him. That son of a bitch killed Jason, his best friend, his brother; he’s gone.

Michael asks where his dad is, but Carly says she doesn’t know where he disappeared to. She thinks he’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, distract her. Did Wiley enjoy Thanksgiving in New York? He says, Wiley enjoyed the holiday lights and the holiday windows. His favorite thing was the dogs. Carly says, the dogs? and Michael says, Wiley pointed out every single one of them when they passed them. She says, that’s a lot of dogs. She bets Annabelle is going to need a brother or sister this Christmas. Michael tells her, he said the same thing; they just have to get Willow on board. She asks if they took Wiley skating, and he says they went to the Central Park rink because Rockefeller Center was too crowded. He crushed it. She says, of course (🍷) he did. She asks if he remembers the first time he was on skates, and he says, she, Jason, and dad brought him. She says, her heart just dropped every single time he fell, but Jason was so calm. He’d just pick Michael back up, and make sure he went off again. He says, he always pictured Jason being there for Wiley. the same way Jason has always been there for him. She says she knows, and puts her arm around him.

Willow comes out of the elevator and sees Epiphany, who asks if she’s all right. Willow says she just heard some bad news, and Epiphany says, Sasha and Brando. Just remember they have a great team doing everything in their power to help that baby boy. Willow asks if she’s seen Michael.

Josslyn hits the heavy bag while Spencer holds it, and he says, Esme puts on a good show, but she’s never actually had a lot of friends. Josslyn says, shocking, and he says if she’s not actually going to take it seriously, they’re not going to talk about it. She says she’s sorry; she will. He says, Esme grew up in boarding schools, and her parents died when she was still pretty young. Josslyn says, that sounds awful, and he says, it was. Not that he realized it at first. He saw party Esme like everybody else, but she was one of the few students who stayed on campus during breaks. Josslyn says, like him, and he says, one night they started talking, and they clicked. She says, it doesn’t surprise her. It seems like he and Esme would have a lot in common. He says, they bonded over the loneliness they felt, and how hard it was to connect with other students. Ever since then, they’ve been together; just the two of them. Them against the world. She says, except the world isn’t actually out to get them. He says she knows what he means. He has Esme’s back and she has his. She says, partners in crime, and he says, so to speak. So after hearing all that, does she think she could maybe possibly give Esme the benefit of the doubt?

Esme tells Trina that she doesn’t have to come solo. She can totally bring a plus one. Trina says, she’s not really seeing anyone, so… and Esme says, it could be a fun start to a relationship. Someone must have caught her eye at PCU. Trina says, not really, and Cameron says, which is fine. This is not really a couples thing anyway. They’re just going as a group of friends. Esme says, right, and Cameron goes to wait on another table. Esme says she hopes she didn’t make Trina uncomfortable, but Trina says she’s fine. She’s sure the weekend will be fun. Esme says she feels kind of bad. She never would have suggested they go away had she known about Trina and Cameron. Trina says, what about them? and Esme says, he told her that he and Trina almost got together. Now he’s with Josslyn. Ouch.

Maxie tells Anna, she hasn’t seen Peter since he disappeared from the hospital, but knowing he was out there somewhere, was like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. She spent months terrified that she’d walk into her apartment or turn the corner, and he would be there. He’s taken too much from her, and she refuses to be scared of him for one more minute. Anna says, she gets it. If she was in Maxie’s position, she’d want to confront Peter too. Why should she be surprised that her fierce, brave goddaughter wants to do the same? Maxie says, so Anna will help her with Mac? and Mac comes out, saying, absolutely not. Maxie says, he doesn’t even know why she’s there yet, but he says, she wants to see Peter, and the answer is no. He’s not done fighting. Peter claims to know where Louise is. Anna says, he doesn’t. He blackmailed Nina in Nixon Falls precisely because he didn’t know where the baby was, and wanted help finding her. Mac tells her, now he’s saying that he just wanted to ascertain how far Anna and Valentin were in their search, and Maxie says, he’s lying. Mac says he’s sure he is. Peter knows his time is up, and he’s grasping at straws, but that’s his point. Anything Peter would say to Maxie would be a lie, and probably a hurtful one. Why would she want to subject herself to that? She says, it’s not about what Peter has to say to her, but what she has to say to him. Anna says, Maxie is very strong, and Mac says, and stubborn. Maxie says she wonders who taught her that, and Anna says, if Maxie says she needs to do this, she believes her.

Nina tells Sonny, it’s not fair. He’s lost so many people. His father, and now Jason. She wishes she could take his pain away. He says, that’s not how life works, and she says she tricked herself into thinking that if she could keep him away from his past, she could save him from a life of violence. He was so unburdened as Mike. He was so relaxed. She thought Nixon Falls would be a fresh start for him, and maybe a fresh start for her too. He says, it’s not a fresh start if you don’t know what came before. He was living a lie. She says she believed in her head it was real, and he says, his friends and family were stolen from him. He would take the pain of losing Jason any day, because Jason was like his brother; they would do everything together. They would protect each other… She says, she’ll regret every day of her life what her lies robbed him of, and he says, they have to move forward. Live the life they have now. She says, move forward; separate lives. He says, yeah, and leaves.  

Epiphany tells Willow that she hasn’t seen Michael. Willow says, that’s okay; she’ll text him.

Carly asks if Michael heard about Sasha and Brando, and he says, that’s why they came to the hospital. How’s the baby? She says, he’s in the NICU. They named him Liam. Michael says he likes it, and she says, he was deprived of oxygen during the delivery. It’s too soon to tell if he has any brain damage. He says, it must be hell for Sasha and Brando, waiting for news like that, and she asks if Willow is with him. He says, she went to put in a good word at the chapel, and Carly suggests they go to the nurses’ desk and see if there’s an update. They see Willow there, and Michael says, what is it? Is there news about the baby? Willow says, none that she’s aware of, and Carly asks, then what’s wrong?

Maxie says, Mac, please, and he says he’s never been good at saying no to her; why break the cycle now? She thanks him and says she loves him. He says he loves her too, but the second whatever’s going on in there feels weird to her… She says she’s out of there. He says, good, and Anna kisses Maxie’s head, saying, she’s very brave. Maxie says she feels anything but brave right now. She has to do this. Not just for herself, but for Louise.

Trina tells Esme, she’s happy for Cam and Joss; there’s no issue there. Esme says, that’s great, and Trina says she’s serious. Esme says, it’s just that, when Cameron brought it up, it sounded like… Never mind. Trina says, she’s gone this far. Just say it. Esme says, not only is it nothing, it’s none of her business. Just for the record, she’s not one of those people who thinks everyone has to be coupled up to be happy. Before she met Spence, she was perfectly fine on her own. She guesses she just never realized the beauty in having someone understand you so completely. Trina says, and that’s Spencer? and Esme says, now that she’s found him, she has no intention of letting him go.

Michael says Willow seems upset; what’s going on? Sonny comes out of the elevator, and hugs Michael, saying, he’s glad Michael is home. Michael says, so is he, and Sonny asks how he’s holding up. Michael says he’s still in shock. He’s so sorry about Jason. Sonny says, it’s good to have family, and Carly says that’s what she was just telling Michael. As long as they have each other, they can get through anything. Michael says he just can’t believe Jason is gone, and Sonny says, it’s because of Peter August. Carly says she’s glad that bastard has been caught. At least now, he’s going to pay for his crimes. Sonny says, he’s going to pay. He’ll make sure of it.

Peter says, what’s going on? and Mac says, one wrong move, and he’ll shoot Peter himself. He leaves, and Maxie comes in.

Michael says he guesses they’ll just wait for Brando, and Willow says, waiting is her specialty. He says she never answered his question; is she okay? Nina almost comes around the corner, but sees them, and stops. Willow says she’s just praying for that little boy, hoping with all her heart that Sasha and Brando can take him home soon. He says she’s been gone a while. Was she in the chapel the whole time? Willow says, she went, but she didn’t want to disturb the people inside. Nina is like, uh-oh.

Josslyn says, she guesses Spencer thinks Esme is the know all, be all, and she’s really nice – to him. But if she treats everyone else like trash, she’s sorry. She doesn’t want to hang out with her. He asks if they can be real, and she says, let’s try it. He says, it’s not like she’s been that nice to Esme either. Josslyn says, she fired the first shot, but he says, did she though? If he remembers correctly, Josslyn has been pretty cool to her from the start. She says, maybe if he’d mentioned he had a girlfriend; maybe just once instead of hanging all over Trina… He says he was not, and she says she thought they were being real. He says he likes Trina. He thinks she’s super cool. She says, and? and he says, maybe he could have been more direct when he first met her about what was happening. She says, maybe, and he says, but it has always been Esme for him. She asks, then why keep her a secret? and he says he didn’t handle things well in the beginning, okay? She says, all the lying, and the terrorizing of Ava. Ava’s not her favorite person, but even she didn’t deserve that. He says he screwed up. Why is she acting so surprised? It’s not like it’s the first time. She says, no, and she’s sure it won’t be the last, and he says, that’s what friends are, right? The people who love you anyway. She says, all right. Enough with the love talk. He says, she knows what he’s saying. They’ve been friends since forever, so as his friend, can Josslyn give Esme the chance to show her who she really is? She says she can definitely do that.

Peter says Maxie is more beautiful than he even remembered. He knew she woudn’t be able to stay away. She closes the door, and tells him, just shut up. For once, he’s going to listen to what she has to say. This little fantasy he has of them being together, living happily ever after, it’s not going to happen. And honestly, it blows her mind that he still thinks it could. After everything he’s done to her, how could he think she could feel anything toward him but hatred? He says, everything he did was out of love for her, and she says, he’s a murderer. A murderer. He hired a fake nurse to kidnap her and induce labor. That is not love. That is… She doesn’t even know what to call it. Abuse? Torture? She can’t be a mother to her child because of him. She can’t rock her to sleep, or kiss her tiny little hands. She’s missing those moments, and it’s Peter’s fault. She will never forgive him for that. He says he doesn’t believe that, but she says she doesn’t care what he believes. He says he can tell her where Louise is, and she tells him, stop it. He says he can find their little girl, and she says, he’s lying. He says, they can be a family again, and she says, oh my God. He’s in handcuffs, headed to prison, where he’ll rot in a cell for the rest of his life. He’s not going to have a family. He’s not going to have her, and he’s not going to have Louise. There’s nothing for him. Think about that. Choke on it.

Carly tells Sonny that she’d asked for a body pillow for Sasha, and he says, smart idea. She says, it felt good to do something, even if it was just a pillow. He says, every little bit helps. It’s just not easy to wait. She says, nothing is easy right now, and asks him to come sit with Michael and Willow. He says he has something to take care of, and she says, now? He says, Brando texted him, and said he didn’t need anything except good news. She says, the support of his family. What could be more important? He says, if it wasn’t important, he wouldn’t be going, and she asks, what takes precedence over a baby in the NICU? He says he doesn’t want her to worry about it. Call him if there’s an update

Mac says, the search for Louise is going nowhere, but Anna says, that can change in an instant; he knows how this works. He says he feels so hopeless right now, and she says, he’s not putting any weight on what Peter said just now? She doesn’t believe he knows where that little girl is. He says, as a cop, he knows that. Peter is just trying to save his skin. She says, but as a father and grandfather… He says he can’t discount any lead, no matter what the source.

Peter tells Maxie to look at him, and she says there’s nothing she’d rather see less. He says she made him a better man, but she says, he’s not a man; he’s pure evil. And she regrets the day she met him. Goodbye. She’s about to leave, and he says, this is about that doctor, isn’t it? Dr. Gatlin-Holt, the savior in the woods who delivered Louise. Peter met him earlier at GH. Maxie says, so? and he says, so it’s quite obvious he’s interested in Maxie. She says, this is not happening, and he says, which is of course (🍷) a no brainer to him; she’s beautiful. What surprised him is he never imagined Maxie would give him the time of day. She says, are you insane? (Yes!) This has nothing to do with Austin. He says, she’s on a first name basis with him, so they are close, and she says, so what if they were close? So what if they were dating? So what if she was dating the entire PCU football team? That is none of his damn business. She’s none of his business. He says, on the contrary, and stands up. He says, doesn’t she know by now there’s only one man in her life, and that man is him? She says, go to hell, and storms out.

Trina wonders if Cameron’s shift is over, and asks him to join them, but he says he’s meeting Josslyn at the gym. Esme says, that’s where Spence is, and asks for a ride. Trina says, it’s a bummer Esme has to leave so soon, and Esme says, Spence was so glad to have the day off. He’s been working so hard lately. Trina says, maybe Esme should get a job, but Esme laughs, and says she’s way too busy. Trina says, with what? and Esme says, all those classes she’s auditing at PCU, and her internship obviously. Cameron says he can’t imagine working in a prison, and Esme says she calls it prison light. It’s really not that terrible. Trina says, she enjoys it? and Esme says she does. It’s fascinating from a psychological perspective, but she’ll definitely be ready for a break by the time their trip rolls around.

Carly leans her forehead against the vending machine, and repeats, count to ten. Epiphany says, Carly? and Carly says she’s sorry. Epiphany says, what for? and Carly says, for blocking traffic here. There’s no one else around, and Epiphany says, there’s no traffic here. Carly says she doesn’t know why she apologized. She doesn’t usually do that. Epiphany agrees, and Carly says, she doesn’t know why she’s done half the things she’s done in the past few days. Epiphany says, grief. She heard about Jason, and she’s very sorry for Carly’s loss. Carly thanks her, and Epiphany says she means it. Jason was a remarkable person; someone she respected. Carly says, Jason respected her too, and Epiphany says she never doubted that. And she never doubted he loved Carly, without condition or reservation. He would do literally anything for her. Carly says she never doubted that either. Whatever happened, good or bad, if she was hurt, or scared, or wrong, without question, Jason would always be there. She knew he would be, no matter what. Now he’s not going be there anymore. He’s not going to be there ever again. She knows he would want her to keep going and move on, and she will, but she’s going to miss him every single day for the rest of her life. Epiphany says, when Carly is missing him, she hopes Carly thinks back on their wedding day. Jason was happy, and so was she. The love she felt that day is still there, and hers to keep.

Nina comes out, addressing Michael and Willow, and Michael asks if she shouldn’t be meeting with her lawyer. Her preliminary hearing is coming up soon, isn’t it? Nina says, Scotty is on it, but she appreciates his concern. He’s says he’s sure she does, and she says she’s just there for Sasha, not to upset them. Willow says, yet she keeps doing it, and Michael asks, what is her goal exactly? She says, to provide support for Sasha if she needs it. She’ll go wait someplace else. Willow says, good idea, and Nina moves along. Michael asks Willow if it’s selfish to say he’s glad her empathy for Nina only goes so far, and she says, his family comes first with her. He says, their family, and she says, their family. She hopes he knows that, and he says he does. It’s time like these that bring them together. With everything going on, he’s grateful for that. They hug. Wake me when it’s over.

Anna sees Sonny in the stairwell, and asks what he’s doing here. He says, one guess, and she says, she knows he’s ready to explode – they all are – but he’s got to let the authorities handle Peter. He’s being brought up on multiple charges in multiple jurisdictions; he’s not going to walk away. He says, Jason is dead because of that trash, and he wants Peter to know exactly what he’s waiting for.

Josslyn is punching the heavy bag when Cameron and Esme come in. Cameron says, nobody better mess her, and Josslyn says, that’s right. He asks, what’s up? and Josslyn says, she and Spencer were just talking about their trip. Spencer tells them, Josslyn said she thinks they can use Uncle Sonny’s cabin, and Josslyn says she doesn’t see why not, unless he and her mom are planning on using it, but she doesn’t think so. Esme says, sounds like a blast, and Josslyn says, it will for sure be memorable. Esme and Spencer go off to the side, and Esme says, good workout? Spencer says, it was fun, and she says she’s surprised Josslyn agreed to the trip. He says, they had a good talk, and she’s open to getting to know Esme better. Esme asks if he thinks she meant it, and he says, Josslyn doesn’t lie. Cameron asks Josslyn if she’s really cool about this trip thing, and she says, no, but Spencer wants her to get to know the real Esme, and she has a hunch he may be the one surprised. Cameron asks what she’s planning, and Josslyn says, her? Nothing. Esme will do all the work on her own. Until then, there’s no way Josslyn is turning her back on that girl.

Carly tells Michael that his dad had to leave. He said he had something to take care of. Willow says she’s going to check her schedule for next week, and will be right back. Michael asks Carly if everything is okay with her and his dad, but she says, they’re fine. He says, it seems like there’s tension, and she says, there is. There’s grief. Everything that’s been going on with Liam, and… It’s Nina who she’s mad at, not his dad. Michael says he just ran into her, and Carly says, she’s still here? Michael says, hopefully her trial is soon, and they’ll be sending her to jail, and out of their lives for good. She says, from his lips.

Nina sees Willow, and says she overheard that Willow was in the chapel. So was she. Funny. She didn’t see Willow there. Willow says she heard Nina with Sonny.

Peter is dozing, when Sonny comes in, and slams the door, startling him. Sonny stares at him.

Tomorrow, Maxie wishes Austin wouldn’t have done that; Brando needs to ask Michael something; Nina asks what Willow is going to do, now that she knows the truth; and Sonny says since Peter killed Jason, all the rules are out the window.

👠 What Did I Say…?

Helena will be around as long as Constance Towers is. I wonder if I’ll ever find out why Nikolas was left that painting though…

Constance Towers Returns to GENERAL HOSPITAL (REPORT)

Vanderpump Rules

Brock, James, and Schwartz took a dip in some tubs of ice. Some pseudo therapist told them that it was a mindset, and Brock said it was a way to learn lessons. Yeah. Don’t get in cold water. James was trying to learn to calm down, and the foundation was learning to breathe intentionally. In James’s interview, he said he was looking past normal therapy to get out his rage and anger. He claimed talk therapists didn’t know what to say to him, but I suspect he doesn’t know how to listen. In Schwarz’s interview, he thought, since hot baths were bad for his sperm count, maybe a cold one would do the opposite. I don’t think it works that way though. James said all he could think about was that he was freezing, but it was progress. Afterwards, the guys hung out to talk, and Brock said kids had been cruel when he was young, because he only had four fingers on one hand. In his interview, he explained his hand had gotten caught in the gears of a moving gate as a child. Ouch a million times over. James said when he got in a confrontational moment, it threw him back to a defensive mindset.

Lisa visited Lala, and met dog Lily. Lala said, if Jesus had a dog, it would be Lily. Lily had high liver levels, and was on meds. Lala was waiting on some test results, and was putting out in the universe that it would be a good report. In Lala’s interview, she said Lily had been her companion, her ride or die since she was 21. Lily had gotten her through her drunken days when she couldn’t get out of bed. In Lisa’s interview, she said, Lala had come a long way, and she was happy to be part of her journey. At one time, Lala had been sneaking drinks behind the hostess stand, and now she was a mother, and it was lovely to see. Lala told Lisa about Brock’s birthday, and how she’d gone off on Schwartz for not backing Katie up. She also told Lisa about how the girls were taking pictures of their feet to raise money for Raquel’s new nose. And yes. I know how absolutely stupid that sounds.

Katie’s photographer friend Courtney came to take the foot fetish photos (say that three times real fast), and Ariana said it was the dumbest most amazing thing they’d done. In Raquel’s interview, she said she’d done everything to make the best of her bad nose job, but it needed to be redone. Ariana said she’d done a lot of weird sh*t, but never thought she’d be adding this to her resumé. Raquel told them that she was going to be hosting a picnic as a thank you,  a fancy floral scene. In her interview, she said it was an excuse to be a girly girl; she loved it. Charli brought up Brock’s friend grabbing her at the birthday party, and said she wondered why there’d been no back-up from Scheana. In Charli’s interview, she said she’d been a loyal friend, and Scheana chose a random dude’s back over hers.

Lisa escorted Schwartz to a tattoo parlor, since he’d lost a bet with her. In his interview, he said he’d been pouring his heart out to Lisa while they were drinking wine. She challenged him to a high stakes ping-pong game, and ping-pong was his forte. We saw a clip of him saying that he was going to smoke her, but if he lost, he’d have LVP tattooed somewhere on his body. She said, if she lost, she’d send some cases of wine to the new bar. He lost. He said, that’s how he ended up at the tattoo parlor, He told Lisa that the Katie Bubba tattoo had to remain prominent, since Katie wasn’t feeling supported, which didn’t surprise Lisa, since Katie had been pushed out of the new bar equation. Schwartz said he couldn’t get a home equity loan, and would have to stop with the bets. He’d bet Randall in a pickleball challenge, and if he won, Schwartz would get $2000. If he lost, Randall got a drink named after him featured prominently on TomTom’s menu. He wondered if Katie was going to kill him about the tattoo, but Lisa said Katie was going kill him for other reasons. Tell her it’s a message from God.

Raquel had her Raquel’s Dream Tea Party, and invited the usual suspects, along with her friend Paige. Everyone wore poufy dresses, except for Lala, who said, no one told her that it was going to be so chic. In her interview, she asked if she looked like a bitch who had puffy sleeves and a tutu in her closet. Ariana said she’d understood the assignment. They discussed the foot project, and Raquel said it wasn’t about the pasta; it was about the feet. She told the girls that James had been trying different kinds of therapy, and we saw a clip of him doing (I think) bioenergetics where you let the sound out. I only know about this because of a movement class I was required to take at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. The teacher was into it, and we all hated it. She was all about no one getting enough love as a child, and going back to the womb or something. We pretended to go along with it just to get through the class. But I digress. Scheana said she’d sent invites out for a photo shoot Brock was organizing to advertise his fitness start-up HomeBody. She said he’d put his heart, soul, and every penny into the company. James had been cagey about doing it for free. Charli told Scheana about the dude grabbing her at Brock’s party, and at first, Scheana claimed she didn’t see anything. Then she amended it to not saying anything because Charli had already said something. Lala said Charli had gone hard for Scheana, and Scheana expected people to defend her, but when the shoe was on the other foot, she was nowhere to be found. Charli said she was loyal and a good friend. When Scheana didn’t like someone, Charli told them to go f*** themselves, but it hadn’t been reciprocated. She thought Scheana didn’t want Brock’s friends not to like her, so she’d ignored the incident. Scheana got all teary, and wanted to go home, as she always does when anyone calls her out.

Ariana visited Katie to enlist her help with designing a drinking game, an embellished Never Have I Ever. In Katie’s interview, she said it was nice not being around an egomaniac, and being expected to kiss their ass every minute of every day. Schwartz came home in the middle of their brainstorm, and told Katie that he had one more betting gaff. He hadn’t thought Lisa would be good at ping-pong, so he hadn’t taken the bet seriously. He showed them his new tattoo, which was actually pretty small, and in Ariana’s interview, she said, Schwartz was so good at charming his way out of everything. If she had been Katie, she’d have shoved her rosé glass up his ass. Katie said Schwartz never had her back, and other people took precedent, but Schwartz said it was out of necessity, and not emotionally. He continued to try and explain himself, but she just said, no, every time he started talking.

Randall had all kinds of pickleball pros at his house for the Emmett/Schwartz 2021 Open. In Brock’s interview, he said it was like little man syndrome on steroids with Randall competing against the least competitive person. Brock wanted to talk to James, who didn’t want to do anything for free. Avoiding the tournament, Raquel and Charli got together for a workout. Afterward, Raquel told Charli that Scheana had asked her to stop being friends with Danica, and she had. Charli said she stopped commenting on Danica’s Instagram, since it offended Scheana. Scheana had been texting her about it, and she hadn’t wanted to lose the friendship over it. Charli told Raquel that when she brought up Scheana not having her back at the party, Scheana had flipped it, and played victim. She said Charli was trying to turn it into a me too moment. 

Lala came out in a cheerleader outfit, hoping they could put an end to this grandpa game. Willie, an American Idol runner-up, sang the National Anthem, and the game began. In Ariana’s interview, she said she hadn’t watched American Idol since Kelly Clarkson won, but she wasn’t going to hate on it. I haven’t watched it since Scotty McCreery won, and Lady Gaga performed at the finale. I didn’t think they could ever top that, so why bother? Randall won, scoring 11 points to Schwartz’s 4. Schwartz gave him a copy of the menu with his drink on it, but in his interview, Schwartz said it wasn’t real. Lala asked James about the photo shoot, and James called Brock over. Brock said James had told Raquel not to text him back, but James said he’d told Raquel, not yet, because he wanted to discuss it with her. I have the feeling that wasn’t the case, since James got animated, and Ariana told him to take it down a notch. Katie suggested James might need a favor from Brock one day, and in James’s interview, he said there was a time Katie was on a campaign to take him down, but she had his back now.

Lala was glad the tournament was over. It was time for Randall to get back to making those dollar signs. Ariana found out that the picture of her feet had been sold, and she tried to get a shot of Lisa’s feet, saying she’d charge extra, but Lisa said she’d better not. Charli told Scheana that she hadn’t been a good friend lately, and in Scheana’s interview, she said she’d just birthed human child, and that was her whole focus. For the unenlightened, Scheana was like this long before she had the baby. She wants to be liked so much, she’s never on anyone’s side but her own. Charli said Scheana was a dictator in friendships, and in Charli’s interview, she said if Scheana couldn’t understand where she’s coming from, they couldn’t be friends. She told Scheana that she hadn’t been getting friend energy back from her, when she’d been a good friend, and they hugged it out.

Next time, Katie and Sandoval go at it, and not in a fun way; Schwartz tells Sandoval that he needs to respect Katie; the Toms decide to take a break from each other; and Ariana has a birthday.

💔 No Festival This Time…

There aren’t many details, but according to Ariana on Watch What Happens Live, everyone was surprised.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-james-kennedy-and-raquel-leviss-call-off-engagement-taping-reunion-bravo-breakup-split/

🏔 Salty Talk…

Bringing you up to speed on Salt Lake City.

https://pagesix.com/2021/12/05/jen-shah-claims-mary-cosby-has-church-members-on-food-stamps/
https://pagesix.com/2021/12/03/rhoslc-midseason-trailer-jen-shah-tries-to-fight-lisa-barlow/

🌴 The Wives You’ve Been Waiting For…

The Real Housewives of Miami are back.

https://ew.com/tv/real-housewives-of-miami-season-4-trailer/

⚰️ Back From the Dead…

Well, we never really did see her die.

https://ew.com/tv/kim-dickens-fear-the-walking-dead-madison-clark-return/

😌 Time For Some Shut-Eye…

Come by tomorrow for some soap and an update on Fancy Pants. Until then, stay safe, stay upfront, and stay giving back the friend energy you’re getting.

Dec1

November 30, 2021 – Drew Comes Home To Monica, Brock’s Mad Max Birthday Pool Party & Back Again

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Monica sees someone holding pizza boxes through the front window, and says, look at that. She didn’t even have to order this year; they just knew to deliver the pizza. She opens the door, and Drew is there. He says he rolled the dice, and brought some with him. Olivia and Ned come out, and Olivia says, thank God; she’s famished. Brook and Chase come downstairs, and Brook says, pizza’s here. Ned says, Drew? and Drew says, at least someone in the family still recognizes him. He’s… Monica says, home, and hugs him.

Dante tells Sam that Danny and Scout are asleep, and he put Rocco in the spare room. He didn’t say anything about Jason, but he thinks they know something is going on. Sam says, because they didn’t go to the Quartermaines? and Dante says, yeah. He thought Danny figured the dinner was just going to be ruined as usual. He said he was looking forward to having some pizza. She says she ordered turkey burgers, and throws her glass against the wall, smashing it.

At the hospital, Obrecht is yelling in her sleep, when Britt comes in and wakes her up. She tells Obrecht that she was having a nightmare, and Obrecht says she was back in the tunnel. Has Britt had any nightmares? Britt says she’s good. She’s more worried about Obrecht. Why didn’t she say she was lightheaded after the tunnel collapsed? She was running around, taking care of Britt, when she knew she was injured herself. Obrecht says Britt was more important. They haven’t really talked since leaving that cursed island. Britt says Obrecht needs rest, not visitors. She just popped in to see how Obrecht was doing. Go back to sleep; no more nightmares. Obrecht says she hopes none for Britt as well.

Carly weeps at the patio table, and flashes back on Jason saying goodbye before he left for Greece. Sonny comes out, and holds her as she cries. I have zero sympathy.

In her office, Britt tries to go through messages on the computer, and has them forwarded to Terry. She writes, dear staff, please send all of your requests to Dr. Terry Randolph, as at the moment, I am a total mess and completely incapable of making any decisions. She grabs a tissue to wipe her tears, when Austin comes in. He says, she was just on the tenth floor, and now she’s here. How did she do that? She asks what he wants, and he says, he guesses he wants to know what’s wrong, and if there’s anything he can do to help.

Monica says she still can’t believe it wasn’t a plane crash; that Drew was abducted by Peter August. Ned says, and fought for two years to come home. If Drew hadn’t managed to get ahold of that guard’s cellphone, and called Sam… Olivia says, he could still be in that hellhole. Brook wonders why Sam wouldn’t have told them he called, but Drew asks them not to blame Sam. She just did it to protect all of them until she knew for sure he was alive. Believe him, there were many days when even he didn’t know if he was going to make it back. Monica wishes Jason could be there to share the Thanksgiving pizza, but he’s got to be with this children. Drew looks down, and she asks if there’s something he’s not saying? Drew says, what his rescue cost this family.

Sam asks if she woke the kids, but Dante says, they’re fast asleep. Sam says, thank God for small favors, and starts to clean up the mess, but Dante takes the dustpan from her. He tells to her to go sit, stare into space, eat, cry, do whatever she feels she needs to do, to feel better. Throw another glass. She says she thinks she got throwing glasses out of her system, and Dante starts cleaning up. She says she had such tunnel vision when she was talking to Drew. All she wanted was for Scout’s father to come home to her. Never in a million years did she think it would come at the cost of Jason losing his life. Now Scout’s father is alive, and Danny’s father is dead. Is it some kind of cosmic joke or something? He says, if it is, it’s a pretty awful one, and she says she has to tell her son that his father is gone. Is Danny going to hate Scout because her father lived and his died? He says, no, and leads her to the couch to sit. He says, Danny isn’t going to waste his energy on hate. He’s got this amazing mother; so does Scout. She’s going to love them so much, and teach them there’s no room in their lives for hate.

Carly asks what Sonny’s connections in Greece said, and he says, they confirmed Anna’s story that the tunnel under the house collapsed. Everybody got out but Jason, and they still haven’t found the body. She says, that means Jason could still be alive, but he says, the equipment didn’t pick up a heartbeat in the tunnel. So they’re going to stop the rescue operation, and Jason’s dead. She says, no. They told her the same thing about Sonny, and it turned out not to be true. He says he wants to believe Jason’s still out there too. He was dead before and came back to them. She says he did, and he asks if she’s just trying to give herself hope. She says, after that bridge collapsed, she could hear him calling to her; she could feel he was still alive. He says, she was the lady in white that he needed to see, and she says, that’s because they’re connected. They have a connection; she can feel him. It was everyone else who told her that he was gone. Everyone kept saying it. He asks if she’s saying the same thing about Jason. Is she saying there’s hope? She says, that’s what she wants to believe.

Obrecht hears the door open, and says, if it’s Britt again, there’s nothing wrong with her that sleeping in her own bed won’t fix. Scotty comes over to the bed, and says, what about the guy who loves her? Welcome back, my schnitzel. He sits on the bed, and they kiss.

Britt tells Austin, walk back out the door, and pretend she wasn’t here. And if he tells anyone what he saw, she’ll have him fired. He says her secret is safe with him, but the next time she wants to have herself a good cry – he closes the door – maybe she wants to shut the door. She says, thanks for the unwanted advice, and he wonders if he should take a guess as to what some of these larger emotions are about, but she says, no. He says, it’s Thanksgiving, and no one’s invited her to dinner, and so she’s sitting there feeling sorry for herself. Join the club. He sits down, and she asks, what’s going on with him? Couldn’t make it on the ELQ board? Unable to honor his late lamented father? Boo-hoo-hoo. He says, sticks and stones. It’s been a very challenging couple of days, to be honest. The Quartermaines stuck a knife in his back, and then they twisted it, and then they invited him to Thanksgiving dinner. She says, oh horror, and he says, and in the middle of this, he might have screwed up the only friendship he has in this terrible town. She asks if he’s referring to Maxie. What happened? Does he want her to talk to Maxie? He says, no; thank you though. He’ll figure it out and make amends. What’s going on? Why is she sitting there crying instead of splitting a wishbone with someone? She says, the first person she’s cared to split a wishbone with in a long time is gone, and he died saving her life.

Drew says, the first months at the compound, when he finally had some contact with the other prisoners, there was a very nice young woman, a nurse who was abducted in the middle of her life, and Liesl Obrecht. Brook says, Scotty was shouting from the rooftops that Obrecht was missing, and Drew says, Britt convinced Jason to help her find her mother, and that search led them to Cassadine Island. Monica says, that’s probably why she hasn’t heard from Jason in a while. He probably didn’t want to raise her hopes up about Drew being alive. Drew says, Jason and Britt did everything they possibly could to get him home, but… in the process, Jason… Jason… She says, he’s gone, isn’t he? Jason’s gone.

Carly tells Sonny, it would be crazy to give up hope that Jason’s alive. She’s known Jason since practically the moment he became Jason. Even before she knew Sonny. So she can’t give up hope. Jason is the most important person to them. Josslyn comes in, apologizing for being late. She sees Carly’s face, and says, okay, who died?… Oh my God. Who died? Carly says they need to talk to her.

Monica cries, and Drew says he’s so very sorry. There was nothing left of the last place he saw Jason. It was just a pile of rocks and beams. They had crews on site within the hour, and they had their scanning equipment there. They couldn’t pick up a heartbeat. Jason died bringing him back home to her, but he promises, if he’d known what his freedom was going to cost, he wouldn’t have taken the deal. She tells him, don’t ever say anything like that again. He and Jason are both her sons in every way that matters, and one doesn’t count more than the other.

Monica remembers how happy Jason was, dancing at his reception. He and Carly were having a wonderful time, and he was even socializing. Olivia says she was really impressed by that, and Monica says, she thinks he would have stayed for the whole thing if she hadn’t told them to slip away and go start lives together. Then he told her they would. She cries again, and Olivia says, Carly… and Sonny, it’s just going to kill them. Jason was just like a brother to Sonny, and Carly and Jason… Monica says, Carly and Jason said it was a business arrangement, but you saw the two of them together, and knew it was more than that.

Josslyn says, but it’s Jason; he must have survived. Just like Sonny did. Carly says, he was buried under rock when the tunnel collapsed; there were witnesses. Josslyn cries, and asks if they’ve told Michael, but Carly says they want to tell him in person like they did her. Sonny says, there’s a media blackout for the next 24 hours, so anyone close to Jason will have privacy, and not to give Peter August the publicity he’s craving. Carly says, Michael, Willow, and Wiley will be back tomorrow; they’ll tell them then. Josslyn says she can’t believe this is happening, not to Jason. Carly holds her as she cries.

Sam thanks Dante for saying there’s enough room in her kids’ life for love, and he says, that’s true. She’s an incredible mother. Don’t let anyone tell her otherwise. She says, despite her family being dysfunctional. She’s talking about the family she grew up with, not the family she has now, which in their own right, are equally dysfunctional. He says, despite her family dysfunction, she turned out to be an incredible person, and she tells him, says the guy who’s not so objective. He says he knows she put her kids before Jason when she showed Jason the door, and she says, it’s because Jason wouldn’t cut ties with Sonny. She understood that, and also understood that there would always be a threat that Jason would be arrested again, or in the middle with one of Sonny’s very violent rivals, and she had to do what was best for her kids to keep them out of harm’s way. Dante says, that was a good move, and she says, they both know Jason is the kind of person who will put his life first to save someone else, but she needed someone in her family who would think twice before doing something like that. He says, good for her, and she says, in the end, she knew this was how it was going to go for Jason. To be honest, if they were still together, there’s no way she would be able to recover.

Monica says, she remembers the first day Jason ever became her son. Scotty, of all people, was his guardian at the time, and they went to the gatehouse to check on him, and he was the most beautiful baby. The minute she took him in her arms, he stole her heart. Brook says, occasionally, she would see him dropping Danny off, or playing with Leo, or stopping by to talk to Monica or Michael, and Ned says, Michael. Do they tell him? Monica says, no. Let’s let Michael and Willow have a good time with Wiley. Besides, she thinks Carly would want to be the one to tell him. She’s not going to have any new memories of Jason; just remember the conversations they had. The good part is, every time they were together, she told him that she loved him. Drew says, all his memories of Jason are so full of anger and resentment. Now that they started to finally connect as brothers, he’s gone. Monica sighs, officially taking over from Jason in that department.

Austin digs in his pockets, and Britt asks what he’s looking for. He says, like a kewpie doll, or a beta fish, some kind of little prize for the saddest Thanksgiving story. Sorry. That’s inappropriate. He makes jokes that aren’t always funny. It’s a default coping mechanism. She says, same here. It hasn’t always won her a ton of friends, but she prefers his morbid humor over tearful hugs any day. He asks who it was, and she says, Jason Morgan. She’s sorry; Austin is sort of family, isn’t he? He says, cousins, half-cousins, or something like that. He’s not sure. He never really got to know the guy. They had a conversation at the gym one time, and he was Maxie’s plus one at Jason’s wedding… Now it’s his turn to apologize. Sorry. He’s a little confused. He got the sense something was going on between Britt and Jason, then Jason up and married Carly. She says, she thought she and Jason had something special. They did actually, but he married Carly, and she’s still struggling to understand why. He says, if that’s the only thing she’s struggling to understand, she’s way ahead of him, and she says she just never thought Jason would die before her. He asks how she figured that out?

Scotty says, he can’t believe he was chucked out of a plane, and Obrecht says, and she was taken to Greece. He says, and all the other calamities that would have killed the average Joe. She says, he survived, and he says, so did she. She says, love conquers all, so they say, and he tells her, he didn’t used to believe that, but he thinks it’s true. She says, keep talking like that, and she’ll demand to be released from this bed to spend time in his. He says, why make that journey? and pulls off his jacket, climbing into bed with her.    

Britt tells Austin, she doesn’t know what she means; her brain’s a muddled mess. He says, Jason was a hitman for the mob, and she says, alleged hitman. He says, you have to figure, given Jason’s career choices and line of work, he’d be the first one to go. This is inappropriate again; he’s sorry. She tells him, don’t apologize. She appreciates honesty over platitudes. The thing is, Jason’s body hasn’t been recovered yet, but she knows he’s gone. Austin says, she’s a doctor who’s worked in trauma; she knows. And they both know every life counts. It doesn’t matter how much you hope. She says she’s not a particularly hopeful person, but there’s no wishing away several tons of rock. He says he’s going home, and going to order a turkey burger and sweet potato fries. Does she like football? She’s welcome to join him. He’s going to stream all the games. She thanks him, but says, there’s something she has to go to, and leaves.

Drew tells Ned, Peter had them chained up in a wine cellar; they were literally chained to the wall. Ironically, those were the best conversations he and Jason had. Mostly they were talking about how they were going to bring down Peter, but they also just talked. He told Jason about playing football in high school, and Jason told him about the time he rode a motorcycle into the house. Ned says he remembers that; grandfather was furious. Drew says, they were just starting to know each other and trust each other. When Peter activated his conditioning, Jason was the one who brought him out of it. They were just starting to team up; be the brothers they were meant to be. Ned says, that is something to be grateful for, and Drew says, he spent so much time resenting Jason, until Cassadine Island, until he was able to respect Jason wholeheartedly. Now he has no future with Jason at all. Jason is gone, just as they were starting to connect as brothers and as friends.

Josslyn says, sorry for crying all over Carly’s blouse, but Carly says Josslyn can cry on her anytime. Sonny asks if she wants something to eat, but Josslyn says, no. She thinks she’ll just go upstairs. She tells them that she loves them both, and Carly says, they love her too. Josslyn leaves, and Sonny says he forgot how important Jason was to all of them. Carly kisses his forehead, and he asks if she’s going to be all right. She says, yeah, and he says, he’s going upstairs and reading Donna a bedtime story. Carly tells him to give Donna a kiss for her.

Dante tells Sam not to underestimate herself. She’s strong and resilient, and would have survived; no problem. Sam tells him, don’t say that to make her feel better, and he asks if he’s ever said anything to make her feel better. She says, that’s true, and he says, it seems she has a lot of thoughts she needs to work through, and she says she has so many thoughts racing in her head, she can’t grab ahold of just one. He says he’ll leave her to it, and she asks where he’s going. He says he figured she wanted to wrestle through those thoughts in private, and asks if he can leave Rocco there and pick him up in the morning. He’ll stop at the Quartermaines and tell them she said hello. She says, no. Stay. Please. She wants him to stay.

Sonny comes back to the kitchen, saying, Donna fell asleep before… The kitchen is empty, and he puts his head in his hands, mourning the loss of Jason, and the moss bowl 🎍.

Monica says, if the deaths of those they love have taught them anything, it’s to appreciate the family they have. They’re going to be grieving a long time, but she thinks today, a day of giving thanks, she’d like to focus on the gratitude she feels for the son coming home. To Drew. They toast to Drew, and Drew says, to Jason.

Dante asks if Sam is sure she wants him to stay, and she says, if he wants to go, he can, but he says, he doesn’t want to. He just wanted to give her space. She says, there’s enough space to include him, and he tells her, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to him in a long time. She says, they’ve bene through hell and back. There’s no other shoulder she’d rather cry on than his. He says, his shoulder will always be there for her.

Brook says she’s going to check on Bailey, and Ned says, maybe Chase would like to see the daughter he only just learned is his. She says, of course (🍷); he can feed her. Chase says, he’d love to, and they go upstairs. Drew says, the family has gotten bigger since he left, and Monica says, it’s a refreshing change of pace. Olivia says she can’t believe Drew is alive and home safe. How did Robert and Anna figure out Peter was hiding on Cassadine Island? Drew says he doesn’t know the details, just that Valentin was very helpful. Ned asks if Valentin knows Drew is back.

Sonny leaves Carly a voicemail, saying, he knows she needs to clear her head, but just call so he knows she’s okay.

Carly goes to the footbridge.

Sonny gets a call from and unknown number. When he answers, Cyrus says, hello, Sonny.

Dante kisses Sam, and says he’s sorry if he overstepped, but she says, he didn’t. She wants this too. We see the fireplace, and I assume they get busy.

Drew says, Anna told him something about Valentin helping her and Robert find their way off Cassadine Island, so he’s assuming she told Valentin he’s alive and back home. Why did Ned ask? Ned says, just curious, and Drew asks, what was the disaster that ruined Thanksgiving this year? Monica says, Annabelle II got to the turkey before them, and Drew says, of course (🍷). She knew there was a tradition to uphold. Monica says, Annabelle is going to be over the moon to see Drew, and they go to look for her. My guess is, she’s working on the pumpkin pie. Olivia tells Ned, stop. What is he planning? She knows that look. Ned… Ned says, it’s about ELQ, but he doesn’t want her to get the wrong impression. He’s not backsliding, and he’s not prioritizing business over family. She says, his face lit up like a firecracker the minute Drew mentioned Valentin’s name. The war isn’t over yet, is it?

Austin knocks on Obrecht’s room door, and says, he doesn’t mean to disturb her. He opens the door, and says, sorry. Obrecht and Scotty pop up from under the covers, and say, get out, at the same time. Austin says, so sorry, and leaves. In the hallway, he says, all righty. Good for them.

At the footbridge, we go down Jason Memory Lane with Carly, and there’s a song part. She turns, and sees Britt.  

Sonny says, is that Cyrus? How did he get a phone? Cyrus says, don’t worry about that. They both know he has ways. He thought it would be prudent for him to reach out to Sonny, and Sonny asks, why’s that? Cyrus says he still has contacts, a few, those who are interested in those sorts of things. He heard the news about Sonny’s best friend. His condolences to Sonny, and to his lovely wife. No doubt she’s just as upset as Sonny. Sonny says, listen you son of a bitch. Either Cyrus hangs up or they get cut off, and Sonny throws the phone.

Tomorrow, Ava and Nikolas arrive for Thanksgiving, Monica is sure Drew is anxious to get back to his old life, Mac wants to question Chase and Brook about Valentin, and Sonny says, if Cyrus wants a war, he’ll give Cyrus a war.    

Vanderpump Rules

Pilates instructor Betsy met with Katie, Scheana, and Lala, while Brock, James and Schwartz played golf. James was on his game, and thought it was because he’d been sober for a while. Sandoval joined them, and in his interview, he said, he hates golf, but loves golf fashion. Pilates looked a lot easier using machines. Although it’s the type of fitness program that seems harmless while you’re doing it, and the next day, you say, what the hell? After the session, Lala said she’d had a good conversation with Brock, then Sandoval ruined the night by bringing up the same old sh*t, which Lala called getting on the hamster wheel. Sure enough, Sandoval whined to the guys about Lala saying he was on a hamster wheel. Katie said Sandoval probably kept notes. He had history too, and should make sure he could pass his own test. In Lala’s interview, she said, Sandoval was so sanctimonious, the name of the bar should be Sanctimonoval. Katie told the girls about the Toms’ partner Greg wanting her to be on board, and Lala said it would eat Sandoval alive. In Scheana’s interview, she said she had her own history with Katie and Lala being mean girls, and we flashed back to that. She wanted to tell them, STFU, but she couldn’t get it out. Schwartz wanted to have a creative session, and James was down for testing mocktails. In Sandoval’s interview, he said he wanted off-the-wall, presentational cocktails. Then spilled the one next to him. At the golf game, they decided to see whose ball could go further, and the winner got to shoot a ball off a tee placed in the loser’s butt crack. I am not making this up. James was the winner, Sandoval the loser (his ball basically just falling off the tee), and Brock filmed on his phone. Good times…

Katie told Schwartz that Greg liked her, and wanted her to be involved with the new bar. She thought it was in everyone’s best interest that she was included as much as possible. In Katie’s interview, she said, Greg liked her ideas, and it not only validated her, but annoyed TF out of Sandoval. It was mocktail tasting night, and Sandoval showed up at Schwartz and Katie’s for the shallow dive. Katie didn’t want to sample cocktails, since she wasn’t feeling well, and in Sandoval’s interview, he said Katie had literally been begging to be a part of the bar. She got a seat at the table, and now didn’t want to play. Schwartz said the goal was interesting flavor combinations. Somehow, the bar name thing came up again, and Katie said she liked the idea of naming it Once Upon a Tom, but Sandoval said everyone liked Schwartz and Sandy’s, ignoring the opinion of pretty much everyone except himself. Katie said Sandoval was the only one who liked it, and Schwartz said he liked it now. Sandoval basically said he was the idea man, and Schwartz couldn’t have even proposed without him. Katie said Sandoval had great ideas, but didn’t take criticism well. Sandoval said she could be on the Schwartz and Sandy’s train or get off. Katie told them, good luck with their bar.

Ariana and Sandoval were having a Mad Max party for Brock’s birthday, but Scheana didn’t understand Mad Max. In Brock’s interview, he explained, if you planned it too well, that wasn’t okay. It was whatever you found on the street. It was difficult to explain. He felt it was a vibe. Scheana said she was over theme parties. Nothing fit, and she wanted to feel like her again. Brock modeled a pair of underwear (budgies) that he had made with her face on them. Seriously, I’m not making this stuff up.

Schwartz told Katie that he didn’t like how things ended, and thought she’d instigated it. He loved that she had his back, but it was all good. She said he didn’t have her back, and in her interview, she said, the whole thing is bullsh*t. Schwartz felt it was counterproductive, and said he knew they’d talked about opening a sandwich shop. He promised they’d do something in the future, but thought it best that Katie and Sandoval didn’t work together. She said it was his loss.

James met with family friend Peter, and in his interview, James said that Peter and his dad were friends back in the day. They laid down tracks together, but also partied, and Peter was 20 years sober. James said, Peter was someone he considered important to his sobriety. He told Peter that he’d been struggling with getting frustrated. He’d lost patience with Raquel when she played a drinking game. Peter said, as addicts, there was never a still moment. When you quit something, it came out in other ways. He’d tried to quit drinking ten times without AA, and relapsed. James said he still smoked weed, and Peter asked if James felt powerless over weed. It muted the scream inside, but didn’t make it go away. He suggested James try a temporary period of full sobriety, and James agreed, but literally cried, saying he’d been smoking as long as he could remember. Peter said, sobriety is the best weed ever, and James said he was glad to be able to see it was possible.

Katie visited Lala, while the Toms set up for the alcohol-included cocktail tasting at Sandoval and Ariana’s. Schwartz said Katie wasn’t coming; she was really upset. Lala told Katie that she went to bat for Schwartz more than he did her. If Randal did that, she’d be having a come to Jesus moment with him. Schwarz said Katie might have resentment because they’d talked about opening a place. In Ariana’s interview, she said, if she was supposed to be doing something with Sandoval, and he decided to do something with Schwartz instead, she’d be pissed too. Katie told Lala that she was done, and didn’t even want to hear about the bar. Scheana, Brock, and Raquel joined the tasting, while James played VR games at home. In his interview, Brock demonstrated drinking beer out of his shoe, and I felt sick. Lala did an imitation of Sandoval, saying, it took six months to create this cocktail. The lavender was imported from Thailand, brown sugar was added, and butter melted in, then it was injected with tequila. It took a long time. Scheana told the tasting group about Katie and Lala trash talking Sandoval after Pilates. Sandoval said it was what they did, and Schwartz said Sandoval was making a sweeping generalization. Sorta, kinda having Katie’s back. In Schwartz’s interview, he wondered why Scheana didn’t speak up in the moment, instead of waiting to tell the rest of them later. It was weak. He knew this because it’s what he did most of the time.

LVP had opened other side of the garden at SUR, creating a vibrant and eclectic atmosphere. She and Ken stopped by, and Charli waited on them. James brought Raquel flowers while she was on her break, then talked to Lisa and Ken. Puffy! James said he was working on not calling the people he loved names anymore, and told them about his visit with Peter. He explained that he still had a heavy weed habit, and started the day with a wake and bake. Lisa said she thought weed was innocuous, but not if you needed to have it. Agreed. James said he was going to do an experiment, and stop using everything, including cigarettes. Lisa said he might have an epiphany.

At the Mad Max party, Brock had budgies made for all the guys, with their SO’s faces on them, like the pair he had with Scheana’s. Someone got a striped one, so I guess he was single. Katie and Lala confronted Scheana about tattling their Pilates conversation to the others. Scheana said Sandoval was one of her closest friends, and Katie told her that she should have said something at the time. In Katie’s interview, she said, she wanted to feel she could trust Scheana, but if Scheana cared about their friendship, she wouldn’t have thrown Katie under the bus. Charli asked one of Brock’s friends his name, which prompted him to get too friendly with her. Charli handled it well, but was doubly pissed off, since Scheana just stood there and laughed. In Charli’s interview, she said, one, who are you? and two, you never grab or get aggressive with a woman like that.

Lala cornered Schwartz, and asked why he wasn’t defending Katie. He asked if it was wrong to be objective with someone you loved, and she said if Randal disagreed, he let her know behind closed doors. Schwartz stutteringly agreed. In Lala’s interview, she said she had been good friends with Katie for a minute now, but that Katie couldn’t be vulnerable with her partner because she felt she had to be in defense mode, was heartbreaking to her. She told Schwartz that she couldn’t hear him with Sandoval’s d*ck in his mouth.

Next time, an ice bucket dip; the girls become obsessed with the foot rating website, and Ariana says, it’s the dumbest most amazing thing they’ve ever done; and Schwartz has to get a tattoo because he lost a bet.

✂️ Cutting Out Early…

Tomorrow will bring soap for sure, but the RHOC begins a new season as well. I’m always iffy about that one, so it will probably be just highlights. Whatever Wives you prefer, even if none at all, stay safe, stay up-to-date on what’s happening, and stay appreciating the family you have, whether it’s the one you were born into, or the one you’ve chosen.

Nov17

November 16, 2021 – Esme Stirs the Pot At the Exhibit, Greg Wants Katie On Board, VanderPups, What’s Growing, Farewell Lois & Tom’s November

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew hears something, and tells Jason, heads up. A guard comes in, and undoes Drew’s shackles. Drew asks where he’s going, and the guard says he’ll know soon enough. Drew flashes back to telling Jason that he can’t stop himself; Jason has to stop him. He remembers Jason saying, it won’t come to that, and him telling Jason, if it does, he’d rather die at Jason’s hands, than carry out another one of Peter’s orders. In the present, he says, Jason knows what he wants, and said he would do it. Jason says, it’s not going to come to that, and Drew is hustled out.

Valentin says he hates that Robert struck a deal with the WSB, and Anna asks why Robert didn’t give them a heads up that this deal was imminent. Robert says, it was the Bureau’s call; Victor didn’t give them much choice. He knows all manner of damning information. Besides, his attorney threatened a press conference. Anna asks who his attorney is, and Robert says, Scott Baldwin. Valentin says, Scott Baldwin is an ambulance chaser, and Robert says, the ambulance chaser is smarter than he looks. He didn’t give them any room to negotiate. Anna says, the Bureau would have negotiated if Robert had told them sooner, and Valentin says, he and Anna know where Peter is, and it’s a place he knows like the back of his hand – Cassadine Island.

Peter tells Britt that he still hasn’t heard from Victor. It’s possible he’s alluding the WSB now too. She treats his hand, and he tells her that it’s not safe there anymore. They need to leave. She says, leave the island? And go where? There’s a knock at the door, and Peter says, come in. A guard comes in with Obrecht, and Britt asks if she’s allowed to greet her mother. Peter says, go ahead, and Britt and Obrecht hug. He says, you’re welcome.

Cameron asks Trina how many books she wants on the display table, and she says, as many as they can carry. They’re selling like crazy. He says he’s so sorry for dropping postcards on the floor, but she says, it’s fine. She nearly dropped a pitcher of water on herself before she came in. He says, nerves? and she asks if he can tell. He says she looks calm, cool, and composed, and she says, liar, but she appreciates the support. Cameron says, if Josslyn was here, she’d say the same. They’re both extremely excited for her. She says, thanks for the love, and hugs him. He says, anytime, and Esme lurks in the doorway.

Nikolas tells Joel Sartore, theses photos are amazing, and Joel thanks him, saying, if he likes these, look at the frog over here. Nikolas says he loves frogs, and follows Joel.

Ned tells Ava, he can’t decide which of these photographs he admires more, and she says, there wouldn’t be any photos at all if he hadn’t underwritten the exhibit. She thanks him for making this more than just a dream for Trina, and he thanks her for thinking the photo exhibit was worthy of her gallery. ELQ always welcomes the chance to champion a worthy cause. She says, and if it helps him score points with Olivia, all the better, right? Olivia comes in with Leo.

Sasha says she did a bad thing, and Brando says he knows. When she left his apartment last night, he noticed some butter pecan was missing from his freezer. She says, okay, two bad things. She knows they didn’t want to know the sex of their baby until he or she was born… He says, she found out, and she says, she didn’t ask, but she knows.

Gladys says Kip isn’t fooling her. He’s no more Bailey’s father than Valentin is. He says, he is the father. He’s just posing as a cater waiter and amateur actor to keep an eye on Gladys. If she slips up, there will be consequences. She laughs, and says, like what? He’s going to spill his tray on her? Don’t bother staying in character. That gun he threatened her with was fake, wasn’t it? Brook sees them talking, and says, Pauly. She didn’t expect to see him there tonight. Gladys tells her, next time, don’t pick out somebody who has to pass out canapes to pay his electricity bill, and Brook says, Pauly has two jobs. It’s called a side-hustle. She’s sure Gladys is familiar with the term, considering she’s been hustling her entire life. Gladys says, and the fact that his fellow cater waiters call him Kip? That’s only question number one. She has so many more about Brook’s baby daddy. Kip says, these kabobs aren’t going to serve themselves, and jets. Brook tries to hand Gladys her credit card, but Gladys says, this little charade she tried to pull, just upped the stakes.

Anna says, she’ll establish a team to raid the island, and Valentin says, the place is a fortress. The WSB is going to need help; he’s going with her. Robert tells him, says the man who was shot, and can’t get to the bathroom without help, and Valentin tells him to go file a brief. Anna says, she doesn’t think there’s room enough on the plane for both their egos. She’ll be going to Cassadine Island, and she’s not taking either one of them.

Ned says he’s glad they came, and Olivia says, Leo wanted to see the animals. Ned says he can’t wait to show Leo the photographs; he’s going to love them. Olivia says, hopefully, Leo’s favorite animal is here, and Ned says, what about her? What is she hoping for tonight?

Trina and Cameron come out, and Esme asks what they were up to. Trina says, what does it look like? Cam’s helping her. Esme says, it looks like he was holding a lot more than her books, and Trina asks what she’s talking about. Esme says she just thinks it’s so sweet that Cameron supports her, and Cameron says he’s right here. Trina says, that’s what friends do. Not that Esme would understand.

Nikolas says he’s surprised to see Spencer, and Spencer says he’s there to support Trina. No other reason. Nikolas says, Ava’s fine with that, and Spencer says, and him? Nikolas says he went by Kelly’s the other night, but Spencer wasn’t there. Spencer says, now is not a good time. He’s not going to ruin the night with their family dysfunction. It’s nice to have a night off serving tables. He’d like to enjoy the peace. He leaves, and Ava tells Nikolas, baby steps, my love.

Britt tells Obrecht that she’s okay, and says she wants to check Obrecht’s bandages. Peter says her mother was very well taken care of, and Britt says, there’s no sign of infection. She thanks Peter for giving her and her mother this time together, and Peter says, see? He’s not really the monster people think he is. Now that he’s done this little favor for Britt, she can repay him. He takes a paper out of his pocket, and says, Britt and Jason will be recorded reading this statement, verbatim. She looks at it, and says, please tell her this is a joke. Obrecht asks what it says, and Peter says he doesn’t trust Jason. He was much to docile during his demonstration. Britt remembers that, right? The part where Drew almost killed Jason, but decided to hurt himself instead? Britt says she has to give it to their late and unlamented father, he was the best at mind control. He really messed up Drew, and now Peter gets to reap the benefits. Kind of like finding a sportscar waiting in your garage that you did nothing to earn, and probably don’t know how to drive, but you take it anyway. He says, just make sure Jason says what’s on the paper, or this next time, Drew will kill Jason, and he’ll make her watch. The guard comes in and takes Britt. Obrecht tries to follow, but Peter grabs her arm, and she tells him not to touch her. If he harms her daughter, she will kill him. He tells her, calm down. He’s now secured the lab, so no more throwing any dangerous substances at him. Which now brings him to the part where he tells her, there’s not anything she or anyone else can do to stop him.

Britt is brought in to join Jason, and the guard gives her the paper, saying, stick to the script. She tells Jason that Peter wrote it, and the guard takes out his phone to film. Britt reads, today in Port Charles is Tuesday, November 16th. She’s Britt Westbourne, and she’s being held with Jason Morgan and her mother Liesl Obrecht. 

Obrecht says, Peter craves power and control, just like his father, but Peter says, the only thing he craves is his family. She laughs, and asks if he really thinks Maxie would take him back after everything he’s done. How many people has he killed? How many lives has he destroyed? He says she’s not here for her opinion; he needs her medical expertise. Drew is brought in, and Peter says he needs another check-up. He wants Drew in tip-top shape. Drew asks, why? and Peter says, because Drew has another job to do, where failure is not an option.

Looking at a bird photo, Olivia says, it’s so striking the way he’s captured the gold in the feathers, and Ned tells her, it says dancing is part of their mating ritual. She says, it’s breathtaking. She doesn’t know how Joel Sartore does it. Ned wonders if she’d like to ask him herself, and she asks if he can make that happen. He says, doesn’t she know by now, he’d do anything for her.

Brook asks what Gladys wants. A raise? A spectacular vacation package? Shares in Deception? Gladys says, how about a controlling interest? and Brook says, not only is that outrageous, she doesn’t have the power to do that. Gladys says, then make it within her power, or Valentin learns he’s not the biological father of his beloved Bailey. Olivia approaches with Ned and Leo, and tells Brook that Ned is going to introduce them to Joel. Would she like to join them? Leo says he wants to show Brook his favorite picture, and Olivia asks if he doesn’t want to meet the photographer. Leo shakes his head, and says he wants to look at the picture, and Ned says, sounds like Leo has his priorities straight. Brook tells them to go ahead; she’ll show Leo his picture. Olivia tells Leo to stick with Brook, and leaves with Ned. Brook tells Leo to give her a second, and tells Gladys, they’ll talk terms later. Gladys says she doesn’t think so. She doesn’t like Brook’s attitude, and her friend Valentin deserves the truth. She’s sure he’ll be appropriately grateful. Gladys walks off, and Leo pulls at Brook.

Esme says, Trina is right. She doesn’t always understand friendship, especially since she hasn’t had any close friends in her life. Cameron says, not even at boarding school? and Esme says, it was just Spence and her. She thinks the other girls were jealous. Cameron says he’s going to put the books on the display table, and Trina says she’ll be right behind him. Esme tells Trina, congratulations again on the exhibit, and getting ELQ to underwrite it. Very impressive. Trina thanks her, and Esme says, Spence could bankroll future exhibits, if only he had his trust fund. Trina says, Spence will make his own money by not relying on his dad, and working hard, but Esme says, Spence isn’t going to generate much of revenue stream working at a diner. Trina says, he’s making an honest living. Something Esme knows nothing about.

Brando asks how Sasha knows the sex of their baby, and she says, by accident. She fully intended to stick to their agreement, but a nurse accidentally revealed the baby’s sex when she scheduled an appointment by email. He asks if she’s disappointed it won’t be a surprise, but she says, actually, now that she knows, she’s even more excited. The baby seems more real to her. He puts his hand on her bump, and says, this isn’t real enough? What about the constant trips to the bathroom and butter pecan cravings? She says, true, but now she can really picture their baby. Does he want to wait until the baby is born, or should she tell him what they’re having?

Nikolas tells Trina, congratulations on the exhibit; it’s fantastic. Trina says she couldn’t have done it without Ava’s support, and Ava says, it’s her pleasure. She saw Trina’s mother, and she loves the photos. She’s so proud of Trina, as is Ava. Nikolas asks if Trina is at least going to enjoy her moment in the sun, but Trina says she can’t relax until after the presentation. Does Ava still want her to give it; it’s her gallery. Ava says, it’s Trina’s exhibition; Trina takes the credit. Nikolas’s phone rings, and he excuses himself to take the call. Trina tells Ava, her art professor came by earlier, and said she aced the class, and Ava says, her hard work and dedication have already paid off. Please do herself a favor and enjoy this moment. Trina says she’ll try, but can’t make any promises. How about Ava? This is as much her night as Trina’s. Is it going well? Ava looks over at Nikolas on the phone, and says, it seems her night might be taking a turn for the worse.

Britt reads that she, Jason, and Obrecht haven’t been harmed. They’ve been treated fairly, and have been assured by Peter August that they’ll remain safe as long as his instructions are followed. Peter has no interest in hurting them. He just wants justice for himself. While Peter works to attain that justice, these are his requirements to all of them. She shows Jason the paper. I always think these statements are so useless, since it’s always obvious the hostage is just reciting what they’ve been told.

Olivia tells Joel, the photographs are spectacular… fantastic. She asks Ned to help her out; she’s running out of adjectives. Ned says, he thinks she’s trying to say she loves Joel’s work. Olivia asks if those are his books on display, and Joel says, indeed. That’s Photo Ark Wonders; it’s celebrating diversity in the animal kingdom. She says she’ll have to pick one up for her son Leo; he’s fascinated with animals. Joel says, he might also like the children’s book they do, Photo Ark ABC. It’s never too early to get kids involved in conservation. Ned says he couldn’t agree more, which is why he already purchased both of the books. Joel says, outstanding, and excuses himself to sign some books. Olivia says, just incredible, and Ned says he couldn’t agree more. Mr. Sartore’s mission is truly incredible. She says she was talking about him. She knows he was thinking about her and Leo when he underwrote the exhibit. Then he bought the books. She’s running out of adjectives to describe him too. He says, that counts for something, and she says, that counts for a lot.

Brando tells Sasha, he’s torn. He wants to know the sex of their baby, but was looking forward to the surprise. She says, he doesn’t have to make up his mind right now. They have a little time before her due date. He says, so she’s going to be planning for the baby in secrecy? She says, like buying baby clothes, thinking about names… He says he thought they were coming up with names together, and she says, they will. What about Charlie? Or Parker? He says, those names can be used for boys and girls.

Spencer looks at a tiger photo, and Esme says, isn’t he beautiful? Spencer says, so proud; arrogant even. She says, like the Cassadines, and he says, he thinks they’re both on the verge of extinction. She says, he’s in a mood. Let her cheer him up. Guess who she saw snuggled up in the back room of the gallery? He says, he should care why? and she says, because it was Cam and Trina. Poor Joss. Her best friend and her boyfriend? He says, whatever she thinks she saw, it couldn’t have been that deep. Cameron and Josslyn are happy, and Trina would never betray a friend. She says, Trina’s not as perfect as he thinks, and he says, but she is honest. She doesn’t deal in dirty tricks. Esme says, unlike her.

Ava asks if everything is okay, and Nikolas says, apparently, Scotty convinced the WSB to cut Victor a deal. She says, what kind of deal? and he says, the kind that grants him full immunity. It’s possible Victor gave up Peter or something else of value, but whatever it was, Victor is walking the streets of Port Charles a free man.

Anna asks where Victor is now, and Robert says, the Bureau has him under surveillance. She says, he’s the former director; he created the surveillance protocol. He knows how to evade them. Valentin says, they can’t risk Victor warning Peter, and Anna says she’s leaving now. Her phone beeps, and she looks at it. She says, they have to see this, and they all look at the screen. Jason says, do not attempt to find Peter August and apprehend him. Do not attempt to find Britt Westbourne, Liesl Obrecht, or himself. Peter has the ability to monitor the activities of the WSB, as well as rogue individuals who attempt to find them. Any attempt to catch Peter or free his hostages will result in their deaths.

Britt hugs Jason, and says she hates leaving him. He says he’s got this, and she says she knows he does. She walks out, and the guard follows.

Drew says he refuses to feel like a trained lap dog anymore, and Peter says, refuse all he wants; it won’t make any difference. He’ll still do what Peter says; he literally holds all the cards. Drew says, go to hell, and Peter shoves Obrecht’s medical bag at her, causing her to double over. She says, he’s incapable of earning loyalty. He believes the stick is better than the carrot. How alone he must be, surrounded by minions instead of friends. Drew says he heard Maxie can’t even bear to be around Peter, and Peter says he and Maxie will be reunited. Drew will be the one to make it happen, or he’ll die trying.

Ava says, so much for Nikolas’s assurances that Victor won’t be a problem, but Nikolas doesn’t think Victor threw him under the bus, or he’d be in custody already. She says, what about mercenary being treated at GH? Does he know anything that could implicate Nikolas in any way? Nikolas says he’s fine. He just wishes he knew how Victor managed his immunity deal. What’s that look on her face mean? She says, it’s not the best time right now, and he asks if she’d feel better if he found out what Victor offered for his immunity. It means he’ll have to leave now. Ava tells him, go. She can’t be looking over her shoulder. If it’s not Spencer stalking her, it’s some other Cassadine crawling out of the woodwork ready to wreak havoc in their lives. He promises that’s not going to happen, and kisses her. He tells her, congratulations again on the exhibition, and leaves.

Spencer says, when he said Trina didn’t deal in dirty tricks, he wasn’t implying Esme did. She asks what he did mean, and he says, that Trina isn’t wired the way most people are; she’s not petty. She tells him, he should have heard what Trina said to her about not knowing what it’s like to work a real job. It sounded kind of petty to her. He says, Esme doesn’t know what it’s like to work a real job. He says he has no interest in fighting with her, especially when they have the opportunity for a rare night out. She looks incredible, not to mention there’s free food and the champagne is flowing, and they don’t have to pay for any of it. She says, the exhibit’s not so bad either, and he says, it doesn’t get any better than this. She says, and Trina arranged all of it, and he says, she probably had help from Ava. He can give credit where credit is due. Why can’t she? She says, he’s right. She hopes Trina has a night she never forgets.

Brook asks what Leo likes about the photo of the octopus, and Kip comes out. She goes over to him, and he says he’s really sorry about what happened. She says she told him to lie low. Working as a cater waiter at an exhibition isn’t lying low. He says he knows, but you never know who you’ll meet at these things. Chris Pratt was discovered working at a shrimp restaurant. She says, Chris Pratt has talent. He asks if she smoothed things over with Gladys, and she says, don’t worry about it. It’s not his fault. Who’d have thought Gladys would show up here? Her idea of good art is kitten videos. He says, so she’ll recommend him to her friends? She says, don’t push it, and goes back to the picture, but Leo is gone.

Sasha asks if Gladys is enjoying the exhibit, and Gladys says, you betcha. Sasha wouldn’t believe what she’s learning. She leaves, and Brando wonders why he gets the feeling his mother is up to something. Sasha says, maybe because she always is up to something. They look at the panda photo, and Sasha suggests buying a print for baby Riley or Billie’s nursery. He says, why not? The truth is, he doesn’t need to know who or what their baby will be, to be prepared for the baby’s arrival. All he cares about is that little Reese or Jamie or Blake turns out just as magnificent as their mother.

Trina asks if Ava is okay, and Ava says she’s fine. Isn’t it about time for Trina to make her presentation to Mr. Sartore? Trina says she just needs to grab the flowers and check from ELQ in the back room. Ava tells her, do that while she makes the introductions.

Esme starts to follow Trina, but Cameron intercepts her. She says she can’t talk right now, but he asks if she has a minute. There’s something he needs to clear up.

Joel tells Ned, the Arabian cobra was the 12,000th species in the Photo Ark Project. He didn’t like Joel too much. It was photographed two weeks ago in the Arab Emirates at the Arabian Wildlife Center. Only 8000 more to go. Ned says, Joel’s going to be busy, and Joel says, he is.

Trina gets the flowers, and opens the door to find Gladys. She tells Gladys the ladies room is in the other direction, but Gladys says she was hoping to make a call in private, but Trina says, the back room is off limits to visitors. Gladys says, it’s a matter of life and death, and paternity. She promises not to steal any of the artwork. It’s not her taste anyway. Trina says, all right, but please be quick. Gladys thanks her, and goes inside, but her phone says, no service. She frets that she needs to reach Valentin.

Valentin says, apparently, it’s a rescue mission now, and Robert says they have to make sure they’re not walking into a trap. Anna says, of course (🍷) they are. She wonders how Peter got Obrecht, Britt, and Jason, and Robert says he has to make a call. He leaves, and Valentin says the WSB will have ground plans and schematics, but he knows the island better than they do. Anna says he just got out of surgery, but he says he thought she knew him better than that. She says she does, and knows he’d risk his life for the hostages, but she prefers him alive, if it’s all right with him. He says he hates to say it, but if she’s not going to take him, take Robert. He can make a contribution though. He knows how to get on the island undetected.

Brando asks if Sasha is all right, and she says, it was just a twinge; she gets then once in a while. He says, they can leave, but she says, this is probably one of their last nights out before the baby comes. She’s not ready to cut it short. However, she does need the ladies room. She hands him her phone, and says, the email from the nurse is in her inbox, should he want know what their future looks like.

Cameron thanks Esme for all the planning she’s done for the weekend trip, and she says, they can talk arrangements later, but he says, there’s something he wanted to get clear. He doesn’t want her opinion or advice on whether he and Josslyn should share a room. She says, whatever, and jets.

Ava asks for everyone’s attention. She thanks them for being there. The Jerome Gallery is honored to present the National Geographic Photo Ark, led by National Geographic explorer and photographer Joel Sartore. Everyone applauds, and she says, the National Geographic Photo Ark is an extraordinary multi-year effort to document all species living in zoos, and aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries. And these awe inspiring images around them are just a fraction of the Photo Ark. In fact, Joel announced today that he’s taken portraits of 12,000 species of animals on this planet. There’s more applause.

Gladys keeps trying to get service, but it’s not working. She opens the door, and Sasha is there. Sasha asks what Gladys is doing there, and Gladys says she’s trying to get a phone signal. Her? Sasha says she told Brando that she was going to the ladies room, but she really needed a place to sit quietly for a minute. Does she mind? Gladys says, be her guest, and Sasha sits. Gladys asks if she’s okay, and Sasha says, she just can’t seem to get comfortable anywhere. Gladys says she remembers those days. Brando was a very active baby. She couldn’t wait for him to be born. Brook opens the door, and Gladys says, she’s off the clock. Brook jets, and Gladys says, for the life of her, she doesn’t know how Sasha, Lucy, and Maxie put up with Brook. The three of them actually make a contribution to Deception. BLQ just swans around, giving everyone orders, and wasting everyone’s time. In the hallway, Esme kicks something under the door to keep it from opening, and smiles. Wow, girl. You stupid.

Joel thanks everyone for being there, and says, unfortunately, about a million species are threatened with extinction. He and National Geographic partnered about fifteen years ago to start documenting all 20,000 they think are in the world’s zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and aquariums. They turned a big corner with their 12,000th species recently, the Arabian cobra that they can see around the corner. The goal is to engage the public, and to also fund long-term conservation efforts. He wants to take this opportunity to thank Trina Robinson for reaching out to their staff, which led to all this, and also Ava Jerome of Jerome Galleries, also all of them for being there today and caring. Everyone applauds, and he thanks them. Spencer asks Esme where she was, and she says, long line at the ladies room. Ava is sure everyone is eager to buy a print or two for this worthy cause, but first, she knows Trina has something she’d like to present to Mr. Sartore. As many of them know, Trina was the first to make her aware of the Photo Ark Project, and it’s thanks to her efforts that this exhibit is happening at all. She calls for Trina to come out, and they all applaud again.

Drew asks how he’s going to reunite Peter with Maxie, and Peter says he’s going back to Port Charles, and bringing her to him. Obrecht asks if he’s out of his mind. He’s going to kidnap Maxie and bring her back to this godforsaken island against her will? Then what? He says, then Obrecht will use his father’s methods to influence Maxie on his behalf, but Obrecht says, Faison never told her how he did it. Peter tells her, don’t be modest. He knows she’s up to the task, and when she’s finished, Maxie will know she belongs to him.

Ava calls Trina again, and Trina says, she’s here. She comes out with the flowers, and thanks Joel for allowing the gallery to display his fabulous photos. He thanks her, and also wants to thank ELQ for underwriting this. Trina says, ELQ Industries would like to acknowledge the great work he and National Geographic are doing by making a donation to the Photo Ark. Joel thanks them, and says he’s sure it’s generous. Donations are critical to their work. Trina says, all species deserve to be protected. No matter how big or small, they are all beautiful. Brook pulls Ned and Olivia away, and says, she thought Leo might be with them. Olivia says she thought he was with Brook, and Brook says, he was, until he wasn’t. He was looking at a photo, and she only looked away for one second. Olivia says, one second is all it takes for a little boy to disappear, and Ned says, let’s not panic. He has to be somewhere in the gallery. Brook says, she already looked, top to bottom. Elsewhere, Brando looks at Sasha’s phone, and smiles.  

Gladys asks how Sasha is feeling, and Sasha says, better, thanks. The quiet helped. She’s ready to get back to the exhibit. Is Gladys coming? Gladys says she is; maybe she’ll get better service outside. She tries to open the door, but it’s locked. She says, the door is stuck. Don’t sweat it. She’ll get them out in a jiff. She tries again, with no luck, and bangs on the door, asking, is anyone out there? The door is stuck. Let them out.

Anna tells Robert, all set. The Bureau is sending a rescue team to Cassadine Island under her command. Her flight is arranged, and Valentin is working on the intel for how they breach the island undercover. He says he’s secured time off work, unless she thinks his ego is too big for the mission. She looks at him, and he says, come on. She knows he has certain skills and expertise useful on this adventure. She says, then it’s just as well she saved him a seat next to her on the plane, isn’t it? Let’s end this. Let’s really end this once and for all.

Obrecht says, there’s no way Maxie is coming back to Peter, when the guard comes in with Britt. He asks Peter for a word, and Peter tells them, feel free to search the room for lethal weapons to use for their escape. They won’t find any. He leaves with the guard, and Drew asks Obrecht if Peter is right. Can she condition Maxie? She says, she can, and Peter knows it. He threatened Britt to force her to cooperate. Britt says, he’s not going to get that far. Jason is going to stop Peter.

The guard says, preparations are underway for relocation, and Peter says, excellent. Begin the countdown for leaving Cassadine Island. They won’t be coming back. Is that all? The guard says, they’re not sure about the restraints on Jason, but Peter says, Jason won’t be a problem. He’s not coming with them. Jason puts The Chariot tarot card in his pocket.

Before the preview, Sydney Makala (Trina) and Joel Sartore plug the National Geographic Photo Ark. You can visit it at https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/photo-ark/ or natgeophotoark.org. And you should.

Tomorrow, Carly thinks she and Phyllis should get to know one another, Ned thinks he knows where Leo is, and Sasha’s water breaks. Like we didn’t figure that was going to happen.

Vanderpump Rules

Lala told Ocean that she was going to meet James today, and James came bearing gifts; a super soft bunny and Ocean’s very first pair of Uggs. I’m sure they were way more than you should ever pay for shoes that will never see the ground, and will be grown out of in three weeks, but they were really cute. Lala asked about the party at Charli’s that was really at Tom and Ariana’s, and he said, Raquel ended up falling asleep on the floor. She was really wasted. Lala asked if that was tough for him, and he said it didn’t affect him, but couldn’t play drinking games. In his interview, he asked if he was that annoying when he drank. How embarrassing. Ariana told Raquel that James’s fuse seemed short, and he was being a bit of a brat. At Lala’s, James said, if Raquel’s nose job didn’t go right, what was going to happen to the relationship? Raquel admitted to Ariana that James often thought about himself before he thought of other people. Ariana asked if Raquel could bring it up to James, and in Raquel’s interview, she said all she wanted was for James to recognize his mistakes. He couldn’t act like that and be impatient when they had kids. James told Lala that he didn’t want a fiancé with a botched nose. Which, if that happened, would be really ironic, since Paul Nassif (Botched) was the surgeon being considered. In James’s interview, he said when he met Raquel, all he knew was that she was a super model from California. Lala said he couldn’t weigh in; it was Raquel’s face. He told her that he’d gotten his face by not doing a single thing, and she said, not all of them were that blessed.

The Toms met with Lisa at Villa Rosa. Puffy! Schwartz said they felt great about the concept for the new bar, but wanted her take on it. They were having trouble selling Greg on it. We flashed back to Greg saying, if they couldn’t tell him what her vision was, how could they move forward? In Schwartz’s interview, he said, Lisa was the only one who could help them nail it. Greg was going to wash his hands, and walk away if they didn’t have something. They showed her a fabric swatch they wanted for the bar stools, and Lisa asked how much it was. Sandoval said, thirty, but was unsure if that was a square foot or yard. In Lisa’s interview, she said, if you’re ordering 100 yards, you can’t afford to be off by 900%. Tom went on a tangent, telling her that it was a funkadelic dive lounge, where you could check your worries at the door. An escape from reality, where they bridge the reality of your best night out with the déjà vu of your future fantasies. He talked about archways on the way to the bathrooms, and conflicting colors with lights that highlighted the hard edges. Then he went on to vines and hanging plants. Lisa said they had to trust her. She knew they had great intention and vision. It wasn’t that she didn’t like what they were telling her, but there was nothing definitive. Greg wasn’t going to put his money and confidence behind something unless he knew it would be a success. When they wanted to deviate, think of her foot firmly up their ass.

Brock explained how to make a baby dress from an old shirt to Scheana’s mom Erika, and in his interview, he said his mom had sewn clothes for him and his siblings. He wanted to teach his family that something old could be turned into something new. Ariana came by, and asked if Scheana wanted to have another baby. Scheana said she’d like Summer to have a sibling, but was concerned about putting her body through pregnancy again because of the issues she’d had. She was thinking of freezing her eggs like Ariana had. In Ariana’s interview, she said, yes, she’d frozen her eggs. She and Scheana were going together, but then Scheana became pregnant. It didn’t mean she was jumping on the baby train, but it was about agency over her own body. And also a f*** you to those who questioned her values or choices. Scheana asked if Ariana was going to use a surrogate, and thought it would be fun if she and Ariana did that at the same time. Ariana was like, no. Katie sent Scheana a  text, saying she was throwing a soiree, and the theme was Man of Mystery and Femme Fatale. Ariana thought it was a ruse to get Scheana and Lala in the same room, and Scheana wished Lala was still the cool chick from five years ago. In her interview, she said, Lala had ruined every friendship, but she continued to come around because she had no other friends. Ariana googled Man of Mystery and got Austin Powers.

Raquel told James it wasn’t cool to call her and Charli dumb at the party, and he said it had been the peak of his tantrum. She told him that he thought about himself before he thought about others. The comment that had most disturbed her was when he said he was the one who had to look at her effing face for the rest of his life. In his interview, James said he saw how the Beverly Hills moms got work done, and didn’t want Raquel to turn into that. James told Raquel that if his nose got botched, she’d leave him, and she said, would he leave her? He said no, and she suggested he not vocalize whatever was in his head. His number one job as her fiancé should be to support her, not add to her stress. He admitted he was wrong, and said it was a learning curve for him. The Toms were meeting with Greg and designer Lucinda at the new bar, and Schwartz brought Katie. In Schwartz’s interview, he said he wanted her to be impressed. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, Katie invited herself. She thinks it’s a seat in the boardroom, but she’s just there for bring your wife to work day. Greg asked if everything was ready, and Sandoval went on a mini tangent, saying it was going to be a vibrant, funky dive lounge; featuring Americana food, and simple, fresh, and playfully unique mixology. Greg said he liked the concept, and they showed Greg some expensive décor choices. Sandoval said it was all about the details, but Greg said, give him the same wow for less. He wanted a mission statement, and Sandoval said it was a funkadelic dive lounge, where you could check your worries at the door. An escape from reality, where they bridge the reality of your best night out with the déjà vu of your future fantasies. They clearly didn’t understand the concept of a mission statement, and Greg said it was a word salad; he got lost. Katie asked what did they want to accomplish, and how were they going to accomplish it. Greg thought Katie should take their place, which pissed Sandoval off royally. In Katie’s interview, she said she knew what she was doing, saying, and talking about. To piss Sandoval off even more, Greg said Katie was going to help them.  

Everyone got ready for Katie’s soiree. James figured his London accent was half the costume, and he didn’t need to wear a shirt. In Katie’s interview, she said they’d all been wearing sweatpants for the last year and a half. She wanted to class this bitch up. Katie mentioned Scheana having been in a show called Femme Fatales, and said it was very racy. There’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time. In her interview, Katie said they’d all come there to get into entertainment. While the rest of them were pulling double shifts at SUR, Scheana was doing what she could to make her dream come true. In Scheana’s interview, she wondered why it had to be brought up. Now everyone would google it, and see her boobs. Which was really her way of saying, google it so you can see her boobs. Everyone looked fabulous, and in Schwartz’s interview, he said it was like being in his own spy fantasy. He wished Lisa was there. Ariana asked about the meeting, and Sandoval said it went well. Katie told them about her part in it, and in James’s interview, he said Katie knew what buttons to push when it came to Sandoval, and it was spectacular to watch. Carry on. Lala asked to borrow Scheana to talk in private. She said she know Scheana had pent up issues that she’d thought they squashed, and Scheana said she needed to know where Lala was coming from. They were good, and she’d moved on, but at Lisa’s, Lala decided to be a mean girl effing bitch. Lala said Scheana was villainizing her and then playing the victim. Scheana had brought around a lot of sh*tty guys, and Lala had been concerned about her and the baby. Scheana said she thought Lala hadn’t been genuine, and in her interview, she said it was hard to trust Lala after being the butt of Lala’s jokes for years. They had a pattern of Lala hurting her, then Scheana forgiving her. She said she needed to know that Lala genuinely cared about her, and it wasn’t an act. Lala said she was trying to make changes. She was realizing how her words affected people. Scheana was willing to move past it, and they hugged it out. In Scheana’s interview, she said she thought Lala was coming from a good place, but her delivery was f***ed up. Lala told Brock that she’d talked to Scheana, and they were good. Since he was Scheana’s SO, she wanted to make sure they were straight. She didn’t mean to come for him, but thought her concerns were valid. Brock said he hadn’t liked how she said she was sorry, but that’s just the way she was. He thought she was condescending. She said she was like a fine wine; some people liked it, and others wanted wine from a box. He said he preferred scotch.

Hanky and Panky! Schwarz visited Villa Rosa – Schnookie! – on a mission to pick up a serving platter. It took him ten minutes to explain what he wanted, and in Lisa’s interview, she said it was going to be hard to be a restaurant owner if he didn’t know what a serving platter was. She took him to the basement to look around, and in his interview, he said he was disappointed there wasn’t a sexy pink dungeon down there. He told Lisa that he was developing guilt about putting work before his family. He wanted to help them financially. In Schwartz’s interview, he said his family was having a rough go. His parents had separated, and his brother hadn’t been working since the pandemic. He’d been sending them a few hundred dollars a month to help keep their heads above water, but he was strapped. Lisa said it wasn’t his responsibility, and should wait until the business was up and running. He said he was also stressed about the loan; it hadn’t come through yet. In his interview, he said he and Sandoval were in different places. Sandoval’s parents were investing in the bar, while he was pinching pennies. It was like a cash register in his head, adding up the accumulating debt.

Brock told Charli about Lala and Scheana making up, and Scheana said Lala had seemed genuine. Brock said he’d put Lala in her place, but was still wary. In his interview, he said he wanted to give Scheana the opportunity to be friends with Lala, if that’s what she wanted. In Charli’s interview, she said she couldn’t imagine talking sh*t about someone, and being friends with them the next day. And if she knew someone who did that, she’d think they were going to do it to her too. Everyone met for drinks, and Schwartz told Katie about his finance anxiety. She said he’d just won $900, and in her interview, she said Schwartz’s gambling had been problematic. He’d gambled away the naming rights of their first born. We saw a clip of Randall saying the baby’s name would be Pickle. Katie said he needed to get it under control immediately. She thought he was putting too much pressure on himself about the family, and had to let her in to his thoughts and feelings. Charli said all the girls had WikiFeet profiles, which is new to me, but apparently it’s a feet rating. Or as Charli put it, a beauty pageant for your feet. I’d score a minus something. I wondered if Jax invented it, and Charli said they should submit Raquel’s nose, which is a terrible idea, considering Raquel’s insecurities. In Lala’s interview, she said that she didn’t want Brock to have to defend himself anymore, and she was sick of defending herself. He was the dude that her friend chose, and she’d have to trust Scheana’s judgement. Brock apologized for not moving past the situation, and Lala said she’d had some bad timing. Charli talked to Sandoval about Brock confronting Lala, and Lala wanted to make sure she and Charli were good. I guess it was some sort of mini apology tour. Charli said her problem was with not knowing what she would get. Tom said all the fights were ones Lala picked. She’d talked sh*t about Ariana, and then Brock. Lala said she’d dealt with it, but Tom said he wanted her to grow, and stop picking fights. She was being immature. In Tom’s interview, he said Lala was the one lighting the fuse, then played the victim. It was getting really effing old. In Lala’s interview, she said, the only thing growing on Tom was the heinous mustache that prepubescent boys got. (See more on that below.) She said she was going insane, and was going to have to shut him down.

Next time, swimming, shots, James goes to therapy, and Lala talks to Schwartz about Sandoval.

🐶 Vanderpump Dogs was back on at 11:30 pm for a marathon. This is the best show in the world. Lisa in her element, and dogs, dogs, and more dogs. The highlight of one episode was a pregnant pup who’d been found in a parking lot, giving birth to 13 (!) babies. The nicest bee farmer ever gave her a forever home. I wanted to go with them.

👨🏻 The Heinous Stache…

The one Lala said prepubescent boys get.

https://heavy.com/entertainment/bravo/jax-taylor-tom-sandoval-mustache/

🥀 Last Dance…

While I am not a LisaR fan, I did like her mom, and this is a great tribute.

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-star-lisa-rinna-pays-tribute-to-mom-lois-after-her-death/

🧝 What’s Sleep Got To Do With It…?

Stop by tomorrow, for soap, that godawful House I can’t stop watching, and who knows what? Until then, stay safe, stay separating the wheat from the chaff, and stay not being a cater waiter if you’re trying to lie low.

Nov10

November 9, 2021 – Peter Demonstrates Control, Mushroom Tea Deep Dive, Kip Brings the Ham & Sit

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael and Willow bring Wiley to the MetroCourt, and Carly hugs him, asking, what he’s doing here? Michael snaps a picture.

Austin puts his hospital ID badge back on, and someone slides a potted plant toward him. He says, somebody else is glad he’s back in rotation, and turns to see Gladys. He says, hello, Gladys, and she says, he remembered her name. She certainly didn’t forget him. He thanks her, and asks, what’s with the plant? She says, it’s her way of thanking him for lifting her spirits when that awful Joey Novak tried to threaten her and Carly at The Savoy. Joey has none of the charms of his Uncle Vincent. She heard they beat the louse up. How’s he doing? Not that she cares. Austin says, he’ll live, and she says, too bad. If you ask her, he deserved it. He says, well, okay. Remind him never to cross her. She says she knew he was a smart man, unlike some other people who never learn.

Maxie and Brook go into the Quartermaine mansion using the back door, and Maxie asks why Brook wanted to meet at her house. Won’t it arouse suspicion? Brook says, Monica is at GH, Olivia is at work, and Yuri just left with a long list of errands (because you always send the bodyguard to the store). They’re in the clear. Maxie says, okay, bring him in. Brook signals to someone outside, and a man comes in, and looks around. He says, wow. This is what he calls authentic old school luxury. Brook says, tell her again how Maxie knows this guy, and Maxie says she doesn’t actually know him. She’s familiar with his work. He’s done a little acting for Nina for Deception. He holds out his hand, and says, he’s Kip. Does she actually live here? Brook says she has a young baby, so she likes to limit her contact with strangers. She gives him an elbow bump, and he says, suit herself. The work he did for Nina was just for fun. His real love is the stage. He grabs a grape from the bunch on the table, and says they should have seen him in Guys and Dolls. He sang, danced, and was really convincing as a badass bad guy. Maxie says, good. That’s just what they need, someone who can be intimidating. He says, intimidating is so in his wheelhouse. So tell him, this little drama of theirs, who is he going to play? Brook says, her baby daddy.

Britt opens the door, and sees Jason and Drew chained to the wall. Peter follows her in, and says, don’t be shy. She doesn’t want to miss the show. He says Drew looks like he’s back to his old self, and Drew says, you smug bastard. I am going to kill you. Peter says, that’s not going to happen, but Drew will kill someone. Jason asks if Britt is okay, and she says she’s much more concerned about him. Peter says, it’s really too bad Jason chose to marry Carly instead of her. They could have been in-laws, but at least this way, Jason won’t be making his sister a widow. Isn’t that right, Britt?

Carly says, it’s the best surprise to see her grandson, and she loves surprises. It’s nice to see his parents too. Michael says they just took Wiley to the aquarium; he’s into whales now. He says, it looks like Carly is busy, but she says she’s never too busy for her grandson. Michael’s father stepped away to make a phone call, but they were going to her office to have a private conversation, and she thinks that conversation affects Michael. He says, if it affects him, it affects Willow, so does she want to come too? Willow says she thinks he needs to have some private time with his parents. She and Wiley will just wash up before lunch. They’ll be waiting at their table. Carly suggests she and Michael go to her office. His father is waiting there, and she thinks he has some things he wants to explain to them.

Austin tells Gladys, he’s from this tiny little town called Pawtuck, and maybe it’s the small town in him talking, but he doesn’t think what happened between them at The Savoy is anything unusual. Where he’s from, it’s really cool to be nice to people. She got him a plant. Can he repay her with a cup of really mediocre coffee? Gladys says, sure, and Austin says, it’s in the doctor’s lounge. He can go back in there, now that Gladys’s boss doesn’t want anything. She says, that’s Brook Lyn Quartermaine for you; she’s all heart. He didn’t deserve what she did to him. He says, he didn’t. Brook is entitled. She sees all people as a means to an end, and in his case, the end is the Quartermaine stock portfolio. She says, it’s unconscionable, and totally unforgivable. He’s her family, and that’s what matters in Gladys’s book. Don’t worry. Brook is going to learn her lesson the hard way. He asks, what lesson’s that? and she says, you reap what you sow.

Brook asks if Kip understands. He looks tough, and like he’s crazy in love with her. And he leaves the talking to her. He says, she’s got it; one tough guy coming up. He gets up, pauses a moment, and says, I’ll be back, in a Terminator voice. Brook says, what is that? Who said anything about an accent? and he says, come on; it’s a classic. I’ll be back. She says, no, no accent. Maxie says, the clothes need to be changed too; way too generic. Brook says she has that covered. She actually borrowed some things from the Crimson closet. Kip says, that’s the great thing about him. He can rock a tuxedo or a leather jacket. Brook tells him, calm down. He already has the job. Besides, he has an audience of one, and Gladys might talk a big game, but as soon as she’s threatened, she folds like a discount lawn chair. Maxie suggests they get Kip in his new wardrobe, and get this show on the road. Kip says, slow down. He’s a method actor, so what’s his motivation? Maxie says, they already agreed on his payment, but he says he’s not talking money. If he’s Brook’s baby daddy, why is he okay with another man raising his kid? Is he just a player, who can’t be tamed by one woman? Or is he so madly in love with her, that’s he’s just fine being her sidepiece? Brook says, fine, Mr. DiCaprio, what kind of motivation do you require? He moves to kiss her, and she asks what he’s doing.

Two guards come in, and Peter says, silence Mr. Morgan. Britt says, no, but Peter says, get back. He only wants Jason gagged, which seems redundant, since he never talks. Drew asks, then why bother? and Peter says, because he’s a cautious man, and because he can’t stand Jason. This is how it’s going to go. Jason is going to let these men gag him, and he’s not going to resist, because if he does, Peter will take it out on dear Britt. Britt says, wow. She’s really feeling the brotherly affection. A guard puts duct tape over Jason’s mouth, and Peter says, one brother down, and one to go.

Sonny closes the office door, and Michael asks why they have to meet behind closed doors. Carly guesses this has something to do with Sonny’s meeting with Ms. Wu, and Michael says, she was at the wedding, one of the heads of the Five Families Salsa di Pomodoro (isn’t it three now?), but she wasn’t in the limo with Novak and Buscema that exploded. He’s guessing that wasn’t a coincidence. Carly says, it wasn’t, and Sonny says Michael knows how hard he’s worked to keep Michael separated from that part of his life. Sometimes the lines get blurred. Michael says, and this is one of those times, and Sonny says, Ms. Wu called in a favor. This time it’s not business, it’s personal. Carly says, and it involves Michael? Sonny says, it involves all of them.

Willow tells Wiley, he has his coloring book, and while they’re waiting for daddy, they can read all about Beluga whales. Harmony approaches the table, and says, what a nice surprise. Willow says, Harmony was the last person she expected to see there, and Harmony says she had no idea she’d run into them. She had a long, hard day at Spring Ridge, and thought she’d take herself out for a little splurge, but if it makes Willow uncomfortable, she can go somewhere else. Willow says she doesn’t have to go. They live in the same town, and it’s a public place, they’re bound to occasionally bump into one another. Wiley’s engrossed with his picture book, so sit down; they can catch up. Harmony sits down, and says she appreciates the offer, but is Chase with her? She knows how Chase feels about her; he made it clear at the birthday party. Willow says, Chase and her… things didn’t work out. Harmony says she’s sorry. Willow doesn’t owe her any explanation, but whatever happened, she hopes Willow finds her happiness. Willow says she did find it, with Wiley and his father.

Austin brings Gladys over to a bench, saying, it’s his safe and quiet place. Feel free to share; speak freely. She says, Brook screwed him to the wall to score points with daddy darling, right? He says, something like that. What did she do to Gladys? Gladys says, she’s not a gossip, but it’s not what Brook did to her; she can take care of herself. It’s what Brook is doing to a dear, kind, extremely handsome friend of hers. He says, Valentin Cassadine, and she says, who told you? He says, the other day, he mentioned to Brook that Gladys was there at the hospital to visit Valentin. It seemed to really upset her. She says she bets it did. If he’s free, they can go to the MetroCourt, and continue their conversation with some adult beverages. He says, he’d love that, but he has to go back to work. She says she understands. She bets his patients are happy he’s back on staff. Just promise her a raincheck. He says, deal, and she leaves.

Brook says, what the hell was that? and Kip says, good. Use that anger. He thinks they should be a couple who argues really passionately, like in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but then there’s really hot make up sex. She says, look buddy. They are not doing some bus and truck production of Hello Dolly. He’s being paid to make believe he’s trouble for anyone who crosses her. He does that, he gets his money, and goes home. They don’t need to come up with some storyline about how they made Bailey. He asks, who’s Bailey? and she says, her baby, who he’s the father of. Now does he understand? No funny business. Kip tells Maxie that he had to work with someone like Brook in summer stock once. D-I-V-A. Maxie says, they really need this to work, or does he want to go back to waiting tables? He says, fine, but if they don’t get his best work, it’s not his fault. Brook tells Maxie, let’s pick out a suit for this guy. Outside the room, Brook asks if Maxie thinks this is going to work, and Maxie tells her, you know what they say; bad rehearsal, great show. Break a leg. She jets, and Brook says, if this doesn’t work, she’s definitely going to break something.

Peter says, release Mr. Cain, and Britt says, he’s letting Drew go? Peter says, in a manner of speaking, and she asks what that means. He says, she’ll see, and Drew looks at Jason, but Jason shakes his head. The guards take Drew’s shackles off, and he struggles with the guards. She asks what Peter is going to do to him, and Peter says, watch and learn. He shows Drew The Tower card, and says, you’re active. Drew stands up straight, and Peter says, soldier. Drew says, reporting for duty.

Sonny says, if it weren’t for Ms. Wu stepping up, he would have come home to a grieving family; no wife, no best friend. To say their family owes Ms. Wu is an understatement. Michael agrees, and Carly says, Sonny told them his conversation with her wasn’t about business; it was personal. Sonny says, she wants some consideration for someone in her family, and Carly asks, who? Sonny says, a nephew she’s close with, and Michael asks if it’s someone they know. Sonny tells them, he’s sorry to say, her nephew is Brad Cooper.

Harmony tells Wiley that she knows a little something about baby whales. She and his mom moved around a lot, and lived in a lot of different communities. Once they lived by the ocean, and that’s when she learned baby whales, even when they learn to swim and manage on their own, they stay with their mommies. They swim together, then the baby swims in the mommy’s wake to make it easier and faster. Of course (🍷) people aren’t the same as whales. Willow says, whales have been found to be very high in intelligence, a lot like human beings. She asks Harmony, is something going on? and Harmony says, an inmate got pardoned today at Spring Ridge. She’s so intelligent, but she’s an overthinker and worries a lot. They’d been having regular talks lately. Willow says, Harmony is going to miss their talks, and Harmony says, it sounds so incredibly selfish. How can she be anything but happy for someone getting out of prison? She guesses she’s just a bit lonely, so she decided to take herself out for dinner. It’s nice to see people talking, even if they’re not talking to you. Willow says Harmony doesn’t have to explain herself; it’s nice to see her. Harmony says, it is? and asks if she’s keeping Willow from Michael. Willow says, Michael had a family situation, and Harmony says, Willow is Wiley’s mom. What kind of family situation doesn’t include her?

Austin sees Maxie at the hospital, and asks if she’s okay. She says, she’s fine. She’s just going to the GH milk bank. She’s been donating. She figures if she can’t be with her baby, she might as well help other babies and their moms. He says, awesome, and she’ll still be lactating when she gets Louise back; that’s smart. She says, maybe. Obviously, whoever has Louise is giving her formula. She might not even be interested in breast milk when she gets back. He says, still, it’s a really generous donation. Maxie is courageous and selfless. She says, if he knew her better, he’d know she’d do anything to stay connected to her baby. He thinks they should fix that. He’d like to get to know her better.

At the MetroCourt bar, Gladys says she’ll have a Manhattan with an extra cherry, and she’s starting a tab, courtesy of her boss. Just so he knows, her boss is an excellent tipper. Brook sits next to her, and says she’ll have whatever Gladys is having, and Gladys says, by all means. It will give them a chance to revisit their arrangement. She wants to make some additions to her wish list. Brook says she doesn’t think so. She doesn’t think Pauly would like it. Gladys asks, who’s Pauly? and Kip grabs the credit card, saying, vodka martini, their best top-shelf vodka and three olives, as dirty as possible. Gladys tells him to give back the card. She tells Brook, she doesn’t know why Valentin replaced Yuri, but tell her Doberman to give it back. Kip asks if this is the one Brook told him about, and Gladys says, excuse me? Brook says she told Gladys to quit while she was ahead. Now she’s going to have to deal with Pauly.

Peter tells the guard to let Drew go, and take his sister. He tells another guard to hand over his knife. Britt says, don’t, but Peter says, she’s got it all wrong. He’s not going to do anything. He gives Drew the knife, and tells him to hold it to Jason’s throat, and wait for his orders. Britt struggles, and Peter says, now would be the time for her to adjust her attitude,  unless she wants him to have Drew slash Jason’s throat. Britt says she’s sorry, and Peter asks if there’s anything else she’d like to add. She says, please don’t kill Jason, and Peter says, there, she said nicely; he appreciates it. He tells Drew, soldier, stand back. Now cut his own arm. Britt says, oh my God, no, and Drew slices his arm, and looks at Peter.

Carly asks how Brad is related to Ms. Wu, and Sonny says, he’s her brother’s son. He was given up for adoption. Michael says, and Brad is coming up for parole. Does Ms. Wu think Sonny can use his influence to get him out? Sonny says, he told her that he wouldn’t do anything to help Brad get paroled because it would hurt Michael and Wiley, but they still owe her. Even though he said he wouldn’t do anything to help Brad get paroled, he said he woudn’t fight against it if Brad did get paroled. Michael says he respects Sonny’s position, but he’s going to get notified about the hearing, and plans on speaking against Brad’s release. Sonny says, he made it clear that Michael has every right to speak, but Michael’s not going to pull any strings, or use his influence behind the scenes to block Brad’s parole. Michael says, it’s his influence. Why shouldn’t he use it to keep the man who stole the first year of his son’s life behind bars?

Willow tells Harmony that she doesn’t have to be tied to Michael’s side 24 hours a day. She likes that he’s close to his parents. Harmony says, maybe that’s something they can shoot for in the future, and Willow says she certainly doesn’t want them to be strangers. Harmony says, that’s not a ringing endorsement, but she’ll take it. And she hopes to get to know Wiley better. They already have baby whales in common… She thinks she has something for him, and takes a piece of candy out of her bag, but he says he’s not supposed to take candy from strangers.

Maxie says, maybe it’s better if she and Austin keep a respectful distance, and he says, okay. It’s not the answer he was hoping for, but he totally respects it. Can he ask why? She says, then he’ll always be the mysterious hiker in the woods who just happened to be there when she was having her baby, and she’ll always be what he said. He says, courageous and selfless, and she says, if they could just leave it like that, the way it was when they first met, they won’t disappoint each other. He says he gets it. He understands seeing him is some kind of painful reminder to her of losing Louise. He thinks he’s like a trigger. He’ll say this, there’s a lot of support out there of people who’ve been through what she’s going through. If she’d ever want to sit in a group, he’d be happy to join her. She says she would feel too guilty, and he says, why is that? She says, her daughter is still out there. He says if she shares the pain of her loss… but she says, her daughter’s not lost.

Gladys says she always knew Brook was more cash than class, but now she’s hanging around with a nasty piece of work like this guy? Brook strongly suggests Gladys cut her losses and leave while she still can. Kip says, what’s the rush? Hey blondie. From what he hears, she’s his girl’s gofer. Gladys says, somebody told him told wrong. She’s Brook’s executive assistant. He says, he hears she’s shaking down her boss for some perks. Spa treatment, raise in pay… Brook says, she told Gladys to walk away, and Gladys says, she’s out of there. Kip says, hold on, blondie, and Gladys plops back down in her seat. He says she’s been hearing things she shouldn’t have heard, and demanding things she shouldn’t be demanding. Gladys says she doesn’t know what he thinks he knows… and Kip says, she shouldn’t think. She’s a problem for his girl, and that makes her a problem for him. Gladys says, why? and Kip says, that kid of Brook’s, the one she’s asking so many questions about – he puts his arm around Brook – he’s the baby daddy.

Peter asks if Britt needs another demonstration, and she says, no. He tells Drew, return the knife, and Drew hands it back to the guard. Peter tells Drew to let the guard shackle him to the wall, and he does. Peter says, make sure the cuffs are secure. He shows Drew The Chariot tarot card, and says, stand down. Drew asks what he did, and Peter tells Britt to patch up Drew. Now. Britt takes a look at the cut, and says, it’s not too deep; she’s just going to bandage it. Peter says, Jason looks like he wants to say something, and the guard takes the tape off Jason’s mouth. Peter says, now’s his chance, and Jason says, Peter should walk away. Peter laughs, and says, those are big words coming from a man chained to the wall. He tells Britt, finish up; it’s time to go. He shoves her out, and Jason says he’s going to find Peter. The next time they meet, there’s going to be a different ending. Peter says, we’ll see, won’t we? He leaves, and Drew looks at Jason, who holds up his hands for Drew to stay quiet.

Sonny says, this isn’t about Brad; it’s about his aunt. Her warning saved Michael’s mom and Jason. Michael says he’ll honor Sonny’s agreement with Ms. Wu, and won’t pull any strings behind the scenes to deny Brad parole. Sonny says, there’s another thing to consider. He assured Ms. Wu that if Brad got out, and didn’t go near his family, there won’t be any retribution, or an eye for an eye. Carly says if Sonny already made this promise to Ms. Wu, why are they even having this conversation? and Sonny says, he told Ms. Wu that he spoke for the entire family. He just needs to know they’re in agreement. He asks Michael if they’re in agreement, and Michael says he can’t just answer as Sonny’s son. He has to answer as Wiley’s father. When he found out Nina was lying, and knew Sonny was alive the entire time, he didn’t hesitate to have her arrested. It had the collateral benefit of keeping her away from Wiley. Why should he look at Brad any different? Um… I thought Sonny just explained why he should. Carly says, she agrees with Michael. Nina hurt their entire family. Shouldn’t the same standard apply to Brad? Sonny tells her, he’s not saying forget what Brad did. Ms. Wu promised him that Brad woudn’t go near their family. He has to trust that Brad is going to respect her and answer to her. Michael says he respects that Sonny gave his word, and will honor Sonny’s agreement to Ms. Wu. But if Brad gets paroled, and comes within a city block of Wiley, Brad will have to answer to him, and he promises it will not be pretty. He walks out.

Harmony tells Wiley, that is a very important lesson, and she’s glad his mommy and daddy taught him that. Even more so that he’s smart enough to listen. Willow tells Wiley, that is the rule she and his daddy taught him, but this lady isn’t a stranger; he just doesn’t know her yet. This is Harmony, and Harmony is her mom. Harmony says, that is true, but she wasn’t always a good mommy. He’s a very lucky boy to have such terrific parents that always put him first, the way it’s supposed to be.

Austin asks if Maxie just said Louise isn’t lost, and Maxie says, it was a poor choice of words. She meant, as far as she knows, her daughter is still alive, and those support groups are for parents who had children that died. It seems wrong for her to be there because her situation is different. She knows Louise is out there somewhere in the world, and one day will be back in her arms. He says, she’s so hopeful. He doesn’t think he’s capable of doing that, even if he were in her situation, but when he hears her say it, he believes it will happen. She says, trust her; it will. He says, it’s so weird that she would mention trust; it’s something that’s been on his mind lately. When he was in Pawtuck, there was trust everywhere, and it went both ways. That’s because he’s known everybody since he was in the first grade. Then he comes to Port Charles, and he’s having a really difficult time finding anyone he can trust; her being the exception. His phone makes a signal, and he says he really hopes Louise finds her way home to Maxie soon. She doesn’t know what she’s missing.

Gladys says she doesn’t understand Brook. She could have her choice of men. She could have someone as charming and handsome as Valentin, but she chose this Jersey Shore wannabe to be the father of her child? Kip says, hey, blondie, just because you got opinions, doesn’t mean you have to open up your yap and share them. She’s talking to her boss. It’s best she remember that. Or else. He opens his jacket to show her a gun in his waistband, and she asks if he knows who he’s talking to. Does he know who her cousin is? He says, Sonny Corinthos, the don of dons, first among equals. Is she going to be the one to tell Brook’s Uncle Sonny that she’s blackmailing the apple of his eye? He’ll squash her like a bug. Kip slams his hand down on the bar, and says he hopes she understands his message, for her sake. He tries to kiss Brook, but Brook smushes his face with her hand, faking passion. He says he’ll see her fine self later, and leaves. Gladys reaches for the credit card, but Brook takes it. She tells Gladys to take out her cell phone. She’s got some deleting to do.

Peter brings Britt back to her room, and says, what happened with Drew… he regrets having to take such drastic measures, but he had to make sure she knew how foolish it would be to stand against him. She says, congratulations. He’s become the man their father never thought he could be. He’s just as powerful as Faison was. He says, because he stopped running from his legacy and embraced it. Now it’s her turn. Face it. They can never be like everyone else. They have to take what they want.

Jason asks if Drew hears anything. Drew listens, and says he hears nothing; they’re gone, and have no reason to check on them. Jason asks how his arm is, and Drew says he’s had worse. He did this to himself, cut himself, didn’t he? Jason says, Peter couldn’t resist a demonstration. He told Drew that Peter would make a mistake. Now Jason knows how he controls Drew, and knows how to turn it off.

Gladys says, deleted, and Brook says, what about the other copies? Gladys says, she never made any copies. She just said she did because that’s what they always do in the movies. Brook says, and she knows what happens to blackmailers in movies. Their scheme always blows up in their face. Gladys says, Brook won. She deleted the recording, and Brook got her card back. Poor dear Valentin is never going to know the truth. Isn’t that enough? Does Brook have to rub her nose in it? Brook says, maybe she let Gladys off too easy. Maybe she should call her Uncle Sonny. He’s such a sweetheart, and he really adores her. Gladys says she doesn’t want any trouble with Sonny, and Brook says, fine. She expects to see Gladys at work tomorrow morning. Gladys says she’ll be there at ten. Brook says, make it eight, and leaves. Gladys slides Brook’s drink over next to hers and starts drinking.

Maxie sees Kip at the hospital, and wonders what he’s doing there. How did his big performance go? He says he thinks Brook would agree he was big success. Unfortunately, he went a little too method, and ending up hurting his hand. He moves his wrist around, and his jacket opens. Maxie says, is that a gun? and he tells her, relax. It’s just a prop from Guys and Dolls, but it added to his character. She says, as long as it shut Gladys up, whatever works. She has some money for his medical bills. She takes some cash out and hands it to him, saying, that should cover it. Austin sees them. 

Michael is surprised to see Harmony, but she says she was just leaving, and says goodbye to Willow. Michael sits, and asks if everything is okay. Willow says, actually, yes. Her mother was on her best behavior. What happened with his parents? He says, they’ll talk about it later, but let it suffice to say, Wiley is going to need his parents more than ever.

Sonny says, it’s been a while since he’s seen this side of Michael, and Carly says she’s proud of him. Michael isn’t like her. He doesn’t lash out wildly, and end up hurting himself. He finds an opponent’s weakness and exploits it. He found a way to go after Nina for what she actually did, and she’s sure he’ll do the same to Brad if Brad tries anything. Sonny says he’d just be happier if Michael would focus on his family and making them happy, and she says, obviously Michael feels it’s important to focus on protecting his family. Sonny says, protecting the family is his job, and she says, when he was gone, when they thought he was dead, it changed everything… everyone. And him coming back has brought on even more change. You know that saying, once the genie’s out of the bottle, it’s really hard to put it back in. He says she’s not just talking about Michael now, is she?

Peter tells Britt, everything is finally falling into place for him. Soon he’ll have Maxie back, and they’ll find Louise together. She says, he has to be realistic. There’s no way in hell he’s going to get Maxie to come to Cassadine Island. He asks if she’s already forgotten the demonstration he just showed her. Maxie thinks she knows what she wants, but he has other ways of bringing about her happy ending. Remember that. He leaves, closing the door behind him.

Drew says, tarot cards? and Jason says he saw the first one; The Tower. Peter showed it to Drew, and said, you’re active. Drew says, it’s the same phrase Helena used, and Jason says, then Peter had one of the guards give Drew a knife, and ordered him to put it to Jason’s throat. Drew says he’s sorry, but Jason says, why? He looked Drew in the eye, and he wasn’t there. Peter put him under, and he was gone; no free will. Drew says, exactly. He can’t stop himself, that’s why Jason has to stop him. Jason says, it’s not going to come to that, but Drew says, if it does, he’d rather die at Jason’s hands than carry out another one of Peter’s orders. Are they clear? Jason says, yes, and Drew says, so Jason will do it. Jason says he will, but he’s not going to have to. Drew asks how he can be so sure of that, and Jason says, Britt saw the second card, the one that brings Drew out. And they both heard the code phrase – stand down. Drew says, it’s that simple? and Jason says, it’s that simple. Drew says, so they get him. Peter August is going down

Tomorrow, a surprise party, Portia says the show will go on, Maxie asks if Sam is more than friends with Dante, and Josslyn tells Trina that she’s losing her virginity tonight.

Vanderpump Rules

The guys played basketball at the gym; The Boys versus TomTom. Afterwards, the Toms told James and Brock what was going on with the new bar. Schwartz said they’d made a cocktail presentation, and gotten lost in the conversation, and we flashed back to the get together that went sideways. Sandoval said Lala came after people, but you couldn’t bring up anything personal about her. In Sandoval’s interview, he said he’d gotten weird DMs about Lala and Randall’s relationship. They were never allowed to know anything about Lala beyond a surface level. (This is true; she’s always been cagey.) For her to pass judgment seemed hypocritical. James wondered if he’d see all of them at the See You Next Tuesday soft opening, and Sandoval said he didn’t want it to be awkward. James said, what made it awkward was not talking about it. It created more space between them. Tom said he and Lala would need to have a conversation.  

Charli and Ariana met for coffee, and Charli told Ariana about getting a new place with boyfriend Corey. They’d been living together, but at his place, and it would be different getting one together. Her relationship with food had changed as well, after telling everyone. Ariana said when you put something out there, they share it, and they can all bear some of the weight of it. In Charli’s interview, she said, for seventeen years, she only ate pizza, PB&J, and quesadillas. When she met Corey, he told her they weren’t going to eat the same three things all the time. She told Ariana that she was excited for a new chapter. She had a new relationship with food and people. Ariana said, vulnerability is power, and in her interview, she said, everyone in the group had messed up. Here’s what’s f***ed up about me. Get into it or get out.  

Raquel went to Villa Rosa where LVP was brushing Schnookie. Lisa asked if Raquel felt different after becoming engaged. In Lisa’s interview, she said Raquel had a great starter diamond. Hers was a pinprick. Then she learned housekeeping, cooking, and the Kama Sutra, and the ring she has now followed. We saw a clip of Lisa discussing Raquel’s nose with Paul Nassif, and he said it would cost $35K for him to correct. Since Lisa had thought more like $16K, it’s kind of like going to the emergency vet here. You get great care, but it will cost you at least twice as much. Raquel told Lisa that there was more to the story, and in her interview, she said it had been eating her up, lying about James bumping her nose. Lisa helping her was making her feel extra guilty. She told Lisa that she hadn’t been telling the truth. James had gone in fast and hard for a kiss and hit her nose. Lisa asked if anyone had hit Raquel, but Raquel told Lisa to get that out of her head. In Raquel’s interview, she said she knew it didn’t look great for James. He’d created a reputation for himself. He had a history of blowing up on people. We flashed back to some of the many times James has acted insane, although I don’t think he ever got physically violent with anyone. He just yells insults. Raquel said she didn’t want people to jump to conclusions. His entire family was there. She asked James’s mother if it looked all right, and his mother said it looked like her nose was touching her cheek. James flipped out, and took his anger out on his mom because he felt guilty. In Lisa’s interview, she said it was cause for concern. James’s raging had improved so much with his sobriety, but he wasn’t there yet.

At Katie and Schwartz’s place, Lala told Katie that Sandoval was not only bullying her, but becoming like a troll. Ariana joined them, and said her house was like a light store. We saw Tom messing with an app on his phone, making lights in the house change color. Lala asked Ariana, what was that last night? and Ariana said she’d checked out because everyone was yelling. Lala said Sandoval started yelling, and using the F-word at Lisa; he was attacking women. In Ariana’s interview, she said Sandoval was an equal opportunity yeller. Lala wondered how it was going to be when she and Sandoval saw each other, and Ariana said he’d always be cordial and cool. Lala said she was going to be having a discussion with him. Schwartz brought a vision board to Sandoval’s house, and in his interview, Sandoval said, deep dives are business meetings disguised as a hang sesh. In Schwartz’s interview, he said it was time to let pent-up creative energy flow. Let out their inner child and be curious, and drink mushroom tea. Schwartz told Sandoval that they were mining for nuggets of wisdom and inspiration. There were a lot of deep thoughts, or at least what the Toms thought were deep thoughts, and a lava lamp. Schwartz said that Schwartz & Sandy was making more sense. They determined it was a dive lounge, and decided they had their mission statement.

Brock and Scheana visited Corey and Charli, mostly so Brock could hang their TV in under seven minutes. Scheana was documenting the occasion, and we watched as Brock hung the set in five minutes and thirty-nine seconds. In Charli’s interview, she said, during quarantine, she’d moved next door to Scheana and Brock. They’d spent a lot of time together. Charli said she was having a potluck party for her to try new things, and had invited everyone except Lala. Brock said they all respected each other except for one bad apple, and Scheana said Lala acted like a friend then stabbed you in the back. Charli said it was a big night for her, and wanted people there who were supportive. She didn’t want to be judged. James waited for Lisa with Raquel at Paul’s office. He hoped Lisa didn’t blame him, and Raquel said Lisa had told Paul that the doctor had messed up her nose. James said the timing was annoying, since he had the opening of See You Next Tuesday coming up. In his interview, he said he was there for Raquel’s feelings, but what about his feelings? It wasn’t his fault. When Lisa arrived, James said he appreciated Lisa making the appointment, and she asked how he almost headbutted Raquel when he went in for a kiss? He said he was a man, and Lisa said that never happened with Ken. Was he telling the truth? James insisted it was a complete accident, and Lisa said he had to learn to control his temper. An assistant took pictures of Raquel’s nose; then they had a consultation with Paul. Lisa told Paul, the nose issue wasn’t quite the truth, and Raquel told him what happened. Paul checked her nose out, and put the photos up, using a pointer to help explain what had to be fixed. He said they’d have to take cartilage from under her boob, and in James’s interview, he said, now there were going to be scars down there, and it won’t be perfect up there. If Raquel was thinking anything other than no, they had a problem. Paul said he doubted the bump caused the damage, and hearing that, James rejoiced.

James was back at SUR – See You Next Tuesday, full-fledged – and in Lisa’s interview, she said, it was good to see life coming back to the  restaurant. Lisa sat with Sandoval, Ariana, and Katie, who told her about the Toms’ deep dive. In her interview, Lisa said, taking mushrooms and rolling around on the floor wasn’t exactly what she needed. At least she didn’t think so. Scheana said this was where she danced on the bar many a Tuesday, and we were treated to a flashback of that. Randall and Lala came in, and Randall told Lisa that he was sorry he missed the cocktail tasting. Lisa invited him and Lala to come to Villa Rosa for drinks tomorrow. Lala said she wanted to talk to Sandoval before he built more rage, but if they had an audience, he’d see it as a pissing contest. Charli brought drinks over as a peace offering for Tom and Ariana letting her have the party at their house. I’m not sure why that would be peace offering, and not a thank you. We saw a clip of Charli being concerned about having enough room, and Ariana offering their place. Lala asked to talk to Sandoval in private.

Lala told Sandoval, she didn’t want to say he owed her an apology, but what had she done that he was holding onto? He said she’d established boundaries around her personal life and he respected that, but when she brought up Brock’s past, it seemed like a double standard. No one ever brought up anything about Randall. She said she’d labeled a home wrecking whore, and we flashed back to that. She said she felt like she was judged, and held to a different standard. She asked Sandoval if she didn’t deserve as much forgiveness as everyone else. Sandoval said he understood where she was coming from, and she said they were all going to do better.

Ariana told Sandoval that it would be nice to have people over, and him not put on a show, but he said he liked the lights. In Charli’s interview, she said she woke up excited and ready. Now that she was there, she was freaking out internally, wondering WTF she got herself into. She thanked everyone for coming, and I wondered how small their place was, since it was just the usual suspects, minus Lala. I had that many people for parties in my one-bedroom, back in my apartment days. Scheana contributed her famous enchiladas, and Charli said she’d never tried enchiladas; it was a moment. We flashed back to the many times Scheana had talked about her enchiladas, and Sandoval gave Charli a shot of absinthe. She said, one new thing down.

Lala and Randall went to Villa Rosa, and Lisa asked when they were getting married. Randall guessed it would be next year, and Lala said he wanted a production, while she was fine with the backyard. In her interview, she said she’d told Randall that they didn’t have to get married, but he was, no. Lisa asked about Charli’s party, and Lala said Ariana had asked her if she was coming, and she realized she hadn’t been invited. In Lala’s interview, she said, this was more her speed. It was low key, and it was nice to be around people who could just have a glass of wine. Charli moved on to the mussels, was skeptical about them, decided they were not that bad, and ended with a verdict of, wait, it’s good. In her interview, she said she never thought she’d be trying mussels or sashimi. The next time, she’s going to master champagne and being a fancy bitch. Raquel asked the Toms about the bar, and Schwartz said they had an upcoming meeting, where they had to present a mission statement and a design. Katie asked if Scheana had talked to Lala yet, and Brock said, Lala was disrespectful, but expected them to accept it because it was just the way she was. Lala told Lisa that she felt that she was a better person now, but it made her sad. She’d lost her dad, gotten sober, become a stepmother, and had a baby. She felt like everyone else had earned their place, but she still had to prove herself.

Scheana and Brock called it an early night, going home to baby Summer. Ariana suggested they play a game, and they played some kind of category thing where the loser had to play Truth or Dare. When a question about plastic surgery came up, Raquel started crying, and said it was going to cost $30K. In her interview, she calculated that she’d have to work 150 shifts to pay for it. James said it was stressful for him, since he had to look at it, and I wondered if this dude could get any more shallow. I want to like him, I really do, but he needs intensive therapy. In Ariana’s interview, she said, what the actual f***? He should probably never say that ever again. In James’s interview, he said it was annoying playing a drinking game sober, while everyone was sh*tfaced on absinthe. Raquel wasn’t getting one answer right, and he was getting wound up. He was like one of those wind-up monkeys with a tambourine [sic] (it’s cymbals). James called Raquel and Charli dumb, and Raquel got up, saying, we’re done. I wasn’t sure if she meant with the party or the relationship. Charli followed her to the kitchen, and told her they weren’t dumb. James asked if that was a bit much.

Next time, the Toms can’t sell Greg on their non-mission statement, Lala talks to Scheana, and Raquel is concerned about James being superficial. As she should be.

🍸 The Art(ie) Of Being Kip…

It was a little silly, but I thought Kip was fun. I would have liked to have seen him in Guys and Dolls.

https://general-hospital.fandom.com/wiki/Kip_Morris_(Artie_O%27Daly)

General Hospital Spoilers: Brook Lynn’s New Baby Daddy Kip – Gladys & Chase Flabbergasted

🛶 Sitting Down…

Come on over tomorrow for some soap and the accident looking for a place to happen that is Winter House. Until then, stay safe, stay seizing the day, and stay not looking to the movies for your blackmailing tips. The scheme always blows up in their faces.

Nov3

November 2, 2021 – Nikolas Makes Shawn an Offer, Lala Plays the Victim, New Location, Costumes Of the Stars & Another One

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis is reading The Brothers Karamazov, when Harmony startles her. Harmony asks if she’s okay, and Alexis says she’s just catching up on the classics. Russian. It’s really heavy on the misery. She puts it down, and says she doesn’t need to read this. She can just look to her family for their dysfunctional DNA.

Nikolas asks if Shawn is satisfied. Nikolas’s own son turned his back on him, his father, his only living parent, who would gladly die for him. Hell, he did that, or at least he let the world believe he was dead to regain control of the Cassadine legacy. And Shawn wants the satisfaction of taking all that away. Shawn can’t believe Nikolas is positioning himself as a victim here. His son opened his eyes, and saw Nikolas for who he really is, the bastard who let Shawn go to prison for six years for a crime he didn’t commit. Nikolas is the one who wanted to kill Hayden, but he let Shawn take the fall. Nikolas doesn’t want to see the truth, but his son has. For all of Spencer’s faults, he’s ten times the man Nikolas pretends to be.

Trina sings to herself as she works at the gallery. She hears someone come in, and puts her hand on her pepper spray. She turns to see Spencer.

Josslyn goes to Kelly’s where Cameron is working, and asks, where is everybody? She doesn’t see anyone else working. Can she help out? He says he’s good, thanks, and she asks if someone called in sick, but Cameron says, Spencer walked out in the middle of his shift. He couldn’t even survive one day. Cameron sticks his neck out for Spencer and hires him, because he has no experience and a lousy attitude, and Spencer bails on him on day one. What’s wrong with the guy? Esme breezes in, and says, good; they’re here. No sign of Ava or Spence’s dad. She can’t tell them what a relief it is to be among friends. Josslyn says, where? What friends?

Britt shines the light on Obrecht, who’s not just handcuffed, but has a fishing spear sticking out of her. I don’t know how I missed that yesterday, but apparently, Britt shot her by accident. Britt says, mother, and Obrecht says Britt came to get her. Britt says, my God, what did she do?

Peter bandages his hand, while talking into the radio, asking if they have a location on that woman. Hello? Do they hear him? He wants answers. He turns to see Jason, pointing a gun at him. Peter says, Jason shouldn’t have come there, and Jason tells him, shut up. Move. Peter tries to run, and Jason grabs him from behind.

Alexis tells Harmony that she thought her nephew Nikolas might be a good Cassadine, because he had a nice mother. He was good for a while, but then after ten years or so, he went bad. He went to the dark side and became a real Cassadine. Then there’s his son Spencer, who went to France, boarding school; graduated, then came home back to Port Charles. He decided he couldn’t stand his father’s wife Ava, and he set out to break them up. Harmony asks, how bad did it get? and Alexis says, he stalked her. At first, he started out with just sending her creepy gifts, and then it accelerated into full-blown stalking, until finally, he torched her car. Harmony says, the Cassadines don’t sound so strange to her. Not compared to Shiloh and Dawn of Day. She spent years under the spell of a man who demanded unwavering loyalty from his family, in exchange for betrayal and abuse. So at least, no matter how misguided Spencer’s actions were, they were motivated by love. Alexis supposes that’s one way to look at it. The poor kid idolized his father. If he’d just seen his flaws and recognized them, instead of becoming like him. Harmony says she’s not really speaking about Spencer, is she? Alexis says Harmony might have made a good therapist. No, she’s not, because the same holds true for Nikolas. She just had so much hope that he’d become that young man that she knew and loved so much. Alas, he didn’t.

Nikolas tells Shawn to spare him the holier-than-thou attitude. Shawn doesn’t give a damn about Spencer. Shawn was just trying to use Spencer to wring a confession out of him. Shawn says he did Spencer a favor, and opened his eyes. So now maybe Nikolas’s son doesn’t have to turn himself inside out, making everyone miserable to earn Nikolas’s respect. Nikolas doesn’t suppose Shawn explained to Spencer why he pled guilty to shooting Hayden, did he? Shawn doesn’t say anything, and Nikolas says, yeah, I didn’t think so. Shawn thought he actually shot Hayden, because he was at that garage under Sonny’s orders to kill someone. Or is Shawn going to stand there, and claim that his hands are clean? Shawn says he paid for his mistakes, just like he paid for Nikolas’s. He still wonders about the outstanding debt Nikolas has owed Hayden ever since he tried to have her killed. She’s entitled to justice, and Nikolas is going to give it to her.

Trina asks what Spencer is doing at the gallery, and he says he took a chance she’d be there. Is Ava around? She says, no, but she can get Ava there in minutes. She picks up the phone, and says, or the police. He says, please don’t do that; either call. She says she hasn’t seen him since he was arrested, and he says, a lot’s happened since then. She says, Joss told her that Dr. Collins paid for his bail. She also said Cam got him a job at Kelly’s. Isn’t it his first day? He says, it was, and she asks, what happened? looking at his hand. He says he burned himself trying to make an espresso shot. At least that will heal. She says, if he has troubles, he has a girlfriend. Talk to Esme. He says, she’s busy. She started her internship at Spring Ridge. Besides, Trina is the person he really wanted to talk to. She asks, why? and he says, because he needed a friend, a real friend.

Josslyn says she thinks she and Esme use the word friend very differently, and Esme says she knows they’re more Spence’s friends than hers. She realizes they have some differences, but at the end of the day, like at Spence’s arraignment, they’re on the same page. Now he’s out on bail, and thanks to his good friend Cam, he has his first real job. Cameron stomps away, and Esme asks what she missed. Where’s Spence? Josslyn says her guess is as good as theirs. Esme says, he’s not here? and Cameron says, he actually walked out without saying goodbye. He had to cover for Spencer. Esme says, Spence quit, and didn’t even tell Cameron? She’s so sorry. Chalk it up to that dysfunctional family of his. Spence’s dad and Ava showed up, and expected Spence to wait on them. He hadn’t even figured out the ropes of how to do his job well yet, and he was embarrassed. He didn’t say anything, but she knows it really upset him. Josslyn says, no matter how hard Spencer tries, he just can’t escape the influence of the Cassadines.

Britt says she swears she didn’t mean to hit Obrecht, and Obrecht says, didn’t she? If Britt wanted her dead, she made her point. She laughs, and Britt says, stop. It’s not a time for mom jokes. Just lie still. Britt examines her, and says, thankfully, the arrow just pierced her side, and missed all her vital organs. Obrecht says, some people would say she has no heart to hit, but they’re wrong, because if she dies, she wants it to be in Britt’s arms. Britt says she’s not going to die. She didn’t come all this way to lose Obrecht. She turns Obrecht, so she can look at her back, and Obrecht asks how Britt found her. Did she come by herself? Britt says, first things first. The barbed tip came out the other side. Obrecht says Britt has to push it all the way through, and Britt says she knows that, but she doesn’t have anything to numb the pain. Obrecht says, after two weeks of being captive, seeing Britt’s beautiful face is all she needs to sustain her. Britt says she thinks Obrecht is delirious, and puts something in Obrecht’s mouth for her to bite down on. She says, ready? and pushes the arrow out. I can barely watch, and Obrecht passes out from the pain.

Peter says, Jason isn’t getting off this island alive; he knows that. Jason says, first sign of a guard, Peter is dead, and Peter says he must have something Jason wants, or he’d be dead already. Jason says, maybe he should reconsider, and Peter says, if Jason shoots him, every guard on this island will be there. Jason says, yeah? But Peter would be dead, and that will make a whole lot of people happy. Peter says he has something Jason wants. Kill him, and he’s not going to get it. Jason says he wants Obrecht, and she’d better be alive. Peter says, what the hell does Jason care whether Obrecht lives or… Britt sent him, didn’t she? Or did she come with him? Jason says he’ll find Obrecht himself, and Peter says, not if the guards find Jason first. Liesl could be anywhere. She threw acid on his hand and left just before Jason got there. A guard comes over the radio, saying, there’s no sign of her, and Jason picks up the radio. He tells Peter, order the guards to converge at the lighthouse on the north end of the island to await further instruction. Peter says, converge at the lighthouse on the north side of the island, and wait there for further instructions. The guard copies, and Jason says, get up; let’s go. Peter asks where Jason is taking him, and Jason says, not the lighthouse.

Britt bandages Obrecht, and Obrecht praises Britt for her professionalism, saying, Britt does her proud. Britt says, it’s temporary. She still needs to get Obrecht to a hospital. Obrecht says, perhaps she spoke too soon. The dressing is too tight. Didn’t they teach Britt that in medical school? Britt says, sorry. She must have missed how to treat a spear wound in an abandoned fishing shack class. This’ll have to do for now. Where is he? Obrecht says, he who? and Britt says, Obrecht doesn’t think she infiltrated Cassadine Island alone, does she? Jason Morgan came with her. He’s gone searching for her. Obrecht laughs, and says she knew it. Jason came to his senses, jilted Carly, and came running to Britt’s side. Congratulations on her victory.

Nikolas asks if Shawn remembers why Hayden first came to Port Charles. When Drew Cain was struggling with memory issues, Ric Lansing hired her to come to town and claim to be his wife. Shawn asks if that entitles Nikolas to have her killed, and Nikolas says, obviously, Shawn recorded his conversation with his son tonight. So what? There was no confession. There’s no proverbial smoking gun. The police haven’t been interested in this case for years. All his lawyers have to do, is remind the court that these claims are being brought by a former hitman for the mob. Shawn will be laughed out of court. He’s got nothing. Shawn says Nikolas is no innocent. Everyone knows he’s shady and can’t be trusted. Nikolas says, and somehow, Hayden is more trustworthy? Why does Shawn keep talking about her like she’s Mother Teresa? Hayden Barnes is a grifter. Shawn says, she may or may not be a saint, but she’s a human being who was shot, and she still deserves justice. Nikolas asks if Shawn thinks he’s on some noble mission. The truth is, Hayden already knows. Hayden has always known.

Trina says she hears the tone of Spencer’s voice, and he sounds sincere, but there are a lot of bells going off in her head, telling her to run, not walk, to the nearest exit. Spencer says he never meant to hurt Trina, and he’s really sorry for what he did to Ava, but he did it for his father because he truly believed Ava was bad for him, and wanted to free him from her influence. He knew the stalking was wrong, that it was a risk if he got caught, but he thought it was worth it. Now he realizes that his father’s not the man he thought he was. It’s almost like he never knew his father at all. Trina’s phone rings, and she says, it’s Joss, and ignores the call. He asks why she didn’t answer, and she says she sees how badly he’s hurting, and she wants to believe him, but part of her can’t help asking, is this another one of his lies?

Josslyn leaves a message for Trina, asking if she’s seen Spencer tonight. Just text her back. Esme says, if Trina had convinced Ava to drop the charges, they wouldn’t be in this mess. Cameron says, no. Her boyfriend got himself into this mess the day he decided to stalk his stepmother. Now he’s left shorthanded, and has to cover Spencer’s shift, when he has plenty of homework that needs doing. Spencer thinks of no one but himself. Esme says, wait. She understands that Spence let him down, but they have to understand that this is all new to him. He’s never had a job before, much less one waiting tables. He’s not used to those kinds of responsibilities. Spence is spoiled. He’s an only child, he’s never had a mother, and he’s facing criminal charges. Josslyn says, Spencer’s been charged with something he actually did, and Doc bailed him out. He’s not even on house arrest, so please. Esme says she knows, but he feels isolated and all alone. He needs to be around people who he cares about, who also care for him. So she was thinking, they could get him out of Port Charles, just for a day or so. Cameron says, like a road trip? and Esme says, what a great idea. The four of them on their own. What better way for them to bond.

Britt asks Obrecht if they can wait until they’re off this godforsaken island before they discuss her love life, which, for the record, is non-existent. Obrecht says, so she’s not back together with Jason? and Britt says they came there to rescue her; isn’t that enough? Obrecht says, no. Jason is willing to risk life and limb to help Britt rescue her, who he despises for past transgressions. That should indicate some interest on his part. Britt says, he didn’t jilt Carly; he married her. They would still be on their honeymoon if Sonny hadn’t come back. The marriage was invalid, so Jason was free to help her rescue Obrecht, which is nice, but he’s a nice guy. Obrecht says, he’s a lethal killer, and Britt says, who really wants Peter dead, so they’re collaborating; there’s nothing romantic. Obrecht asks if Britt is certain, and Britt asks if she missed the part where Jason was fully prepared to marry someone else. He chose Carly. He will always choose Carly. Obrecht says, but her husband is back, and Britt says, it doesn’t matter. She will always come first in Jason’s life, and Britt refuses to come second. Obrecht says, good for you, doctor. Demand the respect you are due, and stick to your guns no matter how tempted you may be to relent. Britt says, she’s not tempted, and Obrecht says, yet. But danger and gratitude are powerful aphrodisiacs, and if Jason succeeds in getting them off this wretched island, she may find herself wavering. The door starts to open.

Harmony says, she understands Alexis’s disappointment in her nephew, but in all fairness, Nikolas is the same person who defied Cyrus to make sure Alexis was safe in Pentenville. She knows firsthand what it’s like to go up against Cyrus Renault, and her nephew had to be very brave to do that. Alexis says, he’s a very complicated guy. With one hand, he takes what he wants, for himself, and with the other hand, he offers her something no one else can. Harmony asks, how so? and Alexis says, he’s friends with the governor, and can arrange to give her a full pardon. Harmony says, Alexis can go free? and Alexis tells her, all she has to do is say yes. Harmony says, Alexis makes it sound like it’s a problem. What’s stopping her?

Shawn says, Hayden told him she had her suspicions, but she didn’t say who, and Nikolas says, that was five years ago. Shawn is a little behind the times, so listen to him. Hayden knew, and Hayden being Hayden, used it to her advantage. He and Hayden came back to Port Charles together to claim the Cassadine estate from Valentin and return it to him. Shawn says, Hayden told him that she was working with Nikolas. He’d assumed it was because she didn’t know Nikolas had tried to kill her once. Nikolas says, Hayden stood to profit from his return. She was willing to let bygones be bygones in order to line her own pocket. So if Shawn thought he was doing right by Hayden, he’s sorry. She’s over it. Nikolas can’t help him, but if this is about Shawn moving forward and putting the past behind, he’s come to the right man.

Spencer guesses he deserves Trina’s suspicion, but he swears he’s not lying. She says, and she knows this is true because his nose isn’t growing? Spencer says she knows him, but she says, she thought she knew Victor, but he turned out to be a fake and a fraud. He used her. He used their friendship to do something cruel to someone who’s been nothing but kind to her. He says, Ava is not what she thinks. Someday Trina will learn the truth about her. She says, just like she learned the truth about him? She’s sorry, but if he thought he was going to find a shoulder to cry on, he came to the wrong place. She just doesn’t trust him… any more than she trust her feelings about him.

Esme tells Josslyn and Cameron, there are all kinds of cool cabins to rent on this website. They’re a little rustic, but have all the major conveniences. She shows Josslyn her phone, and says, here’s one that has a fireplace in every room, with a California king size bed. Perfect. She and Spence can stay in one cabin, and Josslyn and Cameron can stay in another. Cameron says, it sounds really nice, but he can’t really afford to take the time off of work. He goes in the back, and Esme asks if it’s something she said. Josslyn says, no. He has work obligations, and she’s going to the library. Esme says she’s not trying to be nosy, but how long have they been dating? They still haven’t had sex yet? Don’t worry. Things didn’t happen overnight for her and Spence either. For all his sophistication, Spence is really shy and inexperienced, but they figured it out. Josslyn and Cam will too. Josslyn says she doesn’t care what Esme and Spencer do or don’t do when they’re alone. Esme doesn’t know anything about her and Cam. Esme says Josslyn doesn’t have to be uptight around her. She would never judge her friends. Josslyn says, except they’re not friends, and Esme knows that.

Jason shoves Peter in ahead of him, saying, get inside, and Peter says, he’s the boss. Peter says, nice of you to join us, and we see Drew is there with a gun drawn, holding on to Britt’s arm. Peter tells Jason, say hello to your brother.

Alexis says, Harmony doesn’t know the details of what Nikolas wants in exchange for her release. It’s complicated. Harmony says, because he wants something in exchange? Isn’t that the way the world works? Alexis says she thought she was cynical, and Harmony says, no, not cynical, just realistic. Dealing with the likes of Shiloh and Cyrus, you just have to put aside the rose-colored glasses. She stopped holding out hope for goodness and virtue to triumph, because in her experience, they rarely do. She asks what Alexis is waiting for. She’s sober; she’s making it up to the people she hurt. There’s no reason not to take her nephew’s offer. Unless… Alexis says, unless what? and Harmony says, unless she’d rather stay here.

Nikolas says, Shawn didn’t go right to the cops with his theory, which tells Nikolas that his claim is weak. There’s no shame in that. Shawn took his best shot. Now it’s time to bargain. Put his cards on the table. There must be something he wants. Shawn says, all the time Nikolas stole from him; no amount of money can buy that. Nikolas understands how Shawn feels that way, and hopes he feels better now that he got that off his chest. Let’s get real. Nikolas can’t give him the time back, and Hayden’s over the situation. So instead of focusing on the time Shawn lost with TJ, focus on enjoying the time with him now. He’s open to negotiations. Name a figure that would enable him to leave the past in the past, and allow them to both move on.

Spencer says, then Trina hasn’t given up on him. He hasn’t made her hate him? She says she doesn’t hate him. She just can’t let herself believe in him, or anything he says. He says he knows he has to win back her trust. He didn’t come there tonight for her to hold his hand, and say, there, there. She puts her stuff in her bag, and says, really? Because it seemed like that’s what he wanted. He says he wanted someone to be honest with him. To talk to him the way nobody had talked to him until he met her. She may not trust him, but he trusts her. He came there tonight because he wanted to let her know that he’s over this sad, pathetic game with his father. To hell with him. Spencer will find his own way, he promises… She says, no. No more promises. Spencer is good with his words, but his words don’t match his actions. So she needs something else from him. She needs him to prove himself. Not by what he says, but by what he does.

Josslyn asks if Esme remembers what she said at the hospital, that Josslyn minding her business is free, but minding Esme’s will cost her? Right back at her. Don’t mind her business. Don’t comment on it. And don’t waste her time pretending to be Josslyn’s friend when they both know she isn’t. She just hopes Spencer wakes up in time to see the real Esme before it’s too late.

Peter says, will you look at this. Brothers reunited, but on opposite sides. He smells a miniseries. (Ha-ha-ha! If I didn’t hate Peter, I’d love him.) Jason says, let her go, and Peter tells Drew, if Jason kills him, kill Britt. Obrecht tells Drew, don’t listen to him. Think of his daughter; think of Scout. Britt tells Jason, kill Peter. Kill that son of a bitch, and they’ll figure the rest out later.

Alexis says, this place is a helluva lot better than Pentenville. She and Harmony both know that, but why the hell would anyone want to stay here if they didn’t have to? Harmony says, lots of reasons. Because Alexis is safe here. Because almost every decision is made for her. You know who you are in here. Alexis smiles, and says, she’s pretty good. Yeah. Alexis knows what to expect here. Every day when she wakes up, she knows what chores she’ll do, she knows drinking won’t be an option,. When she leaves here, it will be totally unknown, because she won’t have a job to go to, or a special someone to go home to. Plus, she’ll have a lot of free time on her hands. There will be a lot of alcohol everywhere; in every bar and every restaurant. Or she can just order it, and have it delivered at home, like she used to. Harmony says, it’s okay to be scared of life on the outside; it’s a whole lot of unknowns. It’s okay to worry she hasn’t actually hit her rock bottom. Alexis laughs and says, she used to pride herself on having her own mind, and making her own decisions, but now she’s terrified of her decisions. There are temptations she doesn’t have access to here, that she will when she’s out there. It’s easy to be strong when you don’t have the option to be weak. Harmony agrees, and asks what Alexis is going to do. Is she just going to stay here hiding? Life is full of prisons, and she’s not talking about this one, with locks on the door and a fence around the perimeter. She’s talking about the prisons we create for ourselves in our own minds. Trust her; she’s been there. So before Alexis turns down an offer to go free, ask herself something. Can I do more good in here, or out in the world?

Nikolas says, there’s no price tag on the years Shawn spent in prison. Like he said, it’s not about Shawn’s past; it’s about his future. His opening offer is $500,000. Shawn says, nah. He’s not like Nikolas. People aren’t a commodity to him. Nikolas says, without a confession, Shawn has nothing. Without Hayden, he has less than nothing. Shawn says, Nikolas will make sure of that, he knows. Nikolas says, Hayden’s gone. She chose to leave her old life behind. Now it’s Shawn’s turn. He needs a new life. That costs money, and Nikolas can make that happen.

Spencer asks Trina to help him out. Tell him what he can do to repair things. She says she can’t tell him what to do, but what she does know is, he has to stop looking at other people to define him. Isn’t that what he was doing with his dad? Isn’t it what he’s doing with… his girlfriend? He says he just wants Trina to respect him. He wants her to be proud to be his friend. He really values her opinion. She says, he wants to earn her respect? It’s not going to happen overnight. It starts by honoring his commitments. Go back to that job he hates. Stick with it, and start to do it well. Then maybe he can be someone his friends can count on. Maybe that starts by choosing better people to associate with. He says, what if he can’t escape it? What if no matter how hard he tries, he turns into his father? She says, that’s BS and he knows it. She doesn’t believe in fate or destiny. Those are just excuses for laziness or selfishness. If he doesn’t want to turn out like his father, then don’t. This is on him; just him. She gestures toward the door, and he leaves.

Esme says she wishes things didn’t have to be like this with her and Josslyn, but it is what it is. Sorry she tried to have an adult conversation with her. She won’t make that mistake again. She leaves, and Cameron comes back out. He says, kitchen crisis handled. He realizes something is up, and asks what he missed. Josslyn says, no one important.

Britt says, kill him, Jason. Kill him. Peter says, he has that Navy SEAL training; take no prisoners. Britt says, don’t worry about her, but her mother needs medical attention. Do what he has to do. Obrecht says she’s not going anywhere without her Britta. Shoot that schwein and be done with it. Peter says, there’s only two ways to save Britt. Lower your gun, or kill your brother.

Cameron asks where Esme went, and Josslyn says, she left, and she took her friendship with her. Cameron says Esme really gets on her nerves, huh? All that talk about spending the weekend together. She asks if they can talk about anything else, and kisses him. Spencer runs in, and says he’s really sorry about taking off before; something came up. It was a family emergency. He’s so sorry. Cameron says, so that justifies Spencer walking off the job? Josslyn says, she’ll leave them to it, but Cameron tells her, stick around. This won’t take long. She says she has things to do, and jets. Spencer says he really is sorry, but Cameron says he doesn’t care about Spencer’s apology. He went out on a limb for Spencer, by hiring him, by giving him a chance, and how does Spencer repay him? He walks out without even saying a word. That’s it. He blew it. He’s fired.

Trina’s phone rings, and Trina asks Josslyn, what’s up? Josslyn asks what Trina is doing tonight, and Trina says she’s supposed to be working on a project, but she had an unexpected visitor. Josslyn says, let her guess. It was Spencer. Trina says, yep, and Josslyn asks if she’s okay. Trina says, she’ll live. Josslyn? Josslyn says she just had a run-in with Esme. She’s a piece of work. Trina says, sounds like they both need to talk. Meet her at Kelly’s? Josslyn says, no. Cam’s not done working. She’ll come to Trina. Josslyn leaves, and Esme comes back through the gate, and looks in Kelly’s window.

Spencer says, Cameron wants to fire him? Let him make it clear, he didn’t quit. He had a family emergency, with his father. Cameron asks if his father was hurt, and Spencer says, no; it wasn’t that kind of emergency. Spencer had something really important to ask him. His answer told Spencer everything, and he’s done with him. He came back here because he really needs this stupid job. He’s not saying he likes it; he needs it. And he thinks he could have been really good at this job, but he guesses now they’ll never know. He starts to leave, but Cameron says, wait. He takes off his apron, and shoves it at Spencer, saying, take it. Now get back to work.

Nikolas tells Shawn, this offer is good for a limited time. He’ll never get a better one. Not from the PCPD, or the DA’s office, and definitely not from Hayden. So what does he say? Can he leave the past behind to invest in his future?

Harmony gets why this is difficult for Alexis. Once you leave these locked doors, there are a whole bunch of unknowns out there, as well as all the people who have disappointed you. Alexis says, not to mention all the times and ways she’s disappointed herself. Harmony asks if Alexis has any idea what she’s going to do, and Alexis says she knows what she’s not going to do. She’s not going against her conscience to gain her freedom. She doesn’t want any part of her nephew and his dirty offer.

Peter says, come on, Jason. You’re an excellent shot. You could take out Drew right now, and leave Britt unharmed. Just like Jason shot his father when he took Carly hostage. Jason’s only other alternative is to kill him, and hope Drew doesn’t hurt Britt. Britt says, she’s okay with that. She’ll take her chances. Just kill this bastard. Obrecht tries to sit up, and says, no, Britta. Peter says, Drew will kill her. It’s his mission. If Jason doesn’t believe him, ask Obrecht. Obrecht says, Peter’s right. Drew’s conditioning is active. Nothing will stop Drew from completing whatever mission he’s given. Peter says, it boils down to one simple question. Does Jason want his brother’s blood on his hands? Jason and Drew briefly lock eyes, and Jason lowers his gun, putting it on the floor. Peter laughs, because soap villains have to, and tells Drew, take him. Drew tosses Britt toward Peter, and pushes Jason to a kneeling position. Britt makes a move for the gun, but Peter is faster. Peter says he just saved Britt’s life. If she’d tried to shoot him, Drew would have killed her and Jason for trying to save her. Look at it this way. They all get to live a little longer. For now. Britt looks at Jason, who looks worried.

Tomorrow, Curtis is just getting started, Portia thinks someone is in trouble, Maxie tells Brook that the danger is closer to home, and Sonny says Cyrus got off easy.

Vanderpump Rules

Randall planned a poker night for the guys, and Lala told him about her conversation with Brock at the Belmont. She said Brock’s baby mama had slapped him with a restraining order. Katie told Schwartz all about it, and he futilely suggested it was Scheana and Brock’s business, and they stay out of it. James told Raquel that Brock had literally flipped, and mimicked him. We flashed back to Brock getting teary about his family. That’s rich coming from James, considering he’s a HUGE crybaby. In Raquel’s interview, she said, clearly life isn’t what Scheana portrays it to be in her vlog.

Scheana and Brock filmed Brock making both a standard apple pie, as well as one with crumble on top, which is the only kind of pie I like. And chocolate pie with a graham cracker crust. But I digress. In Scheana’s interview, she said her track record didn’t help, but the comments about Brock were frustrating because she knew he was the real deal. She was using YouTube and Blog as vehicles to show a deeper insight into their relationship. The true authentic version of herself, unedited… except by her. Brock made baking a pie look simple, which I have my doubts about. Lala told LVP that she was concerned about the domestic violence charge. She said she would hope were she in the same position, someone would ask her if she was being smart. Scheana was concerned about Lisa thinking less of their relationship, and said Brock had some explaining to do because Lisa was concerned now. Brock said he’d gladly talk to Lisa because he had nothing to hide.

Schwartz and Sandoval met with their new business partner Greg, and in Sandoval’s interview, he said they’d known Greg back when he owned the Belmont. They would get a level of creative control they weren’t going to get with Lisa. Colors, light, drama, seclusion, but also … a community interactive event. Schwartz told Greg that they’d settled on a name, but I thought it was more like Schwartz settled for something he hadn’t wanted. Greg pointed out that Schwartz couldn’t even say it, and wondered if it would say, a different kind of deli. People were going to show up thinking they could get a pastrami on rye. In Schwartz’s interview, he said that he wasn’t falling in love with the name, but he was falling out of hate. Greg said they had to convince him that they knew what they wanted, and suggested their mission statement be their number one priority. They needed to convince him that he should want to partner with them.

Raquel wasn’t happy with a nose job she’d gotten, pointing out a slight crookedness that you wouldn’t notice if she hadn’t said something. Her doctor had given her exercises to do 14 times a day. That’s insane. I had to do physical therapy with one of my dogs three times a day once, and I thought it was a lot. James told her that he’d spoken to Max, and it was all good. We saw a clip of Max telling Lisa that he felt James’s apology was sincere, and Max wanted to move on with him. Raquel said James’s anger issue still wasn’t resolved, and James admitted that his temper was out of control sometimes. It ruined his own mood and day, and that of those around him. She asked if he was open to AA, but he said he wasn’t 100% sober because he smoked weed. He was a creative person with a job in nightlife. In James’s interview, he said weed was legal in California, and he was a very high energy guy. It put him back down to neutral. He was stoned right now. Raquel suggested mediation or boxing to channel his energy, and James said he had been working out more.

In Sandoval’s interview, he said he and Schwartz had been through a lot. They’d spent money together and saved money together. We flashed back to some of that, and he said it was a match made in heaven. They met with Lisa and Ken, and Lisa said since they had a new partner, she felt protective, and thought Ken should weigh in, in case they had questions. Ken said he was worried about them mortgaging their houses. In Lisa’s interview, she said Ken had a lot of experience with leases, and complicated scenarios regarding a new business. She felt the Toms could benefit from his expertise. Ken asked how long their lease was, and Sandoval wasn’t sure. Lisa asked what happened with their homes if the business went into liquidation, and in Tom’s interview, he said he knew she was concerned about them getting in over their heads, but getting in over your head pushed you to the next level. Lisa said they only wanted to help, but could never get a straight answer about anything. We found out that Schwartz has Horton’s toe, where the second toe is longer than the big toe. The more you know…

Server Jesse cut Tom’s hair, and in Ariana’s interview, she said Tom got his hair cut more often than she washes her hair. He said he felt fresh. Ariana said it should be an interesting night; she hadn’t hung out with Lala since Palm Springs. In her interview, Ariana said, their last conversation hadn’t been the most productive. We flashed back to that, and Tom said Lala had been secretive about her relationship with Randall in the beginning, and Ariana said they’d lied for her, but that was back then. The situation was different now. James and Raquel met with boxing trainer Robbie in the park, and in James’s interview, he said he was willing to do anything it took to channel his angry energy into something else. He was surprised at what a good boxer Raquel was, saying she had little baby wrists. He didn’t know how she was hitting so hard. He said, boxing hadn’t really excited him. If anything it made him more angry. They sat down on a blanket afterward, and Raquel said it felt good to punch something. James said he’d do anything to help him respond to situations differently, and Raquel was concerned about his habit of saying things that hurt people. She was afraid that when they had kids, James would say something to hurt their self-confidence. Raquel said Lisa was taking her to her own doctor for her nose, and she was going to have to tell him that James bumped her. In Raquel’s interview, she said, after her nose job, James had gone in for a kiss so hard, he hit her nose. We saw a clip from two months earlier, with James being concerned that people would assume something. He told Raquel not to mess up her nose. He was afraid of hating the way she looked. Not too superficial, although we are talking about a nose job.  

Schwartz and Katie went to Villa Rosa to have pedicures. Puffy! Lisa said her life was coming back, and Schwartz said he wanted to feed her grapes. In Lisa’s interview, she said, TomTom had been closed forever. They were finally reopening, and changing the cocktail menu. They’d lost some staff, and it was about paring down, and making it simpler. In Schwartz’s interview, he said he’d been turned down for the home equity loan. He got confused when it came to profession. He didn’t think mactor – model + actor – was what they were looking for. Why he wouldn’t have put restaurant owner, I have no clue. Lisa told him that if he needed to be bought out of TomTom, she would do it, and in her interview, she said she was nervous for them. They were putting their house up for security, and wanted to have a baby. Schwartz politely declined Lisa’s offer, and said there was no chance of him giving up his stake in TomTom. Lisa said the offer was there if he needed it.    

In Lala’s interview, she said she hated hosting because she wasn’t good at it. She couldn’t tell the guests to bring their own White Claw and they’ll pop open a bag of Doritos. She told Ariana that she’d gone shopping, and Isabel laid it out for her. On her kitchen island, bowls were lined up with Post-It notes in them. Lala asked if she and Ariana were moving on, and in Ariana’s interview, she said the seed of their friendship had been planted. It was TBD if it grew into a flower or died. Randall had his poker night, and Jesse Metcalfe joined them. In Sandoval’s interview, he said Jesse probably didn’t remember, but they met over ten years ago. He and Kristen gave him a ride home from a Coachella after-party. Randall said he’d lost $17K the last time he played poker with the Toms. All the girls arrived at Lala’s place, and in Charli’s interview, she said she brought her own food, since Lala wasn’t empathetic to her issues. Better safe than starving. The poker game was No Limit Hold ‘Em, and in his interview, Sandoval said, the rules are pretty simple… Um… Maybe he was stoned too. Randall ended up on the losing end again, although only to the tune of $5000 this time. He said he wasn’t going to have another boys night for a long time.

Lala talked to Katie and Raquel about Brock, and in Raquel’s interview, she said Brock had already been put on trial. Why were they putting him on trial again? Katie said she didn’t believe in painting red flags with glitter. Omg, you’d think this guy was a  serial killer when they only have a couple of facts really. Raquel told Scheana about the conversation, and Scheana said it wasn’t fair to question her judgment, and thought Lala’s concern was bullsh*t. In Scheana’s interview, she said she didn’t know what this obsession with Brock was all about. Lala had said she would stop, and it was really annoying her now. Lala, Ariana, Katie, and Raquel got in the hot tub, while Charli and Scheana sat on the side. Scheana said Brook only gave Lala a highlight from what happened, and she took it as he was beating his wife. She wished Lala would trust her judgement. She wouldn’t have a baby with someone she thought was a terrible person. What was even more frustrating was, why wasn’t Lala concerned the first year Scheana and Brock were together? Lala said she didn’t know he hadn’t seen his kids in four years. How is he not a bad guy when he got slammed with a domestic violence order? These were Brock’s issues, and Scheana, her baby, and his other children were victims. I have to say, I think Lala’s concern is genuine, but she’s blowing this way out of proportion.

Everyone went to Lisa’s house for a cocktail tasting presented by the Toms. Lisa came into the kitchen, and saw a mess of bottles and garnishes and glasses and bowls on her kitchen island. She said she could make a four-course meal with less mess than the Toms were making, creating two cocktails. It was Brock’s first time at Villa Rosa, and he told Scheana that it was pretty impressive. This lady has swans. Lisa toasted to the opening of TomTom. Brock asked if he could talk privately with Lisa, and wanted everyone to know he was an open book. He had a history, but had learned from his mistakes. In Lala’s interview, she said, that’s what grossed her out the most. He displays something horrific, and puts a bow on it. Some people only see the bow, but she doesn’t see it. It just seems like she’s being unfair, not giving this guy any credit whatsoever, when we haven’t seen him act crazy or anything. Schwartz brings out watermelon margaritas, with a full-size slice of watermelon as a garnish, and a branch from a maple tree large sprig of mint or basil or something. Brock told Lisa that he’d done some things he wasn’t proud of, but the person he was today isn’t the person he was ten years ago. He’d tried to have a conversation with Lala, and tried to explain that it was more complicated than him kicking in the front door to see his kids. It was a toxic situation with his partner, and he’d slapped her, which he wasn’t proud of. In his interview, he said he was 19, and they’d were having an argument, and he slapped her. It wasn’t what prompted the restraining order though. They moved to France, and their boy was born. They separated, and his ex found out she was pregnant. She had a girl, and there was an argument with her dad, which is when the domestic order happened. He’d needed to appeal it to get it lifted. Lisa asked why he hadn’t made an effort to see his children since then, and he said in the time he’d been in America, his ex had married, and they had a daughter together. She and his children had a new life. In Lisa’s interview, she said she wanted it to be okay because Scheana wanted it to be okay, but it was terribly worrying. He told Lisa that Scheana made him a better person brings, and brought the best out of him, and he got weepy. When Lisa came back, she asked Sandoval for the strongest drink he had. Seeing the mess even messier, she said God forbid he ever had a dinner party. Sandoval introduced a whiskey cocktail he claimed smoke rose from, but Katie didn’t see it, and neither did I.

Lisa announced that the margaritas were definitely on the menu, and Tom asked if they’re doing the whiskey… Before he could finish, she said, no, which was pretty funny. She wondered why Lala was so quiet, and Lala said she felt awkward. Lisa said that wasn’t like her, and Lala said she’d had a girls night, and went to Scheana as a friend with concerns. Scheana twisted it again, when she’d thought they were friends. She thought she knew Scheana well enough to ask if she was being smart. In Scheana’s interview, she said she didn’t know why Lala wouldn’t let her live her life in peace. Forgive her for questioning Lala’s motives, but they hadn’t had a solid friendship. Sandoval interrupted Lala, and Lisa asked him to let her talk. Sandoval had the nerve to tell Lisa, give me an effing second, and she told him not to talk to her like that, and apologize. Which he did. In his interview, Sandoval said Lala was always the aggressor, but then played the victim. She had no business talking about Brock. Scheana said she wanted to hear what Sandoval had to say, and Tom said, what if he brought up sh*t Randall had done ten years ago when he and Lala started dating? Lala said this was not going to happen, because God forbid her own life should be examined. Lala said she wished Scheana the best, but they didn’t mesh well as friends and she was exhausted by it.  

Lala headed for the door, and got all emotional with Lisa. She said she was worried for Scheana because she had the baby. She’d voiced her concern, and it backfired, making her the villain. How was this happening? My guess was because she wouldn’t STFU about Brock for five minutes. She left, and Scheana said, well, that was fun.

Next time, Lala talks to Ariana about Tom’s pattern of attacking women verbally, and Tom tells Lala that she has a double-standard.

🛥 Where No Deck Has Gone Before…

Showing Kate in the picture is just cruel.

https://www.distractify.com/p/below-deck-season-9-location

🎃 Halloween Eye Candy…

What the celebs wore. I’m sure I’ll be posting more. It’s the best part of Halloween

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20211101_c5d604e889704cacb51faa7d9638afbf/

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/celebrity-halloween-costumes-2021-photos-of-stars-dressing-up/

Some oddball choices.

https://www.gq.com/story/celebrity-halloween-2021

Quick change artist.

https://ew.com/tv/mindy-kaling-dresses-as-legally-blonde-veep-insecure-characters-for-halloween/

Día de los Muertos

🍂 Making Like a Tree…

See you tomorrow for some soap, and what I hope think is the final chapter of the RHOBH Reunion. See Erika get mad. See Erika shed tears. See Erika make vague threats. Until then, stay safe, stay setting your personal bar higher, and stay proving yourself not by what you say, but by what you do.

Oct27

October 26, 2021 – Sonny Has a Problem With Michael, Lala Spills Brock’s Tea, Salt Lake Latest, Not a Good Look & Riders

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Violet has her eyes covered, and asks if she can look now. Aiden tells her, go for it, and she opens her mouth in surprise. Aiden asks what she thinks, when Finn walks in with a grocery bag, baguettes sticking out of it. Violet says, look what Aunt Elizabeth brought them. Hot house presents. Elizabeth says, otherwise known as housewarming gifts, and Violet goes to the couch, saying, aren’t they pretty? Finn says, they are. He didn’t even know they needed decorative pillows. Elizabeth says, they’re not decorative pillows; they’re floor pillows. They can toss them on the floor when they’re watching movies. Violet says, and eat popcorn, and she thanks Elizabeth. Finn thanks her too, and says, what would he do without her?

Spencer and Esme walk into Kelly’s, and Esme tells him to cheer up. At least his step-grandfather paid his bail. He says, why does everything have to come with a condition? and she says, is what Doc is asking really that bad? He’s no longer in jail. He’s free to have a cup of coffee and the pastry of his choice. He asks how he’s free when Doc is making him get a job? Oh horrors.

Austin opens his office door to Ned, and says he thought he’d seen the last of the Quartermaines when he signed away his father’s claim to ELQ. Ned says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he thinks Austin made the right choice. He’s much better off practicing medicine than getting embroiled in corporate infighting. Austin says he’s not practicing medicine, because the ethics committee has yet to review Brook’s retraction. He doesn’t know what Ned is doing there, but he’s not going back to Pawtuck once the suspension is lifted. Ned says, actually, he came there for a more important reason.

Brook runs into the MetroCourt, and tells Chase, sorry she’s late. She had a meeting at Deception. He says, no biggie. He’s surprised she wanted to get a drink. She says, they’re celebrating Austin dropping his claim on ELQ, and he asks, what made Austin change his mind?

Gladys puts on the recording from her phone to type the Deception meeting notes. She hears Brook say she dreads the day Valentin finds out Bailey isn’t his daughter, and laughs. She picks up the phone, and kisses it.

On the phone with Brando, walking into the Port Charles Grill, Sasha says, the meeting was not without drama. She had to have a chat with Gladys about Brook. Gladys doesn’t think Brook is as maternal as she should be. She can only imagine what’s in store for them when their baby is born. Since the meeting is over, does he feel like meeting for dinner?… All right. She’ll see him later. She goes inside the restaurant, and Willow comes in behind her. Sasha asks if she’s meeting Michael, but Willow says, no. She’s taking a break. Sasha says, from the Quartermaines, the Corinthoses, or both? and Willow says, actually, from Michael.

On the phone with Sheridan, Michael says, Miss Reeves waived extradition, and she’s on her way to Pennsylvania. She’ll be all his soon. He’s arranged for the money to be transferred to Sheridan’s campaign fund. Good luck on his run for State Attorney General. Carly and Sonny walk in, and Michael says, he thinks prosecuting Nina Reeves is the high profile case Sheridan needs to bump him up in the polls. I’m going to say it again, how wise is this whole thing, when Sonny is head of a mob family? Is no one going to notice? Sonny asks if everything is okay, and Michael says, it couldn’t be better. Carly says, it’s big news, Nina being arrested, and Michael says, someone had to.

Sonny asks if that was about Wiley, and Michael says, if Nina’s contact with Wiley is limited because of her legal status, that’s a collateral benefit. But he brought the case to DA Sheridan’s attention because Nina’s actions were criminal, and she deserves to face legal consequences. Carly says she couldn’t agree more, and Michael says, he just hopes DA Sheridan can get justice for Avery and Donna. Two little girls who thought their father was dead are so confused, they think their Grandpa Mike is going to come back to them the same way Sonny did. Justice for Dante, Kristina and Josslyn, and for Carly, for Jason and anybody who mourned Sonny. For everyone’s lives who were upended because Nina took Sonny from them. Sonny says, Nina is obviously a very troubled woman, and she’s sorry for her actions, but Michael says, it’s an act, trust him. Right after Sonny returned, she pulled a stunt that reminded him so much of Nelle, his blood ran cold. (Exaggerate much, Michael?) He says he gave Nina chance after chance, and she betrayed his trust, so yes. He brought Nina’s actions in Nixon Falls to the attention of somebody who’s in a position to do something about it.

Willow and Sasha sit down, and Sasha asks, what’s going on with Willow and Michael? She thought they were solid. Willow says, so did she, but Sasha doesn’t need to be burdened with her problems. She has a job and a baby to deal with, besides, she shouldn’t talk about Michael behind his back. Sasha says she completely understands. She’ll just ask one more question, then Willow can tell her to shut up. Does this thing between her and Michael have anything to do with Nina’s arrest? Willow says, she heard? and Sasha says, the Port Charles Press sent out a notification. She can’t say it comes as a surprise, considering how much grief Nina caused Sonny’s family. Willow says, it’s less the arrest that troubles her, than the fact Michael was behind it, and Sasha says, that does not sound like Michael. Willow says she knows, and Sasha asks if Willow agrees with Michael’s decision. Willow says she doesn’t know. She gets why Michael did it, but he completely blindsided her.

Brook tells Chase, Austin’s circumstances changed. He realized he was better off dropping the lawsuit against her family. He asks, how exactly did his circumstances change? and she says, remember how he told her to engage Austin in conversation? Hear him out about the Leo thing? He says, of course (🍷). Was she actually listening to him? She says, shocking, she knows, but Austin ended up blabbing his diagnosis about Leo. He says, being on the autism spectrum, and she says, yep, which is none of her business, right? Austin violated HIPPA laws, and now his medical license is suspended. Chase says, and that somehow led him dropping his claim to ELQ how exactly?

Ned asks if they can sit, and Austin asks if it’s going to take that long. Ned says, that depends. He’s there to talk to Austin about Leo. Austin says, right. Leo. That sweet boy that everybody pretends to care about, but he’s really just a pawn in Ned’s family’s game. Ned says, Leo is not a pawn to him, and Austin says, he is to Ned’s daughter. Ned says, he knows Brook coerced Austin into admitting Leo might be on the autism spectrum, and Austin says, he almost lost his medical license because of her. Ned says he knows and he’s sorry. Brook can be single-minded when it comes to fighting for something she wants. Austin says he learned that the hard way, and Ned says, and his wife can be single-minded when it comes to her son, as Austin noticed. So he wants to ask Austin, as a doctor, can he give any suggestions to get her to see how they see Leo? How he can get her to move beyond her denial, so they can help Leo?

Esme asks Spencer, what’s the matter? and he says, things don’t taste as good when you have to worry about how to pay for them. She says, getting a job can’t really be that bad. He can do anything he puts his mind to. Remember when they sneaked out of school to attend Fashion Week in Paris? He says, it was her idea not his, and she says, he met all those designers, chatted them up, and the designers gave them a backstage tour. He says, the Cassadine name impresses, and she says, with that name and his contacts, he could pitch Crimson on covering menswear. He says, it’s a women’s magazine, and she says, idea number two. He speaks fluid French, and a couple of other languages; he could be a maître d’ at the MetroCourt. The international clientele would be very impressed. He says, Carly won’t. She wouldn’t even let Britt put them up in her hotel room, remember? She says, okay, idea number three. Give riding lessons to the offspring of the rich and famous, like Charlotte Cassadine. He says, Valentin loathes him already. He’ll be thrilled to entrust his daughter to someone awaiting trial for stalking. She says, okay, fine. She gives up. What sort of job does he think he can get?

Violet runs in, and asks Elizabeth, what’s in the box in the kitchen? Elizabeth suggests they unpack it and find out, and Violet runs back to the kitchen with Aiden. Finn asks if he dares ask, and she says, it’s just kitchen utensils. You know, for cooking at home. He says, people cook in their homes? and she says he’d be surprised. Aiden is upgrading his cooking stuff all the time, so she just brought him the duplicates. Finn thanks her, and Violet comes back in, saying, look what she found in the box. Finn asks what it is, and Aiden says, it’s a cherry pitter, for taking the pits out of cherries. Elizabeth says, if they want to make a fresh cherry pie, and Violet says she does. Aiden says, trust him. Fresh cherries are way better than canned, and Violet asks when they can make one. Finn says, as soon as Aiden gives them his recipe… and helps them make it. Violet says, let’s go see what’s in the rest of the box, and Aiden says, before they do that, he has a surprise for her. She says, another surprise?

Aiden says he and his brothers went through a bunch of photos of their family. He thought Violet would like them to remind her how crazy her cousins are about her. They look through the photos, and Finn thanks Elizabeth for the cherry picker. She says, it’s a pitter, and she brought him some pots and pans. He says they’re going to need those. He went to this place called… the supermarket, and bought actual groceries. Why don’t she and Aiden stay for dinner? Chase is coming over, and she can invite Jake and Cameron. She says, Jake has a class and Cameron is working tonight, and he suggests just the four of them then. It can be a camping trip reunion without the plunge into the icy stream. She says, or Scotty, falling from the sky, and he says he thinks they’re safe there. She says she accepts, and Violet asks if it’s Aiden in a picture. He says that’s his mom when she was little. Violet asks who the man is next to her, and Aiden says he’s not sure. Elizabeth looks over their shoulders at the picture, and looks worried.

Gladys says, online shopping is so convenient. Should she get the brown boots, or the black… or the red? Those are gorgeous. She’ll get the black and the red, and bill the charges to Brook at Deception.

Brook says, if Chase must know, she gave Austin a choice. He could either drop the lawsuit against her family, or kiss his medical career goodbye. He says, so her righteous indignation about Austin revealing confidential medical information wasn’t so righteous at all. He lifts his glass and says, nice one. She says, of course (🍷) it was. Two things can be true at once. She can care about Leo, and use Austin’s arrogant violation of HIPPA rules to her advantage. He says, he just remembers her bringing up medical privacy law, and he told her to go and talk to Austin anyway. Is that where she got the idea to maneuver Austin into betraying medical confidentiality?

Austin says, Ned wants his help with Leo, and Ned says he’s sorry for laying this on Austin, especially after Brook boxed him into a corner. Austin says, she certainly did; he had to choose between his medical career and his father’s birthright. Ned says he wouldn’t be there if he didn’t feel boxed in himself. He can’t turn to Monica, because she’ll go directly to Olivia, and he has to do whatever needs to be done to get Leo the help he needs. Austin says he can’t confirm to Ned whether Leo has autism or not; that’s for the specialist to decide. Ned says, Olivia refuses to take him to see one, and Austin says, she’s not the first mother to react that way. Ned asks how he gets through to her, and Austin says he doesn’t know what Ned is doing there. He doesn’t need the opinion of another medical expert. He needs a marriage counselor.

Willow tells Sasha, she walked in on Michael meeting with the DA of Lantano County, Pennsylvania. He wants to run for State Attorney General, and Michael donated money to his campaign. Sasha says, and in return, the DA agreed to prosecute Nina, and Willow says, but Michael promised her that he wouldn’t make any decisions about Nina in regard to Wiley until they’d talked it over first. When she pointed that out, he claimed that having Nina arrested was a legal matter, and didn’t involve Wiley. Sasha says, it seems like Michael is splitting hairs, and Willow says, doesn’t it? If Nina is convicted for lying about Sonny, she goes to prison, which is a perfect way to keep her from Wiley.

Michael says he’s aware Sonny already knows this, but Nina was able to get in one last visit with Wiley by just showing up at the house, and acting like nothing had happened. Sonny says, there’s no question that Nina took advantage of Michael, and the family, and Michael says, unfortunately, Nina has legal rights as Wiley’s biological grandparent, and Carly says, keeping Wiley protected is the most important thing here. Michael says, and keeping Wiley protected doesn’t have to mean letting Nina off the hook. Nina’s lies kept Sonny away from his family and his life for months; that has to be illegal. DA Sheridan thinks he can make a case for identity fraud. Carly agrees, saying, she had it out with Nina big time, and Michael says she had one angry confrontation, when she had every right to take it a step further. She should have gone to the authorities and had Nina prosecuted. Honestly, he’s surprised he got there before they did.

Esme tells Spencer, forget the last eight ideas. The truth is, getting a job is really about who you know. He says, and who still likes you. She says there has to someone in Port Charles willing to cut him a break, and he says, Britt Westbourne. She’s Co-Chief of Staff at General Hospital. Maybe she can hire him as her assistant. Esme says, there you go. Give her a call. He says, no offense, but that’s probably something best done in private, and she says, go for it. He steps outside, and Cameron comes out. Esme says, hey, and thanks him for not turning his back on Spence, when he offered to speak to his grandfather about defending him. Cameron says he’s sorry Scotty laughed at her, and she says, Spence has quite the reputation in Port Charles. He says, kind of deserved, doesn’t she think?

Ned tells Austin, all he’s asking for is some doctor’s advice on how to talk to Olivia. He thought Austin cared about Leo. Austin says he does care about Leo, but Olivia wasn’t listening to him, and Brook was threatening his medical license. Ned doesn’t get to come there with his hat in his hand, when Ned didn’t lift a finger to help him. Austin opens the door, and Ned says he didn’t encourage Brook, or conspire with her to get Austin to sign away his claim, but he won’t deny that businesswise, it works out in his favor. Austin asks if he’s supposed to applaud Ned for just being honest, and Ned says he doesn’t blame Austin for being angry, but the truth is they’re both on the same side. They both want what’s best for Leo. Can’t they make peace for Leo’s sake?

Brook tells Chase, Austin is a doctor. He knows perfectly well he’s not supposed to share patient information, unless he gets permission from said patient. If he’s too arrogant to keep his theory to himself, then he assumes the risk, and has to face the consequences. Chase says, the point is, she manipulated Austin into saying something he shouldn’t, right after she brought up HIPPA restrictions to him. She asks why he even cares. It’s not like he’s a fan of Austin’s. He says, because Austin is a doctor, and he was worried about a patient, and she took advantage. She says, that was harsh. Will it make him feel any better if she said she did it for her dad? He says, Ned can take care of himself; he doesn’t need her help. He knows she’s feeling guilty about Valentin getting her shares of ELQ, but he thinks her dad’s forgiven her. When is she going to forgive herself? She says, it’s not like she hasn’t heard that one before, but it’s all good now. She’s retracting her claim that Austin violated HIPPA, and he can go back to practicing medicine again. He says, she gave Austin a choice; his medical license or his claim to ELQ. He chose his medical license. Doesn’t that tell her that his heart’s in the right place where Leo is concerned? She says she thinks it shows he was backed into a corner, and he chose the sure thing. He picked his medical career instead of waiting around to see if the court sided with him on his claim. Chase says, she’s not going to give this guy any credit, and she says, oh please. Austin Gatlin-Holt is far from a poor powerless country doctor. He basically declared war on her.

Violet asks if it’s Elizabeth’s daddy in the picture, and Elizabeth says, it is. Aiden says he’s sorry. The picture must have gotten mixed up with the other ones. Violet asks if he isn’t her mommy’s daddy too. She told him that his name is Grandpa Jeff. Elizabeth says, her mommy was right, and Violet says she knows Grandpa Gregory; how come she doesn’t know Grandpa Jeff? Aiden says he and his brothers don’t spend any time with Grandpa Jeff either. He lives really far away. Violet asks Finn if they can go see him, but Elizabeth says, he’s a really busy man. Violet says, too busy to meet her? Why can’t she meet her grandpa?

Carly says Michael is right; she should have done something. She’s stayed up nights, thinking of ways to get back at Nina. He says, she didn’t come up with anything? and she says, she came up with a million things, and then she reconsidered. Michael asks, why? and Sonny says, because he asked her to.

Sasha says, sure sounds like Michael went full-on Quartermaine, and Willow says, and Corinthos. Sasha says, obviously, what Nina did to his family hit him hard, and Willow says she understands that. What she doesn’t understand is why Michael shut her out. They had what she thought was a good talk about the situation. They agreed Nina was in the wrong, but for Wiley’s sake, the best thing they could do is not trouble trouble. Nina hasn’t tried to see Wiley since the truth came out, so why provoke her? Michael agreed, and even thanked her for her insight. Then he turned around and got DA Sheridan to have Nina arrested, without even asking to hear her thoughts on the matter.  

Michael asks, why? and Sonny says he thought it was enough that Nina understood to stay away from him and his family. Michael says, and Wiley? and Sonny tells him, Nina knows it’s Michael’s decision, and he’s with Michael whatever decision he makes. Michael asks if Sonny has a problem with him reaching out to DA Sheridan, and Sonny says, actually, he does.

Sasha says, Michael loves Willow. She knows how much he was hurting when Willow married Chase. Willow says she doesn’t doubt Michael’s love, but for the first time, she feels like he hid something from her. He went behind her back. He led her to believe one thing, while he was doing something else. Sasha says, maybe he can’t fight his upbringing. He is, after all, a Quartermaine and a Corinthos. Willow says, and they’ve seen how his two families deal with people who get in the way. Sasha says, in Michael’s mind, he was only doing what he was taught to do; deal with the problems by any means necessary. Willow says, it’s not what Michael did; it’s that he left her out. He never shared what was on his mind with her. He treated Nina like a problem he could handle. Sasha says she doesn’t blame Willow for feeling hurt, but she guesses Michael didn’t intend to exclude her. In fact, he probably thought going after Nina legally, rather than in family court, was honoring Willow’s wishes. Willow says, that’s what he said, but that’s not how she sees it. Sasha tells her, then say that to him. Tell him how she feels. It’s the best way to work this out.

Carly tells Michael, she agrees with him about Nina, but his dad convinced her that his homecoming shouldn’t be about anger and resentment. Sonny’s back, and they missed him, but they all get to be together, and that’s what’s important. Sonny says, he was downplaying any payback with Nina, because he didn’t want to make this a bigger deal than it is. He wants to forget about it (fuhgeddaboudit pops into my head). Michael says, he can do that right now. DA Sheridan is moving forward with the case against Nina. If she’s convicted, none of them have to worry about bumping into her in Port Charles, especially Wiley. Am I wrong? Wouldn’t Sonny have to be a part of this trial?

Ned says, isn’t Leo’s welfare the most important consideration? but Austin says, Brook didn’t think so. Brook has no soul. She’s like the rest of you Quartermaines, with the possible exception of Monica. Although Monica married into the family, so, thank goodness for Monica, she doesn’t have to share their DNA. Ned says, Brook has a soul, and she also cares deeply for her family. Last year, she made a huge error in judgement, and she’s determined to do everything she can to make up for it. To make it up to him and the rest of the family. Austin says, that doesn’t make what she did to him any less ugly. He loves being a doctor. It’s probably the best thing about him. He wants to help people, and Brook took that and twisted it, using it against him. She weaponized it, and he will not forgive her for that, and he will not forget.

Chase asks if Austin really declared war, or is Brook exaggerating just a little bit. She says, you tell me. After Austin signed the document, giving up his rights to ELQ, he told her this was far from over. It was just the beginning. The guy wants payback. He says, if Austin does try anything, let him know. He’s still a detective, even though he’s chained to a desk for the foreseeable future. She says, he’ll still help her? Even though she may have crossed the line? He says he understands going to extremes, and he’s always willing to help out a friend. She thanks him, and he says, his pleasure. He kisses her cheek, and leaves. Brook looks at her phone, and says, Wyndham’s? She didn’t buy anything. She scrolls, and says, whoa…

Violet says, maybe Grandpa Jeff can talk to her about her mommy, and Elizabeth says, Grandpa Jeff is a doctor like her daddy. He travels all over the world, helping people. She supposes those people need him more than they do. Aiden guesses that’s why they don’t get to see him, and suggests he and Violet unpack the rest of the box. Violet asks if there will be stuff to make brownies, and he says he’ll show her. They go to the kitchen, and Elizabeth looks at the picture. Finn says, sorry Violet couldn’t let it go, but she says, it’s okay. She just wishes she had better answers for Violet. He asks why she doesn’t.

Sonny asks exactly how Michael reached out to the DA, and Michael says, he’s ambitious. He’s running for State Attorney General. Nina is editor-in-chief of a major publication; she’s a real estate heiress. Prosecuting her for any type of crime like identity fraud will generate headlines, and boost his profile. Sonny says so Michael just pointed him at some free publicity? and Michael says, the Quartermaines also made a substantial contribution to his campaign.

Spencer comes back, and Esme says, no luck with Britt? He says, she’s not answering her phone, and the hospital said she’s out of the country. Cameron is bussing a table, and Esme asks if Cameron knows where Spence can get a job. Cameron says, funny she should ask. He just got promoted to assistant manager, so they need a server to take his place. Spencer says, too bad he was arrested, and awaiting trial, but Spencer says, Kelly’s believes in giving second chances to offenders, even ones with no hospitality experience. Spencer thanks Cameron, but gives it a hard pass. Cameron says, that’s fine. Someone way better just applied anyway. He leaves, and Esme asks if Spencer thinks he has a choice.

Elizabeth says she and her dad haven’t been close for a long time, and Finn says, same with his dad and him. They got through it; maybe Elizabeth and her dad will as well. There’s a knock at the door, and Finn answers along with Violet. It’s Chase, bearing flowers, and Violet asks if they’re for her. He says, violets for his favorite violet. She thanks him, and Chase asks if Aiden is still making that seven-layer bar. Aiden tells him there’s some in the kitchen, and Chase says, score. He asks how Elizabeth is doing, and hopes they’re joining him and Finn for dinner. Elizabeth asks if they mind, and Chase says, not if she cooks it. Finn says, that’s hilarious. It’s mac and cheese; how hard can it be? Elizabeth says they’ll let Aiden take care of it, and Chase says he brought Finn a good luck charm, handing Finn a bag. Finn takes out an apron that says, Kiss the Cook, and Violet asks him to pick her up. She kisses him, and says she kissed the cook. He thanks her, and asks, who’s ready to eat? Violet says she is, and Aiden says he’s starving. Chase seconds that, and Finn asks everyone to come to the kitchen, saying, it’s all downhill from here. They leave, but Elizabeth stays behind, looking at the photo.  

Willow asks if Michael ever did anything like that to Sasha, and Sasha says, no, but they don’t share a child. They never went through what Willow and Michael did to protect Wiley from Nelle. Willow says, Sasha gave up her relationship with Michael so she and Michael could be together, and Sasha says, she and Chase did it for Wiley, and have no regrets. Everything worked out for the best. Willow asks how the baby is, and Sasha says, perfect, of course (🍷). She and Brando found their footing once he agreed not work for Carly and Jason. Willow says, so it’s smooth sailing, but Sasha says she wouldn’t go that far. They still have to deal with Brando’s mother.

Gladys approaches Brook, and says, you wanted to see me, boss? Brook says Gladys’s job description doesn’t include buying two pairs of Cartullo boots from Wyndham’s and charging them to the company. Gladys says, she has to look good, and Brook tells her to look good on her own dime. She’s paying back every single dollar, and she’s going to start by finishing the notes from the business meeting. Gladys says she doesn’t think so, and Brook says, excuse me? Gladys sits, at the bar, and says, It’s too late for that today, and tomorrow, she’s taking a mental health day. Brook asks if she’s trying to get fired, and Gladys says, go ahead and fire her, but then she’ll have to reveal Brook’s little secret. Brook says, what little secret? and Gladys says, actually, it’s not that little; it’s kind of major. She recorded it on her phone. Does Brook want to hear it?

Sonny asks, what if a connection is seen between Michael’s donation and Nina’s arrest? Carly says his donation could be seen as a bribe, but Michael says, campaign contributions are completely legal; he has his attorneys filing the appropriate paperwork. The fact is, Nina broke the law. She did it in Lantano County, and it’s up to DA Sheridan if he wants to prosecute. Did he set it in motion? Yes, but Sheridan is an experienced prosecutor, and he wouldn’t move forward with this case unless there was merit. Nina is the one who’s wrong here, not him. He walks off, and Sonny looks at Carly.

Sasha tells Willow, if she wasn’t pregnant, Gladys would have her diving headfirst into a bottle. Willow says, if Sasha wasn’t pregnant, Gladys wouldn’t even be in her life. Sasha says, true, but she wouldn’t trade this pregnancy for anything, despite Gladys being a class-A troublemaker. Willow says she and Carly have had their disagreements, especially about Nina, but fortunately for her, Carly is no Gladys. Sasha says, not even close. She’s not trying to rationalize what Michael, but she doesn’t think he meant to shut Willow out. Every couple argues. Willow says, even if they’re good together? and Sasha says, that’s what makes them so good. They both feel safe enough to disagree. Michael loves her with all his heart. What he did doesn’t change that, and Sasha hopes it doesn’t change Willow’s love for him. Willow says, of course (🍷) not, and Sasha says they’ll work this out, and be stronger for having overcome it. She leaves, and I think, they both went in a restaurant, and neither one had lunch.

Elizabeth sits on the couch looking at the photo, and Finn asks if she’s coming. Chase says, Finn doesn’t know how to turn the stove on, and Finn says, Chase can’t turn it on either. Chase says, it’s one of those European models that only made sense if you’re a Swede, and Aiden says, he’s right; it’s weird. Finn says they need her, before Chase blows them all up; he’s got a match. Elizabeth says she’ll be right there. She tears up the picture, and puts the pieces in her pocket.

Spencer tells Cameron, he’s done some thinking, and he’d really like to take the job, but Cameron says, he already told Spencer, they’re giving someone the job who has actual qualifications. Spencer says Cameron wants him to grovel, doesn’t he? and Cameron says, big time. Spencer says he’s been a jerk, a snob, someone who thought he was better than the townies. The reality is, he’s a disinherited nobody, who’s desperate for a job, and will be eternally grateful if Cameron offers him one. Good enough? Cameron says, it’ll do. Spencer will have to sign some forms, but he doesn’t see why Spencer can’t start as soon as possible. Spencer thanks him, and says, he’ll need someone to train him. Cameron says, that would be him. The thing Spencer needs to know about this job is, Kelly’s is a friendly place. The job starts with a smile, and then you say, welcome to Kelly’s. My name is Spencer, and I’ll be your server today. Give it a shot. Spencer takes a deep breath, and repeats it, and Cameron says, excellent.    

Austin says Ned is trying to convince him that everything Brook did, she did because Ned is her father, and yet he refuses to accept, he can’t understand, everything Austin is doing – everything he was doing – he was doing for his father. Ned’s hypocrisy is mind-blowing. Ned tells Austin, what can he say, except Austin is right? The Quartermaines fight ferociously to protect our own, and there’s no room for integrity when it comes to keeping the family safe. Austin says, that’s where he and Ned are just not on the same page. His father left this world with his integrity intact. He writes something on a pad, and says, he plans on doing the same. He hands the paper to Ned, who asks, what’s this? Austin says, it’s the number of a specialist that can help him with Leo. Share it with Olivia, don’t share it with Olivia; he doesn’t care, just leave him out of it. Ned says he appreciates the name, but he can’t make an appointment without Olivia’s consent; Austin knows that. Austin says, then Ned has a beautiful challenge ahead of him, but it’s no big thing. It’s only Leo’s entire future that’s at stake. He really does hope Ned understands how utterly important it is that he convince Olivia to do the right thing for her son.

Brook asks what Gladys wants her to hear on her phone, and Gladys takes her phone out, saying, something about Brook telling Maxie that Valentin isn’t really her baby’s daddy. Brook says, liar. She never said such a thing. Gladys plays the recording, and Brook hears herself saying, she dreads the day Valentin finds out Bailey’s not his daughter.

Tomorrow, Willow says she thought she was Michael’s family too, Portia asks Marshall where he read that, Nikolas tells Alexis to think long and hard before going any further, Nina tells Jax to stop trying to save her, and Ava says she doesn’t have to share anything with Carly.

Vanderpump Rules

Bringing you up to speed, last week, Sandoval pitched a baby fit about Katie wanting to be involved with the new bar, because she yelled at him at Stassi’s book signing, nearly ten years ago.

James asked how Raquel felt about hanging out with Lala one-on-one, and she said she was always concerned, since Lala was unpredictable. In James’s interview, he said, Lala had picked on Raquel because she was an easy target. She was beautiful, sweet, and his girlfriend.

Katie said Sandoval had lost his mind, and Schwartz said he was like a broken record. Meanwhile, Tom whined to Ariana that no one knew what Katie had done to him. He needed confidence, and didn’t feel Ariana was supportive at dinner last night. Ariana said, it wasn’t about the book signing, and Tom said, everyone else was over it, but he wasn’t. Katie told Schwartz that if Sandoval didn’t want her involved, he should say it, not go back to something that happened a million years ago. He was screaming at her, talking about how she’d been screaming at him. In Katie’s interview, she said, it was really about her making him admit he was wrong, and that was like death. Ariana told Sandoval that she’d had a night planned with Katie and Schwartz, and he’d messed it up. They were coming over to test cocktails, and now that wasn’t important to him. Katie and Schwartz talked about going to the fertility doctor, and in her interview, Katie told us about how she had been pregnant about ten years ago. It was early in their relationship, and she wanted to have kids, but the timing was bad. In Schwartz’s interview, he said he had less than $300 in his bank account. If Katie had wanted it, he would have manned up, and done his best to work it out. He wasn’t 100% about a lot of things in life, but he was 100% sure he’d be a good dad.    

In Lala’s interview, she said she never thought James and Raquel would last. James was a hot mess. We flashed back over James and Raquel’s relationship, and Lala said she had been placing the blame on Raquel for her and James’s relationship going south. She needed someone to blame, but if it hadn’t been for Raquel, she believed James would be in a dark place now. In Raquel’s interview, she said she was always antsy around Lala, and Lala smelled fear like a shark. She wasn’t giving Lala the satisfaction. In Ariana’s interview, she said she’d wanted to do a cocktail subscription box, and after their book, Fancy AF, came out, everyone was in lockdown making cocktails. She wanted to test the cocktails to see if her instructions sucked. Scheana, Brock, and Schwartz came over to do the testing, and Schwartz told Scheana and Brock about Sandoval’s freak out. Sandoval said the experience had been traumatic, and he had major PTSD because of the public humiliation. I have no words. Schwarz told him that he wasn’t the victim in that moment, and suggested he see a therapist. Score one for Schwartz. It’s about time he said something to that ninny. Sandoval said he didn’t like Schwartz’s energy when he was around Katie. Schwartz told him to go burn some sage. Not really, but he said Sandoval was condescending, and if he wanted Katie to train the staff, he was going to do it. Sandoval moaned, then he’d just have to live with it? In Sandoval’s interview, he said he’d fought against it, but realized it wasn’t going away. Everyone had supplies in front of them, and made the cocktails per Ariana’s instructions. Scheana couldn’t figure out the jigger, but Brock was the only one who didn’t get it quite right. In his interview, he said he was good at cracking a can. Sandoval got sushi, and Brock told them about Lala questioning Scheana about his kids. In his interview, he said, don’t judge him if you don’t understand the situation.   

LVP spoke to Scheana, saying, she was thinking about inviting Scheana and Lala over for tea, along with their babies. Scheana suggested she invite all the girls, and in her interview, she said there was no way she wanted to be there with just Lala. She needed back-up, and couldn’t turn to Summer, since she didn’t speak yet. The Toms joined Lisa at the flower shop, where they chose blooms for TomTom. She asked if they’d worked out their finances yet, and Schwartz said his home equity loan had been denied. In his interview, he said that they had a lot of equity, but their mortgage was at a high rate. They needed to refinance, and do it over. He wanted to cry. Welcome to being a responsible grown-up. It makes me want to cry too. Sandoval said he had enough to cover Schwartz, who said he’d be on a power trip. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, technically, he would have controlling interest. Schwartz talked about his sperm getting tested, and in his interview, he said, he was pretty sure everything was fine, but what if he was destined to only be a fur father?

In James’s interview, he said, every bartender in town knew how to make a Pumptini for him, and now they knew how to make a Shirley Temple. All the couples gathered at The Belmont restaurant for dinner, and Brock apologized to Lala for his words at the baby playdate. He told her that he had one goal, and that was to take care of his family, including his kids. Lala said if someone tried to keep her from Ocean, as a mom, she’d come in guns blazing. He said she was in a different situation. His past had led to this. Scheana said she and Brock had discussed it, and it wasn’t Lala’s business. Brock said the children’s mom was keeping him from the family, and Lala said she wasn’t attacking him; she just wanted to understand the situation better. In her interview, she said she wasn’t worried about Scheana. If anything happened, Scheana would bounce back, but Brock had a tendency to leave the kids, as well as the woman. I don’t know if you can call something a tendency based on once. Raquel made a toast that included a bunch of dirty jokes, and it was a big hit. In her interview, she said, not to brag, but she was pretty sure she’d won the entire night.

While Schwartz and Katie were waiting at the fertility doctor, Schwartz imagined a baby Sandoval; late for everything and smelling like cigarettes. Katie was told she had a normal uterus, but Schwartz’s semen analysis showed morphology. The doctor explained that the sperm were like tadpoles, and the head was where the DNA was. You want normal shaped heads, and Schwartz was at 4%. She asked if he smoked, drank, did drugs, pot, or vape, and he said he smoked weed once a week, did mushrooms once in a while, and had 10 to 20 drinks a week. 😮 By no means am I judging, and I’m all for getting my drink on, but holy! She asked if he used hot tubs or saunas, and he said he took a lot of baths. She told him to cut his drinking down to four drinks a week, and no weed. As far as baths went, she explained, the testes were on the outside because they needed to be cooler.

In Lisa’s interview, she said, when someone you saw grow up had a baby, it was like, how did this happen? The girls arrived at Villa Rosa, and Lisa couldn’t believe Scheana was already putting hair extensions on the baby. I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Lisa had a gorgeous table outside set for tea, and said it was the first time she’d had them over where she wasn’t serving them alcohol. Meanwhile, at Katie and Schwartz’s, there was tons of fast food – wings, burgers, and such – and the guys gathered. In Brock’s interview, he said he didn’t want to destroy the American people, but their food isn’t the greatest. Schwartz gave him a taste of Cheez-Wiz and he pronounced it a six. Katie told the girls that it was all good news at the fertility doctor; she had a pristine uterus. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t how the doctor described it, but they clinked tea cups over it. Tom, on the other hand, told the guys that the majority of his sperm had misshaped heads, and he was told only four drinks a week. We saw that he’d already consumed four drinks in the last hour. Scheana talked about Brock, and Lala said she and Scheana were in a good place now. She wasn’t trying to attack Scheana or put her on the spot, but when they were at dinner, Brock pulled her aside, and talked about some pretty intense things. She asked if Scheana knew why Brock couldn’t see his kids; he had a domestic violence charge. In Lala’s interview, she said, Brock had pulled aside at Belmont, and said he’d been in a relationship, and they’d had a child. Things had gotten physical. Scheana insisted that Brock hadn’t done anything, but Lala said it took a lot for a court to forbid someone from seeing their kids, and there was a restraining order. Again, I have no clue what happened, but it might be different in another country. She keeps leaving out that factor. Lala said things were good now, but anything could happen. She wanted Scheana to be smart. It wasn’t about just her anymore. She had a child.

In Scheana’s interview, she said she knew it sounded terrible, but Lala was acting like it was new information. And it had nothing to do with why Brock wasn’t seeing his kids. Lala told Scheana not to be stupid, but Scheana said, something had happened a long time ago, and it wasn’t as extreme as Lala was making it out to be. Lala said Brock was also behind in child support, and Scheana said as soon as that was taken care of, Brock would have access to his kids. In Lisa’s interview, she said, Scheana always acted like everything was perfect. It was an interesting perception. Scheana said she knew Brock, and asked if they could get off the topic. Everyone seemed bummed, and Scheana texted Brock, asking why he told Lala; she’d been blindsided. Brock said he’d had enough of Lala, and Sandoval wondered why Lala was coming after him. Brock said he’d spoken to Lala about his past. She was a POS, and it was a low blow. In James’s interview, he said, Lala always keeps it real, and Brock shouldn’t have confided in her. He needed to put his thinking cap on. Outside, Brock told Schwartz that he hadn’t met Lisa yet, and now it was going to affect the way she saw him. He got weepy, and said he missed his kids. At the tea, Ariana stepped on the crickets by saying, she was glad they got everything out while they were there. Lisa asked if anyone wanted more tea. In the middle of a crisis, she’d make tea. 

Next time, poker night, the Toms look for another partner, and Lala gets into it with Sandoval about Brock.

❄️ A Little Salty…

What’s happening with the Salt Lake crowd.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/24/rhoslc-recap-mary-cosby-slams-lisa-barlow-for-demeaning-her/

🔒 Better Start Giving Some F***s…

She must be taking PR lessons from Erika Jayne.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/23/jen-shah-gets-handsy-with-porn-star-during-strip-club-gig/

⚾️ Sliding Into Home…

Tomorrow, join me for some soap and another chapter in the endless RHOBH Reunion. Until then, stay safe, stay undeterred, and stay not troubling trouble.

Oct23

October 22, 2021 – Spencer Makes His Plea, Open Book, Mystery Man, Leading Ladies, Sonjarita, Engaged, Salt Lake Report, No Ring, Coming Soon, Read All About It, Quote x 10 & Ballad

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava says she and Sonny have settled everything with Avery for now, so what business do they have? He says, they’re on the same page when it comes to their daughter, and she says, what then? He says he has a proposition for her.

Sheridan says he appreciates the support of Michael’s family with the campaign, and Michael says he thinks Sheridan has done a terrific job as the DA of Lantano County. He’s proven to be relentless in his pursuit of justice, and Michael thinks the right case could catapult him to the state’s Attorney General’s office. Sheridan says, it’s an unusual case; the kind that generates headlines, and defines careers. He’ll let Michael know as soon as it’s in motion. They shake hands, and Willow walks in.

At the courthouse, Nikolas asks Doc if he happened to see Ava on his way in, but he says he didn’t. He did talk to Nikolas’s mother about Spencer’s hearing, and Nikolas asks if she’s on her way home. Doc says, unfortunately, she can’t get away just yet, but she was clear how she feels about what should happen today.

Diaz says they’re about to get started, and she needs to know Spencer’s plea. Josslyn and Cameron walk in, and Esme says, come on, Spence. They’ve been over this. Spencer says he wants to make sure he’s dealing with the right information here. If he pleads guilty, or no contest, the judge will ask if anyone is forcing him to make the plea, correct? Diaz says, strictly pro forma. They want to make sure he understands the situation. She’s sorry, but she has dozens of other cases to handle today, so what’s his plea? Josslyn tells Spencer to wait a minute before he answers that. Is he sure someone isn’t pressuring him to do the wrong thing?

Robert walks into an interrogation room where Victor is waiting, and says, so, we meet again. Victor tells Robert that he has nothing to say to him, and Robert says he’ll do him one better. He’s sick of being lied to, so everything that comes out of Victor’s mouth better be gospel. Victor says, or else? and Robert says, or else Victor Cassadine is going to be put to rest in an unmarked grave. And he’s going to do it personally.

Anna sits by Valentin’s bed, when a doctor comes in. Anna thinks he looks better than he did a few hours ago; he has more color in his face. Can the doctor give her any good news? The doctor wishes she could.

Sam tells Dante, the island’s not that big; Peter couldn’t have gone far. He says, especially with two hostages, and she says, no sign of Drew or Obrecht? What are they supposed to tell everyone back in Port Charles who’s waiting for news? Britt and Jason walk in, and Jason thanks Sam for telling him where to meet them. Britt says, Anna was right about this place; it’s really isolated. When they got on the plane last night, Anna still didn’t know where her mother was. Any word? Dante is afraid not. He says they were with the local police most of the night, trying to figure out a trail where Peter might have gone, but they have nothing. Sam says, they did see the cell where Britt’s mother was being held. Dante says, there was a syringe in the cell. It was empty, but it had traces of flunitrazepam. Britt says, that’s a sedative. It results in muscle weakness, lethargy, confusion. Basically, there’s a chance her mother was roofied. Jason says, that’s the best possible news she can get. Wow. This tavern has gotten more business in a week than they’ve probably had in the last five years altogether.

Victor tells Robert, he’ll cooperate, but first, he needs to know how Valentin is. Robert says, Valentin’s alive, last he heard, and Victor says, and Liesl? Robert says, come on. Victor doesn’t care about anyone but himself; they all know that. This love of the common man, where did it come from? When it was nipping at his butt as he was running away? He will say Victor’s been a busy boy. He got more done in death than the average person achieves in a lifetime. Sanctuary for Peter August, unlawful detainment of Drew Cain and Liesl Obrecht, and that poor little nurse who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And last, but not least, the abduction of Valentin Cassadine. And all of this, after he blew up Creighton-Clark. Viccy, come on. Explain yourself. Victor says, when Robert lays it all out like that, he has to say he’s very impressed. How on earth did he mange to do all that?

Anna says, what does the doctor mean, she can’t give her any good news? He has two young daughters waiting for him back in the states. The doctor says, the surgery didn’t go as well as they’d hoped. The bullet fragmented, and they weren’t able to remove all the debris. Anna says she’s heard of bullet fragments being left in the body before, and they’re fine as long as they don’t migrate or infringe on a nerve. She’s sorry; her daughter’s a doctor. She guesses the doctor is concerned about infection, and the doctor says she recommends Valentin undergo exploratory surgery in the US. Their facilities aren’t equipped to handle surgeries that delicate. Anna thanks her, and she leaves. Anna tells Valentin that he may have been born there in Greece, but she’ll be damned if she’ll let him die there.

Willow says she hopes she’s not interrupting, and Michael says he didn’t expect her back so soon. He must have lost track of time. He introduces Richard Sheridan, the DA of Lantano County, and tells Sheridan that Willow is his son’s mother. Willow shakes Sheridan’s hand, and says, Lantano County. In Pennsylvania? Sheridan says, that’s right, and she asks, what brings him all this way? He says he’s gearing up to run for state Attorney General. Michael has taken an interest in his platform. They share similar values. Willow asks what those values would be, and Michael says he’s sure Sheridan is anxious to get back to Llanview, and thanks Sheridan for coming all this way. Michael walks him to the door, and when he comes back, she asks, which of his values would make a politician drive to the next state?

Ava tells Sonny, that is quite an interesting proposition, and if the price is right… His phone rings, and he says he’ll be right back. Nina approaches Ava, who tells her, don’t worry. She didn’t tell Sonny about Nina’s romance with Mike. He was very receptive to her spending more time with Avery, and she didn’t need to use any more persuasive tactics. Nina appreciates that, and to return that favor, Ava has a problem, and Nina would love to offer her a solution.

Spencer says, his father decided to raise the stakes, and Cameron asks, what’s that mean? Spencer says, Ava is in control of his trust fund. If he accepts their marriage, and agrees to live by their rules, his father and Ava will make the charges go away, but Ava is still in charge of his money. Josslyn says, Ava’s not her favorite person either, and she’d hate living by Ava’s rules, and knowing that Ava had control over her money, but she didn’t stalk Ava and she’s not facing criminal charges. If giving in to his dad and Ava is what it takes for them to help him, that’s what he should do. Spencer tells her, that’s what Esme was saying, and Cameron says, for once, they all agree.

Nikolas says, if Doc is telling him that his mother is too busy to attend Spencer’s arraignment, he’s disappointed, but he understands, but she’s honestly too busy to even call him? Doc says he can’t speak to Laura’s exact schedule, but they did talk about Spencer’s behavior. And Nikolas’s. Nikolas says, his behavior? This is about Spencer stalking Ava. Doc says, Laura doesn’t condone what Spencer did, or what drove him to that point. The bailiff calls for everyone to take their seats, and Doc says, shall we?  

Esme tells Josslyn and Cameron that she’s sure they realize what a stubborn streak Spencer has. She hopes their opinions convinced him to make the right choice. Josslyn asks if Esme doesn’t think, as Spencer’s girlfriend, she carries more weight, but Esme says Josslyn is giving her too much credit. They’ve known Spencer since they were kids, much longer than she has, and Spence is very much his own person, and likes to go his own way. The bailiff says, all rise.  

Ava says, Nina wants to buy Charlie’s? and Nina asks if she hasn’t been trying to sell it. Ava says, when she was leaving town because of the stalker, yes, and Nina says she has a great use for it. It’s a win-win. Ava says her situation has changed, and Nina wonders if Ava wants to hang onto it for sentimental reasons because it belonged to her brother. Ava says, it’s not that, when Sonny comes back. He asks if he and Ava are finished; he doesn’t have all day. Ava says, what do they say about great minds thinking alike, and he asks what she means. She says, they have to pause their negotiations, and he says, now she’s going to keep Charlie’s? She says, it’s still for sale, but another buyer is showing interest. May the deepest pockets win.

Michael says, it’s always a good idea to have people in office who owe you favors, and Willow says, if it were the DA from New York state, she wouldn’t question anything. But Lantano County is in Pennsylvania, so what does that have to do with ELQ? He says, nothing; it’s purely personal, in a family member’s best interest. She tells him to stop being vague. Who is he talking about? He says, Sheridan is looking for a high profile case, and he just handed him one. He suggested Sheridan prosecute Nina for fraud and identity theft. I’m not sure if the latter would be an issue here though, since it’s not like she stole Sonny’s identity.

Robert says, Victor thinks this is some kind of a joke, doesn’t he? The charges he’s facing are false imprisonment, criminal conspiracy, bribery, not to mention the body count. Victor asks what he wants, and Robert says, Peter August. He wants to know where Peter is, and when Victor worked with him. Victor says he’s not working with Peter, and Robert says, he found Peter a place to hide, didn’t he? Victor says, yes, and he gave Peter money and transportation, but it wasn’t his choice; he was forced to do Peter’s bidding. Robert asks what kind of leverage Peter has, and Victor says he answered one of Robert’s questions out of good faith. It’s time to begin negotiations. 

Britt asks Jason, why is it good news that her mother was drugged? and he says, that probably means Peter’s keeping her alive. Britt says, why go to the trouble of drugging someone when you can just as easily kill them? It’s not exactly a beacon of hope, but it’s better than nothing. Sam asks if she can talk to Jason in private, and they go to a table. She says she has some news about Drew, and he says, Anna called already. She said Drew had been shot two or three times, fell off the bridge and into the ocean, and his body hasn’t been recovered. Sam says, the WSB is searching, but they’re pretty certain they won’t find him alive.

Nina asks if Ava is saying she and Sonny want the same thing, and Ava says, in a manner of speaking. Sonny made her an offer to buy Charlie’s minutes before Nina did. Like she said, she’ll accept the highest offer. Maybe the two of them should talk this over, one on one. Ava walks away, and Nina asks why Sonny wants to buy Charlie’s. He asks why she does, and she says, for Phyllis, to give her a fresh start. And him? He says, same thing. Phyllis took in a stranger and saved his life; pretty much the opposite of what Nina did. Nina tells him that she can never say she’s sorry enough, but as for Phyllis, if she moved there, and ran Charlie’s, Nina thinks it would be really good for her. Sonny agrees, and says, one of them is going to have to bow out. Nina says, allow her. If Phyllis accepts generosity, she’s more inclined to accept it from Sonny. When he offers Charlie’s to Phyllis, if she likes the idea, Nina will give him half of the money, provided he never tells her.  

Willow says, she and Michael talked about this yesterday. She thought they’d agreed to hit the pause button where Nina was concerned. He said he woudn’t make any decisions without her. He says he hasn’t filed any legal action against Nina, and hasn’t denied her visitation with Wiley. If he went to family court, of course (🍷) he’d consult her. He wouldn’t move forward with her agreeing to anything. She says, so he went to the DA from Pennsylvania instead, and he says, yes, because he wants Sheridan to go after Nina for what she actually did. He doesn’t want Wiley’s custody to be a battleground. He doesn’t want to deny Nina visitation to punish her; he wants her punished for the crimes she committed, fraud and identity theft. She lied to his dad for nine months about who he was. She kept him from his family and his life. It has to be illegal and he’s hoping Sheridan can prove it in court.

Robert asks what Victor means by negotiations, and Victor says, it’s a classic quid pro quo. The WSB can’t get Peter without his help, and he’s not about to give them his help without something in return; his freedom. Robert says, the WSB isn’t going to let Victor off the hook for the crimes he did in the last seven minutes, much less the last seven years, and Victor says, he’s the former director of the Bureau. The WSB has a reputation to maintain. Prosecuting one of their own wouldn’t look very good, would it? Robert wouldn’t bet the farm on it, and Victor suggests they do a cost benefit analysis. Prosecuting him versus getting Peter. He’d say it’s a bit of a no-brainer. Peter is their priority. He’s the one who’s unstable. He’s dangerous, and has access to Faison’s bag of dirty tricks. Robert still has some pull at the Bureau, and Victor suggests Robert convince them to make a deal. Robert says he doesn’t take orders from a Cassadine, and Victor says, his goal is to catch the big bad wolf, the man who kidnapped Drew Cain, and could still terrorize Maxie and her little girl. Robert can throw the book him or stop Peter, but he can’t do both.

Anna says Robert doesn’t think Valentin is much of a hero, but she disagrees. He doesn’t fit the conventional mold. He’s very flawed, self-serving, and definitely compromised, but he does have the courage to face up to what he’s done, and try to be better. He’s certainly tried to turn his life around for himself and his daughters. She thinks that’s very heroic in her book, that kind of courage. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s her darling ex-husband. She’ll be right back. She kisses Valentin’s hand, and says, he can count on that.

Britt asks if Dante thinks Victor created the fake medical conference, and arranged to have Scotty thrown from the plane. Dante says, he didn’t go into detail, but he’s definitely the reason for her mother being there. She says, for what? And don’t say Victor is infatuated with her mother. Maybe he is, but there has to be another agenda. Dante says, he doesn’t know, but when Victor thought her mother was in danger, he seemed genuinely concerned.

Sam tells Jason, someone called her claiming to be Drew. She went back and forth, thinking, maybe he’s alive, but then, it could be some sort of manipulation. He says, she was just  being cautious, and she says, being cautious meant she couldn’t involve him. Maybe if she had, he could have intervened, and Peter wouldn’t have shot Drew.

The judge asks if Spencer understands his rights under the New York state constitution and law, and he says he does. She asks how he pleads, when Ava walks in. The judge says she’s waiting for his answer, and Esme asks Cameron, what is he doing? Spencer says, not guilty.

Anna goes to the interrogation room, and says she got Robert’s text. What’s so important? She was with Valentin. Victor asks how Valentin is, and she says, he’s hanging in. Robert says, this clown needs to talk to someone above his pay scale, and she says, her? Victor says, always pleasure, mate, and Robert leaves. Anna asks what this is about, and Victor says, Peter August. The WSB wants him, and he can make that happen. She says, in exchange for what exactly? and he says, blanket immunity. She says, that’s a bit of a tall order, and he says, tall maybe, but not impossible. They’re already making better progress than he was with Robert. She says she’s far from the final say, and he says, that may be, but at least she’s willing to look at options. Robert said the WSB would refuse to overlook his transgressions. He thinks that was naïve, but Anna doesn’t agree. He has a rather extensive rap sheet. What makes him think she’s going to be more amenable to his offer?   

Britt asks Dante, if Victor is still infatuated, why put her mother in a prison cell? Does Dante think it was punishment for her trying to kill Peter, and if so, why would Victor care? Dante says, those are all questions the WSB doesn’t have answers to. They don’t even know why Victor and Peter were working together in the first place, or how Drew fits into this puzzle.  

Sam tells Jason, when she went into Drew’s cell, she saw he’d scratched Scout’s name in the wall. She hopes that means he had enough strength to resist the conditioning. He says, she thinks Drew’s being conditioned? and she tells him, that’s what Victor said. She doesn’t know whether he’s telling the truth or not, but she does know Drew was able to shoot a guard to save Victor and Valentin, although he wasn’t able to save himself. Jason says, unless or until they find Drew’s body, there’s still a chance Drew is alive.

Valentin wakes up with Robert sitting in his room. Robert asks if he’s awake, and Valentin says, this can’t be a dream, because Robert sure as hell wouldn’t be in it. Robert laughs and says he’ll round up a doctor, and Valentin asks, where’s Anna? Robert says, talking to Valentin’s poor excuse for an uncle, or should he say father? He’s trying to cut himself a deal, but Valentin isn’t going to let that happen, is he?

The judge says, although the defendant has no prior arrests, he has lived abroad extensively, and has access to significant financial resources. The state’s concern about him being a flight risk is valid. She orders the defendant to surrender his passport, and bail is set $20K, with a pretrial in six weeks from today. Spencer looks at Esme, who shakes her head, and he says, if he doesn’t post bail, will he have to go to jail? Doc says, it won’t come to that. He and Laura will post Spencer’s bail. Spencer thanks him, and hugs Esme. She says she doesn’t get it. Why didn’t he do what they all advised him to do? They step away, and Spencer says, he was about to. He’s made a lot of bad decisions by not following his gut. His gut told him that if he went along with Ava on this, it will never end. Ava and Spencer look at each other.

Willow says, so Michael’s campaign contribution is basically a bribe, to get the DA to go after Nina? He says, campaign contributions are completely legal, and Nina is the one who committed a crime. And it wasn’t victimless crime either. He didn’t tell Willow this, but his mom put her life on the line to step into his father’s business. And what about Sonny’s children? He, Dante, and Kristina are all adults, and Josslyn has Jax, but what about Donna and Avery? Avery’s old enough to understand loss, and Donna is so confused. They didn’t have their father for nine months. Willow says she knows that, and he says, and his father’s business got messed up, which in turn put more people’s lives at risk. She asks who he’s trying to convince that he’s doing the right thing; him or her?  He says she may not agree with his methods, but he has no regrets about making Nina pay for her actions. She says, what about his actions? He asks what she’s talking about, and she says, on the one hand, he won’t cut Nina off from seeing Wiley, but he has to know that if Nina is facing criminal charges, it will affect potential visitation going forward. He says, if Nina faces those consequences as a result of what she did to his father, so be it.

Sonny thinks keeping it a secret from Phyllis doesn’t seem like a good idea, and Nina says, she’s learned what secrets can do. She says, she genuinely wants to help Phyllis, but doesn’t want it to be misinterpreted as buying back her friendship. He says he doesn’t need her help financially to buy Charlies, and even if she’s giving it with good intentions, it’s like they’ll be too connected. She says, that’s the last thing he wants. She has to say, she’s been waiting with a fair amount of dread to have Carly to tear into her for their relationship in Nixon Falls, but she hasn’t  

Nina says she had a run in with Carly at the Quartermaines’, and Carly went for her jugular, but never said a word about her tricking Sonny into loving her. She sits, and says, Carly still hasn’t. She just assumes Carly doesn’t know? He sits, and says, let him tell her something. He and Carly are rebuilding their life together after nine months apart. Why make it worse after what she did? Nina says, let her tell him something. Carly will never find out about it from her.

Victor says, Anna finally has the opportunity to stop her wayward nephew, and bring closure to countless people. Be smart; that’s all that matters here. Don’t let the pettiness of the past get in her way. She says, she wouldn’t call what he did to Robin petty. He stole years of Robin’s life. He says he’s not trying to minimize what he’s done; he’s made mistakes, huge mistakes. But they both know life isn’t black and white; it’s all shades of grey. She has every right to be angry about what happened to her daughter at Creighton-Clark, but ultimately, Robin walked away unscathed. Can they really say the same for anyone who will get in Peter’s way? She says, she might have more leverage with the WSB than Robert… sometimes. But he needs to understand, his fate doesn’t lie in her hands. He says, it might as well. He knows her stock has fallen with the WSB in recent years, but she still has friends in high places. If she has any favors outstanding, he suggests she call them in. Make his case, or the blood that Peter continues to shed will be on her hands. She says she’s got to go, and he tells her to give his best to his son.

Esme says Doc is a genuine lifesaver. She was afraid Spencer would have to stay in jail. Doc says, if he’s not mistaken, Spencer will need a permanent home address to show stability? and Diaz says, that’s correct. He says, that settles it. Spencer will move back in with him. Esme says, that works for her, and Doc asks Spencer for a word in private. Josslyn says, they’ll be out in the hall, and they all leave. Spencer says, he’s a lot of things, but not naïve. He and Laura are going to post the money for his bail. What’s the catch?

Esme sees Ava in the hall, and says she wants Ava to know how much it means to her that Ava offered Spencer a way out. His pride temporarily got in the way of him accepting it, but she’ll talk to him. Ava tells her, please try to talk some sense into him. And whatever she does, don’t let Spencer drag her into any more bad behavior. Esme says never. She should have stood up to him. From now on, she will.

Anna says, thank God Valentin’s awake, and Robert says, surprise him. Do the right thing. Robert tells Anna, see ya, and leaves. Anna says Valentin gave her wuite… He gave all of them quite a scare. She offers to call Brook, but he says, not yet. She asks if he doesn’t want his daughter to know he’s awake (like a baby would comprehend this), but he says, not until he talks to her. Whatever Victor’s asking for, don’t give it to him.

Sam says she had to tell Jason what she knows about Drew, and Dante asks how he took it. She says, it was okay. She told him that she felt the need to investigate before she said anything to him. Dante says, until they find Drew’s body, there’s a chance he survived, and she says, Jason said the same thing. She just doesn’t know what there’s left here for her to do. She can stay and see if anything comes through, or she can go home to her kids because they come first. He says, maybe she should do that. She tried to bring Scout’s father back, but now it’s time to be with Scout and Danny.

Britt says, sorry about Jason’s brother, and he says, thanks. They weren’t close, but Drew was important to Monica, and he’s thinking about her. She says, he’s not thinking how her crazy brother shot his? but he says she’s not responsible for anything Peter does. She says, still, he’s there helping her find her mother, who’s committed her own fair share of crimes. She wouldn’t blame him if he changed his mind and wanted to go home. He says, they have a job to do. He’s not going anywhere.

Esme tells Josslyn and Cameron, at least they can all agree they want what’s best for Spence. Maybe now they can see she has his best interests at heart. Maybe they can all be friends after all.

Spencer says he’s sorry. He should be thanking Doc for posting his bail money. He wasn’t looking forward to spending another night in jail. Doc says, he and Spencer’s grandmother are happy to help, but it comes with limitations. If Spencer wants their support, he has to earn it. Spencer says, earn it how? and Doc says, they have a few ideas. Starting with Spencer getting a job.

Ava says, that was unexpected, and Nikolas says, leave it to his son to zig when they wanted him to zag. She says she can handle him not accepting the deal, but what bothered her most was the look on his face when he entered his plea… that this is far from over.

Robert tells Victor, he spoke to Anna, and she’s not going to help him. Victor says, if Robert says so, and Robert says, he doesn’t have any control over what the WSB decides to do, but Victor doesn’t have him fooled. The world was a much better place when Victor was dead. Victor says, he’s feeling a bit parched. Why doesn’t Robert make himself useful, and fetch him some water. He’d prefer sparkling.

Valentin says, whatever Victor is proposing, it’s a trap, and Anna says, she knows that, obviously. They have no way of knowing what he’s been up to in the past few years, but what choice do they have? Peter has to be stopped. For Drew, for Obrecht, most certainly for Maxie. Victor knows where he is; she senses it. This is their best chance. Valentin gets agitated, and Anna tries to calm him. He says, they can’t involve Victor. They’ve come close to getting Peter before. He’ll do it again.

Sam tells Dante, if there’s bad news about Drew, she’d rather be at home with her kids. He says, that make sense. He’ll go arrange their flights back. She says he doesn’t have to come with her, and he says he knows. He wants to.   

Jason tells Britt, to pick up Peter’s trail, they have to retrace his steps. She asks where they start, and he says, the last place her mother was seen; her prison cell.

Willow tells Michael, Wiley’s all set. Now they can finish their conversation. He says, it’s not over? and she says, not for her. What he’s doing seems cold and calculating. He says he gave Nina chance after chance. Even after that meltdown at his father’s funeral, he still gave her the opportunity to visit Wiley, and what does she do? She brings up Nelle, making Wiley doubt that Willow is his real mother. And even after that, he gave her another chance, and how does she thank them? By lying. By keeping the knowledge that his father was alive, and for what? To punish his mother? She says she can’t deny anything he’s saying. It’s just that, what does he thinks is going to happen to Nina? He says, that’s up to the DA Sheridan, but if she’s asking him, he thinks Nina needs to be held accountable.

Nina says, she guesses that concludes her and Sonny’s business. He’ll buy Charlie’s, and she won’t be involved, financially or otherwise. And Carly won’t have to know how much it… progressed in Nixon Falls. He says, correct, and she says she hopes Phyllis stays in Port Charles. She considers Phyllis her family, and she wants to earn back the trust of those people she loves. A couple of cops come in, and one says, Nina Reeves? She says she’s Nina Reeves. Is there a problem? He says she’s under arrest for identity fraud.

One: I’ll say it again, not sure about the identity fraud thing, and two: it doesn’t happen that fast, even for a DA. He didn’t even have time to get back to PA and fill out the paperwork.

On Monday, Valentin asks what Anna has to say to him, Sasha thinks it not a bad idea, Michael asks if Jax wants to make things right, and Carly says, if that’s not a crime, she doesn’t know what is.

🩺 Living Her Best Life…

GH’s Co-Chief of Staff opens up about coming out – twice.

GH Star Cassandra James Opens Up About Her Childhood and Transition

👀 Watching Man…

I thought I’d recognized him. He’s one of those dudes who’s been in everything.

Marshall on GENERAL HOSPITAL — Everything You Need To Know

💏 He’s Had So Many…

I still like him the most with Obrecht.

Kin Shriner Picks His Favorite GH Leading Lady (Exclusive)

👠 Sonja Trilogy…

Ugh. Heather. What’s up with her talking smack?

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/21/heather-thomson-sonja-morgan-let-men-put-cigarettes-in-her-vagina/

When they shade you, make some money off of it.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/22/sonja-morgan-promotes-her-onlyfans-after-bizarre-cigarette-claims/

I actually believe Sonja on this one.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/21/leah-mcsweeney-slams-sonja-morgan-for-talking-mad-st/

💍 Real Real Housewife To Be…

Face it. Anything has to be better than Juicy Joe.

https://people.com/tv/teresa-giudice-engaged-luis-ruelas-exclusive/

❄️ Salty Talk…

What happens in Salt Lake does not stay in Salt Lake.

RHOSLC Recap: Jennie’s Husband Duy Suggests a Sister Wife as She Cries Over Losing Babies; Dinner With Whitney Goes Awry as Lisa Tries to Clear Her Name in Caterer Drama

🍸 Is She Or Isn’t She…?

She said she was no dummy, but said nothing about not being vague as hell.

https://people.com/tv/lala-kent-opens-up-about-randall-emmett-relationship-on-vanderpump-rules-amid-reported-split/

https://people.com/tv/lala-kent-spotted-without-her-engagement-ring-amid-reported-randall-emmett-breakup/

🐉 Flying In Soon…

The trailer and the latest on House of the Dragon.

https://ew.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-different-tone-game-of-thrones/

https://ew.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-trailer-game-of-thrones-prequel/

📖 For Your Reading Pleasure…

I can’t wait to read this book.

https://ew.com/books/not-all-diamonds-and-rose-excerpt-real-housewives-book-dave-quinn-andy-cohen/

📌 Quotes of the Week

We can have peace if we let go of wanting to change the past and wanting to control the future. – Lester Levinson

The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission; quit waiting for someone to say you are officially qualified… and pick yourself. – Seth Godin, American Author, Speaker and Entrepreneur

I’ve learned that God won’t let you be tempted more than you can bear. I think God gives humanity too much credit. – Jung Jae-heo (Kim Nam-hee) Sweet Home

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another. – Charles Dickens

Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them. – C. S. Lewis, from Studies in Medieval Literature, compiled in Words to Live By

Happiness is for dogs and Americans. – Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), General Hospital

We’re here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark. – Whoopi Goldberg (Don’t look to me – my torch blew out a long time ago.)

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else. – Charles Dickens

All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography. – Federico Fellini

With confidence, you have won before you have started. – Marcus Garvey

🧻 Rolling Along…

Time to wrap up another week, or another row on the calendar if you’re not into labels. See you at Dead o’clock, but until then, stay safe, stay being the bigger person, and stay having the courage to face up to what you’ve done, and try to be better.

Oct20

October 19, 2021 – Victor Explains Valentin’s Parentage, Sandoval Throws a Tantrum About Katie & Strange

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna and Robert cross a footbridge. Anna looks over the edge, and says, that is a long drop. She says, it’s a long way from the compound site, and Robert says, if Pater makes a run for it, he’ll be intercepted. She says, he could try the main gate, and Robert says, in which case there’s a nice group of agents ready to welcome him, but that’s not Peter’s M.O. He’s going to wait for darkness, and slither away. She says she’s not going to shoot to kill, but he says, he is.

At The Savoy, Portia says, as exciting as Curtis’s detective days might have been, she’s glad they’re over, private and otherwise. That’s one thing she and Stella have in common; they both like knowing he’s safe and sound. He says he intends to stay that way, because he certainly has a lot to live for. He kisses her, and a man watches them from across the room. Curtis says, how about a toast? and she says, he sounds like he’s got something in mind. He says he does, and raises his glass, saying, may the past stay in the past. She says, amen to that, and they clink glasses.

At a table, Nikolas and Ava are served champagne. She asks what they’re drinking to, and he says, that depends on her answer. He takes out a ring box, and says, she threw these at his feet when she walked away from him. He opens the box, revealing her wedding set, and says, now he’s asking her with all of his heart if he can put them back on her.

Dante asks where Victor is holding Drew, and Victor says he can take them to Drew’s cell, but he doesn’t know if Drew is still there. Sam asks, where else would he be? and Victor says, Peter bribed the guards to do his bidding. It’s more than likely he’s taken Drew. Sam says, there’s no way in hell Drew would go anywhere with Peter, but Victor says, Drew doesn’t have a choice.

Portia looks at Ava and Nikolas, and Curtis says, let him guess. Not her favorite couple. She says she’s made her peace with Ava, but as for Nikolas, wherever he goes, disaster seems to follow.

Ava says she remembers taking her rings off, desperate to convince Nikolas that the marriage was over. She was trying to convince herself, but never did. She’s missed them. Nothing would make her happier than Nikolas putting them back where they belong. He takes her hand, and says, Ava, my wife, I love you – he puts the rings on her – with all that I have and all that I am, now and forever. She gets teary, and says, Nikolas, my husband, I love you, with all that I have and all that I am, now and forever. He says, now they can toast, and raises his glass, saying, to us. She says, to Mr. and Mrs. Nikolas Cassadine. Jason and Britt walk in.

Britt says, there they are, and Jason says he told her Spinelli would track him down. She says, he’s a useful guy to have around, and he asks if this is the way she wants to play it. She says she’s got this, but do her a favor. Don’t go too far in case she needs back-up. She pulls out a chair next to Ava, and sits. She says, mind if she joins them? It’ll be fun, walk down Memory Lane… Nikolas says she’s not saying the fun part, and she says, come on. Not every past association has to be negative. She tells Ava, he used to have the most awful nightmares about his family. Growing up in that nest of vipers would give anyone bad dreams. He would wake up in a cold sweat. She asks Nikolas if his troubled family history still disturbs his sleep.

Anna tells Robert, someone’s coming, and he says, here we go. Valentin and Drew crouch down, and go across the footbridge. She says, it’s Drew and Valentin, and Robert says, damn. She calls to Valentin, and he stands up, saying, Anna. Peter shoots him, and Robert holds Anna back. Drew fires at Peter, who returns the fire. Drew is hit, and falls over the side of the bridge. Valentin manages to make it to Anna and Robert, and Peter jets. Valentin asks if Anna is okay, and she says she’s fine; he’s the one who’s been hit.

Curtis asks Portia, what’s wrong? Talk to him. She says, it’s Spencer’s father. Not that she considers him to be a very good one. He says, he heard Spencer was arrested. He didn’t harm Trina at all, did he? She says, not physically, but he outright lied to her and played on her sympathy, when the whole time, his whole goal was to get back at Ava. Then Nikolas jumps in, playing the same twisted mind games as Spencer – like father, like son – and Trina gets caught in the middle. He says, to hell with that. He has no problem getting them the hell out. She grabs his arm, and says she appreciates the impulse, she really does, but Trina’s close to Ava, and she’d rather not escalate the tension.

Nika asks the watching man if he wants another round, and he nods.

Ava says, Nikolas doesn’t have fears about his family or anything else; not when he’s with her. Britt says, so he’s not concerned about his family’s operations in Crete? and he says, what operations? She tells him, Scotty’s computer was hacked with spyware that’s been traced back to Greece, specifically Crete, but Nikolas says he doesn’t know what that has to do with him. Computer hackers are pretty common these days. She says, this one in particular hits close to home, and Ava asks, how so? Britt says, whoever spied on Scotty, used that information to get to her mother.

Victor tells Dante and Sam, the cells are on the lower level. You go through the door and down the stairs. They shouldn’t encounter any guards. He wasn’t paying them enough to die protecting this place, but he has no idea how much Peter was paying them to betray him, so they’d best proceed with caution. Good luck. He starts to leave, but Dante says, no. He’s their luck. He’s coming with them. Victor says, why? They want Peter, not him. Sam says, right now, they want Drew. Peter will be a bonus, but he’s going to show them the way. Victor says, it seems he doesn’t have any choice, but before they go in search of Drew, there’s someone else who needs rescuing.

Nikolas says, Britt is an intelligent woman. She must realize her mother doesn’t lack for enemies, but he’s not one of them. Ava says, just because Scotty’s hacker was traced to Greece, why assume the Cassadines were involved? Britt says she has to start somewhere, and the Cassadines are the only Greek family she knows, and they’re a family with a pretty sketchy history, so… Nikolas says, he left the island and the family business behind when he came back to Port Charles, and Ava asks if Britt is finished then. This is a big night for them; they’re celebrating. Britt says she’s sorry to delay their big night, but she needs a moment with Nikolas… alone.

Valentin asks, where’s Drew? and Anna asks Robert, where’s Peter? Did Robert hit him? Robert says, running for his life, he thinks. She asks again if he hit Peter, but he says he doesn’t think so. She asks if he saw Drew, and he shines the flashlight into the water. He says, this light’s not powerful enough; he can’t see anything. Drew floats in the water, bleeding.

Anna says they have to move fast, and Robert asks what Valentin’s body temperature is. She says she doesn’t know and feels his forehead, but Valentin says he’s fine. They have to get Peter. Anna says they have to get him to the hospital, and Valentin says, there’s someone else who needs rescuing. She asks, who? and he says, Obrecht.

Nikolas asks how he can help Britt find her mom, and she says, maybe they can help each other out. Ava goes over to the bar, and asks Curtis if he’d mind if she had a word with the good doctor. He says it’s up to Portia, who says it’s fine with her. They shouldn’t be long.

The man watches Curtis go over to Jason, and asks what brings him in; business or pleasure? Jason says, neither. He’s just there helping a friend. He looks over at Britt. Nikolas asks how Britt thinks they can help each other out.

Victor leads Sam and Dante to Obrecht’s cell, and calls for her, but it’s empty. He says, she’s gone, and Dante says, he brought them to Obrecht’s cell first? Victor says, she’s in more danger from Peter than Drew. Sam says, cats have nine lives, but Obrecht must have ten, and Dante says, maybe they just moved her to another location. Victor says he prays she managed to escape. Dante picks up a syringe from the floor, and says, unless she needed medical attention, he doesn’t think she left the cell of her own free will.

Britt tells Nikolas that she heard about Spencer. All those months he and Ava lived in fear, it turned out to be Spencer all along, but some of the things he did don’t feel like Spencer’s style at all. Burning a car is simultaneously cliché and overkill. Nikolas says, he admits he was responsible. Ava was right to have him arrested. She says she asked to speak to him alone because she didn’t want to say this in front of Ava. If Spencer was willing to go to those extremes to separate them, it’s doubtful Nikolas can get through to him. Spencer still likes her, and considers her a friend, even a mentor of sorts. Maybe he’ll listen to her. She’d be happy to talk to him.

Curtis asks if there’s trouble with Britt and Nikolas, but Jason says he doesn’t want to know. Curtis sits down, and says Jason is right; he doesn’t. He was just telling Portia how happy he was to be out of that game. But based on experience, he and Jason know it’s not a game at all, right? People get hurt, and may even die. The man continues to watch Curtis.

Victor asks Dante what they’re standing around there for; Liesl’s in great danger. Dante says, Obrecht is going to be just fine. Like Sam said, she’s like some crazy cat lady with nine lives. Victor needs to take him to Drew’s cell. Victor says, it seems Sam is one step ahead of them. Dante calls to Sam.

Ava asks Portia how Trina is doing. They’ve been in touch in the past couple weeks, but she’s been distracted. She knows Trina is busy with school. Portia says, she loves it at PCU. As much as she loves having Trina home, she thinks living in the dorms is good for Trina’s independence. Most of her classes are basic courses, but she’s got one elective, art history, and in Trina’s words, it’s epic. Ava says she doesn’t worry about Trina academically one bit, but she wonders if Trina is as grounded when it comes to her social life. She was surprised when Trina put so much faith in the young man who introduced himself as Victor, and turned out to be Spencer. Portia says, Trina hasn’t told her too much about it, but she knows it’s been difficult. Spencer made Trina question her own judgment. Ava asks if Portia blames Spencer’s father for what Spencer has done, and Portia says she thinks he played a pivotal role in driving Spencer to his outrageous behavior. She knows Ava is in love with Nikolas, and doesn’t expect Ava to see it her way, and Ava says, she loves Trina too, and hates that she’s been dragged into such a dysfunctional situation. Spencer didn’t just lie and manipulate; he broke the law. That’s why she’s making sure he pays for what he did. Portia says, by having him arrested? and Ava nods. Portia says if Ava thinks she supports that decision, she’s mistaken. She disagrees.

Curtis asks Jason how Sonny is, and Jason says, he’s glad to be back. Curtis says, nine months is a long time. It’s got to be an adjustment coming back. Jason says, he’s doing okay, and Curtis says, Nina told him a little bit about what happened. He’s not defending her in any way, but Nina was there when Michael and Willow came in the other night. Let’s just say, pretty frank opinions were exchanged. Jason says, Michael has a right to his opinion, and obviously Curtis has a right to his. Curtis tells Jason, like he said, he’s not defending her, but he believes she’s deserving of another chance.

The watching man asks Nika, when is the first set? but she says, she’s sorry. There’s no live music tonight. He says, that’s too bad. What kind of acts do they book here? She says, it’s a pretty eclectic mix, and he asks who books the acts; the owner, or do they have a booking agent? She tells him, the owner does it himself, and points Curtis out.

Valentin says he didn’t want to die in Greece, and Anna says she’s not going to let him. Talk to her about Charlotte. He says, Charlotte’s a good girl. She wants a new horse. She wants to keep the pony – she loves that pony – but she’s ready for a jumper. He has his eye on a thoroughbred who used to be a racehorse. Real disappointment, but he thinks he can get a good deal, and wants to give him a second chance. He thinks everybody deserves a second chance, doesn’t she? She says, yeah, and he says he thinks there’s a good chance she’s going to have to tell Charlotte what happened here. Promise him she’ll do it. Charlotte admires her. And Bailey. That sweet thing is never going to know him. Promise him that she’ll tell his children that he loves them. She calls to Robert, telling him, get over here. She doesn’t think Valentin can hold on much longer.

Britt says, Spencer spent his entire life in the lap of luxury, so if he’s willing to spend an entire night in jail, that means he’s really dug in on his position. Maybe he needs to talk to a more neutral person who can help him find a way to apologize and also save face. It doesn’t hurt to try, right? She helps him, he helps her. It’s a win-win. He says if she wants to visit Spencer in jail, he can’t stop her, but they don’t have a deal. She asks, why not? and he says he admires her devotion to her mother, but he meant what he said; he can’t help her. His family sold off their holdings in Crete years ago. She says, which means his family used to have properties there.

 Dante tells Victor, no funny stuff. Victor had better be taking him to Drew’s cell. Victor says he is, but that doesn’t mean Sam’s found it. They go into Drew’s cell, and Sam is there. Dante tells her not to take off like that again, and she says she’s sorry. When she saw that syringe, she was afraid that whatever happened to Obrecht, happened to Drew. Victor says, Peter doesn’t need drugs to control Drew. He has something far better. Dante asks what he’s talking about, and he says, Drew’s conditioning is still active. Sam says he’s wrong. Drew had an operation and the conditioning is gone. Victor says, Faison was either greedy or prudent, depending on your point of view. He installed a shortcut, a simple image or phrase that can activate the conditionings. A trigger known only to Faison, and now it appears, to Peter. Dante asks if Victor knows this for sure, and he tells Dante to ask Robert or Anna. They were at the tavern in Panapolia (sounds like – I still don’t know if that’s right). Dante says they know that place, and Victor says, a masked gunman ambushed them, and when they fired back, the gunman retreated. Coincidentally, the next morning, this morning, Drew was found with a bullet wound. Don’t worry. It’s nothing serious, just a graze, but it appears Drew is completely under Peter’s control. Sam says, not completely, and points to Scout’s name on the wall. She says, he remembered his daughter’s name. Peter hasn’t won.

Nikolas says, the Cassadines used to own property in Crete, but sold them. It’s all part of public record. Britt says, stop acting like they’re talking about a three-bedroom bungalow in a nice neighborhood in a good school district. The Cassadines don’t buy normal homes like other people. They go after creepy caves, and volcanoes, and offshore islands with their own private harbors. He says he’s not going to deny the Cassadines think big. His grandfather built a retreat there before he was even born. She says, okay. Now they’re getting somewhere. Can he tell her how to get there? He says, what’s the point? They sold it a long time ago. It was converted to a monastery at one point, famous for it’s vineyards. He’s been told the wine is to die for. She says she hopes not for her mother’s sake, and he says she could take her Holy Orders and become a monk, but they’re pretty old school there; men only. Besides, it’s in the middle of nowhere. The only thing close is a tiny village, with a church, a post office, and a tavern. Then there’s nothing for miles.

Robert and Anna go back to the tavern, and Robert says they’re lucky they’re in a place where the bars stay open late. He could use a drink or two. Anna says she should have stayed with Valentin, and Robert says, come on. He’s been airlifted to the Consulate hospital. She says, with his life hanging by a thread, and he asks what she thinks she’s going to do? They have a ton of stuff to focus on there. He orders two glasses of ouzo, and the guard/agent comes in. Robert says he asked the agent to keep an eye on Sam and Dante. Where are they? The agent regrets to inform Robert that he didn’t complete his assignment. Robert says, that means what? and the agent says, they weren’t agents. They weren’t here on an op. They didn’t care about WSB protocols. They wanted to find a little girl’s father and bring him home. Robert says, he let them go? and he says he might have gone outside to investigate a noise, and when he came back, they were gone. Robert says he swears the agent is going to be busted down to a parking lot attendant… Anna says, for God’s sake, Robert, come on. Doesn’t he think this night has been bad enough? So what? He showed a little compassion. It’s not a bad quality for an agent, is it? Robert says, he broke the rules, and Anna says she knows agents who have done a lot worse. Two of them are standing right here. The day Robert says rules are more important than people, is the day he turns into a liar. Rules are meant to be lightly ignored, or downright broken, and he knows that better than anyone.

Dante tells Sam, they have to go. Every minute that goes by, Peter is getting further and further away with Obrecht and Drew. Let’s go. Victor starts to follow them, and Drew says, not him. He’s going to lock Victor in there. Victor says they can’t leave him there, and Dante says he’ll send someone to babysit Victor. Victor says, if Peter comes back, he’ll show no mercy, and Sam says, like Victor did for Drew? Victor says, Peter was the one responsible for Drew’s abduction; Peter was behind his captivity. Did he facilitate it? Yes, fine, but does he regret it? Oh my God, immeasurably. In a lifetime of questionable alliances, not the least with his barking mad own brother Mikkos, getting close with Peter was the worst mistake of his life. All he wants to do is live long enough to pay that bastard back; live being the operative word. He knows this place like the back of his hand. They need him to guide them safely out of here. Sam asks what Dante thinks; someone who could actually show them around? Dante says, all right, but if Victor tries anything, he will shoot him. Show them the way. Victor says, follow him, and they go.

Portia tells Ava, if Spencer is convicted, that’s going to be on his record for life. Ava says, that’s entirely up to him. She set her anger aside, went to the PCPD, and offered him an olive branch. She just hopes he was smart enough to take it. Maybe someday, if Spencer gets his act together, he and Trina can be friends again. Portia says she’s going to be encouraging her daughter to stay far, far away from Ava’s stepson. Ava says, because of what Spencer did, or because Trina got caught in the middle? Portia says, neither. It’s because of who Spencer is.

Sam approaches Robert at the bar, and he asks where she’s been. He told her to stay put. She says, they found someone who can maybe help them find Drew, and Dante brings Victor in, wearing handcuffs. Robert says he kind of knew the rumors of Victor’s demise were greatly exaggerated, and Victor says he can explain, but first he needs to know, did Valentin manage to escape? They were separated in all the confusion. Anna says, he was shot in the back by Peter. He’s been airlifted out. Victor asks if they know his prognosis, and she says, he’s critical. Why does Victor care? He’s heard Valentin isn’t a Cassadine. He’s no relation to Victor. Victor says she couldn’t be more wrong. Helena had an affair… with him. Valentin’s his son, and a true Cassadine.

Victor says, she was convinced Mikkos was cheating on her, which of course (🍷) he was. He knows people saw her as heartless and vindictive, but Helena was always far more complex than that. Sometimes even vulnerable. She felt Mikkos was her life partner; her soulmate, if you will. When she learned of his many infidelities, it crushed her. One day, Victor found her crying. He was intending only to comfort her, but comfort turned to passion. One thing led to another. He doesn’t regret any of it. Robert says Victor will have to pardon him if he throws up in his mouth over this, and Victor says, Helena paid Mikkos back with interest. She kept her pregnancy secret, and fostered the child with a local girl Mikkos had already discarded. Then she tricked Mikkos into believing Valentin was his son. He sent Valentin away to boarding school, and forgot about him. Victor felt Valentin was safer that way, so he did nothing to dispute the lie. Anna asks why he wants to claim Valentin now, and he says he knew Peter was going to double-cross him at any time; he was already holding Valentin captive. He didn’t know if either of them was going to survive, and he thought his son had a right to know his father before he died. Anna says she hopes Valentin laughed in his face, and Victor says, he did actually, but that doesn’t make it any less true. She says, father, uncle, random stranger makes no difference to her. If Valentin dies, she’s holding Victor responsible.

Curtis tells Jason that he didn’t know it was so difficult to prove a person was legally alive. Jason says, Diane had to do it when he came back. She’s probably the only person not complaining, because she’s making a fortune off it. Curtis says, but she’s not so thrilled to see Sonny alive that she’s working at a discount, and Jason says, she loves Sonny and she’s like his own, but a discount? Not a chance.   

The watching man asks Nika if they feature acts from the Northeast, or do they get them from all over? He knows she said eclectic, but he doesn’t know if that means style or geography. She says, both. Since they opened, they’ve had acts from all over. One singer came in from London. He says, impressive, and smart. Live music is a great draw. He knows people like to come to clubs with their friends, but when they see a live act, it takes it to the next level. It sounds like her boss knows what he’s doing.

Nikolas tells Britt, his own relationship with his son is complicated to say the least. So even if most people woudn’t understand her devotion to her mother, he does. Maybe there’s something he can do to help. He still has some friends in Crete. He can put in a few and see if anyone’s heard anything. She says, they’re talking about criminals and a possible kidnapping. Does he think his friends will just volunteer information? He says, to a stranger? Absolutely not, but it’s different when it’s one of their own.

Ava says Portia wouldn’t want Trina to be friends with Spencer, even down the line, because he’s a Cassadine? Is that what she means? Portia says, this is no reflection on Ava, but at the end of the day, she wants her daughter safe. In her book, that means keeping Trina away from Ava’s stepson and her husband.

Victor asks if they’ve heard anything from the hospital, but Anna says Valentin’s been gone less than an hour. He would have been taken straight to surgery. She doubts the doctors have time to call them with updates. Victor says, he’s at the American Consulate, isn’t he? and holds out his wrists for Dante to uncuff him. Dante says, he’s not going anywhere, but Victor says Dante knows there are plenty Consulate personnel there to keep an eye on him. Dante says, they might, if Victor actually made it to the Consulate, which he highly doubts Victor is going to do. Just because he’s feeling paternal toward Valentin, doesn’t erase all the bad stuff he did. Victor looks to Anna for help, but she says, there isn’t a chance in hell that he’ll make it to the Consulate on his own volition. He’ll stay here with them, and answer questions. She supposes she could make a call, and steps away.

Britt tells Nikolas that she doesn’t understand why he won’t just give her an address. What’s it to him if she goes to Greece? He says she hasn’t even let him make any calls yet. Not that he’s promising any clues to where her mother might be, but you never know. She tells him to let her know if he hears anything. Her phone rings, and it’s Anna. Nikolas says, maybe Anna has a clue for her, and she leaves the table. The connection isn’t good, and Britt asks where Anna is. Anna says, in Greece. She has news about Britt’s mother.

Robert asks the agent if there’s any news. Sightings? Maybe Peter is dragging around a female hostage by the name of Liesl Obrecht? Sam says, shouldn’t he be asking about two hostages? and Dante says, Liesl and Drew. Robert tells the agent that he needs a minute with them, and he leaves. Dante asks, what’s going on? and Sam asks if he knows something about Drew. Robert says he’s got news. None of it good.

Nika says there’s a customer she thinks Curtis should meet, and he says he’d love to. Any reason in particular? She says, he was asking about live music, and he tells her to point him in the right direction. She sees the watching man’s table is empty, and Curtis says, it looks like he took off. If he comes back, be sure to introduce them.  

Robert says, there’s only one way to the dock, and it’s over the footbridge, and Sam says, that’s where Valentin was shot. What does that have to do with Drew? He says, Valentin and Drew were together. They were halfway across the bridge, when Peter put a shot in Valentin’s back. Drew turned around to draw fire, and Peter put three shots into him. The impact blew Drew back across the bridge and into the water, and it’s a long way. He never surfaced. Dante asks if he’s sure Drew was, and Robert says he is. Dante says, so what he’s saying is he thinks Drew is dead, but they don’t have a body, right? Robert says he has agents combing the area. They’ll call him the minute they find Drew, dead or alive. Dante tells Sam, the one thing Drew has proven so far is that he’s hard to kill. Robert goes over to Victor, and says he’s going to be held accountable for this. Victor says, as he understands it, Robert is retired from the WSB, and is now the DA of Port Charles. This is a little out of his jurisdiction, wouldn’t he say? Robert leans over Victor and tells him, don’t worry. When it comes to the Cassadines, he always makes it personal.

Ava says, she admires any mother who’s protecting her daughter, but Portia does understand how important Trina’s well-being is to her, right? She knows she’s proven that. Portia says she knows Trina admires Ava. She looks up to Ava, and cares for her deeply, which is why she went to great lengths to help Ava with her stalker. Ava senses a but coming, and Portia says, she’d be correct. Now that the stalker situation is over, and Ava has decided to stay with Nikolas, she’s cemented herself in the Cassadine family. She just hopes that connection doesn’t come back to haunt Ava – or Trina.

Nikolas makes a call, and asks if someone can talk. The bartender in the Crete tavern says, it’s not a good time, but Nikolas says, that’s too bad. He understands there’s been some disruption. Tell him everything.

Jason asks Britt, who was on the phone? and she says, Anna; she was in Greece. It turns out, the IP address Spinelli found on Scotty’s computer, was linked to a Cassadine compound where her mother was being held captive by Peter. But guess what else? He’s not working alone. Jason asks, who’s helping him? and she says, Victor Cassadine. He says, Nikolas’s uncle? and she says, yeah, the dead guy. But there’s something else. Jason’s brother Drew was also being held on the compound. He says, Drew was in the prison? and she tells him, Anna said the WSB stormed the place and grabbed Victor, but Drew took a bullet, and is presumed dead. He says, presumed. So there’s no body – again. She says, apparently, Peter shot Drew on some bridge. He fell over the side and into the sea. The WSB is still looking for him, but Anna didn’t sound hopeful. He says, what about Peter? and she says, vanished, and so has her mother. He says, we need to go to Greece, and she says she’s game if he is.

Peter is sitting in a car, and says, are we good? Drew takes off the protective gear he had on under his clothing, and Peter says, between the bullet hits and the fall, they have to think he’s dead. Put the gear in the back, and let’s get moving. Drew gets in, and Peter drives off, smiling.

Tomorrow, Nina tells Curtis, a lot has happened in the last few hours; Terry says, somebody called asking about Finn; Carly wonders why Peter didn’t use this to his advantage; and Jason tells someone that he’s about to leave town.

Vanderpump Rules

In Raquel’s interview, she said she couldn’t believe this was her life. She and James called her mom, and she told her mom that the ring had been in a Tiffany’s box. In her interview, Raquel said, Tiffany’s was where all the princesses got their jewelry. Ariana waxed nostalgic with Sandoval about their first Coachella, and in her interview, she said, it was absolutely magical. She told Sandoval that the engagement had him written all over it. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, seeing Ariana so happy made him want to do something as special for her. Scheana said her boobs were telling her that she had to go home. Brock was disappointed to leave early, and in Lala’s interview, she said, welcome to parent life. He hadn’t seen two of his kids in four years, and wasn’t getting any parent of the year award, even though Scheana thought he was perfect. The Toms discussed the evening, and Sandoval said he wanted to make it amazing or not do it at all. Schwartz asked how much was spent, and Sandoval said it had been $25K. In Schwartz’s interview, he questioned the wisdom of this, since they were getting financing for the new bar, and still had money to raise. It was a significant chunk of change. Sandoval said he didn’t know how to do tiny, and in his interview, he said nothing gave him more joy than helping a friend accomplish a dream. He and James had split the cost. Schwartz said he was so impressed, he was letting Sandoval name the bar. I translated this to be Schwartz’s way of avoiding the name conflict. Sandoval said he hoped Schwartz didn’t feel like he was caving, and in his interview, he said, if it upset Katie, she had only one person to blame. Sandoval toasted to Schwartz and Sandy’s. Ugh. He is not reading any room. There isn’t one other person who’s in love with this name.  

James ran around yelling, Raquel is my fiancé! Schwartz told Katie that he was impressed, and let Sandoval name the bar. Unfortunately, Sandoval still wanted Schwartz and Sandy’s, but he’d learn to love it. Katie said he’d made a leap forward, and took ten steps back, but he said it would grow on her. In her interview, she said, the only thing she wanted growing on her were her hair and fingernails. LVP called James, and wanted to know the details. She asked which Tiffany’s he’d gone to, but he said, it was a Tiffany diamond; he hadn’t gotten the ring Tiffany’s. The only person not at the engagement was Max. She said she didn’t know how ready Max was to reestablish their relationship, and we flashed back to James being a d*ck. In Lisa’s interview, she said Max was done, but she thought James needed Max on his side.

Katie went over fertility stuff with Schwartz, who was instructed to put a specimen in a jar. In Katie’s interview, she said, having a family was something they’d always planned for, and it was important for Schwartz to be present 100% of the time. She got together with Lala, and a couple of fitness trainers for a session of electromagnetic stimulation. In Lala’s interview, she said, becoming a mom meant your body wasn’t your own. Ocean was out of her, but still attached to her boob 24/7, and it was hard not to feel like some sort of farm animal. She’d heard the a few minutes of the stimulation was the equivalent to hours at the gym. Was she taking the easy way out? Yes. If this is true, why aren’t we all doing it? They got hooked up and zapped, and Lala said it was like nothing she’d felt before. Katie said it felt like every muscle was contracting all at once, and in her interview, suggested using the bathroom before a session. Katie and Lala discussed the fertility issue, and in her interview, Katie said, when everyone around you was getting pregnant, and you weren’t, it was added stress. Meanwhile, Sandoval went to lend moral support to Schwartz – i.e. stand and wait while Schwartz created his specimen. Sandoval came in and asked how Schwartz liked his eggs. Fertilized? Ugh again. He also brought a helpful kit, containg lube (for obvious reasons), a Gwyneth Paltrow vagina candle (on loan), and a face mask (don’t ask). Then he waited while Schwartz… 16 minutes later, Schwartz emerged, and said he’d had raw determination, which was probably not his best choice of words.

Katie asked about the playdate with Summer Moon, and Lala said it was wonderful. She told Katie that since Brock hadn’t spoken to his kids in four years, she thought Scheana was running the risk of him being done with both her and the baby if things didn’t work out. Scheana had a pattern of ignoring the signs, and she was worried for Summer Moon. In Lala’s interview, she said now that she was a mom, she looked at things differently, and told Katie that the stakes were higher; it’s just different. James made Raquel bring a gift to Max when she went to work. In his interview, he said, he’d apologized a million times. He’d gotten Max an Oculus, since they’d played together back in the day. It was the cherry on the apology, and would show he meant it. He didn’t think Raquel should be wearing her ring when she was working, but she said she wanted to show Lisa. In her interview, she said what was the point of having a gorgeous, huge Tiffany diamond if she couldn’t show it off at work and make everyone a little jelly. For the record, I hate when people shorten words like that.   

Puffy! Lisa went to TomTom, and the Toms told her about the engagement. Schwartz pretended to hand her his specimen, but it was really a jar of yogurt. In Lisa’s interview, she said she’d been married for 37 years, and had some experience. She knew what it was supposed to look like. She wanted them to stop joking and jerking, and get to work. Scheana got together with Lala for some shopping, and told Lala that once Summer Moon wore something on Instagram, she couldn’t wear it again. In Scheana’s interview, she said Summer Moon already had 110K followers. She’d passed her dad before she was born. Lala asked her how she’d found out about Brock’s kids, and Scheana said he’d been open about the situation since day one. In Lala’s interview, she said she didn’t care if he was Jason Momoa himself, if he hadn’t seen his kids in that long, she wouldn’t be saying, you’re the one to be my baby daddy. Lala said she didn’t want Scheana to live by Brock’s past relationship, but Randal had a similar situation, and she wasn’t turning a blind eye to the fact it could happen to her. She knew people changed, but she didn’t want to be a dummy, and didn’t want anything to happen to Scheana and Summer Moon. In Scheana’s interview, she said she knew her track record wasn’t great, but she didn’t see that happening. Lala said if one day Scheana didn’t want Brock in her or the baby’s lives anymore, she would hope he’d fight to see his kid.   

Raquel was excited that his and Raquel’s families were getting together, but James was more apprehensive. In Raquel’s interview, she said her family had met drunk James and angry James, and it was hard to know which James would show up. She was close to her older sister Kate, even though they didn’t have a lot in common. Raquel was adopted at birth by her aunt who’d had no luck getting pregnant, when Raquel’s biological mother had been surprised by her second pregnancy. Kate had still stepped into the big sister role. At dinner, Raquel brought up bringing the gift to Max, and said she’d done the best she could. We saw a clip of that, as well as her showing off her ring to Lisa. Max said Raquel might be making a mistake marrying James, but they’d see, and Raquel told Max that James was very remorseful. James explained to the families that he and Max had gone to dinner, and gotten in an argument. He did things he shouldn’t have, and said things he shouldn’t have. Kate said he seemed to have issues sober or drunk, and in his interview, James said his family loved Raquel right away, but with her family it was a bit more of a journey. James’s mom said, not everyone was perfect, rather than chastising him for being an a-hole. Kate said she didn’t want to see Raquel in a situation where she had to fix James’s problems, and in Raquel’s interview, she said, Kate wasn’t always supportive of their relationship because of James’s drinking. Being Raquel’s big sister, she was always going to be protective. Kate hoped James realized that his behavior could affect Raquel.

Katie and Ariana went to TomTom, and Lisa was there with Ken. Lisa talked to Katie about the whole baby thing, and in Katie’s interview, she said, they’d been trying, but after a while, it becomes a chore and like a job. In Lisa’s interview, she said it was probably breaking Katie’s heart seeing Lala, Scheana, Brittany, and Stassi all having babies at the same time. She must feel left out, and it wasn’t something you could control. She asked Katie if the Toms ever suggested they try for a baby, and Katie said, if could have one, they would. Isn’t TomTom their baby? Lisa sat with the Toms, Katie, and Ariana, and Schwartz said they’d had trouble staffing for the new bar. Lisa asked if they had a problem with Katie having a role in it. Schwartz said she wasn’t the most sociable, and Katie said she’d worked for her mother for years, and there were never any issues. In her interview, she said she worked in her mom’s restaurant, and she would love to have a family business. Um… She also worked for SUR, and I don’t remember her ever being a less than stellar server. Out of nowhere, Sandoval said he’d had to endure a public undressing, and it gave him massive anxiety. In Lisa’s interview, she said she didn’t mean to provoke anything. She just wanted Katie to have something she’s invested in. He ranted on about Scheana’s birthday, and how Katie had told him the restaurant name was uninspired. I guess he forgot they’d established it was actually Schwartz who’d said that. Schwartz said Sandoval never got over Stassi’s book signing, and we flashed back to 2019, when Katie cursed Sandoval out because of some text. In Katie’s interview, she said, Sandoval wasn’t traumatized. He was scared about letting someone work at the bar who won’t lie and say he’s a genius. She told him, it was years ago; get TF over it. Then he went on a tirade about Katie’s rage texts, and Ariana said that hadn’t happened in years. In Ariana’s interview, she said, Tom was all over the place. She understands his past experience was coloring the way he felt about him and Katie working together now, but just say that. Sandoval said he had a reason to feel insecure. Katie felt entitled with her feelings (what does that even mean?), and he had receipts. Screw her for making him feel like a psychopath. Schwartz told him to take a walk, and Sandoval said he was tired of feeling cornered. Ariana said he was the one cornering them.

What a baby. I’m not a huge Ariana fan, but I’m glad to see she isn’t just taking his side because they’re a couple.

Next time, Schwartz says all his sperm have misshaped heads, Lala says she’d blamed Raquel for her relationship with James failing, and Lala has a sit-down with Brock.

🌈 All I Have To Do Is Dream…

Tomorrow, Erika will cry more crocodile tears, and Charleston boys will collide with the Hamptons crowd in the premiere of <shudder> Winter House. I’ll let you know how awful it is. I already know it will be. Until then, stay safe, stay never going to crime scene number two, and stay not letting comfort turn to passion. It could result in a really messy situation.

Oct16

October 15, 2021 – Jason Agrees To Help Britt, Amber Remembers, a Wedding, Busy, a Refusal, Poor Thing, Harry Rumors, an Attack, VanderTalk, Girls Trip, Magnificent Digs, Close To a Dozen Quotes & Mash

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny comes in, and Carly says, howdy, stranger. He says, howdy to her too. He’d think after twenty years they’re no strangers. She says, no, they’re not, but the man who wore this hat is a mystery to her.   

Britt says Jason got there fast, since she just sent the text. Was he already at the hospital, or did he fly here? Where are her manners? Let her take his cape. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, no. She’s at a standstill, and doesn’t know how to move forward. As much as she hates to ask, she could really use his help.

At Windymere, Doc tells Nikolas, he’s sorry it took a while. He had clients back to back. What does Nikolas need? Nikolas says he needs to discuss his mother; she’s not answering his texts. Is everything all right? Doc says, she’s tied up in a meetings all day, but they’re going to speak tonight. He can let her know Nikolas wants to reach her. Is this an emergency? Nikolas says he’s having a hard time processing something that happened last night. He and Ava found out who was stalking them. Doc says, don’t tell him that his brother found a way to do this, but Nikolas says, sadly, it was his son.

Spencer asks if Ava is there to gloat, and she says, he still doesn’t get it, does he? She derives no pleasure in his situation. He asks where his father is? Arranging bail? She says, no. If it were up to her husband, the PCPD could keep him locked up and throw away the key. She’s all he’s got.

Anna tells an officer, the gunman was a professional; he knew exactly what he was doing. The shots were targeted and precise. This wasn’t some local feud gone wrong. It was an ambush. Dante and Sam arrive, and Dante says, it looks like they showed up late to the party. Sam asks, what the hell happened here?

Drew looks at the bullet wound in his arm, and says, what the hell? What happened?

Peter drags Obrecht down the hall, and she throws his hand off her arm. She says she’d sooner die than help him, and he tells her not to tease him.

Sonny says, he’s still him; he’s still Carly’s husband. What about her? Is she still the same as she was nine months ago, or has something changed? She says, that’s an odd question, and he says he spoke to Jason about what he walked in on the night he came back. She said it was her wedding, but he didn’t know it was her actual wedding night… in every sense of the word. Did he interrupt something? She says, if he hadn’t come back, she and Jason would have slept together, as husband and wife. He says, give him one second. He doesn’t know how he can be okay with that.

Jason asks if Britt is in trouble, because she can tell him anything. She says, this isn’t not about her; it’s about her mother. Rescuing her doesn’t seem to be a top priority at the WSB. It is with her and Scotty, but they’ve hit a brick wall, and they’re out of options. Jason is their only hope of finding her mother alive.

Obrecht asks if Victor is aware Peter is giving her orders, and threatening her. He says, she rejected Victor, then she tried to kill him. So she’s been downgraded from her swanky accommodations to this dank cell. She’ll see how much Victor gives a damn about her. She says she doesn’t care. Nothing can get her to help him. He says, we shall see, won’t we?

Anna says she’s glad they’re here, and Sam asks, what happened? Anna says, she and Robert were ambushed. The gunman was a professional who knew what he was doing. They managed to return fire and drive him off. Robert joins them, and asks if Anna filled them in. Dante says, she was starting to. They don’t know who the shooter was? Robert says, nothing yet. There are no prints, no footprints. They’ve got some ballistics the police are checking on. Sam says, Peter is the obvious suspect, and Anna says, he is, but they have no proof. Robert says, Peter might not have pulled the trigger, but his stench is all over this, and Dante says, Peter is the reason for Drew’s disappearance. They’re getting too close for comfort. Anna says, he seems sure of that. What do they have? Sam says, Dallas Kirby confirmed that Drew’s plane crash was staged, and Dante says, the flight that Drew was on sent a fake distress signal, turned off its beacons, and flew away. Dallas Kirby was paid two million dollars to dump a bunch of plane parts into the Gulf of Adan, and the plane flew off radar. Anna says, that tracks with what Chloe Jennings told her, that Drew is alive and being held against his will. Sam says, then where is he? And where’s Valentin? Wasn’t he with Anna? Anna says, there’s been a complication. Robert says, of the Cassadine nature.

Doc tells Nikolas, Laura is going to be devastated. She believed Spencer when he insisted he wasn’t responsible. Nikolas says, they all did, and Doc says, he’s sorry. He saw glimpses that something was amiss, and he didn’t voice his concerns. It’s difficult to reconcile the prankster they know Spencer can be, with the calculated intimidation Nikolas and Ava have faced. Nikolas says, that’s why he wants to talk to his mother. He’s not sure he took the right actions when Spencer confessed. Doc asks what he did, and Nikolas says, he threw Spencer and his girlfriend out of Windymere. He cut Spencer off from his trust fund and credit cards, and Spencer had no access to any of Nikolas’s financial resources. Doc asks if Nikolas is comfortable with that, and Nikolas says, for now. Alexis doesn’t like it. She’s urging him not to abandon his son. Doc says, what about Ava? and Nikolas says, Ava is all for Spencer facing the consequences of his actions, but not at the expense of their relationship. Doc asks what Nikolas wants, and Nikolas says he appreciates where Ava is coming from, but he’s still confused. Doc says, punishment and enforced guidance don’t need be mutually exclusive, and Nikolas says, no offense, but that didn’t work with Ryan. Doc says, Spencer’s no Ryan, and Nikolas asks if he’s sure. Doc says, it’s true that the extremes Spencer took things to is disturbing, but Spencer knows right from wrong, and he feels remorse. So how did he think it was a good idea to convince Ava she was being stalked? And how did he find the time to even pull it off? Nikolas says, he had help. Spencer didn’t do it alone. The doorbell rings, and Esme is there. She tells Nikolas that he needs to get to the police station as soon as possible. He asks if something happened to Spencer, and she says Nikolas’s wife had Spencer arrested.

Spencer says he wants nothing to do with Ava. He didn’t ask her to come, and certainly doesn’t want to talk to her. She says she’s not keen on talking to the sullen young man who terrorized her for months, but here she is. He might want to shut up and listen for once. He asks what she could have to say that would be useful to him, or what he could say that would be useful to her. She says, for starters, he’s welcome. By all accounts, he had nowhere to sleep and now he does. He says, thank you, stepmother. He’ll never forget she made it possible for him to experience a night in jail, and she tells him not to act so put upon, or has he forgotten he’s guilty of the crimes for which he’s been arrested? He says she’s going to lecture him about his criminal acts? Let’s talk about hers. Let’s get Josslyn in here and ask her about how Morgan died. Ava says she’s not the one in custody, and he says, that’s kind of his point. All the misery she’s inflicted, people who’ve died, and she’s walking free. He allegedly played a few unkind pranks and she had him arrested. She says she knows deep down, Spencer’s father still wants him in his life; he just needs reminding. She can do that. She can remind him that he has the resources to hire Spencer the very best counsel. She can remind him of his connections in the justice community, and his considerable sway. She can remind him that Windymere is Spencer’s home. All of which he thank her for later. He says, should he remind her that his grandmother is mayor of Port Charles, and she can do all of that? Ava says she doesn’t see Laura anywhere around here. Does he? Laura’s not coming to Spencer’s rescue. Nobody but her – with conditions. He can take his chance in court, or she can offer him a way out.

Peter tosses Obrecht into Drew’s cell, and Drew says, Peter looks frazzled. Did his sinister plans go off the rails lately? Peter throws Obrecht’s bag in the cell, and tells her to take care of Drew’s wound. Make sure it’s clean. He leaves, and Obrecht digs furiously in her bag. Drew asks if she has anything they can use, but she says, no. Might as well get to work. She looks at his wound, and says, it’s from a bullet. Fortunately, he was only grazed. Who shot him? He says he has absolutely no idea.

Peter runs into Victor in the hallway, and Victor asks him, what’s wrong? Nervous? He should be. He has a lot to answer for.

Anna tells Sam and Dante that after she came back from seeing Chloe, Valentin was missing. They questioned a local musician she’d seen the night before. Robert says, who promptly lied to their face, and Anna says, he tried to convince them that Valentin faked being drunk, and took off with an accomplice in a car. Robert says, something he was all too willing to accept, and Anna says, well, she wasn’t. After that, things got heated, and they discovered the musician had a tattoo, the Cassadine crest. Sam asks if he was a Cassadine, and Anna says, affiliated with the family somehow, but before they were able to question him further, the gunman opened fire and all hell broke loose. By the time the shooting had ceased, they decided to take the musician in for questioning. Robert’s phone rings, and he says, now?… Okay, he’s on his way. He tells them, it’s his turn with the musician. Maybe now they’ll get some real answers.

Esme follows Nikolas into the living room, whining, didn’t he hear her? Spencer’s being interrogated at the police station. He says he heard her. He already knew. She asks why he hasn’t shown up to help Spencer, and he says he’s helping Spencer take responsibility for this actions. She says, by kicking him out of his home, and sitting back and watching while his wife uses the police as an instrument of revenge? That sounds like abuse, not help. Doc says he’s not sure Esme is seeing the entire picture here. What Spencer did to Ava is criminal behavior. Nikolas says, Esme knows better than anyone. She’s lucky she’s not getting booked at the PCPD right along with Spencer.

Spencer tells Ava, he won’t do it. If this is what she calls an olive branch… She says if anyone is owed an olive branch, it’s her, but she knows better that to expect that. He’s far too attached to his resentment, so she’ll settle for a transactional agreement. They don’t have to be friends; they just need to coexist. She needs to know he’s learned his lesson, and won’t mess with her marriage again. A show of good faith would be to agree to her terms. He says he trusted her once and she stabbed him in the back. Never again. She says, suit himself, and gets up. But a word to the wise. The lobby for the holding cell, the one with the torn mesh in the window; it has its share of bedbugs, but the tear lets in the tiniest bit of sunlight and provides ventilation when the drunk and disorderly show up and puke their guts up. Goodbye; good luck. She leaves, and the door closes. 

Sonny tells Carly, Jason said the same thing, but it’s different hearing it from his best friend, than hearing his wife say if he hadn’t interrupted, they would have slept together. She says, because they didn’t know. For nine months they didn’t know he was alive. Losing him was hell. They searched and searched for him, and waited and prayed; she couldn’t let go. Cyrus and Sonny’s enemies were circling like vultures. The nights were the worst; lying in bed or cradling Donna night after sleepless night. She held it together because she had to, and she and Jason got married for the same reason, because they had to. They had to show a united front. He says, so that’s all it was, a message? I just have to say, they searched and searched not all that hard. Sonny’s picture was apparently never on the news or passed to police departments in Pennsylvania.

Jason says, of course (🍷) he’ll help Britt. He said it that morning at the gym. She says, and she turned him down. She can be stubborn that way… He could pretend to disagree with her. He says, she is stubborn, and a very reckless driver. She says she’s an excellent driver. She supposes there’s some misplaced pride wrapped up in this. She wanted not to need him. He says, they all need someone, and she says, she feels guilty. Her mother was on her way to St. Lucia to attend a conference on hereditary diseases. He says, like Huntington’s? and she says, yes. It was a fake, a ruse to get to her mother. He says, she told him it was a set up at the gym, but didn’t give him any details, and she says, Scotty agreed to go with her mother. He got a deal on a private jet rental, also a ruse. Scotty took an impromptu parachute ride, and her mother just vanished. He asks her to go back to the conference. He thinks someone set it up to trick her mother, but she says, that means they know she has Huntington’s. That’s impossible.

Victor tells Peter, he heard there’s been a gunfight in a tavern in Panapolvia (sounds like; I have no idea if that’s the right name). Robert Scorpio and Anna Devane were inside. A masked gunman showed up, and started firing. Peter asks if anyone was injured, and Victor says, Robert and Anna walked away, but one of his men was taken into custody. Thanks to Peter, the WSB can compel that man to reveal their location. Peter asks, what was he to do? Robert and Anna were sniffing around, and he had to stop them. Victor says he’s lived there for years without giving anyone the slightest provocation to look his way. Now, suddenly, the place is crawling with WSB agents, combing the area and asking questions. Then he discovered that Drew’s ex-wife has shown up, with Detective Dante Falconari in tow. Peter says he’ll take care of it, but Victor says, Peter will stay out of it. He’ll handle it.   

Sam asks if Chloe told Anna anything about Drew’s physical being or state of mind, but Anna says, nothing she hasn’t already told Sam. Chloe said Drew sacrificed his opportunity for freedom to get her out. Sam says, what if Peter, or whoever’s holding Drew, wants to kill him because he helped Chloe escape? Anna says she doesn’t think so. Chloe said he’d already been roughed up a few times, and received medical aid, which is how Chloe got to meet him in the first place. That leads her to believe Drew’s tried to escape before. Otherwise, why keep someone patched up for two years if they’re not useful to you? Dante joins them, and says, as a bargaining chip, and Anna says, they know Peter is dangerous, but he’s also an opportunist. If Drew serves a purpose, Peter is going to keep him alive.

Nikolas asks if Esme wants to explain her involvement to Doc, or should he? She says, she didn’t mean any disrespect. Spencer didn’t mean for it to go that far, but Spencer loves Nikolas so much. Back at school, he talked about how saddened he was, despite the distance between them, and her heart went out to him. When he asked her for help, she couldn’t say no. Truly, she only wanted to help them reconnect. Nikolas says, help by setting his wife’s car ablaze, and taunting her with a memento from her dead daughter? Doc says, that was Esme? and she says, she shouldn’t have given in to Spence’s worst impulses. She rationalized it because she knew the ultimate goal was for him to make up with his father. Spence was so melancholy at school. He covered it, but the more she got to know him, the more she realized how much he missed Nikolas. She’d never seen him happier than when he moved back home. He told her that even if Nikolas never forgave him, at least he’d cherish the time they got to be a family. Nikolas says, that meant a lot to him too. That’s why this is so disturbing. She says, of course (🍷) it is, but there are good times still ahead. Just give Spencer the help he needs. Nikolas knows Spencer doesn’t belong in a cell. She asks if Doc doesn’t think someone as confused and vulnerable as Spencer needs protection, not punishment? Doc says, what he or anyone else thinks is immaterial. Nikolas is Spencer’s father, and this is a family matter. Nikolas says, Spencer’s lucky to have such a loyal girlfriend. He’s going to need all the support he can get. Esme stomps out, and Nikolas asks if Doc thinks Esme is right about Spencer needing his protection. Doc says, she’s selling a bill of goods.

Carly tells Sonny that she and Jason decided to get married as a last resort. It was the only way they could handle the pressure from the Five Families canned Italian wedding soup. He says, it makes sense, but there was a lot more going on. She says, not at first, but by that night, yes. She and Jason decided they could have a real marriage, and it would be safe to fall in love, and they were headed in that direction. He says, that’s a lot. I’m not a Carly supporter by any stretch of the imagination, but really, Sonny? Did he expect time stood still? I think if the moss bowl 🎍 were still there, it might absorb some of the tension.

Sonny says, so Carly is telling him that she was falling in love with Jason, not some stranger she met while she was grieving, or Jax. She was falling in love with his best friend. She says, yes, but then the door opened and he walked in. Since he’s been home, she and Jason just went back to the way it’s been, best friends. He says, now she has no leftover feelings? and she says, Jason’s her best friend. That’s all she wants from him; that’s all he wants from her. Sonny says, so they were falling in love, and she expects him to believe that now they’re not in love? She says she’s not in love with Jason; she loves Sonny. He’s her husband, and the father of her kids. He says, does she know Jason is like a brother to him? She says, they weren’t cheating on him or going behind his back, and he says he knows that. They thought he was dead. She says, they did, and have Nina to thank for that, and he says, but it doesn’t feel like that. He doesn’t know how to explain it, but it doesn’t feel great.

Jason asks how anyone would know to exploit Obrecht’s interest in Huntington’s, and Britt says she doesn’t know. She got her diagnosis in Canada using an alias, so it’s not on her medical records. Only a few people know; her, her mother, him, and Scotty. He says, they need to take a closer look at Scotty, but she says her mother swore him to secrecy. She knows he’s not the most reliable person, but Scotty and her mother… She hesitates to use the words in love, but they’re very much infatuated with one another. She doesn’t think he’d risk it giving away her mother’s most closely guarded secret. He says, okay, so what do they know? She says, fake conference, missing plane, Scott made it to safety in a parachute, and a possible Peter involvement. He says, she told him Peter wasn’t involved in this, but she says, that’s what she thought, until she found out her mother was going to kill Peter in St. Lucia.  

Obrecht tells Drew, congratulations. He’s obviously skilled at dodging bullets. He says, he got hit, didn’t he? and she says, he was grazed. He lost some blood, and he’s dehydrated. His greatest risk is infection. He guesses that means another shot, and she says, one can’t be too careful. She prepares the shot, and asks what he remembers. He says he remembers Peter finally showed his face, and held him at gunpoint. As she gives him the shot, she says, typical, threatening to shoot a man in handcuffs, and Drew says, Peter told him that he should be grateful he’d been kept alive, but he called Peter out on that. He told Peter that it was the same crap he did to Jason; make the world think he’s dead and keep him on ice. Peter said there were problems with Jason that there wouldn’t be with him. She asks if Peter said why, and he says he told Peter to screw himself. He was a Navy SEAL, and Peter couldn’t screw with him that way. She asks how Peter took it, and he says he doesn’t know. That’s all he remembers until he was getting a bandage put on him. What time is it? She looks through the small window, and says, it’s early; perhaps 2 am. He says, so he lost an entire day? and she says, it’s not unheard of. He says he left his cell, got shot, and retuned without a single recollection. She says, they’re talking about Peter and Victor. Has this ever happened to Drew before? He says, where he’s lost time, woke up with injuries he can’t explain, smelling like gunpowder? Yeah. That happened a lot to him in Port Charles when Helena Cassadine was controlling him, but that’s supposed to be over. Obrecht fears it is not.

Esme goes back to the interrogation room, and Spencer says she’s been gone a long time. She says, sorry, but he hasn’t been taken to his cell. That’s a good sign. He says, for now. Ava came by. Esme says, to drop the charges? but Spencer says, no. She offered him a lose-lose proposition.

Nikolas asks Doc if he’s being too hard on Spencer. Esme told him that Spencer just wanted his family back. Doc says he recalls warning Nikolas about Esme. Every time she tries to she express Spencer’s remorse, she’s just manipulating everyone. Nikolas should follow own conscience. Nikolas says he doesn’t know what to do. That’s why he wants to speak to his mother. She has a way of cutting  through the noise. Doc says he’s there, and he’d be happy to be Nikolas’s sounding board, but Nikolas says, no offense, but every time he asks Doc a question, Doc does the shrink thing and turns the question back around. Doc says, fair enough. He’ll give Nikolas this. He thinks Nikolas doesn’t want to turn his back on his son completely, so he has two options; to bail spencer out literally, or give him the support he needs to take responsibility and face the consequences of his actions. Ava walks in, and says, it’s his call. But his son hasn’t learned his lesson yet. Not even close.

Nikolas says, Ava saw Spencer? How did he seem? She says, unrepentant. Something is just not clicking with that kid. He says, meaning…? and she says, she offered Spencer the deal they discussed. She’d help dig him out of the hole he dug for himself, for the assurance that he not mess with them again. He made it clear that he’s disinclined to cooperate.  

Carly tells Sonny, she and Jason didn’t get married because they wanted to. They got married because Nina lied. For nine months. She lied to them, and lied to Sonny. He says, Nina’s not the real problem, and she asks what that means. He says he went to visit Nina at Crimson, and he told her if she wanted to stay in Port Charles, she’d better stay away from his family. Carly says, after what she did, leaving them alone doesn’t seem nearly enough.

Britt tells Jason, Nina said Peter had been warned about her mother’s plan, and he says, Peter had an accomplice. She says, but who? How did they know her mother was going to lure Peter to St. Lucia and kill him? He says, they have to assume someone working for Peter knew her mother’s agenda. Maybe they set up the fake conference to lure her mother to St. Lucia. She says, and when they knew her mother was headed there, they realized it was a trap and warned him. Maybe she should fly to St. Lucia and do a little research.

Robert returns, and says, send the right man, and you get the right answers. Sam asks if the musician said anything, and Dante asks, who’s he working for? Anna says, hold on, and asks if Robert got the musician to talk, and Robert says, he talked. He told the musician that he was potentially in a lot of trouble, but Robert saved his miserable neck, and he became quite chatty. Anna asks if he got a location, because wherever Drew is, Valentin is going to be. Sam asks if she thinks Valentin is alive, and Anna says, she does. If they were going to kill Valentin, he’d be dead. Why go to the bother of capturing him? Robert says he has a location, but more important, he got another interesting piece of information. The secret compound is owned by none other than Victor Cassadine.  

Esme says, Spencer’s pride isn’t worth going to prison. Just tell Ava what she wants to hear. Remember what they learned about Napoleon? Continuer avec deux options; proceed with two options. Let Ava think she’s won. She’ll relax her card, and they’ll swoop in and beat her at her own game. He says he won’t let Ava control him the way she’s controlling his father. An officer comes to take Spencer to a holding cell for the night, and says his arraignment is in the morning. Esme asks Spencer to let her call Ava, but he says, no chance in hell, and the officer cuffs him.

Nikolas tells Ava, there’s only one thing he can think of to do. He doesn’t want this for his son’s future, but he’s standing with Ava. If Spencer won’t own up to what he’s done, a night jail might scare him enough to do so tomorrow. She says, maybe this will be his turning point, and he says, he’d like to think so, but the Cassadine arrogance, and that trait of never backing down, is hard to overcome. But if he doesn’t reach his son now, his family’s worst pattens will live on in a new generation.

Anna says, Victor Cassadine, the former director of Creighton-Clark and the WSB? and Dante says, no way. He saw that place blow up. And that was after Obrecht shot him. There’s no way Victor made it out of there. Robert says, apparently he did. Victor is back in business. Anna says, of course (🍷) he is. What about Valentin? Sam says, and Drew, and Robert tells them, they’re both alive for the moment, but there’s more. Vic is not working alone. He’s thrown in with Peter; they’re allies. Anna says, that certainly explains why Peter keeps escaping, if he’s got Victor backing him up. Robert says, precisely. Faison meets Cassadine. Everybody strap in, because we’re in for a bumpy ride.

Victor tells Peter, the gunman retreated; maybe he was hit. Interestingly enough. Obrecht isn’t in her cell. So if he was to visit Drew’s cell, what are the odds she’d be tending a gunshot wound? Peter’s been lying to him. Two guards come out, and Victor says Peter has known all along how to activate Drew. He sent Drew on an op, twenty miles from Victor’s compound, without his knowledge or permission. Did Peter really think that would go unanswered? The two guards move in on Peter.

Drew tells Obrecht, the doctor said the procedure got rid of the conditioning, and she says, yes, but it was Cesar who did the original conditioning. He must have installed a second level that only he could access. He asks, how would that work? and she says, a shortcut, if you will. A simple code phrase or image that would reactivate the conditioning. He says, but Faison is dead, and she says, but his son is not. Drew says, Peter is controlling him.

Jason tells Britt, if they go to St. Lucia, it could be a dead end. There are definitely steps they can take first. She says, if the accomplice set up the fake conference, that means they wanted her mother on the island. Since the plane disappeared, they figure it’s the last place anyone would look. Like hiding in plain sight. Her mother could be there right now. He says, she’s getting ahead of herself. If we go to St. Lucia, we could be wasting valuable time your mother doesn’t have. She tells him, he said we. Is he coming with her? He says, wherever this leads. 

Carly tells Sonny, they’re standing in their kitchen, trying to piece their lives back together, because they’ve been apart for nine months. It doesn’t have to be this way. She didn’t choose to think she was a widow. He didn’t chose to stay in Nixon Falls. Nina did that to both of them. So why should she get to pick her life up where she left it, and move on, when they can’t? This hat isn’t some souvenir he picked up while he was away. It’s a symbol of everything they don’t know about each other; of time lost they’re not getting back. She’s not going to give Nina one more minute. She’s going to focus on their marriage, and their kids, and their life together. Please tell her that he wants the same thing. He says, yeah, but she’s right. They’ve had nine months of separation. They have to rebuild. She says, she wants to start. She loves him. She holds out her hand, and says she cherishes him, always. He takes her hand, and says he cherishes her too.

We see the hat, that’s now replaced the faux lily pond, that replaced the sacred moss bowl 🎍.   

On Monday, Portia says there’s something Curtis needs to know, Peter says killing him is the last thing Victor wants to do, and Anna asks someone not to put her in this position.

🏥 Sharing…

She was great on Watch What Happens Live. Keep scrolling for a tribute to Stuart Damon.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/amber-tamblyn-shares-memories-of-general-hospital

More tributing.  

Amber Tamblyn Shares Stuart Damon and General Hospital Memories

👰🏻 They Do…

I’m glad to see she’s bouncing back from covid. She looks amazing.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/20211010123642/bbc-news-simon-mccoy-marries-emma-samms/

🏋️‍♂️ The Once & Former AJ…

Sean Kanan is a busy guy. And a film with Bruce Willis? I’m impressed.

Sean Kanan Back To B&B
Sean Kanan’s New Action Movie Is Out Now!

👠 How Many Do I Give…?

I dunno about being friends in the future.

RHOBH Cast on Why Erika Jayne Refused to Make Up With Sutton Stracke on Finale, Will They Be Friends in the Future?

💸 Oh Boo Hoo…

If all else fails, she does know how to waitress, right?

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-reunion-erika-girardi-says-show-is-her-main-source-of-income/

💋 What Did Harry Do…?

I actually don’t quite get her comeback, but it doesn’t really matter anyway.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/14/lisa-rinna-makes-fun-of-harry-hamlins-gay-lover-rumors/

✋ Back Off, Sistas…

Garcelle is only under attack because she’s part of the very small percentage called voice of reason.

https://pagesix.com/2021/10/13/dorit-kemsley-lisa-rinna-attack-garcelle-beauvais-in-rhobh-reunion/

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-reunion-garcelle-beauvais-claims-lisa-rinna-took-issue-with-her-bringing-race-into-the-show/

📴 Revealing…

Is there an off button? Some of this I did not need to know.

Vanderpump Rules’ Scheana Shay Addresses Lala’s Feud With Charli, Admits to Being Jealous of Lala’s Post-Baby Body, and Reveals If Brock Has Tasted Her Breastmilk

🛥 They’re Tripping…

I don’t know if I’d call it the ultimate girls trip, but it’s something.

VIDEO: See RHUGT Trailer! Ramona Singer Tells Kenya “F**k You,” and Cynthia Feuds With Kenya, Plus Melissa Gets in Shouting Match With Teresa, and Dina Manzo Says She Was Asked to Join
RHUGT Cast Shares How Ramona Singer Sparked “First Drama” and Talks Breaking Fourth Wall, as Melissa Gorga Reveals “Most Fun Part” of Show

🏰 Sending You Off In Style…

These homes have to be seen to be believed. I don’t know what I liked more the private island, the house with a moat, or Patrick Duffy’s Airstream.

https://www.lonny.com/25+Unconventional+Celebrity+Homes+You+Need+To+See+To+Believe

🖋 Quotes of the Week

Maybe this world is another planet’s hell. – Aldous Huxley

Progress is not possible without deviation. – Frank Zappa

Do you think she’s infected? ** Not infected. Just crazy. – Characters from the Korean Netflix series, Sweet Home

Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world. – Miyamoto Musashi

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. – Oscar Wilde

Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby. – George Herbert

To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone. – Reba McEntire

Study is the bane of childhood, the oil of youth, the indulgence of adulthood, and a restorative in old age. – Walter Savage Landor

To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time. – Leonard Bernstein

That food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. – Ann Wigmore

What did Columbus discover? People were already here. It’s like crashing your car into Starbucks & saying you discovered coffee. – Jimmy Kimmel

🃏 Folding My Cards…

Another seven day stretch has come to a close, or six, depending on when you start counting. If your bored with the status quo, do something different. Or at least change your screen saver. See you when the Dead are feared. Until then, stay safe, stay being the change you want to make, and stay not being too attached to your resentments.

Oct13

October 12, 2021 – Phyllis Visits Nina, a VanderChella & Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Bad

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dr. Navarro finds Brando in the hallway, and he asks how Sasha and the baby are. She tells him to come in and see for himself. He goes into the examining room, and Sasha says both she and the baby are good. She puts his hand on her very large baby bump.

Alexis tells Shawn that she’s sorry she’s not paying attention. She’s worried about Nikolas. He just told her that Spencer is the stalker. Shawn says, that explains how he got past the security at Windymere, and she says, it’s really taken its toll on Nikolas. He says, he can imagine, and she says, no one can blame Spencer for acting out. Nikolas wasn’t always the best roll model, but he’s also good. He went up against Cyrus Renault to keep her safe in Pentenville. He’s got a good heart, which is a real trick when you’re brought up in the reptile cage that is her family. She apologizes for going on about the Cassadines. She’s sure that’s not what he came there for.

Nikolas says he’s sneaking up on Ava, and she asks why he’s announcing it. He says, after months of her being stalked by his son, he figured she didn’t want to be surprised. He took her advice, and tried to find Spencer. He ran into Trina’s mom instead. Ava asks what she had to say, and Nikolas tells her, quite a lot. She’s a tough lady. Ava says, she is indeed, and he says he never found Spencer though. She says, actually, Nikolas just missed him. Spencer was there looking for him.

Phyllis goes to Nina’s office at Crimson, and Nina asks what she’s doing in Port Charles. Phyllis says, she came to see… Nina says, Sonny, and Phyllis says she’s still not used to that name. She returned some of his things, and met his wife. She also wanted to see Nina, but Nina is busy. She’ll come back another time. Nina says, no, and asks her assistant to hold her calls. She says, okay. Let her have it.

Sonny says, a lot has happened since Nixon Falls, and Jax says, it has, but some things never change, like Sonny and Carly. Sonny says, they’re a family, and Jax says, believe it or not, he actually wants Carly to be happy. He wants Nina to be happy too. Sonny says, good luck with that, and Jax says, there seems to be an obstacle in his way. He’s looking at him.

On the phone, Carly says she’d hoped that Jax would be in his office by now, when Jason walks in. What’s the nature of her call? She was hoping to discuss Aurora Media, in particular, Crimson magazine. Can they have Jax call her when he gets to the office? Carly tells Jason that she knows what he’s going to say. That if she targets Nina, she makes Nina the victim. She doesn’t care. Nina’s gonna pay.

Dr. Navarro asks how Sasha and Brando feel about their birthing classes, and Sasha says, they’re great, but Brando asks, why? Does he need to do something over? Sasha says he couldn’t have been better or more supportive, and the doctor says, she’s right. No do-overs for him. All that’s left is a tour of the delivery room and the nursery. Brando says he knows his way around a garage, but a delivery room? The classes were great, but does anything actually prepare you? Dr. Navarro says, it will actually help. Once he sees the delivery room and gets a feel for it, he’ll find it’s not nearly as intimidating as he imagines. Sasha says, plus they get to see all those babies in the nursery, and the doctor says she’ll go arrange it. She leaves, and Brando says, it’s really happening. Sasha says there’s still time for him to bail, but he says, never. They’re in this together. You, me, and baby makes three. Gladys comes to the door and says, make that four.

Shawn tells Alexis, this thing between Nikolas and Spencer has him thinking about him and TJ. She says, he and TJ are in a lot better shape than Spencer and Nikolas. Unless there’s something he’s not telling her. He says, they’re good; great even. He’s sorry Nikolas is having a problem with his son, but Nikolas has time to make it right. He lost a lot of years with TJ that he’ll never get back. She says, the only direction to move is forward. Tell her what’s going on with Hayden. Any new leads?

Nikolas says, so his son finally realized he has to atone for the pain he’s caused, especially the pain he caused Ava, but Ava says she wouldn’t go that far. He says, okay. Spencer is a Cassadine, and has pride, but wants to meet him halfway, right? She says, well… and he says Spencer came back after he kicked him out. He must be genuinely remorseful… A little remorseful? She says, that was her hope as well, especially since Trina was there. No matter what Spencer thinks of her, she knows he admires Trina. She was hoping Trina’s opinion would still matter to Spencer, but… He says, but what? What happened?

Nina says she knows she has no right to say this, but she’s missed Phyllis so much. They sit with some coffee, and Phyllis says she missed Nina too. This is a nice office. Does she love the view? Nina says, when she gets a chance to look at it, and Phyllis says, fashion and excitement; it must be so glamorous. Nina says, it has its moments, and Phyllis says it makes her wonder why Nina ever left. Nina says Phyllis knows why she left, and Phyllis says, because she was hurting. Jax, the man Nina loved and trusted, kept her daughter’s identity from her, siding with the woman Nina blames for her death. Nina says, that betrayal broke her heart, and Phyllis says, to think the little girl she took to her adoptive family all those years ago met such a tragic ending. Nina says, when she met Nelle, it was too late to raise her, but maybe she could have helped her. She’ll never know. Phyllis says, and Nina made Sonny’s wife suffer in return. Nina felt Carly took over her daughter, so she took over Carly’s husband. Nina says, it doesn’t feel great. Revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It just ends up hurting you more. Phyllis says, if Nina knows that, maybe her time in Nixon Falls wasn’t a waste. Nina says, it wasn’t a waste. She wouldn’t trade her time in Nixon Falls for anything. The chance to get to know Lenny, and her. Phyllis says, not only them. She takes out an envelope, and slides a photo out of it, saying, Nina got to know someone else too. Nina looks at a picture of her and Sonny/Mike wearing a cowboy hat.

Sonny tells Jax, it was Nina’s choice. If she didn’t like the way it turned out, she can only blame herself. Jax says he’s not defending Nina, or trying to justify what she did, but Sonny lived a different kind of life for the better part of a year. No Corinthos organization, no territory to control, no rival families; he was Mike. People cared about him and respected him, not because he was Sonny Corinthos. How can he not be changed by that? Sonny tells him, he never said he wasn’t, and Jax says, his point is, Sonny has the power to be generous here. He can give Nina the chance to come out of this better than she went in. Can’t Sonny find it in his heart to give her that chance? Sonny asks why he would, and Jax says, because he has his memory back. He has his wife and his family again. Sonny says, the family Nina took from him, and Jax says, as he understands it, Nina gave Sonny something too – her heart.

Carly asks what Jason would do if he were her; let Nina get away with it? Let her sit in her office and hide in Carly’s hotel? Jason says he understands her wanting Nina to pay, but it will cost Carly more than it will cost Nina. She says, it won’t, but he says, she doesn’t know that. She says, Nina lied the whole time she was in Nixon Falls, keeping Sonny’s existence a secret, even from Sonny. And what did that crazy bitch do when she came to town? She went to see Carly’s grandson. He says, okay. So why is she involving Jax? She says because she wants Nina to know what it’s like to lose something she loves, the way Nina took Sonny from them.

Brando says, mom, you’re here. Why? and Gladys asks, what kind of greeting is that for the grandmother-to-be? He says, she just happened to be in the hospital when he and Sasha were having an appointment? and she says, as a matter-of-fact, she had a follow-up to make sure everything is okay with her wound from when she took a bullet for him. He says, she didn’t exactly throw herself between him and a hail of gunfire. How did she know where they were? She says he left his phone unlocked on the kitchen table. He should really be more careful with that. He says she’s telling him, and Sasha says, Brando told her that he sent Gladys on a spa day. How was it? Gladys says, a momentary respite from the horrors she experienced at Jason and Carly’s wedding. When she thinks she might have been in that car with Vincent Novak, when he and what’s-his-name were blown to smithereens, she can’t even… Brando says, she wasn’t, and she says, but she could have been. He says, but she wasn’t. Everything’s okay now. She says, if by everything, is he referring to cousin Sonny? Rumor has it he’s alive and well. Is it true? He says, Sonny is alive and well, and she says, wonderful. If only someone had called to tell her. She gets a tissue, and dabs at her eyes, saying, she’s sure everyone is so excited to see Sonny, she was the last person on anyone’s mind. All she can say is, hallelujah. Who says miracles don’t happen anymore? Sasha says, they think their baby is a miracle, and Gladys says, sure, but with Sonny back at the wheel, Brando doesn’t have to stay another minute in that garage. He can write his own ticket and ride it to the top. He says, she hasn’t heard what he’s said, about Sonny or about him.

Shawn says after he and Alexis talked, she got him thinking about her uncle Victor Cassadine, and how he was mixed up in Creighton-Clark. Jordan’s lead was the record keeper. She says, Drew could have also been another victim, since he was held captive at Creighton-Clark. He says, Victor couldn’t have anything to do with Hayden’s shooting, since he was already dead be then, and she says, so the Cassadines couldn’t have been involved. He says, Victor couldn’t, but what if they picked the wrong Cassadine?

Ava tells Nikolas, before she spoke to Spencer, she left him alone with Trina. She was hoping Trina could talk some sense into him. He says, clearly, she didn’t, and Ava says, Spencer doesn’t feel any remorse. According to him, nobody got hurt. As if he didn’t cause sheer terror, or use Kiki’s memory against her, or watch, as she planned to leave the country without Avery. They were all just harmless pranks to him. Nikolas says, unfortunately, he thinks he knows where Spencer gets that attitude, and she says she wasn’t having any of it of course (🍷). She told him that his plan to break them up failed miserably; they’re back together. He says, they’re still together. Nothing Spencer, or anyone else can do, will ever come between them. He asks, how did Spencer take it? and she says, not well.

Phyllis tells Nina that Lenny never kept photos in his camera. He put together photo albums as a hobby, the old fashioned way. Nina can keep those if she wants to. Nina says, no. She has to find a way to forget about Mike, like he never existed. She guesses he didn’t. Phyllis says, except they both know he did. Mike was real. She doesn’t care what anyone says, even Sonny. It was Mike, not Sonny, who made Lenny’s last days better, and all the days before that while he was with them at the Tan-O. Nina says she knew who he really was the whole time, and kept quiet. Initially, it was because she wanted to hurt Carly, but then it was because she fell… Phyllis says, there was a time between wanting to hurt Sonny’s wife, and falling in love with Mike; why not speak up then? Nina says, because Sonny was so happy. Phyllis was so kind, and she repaid that kindness by lying. She’s so sorry. It cost Phyllis the Tan-O, the place Phyllis and Lenny loved. They shared so much of their lives there. She’s so sorry. Phyllis says, she told Nina after the fire, a building is just stuff; it’s people who matter. Nina wishes she could see the world the way Phyllis does, but it’s too late for her now. Phyllis says, it’s never too late. Isn’t Mike’s life – Sonny’s life – proof of that?

Sonny tells Jax, he can’t help Nina. He has to focus on his life and his family. Jax says he’s honestly happy for Sonny and Carly. If for no other reason than Josslyn is happy. Josslyn actually led him back to Nixon Falls to find Sonny. Sonny asks how that happened, and Jax says, Sonny’s pasta sauce is quite memorable. Trina picked some up at the Tan-O, passed it to Josslyn, and Josslyn said it tasted exactly like Sonny’s. That’s what got him thinking. When he was shot, when he stopped the robbery in Nixon Falls, he thought he saw before they loaded him into the ambulance. Of course (🍷) he told himself that he was probably hallucinating. Sonny asks if Jax told himself, or did Nina tell him, and Jax says, the point is, when Josslyn recognized the sauce, he thought it must have been Sonny he saw, and Sonny knows the rest. Sonny says, remind him to give Jax a case, but Jax says he doesn’t need to. Sonny says Jax did find him, and he owes Jax. And he always pays his debts. Hmm… A case of pasta sauce for getting his life back? It must be good sauce.

Jason says, if Carly punishes Nina, it’s not going to give her back the time with Sonny that she lost. Carly asks if he doesn’t think she knows that, and he says, it’s not going to make Nina lose someone she cares about. She says, that’s impossible, since Nina doesn’t care about anyone but herself, and Wiley. He asks if she thinks Michael and Willow are still going to allow Nina to see Wiley, but she says, even they can’t be that forgiving. Sonny doesn’t want her to start a war with Nina. Jason says, she has more important things to do, and she says, she knows. They need to sit down with Sonny, and tell him what they were feeling on their wedding day. She’s afraid because she doesn’t want things to change between the three of them. This, I don’t get at all. Why does she want to fill Sonny in on their private thoughts? It’s not like anything happened they can’t take back.

Brando says he’s told Gladys a million times. He helped Sonny with Cyrus, and it’s over. He’s out. Gladys says, forgive her for only wanting what’s best him and his new family, and he says, if she wants what’s best for him and his family, why would she want him anywhere near Sonny’s world? She asks, what so wrong with Sonny’s world? and he says, she was just complaining about how, in that world, you go to weddings in limos, and come back in little pieces. She tells Sasha to please let her son know that she’s come home from the spa refreshed and with a new attitude. Sasha says, if getting held at gunpoint by Cyrus didn’t change her attitude, why would a massage and facial? Gladys says, fine. Believe whatever they want, but she’s glad her son is no longer part of that violent world. Brando asks, then why does she keep pressing him to be part of that world? and she says, because Sonny has legitimate businesses, lucrative ones. Everybody drinks coffee, and there’s that island resort. Brando can do better than the garage. Like more; like better. And remember, Sonny owes him for helping keep his family together at risk of his own life. Has his dear, undeparted cousin even bothered to say thank you? Brando asks Sasha to excuse them, and they go into the hallway. Brando tells Gladys, now he’s going to talk, and she’s going to listen.

Alexis asks what Shawn means by the wrong Cassadine, and he says, they both agree her family fingerprints are all over this. She says, as much as she’d like it to be Victor, he was blown to bits. The Cassadines are resilient, but an explosion like that, even for a Cassadine, might be hard to resurrect from. He says, Victor isn’t the only Cassadine who’s made a return trip from the great beyond. So has Nikolas.   

Nikolas tells Ava that he’ll talk to Nikolas. Maybe even ask him to come home. If he can be the father Spencer needs, maybe Spencer can be the man he was meant to be. Ava tells him not to forget about the little pyromaniac who torched her car, allegedly at Spencer’s behest. He says he’s not buying that, but she says, whether it was Spencer’s idea or not, Esme still went through with it. And she left Kiki’s ID badge, which is just sadistic. He says he won’t argue with her there, and she says, Spencer’s under her spell. He says, it’s Spencer’s first love, first lust. He’ll outgrow it. When he grows up a little, and sees what real love is, what they have, maybe he’ll stop fighting them. She says, she hopes so… someday, and he says, the way he sees it, if Spencer can’t make the effort to see him, he can go to Spencer. He’ll meet Spencer halfway. She says, he might want to talk to a lawyer first, and he asks why he would need a lawyer. She says, he doesn’t; Spencer does.

Nina tells Phyllis that she always knew it would blow up in her face. How could it not? And now, despite her many machinations, he’s back with Carly. Like this never happened. Like Nina never happened. Maybe it’s her penance. Sonny gets to move on, and leave what they had in Nixon Falls behind, and she gets stand in her beautiful office with the beautiful view, and remember everything. Phyllis says, nobody is asking Nina to forget. If her time with Mike really meant something, if it helped heal the wounds that took her to Nixon Falls in the first place, doesn’t she owe it to him to honor that? To leave Sonny to enjoy the life he’s chosen? When she saw Mike/Sonny today, she didn’t give him everything. She shows Nina Sonny’s shattered watch, and says, she has something else that belongs to him.

Sonny tells Jax, before the fire and before he got his memory back, he threw his father’s watch in the river because he wanted to forget his past. Jax says, he tried to warn Sonny about the past; you can run from it, and maybe hide from it for a while, but eventually it always catches up with you. Sonny says, for once, he should have listened, and Jax says, maybe, but he figured Sonny needed to find out in his own way. Sonny says, now he knows Jax was just looking out for Nina, and Jax says, that’s exactly what he’s doing now. If Sonny ever had feelings for Nina, recognize the good in her, despite the wrong she did. Let go of his anger, and just walk away.

Carly asks Jason if he thinks Sonny will understand, and he says, Sonny is her husband, and his best friend. She says, they were getting married to save the business, but by the time they said their vows, it was more. He says, Sonny knows they thought he was dead. He thinks Sonny will understand. She says, they were without him for nine months, and he was without them. He didn’t even remember them. So what if the person he became, what if this man, this bartender, this Mike… What if it’s changed Sonny? Jason says, it doesn’t seem like he’s changed, and she says, maybe changed is the wrong word. Sonny has these experiences she didn’t share or know about. It’s one more thing Nina took from her, the certainty of who her husband is. He says, nine months is a long time. It will pass. She’s going to feel awkward sometimes, but the only way past it is through it. She has to face it and deal with it. Start new memories together. She says, okay. She and Sonny were talking a lot last night, and she asked him, why didn’t he tell her that Nina knew he was in Nixon Falls? Sonny said he just didn’t want her going after Nina, and she has to say, when she woke up this morning, revenge was the furthest thing from her mind. He says, was it? and she says, yes, because Sonny’s alive. He’s her husband and she loves him.

Brando tells Gladys, when he saw Sonny today, Sonny thanked him for looking out for his family, and offered him a job. Gladys laughs, and tells him, why didn’t he say so? When does he start? He says, he doesn’t. He’s glad Sonny’s back with Carly and his family, but he has a family of his own now, and he made it clear to Sonny, and made it clear to Sasha, that he wants to find his own way, without Sonny. She says, in the garage Sonny gave him, but he says, that was payment for keeping Dev’s secret; a secret she blew when she told Cyrus. She wonders when he’s going to stop throwing that in her face. Dev was like a grandson to her. He says he knows. She has a new grandchild on the way. She asks if she’s even going to be part of that child’s life. He keeps pushing her away. Is there a place for her in his new family’s life or not? He says, knock it off. He loves her and always will, but he knows who she is, and knows how she operates. If she wants to keep picking on Sonny, and pissing him off, be his guest, but he’s not going to have any part of that. Are they clear? Dr. Navarro comes out, and asks if Brando and Sasha are ready for the tour, and he says, more than ready. He and Gladys are finished there, right?

Shawn says, Alexis thinks he’s wrong about Nikolas, and she says, she doesn’t like that he thinks Nikolas had anything to do with it at all. What she likes even less, is that she’s not dismissing the possibility. Why does he suspect Nikolas? He says he spoke with Jax yesterday. She may recall that when Jax and Hayden came to town, they were working for Nikolas. She says she does, and he says, then she recalls that years prior, Hayden and Nikolas were married. She says, yes, she knows, and everyone knows they didn’t get along, but they were working together to bring down Valentin. You know, enemies of my enemies. He says, they were, until she disappeared without a trace. She asks why he thinks Nikolas is involved with Hayden’s disappearance, and he says he didn’t say that. Nikolas did.  

Nikolas says, Ava had Spencer arrested? and she says, he left her no other choice. Spencer made it clear he woudn’t stop until they were broken up. She can’t take any chances when Avery is involved. He tells her, she was the one who said they could find a way to forgive, and says, Spencer and him. She didn’t say anything about her. He says, they’re the adults, and can be the bigger people, and she says she tried. She wanted to forgive Spencer, but there was another side to that coin – repentance. He didn’t just terrorize her; he brought her little girl into it. He says, Spencer never would have hurt Avery, and she says, maybe not intentionally, but he could have pulled some stunt and Avery could have ended up collateral damage. Spencer has to learn that there are consequences for his actions. He says she’s right, and she says, now is the time to do something about it. He says, by putting him behind bars, and she says, to be blunt, she needed Spencer to learn not to mess with her. He says he can respect that, and she says, he can? He’s not mad? He says he doesn’t love it, but he gets it, and Ava thanks him. He says, at the same time, Alexis convinced him to be a better father to his son, and make a difference in his life. How is he supposed to do that, when his son his behind bars?

Phyllis says she found Sonny’s watch on the river walk, near Lenny’s favorite fishing spot. Nina says, Sonny’s one link to his past, and Phyllis says, that’s why he tossed it away. He was saying goodbye to whoever he was and wherever he came from. All that mattered was his future with Nina. Nina says, for what it’s worth (🍷), at least in that moment, he chose her, even if she didn’t deserve it.

Sonny tells Jax, Nina is the one who should let go. She shouldn’t have come to Port Charles. She should have stayed in Nixon Falls, and started a new life. Jax says, like Sonny did? and Sonny says, like he did, but his life’s here; the life Nina tried to take from him. Jax says he’s not asking Sonny to forget what Nina did, but he has his life back now. Whatever happened between Sonny and Nina, the good and the bad, leave it in Nixon Falls where it belongs. Sonny says he appreciates it, and leaves.

Jason says he’s happy for Carly, and for Sonny. She and Sonny should be together, and now that they are, all the more reason to put Nina behind her. She says she doesn’t know how to do this. She keeps watching Sonny, and she keeps thinking, is the Sonny that came back the Sonny who left home? Is it her Sonny? He says, it’s Sonny. For nine months, they thought he was dead. She thought she was going to spend the rest of her life without him, and now he’s home. Whatever happened in Nixon Falls doesn’t matter. Carly’s phone rings, and it’s Jax. She says she’s been waiting to hear from him, and he says, his assistant said she wanted to talk to him about Crimson.  

Brando and Sasha look at the babies, and Brando says, Dr. Navarro was right. After seeing the delivery room, he does think they can do this. She says,  famous last words from the father, and he laughs. He says he honors and respects her for doing all the hard work, and wants her to know he’ll be there to support her. And on the bright side, after it’s all over, they’ll get one of those. They look at the babies, and she says, makes it all worthwhile, doesn’t it? and he says, sure does.

Shawn says, Jax confirmed Nikolas forced Hayden to leave town, but Alexis says, that doesn’t mean he’s responsible for Hayden’s shooting years before. He says, true, and the fact they were together afterward means either she didn’t know or found a way to forgive him. She says, playing devil’s advocate, how does this connect Nikolas to the insanity that happened at Creighton-Clark? He says, maybe it doesn’t, or maybe he was just involved in Hayden’s shooting, or maybe none of it. All he has are pieces that may or may not fit together. Jax said she’d want to hear the truth. Now he’s told her. She asks who else he’s going to share his suspicion’s with, and he says, that depends on her. She’s been an incredible friend to him. She and her family are the reason he’s walking around. She says, it was their pleasure, and he says he cares about her, and owes her big time. So just say the word, and he’ll drop this whole thing.

Ava says, how does Nikolas guide Spencer while he’s in jail. Nikolas visits him; it’s not like he can go anywhere. He says, and once he gets there? and she says, he needs to show Spencer that he can’t escape what he’s done. So please, under no circumstances… He says he won’t bail Spencer out, and she says, and don’t let Esme bail him out either. He needs to sit there. He needs to hit rock bottom. That’s the only way Nikolas can put a meaningful hand out to help him. He says, tough love, and she says, yeah. Spencer needs to realize he needs Nikolas. He needs Nikolas’s love; he needs his father. Until he realizes that, the cycle will just keep going, and Nikolas can’t let it. It cannot happen, for Spencer’s sake and theirs. It’s got to stop now.

Carly says she did want to talk to Jax about Crimson, but never mind. He can run his business without her two cents. He says he’s open to input, in the spirit of mutual cooperation, but she says, she just had an idea, but it was a bad idea. He asks if she just admitted to having a bad idea, and she says she did. Goodbye. She tells Jason, Nina is off limits – for now.

Nina asks why Phyllis didn’t give Sonny his watch back when she saw him, and Phyllis says she thought it might bring back too many painful memories. Maybe she should have left it where he dropped it. Nina says, Phyllis always makes the right decisions. It’s frustrating. Nina says she’ll make sure he gets it, and puts the watch on her desk. Sonny walks in.

Sasha asks what Brando said to his mother, and he says he just established some ground rules. He thinks this time, she got the message. Gladys puts her arms around both of them, and says, look at that one. He’s as bald as a basketball. She laughs.

Alexis asks, how likely does Shawn think it is that Nikolas had Hayden shot? and he just looks at her. She says, that likely, huh? and he says, if he’s right, is that something she thinks she can live with knowing? She says, she’s spent her whole life and career seeking justice. A terrible injustice has been done to Shawn, and he deserves justice. It would be hypocritical of her not to let him get that. He says, no matter where it leads? and she says, no matter where it leads.

Nikolas tells Ava that she’s right. Spencer has to own his mistakes. Otherwise, he’ll never learn. He’ll never change, and he has to change. She says, if Spencer learns his lesson, no matter how painful it is, he has the chance to walk out of that jail a better man; more like his father. Nikolas flashes back to Alexis saying she believes in him, and looking at Shawn on his way out of Spring Ridge. He hugs Ava.

Jason says, Carly made the right decision, but Carly says, it doesn’t feel like it. He says, because she’s not used to it, and she says, she’s not used to making the right decision? and he says, she’s not used to letting things go. She says, that’s because it goes against every instinct she has. What kind of message is she sending Nina by letting her get away with this, what Nina did to her family? He says, he thinks Nina knows Carly isn’t okay with this, and she says, if Nina stays the hell away from her and her family, maybe they can avoid a war.

Phyllis says she’ll leave Nina and Sonny to talk. As she passes Sonny, she tells him to remember the Mike in him. Be kind.

Tomorrow, Jason says, whatever Austin wants from him, he’s not getting it; Carly says she can’t begin to tell someone what she’d like to do to Nina; Sonny says the ground rules need to be understood; and Nina asks if Sonny is telling her to get out of town. I think she’s asking Sonny, but they’ve fooled me before.

Vanderpump Rules

Charli whined to her boyfriend on the phone about pickleball, and in Lala’s interview, she called it old man’s tennis. She said she was used to dating legit athletes, but Randall had become obsessed with pickleball, so she knew she was whipped. He wanted to nail Schwartz, but Lala didn’t want Katie on her case. James said, after the pickleball tournament, they’d come back to the house for pool party vibes. Katie told Schwartz that he let Sandoval steamroll him, and she wasn’t the only one who noticed. We flashed back to Sandoval doing some steamrolling, and Schwartz said, what did he care? He was making moves. Katie said, Sandoval made moves, and Schwartz just agreed. In Schwartz’s interview, he said Katie was steamrolling him about being steamrolled. He told her that he cared more about what was happening than what people thought, but she said, he needed to care about that too. There was talk about a pickleball court. Is that really a thing? Seriously, it sounds like a kid’s game.

In Brock’s interview, he said he was good at all athletics. Come at him. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, the theme of the tournament was 1980s Wimbledon, and they were dressing accordingly, including headbands and awesome hair. James welcomed everyone to the 1st Annual Pickleball Open, and Lala and James were the first up. Lala got pissed off pretty fast, and in James’s interview, he said Lala was being ridiculous. Raquel played with grace and elegance, while Lala was throwing rackets in the air like an effing nutter. Sandoval said his technique was distraction, whether it was the hair or his whistle. Psychological warfare. In Katie’s interview, she said opponents were a random draw, and she randomly drew the most annoying player – Sandoval. In Randall against Brock, surprisingly, Randall won. I guess Brock isn’t as good as he thinks at all things athletic. And he’d been practicing all morning.  The final match was Schwartz versus Randall, and in Katie’s interview, she hoped it gave Schwartz the boost of confidence he needed. Lala acted like one of those Little League parents, cheering Randall on and hurling insults at Schwartz. Randall won.

Sandoval made a million phone calls, and in his interview, James said, Sandoval was helping him plan. They were the only ones who knew about it, and they were having performers, vendors, margaritas, tacos, and fireworks. He wouldn’t have been able to do it without Sandoval. Sandoval wondered if it was real life. They had DJ James Kennedy on an acre in Palm Springs. They played a round of Jenga, their own version, where tasks were written on the pieces, like compose a rap song, or make a toast. In news you didn’t need to know, Sandoval had taken a pee on his faux fur jacket when he was drunk the night before. I have to say, I’ve tied a few on in my time, but I have never, ever mistaken my coat for a toilet. Or anything else, for that matter. In Raquel’s interview, she said, normally she tried to forget James and Lala slept together. (God knows I did until this reminder.) It made her feel insecure, since Lala’s self-esteem was through the roof. Raquel should take a psychology course because, oh no Lala isn’t. Methinks she compensates. Raquel said she’d competed in pageants to build confidence. She wasn’t mean to others, but she was mean to herself. Lala got the task of putting on Sandoval’s coat. In her interview, Lala said she’d never heard of someone turning a faux fur coat into a peacoat. BA-DUM-CHH!

Scheana brought mom Ericka along to Palm Springs. They had their own house, and Ericka was staying with the baby so they could join in the festivities. In Brock’s interview, he said the friction between him and Scheana’s mom was heated; you could feel it. Ericka was opinionated AF. In Scheana’s interview, she said, Brock and her mother butted heads over pretty much everything. She told Brock that it hurt her soul when they butted heads. She added that she was still hormonal, and he wondered how long she was going to play that card. She figured she had at least another year.

Back at Airbnb, Raquel’s Jenga task had been to give a toast, and Sandoval gave her the floor, saying he was leaving it to the professional. In Raquel’s interview, she said, once she started anticipating a speech, she went even more brain dead. She said she was grateful for this man, and indicated James. Cheers to that. Well, at least she was concise. In Sandoval’s interview, he said, everyone thought tomorrow was Ourchella, but it was really R Chella, which stood for Rachella. Raquel and James sat outside, and she wondered why she had to pull the piece that said make a toast. She’d never gotten to the point where she was super confident in talking in front of people, even people she felt comfortable around. James said making a toast was different than just talking to people, and Raquel said she flashed back to being quiet in school, and never raising her hand. James told her not to dwell on the past. Just work on it, and it would get better. Raquel said being around someone like Lala was super intimidating, and in her interview, she said, James and Lala had a lot in common. We flashed back to them both insulting people about being fat on separate occasions. Raquel said they both spoke their minds, and didn’t give a f*** what anyone thought. James said she didn’t want to be loud obnoxious, and it scared him that she would say that. She just needed to step out of her box to see the box. Huh? She said she’d been pushing outside her comfort zone her whole life. She couldn’t understand – wait for it – how he wasn’t embarrassed by her. He said he didn’t care if she wasn’t good at public speaking, and in his interview, he said it was these kind of moments when he stepped in. He thought that’s what would make him a good husband in the future; knowing how she was feeling, and making her feel better. He told her that he was there to tell her she could do everything.

Schwartz said Katie thought Sandoval was steamrolling him – to Sandoval. Katie told him not to Yoko Ono her, and in Sandoval’s interview, he said Schwartz was no John Lennon. More like Ringo Starr. Except he said it in Pig Latin, which was incredibly stupid. Schwartz said he had felt steamrolled about the new bar’s name, but Sandoval insisted he’d done no steamrolling, and Schwartz said, okay, and took the blame for not asserting his feelings. In Katie’s interview, she said we just saw it in real time. Sandoval steamrolling Schwartz, and Schwartz claiming he was not steamrolled. Charli saged the house because of the dumb bitches, and then saged herself, saying she was a dumb bitch too. I actually like her better now that she revealed her food issues. Her behavior and reactions to things make more sense. Sandoval and James pretended to be going food shopping, but were making sure everything was in place for R Chella. In James’s interview, he said it was going to be mind blowing, and in Sandoval’s interview, he said, most people wouldn’t spend on their friend’s engagement, especially when they were getting a home equity loan, but an engagement was a once in a lifetime opportunity. You could always borrow more money. He and James skipped through the balloon archway.

Scheana and Brock, and Lala and Randall, got together with their respective babies. In Lala’s interview, she thought it was strange that her baby was having a playdate with Scheana’s baby. They were moms. This was real. Although I don’t know how much of a playdate it was, with the babies sleeping through it and all. Brock said he had two children from a previous relationship, his first being born when he was twenty. In his interview, he said when they split up, he felt like he was abandoning them by moving to the US, but their stepdad fulfilled his role. His daughter with Scheana was named Summer, and – wait for it again – his other daughter was named Winter, and – keep waiting – they had the same birthday. Scheana claimed she’d wanted to name a daughter Summer since she was 16, even though we flashed back to her giving some other name several seasons ago. (To be fair, on Watch What Happens Live, she said it was Rob who wanted the other name, and she was just going along with it, which is believable.) Brock said he hadn’t seen his kids in four years, which freaked Lala out, although they are on different continents. In Scheana’s interview, she said it sounded bad, but there was more to it. It wasn’t for lack of trying. Brock had moved to the US to provide a better life for his family. Brock said his ex had cut his whole family out. In Lala’s interview, she said, it was a big deal. What world was Brock living in? In Brock’s interview, he got choked up about the last time he saw them, so I tend to believe Scheana that this is a problem with the ex.

Sandoval said, all his hard work had come to this moment. Everyone got ready for R Chella that they thought was Our Chella. They had a shot outside, and James said they were taking a van to a magical place. In his interview, he said he wanted it over with, but wanted to enjoy it. He didn’t know how to feel. They went to the literal Coachella grounds in the city of Coachella, and Ariana thought she was going to cry, but everyone was a little confused over the sign saying, R Chella. There were acrobats on silks, fire dancers, a photo booth, tacos, and margaritas. In James’s interview, he said, seeing Raquel’s face made all the planning, running around, anxiety, sweating, and spending worth it. They toasted to R Chella, and James got in the DJ booth and welcomed them. In Raquel’s interview, she said Coachella was something she and James looked forward to, and she loved seeing James DJ’ing and living his best life. IMO, it seemed weird, all this stuff going on for just a few people dancing around. Raquel said it was one of the coolest surprises ever. In his interview, James said he believed everything happened for a reason, and all things guided you. All his drinking issues and other problems had led to this moment. He was nervous AF.

Raquel and James went for a walk. James said it had been a helluva year, and Raquel had stuck with him. They got to the beach, where there was a sign done in gold mylar letter balloons that said, Rachella. He told her, since the day he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was the girl of his dreams. It was the best five years of his life, and he was excited to wake up every day. He got down on one knee, and said he loved her more than anything. It would be an honor if she would marry him. She cried, and said, yes, and fireworks went off. Okay. I have to admit Sandoval is good at party planning. It was impressive. Sandoval passed out posters, and said, James just proposed.

Next time, Schwartz and Katie try to make a baby; Katie says, when everyone else is pregnant and you’re not, it’s added stress; Raquel’s older sister isn’t supportive of her relationship with James; Lala questions Scheana about Brock’s kids; and Sandoval says Katie acts entitled.  

🐎 The Legend Continues…

Keeping it simple, so see you tomorrow for Erika versus the world, or at least Andy Cohen, and the usual soap. Until then, stay safe, stay indomitable, and stay remembering the Mike in you, and be kind.