(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and a GH blow-by-blow on Fridays)
General Hospital
Anna went to see Jack at the hospital, but they were interrupted by John. John wondered what they had to discuss.
Elizabeth called Chase, but he and Brook were about to knock on Finn’s door, so it went to voicemail. The door was unlocked, and they went inside. Chase called to Finn, who came out from the back. He said it was a nice surprise, but early. What brought them by?
Spinelli told Sam that he’d gotten past the FBI firewall, but he was still no closer to getting the information they needed. He couldn’t get access to the evidentiary database unless he had an agent ID. Sam said, it was time for Plan B. She’d been tracking John and thought they could swipe his digital key without him being the wiser. If he stuck to his routine, they’d get their opportunity.
John told Anna that Jack’s fate would be decided in the courts, not by the Police Commissioner, and she said she didn’t need a lesson in protocol. He said he didn’t know what she and Jack would have to discuss, and Anna wondered if John should have more coffee or leave caffeine alone altogether (been there). He asked why Anna was there, and she said she was just telling Jack goodbye. John left, and Jack told Anna that he wanted to give her a heads up. John thought she was the secret head of Pikeman.
Aiden wondered what happened that Elizabeth and Finn broke up, although they’d broken up before and got back together. Jake said it wasn’t happening this time, and Elizabeth said she didn’t know the future, but Finn couldn’t be part of their lives. He wasn’t handling Gregory’s death well at all, but that wasn’t why they broke up. It just wasn’t going to work out. Jake said he didn’t care if he ever saw Finn again, but what about Violet?
Chase told Finn that his door had been unlocked, and Brook asked if Violet was still at Maxie’s. Finn said she was and asked if Chase had talked to Elizabeth. Chase said no, Should he? Finn said they’d ended things, and Brook wondered if the mess in his apartment had something to do with it. Finn said it was his fault and he should clean up before Violet home. Brook said she and Chase had an idea and maybe the timing was right. Chase told Finn that he and Brook were moving into the Quartermaines for a while in order to get their place ready after getting so many gifts, and Brook told Finn all about the kids who hang out there in the summer. Chase said, James would be taking riding lessons, so Georgie would be there too, and Brook said they were thinking Violet could come hang with them. It was better than summer camp. Finn asked if they didn’t think he knew what they were doing. There was no way they were taking his daughter from him.
Elizabeth said, Violet was the boys’ cousin and that would never change, but Aiden was worried they’d drift apart. Elizabeth said she wouldn’t let that happen, and Jake told Aiden that maybe their mom had a reason to be mad at Finn. Aiden said there was something he didn’t know, but Jake obviously did, and he had a right to know too. Elizabeth told him that there was no easy way to say it. Jake saw Finn coming out of a bar drunk. Jake said, and he had some drunk woman… but Elizabeth said they didn’t need the details. Aiden asked what bar was by the Cineplex, and Elizabeth said, Jake never told her how he was nowhere near where he said he’d be.
Finn told Chase that Violet was staying with him; he was her father. Chase said, no one was trying to take her away, and Brook said, they just wanted Violet to have a fun summer, especially after her grandfather’s death. Finn said, it wasn’t going to happen, and for once in Chase’s life, he had to take no for an answer. Chase wanted talk to Finn alone, and Brook left. Finn said Chase was leaving too, but Chase said he wasn’t going anywhere.
Spinelli said he’d watched John going to his room through the security cameras. He looked agitated, but that might just be his face. They watched John leaving for his morning swim, and noticed a bag he was carrying. Sam assumed it contained any credentials he didn’t want leave in his room.
Sam went to the pool wearing a caftan, big sunglasses, and high heels. She pretended to trip near John, and he caught her.
Jack flashed back to his conversation with John about Anna, while Anna asked for a delay in Jack’s transport. She got it and told Jack that they had until noontime to finish their conversation. Why did he think the FBI was after her? He said he didn’t know as it was the whole organization, but John had already been tailing her when she’d visited him. Anna told him that John did say he didn’t trust her when he came to town, but she didn’t care. Let him stew. She wasn’t hiding anything. Jack told her that she should be worried. John was a true believer, the most dangerous agent of all. She asked him to enlighten her, and he said, they believed God and the law were on their side. They thought anything they did would be justified, because it made the world a better place according to their definition of it. They’d rather wreck themselves and everyone around them than compromise their beliefs. Anna agreed that could be dangerous, but so could too much cynicism. She asked if Jack had he ever believed in anything.
Sam told John that she was embarrassed and blamed her shoes. Her pride was bruised, but otherwise she was okay. She pretended her ankle still hurt and asked him to help her. He picked her up and carried her to a lounge chair and asked an attendant for ice and a towel. Sam asked for help getting her shoe off, and wondered if he thought her shoes were cute. He said he wasn’t a shoe connoisseur, but they looked cute on her. Dressed as an attendant, but hiding his face with a bucket hat, Spinelli snuck into John’s bag as John was helping Sam. She asked if John was a guest at the hotel, and he said he was there on business. She told him that she was a local and her family came here every summer. He asked if she was married, but she said, no. She was single, divorced, with two kids. He suggested she rest her ankle for 20 minutes, and she said she was going to get bored.
Finn said, Chase was a cop, but not to make him the bad guy. Chase said, no one was calling Finn a bad guy, but maybe he could use some help and not to be too proud or stubborn to take it. Finn said he could take care of himself, but Chase said, not from what he was seeing. Finn said he’d been there alone, going through their dad’s things, and Chase picked up the bottle and said he didn’t think their dad left this out. He’d seen Finn doing shots at the memorial. Finn said he wasn’t the first person to have a drink at their father’s funeral, and Chase told him not to bring Gregory into this. Judging by the bottle, the two glasses, and the hangover Finn was wearing, he’d had quite a night. Finn said, Chase had solved the mystery, and Chase said, Finn was oblivious to the problem. But if he didn’t think there was a problem, it was a bigger problem than Chase thought.
Elizabeth told Jake that they’d talk later. He’d been someplace he wasn’t supposed to be, and it must have crossed his mind not to tell her, but she did appreciate that. She needed to know what was happening with Finn, but also because she was Jake’s mom and needed to know Jake would come to her when things were difficult. Jake promised he would, and she said she was glad he called his dad and asked for help.
Brook went to the nook at the Quartermaines, and Lois said she was just in time for breakfast and Sudoku. She could see something was wrong, and asked Brook, what happened? Did she and Chase have a fight? Brook said, Chase had a fight with his brother. She knew they both loved each other, and Gregory’s death should bring them together, not pull them apart. Lois said she’d seen it so many times. Weddings and funerals brought out the best and worst in people, but things would calm in time. Brook said she thought it was getting worse. Chase was taking care of his father’s estate and was also grieving. He needed his big brother, but Finn was nowhere to be found. Lois asked if Finn left town, but Brook said, Finn was in a full-blown alcoholic spiral. He’d been hungover and completely unreasonable. Chase had stayed to talk to him, but she knew how that was going to go.
Spinelli synced John’s ID with his phone. He said, the first time is the charm, and got access.
John introduced himself to Sam, and she did the same, using her real name, which surprised me. He asked how long she’d been divorced, and she said, six years. The less said the better. He asked if it was a bad breakup, and she said, that was an understatement. He wasn’t who she thought he was. John asked if he’d lied, and she said, all the time. What about him? He said he was divorced too, and she said, people always let you down. Her ex had everyone believing he’d died. Her son thought his father was dead, then he turned up. John said that was highly unusual. Was she at least happy he was alive? She said, sure, but she was conflicted. It brought up a lot of stuff. John said his ex passed away and sometimes he fantasized about where they’d be if she hadn’t died. How different his life would have been. He wondered what time it was and said he should get his phone.
Sam asked if she could be honest for a moment, and John said, of course (🍷). She said, after what he’d shared, she didn’t mean to come off flip. Sometimes she thought about her ex when things were good. Now they never even talk. John asked what her ex was doing now, and she said she was tired of talking about exes. Life goes on. Spinelli put John’s phone back in his bag, and Sam said she thought her ankle was good, but she wasn’t in the mood for a swim. She didn’t want to push it. She told John that it was nice getting to know him and asked if he’d be in town a while. He said he wasn’t sure, but hoped he saw her again. She asked him for help putting her shoe back on, and he put it on her. She told him that she felt like Cinderella
Jack said he’d warned Anna, and she was repaying him by probing the depths of his psyche. She said she was genuinely curious and wondered if she’d ever known the true Jack Brennan. She’d thought she did. He was a rising star, the fair-haired golden boy. It wasn’t a surprise he became director, but she was surprised he fell so fast. Why did he steal money to start the company? Did he abandon his principles? Did he ever have any? He said he believed in democracy, but at the end of the day, a man had to pay his bills. John was going to spend his nights trying to prove she was a cop by day and a mastermind by night. Anna said it wasn’t lost on her that John was trying to take her down for something Jack did.
Lois told Brook about not sending wedding invitations to an alcoholic aunt and uncle. Uncle Vito was her favorite until his drinking took over. Brook said, at family gatherings, she would see them get up and there would be ice cubes clinking in the other room. She just thought they must be really thirsty. Later, they’d be bumping into things, and she thought it was because they were old, but it was because of the drinking. Lois said, the family tried to get them into AA or to a doctor, but after years of broken promises, she realized they had to commit to their own treatment. They never did. They say that God protects fools and drunks, but she doesn’t see it. They’re still alive, but what kind of life is that? Brook said she didn’t want that for Finn and hoped Chase would get through to him, and Lois said, it was sweet of them to try and help Finn. Brook said she knew Finn was a grown man. Either he would get himself into recovery or live with the consequences, but Violet was a child. Finn was Violet’s sole parent, and he wasn’t capable of parenting. Elizabeth had kids of her own, so that left her and Chase. They were going to do everything in their power to keep Violet safe, even if it was from her own father.
Finn said, what he did in his own home was his business, and he wasn’t an alcoholic, but Chase said, Finn was a drug addict, and this would lead to the same result. He needed help. Finn said, Chase wasn’t the man because he’d gotten married, and couldn’t tell him what to do. Not everyone had his perfect life. Chase told Finn that he could keep fooling himself, but no one was buying his crap, and Finn said, Chase didn’t know the pressure he was under. Chase asked Finn to tell him. He didn’t have to do this alone. They could talk while they straightened up. Finn said, Chase wouldn’t understand, but Chase said his life wasn’t perfect. He’d nearly died a year ago. Finn said he remembered. He’d saved Chase. Chase asked if Finn had any idea how many calls he went on like this, seeing a drunk tearing their family apart. Finn’s life was a mess. Chase just lost his dad and couldn’t take losing his brother too.
Jake said he thought Elizabeth might need back-up, and asked if Finn gave her a hard time. She said, no, but when Jason showed up, she was grateful for the support. She wanted Jake to always feel he could call his dad for help. He did the right thing, and it meant a lot to Jason. Jake said he did it for her, not for Jason or himself, and they hugged. He asked if that meant he was forgiven for lying, but she said, not a chance.
Sam asked Spinelli if there was any progress, and he said, it went perfectly, but he didn’t think she fully comprehended how many records were in the database. Ask him in a month, and maybe he’ll have found out what the FBI was holding over Jason.
Jack said he hoped Anna would visit him. He missed their conversations. She said she did too, and she had one more question. She was the only witness that could tie him to Pikeman. Would he have had her killed if she hadn’t arrested him first? He struggled for a moment, then said he’d never been good with hypotheticals. She left, and Jack looked sad.
Lois said she wasn’t surprised Brook was focusing on Chase’s feelings, but she should pay attention to her own feelings. Brook also had grief over Gregory. So did she. Brook said she was so worried about Chase. He’d believed Finn drinking was a one-time thing, so he wasn’t just feeling betrayed. He was beating himself up for not seeing it. Lois said, Chase was Finn’s little brother and hoping for the best. Maybe he’d get through to Finn. Brook said, something told her it was going to be a whole ordeal for all of them, and Lois said, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Brook and Chase were supposed to be blissfully happy in Florence and coming home to newlywed magic, not dealing with the problems of a hurt family. Brook said, Florence wasn’t going anywhere, and she and Chase were each other’s person. They would get through whatever life threw at them. Lois said she was happy Brook found that kind of love.
Finn said he was sorry that Chase was bothered. He’d try to fall in line and not be a problem. Chase asked if nothing he said was getting through to Finn, and Finn told him to stop reaching down from his pedestal; he would be with the rest of humanity. Chase said, that had nothing to do with Finn hiding in a bottle. The bottom line was, Finn was grown and made his own decisions. He couldn’t stop that, so have his trashy life. But Violet shouldn’t watch him self-destruct. Finn said, Violet was the only good thing in his life, and told Chase, get the hell out. Chase left, and Finn cried.
In Memory of Johnny Wactor. 🥺
Tomorrow, Molly says she’s been keeping something from TJ; Carly asks Jason if he thinks it was a one-time thing; and Sonny talks to Kristina.
🏥 Going Home Again…
I’m not sure if it’s me, him, the writing, how he’s being directed, or what, but I like Jason a lot more than I used to.
I loved her other reality series (It’s Complicated) and had looked forward to her joining RHOBH. Well, that was a bust, so I’m glad she’s going back to her reality roots.
I watched this twice last week (once alone and once with my SO) and it was just as good the second time. I loved the Japanese monster movies as a kid, and it’s great to see how f/x and dubbing have improved. The story is incredible too, but I don’t think this critic needs to worry. Obviously, an old film from the 1950s isn’t going to be as visually amazing as one made in the 2020s. It is possibly the first Godzilla worth paying attention to the narrative. I mean, I don’t watch Jurassic Park for the interpersonal relationship drama.
Drop by tomorrow for soap and seeing who lands on Top. Until then, stay safe, stay observing the house rules when you’re a guest, and stay never being too proud or stubborn to take help if you need it.
(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and a GH blow-by-blow on Fridays)
General Hospital
While on their dinner date at The Surf Lodge (where Aunt Stella went with Trina and Josslyn), Willow told Michael about running into Nina at the pool because she wanted to be upfront with him. Michael said he still didn’t trust Nina, and while he didn’t love the idea of her being around their kids, Willow was the decision maker, and he would support whatever she decided. He said, it seemed like there had been a shift, and wondered, what changed?
Curtis met with Drew and told Drew that he thought it was the right time to launch the wellness division. Drew said he had a new venture that might conflict with it. He was thinking of running for congress. He told Curtis about his meetings with McConkey and said McConkey cared about his legacy and wanted a functioning government. He wanted Drew to take his seat and would endorse Drew if he ran. Drew wanted Curtis’s opinion, and said, if he did run, it would affect Aurora and Curtis.
Chase and Brook went to see Tracy, who told them that she’d spent the day remembering Chase’s dad. Chase said he’d like to be doing the same thing, but unfortunately, he was dealing with his brother. Brook said they needed help, and Chase said, more accurately, Finn did. He was drinking. He told Tracy about the bourbon after Gregory’s death, and how he’d caught Finn drinking at Gregory’s memorial party then covering it with breath spray. He was drinking on purpose and didn’t want them to know.
Finn asked what Elizabeth was doing at his apartment, and the woman he brought home said, you’re not the wife, are you? (The wife – ugh.) Elizabeth said, no. She was just the ex-girlfriend.
Josslyn and Dex made plans for dinner. Josslyn told him about Trina meeting Gio, and said she thought it was going to be a good summer.
Nina went on and on to Maxie about seeing Wiley, while Maxie wanted to get their meeting over with so she could go home to Spinelli. Nina said Drew had become tolerable. It had been a long time since she had this much contact with Willow and the kids, and it was because of Drew. If that was the price she paid for dancing with the devil, she was willing to pay up.
Elizabeth told the woman that she thought it was time they called it a night, and the woman asked if Finn was going to let Elizabeth order her around. She told Elizabeth to take a hint; the man’s moved on. Elizabeth asked her name, and the woman said it was Barb. Elizabeth told Barb, go home and sleep it off, and Finn looked like he had a headache. Barb told Elizabeth that she had some nerve, and Elizabeth said, bye. Barb left, and Finn said, Elizabeth didn’t live there. She didn’t love him and didn’t get to judge him. She said he was drunk and making out with a stranger, so yeah, she got to judge. He asked where she’d been and said she’d abandoned him. He wasn’t perfect, and she couldn’t stand to be around him when he was grieving, so he tried to find someone who could. (It sounds like Finn can’t stand himself.)
Willow told Michael that she still took everything Nina said with a hefty grain of salt. She didn’t know how to explain it, but it seemed like Nina wasn’t trying so hard and pushing for more. She was respecting the boundaries. Michael asked if nothing actually happened to change things, and Willow said, his uncle happened. Things changed because of Drew.
Nina told Maxie that she’d seen a side of Drew not many had seen. He was objectively handsome, but she’d seen the way he was with Wiley. Maxie wondered if it was a turn on, and Nina said she was sure Maxie felt the same about Spinelli, that his interaction with the kids made him attractive. Maxie said, it did, and that’s why she wanted to get home to see him, but Nina continued talking. She said, Drew having a 6-pack didn’t hurt… Maxie interjected that it was a 12-pack, and asked why Nina was focused on Drew’s looks when she wasn’t planning on sleeping with him again.
Drew said Curtis would have Michael for support financially and he would pitch in where he could, but Curtis would be in charge of both the internet platform and the brick-and-mortar end. Curtis said he could handle it, but had something to say as a friend. He thought Drew should do it. He thought it would be good for Drew. He had integrity, was pragmatic, and not afraid to fight, but he also understood what was worth fighting for. He thought there should be more people like Drew in government. Drew said he’d get the ball rolling first thing morning, when he got a call. He said, ugh, Nina.
Chase told Tracy that Finn was in denial, saying his addiction was with Zen-Zen, not alcohol. Brook said, Finn had abstained out of a precaution, and Chase said, Finn claimed he was working the program, but rather than telling them he’d changed mind about drinking, he was hiding it. Tracy said, Finn needed counseling or an intervention, and Brook said they wanted to get Violet away from him and to keep her in an emotionally stable environment. Tracy said, Finn wasn’t going to respond well, and Brook said, that’s where Tracy came in.
Elizabeth said, Finn was talking BS and would know that if he wasn’t drunk. Finn said he’d just had a couple of drinks, and Elizabeth said, just tell her Violet wasn’t home. He asked if she thought he’d be like this around Violet, but she said she never would have thought that before, but now she didn’t know. Finn started crying and said he’d made a mistake. He hated himself and hated what he said. He didn’t expect her to forgive him, but give him a chance to explain. Elizabeth said what she wanted was for him to get the help he needed, for his sake and for Violet’s, but they were done. She couldn’t do this to the kids or herself. Finn begged her to stay, when Jason walked in and said, let her go.
Josslyn and Dex saw Michael and Willow at The Surf Lodge, and Michael asked if they wanted to join them. Willow said she thought they had other plans, and Dex and Josslyn went to their own table. Michael said Josslyn told him that she wanted to take things slow, but she thought things had changed now that Dex was a cop, and Willow was surprised Josslyn was confiding in him. She told Michael that she was grateful to Drew for her new position on Nina, and Michael asked why she thought Drew was the reason. Willow said she thought Drew setting aside his anger at Nina allowed Nina to grow in a way she couldn’t before. If he could start fresh, maybe she could too.
Nina insisted she wasn’t going to sleep with Drew again, but Maxie said, Nina was focused on his abs and needed to be honest. Nina said she thought Drew was loathsome, a snake, and unprofessional, and Maxie said unlike Nina. She asked if they could get back to their meeting. Natalia’s had notes… Drew walked in and asked what the hell Nina’s problem was.
Brook told Tracy about her and Chase’s idea for Violet to stay with the Quartermaines and be one of the gang. Tracy said, then it would give them an opportunity to intervene, and Chase said the goal was to get Finn into rehab. He thought Finn would go when he realized he was jeopardizing Violet. Tracy said, of course (🍷) Violet was welcome to stay there, but Chase be prepared for Finn to disappoint him.
Finn asked if Elizabeth called Jason, and Jason asked Elizabeth what she wanted to do. She said, let’s go, but Finn begged her not to. She said they’d talk when he was sober, and Finn said he stood by her when she was tearing canvases apart and shredding wedding dresses. She could leave her keys and go. She dropped them into his unfinished drink, and left with Jason, who told Finn, don’t go near her.
Jason brought Elizabeth to the pool, since she said she needed someplace quiet to think. She remarked that it was closed, but he said he knew the owner. Elizabeth said she wasn’t ready to go home and field questions from the boys as to why she and Finn broke up. Jason said he was sorry. She deserved better. She said, so did her kids.
Chase said he had to hold on to hope, and Tracy said he should, but it might be difficult convincing Finn. If he was in the throes of his addiction, the only voice he could hear was his own. Nothing they said or did would change that, no matter how destructive he was being.
Finn fished the keys out of the drink, threw them at the wall, and took another sip.
Elizabeth and Jason sat with their feet in the water, and Elizabeth said she couldn’t believe she got him to take off his shoes. He told her not to tell anybody, and she promised his secret was safe. She couldn’t believe this happened so soon after Gregory dying, but she wanted to be supportive of Finn. Jason said, it was Finn pushing her away, and she said, the question was, does she let him?
Josslyn said, it was familiar, but different, and Dex asked if she meant good different. She said she was sorry she was hard on him, but he said she should have been. He didn’t like the person he was becoming either, but everything worked out how it was supposed to. He hated losing her though. It ripped his heart out. She said, hers too, and he said he finally felt good about himself again. It never would have happened if she hadn’t been honest with him. She said he was welcome.
Willow said Michael looked shocked, but he said he was just absorbing what she’d said. Was she saying she forgave Nina? She told him that she was saying she was ready to move on, and he said, Nina had sent Drew to prison. He wondered what was different about the situation now. Willow said she didn’t think Drew had made peace, but was choosing to let it go as much as he could. He was choosing the future over the past. Wasn’t that what they should all be doing?
Nina said Drew was using Crimson for his interest in his other company, but he said Crimson was his company too. Maxie said she didn’t want to be here, and skipped out the door, as Nina told her to send Natalia’s correspondence to her. Drew told Nina that he’d fulfilled his end of the bargain, and she said she had too; he was getting the esplanade. Drew said she was getting her grandchildren back, and she said she’d never give in to her natural instincts and compromise her standing with Willow.
Elizabeth told Jason that she might stick it out if it was just her, but she wasn’t sacrificing her boys, physically or emotionally. Jason said he got it, and she said, that’s because he actually heard her. It was like she was speaking another language with Finn. She’s glad Jason showed up when he did. She asked how he knew where she was, and he told her that Jake had called. Jake was so worried, Jake had reached out to him. That’s how much her son loved her.
Josslyn said she was happy for Dex. It was a gift to figure out what you wanted in life. He asked her about school, and she said she’d changed her major to environmental science. Maybe she’d come up with a way to save the planet. She told him that could see herself dating a cop. He asked if that included a cadet, and she said, it was risky, since he didn’t have a badge yet, but she was a risk taker.
Michael told Willow that it sounded great in theory, but he was surprised about Drew, unless Drew had some other reason to make nice with Nina. Willow said she thought Drew was able to see the good in Nina despite what she’d done, and she wanted to see it too. Michael said, Willow seemed happy, and she said she was. He said that was all he wanted, and she said, no more lies and secrets felt good. Michael asked if it felt better than this, and kissed her. She said, nothing felt better than that.
Drew asked what Nina wanted, and she said it was abundantly clear she couldn’t stand him. She closed the door, and he said, the feeling was more than mutual. She wondered, then why did she want to do this? and they got busy.
Jason asked if there was anything he could do, but Elizabeth said he’d done enough. He let her talk without giving her well-intentioned advice. He said he wasn’t in a position to give advice. He’d left her and Sam to raise their sons on their own. She asked if it was because he wanted to, but he didn’t say anything. She said she didn’t think so. She didn’t know where he’d been, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t on vacation. He said he was here now and would do what he could to make time up with Jake however she thought best. She said, their son needed help and called him, and he showed up. That could go for a lot with Jake and with her.
Chase said, they had to give it a try, and Tracy agreed, but told them to be prepared for an uphill battle. Chase said, while he was on the job, he’d seen how addiction wrecked lives. He didn’t want that to happen to Finn. Tracy said, they had her full support, and he said that meant a lot. She said, they were family, but she just hoped Finn could hear them.
Finn sat smiling, and flashed back to the camping trip, trivia night, and suggesting to Elizabeth that they take a chance and see where it went. He remembered kissing her, them deciding to get serious, and him saying that he was going be there for her because they were stronger together. He knew he was. He flashed back to more kissing, Elizabeth saying her life was better with him, and him telling her that he was in love with her. He remembered them wishing on a star, getting busy in the hospital shower, and the weekend in the cabin. He looked at the glass and drained it.
Tomorrow, Sam tells Spinelli that a window of opportunity opened up; Elizabeth wonders how Jake really saw Finn; and Chase tells Finn that they have a bigger problem.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Chef Jono won’t get his ass out of bed, and Ellie says she doesn’t want him to have a negative experience because of this. Maybe he should think about it. He says, no, and Gael helps her make grilled cheese. The guests start making their own drinks, and decide they provide nicer service than the actual crew. Guest Simon says, they’d rather fix it themselves than complain. In Ellie’s interview, she says she wants to be chief stew and has to figure out how to manage these kinds of conditions. She’s always been very self-reliant. Her dream was to have a house for her Barbies when she was little, but there was no money. So she got cardboard, a stick of glue, and crayons, and put a roof over these bitches’ heads. The guests finally go to bed at 2:50 am. Ellie goes to bed at like, 6 am.
The boat heads for the Temple of Poseidon. In Princess Jono’s interview, he says he’s proud of standing up for himself. It’s always been an issue for him. In Aesha’s interview, she says she’s setting her standards as high as possible. With no provisions, she might not be able to get to the full extent of them, but she’s going to make sure to get as close as possible. Iain tells Captain Sandy that someone tried to wake up the chef, but he’d thought it was a dream. The captain texts the provisioner, who tells her, the wine will be in this evening, but she says, that’s too late. Iain shows Joe what to do with the lines when docking, and in his interview, he says he loves to teach. Aesha tells Bri that she’s sorry yesterday was stressful. It was the first day on a new boat, and it was a sh*tshow. They’ll get better each day. Jono whines to Aesha about how Ellie tried to wake him up, and she says, to be fair, the guests listed late night snacks on the preference sheet. She suggests Jono pre-prep.
Gael talks to her boyfriend, who’s got a new job, and she reminds him that their goal was to find a boat they could both work on. In her interview, she says, relationships in yachting are hard. If someone gets your lifestyle, you want them to be there with you. She doesn’t know how good she’ll be at long distance, but guesses she’ll find out. Captain Sandy calls Jono to meet with her, and I hope she rips him a new one. Instead, she suggests he put some paninis in the fridge the night before, and they’ll address it at the tip meeting. In the captain’s interview, she says, if the chef is down, he shouldn’t be woken up. Ellie didn’t know, but she’s learning. Aesha has to tell the guests that there’s still no rosé, and says, they have every right be grumpy. In Gael’s interview, she says, Nathan is cute and she thinks platonic relationships are a possibility. In Nathan’s interview, he says, they’ll see what happens. Aesha tells Ellie that the chef not having rest is dangerous, but Ellie says, breakfast wasn’t until 10. Aesha says, next time, there will be premade food. She’s sorry Ellie had to go through that. In her interview, Aesha says, a stew should never be in bed more than an hour after the guests, but she feels confident they’ll keep learning and improving. The guests do a TikTok video and say, content is king. Captain Sandy suggests someone be sent over to a nearby humongous superyacht to ask for wine – ask politely. Aesha tells the guests that they’re going to beg the big boat for wine, and in Joe’s interview, he says, it’s his first lead deckhand role. He wants to become someone in the industry. Captain Sandy gives Joe some money and tells him to do whatever it takes. He and Nathan take the tender to ask for the wine, and Nathan tells the captain, name your price and I’ll put it in your pocket.
Aesha begs from a distance while the trade is done. The captain of the other boat won’t take less than €75 a bottle, and Joe says, according to his research, the brand is 20 quid. The captain says, take it or leave it, and Nathan forks over the money. In Nathan’s interview, he says he’s done sales his whole life and once sold a broomstick. The total is 300 quid, and Joe says he doesn’t even have that in his personal account. The guests cheer when the wine is brought back. The provisioner texts captain Sandy asking if she still wants the wine for this evening, but she says, that’s too late. The charter will be over. Afterward, she says, they’re f***ing fired. Guest Jacob says, the chef somehow nailed their preferences, although another guest thinks it’s not as tasty as the drunk cheese last night. Ellie tells Jono that they’re raving about his food, and he barely acknowledges her. In her interview, she says, he hasn’t apologized asked how her night went. Has she failed him on some level? Ellie tries to teach Bri the ways of the laundry, and in Bri’s interview, she says, in boarding school, their laundry was picked up and brought back all done. She’s stressing balls and doesn’t want to lose her job. Everything about adulting scares her. One guest is missing a pair of pants and another is missing a shirt.
Bri cries over the laundry while the guests do water sports. Ellie tells Aesha about the missing clothes, and in Aesha’s interview, she says, if she comments on every mistake, it’s like endless nagging, so she’s trying the tactic of more compliments, hoping Bri will improve. In Bri’s interview, she says she found the frickin’ pants. She tells Ellie that they’re on warm air, but Ellie tells her, that’s just for crew clothes. They don’t want to risk shrinkage with the guests’ clothing. In Ellie’s interview, she says she feels she has her work cut out for her. It’s her first time as second stew and she’s working toward chief stew. She feels like she’s on the right trajectory, but there isn’t much competition on this boat. She tells the guest that his pants were hang drying and that’s why they didn’t see them. Bri trips, and God help me, I laugh. Anchor is hauled and Joe bandages Bri’s toe. In Joe’s interview, he says he’s scared about docking. He has no experience on the bow. He’s usually on the aft deck. He’s supposed to keep the stern from hitting the dock, but the rope keeps slipping.
With the deckhands working together, the boat is finally docked. The captain tells Joe to use muscle until she’s in the berth, but he explains the rope was slipping and he couldn’t get the groundline off without mechanics. In Nathan’s interview, he says he doesn’t want to be lead deckhand. He’s just here to have fun. It’s time to say goodbye to the guests, and Jacob thanks the crew for an amazing time. He shakes Jono’s hand, saying, the food… He says, obviously, there were a few things that were disappointing, like the lack of provisions and clothes missing in terms of getting pressed, but overall, they had an amazing time. The guests leave and the crew changes into their reds. Aesha announces to everyone how long her poo was, and then calls a meeting with the stews. She says, they’re going into the next charter with limited manpower, and Bri needs to be quicker. Ellie tells Bri not to feel like she’s the only one making mistakes. They all are. Bri says she didn’t keep track of whose stuff was whose, and Aesha says she’s not mad, but if it’s still the same when they’re at charter 5, she’ll have to look for another solution. She tells them to never be in bed more than an hour after the guests. If they are, it means they were with the guests too much. Ellie says, it was a like a form of entertainment for them, and Aesha tells her to just say, cooking is a safety thing. The captain calls for the tip meeting.
Captain Sandy tells the crew, well done. It’s easy to do a good job when things are going your way, but when they’re not, and they show up the way they did, that’s what is looked for in character. She tells the deck team, first charter, first boat, good job. She says, Aesha leads with kindness and people follow. That’s what makes her stand out. Jono created incredible meals on the fly, even with the lack of provisions. Never wake the chef, but next time food will be prepped to make paninis. Ellie says, the guests wanted a whole thing, and the captain says, she’s learning, and it’s fine, but you don’t wake the chef. Maybe on bigger boats where there’s more than one, but he’s one. The tip is $15K or $1250 each. Not bad for a one-nighter. They were lucky this was a nice bunch of kids. Captain Sandy tells the crew, have a blast.
Jono tells Ellie that she knows not to wake him again, but he’s empathetic to the crazy situation. He’ll make some stuff ahead of time. He doesn’t want that to happen to her again. Jono calls his boyfriend David, and brags, the guests said the best part of the trip was him and the food. In Jono’s interview, he says, David is an opera singer and the most supportive long-distance relationship he’s had. Yeah. I’ll bet he’s a handful. And I don’t mean that in a good way. Ellie tells Bri that Jono complained, but what about what she was going through? She didn’t get enough sleep. It’s all about the chef. She cries and says she’s pissed off. Aesha asks why she was up so long, and Ellie says she was busting her ass. Jono mumbles, that bitch is going to drive him crazy, and Ellie says, he’s making her look like an idiot.
As the deckhands clean the boat, Gael promises to be the best wingman ever. In Ellie’s interview, she says she feels that Jono has affected the captain’s perception of her, and this is her career. The crew gets ready to go out, and in Nathan’s interview, he says, Gael is attractive and has a boyfriend, but he owes no loyalty to anyone. They go to a restaurant and toast to getting through charter one. In Bri’s interview, she says, Joe is a charmer, and in Ellie’s interview, she says, Joe is hot, so it helps. Joe says he has a bromance with Gael, and Gael says she feels like a thorn between two roses. Gael talks to Aesha about her boyfriend and says she’s figuring out the trust factor. What happens when her boyfriend is on a boat with attractive women? Aesha suggests she deal with it when it happens and not think about it. In Aesha’s interview, she says she and her boyfriend have been together for three years, and she’s never been paranoid. If you’re worried, it’s not right. She tells Gael that she’s a catch and if he can’t see it, f*** him. Bri asks if Nathan is an alcoholic, and Nathan says he is Irish. (Hey, he stereotyped himself, not me.) They go to a club and dance, and in Iain’s interview, he says, Ellie is a fancy lady. Aesha thinks Bri likes Joe, and Ellie says she wants to play hard to get. Bri says she has to go to the loo, and Ellie dances with Joe. Nathan asks if Gael has stolen a strawberry for him, and in his interview, a producer asks if that’s a euphemism. He says, they’ll eventually find out, and the crew goes back to the boat.
Nathan tells Gael that they need to lose the cameras. Everyone goes to bed, and Gael texts Nathan: keep an eye on me. Nathan texts back, asking where they can meet that there are no cameras. They sneak off to the bow, and he says, all this for a few strawberries. In Gael’s interview, she says, maybe she likes him a tiny bit. She’s not harming anyone.
To be continued…
😡 Haters Gonna Hate…
She’s a better woman than I am. And she looks absolutely gorgeous in that gown.
Come back tomorrow for some soap, a little Dubai, and a few tea leaves. Until then, stay safe, stay being thoughtful about how long you hold a chair without using it at the beach or pool, and stay choosing the future over the past.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Gathered at the park for Gregory’s memorial service were those closest to him: Finn, Chase, Brook, Violet, Tracy, Alexis, Elizabeth, Aiden, and Jake. The bench where he sat now had a plaque with Professor Gregory Chase on it.
Finn said that he’d found Psalm 121 on a card Gregory was using for a bookmark and read: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (King James version)
Finn said this was his dad’s favorite spot, so it was fitting that he should become part of a place that brought him so much joy and contentment. Chase said the people who mattered most to Gregory were there, and he thought the hole his dad left would hurt less if they filled it with shared memories.
Elizabeth said Gregory had taken her in under his father umbrella and never judged her. She’d forever take with her his understanding and support. He showed her the level of kindness, compassion, and wisdom possible in a person, and she wasn’t settling for anything less. She thanked Finn and Chase for sharing their dad.
Alexis said she considered people she met who had a hardship inspiring, but ALS was beyond a hardship. She watched Gregory reject the limitations that were put on him, and it was a lesson to her. She was now aware of the limitations she’d put on her own life. No one on the face of the earth could convince her to jump out of a plane, except him, and they shared a big, mad, passionate kiss at the end. She wouldn’t have tried to get her law license back if not for him, and he taught her that even if you’re doomed to lose, you try. That’s the triumph.
Finn said he should have learned forgiveness from his dad who forgave him. He was the example of the man Finn wanted to be, but he was sorry it took so long to become the son Gregory deserved, even though he had a great example in Chase.
Tracy said, Gregory didn’t suffer fools. He’d told his son not to value the opinion of snobs, and she was the snob. She was being foolish and regretted it deeply. The missed opportunities in life loom larger as time goes on and get heavier. She didn’t believe in regrets, and Gregory was a great friend to her, but he was also a missed opportunity. If she’d known him sooner, longer, or better, would he have been… She doesn’t get to know, but the moral of the story is, if opportunity doesn’t present itself, make one. Contrary to conventional wisdom you can miss what you didn’t have.
Brook said, Gregory was magical, almost like a wizard. He created her wonderful husband and stood up in church and gave Chase to her. She said, sometimes life made us feel like there’s no such thing as magic, but because of Gregory, she knew it was real and her life was filled with magic, more than she could hope for.
Violet said she didn’t know if ghosts were real, but she’d found the last poem Gregory read to her. Then she read about how it’s not always easy or fair and we’re sometimes scared, but it’s a great, wide, wonderful world. She hoped he was happy.
Chase said his father was a good, strong, and gentle man in all the ways that mattered. He’d told Chase that there are no perfect people and people were fine the way they are, but he thought Violet was perfect. He called himself ordinary, and it took Chase until now to realize ordinary meant we should be what we are. We shouldn’t think we’re so special that no one understands or relates, and we should find something remarkable in every person we meet. If he could be ordinary like his dad, he’d be extraordinary. Finn and Chase scattered Gregory’s ashes under the tree.
At the reception afterward in the MetroCourt Gardens, Brook told Tracy that she was sorry about Gregory’s passing. Tracy said that she thought Gregory would have been pleased, and she and Brook told each other, I love you. Tracy said that Gregory had talked her into doing a shot, so they should do one in his honor, and they did. Brook was worried about Finn, but Tracy said she thought he was coping. Brook said she and Chase were thinking about taking Violet for a while to give Finn time to grieve. Tracy said they were both grieving, and she didn’t think they wanted to be separated because they were a comfort to each other. Alexis told Finn that his father would be proud, and Finn asked about the kiss. Did they have a romance he didn’t know about? She just smiled.
Natalia went with Blaze to rerecord a track, but Blaze was uncomfortable not having Brook there. Blaze told Natalia that she’d hurt Kristina, but didn’t share the details. Natalia said that Blaze’s hope was lost, but she still had her pride, and her passion for the music would get her through the day. The engineer was surprised Blaze was redoing the track, but Natalia said she thought they could maybe implement the notes she’d made during the first recording and make it better.
Blaze told Natalia that her singing was off, and Natalia told her to fall back on her discipline and training. That’s what professionals did. Blaze said she felt like a fraud singing about love, and Natalia asked if Blaze wanted her to call Kristina. Blaze said if Kristina wanted to come, she would have shown up. She was sure Kristina felt hurt and betrayed.
Kristina waited for Molly while she was in court, claiming she wanted to have sister time. She asked if Molly wanted to go to lunch, but Molly had a staff meeting. Kristina wondered why Molly wasn’t asking about the baby, and Molly asked if there was anything new to report. Kristina said things were good and moving on as they were supposed to. Actually, the only new thing was that she was aware Blaze had told Molly about what happened at the reception and Molly was pretending like she didn’t know. Molly said that Blaze had made one innocent remark which she’d picked up on and pressed for details. All Blaze would say was that Kristina and the baby were fine, but Blaze was probably never going to speak to her again because of the way Molly interrogated her. Kristina said, Blaze was very forgiving, and Molly said, so is TJ, but if the topic of the baby was off limits to keep Kristina happy, she’d honor Kristina’s wishes, no matter how obnoxious they were. Kristina asked why she wouldn’t be defensive when Molly was the perfect sister, but Molly said they were in this situation because she couldn’t reproduce, which was hardly perfect. Kristina said, Molly had rescued her from bad decisions countless times, and Molly said she’d be eternally grateful for what Kristina was doing for her. She couldn’t wait until the baby was here and they could argue about who spoiled it the most and who was being too tough.
Natalia pressed Blaze for details, but Blaze said telling Natalia would just make it worse, and don’t try to get it out of Sonny. Natalia wondered what Sonny had to do with it, but Blaze told her that time was money. Natalia said she was hoping Blaze was starting to understand that relationships like this one weren’t real. Blaze said, it was real, but Natalia said it was infatuation. It was natural to respond warmly to someone who admired you. Blaze said she knew the difference between fans, stalkers, and regular people, but Natalia said, maybe she’d misconstrued it. Blaze said if she was half as gullible as Natalia made her sound, her portfolio would have nothing but magic beans in it. Natalia used the term you people and denigrated Blaze’s relationship with Kristina some more, until Blaze said Natalia was making her angry. Natalia said it was a mom’s job to tell the hard truth.
Alexis told Finn that Gregory was funny, smart, and authentic, and he asked her why they hadn’t moved forward. Alexis said because she was too chicken, too cowardly to fall in love with a man she knew was dying. Chase told Brook that Gregory’s death made him realize we don’t know when our last moments will be, and he’d always tell her how much he loved her when he was leaving her. Elizabeth said Finn seemed more settled and asked if the memorial helped. Finn said, it did, but he worried that he’d gotten so good at pretending, he was fooling himself.
Kristina showed up while Blaze was recording and the way they looked at each other, you could tell all was forgiven.
Elizabeth thanked Tracy for arranging everything, and said she thought it helped. Tracy said she did too. Elizabeth told Chase that they were family now. She said Finn had gotten a call and asked Chase to tell him that she’d call him later. She left with the boys, and Chase decided to look for Finn. He found Finn at a bar in another room and saw Finn doing a shot… and then another shot.
Tomorrow, the pool is open (!); Kristina tells Natalia to let Blaze decide what she wants; and Brook tells Chase that she was worried something like this would happen.
🍼 At the Valley’s End…
When a dude is having the same issues he did a decade ago, it’s time to cut the cord, and Jax will be an eternal Peter Pan. He’s also one of those people who wail about needing help, but then refuse to take it because their plea is just for show. Hearing him make excuses was stomach turning, but even worse was hearing him sniffle that he needed therapy and then never going. Yep, this is why I’ve grown to hate this stuff.
Tonight’s Quickfire Challenge was a blind taste test of 26 ingredients. To make it extra special, the chefs had to make a dish with the ingredients they’d guessed right. For the elimination, they had to make a dish representing their time thus far. Spoiler alert. No one came out with an empty plate.
Come by tomorrow for a soap quickie and a little Summer tea. Until then, stay safe, stay being considerate of others at public events, and stay making your own opportunity when one doesn’t present itself.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Jason is working at his desk in the coffee warehouse when Sonny walks in. He asks if Jason is free, because he’d like to clear the air.
Chase finds Elizabeth at the hospital, and she asks how he is and hugs him. She says she’s so sorry about his dad, and she’s sorry he and Brook couldn’t go on their honeymoon. He says, that’s okay. There will be other opportunities to travel. He’s just glad they didn’t get on that plane. She says she didn’t know his dad for very long, but he really touched her life. And her boys were really fond of him. Cameron was sad to hear the news, but he sends his best. Chase says, he was fond of Elizabeth’s family, and he loved her, and she says, the feeling was mutual. If there’s anything she can do or any support she can offer, will he please just tell her? He says, in that case, his dad named him executor. Does she know who he can talk to about getting a couple of copies of his death certificate? He needs them for insurance, Social Security, and a couple other things. There’s so much red tape. She says, maybe the funeral home can get him a copy, and he says, right. He’s so scattered. He’s sorry to bother her. She says, actually, the hospital’s record department should have it. Wait here. Let’s figure this out. She gets on the phone.
We see a computer screen with The Invader headline, Mayor Makes Move To Free Hook Killer, and Laura tells Jordan, it’s just absurd. They’re acting like she’s leading the charge to have Heather’s conviction overturned and have her walk out of prison a free woman. All she has done is request copies of her records. Jordan says, they could have a problem here, and Laura says, and it was well within her purview to do it too. Not as the mayor, but as a citizen, because for better or worse, Heather gave her power of attorney. They’ve got to find out who got their hands on this information and leaked it to the press.
Curtis shows Portia his tablet and says he thought he should be the one to show her this. He’s glad she hasn’t seen it yet. She says, wait a minute, taking the tablet from him. She’s really going through with this. No. How could Laura even think of letting Heather Webber walk free after everything she’s done? He says the thought Jordan was overreacting when she spoke to Aunt Stella and Trina about revisiting Heather’s case. He’s just as shocked as she is to hear they’re moving forward. There’s got to be more to this story because the Laura he knows would never do this.
John flashes his badge to the guard, says, FBI, and walks into Jack’s room. He says, all right, Brennan, let’s go. Where’s his jumpsuit? Jack says, dry cleaners? and John says, let’s hope we can find you another one. What he’s got on is going to be a little drafty where he’s going. Jack says, and that is? and John says, back behind bars where he belongs. He’s a dangerous prisoner and a flight risk. And the sooner he’s back in Pentenville, the safer they’ll all be.
Molly sees Carly in the MetroCourt lobby and asks if she has a second to talk in private. Carly says she’s so busy right now. She’s so sorry. Molly says, please. It’s about what happened at Brook and Chase’s wedding reception. She needs to know what happened with Kristina.
Elizabeth says the records department will have Chase’s copies in twenty minutes, and Chase thanks her. He says, this helps a lot. He was dreading having to track this down. It’s one thing he can check off his list. If he’s being honest, it’s a pretty long list. She says, he’s got a lot going on, and he says, seems that way. Although maybe it’s because the reality of his dad’s death keeps hitting him in the face about every 30 seconds. It’s like he’s moving underwater. Everything is slower, because he’s slower. She says, it’s good he recognizes that. If he can stand a little advice, just accept that what he’s going through is a lot, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. He says he just did, and she came through. Can he talk to her about something else? She says, sure, and they sit on a bench. He says, it’s about Finn. Was he drinking when she showed up? She says, he was, and Chase says, in retrospect, he may have handled that all wrong. Finn wanted some time with Violet, so instead of going straight from the airport to Finn’s place, they went back to the Quartermaine’s first. He didn’t want Finn to be alone and he thought Violet could use some support, so he called her. Obviously, it blindsided Finn when she walked in. She says, he’d already been drinking by the time she got there. Yes, she surprised him, but his reaction was his own. It had nothing to do with the timing and it certainly wasn’t Chase’s fault for calling her. He says, Finn realizes he was out of line, and it proves it shook him up. Not just that he drank, but the way it made him feel acting the way he did toward her. But he’s doing all the right things. He’s going to the meetings. He’s doing the work. She says, Finn told her, and he says, Finn is going to be okay. He’s not going to keep turning to alcohol.
Carly tells Molly that she wasn’t at Brook and Chase’s wedding or their wedding reception. She was at home with her feet up, so she doesn’t really know what she can tell Molly. Molly says, she doesn’t know Sonny attacked Dex? Look, this isn’t an official inquiry. She isn’t here as the ADA. And Carly isn’t the first person she’s spoken to. She talked to Anna, off the record. Carly says she doesn’t know what else she can tell Molly, and Molly says, Carly is family. She was Kristina’s stepmother for years and her aunt by marriage, which shows her how convoluted their family ties are. But what she means is, Carly has known her for her whole life, and she’s asking Carly for help. Carly says she really doesn’t know what she can tell Molly, since she wasn’t there, and Molly says, but Jason was. Jason tells her everything, right? Kritina witnessed the altercation and had a physical response, and that could impact the baby Kristina is carrying for her and TJ. She would ask Kristina herself, but she can’t risk upsetting her right now; she’s too fragile. But she thinks she has a right as the mother of the baby Kristina is carrying to know what happened. Carly says, as long as Molly understands what she says stays between them. If Molly turns this into a statement for the DA, she’ll have no recollection of this conversation whatsoever. Molly says, understood.
Curtis says he still can’t imagine Laura taking this on, but Portia says she can. She is testing the waters on this, and this article is proof of that. This is another step on the road where Heather Webber gets released. He says, they’re not going to let that happen, and she tells him, that’s what she’s been trying to say, but realistically, what can they do? If Laura finds a lawyer who’s willing to take Heather’s case and a judge to reopen it, how are they going to fight the whole justice system? A nurse comes up to Portia and says she needs Portia to sign this patient’s outtake form, and Portia asks Curtis to give her a second, but he says he’s got to go. They’ll talk tonight. He leaves, and Portia looks at the form. She says, this isn’t right. Who ordered this?
Jack says, since when does the FBI supervise prisoner transfers? and John says, only when the prisoner was head of the WSB and arrested for violations of the National Security Act. And he hasn’t overlooked Jack’s involvement with Pikeman or how he funneled money between Pikeman and the Bureau. Jack is no garden variety criminal. He’s a trained intelligence agent. He’s dangerous by definition. He should be insulted if John didn’t show up to take him back to the pen. Jack says, it’s not unusual for the Feds to feel inferior to the WSB. Don’t play into it. Portia knocks at the door, and John tells her to say goodbye to her patient. He’s leaving immediately. Portia says she hates to disappoint John, but this patient isn’t going anywhere.
Jason says, it’s been a while since Sonny stopped by, and Sonny says he’s not going to stay long. He just wanted Jason to know that he reached an agreement with Dex. He’s done with Dex. He’s free to do whatever he wants to do. Dex wants to be a cop; it doesn’t matter to him. He’s not going to get in Dex’s way. Jason says, sounds like the right call, and Sonny says he wants to make the same deal with Jason. Jason asks how that would work, and Sonny says he wants Jason to go work for the FBI or whatever it is that he’s doing. He doesn’t want to have anything more to do with Jason.
Elizabeth tells Chase, Finn was apologetic and embarrassed about what happened, both for the drinking and his behavior. He said he was in shock after finding their dad, but that talking to Chase really helped. Chase says, Finn came back from dropping Violet off at school expecting to see their dad up and waiting for him. Instead, he found him dead. Finn is the one who had to call 911, who had to sign the paperwork, who had to watch their father… watch his body being taken away. If that bourbon wasn’t in the apartment, there’s no way he would have gone out to find a drink of alcohol. She says, he doesn’t have to defend his brother. She understands the sequence of events. What she didn’t understand was his reaction to her. He was argumentative and angry with her for suggesting he go to a meeting, which he refused. Chase says he knows Finn feels terrible about that, and she says, Violet was in the house. She feels terrible about that. He says he gets it. Finn made bad choices and he knows it. They’re all pretty raw right now. He knows he’s not at his best. All he’s saying is, his brother screwed up. Nobody’s questioning that. But doesn’t she think, given the situation, it merits a little understanding?
Carly tells Molly that the first she heard anything had happened was when Jason called her to tell her that Sonny went after Dex and Kristina witnessed it. Then Jason asked her to come to the MetroCourt for Sonny. She never saw Kristina, but she does know Sonny tracked her down first. Molly asks if she knows what happened, and Carly says she knows Sonny was upset. He didn’t go into detail, but from what she understands, when Jason was pulling Sonny off of Dex, they realized Kristina saw the whole thing. She ran off, Sonny took off after her, he found her in a ladies’ room right off the ballroom, and he tried to explain to her what happened, but Kristina was really upset. He said that she was hysterical and that she was afraid of him. Molly says, can Carly blame her? and Carly says, no. And she thinks Kristina was scared of Sonny because she saw him act in a way she’d never seen before. Kristina grew up hearing whispers about Sonny being a mobster. She’s sure Molly heard it too. Molly says, absolutely, and Carly says she thinks Kristina told herself that in Sonny’s case, being a mobster in this day and age is just somebody with some shady business practices. So witnessing the attack and hearing Sonny threaten to kill Jason and Dex, she’s sure that was devastating for Kristina. Molly says, for the first time, she realized what they all mean by mobster.
Jason says he and Sonny had this conversation months ago and his position hasn’t changed. The coffee business is half his and he’s not leaving. Sonny says, the offer to buy him out still stands. What’s his price? Jason says he’s not selling, and Sonny says, the FBI ordered Jason to stay here so he can keep tabs on him? Jason says he’s not selling because this is their business. They founded this company together and they’re equal partners. Sonny says, the partnership was based on trust.That trust has been broken. Jason broke it. So he’s offering Jason a way out. If he’s smart, he’ll take it. Jason says he’s not staying for himself. He’s staying for Sonny.
John says, with all due respect, this man’s a security risk, but Portia says, he’s handcuffed to the bed and he’s guarded around the clock. She doesn’t have to like the patients who find themselves in this hospital, but she does have to provide them with the best medical care possible. And his surgeon hasn’t cleared him to be released. John says he doesn’t think she realizes who this man is. He’s a former intelligence agent, a national security risk, and well-trained in the art of disinformation, making things look like what they’re not. She’s playing right into his hands. Portia asks if he thinks this is a game for her, because she’s certainly not playing it. Mr. Brennan was wounded severely and was bleeding excessively, and it required surgery. And he will not leave this bed until his surgeon says that he’s okay to be released. She’s not sending him back to prison so his wound can open up and bleed out. Her decision stands. This patient stays right here. She leaves, and Jack says, you were saying, Agent Cates?
On the phone, Laura says she has a favor to ask Donald. Jordan Ashford would like to come down and talk to him about a confidentiality concern they have… Thank you. She’ll be down later this afternoon. She tells Jordan that Donald Rollins will be waiting for her in the records room, and hands her a paper. Jordan says she’ll check it out, and Laura says she knows Jordan warned her this might happen, and she wants to thank her for not saying, I told you so. Jordan says she didn’t expect it to happen this fast, but she really thinks Laura should get ahead of this story – now. Issue a statement saying that she has no intention of reopening Heather Webber’s case and of trying to mitigate her sentence. Laura says she doesn’t want to paint herself into a corner making a promise she might not be able to keep, and Jordan says, she doesn’t advocate for freeing Heather, correct? Laura says, correct, and Jordan says, then draft a statement saying that. There’s a knock at the door, and Laura says, come in. Curtis walks in, and Laura asks what she can do for him. He says, does she mind if they talk for a minute?
Curtis says he’s sorry if he’s interrupting their meeting, but Jordan says, no worries. They were just wrapping up. Laura says, he looks wonderful. It’s so good to see him up and about. Curtis thanks her and says, it’s good to be up and about. Jordan says she’ll get going on that project they were just discussing. She’ll be in touch. Good to see Curtis. He says, likewise, and she leaves. Laura says, okay. She thinks she might know why he’s here. He says, a few months ago, around the time of Heather’s initial diagnosis, Portia was worried Laura was looking into getting Heather’s case reopened. He didn’t pay it too much concern at first because he didn’t think she would do that. Fast forward to today, and he reads an article in The Invader that says just that. She asks him to sit down and says, that article should never have gone to print. He says he agrees, if it’s a lie, but he doesn’t hear her saying it is. She says, the headline is a lie. She’s not looking to get Heather freed. He says, so she’s not examining the legal ramifications of her medical diagnosis? and she says she’s exploring whether or not there are any legal ramifications. Since she’s not a lawyer, she needs to consult one, and in order to do that, she needed to request copies of Heather’s records from the time of her arrest through her sentencing. She can’t predict how a judge will decide, but she can tell him that it’s her personal feeling, in light of Heather’s diagnosis, she deserves to have her case reopened.
Carly tells Molly that they are family. She’s seen the relationship between Kristina and her father, and she’s truly a daddy’s girl. And Sonny loves her so much. She was going to have to see Sonny more realistically at some point. Carly is sorry it happened now. Molly says she’s still trying to figure out how she feels about it all, and Carly says she bets. What is Molly going to do about it? Molly says, nothing. She thinks she’s just going to sit on it. She can’t tell TJ. He would just go straight to Kristina and confront her, which would only make things worse, so she’ll just sit on pins and needles, and send up a silent prayer that Kristina will be all right. That she’ll do the right thing, for herself and this baby. Everything else is out of her control. Carly says, wow. She already sounds like a mom. All those feelings she’s talking about, they’re always going to be there. She doesn’t mean to scare Molly, but she’s going to be afraid and she’s going to be worried. That’s never going to go away. She’s going to constantly be sending up those silent prayers, praying that your kids are happy and healthy, all the while knowing it’s all out of your control. Kristina’s made of good stuff. She has the feeling Kristina and the baby are going to be just fine. Molly thanks her and says she really appreciates Carly being honest with her. She and Carly touch hands, and Molly leaves.
Jason says he has to stay. Corinthos Coffee is Sonny’s only legitimate business. It’s his only shield left against RICO charges. Sonny asks if that’s what Jason’s handlers told him to say, just in case he tried to push Jason out. Who does he think was running the business when he was off doing whatever he was doing? Jason says, Sonny pays no attention to this place. It was barely operational when he came back. He increased the inventory, and he added some staff. He’s trying to build this business back up because it’s the best cover Sonny has. Sonny says, Jason isn’t protecting him. He’s spying on him. He wants Jason out of his business, out of his life. Jason moves closer to Sonny and says he’s Sonny’s friend. He’s Sonny’s friend for as long as he can remember, and he’s telling Sonny right now, he is in real trouble.
Elizabeth says she’s sympathetic to what Chase’s family is going through, and Chase says, maybe things will make more sense once the memorial is over. He keeps telling himself that he and Finn will feel closure. She says she hopes they both find that, and he says his dad wanted his ashes scattered. They’re planning a small gathering, those closest to him, just friends and family. He’d love it if she were there. She says, Finn already told her, and of course (🍷) she’ll be there. It’s been twenty minutes. His copies will be ready. She’ll go get them. He says he’s imposed enough, but she says she can bypass the line. She’ll be right back.
Jack says, as the good doctor pointed out, he’s still recovering from surgery and tires easily. Would John care to clear out and give him some rest? John says, since he can’t take Jack back to Pentenville (yeah, nice try, John) – he closes the door – he’ll just have to question Jack here. Jack says, John can ask all the questions he likes, but he has nothing more to say without his lawyers being present and they’re very busy people. John says, maybe it’s time to hire new lawyers. Isn’t it curious that Jack’s spent months behind bars without his case being brought to trial? What is he paying these people for? What’s the hold up? Jack says, he’d have to ask the Justice Department, and John says he has. It seems Jack’s lawyers are very busy asking for postponements and their justifications are flimsy at best. Almost as if they’d been given the directive to stall. Jack laughs, and John says, he’d better watch that legal bill. It’s gonna be a doozie. Jack says he told them to take their time because he wanted the full Pentenville experience. His stay just wouldn’t be complete until he’s stabbed in the showers. Maybe he’ll tell them that he’s ready to move things along now. John says, or maybe he’s waiting for something else to happen. Maybe he doesn’t want to leave until the time is right.
Molly meets TJ at the hospital, and he thanks her for stopping by. He just couldn’t get away. Here’s her phone. She says, and his, and they trade. She says she promises she’ll get a different colored case, and he says, it was bound to happen eventually. He’s just glad he wasn’t on call. She says, he didn’t miss anything important. His gym membership is about to expire. Did she get many calls? He says, not really. He kind of expected to see some calls from Kristina, but nothing. Molly says she saw Kristina at her mom’s, and he asks if she’s okay. She says, if he means Kristina, she seemed fine. If he means her mom, she’s pretty sure she’s going to lose her case. (I don’t know why. It didn’t look that way in the courtroom.) But she’s not that worried about it right now. Molly thinks Gregory Chase’s death really put things in perspective for her. He says he called her office a while ago. They said she was out. She says she’s been on the go. She was just wrapping up a meeting at the MetroCourt when he called and then she came straight here.
Curtis says, so the paper was right. Laura does want to set Heather free, but Laura says, no, she doesn’t. She’s advocating to have her case reopened, taking into consideration that she was suffering from an undiagnosed illness at the time she committed those crimes. He says, even if it results in a lesser sentence? and she says she knows how upset he is about this, but at this point, this is all just speculation. All she did was ask for some records. No action has been taken yet. He says, yet, and she says, if she decides to go forward with anything, she’ll let him know first. Trina’s family does deserve the truth. He says, we deserve justice, and she says she does understand that sentiment. He says, it’s not just a sentiment. Imagine if it was her child who watched her friends and her mentors being stalked, attacked, and killed. Now imagine if it was her child who was the real target all along, that the killer was just waiting for the right opportunity. Would she still be okay with mitigating the sentence, as the article put it? Or would she want that killer locked away in a supermax where they’ll never have the opportunity to hurt her child again?
Jason says, Sonny attacked a police cadet at a wedding. Sonny threatened to kill him and Dex not 200 feet from his closest friends, and Kristina saw the whole thing. She saw a side of Sonny that she never even knew existed. Sonny looks at him with that scary face he gets now, and Jason says, he’s making sloppy decisions. He’s not thinking clearly. He’s not thinking things through. He has to rein it in. Please, let me help you. Sonny says he’s trying to be friendly. Just for the record, Jason is turning him down. So he’s not going to be friendly anymore. If Jason doesn’t get out of his way, he’s done, he’s gone. Sonny walks out.
Jack says, his lawyers aren’t stalling. They’re trying to make sense of the charges. John says, they’re pretty straightforward actually. He’s been accused of, among other things, criminal conspiracy and attempted murder. Jack asks just who he tried to kill. Carly Spencer? Even she doesn’t believe it. John says, Anna Devane and Dante Falconari, and Jack says, when Anna and the detective showed up – with their guns drawn he might add – he wasn’t holding a weapon. He made no threatening moves whatsoever. Granted, there was a slight misunderstanding with Miss Spencer. He neglected to tell her that he was director of the WSB, and she mistakenly thought she had to defend herself. Now Anna, on the other hand, she knew exactly what she was doing when she came through that door. John says, that was a nice deflection. He was talking about the hit he put out on Anna and Dante at the pier. But let’s talk about Anna’s involvement in your takedown. Very convenient, wasn’t it? Jack says, that’s not how he felt when she had a gun trained on him at point blank range, and he happens to know from prior experience, she’s an expert shot. Now if this lackluster interrogation is over, he’s getting very tired. John says, you and Commissioner Devane were in the WSB together in the 80s, weren’t you? and Jack says, John knows they were. John says, so what are the odds that when Jack gets busted, his old friend crashes through the door at the perfect moment to take him down?
Molly says she’ll catch up with Kristina later, and TJ says, it just seems strange that she’d go radio silent. She’s in her final trimester, the baby’s due in August, and it just stands to reason they’d want to know how their baby is doing. Maybe they should go with her to her next doctor’s appointment. He’ll check with Dr. Navarro… Molly says she wouldn’t. He knows how Kristina feels about boundaries. He says he understands boundaries, but he also understands they are the baby’s parents. So… Portia says she’s so sorry to interrupt, but she really needs to speak with Molly as soon as she has a free moment. Molly says she’s free now. What’s up? Portia asks if TJ would mind giving them a moment, and he says he has rounds. He’ll see Molly at home. He leaves, and Molly asks what she can do for Portia. Portia asks if she’s seen The Invader today, but Molly says, no. She’s been pretty busy today. Why? Portia says she’s extremely concerned that Laura Collins is attempting to free Heather Webber. She would just like to know how the DA’s office would plan to fight this? (Wow. It’s like half the characters have turned into tyrants.)
Laura says she understands completely how Curtis feels. He wants to protect Trina and he has every right. He says, what about everybody else’s rights? Brando Corbin, Rory Cabrera, Britt Westbourne. Those young people had a right to live. Heather killed those people. What about the survivors, Ava Jerome and Diane Miller? Has she once asked them how they feel about her reopening Heather’s case? Laura says, Heather does not deny her crimes. But she is having a hard time locking this woman away for the rest of her life when she may not have possessed the mental capacity to tell the difference between right and wrong. He says, those people are dead still, either way, and she says she knows that. But the metallosis could have been the deciding factor there. She thinks that should go… it must go in the record. He says, and if it alters her sentence? and she says, that’s for the court to decide.
Molly says, what she can tell Portia is, no motion has been filed that she’s aware of. No hearing has been scheduled. Whatever’s in this article is pure speculation. Portia asks if Molly’s mother would maybe know more, but Molly says she doubts it. She’s been out of town the last few days and she only just got back. She’s probably going to be livid that this got published without her. It’s full of holes. Portia says, but if a motion is filed, how are they going to fight it? and Molly says, Heather’s attorney is probably going to argue that Heather is not guilty because she lacked the mens rea(Latin for guilty mind) to commit the crime. There was no way for Heather to be in control of her actions because the cobalt poisoning was controlling her behavior. Therefore, she is not responsible for what she did. If she’s no longer responsible and no longer a danger to others… Portia says, that woman is a danger to others, and don’t give her the technicality of the diagnosis of cobalt poisoning really allowing this woman to walk free. Isn’t it the DA office’s duty to see that justice is done to ensure this woman remains behind bars? They owe her victims that much.
Sonny strides through the MetroCourt lobby, and Carly jets after him. She asks him what he’s doing here. Where is he going? He says he has business to attend to, and she asks if he’s talked to Kristina. He says, not today. Today, he’s dealing with Jason.
At the warehouse, Jason does actual work, taking inventory or something. He stops for a moment, like he feels something, then goes back to it. Two gunmen slip into the warehouse, but I think he knows.
Elizabeth hands Chase an envelope, apologizing for how long it took. There are ten copies. He says he really appreciates her going through all the trouble, but she says she’s just glad she could help. He looks at the certificate, and she asks if he’s okay. He says, it’s just so official. So formal and real. This is all that’s left of his dad. She says, no. He is what’s left. Him and Finn and Violet. Gregory loved them. He’s always going to be with them.
Molly tells Portia that she hasn’t seen any motions to reopen Heather’s case, but she feels confident should that happen, the DA’s office can successfully argue against any mitigation of her sentence. Portia (who is already working my last nerve) says she wants to believe Molly, but she can’t just sit here and relax, and hope Molly takes it from here. She’s going to fight against any type of release. Because she’s learned the hard way that when it comes to Heather Webber, anything is possible.
Curtis tells Laura, this whole thing reeks of what happened to Heather’s daughter. Esmewas never held accountable for her actions because of her supposed amnesia. His daughter Trina didn’t press charges against the new Esme because Esme wasn’t aware of what the old Esme had done. So look at what they have now. What if some legal loophole puts her back on the street? Does Laura want to open the door to that possibility? Laura says, it’s up to the court to decide. She still thinks it’s the fair thing to do. He says, life is not fair. It certainly wasn’t fair to those young people who were murdered by a poisoned hook. Laura knows he respects her and considers her a good friend, but she’s wrong on this one. She’s wrong and she’s leaving him and Portia no choice but to fight her on it. And they will. She can trust and believe they will with everything they’ve got. He walks out and Laura looks sad.
Jack says he’s not sure he understands why John brings his prior relationship with Anna into this, and John says, maybe he and Anna planned that bust. Jack says, that’s interesting. Why? John says, maybe he was too conspicuous as the head of both Pikeman and the WSB, and Jack says, but he’s not head of Pikeman. John says, maybe that bust was a handoff of power from Jack to Anna. What’s Jack’s role in Pikeman anyhow? Jack says, he’ll have to ask Anna about that, and John says, don’t worry, he will. Heal fast. John walks out, and tells the guard, he’s all yours.
Carly says, Sonny was dealing with Jason? What’s going on? Did they talk? Sonny says he offered to buy Jason out of the coffee business. He gave Jason a chance to walk away. He refused, so what happens next is on him.
Jason is flipping through the papers on his clipboard, and suddenly chucks it aside and ducks for cover. The gunmen start shooting at him and he shoots back. Nobody seems to be a very good shot.
On Monday, Kristina asks Blaze, how does someone say something by accident; Natalia tells Ava that she’s not of the same mind; Diane says, there’s no guarantee the police are going to believe someone; and Carly asks Sonny what he did.
🍸 Time For a VanderChange…
This might not be a bad idea. The downside is having to remember a bunch of new names. I’m just not good with those, phone numbers, and zip codes. I will remember what you were wearing though.
I can’t accept a bribe. And I certainly can’t make change for a bribe. – Karen (Vernee Watson), Two and a Half Men
Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Gardens, scholars say, are the first sign of commitment to a community. When people plant corn they are saying, let’s stay here. And by their connection to the land, they are connected to one another. – Anne Raver (It’s the land, Katie Scarlett!)
Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles. – Thomas Browne
To bear defeat with dignity, to accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility – these are marks of maturity and graciousness. – William Arthur Ward
I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles. – Audrey Hepburn
I have accepted fear as part of life – specifically the fear of change. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back. – Erica Jong
By hero, we tend to mean a heightened man who, more than other men, possesses qualities of courage, loyalty, resourcefulness, charisma, above all, selflessness. He is an example of right behavior; the sort of man who risks his life to protect his society’s values, sacrificing his personal needs for those of the community. – Paul Zweig
Bury me in cheese. – Garfield
🌊 Looking For Some Tasty Waves…
Enjoy the unofficial start of the summer and join me on Monday for soap and perhaps a peek on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay being respectful of others’ traditions and celebrations, and stay not freaking out over a headline in a tabloid.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook asks if Chase wants coffee or to go back to bed, and he says, coffee. He’s meeting his brother, and he doesn’t want to be late. As she pours, she says she’s sure he’ll understand, but Chase says, it’s not like that. He has to be supportive. He has to make sure Finn doesn’t feel guilty or alone or whatever he felt yesterday that had him reaching for a bottle. Brook says, Finn is grieving, okay? And he’s not just grieving the loss of their dad; he’s grieving the time he stayed away. He’s going to feel how he’s going to feel. Chase asks if he should just let him feel it, and she says, there’s no stopping it. He can reach out and offer his support. She knows Finn would really appreciate that.
Alexis opens the door to Finn, and they hug. She says she’s so sorry about his dad, and he says he knows Gregory meant a lot to her. They go inside, and he asks if she just got back. She says, ten minutes ago. She’s glad she got back before he got there because she made some coffee if he wants that. While they’re waiting, they could talk. He asks how things went in Albany, but she says she wants to talk about his dad. She tears up and says she’s so sad. She’s so sad that she missed the wedding. He says, it wasn’t perfect, but it was close. There was a moment when he didn’t think his dad was going to be able to finish the wedding, but Tracy and Violet got him back on track. He willed himself through the rest of the ceremony and it was beautiful. She says she knows how much that would have meant to him. She’s so glad his last day was beautiful. They hug again.
Josslyn meets Trina at the gallery, and Trina thanks her for coming. As soon as Ava gets to the gallery, they can head out and check out those apartment listings. Josslyn says, of course (🍷), but she thought Trina had the day off, and Trina says, all she knows is, Ava called her and wanted her to open up. She said there was an emergency meeting at Crimson.
In Nina’s office, she tells Maxie, these Deception ads are gorgeous, and Maxie says, the camera really loves Blaze. Nina says she can’t wait to run them, when Ava comes in. She tells Maxie, be careful. Integrity isn’t Nina’s strong suit. Not that that’s news. Nina calls to Madison, but Ava says, she’s not at her desk. Madison couldn’t stop her anyway. Nina says, note to self, buy Madison a taser. As Ava can see, they’re busy. So why doesn’t she go out there, make an appointment for the next millennium. She’ll be happy to see Ava then. Ava says, Nina will see her now. Nina broke their deal, and she wants to know why.
Willow opens the gatehouse door to Drew, says, hi, boss, and invites him in. He says he’s not here on business, so she can just call him Mr. Cain, and she says, sir, yes, sir. He laughs and asks if Michael is around. There’s something he wants to run by him. She says, so this isn’t entirely a social call, and he says, not entirely. She says, it was Michael’s turn to run Wiley to school, but he should be back soon if Drew would like to wait. Drew says, happy to, and she says, great. Coffee? He says, always (me too). He needs her opinion on something. She says, about what? and he says, there’s something he wants to run by her, but she’s got to promise not to tell the rest of the Quartermaines.
Josslyn says, for the apartments, location-wise, she’s thinking around PCU, but does that work for Trina? Trina says she doesn’t know. She’s not sure if she’s going back to PCU after her semester off. And if she does, she’s done with dorm life. It reminds her too much of Spencer. Josslyn says she hears Trina there. To be honest, she’s pretty tired of drunk people in their halls at all hours of the day and night, and the cafeteria food. Trina says she’s tired of smelling everybody’s take-out coming through their walls, and Josslyn says, and just the noise of everybody in general. Trina says she doesn’t think Josslyn is in a position to be complaining about other people’s noises when she makes her fair share of noise herself. Josslyn says she did not, and Trina says, right. Because she only made those noises at Dex’s house. Josslyn says, all right. It doesn’t even matter now. Trina asks, when was the last time she ran into Dex? and Josslyn says, at the wedding. Trina says, how was it? and Josslyn says, it was surprisingly good. Trina says her parents told her that it was really beautiful, and Josslyn says, it was. And so was the reception… right up until Sonny attacked Dex.
Nina says she’s not sure what deal Ava is referring to, but she’s more than welcome to forward a copy to her assistant. Ava says, Nina knows very well what deal. Nina promised that she’d devote two pages to the US debut of Harriet Nikia at the gallery. Nina says, now she recalls that discussion. The assistant editor that Ava lobbied, lobbied her, and she had every intention of including it. Ava says, then why isn’t it in here? and Nina says, space. Ava says, space? Does she see the size of this magazine? Nina says, of course (🍷) she sees it. She published it. Ava asks, then how is it possible there isn’t any space? and Nina says, as she told Ava, she had every intention of putting it in the magazine, but in this issue, she had to make space for something a little more timely. Ava says, like what? and Nina says, like an in-depth profile of an exciting new charity initiative that her daughter’s involved in. Ava says, Willow doesn’t even talk to Nina, and Nina says, since she and Ava aren’t friends anymore, how could Ava possibly know what’s going on between her and her daughter? Or a gentleman friend she may or may not be seeing. Ava says, let her guess. She wouldn’t know him, right? He lives in Canada. Nina laughs and says she’d love to stand here and dish with her bestie, but since Ava put a knife in her back, that’s not her. So how about if Ava leaves and reports back to Sonny? Ava says she thinks it’s really sad that Nina’s head trip as queen of Crimson is all she has left in her little life. (The 1960s called. They want head trip back.) She leaves, and Maxie says, that was nice. Nina says, right?She was way out of line. Maxie says, Ava was definitely out of line, but she was talking about Nina. Nina says, her? and Maxie asks why she’d antagonize Ava Jerome like that.
Drew tells Willow that he happens to know Congressman McConkey is not running for reelection next fall. He met with McConkey recently, and McConkey is urging him to run for his seat. Willow says she just wants to make sure she understands. Larry McConkey wants Drew to run for his seat in congress? Drew tells her, that’s what he said. He hasn’t fully wrapped his mind around this yet. She asks if he’s going to do it. He would be perfect.
Finn tells Alexis that he dropped Violet at school. When he got home, he found that his dad had passed in his sleep. He doesn’t think his dad felt any pain. Alexis says, at least that was a blessing, and he says he called 911 and it took forever. While he was waiting, he looked over and he saw this bottle of bourbon, this gift from the Cerullos that they gave to him at the rehearsal dinner, and he was going to give it away. Instead, he drank a third of it. She says, okay, and he says, she doesn’t seem entirely surprised. She says, it’s okay, and he says he keeps asking himself, would he have drunk yesterday if he hadn’t accidentally drunk that glass of champagne the night before? He’s 99% sure he wouldn’t have, but then there’s that 1% of him that isn’t so sure. That’s the part that’s winning. She says, he has to try and look at it objectively, and he says he’ll try. She says, regardless of him slipping the night before, he woke up the next morning and it was tragic; it was heartbreaking. So he has a pretty sympathetic reason to break his sobriety. He says, that doesn’t excuse it, and she takes his hands. She says, forget about excuses, because she’s learned nothing really excuses anything. There’s just explanation and forgiveness, and after everything he’s been through, it can certainly be explained. He says he’s not the only one who’s suffered a difficult loss here. How is she? She asks if he means does she want a drink? Yeah. They laugh, and he says, did she drink? She says, no, and she has no intention of it. He says, neither did he, but here they are, and she says she thinks maybe it’s a two a day meeting thing for a while. He says he was at a meeting this morning. That’s why he didn’t pick up when she called. She says, that’s a damn good reason, and he says he drank, but he’s never going to drink again. She says, for now, and he says, yeah, for now. She says, the thing to really remember is, they have each other, and he says, yeah.
Nina says, why is she antagonizing Ava? and Maxie says, yeah. Nina says, maybe it has something to do with Ava saying that she was going to go to bat for her with Sonny and help save her marriage. Then sandbagging her because she wanted to get her claws in Sonny herself. Maxie says, it was awful… and Nina says, Ava implied that if she sold the MetroCourt to Jason, that Sonny would approve of that, knowing full well that Sonny hates Jason now. Maxie asks if Nina regrets selling the MetroCourt, but Nina says, no, and Maxie asks if she regrets signing the divorce papers. Nina says she regrets having to sign them, but she and Sonny were broken beyond repair, and Maxie says, then why take the time to make Ava her enemy? Nina says, Ava becoming her enemy was Ava’s choice, and Maxie says, that woman has a history of murder and mayhem with a touch of poisoning. Nina says, please, who doesn’t?Come on. She doesn’t think she’s in any physical danger. Maxie says, maybe not today, but if Nina keeps this up… Nina asks if Maxie saw the scowl on Ava’s face. That was almost worth the arsenic.
Chase says he’s so sorry, and Brook says, what did she tell him about apologizing? He says, this is how they’re spending her dream honeymoon, and she says, honeymoons are two things. First of all, they’re a vacation. Italy’s not going anywhere. They’ll take that trip later and make up for all the lost time. He says he likes the way she thinks, and she says she knows. He says, what about the other honeymoon? and she says, the other honeymoon is this, everything else forever. She snuggles against him and says, this is her dream. He says, coffee and scones? and she says, being with him through good times and bad, and yes, the coffee and scones are a definite bonus. Is he sure he doesn’t want another one? He says, yes, and she says, if she hasn’t made herself clear, anything she can do for him, them, or their family – if that’s jumping in and helping, giving him time to grieve with Finn, or both – she’ll do it, okay? He says, she’s amazing, and she says she really is, and she loves him so much. He says, ditto.
Diane goes to Alexis’s place and asks how she is. Alexis says, not great. She’s since learned there are greater losses than her law license. Diane says she’s so sorry about Gregory. She knows how important he was to Alexis. Alexis says she called him last night and Chase answered the phone. That’s how she found out. Any word from the Court of Appeals? Diane says, the wheels of bureaucracy do not accelerate to steamroll over you, no matter how much it seems like they want to, and Alexis says, any new insights? Diane says, they stood a really good chance of at least having Alexis’s disbarment examined, if not completely vacated, and Alexis says, and now? Diane says, now it’s clear that her disbarment was motivated by personal animus, no vigilance toward the law, and that animus stemmed from two conspiring sources, Ava Jerome and Fergus Byrne. By the way, she’s going to filing a harassment complaint against Counselor Byrne later on today. Maybe more than one, depending on her mood. Alexis says, if she needs any ammo… Diane says, please, and Alexis says, they had a little run-in at a diner in Albany. Diane tells her, say more, and Alexis says she was just sitting there, minding her own business, drowning her sorrows in a salad, and the avenging angel strolled by. Diane asks what he said, and Alexis tells her, it’s not what he said. It’s what she thinks is true. It’s not about his vengeance. It’s about his guilt, because he was estranged from both his brothers when they died about some inheritance issue. Diane says, interesting. Maybe she can use that. Alexis says, go ahead. If she’s being blamed for destroying two of the Byrne brothers, might as well make it a trifecta. Diane laughs and say she likes the way Alexis thinks, and Alexis wonders why she’s getting all the flack for this anyway. It’s Harmony who killed Neil – in Alexis’s bed – and she shoved his brother Brendan off a cliff. So why is that idiot after her? Diane says, make sure to ask him at his disciplinary hearing. In the meantime, she’s off to General Hospital. She’s going to meet with Gregory’s sons for the reading of his will. Alexis says she’s glad he retained Diane, and Diane says, after she represented the plaintiffs suing his son? Even she was a little surprised. Alexis says, he knew she was just doing her job. And they both know the justice system works best when there’s capable attorneys on each side, and Diane is a capable attorney. Diane’s not as good as she is, but she’s a capable attorney. She’s really glad Gregory retained her. Diane says, Alexis is mentioned in this will. Does she want to attend?
Finn finds Elizabeth in the breakroom, and he tells her that Amy said she’d be in here. Is this okay? She sort of smiles, and he comes in, closing the door behind him. He says he wants to… He needs to apologize. He was wrong and she was right. He never should have spoken to her that way. He has no excuse. He was grieving his father, and he drank to numb the pain. Again, it’s not an excuse, but that’s what happened. But Chase got him through the worst part of it, and he’ll never drink again. He’s already been to one meeting this morning. He just wishes he had the words to explain how sorry he is to her. She thanks him for saying all of that. She knows he means it, and she’s glad he’s doing what he needs to take care of himself. But she hopes he understands that she wasn’t trying to take charge or tell him what to do. She was only thinking about Violet and how she just found out she’d lost her grandfather forever, and she needed to put Violet first. He says he understands, and she says, good. Because he didn’t seem to yesterday. (Um… didn’t he just explain all that?)
Brook says, it’s funny, she didn’t think this was a thing, but now that she and Chase are married, she feels different. Chase says, in what way? and she says, it’s kind of hard to explain. You know when you’ve been away for a while, and you finally come home and crash in your own bed? He says, oh yeah, and she says, it’s like that, but everything is better. Even the bed is better, and somehow, you love everything even more. It’s like your capacity to love has leveled up in a way you didn’t even know was possible. And here you are. Here we are. We’re home. We belong and we’ll always belong, because the person we belong with is always by our side. And it’s not like some huge, major revelation. It’s just like remembering something we always knew, but now we won’t forget. He says, because here we are, and she says, because here we are, and they kiss.
Trina asks Josslyn if Dex is okay. Is he going to press charges? How is she feeling? Josslyn says she’s pissed off. She’s been so angry with Sonny for so long, it’s like she’s permanently stuck like this. Trina says she hears Josslyn. So is Dex… Josslyn says she took him to the ER, and they had to wait there all night because he needed stitches. Trina says, Dex needed stitches? and Josslyn says, it could have been a lot worse had Jason not been there to pull Sonny off of him. Ava walks in and says, Josslyn more than anybody should know better than to spread gossip, but Josslyn says, it’s not gossip. She was there. Ava says, she saw Sonny hit Dex? and Josslyn says, no, but she saw Dex right after. Ava says, so she didn’t see anything, and yet… Josslyn says, and yet, Kristina saw everything, and she was very freaked out by it. Ava says, and how far along is Kristina? What they wouldn’t know is that, when you’re pregnant, sometimes the littlest thing can freak you out. (I don’t think total delusion is a symptom of pregnancy.) Josslyn says, this was not a little thing, and Ava says, what they do know by now is that, when men drink, they fight. And she’s sure this encounter between Dex and Sonny wouldn’t have escalated if Jason hadn’t insinuated himself… Trina says, this conversation isn’t going to get anywhere, so maybe they should just end it here. They have those apartments to go see. Josslyn says, Trina is so right, and she shouldn’t argue with Trina’s boss, who wasn’t actually at the reception – she can’t imagine why Ava wasn’t invited – and couldn’t possibly know what actually happened.
Alexis says she’s not going to go to the reading. She thinks that’s for Finn and Chase. Diane says she’s sure they’d welcome her, but Alexis says, besides, she has to pay a visit to a certain gallery owner. Diane says, give Ava hell, and Alexis says, anyway, she thinks she knows what Gregory would like her to do from his will. Diane says, Alexis can guess, but she can neither confirm nor deny until after the will is read, and Alexis says, he wants her to be literary executor and she’s proud and happy to do it. Diane laughs and says she had a feeling Alexis would be, and Alexis says she really wishes she could have gone to the wedding – they both tear up – and seen him in his proudest and finest moments. She just really never thought it would be his last.
Elizabeth says, Violet should be Finn’s first concern, but yesterday, he made it seem like Violet was something that belonged to him, that she shouldn’t take. Instead of a little girl who just lost her grandfather and probably needed reassurance. Not only has Elizabeth never seen that side of him before, she honestly didn’t think he was capable of it. He says, she’ll never see that side of him again, and he wants to thank her for looking out for his daughter. His phone dings and he says he’s sorry. Chase is here. She asks if Chase is okay, and Finn says, Diane Miller is coming by his office to read his father’s will.
Maxie says, there’s a subtle, but clear… Nina says, who does Ava think she is, telling her that she doesn’t have a life? She’s literally a trendsetter. Maxie says, the question is… Nina says, Ava hangs paintings on a wall.She dictates fashion. Maxie says, it’s more like how much space… Nina says, the woman doesn’t even have a place to live. She’s imposing on the father of her child, a man who will never ever love her. Maxie gets up and says, okay. Since they’re obviously never going to talk about the ads, which is the actual reason for this meeting… She opens the door and Nina asks what she’s doing. What was she saying? Maxie closes the door again and tells Nina that it’s too late for what she was saying. Nina really needs to get this out of her system. Who was the gentleman friend she mentioned to Ava? Nina says, Maxie knows, and Maxie says, yeah, but she was hoping she was wrong. Nina and Drew are still… whatever? Nina says, he’s no gentleman and he’s certainly not a friend, but they have a good thing going. Maxie says, he’s her boss, but Nina says, it doesn’t hurt business. Maxie says, and they don’t like each other? and Nina says, that definitely doesn’t hurt business. Maxie asks if the sex can really be that good.
Drew says, it’s a huge decision. It’s going to affect everybody he cares about. Willow says, but he wants to do it, right? He’s going to run for McConkey’s seat. He says he didn’t even take it seriously at first. He thought McConkey was kidding when he brought it up, but the more he thinks about it, he sees the upside. Willow seems to think it’s a good idea. She says, no. She thinks it’s a great idea. He says, but it’s crazy, right? It’s nuts. Would he even have a shot? She says, absolutely. The government needs people like him. He says, really? People with no previous government experience? Because that typically doesn’t work out very good. She says, it does when those people are unselfish and open-minded.When they get involved to try and make life better for people. He says, those people typically stay out of politics, and she says, that’s exactly why we need more of them in politics. And if he doesn’t mind her saying so, she thinks it would do him good. He says, how so? and she says, he was in a very dark place for a while. She knows he’s made it out the other side, but that darkness stays with him. He says, and she thinks him running for public office is going to cure whatever’s ailing him, and she says she thinks being in office, making a difference, won’t cure it, but it will help. It’s why she loved being a schoolteacher and why she’s going to love being a spokesperson for the New Tomorrow Institute. Raising awareness for the need for bone marrow donors will make a difference. It will help make people’s lives better, or it will help them live at all. And she’ll get to make that happen because he offered her the chance to. He says he’s very glad he did, and she says she promises she won’t say a word to anyone else about him possibly running for congress, but she really hopes he’ll do it.
Finn meets Chase outside his office, and they hug. They go inside, and Finn asks how Chase is this morning. Chase says he’s okay, all things considered. How is Finn? Finn says he didn’t sleep much. He ended up sitting in dad’s room half the night. He guesses trying to feel close to him. He didn’t drink again. In fact, he went to an AA meeting this morning. Chase says, good. He’s glad Finn is doing what he’s got to do. Just so Finn knows, Chase isn’t checking up on him. Finn says, why not? and Chase says, because he trusts Finn to take care of himself and Violet.
Alexis walks into the gallery, and Ava says, good morning. Is she shopping for herself or somebody else? Alexis says, no. She just got back from Albany. She met an old friend of Ava’s. Ava asks, how? She doesn’t know anybody in Albany. Alexis says, sure she does. Fergus Byrne. Ava thinks a moment and says, any relation to those other two Byrnes whose lives Alexis destroyed? Alexis says, actually, it was Harmony Miller who destroyed their lives, but yes. He’s their brother. Of course (🍷) Ava already knows that because she hired him to get Alexis disbarred. Ava says she remembers him now. How’s he doing? She imagines he’s having a very, very good day. Alexis says, what she’s really curious about is why Ava chose to be anonymous. She would think Ava would be thrilled at the thought of Alexis knowing she was responsible for the implosion of her career and her life. Ava says, no. Alexis is responsible for that, but she was more than happy to help. Will that be all?
Diane reads, I, Gregory Chase, being of sound mind and unsound body, etcetera, etcetera. Just so they know, in addition to the regular legalese, he actual wrote out etcetera, etcetera. The first order of business I suppose is to name my executor, and that would be my son, Harrison Chase. Chase says, wait. What? Diane says, he’s responsible for seeing his father’s wishes are followed, and Finn nods at Chase. Chase asks, what are his wishes? and Diane says, brief and clear. Just take a breath. Don’t worry. If he needs any advice, she’s always here to help. He thanks her and says he’ll take her up on that. She continues, while Harrison will be the executor of my estate, I also name Alexis Davis as my literary executor. As for my rather modest estate, it is to be divided equally between my two sons, Harrison and Hamilton, with the exception of my library, which I leave to my brilliant, imaginative granddaughter Violet, to enjoy when she is ready. Chase says, she’s going to love that, and Finn agrees. Diane reads, finally, I request that my body be cremated. Rather than a church ceremony and a burial, I want an open-air memorial with my family and closest friends gatheredto witness the scattering of my ashes near my favorite tree in the park. Violet knows which one. Chase gets up as Diane continues, I want my family to focus on life, not death; the sky and the world around you, not a hole in the ground. In setting my body and spirit free in the air, I can happily return to the earth which has been so generous to me. Finn says, that’s what dad wanted, and Chase says, that’s what we’ll do.
Nina says she’s not talking about sex. That’s really not part of it anymore. Maxie says, oh no. Is Nina developing feelings for Drew? Nina says, what? God. No. Maxie tells her, you know what they say about protesting too much? She’s the literal illustration right now. Nina says, no. It’s just that somehow the frenemies with benefits really did have benefits. Because of Drew, she’s back on speaking terms with Willow. Maxie says, okay. What’s he getting out of it? Nina looks at her, and Maxie says, what else is he getting out of it? Nina says she got Drew a meeting with Congressman McConkey on this big urban renewal project Aurora is working on with the city. They’re actually like business partners sort of. Maxie says she still has to ask. What is Nina going to do if temptation arises again? Nina says, don’t worry. For her, Drew Cain is the opposite of irresistible. Maxie says, if that were the case, why does Nina not keep resisting him?
Alexis asks why Ava would go out of her way to destroy her career, and Ava says, it wasn’t out of her way at all. And as to why, Alexis knew Ava’s brother loved her very much and she used that against him over and over again, leading him on, drawing him in, only to cast him aside. It didn’t matter that he saved Alexis’s life, more than once. Or that he dragged her out after she ran him over with her car while out on a bender. Alexis says, actually, she was on a bender after being manipulated by Julian to defend Carlos Rivera, who he then murdered. Which Ava’s bestie, Fergus, described in glorious detail to the court. Ava says she wishes she could have seen that. So Alexis is still blaming Julian for all her failings. Alexis says, no. She’s blaming Ava for getting her disbarred. Ava says she sees. So here Alexis is, standing in her gallery, blaming her, even though Alexis committed perjury. Did Ava call the bar with her statement? Yeah. Did she tell them Alexis committed perjury? Yeah, which Alexis did. So don’t blame her. Blame herself.
Drew says, the more he thinks about the idea of public service, the more he likes it, but the campaign could get nasty. He was in prison not too long ago for insider trading. Willow says, which he owned up to. And now he’s seen firsthand what prisons are like, so he can campaign on reform. He’s paid his debt to society, which appeals to those who value accountability. He’s an ex-Navy SEAL, which appeals to the military minded. He’s already shown a commitment to the public good, which appeals to McConkey’s base. He says, wow. Will she be his campaign manager? She says she’s a little busy, and he says, really? She’s fired. They laugh, and she says she loves the sound of that – Congressman Cain. He tells her, McConkey had something to say about that too, and thanks her. This is way more than he could have hoped for. She says, he can thank her by agreeing to run.
Elizabeth knocks at Finn’s office door and says she thought he’d still be here, even though he’s not working today. He says he figured since he was here anyway, he’d catch up on some paperwork. Maybe it would keep his mind off… things. She asks if it’s working, and he says, nah. What’s she got there? Dropping off x-rays? Isn’t that beneath the head nurse’s paygrade? She says she’s never too busy to help the people she loves, and he thanks her for that. She asks how the reading of his dad’s will went, and Finn says, he left all his books to Violet. She says, sounds like him, and he says, instead of a funeral, he wants his ashes scattered in an open-air memorial. She says, that sounds beautiful. And if he doesn’t mind her asking… He says, ask him anything, and she says, when’s his next meeting? He says, in about an hour, and she asks if he wants her to pick up Violet from school. Is she even at school? He says, yeah. He didn’t want to disrupt her schedule and she insisted that’s what her grandpa would want. She’s probably right. Elizabeth says, consider it done, and he thanks her. He’s sure Violet will love that. She says she should get back to work, and he says, him too, and she leaves.
Brook asks, how’d the reading go? and Chase says, good. His dad made him executor. She says, what an honor, and he says he always thought it would go to Finn, since he’s the oldest, but it’s almost like his dad knew Finn would be struggling and shouldn’t be burdened. She says, or maybe his dad just thought he could be trusted to take care of things, and he says he guesses that’s a possibility, and she asks how he’s feeling with everything. He says, better. He’s glad that he has one more thing that he can do for his dad. Now he just has to not let him down, or anybody. She tells him to stop putting so much pressure on himself, and he says, not only does he have to carry out his father’s wishes, but he has to worry about Finn and Violet after they get done with this. Brook says, it’s so awful that he doesn’t have anybody by his side to help him through all this… Oh, wait. He says, there you are, and she says, here I am. Don’t you forget it. She kisses him.
Ava asks if Alexis even saw the affidavit she signed, and Alexis says, yes. Ava says, was there even anything in there that wasn’t true? and Alexis says, nope. Ava says, then what in God’s name is she objecting to? Alexis says she’s objecting to Ava’s cruelty. Ava has only two ways of dealing with adversity. Just two. She either deflects blame or she inflicts harm. Ava says, her brother would be alive today if he hadn’t been on the receiving end of what Alexis calls love. She’s got nothing to apologize for. Alexis says, she means nothing she’s been caught and prosecuted for… yet. Which makes her miss being able to practice law that much more. But license or not, Ava is going to regret making that complaint. Alexis walks out.
Tomorrow, Drew asks, what makes Willow think he can do this; Blaze says she owes someone an apology; Spinelli tells Maxie that he respectfully and regretfully declines; and Sam says she believes Kristina will do the right thing, even at a cost to Sonny.
I love the recaps from this site. I didn’t so much love the elimination challenge where food wasn’t just plated at the table. It was plated on the table. To each his own, but I don’t want to eat off the table.
I have a friend whose sister went into Tiffany’s because she was meeting someone who worked there for dinner. The clerk asked if she could help her, and when she said, no, the clerk said – wait for it – I didn’t think so. Like rich people always dress rich. We’ve seen some of their outfits.
Join me tomorrow for soap and Summer House smack talk or possible apathy. Until then, stay safe, stay not going into a phone vortex when at dinner, and stay forgetting about excuses, because nothing really excuses anything. There’s just explanation and forgiveness.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Carly goes into Jack’s hospital room, and he says, another visit. She says she had to come. She heard he stabbed himself for her.
At a table in a diner in Albany, Alexis reads a book while she has a salad and iced tea. Fergus approaches and says, dining alone, but she just looks at him.
Brook asks how Chase is doing, and Chase says he can’t believe his dad is really gone. He keeps looking at the present he got them, thinking, he was just holding this. She says, such a sweet and thoughtful gift. Unexpected, but perfect. Typical of his dad. He says he feels like he should be doing something, but all he wants to do is sit here right now. She says she’s going to make herself useful and start unpacking their suitcases, and he says, this is so surreal. They’re supposed to be on their honeymoon right now. She says she knows, when there’s a knock at the door. He asks if she’s expecting anyone, but she says, no. He says, somebody probably found out about his dad. He’s not sure he can handle any more sympathy right now. She tells him, don’t worry. She’ll get rid of whoever it is. She opens the door and Tracy is there. Brook looks at Chase.
Sam knocks at Spinelli’s door and he says, fair Samantha, come on in. Welcome to his humble workspace. He tries to straighten up and says, you can never have too many external hard drives. She tells him, that’s what she always says, and he tells her that he’s been thinking about what they discussed at the wedding. So much is going on, and of course (🍷) naturally, he was deeply troubled by that revelation that Jason was coerced into working for the FBI. So upon further reflection, he feels he has to reemphasize that tangling with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is highly ill-advised. She asks what he means. Why? Is he saying he doesn’t want to help her anymore?
Anna goes to Jason’s room above Bobbie’s, and he says, it’s late. Did something happen? She says, you tell me. He doesn’t have any bruises, huh? He asks why he would, and she says, last night, he got in the middle of Sonny attacking Dex.
Alexis says, obviously she’s dining alone, by choice. So feel free to move on. Her salad is getting cold. He smiles and sits down. He says, what are the odds of both of them choosing the same diner? and she says she thinks he’s following her. Go away. He reaches for a menu and says he hasn’t even ordered yet. How’s the food? She asks if she’s going to have to report him to his own disciplinary committee for harassment, and he says he’ll leave her to her salad and her novel momentarily, but first, he’s curious. Why now? She asks if that’s a metaphysical question, and he says, she was disbarred years ago, yet she wasn’t even interested enough to show up in person to hear the verdict. Yet here she is, on a pilgrimage to Albany where the fate of her law career hangs in the balance. So he’ll repeat the question. Why appeal now?
Tracy hugs Chase and says she’s so sorry to hear about his father. He was a wonderful man. She will cherish him always. Chase thanks her and says he knows his father really enjoyed her friendship too. Brook says, they appreciate her coming by, but… Tracy holds up her hand and says she brought them something. This is in lieu of a casserole, which she couldn’t make anyway. She brought them this. She hands Brook a cloth bag and Brook removes a bottle of wine and says, Morello. This isn’t easy to find here. Tracy says, the two of them should really be on their honeymoon, strolling arm in arm through a piazza in the moonlight. Since that isn’t possible, she thought she’d bring a taste of Italy to them. Brook thanks her, and Chase says, it’s very generous. Thank you for everything. Brook says she’s going to go open one of these up, and goes to the kitchen. Chase says he’s glad to have a chance to thank Tracy for being such a good friend to his dad at a time when he needed one, and she says, that’s very kind, but she would prefer to skip the platitudes if he doesn’t mind.
Spinelli tells Sam that he hasn’t changed his mind per se. if Jason had asked him directly, he’d gladly do anything he could, but going behind his back is just wrong. Sam says, he doesn’t know how much Jason trusts him. She thinks the only reason Jason hasn’t contacted him is because Jason doesn’t want to drag him into this. He says, it’s very Jasonlike for him to handle everything on his own. Still, it’s impossible for him to believe Jason has been acting as an FBI informant. She says she knows, which means they must have something on him, something huge, and Spinelli wonders what kind of circumstances could force Jason to be an FBI informant. She says she doesn’t know, but that’s what they need to figure out.
Anna tells Jason that Dex came to her office earlier. Interesting conversation. He said that Sonny attacked him, Jason intervened, and Kristina witnessed it. Obviously, she was traumatized by it. Why wouldn’t she be? It’s a hell of a thing to see your father do. He asks if Dex is pressing charges, and she says, no. He decided he didn’t want to do that to Kristina. Jason thanks her, but she says, don’t thank her. It was Dex. He made the call. Jason asks if she agrees with him, and she says, yeah, she does. If they could get a conviction, Sonny would serve two years max. Better to wait to bring Sonny to justice. They need a charge that carries a longer sentence. Jason asks, so why is she here? and she says she heard Dex’s version of events. Now she needs to hear his.
Jack says he would have sent Carly flowers, but his options were somewhat limited in prison. She says, and a self-inflicted wound was the next best thing, huh? and he says he knew she’d get him. She says, let her see the scar, and he laughs. He says, unfortunately, his wound is bandaged so the scar will have to remain a mystery for now, but if it makes her feel any better, it’s pretty epic. She says she looks forward to seeing it at another time. So is he going to tell her what really happened? He says, some thug jumped him in the shower, waited until he was vulnerable, and then he made his move. She says she’s not buying it, and he asks, why not? She asks if he isn’t a spy, and he says, that’s not the job title on his business cards, but he supposes that’s an accurate description of his skills. She says, exactly, and with his experience, he would never let himself be that vulnerable, and she bets he could outpower most of the prisoners at Pentenville. He says, maybe he did just want to see her, and she says she does understand that. She is good company. He laughs, and she says, but she doesn’t believe he’d leave a liter of his blood on the shower floor for a chance meeting with her. So what’s really going on?
Chase tells Tracy, it’s not a platitude; it’s the truth. She says she’s sorry. That came out all wrong. You’d think with all the people she’s lost in her life, she’d be able to do this better, but it just never gets easier. She’s sorry for offending him. He says, it’s fine. He didn’t mean to snap at her. It turns out he’s not very good at this grief stuff. She says, if it had been up to her, she and his father never would have been friends. She doesn’t know if he’s noticed, but she has acquaintances, but very few friends. That’s because she finds most people annoying, but not his father. Caring about him as much as she did sort of… It snuck up on her. Chase says, he does… He did that to people. She says, he was warm and engaging and never self-pitying, even when his illness gave him every right to be angry and feel sorry for himself. It was one of the most impressive things about him. He faced the end of his life with great dignity and courage. Chase should be very proud of him. Chase says he is. He is so proud. That’s why it’s killing him that he… She says, that he what? but he says, it doesn’t matter. She says, if it’s one thing she’s learned from her husband Luke’s death, it’s that regrets only bring you more pain, and she doesn’t think his father would want that for him. So if in fact there is something that’s bothering him, he needs to let it go. He says he can’t, and she says, why not? Holding back tears, he says, because it’s all his fault. His dad pushed himself so hard because he asked him to officiate his wedding. He wanted his dad so bad up there at that altar, he didn’t even think about what it would do to his body. That wedding was too much for his dad, and that is why… She says, do not do this to himself.
Alexis says, clearly, Fergus thinks there’s some big secret here, but there’s really nothing nefarious about this. It just took her a long time to realize what a huge miscarriage of justice her disbarment was. Fergus says he doesn’t buy that for a second, and she says, it’s a good thing his opinion doesn’t matter then. He says he thinks she’s been playing the long game, biding her time until she thinks everybody forgot about what she did, so she could sneak back in the side door and plead procedural violations to get her law license reinstated with minimal pushback. She says she can’t believe how well he knows her. He’s right. This was all part of her master plan, because now she has the legal system just where she wants it. He tells her to stop painting herself as some sort of helpless victim. She clearly isn’t helpless. She has an excellent command of the law. And she’s nobody’s victim. She essentially did this to herself. She says, with a lot of help from him. And on that note, she has a question for him. What’s the real reason he made it his mission to keep her from practicing law? He says, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, and she says, is it? She says, because he went out of his way to track Ava down and get Ava to sign that affidavit against her.
Jack says, it’s very complicated, but Carly wouldn’t understand. Carly says, maybe if he talks real slow and she can try to sound out the big words, she might be able to keep up. He says he’s offended her, and that wasn’t his intention, but she says she’s not offended. She doesn’t like being lied to. He says his reticence has nothing to do with her intelligence. He thinks she’s extremely smart, but as she said, he’s a spy and these are spy games. All that entails is everyone plays fast and loose with the truth, and everyone has a double or triple motive. It is, to quote a master of their craft, the wilderness of mirrors. Nothing is as it appears to be. She says, so he’s not really guilty? Is that where he’s going with all of this? He says he’s in prison because he’s accused of being the head of Pikeman, but he hasn’t been tried yet for his alleged crimes because they’re afraid of what would come out in the courtroom. So there he sits. She says, everyone is entitled to due process, but he’s not exactly innocent, and he says, not by a long shot. But neither are any of the people he’s playing against. And that includes Anna Devane.
Jason tells Anna that he didn’t see the fight start. When he got there, Sonny was kicking Dex and he just pulled Sonny off. Anna asks, how did he even know the fight was happening? and he says he could see that Sonny wasn’t happy Dex was at the reception and he just had a bad feeling. She says, rightly so, and he says, then when Sonny followed Dex out, he went after them just in case. She says, and he found Sonny attacking Dex. Anything else? He walks away, and she says, Dex has already decided that he’s not going to press charges. This isn’t an interrogation. It’s informational for her. She’s trying to understand what the hell is going on with Sonny. He asks if it’s off the record, and she says, yeah. He says, maybe Sonny lost it. He threatened to kill him and Dex. She asks what exactly he said, and Jason says he’s sure Dex told her. She says she needs to hear it from him, and he tells her that Sonny said something about emptying a gun in both of their heads. She says she doesn’t understand how Sonny would allow something like this to happen in a public place where anyone could witness it. She was 200 feet away. Not to mention the bride and groom and the bride’s extended family, who for all intents and purposes seem to think that Sonny walks on water. They certainly wouldn’t if they saw that though. He says, no, they wouldn’t, and she asks if he thinks Sonny would try to have him and Dex killed.
Tracy says, officiating Chase’s wedding was the honor of his father’s life. He saw Gregory at the reception. He was fully present and over the moon watching Chase and Brook. Chase says, she saw what happened to him during the vows. What if that was too much for him? She says, what if it was exactly the opposite? His father was struggling recently, but he was determined to see Chase and Brook married. Officiating Chase’s wedding was the thing that was keeping him going. It’s what kept him alive. Chase says he never thought about it like that, and she says, sometimes we get too close to a situation to really see it clearly. Chase trusted him to officiate. He didn’t infantilize him. He made sure Gregory had his dignity to the end of his life. Do not punish himself for his father’s death. It was sad and unfair, but sometimes, that’s just the way life is, and it’s nobody’s fault, least of all Chase’s. She’s going to say something else. She never heard his father brag, except when he talked about Chase and Finn. He was so proud of them. He loved to talk about them. He never stopped talking about them. In fact, it was his only truly annoying quality. Chase laughs and says he thinks it’s the first time he’s laughed since he got the news. She says she’s glad she could amuse him, and Brook comes back with two glasses of wine. She says, care to let her in on the joke? but Tracy says, she had to be there. Brook hands her a glass and says, there you go, but Tracy says, actually, she can’t stay. But they should enjoy this, and don’t bother to show her out. This place is the size of a postage stamp. She leaves, and Brook says, don’t listen to her grandmother. It’s just who she is. She calls them as she sees them.
Sam says she wouldn’t be involving Spinelli if she thought she could do this alone, but there’s no way she could hack into the FBI’s system by herself. Spinelli says, finding evidence like that is next to impossible.And Jason is far too important of an asset. Whatever they have against him, the FBI will be protecting with their strictest of security protocols. She says she knows she’s asking a lot, maybe too much, but she would never be asking for his help if it were just for her or for Jason. But please, do it for Danny. He’s just a kid and he’s been through so much already. He adores his father, and he just came back. And she doesn’t know what Danny would do if he lost Jason again.
Jason says, there was a time he would have told Anna that Sonny would never think about targeting him, and she says, because they were so close. He says, because it would be the wrong call. Something happens to him, something definitely happens to Dex, Sonny’s the first suspect. He’s got to know the PCPD and the FBI will do whatever it takes to put him away for life. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, the Sonny he knew was smart. He was cool headed. There were lines he would not cross. He’s hoping that’s still the case. She says, but he can’t be certain anymore.
Jack tells Carly that he and Anna go way back. They came up in the WSB together. They worked side by side in too many ops to count. Which may be why Anna suspects him of all kinds of nefarious things, a few of which he’s actually done. No one is innocent in their world. This is how it works with espionage. It’s hard enough to navigate that twisted universe when you’ve been trained for it, and Carly clearly hasn’t been. She asks what that’s supposed to mean, and he says, if she was a spy, she never would have made the mistake of visiting him at Pentenville. She says, here she thought he enjoyed that visit, and he says he did, which is why it pains him to say this, because he worries this will be the last time she comes to see him. But she has no idea what she gave him that time. She says, okay, and sits next to the bed. He’s a spy, former head of the WSB. She assumes even in prison he has a way of keeping himself in the loop. What could she have possibly told him that he didn’t already know? He says, allow him to give her a first lesson in espionage. A good spy… never… tells…
Brook tells Chase, leave it to her grandmother. She really knows her stuff about wine. This is exactly what she needed tonight. He says, him too, and takes a sip. He puts the glass down, and she asks if there was something wrong with that sip, but he says, no. He’s actually really enjoying it. It’s just crazy how fast everything can change. One minute, they’re about to go enjoy their honeymoon, and the next, he’s getting the worst news of his life. It’s like he has whiplash. Does that make sense? She says, it does. He’s grieving an incredible loss. He says he knows how much pain he’s in and it must be even worse for Finn. Dad is the last parent Finn had left, so how can he blame Finn for drinking when he’s doing it too? She says, their situations are very different though. Chase doesn’t have a problem with alcohol; Finn’s in recovery. Alcohol is dangerous for Finn in a way it just isn’t for Chase. Chase says, she’s right. He talked to Finn when she took Violet on a walk. He said he’s aware that the broke his sobriety and what that means. Finn told him to pour out the rest of the bourbon and promised he would never have another drink. He’s not saying it’s not a big deal Finn had a drink, because he’s been sober for so long, but Finn is the one who found dad. Every time he thinks about what that must have been like, he… He doesn’t want to add to how much Finn is already beating himself up. If he’s as supportive as possible, he knows he can get Finn through this without another drink. She says, okay. That’s what he’s going to do, and she’ll be right by his side supporting him through it. He thanks her.
Spinelli tells Sam, hacking the FBI is a federal crime which could land them both in prison for life. Is she willing to compromise her freedom over this? She says she would never risk being separated from her family if she didn’t believe it was absolutely necessary for both Danny and Jason. There’s a knock at the door, and Maxie says, knock, knock. She walks in and apologizes for being late. James was refusing to eat his broccoli… She sees Sam and says, hi. Sam says, hi, and Maxie says, it was so great seeing them at Brook’s wedding. Dante was really getting his groove on. After everything he’s been through, it’s nice to see him doing so well. Sam says she knows. He’s basically back to his old self again. The doctors are amazed at how quick his recovery has been. Maxie says she really loves that, and Sam says, her too. She’s got to get going, but why don’t the four of them have dinner sometime, on her? Maxie says, that sounds great. Right, Spinelli? Spinelli says, her offer is most delightful, and Sam says she’ll call Maxie and they’ll schedule something. She asks Spinelli to think about what she said. She’ll be in touch. She tells them, goodbye, and leaves. Maxie says, that was cryptic. She’s guessing she interrupted something? What is it that Sam wants him to think about?
Fergus says, Ava contacted the panel and offered to sign an affidavit that Alexis perjured herself. Alexis asks if he ever thought of checking into Ava’s past when he decided to take her on as an unimpeachable witness. The woman is quite literally a murderer. Fergus says, it doesn’t make her allegations any less true, and Alexis says, how about the fact Ava had a personal vendetta against her? He says, Ava did mention the fact that Alexis essentially destroyed her brother’s life, strikingly similar to the way Alexis destroyed both of his brothers’ lives. She says, does he know what she finds interesting? Neil never once mentioned Fergus to her. That’s weird. They were very close. That’s not normal that Neil didn’t tell her that he had a brother. So why does he think that is? He says he and his brothers had issues. Emotions were running high after their father’s death, and they argued over his estate. Angry words were exchanged, feelings were hurt. He didn’t speak to either of them for a decade. She says, so much for brotherly love, and he says he deeply regrets they weren’t able to solve their differences before they passed. But how was he to know that within the span of a few years, they’d both be gone? And all because of her. At least he was able to console himself with the knowledge that she’ll never be allowed to practice law again, and he intends to do everything in his power to make sure she never is. (I’m starting to think, one, he’s not too bright, and two, he has the EQ of a 14-year-old.)
Alexis says, going after her isn’t going to make up for Fergus abandoning his brothers, alienating them, or the decades of time he wasted that he’s not going to get back. He says he was actually hoping that she’d be able to take some responsibility for her actions, but clearly, that’s not the case. He gets up and says, yet another reason she’s probably not fit to practice law. He’s just upholding the ethics and standards of his profession. Despite what she thinks, it’s not personal. She says, if he was under oath right now, he would have just committed perjury, and he says, actually, she’s the perjurer (no, you), and he’s the one with the law license. He tells her to enjoy her salad and leaves. (Seriously, she should call the Court of Appeals and tell them that he’s harassing her.)
Chase tells Brook that when he first heard about his dad’s ALS diagnosis, he did a lot of research. He knows that it’s always fatal. Intellectually, he knew eventually it would take his dad’s life, but his dad’s so strong. His dad was Superman to him. Now that he’s gone, he realizes there was a tiny part of him that actually thought he’d beat it. Beat a fatal disease, how insane is that? Brook says, it’s not. It makes sense. He says he just wasn’t prepared for how much this would hurt. He’s called him, or tried to call him, at least four times today. (Been there. Still almost do it sometimes.) He just can’t believe he’s never going to talk to his dad again. She says she just wishes there was something she could do to make this a tiny bit easier for him, and he takes her hand and says, just her being here makes all the difference. He thinks his dad knew that. She asks what he means, and he says, her grandmother made him realize what it meant to his dad to see them getting ready to spend their lives together. And he thinks his dad felt it was okay to go after the wedding. His dad knew he wouldn’t be alone. His dad knew he’d have her. She says, always, and kisses him.
Spinelli says, Sam thinks this is the only way Jason can regain control over his life, and Maxie says, by him hacking into the FBI. He says he knows how it sounds. In light of their renewed closeness and their daughter, he thought she should know what’s going on. She says, but he hasn’t told Sam yet whether he’ll do it or not, and he tells her, at the wedding, he said he was going to do it, but just now he was telling her that he had second thoughts. She had some very persuasive and heart-tugging arguments, so Maxie’s entrance was incredibly well-timed. Now it gives him some breathing room to think it over. Maxie says, okay. First, she thinks it’s insane what the FBI is doing to Jason, and of course (🍷) she wants Spinelli to help him get out from underneath their thumb. And she really does get where Sam is coming from as far as Danny is concerned. She’s just trying to protect her son. But isn’t hacking the FBI a felony? He says, a federal crime of the most punishable nature. They could lock him up and throw away the key if he gets caught. She says, yeah, that’s what she thought. So him doing this could put him at risk, and in turn, his family. He says, that’s why if she doesn’t want him to do it, he’ll just turn Sam down.
Jason tells Anna that he had a hold on Sonny and he told Dex to go. Sonny was just yelling threats and then they heard some plates drop and they turned, and they saw Kristina. Kristina was in shock. She was staring at Sonny, and then she took off. He told Dex to go again because he still had Sonny. He was still not rational, but he was no longer completely out of control. He let Sonny go and Sonny went after Kristina, and he called Carly. Anna says, to talk Sonny down, and he says, she’d be the only one to get through to him. Anna says, Carly to the rescue again, and he asks what that means. Who else did Carly rescue?
Carly says she doesn’t care what information she gave Jack in Pentenville. She doesn’t care about the crimes Anna suspects him of. She doesn’t care that he stabbed himself – Jack and I laugh – because she knows he’s going to be fine. The only thing she cares about is that her friend, her best friend Jason, stays safe. Jack says he never met the man, but he must be a great guy if he can inspire her to be this loyal to him. She says, he deserves peace now that he’s home, and Jacks says, ah, yes, peace. He remembers what that’s like. It’s been a while though. She says she’s just asking, whatever is going on, keep Jason out of it. He says, given the respect he has for her intelligence, he won’t go through the motions of assuring her that he’ll never harm her friend when he’d probably kill him if he had to. But cheer up. What are the odds that he’ll even run into her Mr. Morgan? After this little vacation, he’ll be whisked back to Pentenville and locked away in a cell again. She says she’s glad to hear it. She should go. Get some rest. Maybe she’ll come back and see him before he heads back to prison. He says, she shouldn’t. She should stay far away from him.
Maxie says, would Spinelli do this? and he says, despite a plethora of misgivings? He would. She says, okay. She thinks he should help them. He’s the only person with the skillset who could actually pull this off. She has one requirement. He says, anything, Maximista, and she says, don’t get caught. He says he wasn’t planning on it, and she says she means it. He can’t get caught. He has to promise her that he’s going to be careful, and if it seems like the FBI is even a little bit onto him, he abandons ship. Because no one, especially Jason, wants him to sacrifice himself for them. He says he’ll be cautious and untraceable. She says, he better be, because she and the kids really need him. He says, they do? and she says, they asked about him around four times today. James even said Spinelli wouldn’t have made him eat his broccoli. Spinelli says, that little scamp, and they say together, he’s right. She says, everybody really misses him living with them. Does he think maybe he can come over tomorrow night? He says, just try and stop him.
Anna tells Jason, Brennan was stabbed at Pentenville. He’s currently undergoing treatment at GH, and the stab wound was serious enough, he lost a lot of blood. He’s going to be fine. Jason says, the timing seems a little suspicious, doesn’t she think? and she says, the placement of the wound makes her believe that the injury was self-inflicted. Get out of jail free card. Because he knows that at GH he’s going to have a much easier time communicating with whoever it is who’s running Pikeman for him. Jason asks what any of this has to do with Carly, and Anna says, initially, Brennan insisted he had been stabbed in the shower by another prisoner when his guard was down, but she knows this man. His guard is never down. And he could tell she wasn’t buying his explanation, so he changed his story and said that actually, he had stabbed himself in order to see Carly again. Jason asks if that’s possible, and she says, it’s not impossible. He does seem to be genuinely taken with her. But they both know Brennan is up to something and he might be using Carly as a cover.
Jack asks if people never told Carly that he’s a bad, bad man that she should avoid at all costs, and she says she doesn’t listen to people. She makes up her own mind. He says, beautiful… and smart, and she walks out.
Brook says she’s never meant anything more than the vows she said to Chase, and he says, him either. He’s so glad his dad was there to hear them. She says, her too, and the phone rings. It sounds like a regular old kind of landline, and she asks if he changed his ringtone, but he says, no. He thinks it’s his dad’s phone. He took it from Finn’s place. He finds the phone and says, it’s Alexis. Brook says, she must not know yet, and Chase says, his dad mentioned she was going out of town. She says, he should answer it before it goes to voicemail, and he tells Alexis, this is Chase. She says, hi. Can she talk to Gregory please? He says he’s sorry to do this over the phone, but there’s something he has to tell her. She listens, then draws in a sharp breath. Obviously distressed, she says she’s so sorry. Will he tell her if there’s anything she can do and give her any details about the service?… Take care…take care of yourself. She sits at the table, not knowing what to do. She flips Gregory’s medal in her hands, then clutches it to her chest.
Tomorrow, Brook tells Chase, there’s no stopping it; Elizabeth says she honestly didn’t think Finn was capable of it; and Drew tells Willow not to tell a problem to the rest of the Quartermaines.
Vanderpump Rules – Reunion Part 3
When we last left James and Sandoval were telling each other, eat a d*ck. Andy says, Brock seemed surprised at how triggered Ariana was at the water tasting, and we flash back to that. Scheana says it was hard to see how much pain Ariana was in, and Andy asks if Ariana thinks she can be in a room with Sandoval and be civil, but Ariana says, not at this point. Andy says, James thinks she should release her anger, and Lala says, harboring resentment against your ex is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. What does she say to the people who think she should move on? She says, now it’s March 2024 and the season was last summer. The only way past it is through it, and if it’s a year from now, yeah. She knows the comments come from a place of concern and care, but the only way for her to process was to let herself feel it. Last summer was difficult and she felt like she was being pushed to be further along than she was ready to be. Andy says, in happier news, let’s talk about Jax, and asks who’s still hanging out with him. Lala and Ariana both says they hang out with Brittany, and the Toms says they’re still in contact with Jax. Andy says, Schwartz brokered peace between Jax and Sandoval, and asks where their relationship is. Sandoval says, nothing below the waist, which is actually funny, but Ariana looks disgusted. We see a clip from when Jax confronted Sandoval in the restaurant, and Sandoval says he was annoyed. Every time he sees Jax, he gives him positive comments, now Jax has all these theories about him. He hasn’t seen Jax in three years, yet Jax has the inside scoop. Ariana tells Katie that it’s like Schwartz telling her who she is. Andy asks Katie about the rumors Jax was cheating, and she says she would see random stuff online. Scheana says, they discussed it within the group, but Brittany knows Jax’s passwords and goes through his phone. Katie says, she’s not going to find what he’s doing in a text, and Brock says, dipping in and dipping out. Lala says, Katie broke the news to her with what she found online. She’s closer to Brittany than Katie is, and from her experience, if you’re not f***ing him, someone else is. Andy says he assumes the separation had something to do with the cheating, but Schwartz says he doesn’t think so. Lala says, Brittany acted so out of pocket the day of her gender reveal, and we see a clip of them cutting a cake which turns out to be pink. Lala says, Brittany calls babysitters nannies when they’re two different things. She reached out to Lala’s mom and claimed they stole her nanny. (Apparently, the babysitter was in the clip.) Don’t text her mom the day she finds out she’s having a girl and yell that they hired her nanny without permission when she’s in Kentucky with Cruz. Brittany told Lala that Jax was yelling at her, and Lala told her to have Jax call and she’ll rip him a new one. Andy says, they share babysitters all the time, and Lala says she didn’t need her mom being questioned by Kentucky muffin.
Andy says, Sandoval and Scheana have been through a lot, and asks if he unblocked her and Summer Moon. Sandoval says he didn’t block Summer Moon. He blocked Scheana and any accounts associated with her. He didn’t know it would block her whole family.😐Brock says he’s still blocked, and Andy says, Brock claimed that Sandoval had been a better friend to Scheana than Ariana. Brock says he thinks Scheana fought with all of the women from the beginning, and we flash back to them all treating Scheana like sh*t. Brock says, Sandoval was the one person who consistently had her back. She was struggling with 15 and 10 year friendships, and got torn apart online by people not in this room. Ariana says, they all get torn apart online. Lesson learned; stay out of the comments section. Scheana says she felt distance from Ariana even before the season started. Ariana admits to isolating, and Scheana says she knows it’s not just her. Andy says, Ariana told him that she’d seen the things Scheana said on Watch What Happens Live, and we see a clip of Ariana saying she loves Scheana, but true but some of the things she said were hurtful. Ariana says, Scheana claimed Sandoval would be sadder about losing her as a friend, but Scheana says, Ariana is watching clips on TikTok, when there were longer conversations she didn’t see. Andy asks if Scheana dealt with feelings of jealousy about Ariana’s level of opportunities, but Scheana says she doesn’t think it’s jealousy; it’s feeling left out. She needs a feeling if validation, not just from men, but from her friends. She didn’t want Ariana to forget about her. Aww. That’s kind of sad. Andy asks how their relationship is now, and Scheana says she thinks it’s good. Ariana says, Scheana will never not be family. Andy says, Sandoval apologized to Katie about talking smack about her, and asks how much Katie thinks it contributed to the divorce. Sandoval insists it didn’t, but Katie says, when someone speaks negatively about you to your spouse over years and years, how could it not? We flash back to that and it’s disgusting. It’s one of the reasons I never liked Sandoval in the first place. He had no business talking to Schwartz about Katie or his marriage. She says she thinks it contributed to Schwartz’s opinion of her, and Schwartz claims it didn’t, but I don’t believe him. Katie says, Sandoval doesn’t like her, but Sandoval says he feels the relationship went south when he and Scwartz went into business together. He knew it was a bad idea for her to get involved with Schwartz & Sandy’s. She says, it went south because he didn’t like her. A-greed. Sandoval says, the way she handles situations annoys him, the way she’s annoyed by how he handles situations. Then after Scandoval, she reduced him to subhuman. Katie says she treats people like how she sees it. Choke. I don’t care. Alrighty then. Andy says, their chemistry is undeniable, and Sandoval says, they’re going to bang it out. Katie looks disgusted, but again, it might be funny if it wasn’t him saying it.
Andy says, when Scheana was asked to perform at Kyle’s whiskey launch, the group went north to San Francisco to support her, even Dan. There’s a whole big exchange about why did Dan come if he wasn’t going to mingle, but it boils down to not getting paid. Andy says, Brock didn’t get paid early on, but Brock says, they have different situations. Ariana says, Dan basically doesn’t want to get involved, and Lala says, they already have an awkward group dynamic. Andy says, Ariana avoided Sandoval, but in San Francisco, Scheana encouraged him to apologize. Scheana says, early on, Ariana had said she was the only one he hadn’t apologized to. We flash back to the numerous times she said exactly that, and Scheana says she thought Ariana needed that to heal, so she tried to facilitate that. She realizes now that Ariana didn’t need it. Ariana says, great points, but yeah. Andy says, it ended the season in a powerful and fascinating way. Twirling his villainous moustache, he says, production intentionally didn’t send them the end of the finale episode. He wanted them to watch it together as a group, so the viewers can see their real time reactions.
We go back to the ending of the finale, and Ariana deciding to jet, then the others getting upset. We watch the reactions of everyone on stage, and I already know the supposed hot mic moment isn’t going to go over too big. I also have no doubt production kept it in on purpose, while Andy stirred the pot. At the very end, Schwartz says, that was a f***ing plot twist, and Sandoval says, I love it. It’s good for me. Back to real time, Ariana says, exactly. This is her being her honest self. She felt hurt so deeply, she’s not here for Sandoval putting on the waterworks thing. Sandoval says she knows him well enough to know it’s real, but she says she doesn’t know him. She cries and says, when he didn’t get what he wanted, he said things about her to triangulate her. He says, what about what she said about him this summer? and she says, what else would she say? She didn’t do anything to him, and he proved her right. She just wants him away from her. She just wants him gone.
Ariana says she doesn’t want to be in a position where she’s forced to talk to Sandoval, and Sandoval insists he did try to talk to her off camera. She says, when she got home from San Francisco, he was sitting on the couch eating takeout, but that was new. They didn’t ever cross paths. What he needed to say, he could have said then. Sandoval says, it’s the one conversation a person doesn’t want to have, and she says she’d have it with everyone else, but she’s not in a place to have that conversation with him. When he said, it was good for him, that was it right there. She was being used for him to have his crying in Miami moment with her. We flash back to him crying after getting caught cheating with Miami Girl. Sandoval says, their relationship was different, and he’s an emotional person. Katie says, he was living a double life, and Ariana says she doesn’t know who he is. She’s sorry he’s having a hard time, but these are the consequences of his actions. Sandoval says he’s sorry. Regardless of what happened in their relationship, she didn’t deserve what he did. He’s sorry. He regrets everything and wears it like a badge of shame. He dishonored her. Ariana says, that bitch (i.e. Raquel) is talking about her all the time. He did that. She just wants to be away from him. He says he understands. He wishes her the best and he’ll give her space. For everything else, they have lawyers. Andy says, the other thing he was curious about was Ariana’s reaction to what Lala said. Ariana says, it hurts her feelings. She was trying so hard this season. It’s their job to live their lives on camera, and she was living authentically by walking away. Schwartz says, at the time, he agreed with how Lala felt, but now he feels Ariana’s walking away was well-earned. Ariana says, it wouldn’t have been real on her part to stay, and Scheana says she knew she needed to let Ariana go, but she understood Lala’s frustration. She was frustrated and thought Lala needed support. Lala says, when Randall did what he did, she was questioned and told she should have known. We flash back to the Season 9 Reunion, and Lala says she’s grateful Ariana’s not experiencing what she did, but she’s annoyed. It’s wild. Everybody said things about the way Ariana had changed off camera. When they started doing the show, she felt isolated and felt like she was having conversations with herself. The show offered her a platform and made it possible for her to take care of her baby, conceive another, and have two homes. She’s happy Ariana was catapulted into opportunity, but if Ariana doesn’t give a f*** about her own position on the show, give a f*** about hers. She was livid that night, and she’s sorry if Ariana was hurt, but she stands by what she said. She spent days sobbing on a regular basis. Lisa asks if she felt the story she was getting wasn’t what they were filming, and Lala wonders why Ariana gets to dictate how it goes down. Andy asks what Ariana’s response is, and Ariana says she doesn’t think she’s Beyoncé or God. She didn’t sob in front of Scheana, but she did it on her own. Besides, walking away from the conversation made it more interesting than her having it. So wasn’t it a better end to Lala’s season, and a lead in to another one? Lala says, had she not spoken her mind, the season would have ended with Ariana walking out. Andy says, Lala claimed Sandoval and Ariana’s relationship wasn’t being shown honestly until after the affair, and Lala says she heard a lot of things. Katie reminds Lala that she said something, and we flash back to Katie saying they present themselves as having the perfect relationship when it’s not, and Lala wondering why it’s all butterflies and rainbows, yet they talk about other people’s relationships. Katie tells Lala that she said it on the show, so stop acting like she’s lying. Andy asks what Scheana thinks, and Scheana says she saw moments that were good and bad. Every relationship has its rollercoasters. Andy asks if Sandoval supported Scheana more than Ariana, and Scheana says, they’ve both shown up for her. Lala says she can’t do this, and starts to walk off the stage.
Lala says she doesn’t want do this if she’s the only one being honest, and Scheana insists Ariana and Sandoval have both shown up for her, but she can think of several events where Sandoval had her back and rode harder for her. Andy asks if she agreed with Lala at the end, and Lala says she was so frustrated by the end of the season. Scheana says she was frustrated as well, and Lala says, everyone was living in the comments section for a while, but they had expressed there wasn’t much given before all this happened. Andy asks if they were afraid of audience reaction, and Sandoval says, if they’d all abided by Ariana’s rules, nobody would be filming with him. Lisa says, she made the choice to leave Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You go to a Reunion with the intention to reunite. She didn’t want to see any of those women again, so she didn’t go. If you want to fight for it, do it, but not fighting is okay too. Lala has a point, but Ariana showed up. If Lisa had been in that situation, she wouldn’t have shown up and filmed with her husband and his mistress. Sometimes it’s okay to walk away. Andy asks if anyone else has a reaction to how things ended, and Scheana asks if, after watching it, Ariana understands why she was frustrated. Ariana says she understands the frustration, but doesn’t understand the insults. Andy calls for a break, and Lisa asks if anyone knows how to make it better. Most of the cast leaves the stage, and Ariana starts to cry. Katie hugs her, and then in yet another plot twist, Katie’s earring gets stuck in Ariana’s hair, causing much laughter. Andy says he’s going to have to shave her head, but production gets them loose.
Andy says they’ve come to the final thoughts on this dramatic season. The earring was what they needed. Ariana says, it’s a sign, and Andy asks where they go from here. Ariana says, it differs with everybody, and Andy asks Sandoval how he sees his place in the group. Sandoval says, it’s been a lot this year. He was overwhelmed, but appreciates that he was given at least somewhat of a chance. Andy asks if Lala thinks her honesty put her friendships with Katia and Ariana in the ER, and Lala says, yeah, but she’s okay with that. He asks how Scheana feels, and Scheana says, she feels it’s been the most challenging summer, and it was difficult to navigate. She wants to acknowledge Lala as her rock. Ariana was her person, but there’s been so much distance, even before filming. She’s sorry she doesn’t speak up enough or she’s not loud enough, but it’s been challenging. She is afraid of what everyone will say, but she couldn’t finish and not say that. Andy says, Katie seems lighter. She and Schwartz are friendly, sharing memes, and kissing the same girls. Katie says she can’t wait to meet Schwartz’s new girlfriend, and Brock says, she’s got game. Andy says, James now has a residence in Las Vegas, and we see his DJ flag flying at LIV in the Fontainebleau. Schwartz says he loves them. They’re his friends and family, even though they’re not in the best place. He loves and misses Ariana. James says he feels the same. Andy announces, rather than delicious cocktails, tonight they’re going to toast with toast. Kyle and long-suffering Ann bring out sandwiches from Something About Her. Sandoval kids Ann that she can clean up afterward. Andy says, may these continue to be the best days of your lives, and everyone says, cheers.
Andy declares the sandwiches damn good, and everyone starts dispersing. Brock asks, what’s on Scheana’s mind? and she says she thinks Lala is still mad. She feels like she didn’t do enough. Scheana finds Lala, and Lala tells her that it was tough watching Lisa defend so hard. On Season 8’s Reunion, she didn’t want to be grilled, and instead she got, you lose them the way you get them. Ariana got to walk away. She’s creating life and she doesn’t get that. It’s not an even playing field. She cries and says she’s annoyed. She asks if Scheana thinks she wanted to show up that day, and Scheana says she doesn’t think it’s fair. Andy says his goodbyes, and Scheana says she just wants to live a f***ing happy life. Sandoval tells Lala, respect, and as Lala gets into her car, she says she just wants to go bake a baby and have a good life.
🍼 Valley Of TMI…
This was the only recap available, but they’re right on. I didn’t need to hear that.
Join me tomorrow for soap and finding out which Chef lands on Top. Until then, stay safe, stay leaving the outdoors how you found it, and stay out of the comments section.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
No soap, Memorial Day, but we might as well get this sad news over with. Although I’m sure you know already, since it’s been plastered everywhere. So senseless and tragic. I hope the guy who shot him rots in prison then hell. This really made me feel so sad.
Captain Kerry tells Ben and Kyle that ignoring his order to clean their cabin is blatant disrespect. He’s shown them respect and busted his ass to help them, so is this the way they say thanks you? In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s total disrespect. He’s given Ben the opportunity to be a leader. He tells Ben that he’s the bosun and his goal is to be in the captain’s seat one day. Kyle says something about them being busy, but Captain Kerry says he saw Kyle talking to Barbie, so they weren’t that busy. Get their room sorted out. In Kyle’s interview, he says, at the end of the day, to him their cabin is clean. Um… a hard no. They mostly throw things in the closet and get the room somewhat tidy. Fraser tells Xandi that tonight is the Beyoncé theme, and he wants the crew to do Single Ladies. In his interview, he says, it’s primary Michele’s 50th birthday and they want to make sure it’s the best birthday ever. It’s his time to shine. Mummy knows how to do her sh*t and do it well. Nick tells Fraser, the guests have been taxing, and in Nick’s interview, he says he once worked on a sailboat and had to balance plates on both hands. It can’t be worse than that, right? Captain Kerry inspects Ben and Kyle’s room and asks how long it took them. Ben says, 10 minutes, and the captain says, it’s better. In Ben’s interview, he says he’s never been in this much trouble. The captain is taking it as a f*** you, but they were busy, and he didn’t give a sh*t at the time. Paris tells Barbie that she’s going right back to work after she hits land, and Barbie calls her mom. She says she’ll be home in three days, and she’s going to spend a month doing nothing. In Barbie’s interview, she says she misses her family and can’t wait to see her parents. Her dad isn’t affectionate, so she won’t get cuddles, but he’ll tell her positive things and remind her that she’s a good person and appreciated by her friends. She tells her dad that she did some things he may not like, and she hopes he loves her anyway. In her interview, she says, she’ll tell him about Kyle later. She never imagined she’d be with someone who didn’t share her lifestyle. The dinner starter comes in the form of sushi food porn that looks incredible. The guests get ready, and guest Stephanie says she’s Beyoncé if she let herself go grey. Fraser calls the crew to practice their dance, and in Xandi’s dual interview with Fraser, she wonders why they’re even attempting this. He says, because it’s Beyoncéand it’s the last charter. They have to do something. She says she thinks he’s overestimating all of them. Fraser welcomes the Beyoncés, and the guests come out, each one dressed in a different Beyoncé style. The crew does their dance, but beforehand, there’s a disclaimer that the music is not the property of Beyoncé. Since we don’t really see much of it, I’m not sure what that was about. In Fraser’s interview, he says, across the board, he’s the beehive. The guests are thrilled, and Barbie tells Fraser that if she’s up late and has to leave at 11, she’ll need naps. She needs her 8 hours!!! In Xandi’s interview, she says, Barbie is the last person who should be complaining, and in Barbie’s interview, she says she’s been doing all the work. Xandi continues her interview, saying she just has to get through the next 24 hours, and she’s done. Fraser tells Barbie to be the Barbie she’s been for the last week, and Barbie says, they’re mean. Xandi points out that Barbie is complaining about getting 8 hours sleep.
Guest Tya asks the table why they love Beyoncé, and Michele says, she’s unapologetically Black, while another guest says, she’s a Virgo, which I guess is as good a reason as any. The entrée comes and wow – glazed salmon over Asian noodles. The birthday cake is a strawberry cake, and it looks very cool, but it’s not chocolate, so, eh. Barbie tells Paris that she had to pull toilet paper out of the toilet and got piss on herself. She hates being here. I’m wondering why the toilet paper didn’t flush. In the morning, Nick says he’s dead to the world, and tells Fraser that he’s exhausted. The captain says, they’re pulling anchor for the last time, and they head for Port Louis Marine. In Sunny’s interview, she says she thinks she’s done well for her first time being lead deckhand. There were some downfalls – we flash back – but she’s proud of herself. In Ben’s interview, he says, after thinking it over, he needs to apologize to the captain. Even though he’d do it differently, it’s the right thing.
Ben tells Captain Kerry that he had time to think, and seeing how upset the captain was, he realized they were wrong, and he apologizes. The captain says, if he can’t follow orders when things are easy, what happens when there’s something like a fire? He appreciates Ben talking to him; it means a lot. He hopes it’s been a learning experience. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, it takes courage to grow, and he commends Ben for the apology. Ben says, now he thinks he’s in the wrong cabin. It’s the last breakfast, and in the captain’s interview, he says he’s not upset that this is the last docking in this windy place. The guests agree it was a great girls’ trip, and Dylan thinks his shirt smells like wet dog. The crew changes into their whites and lines up for goodbyes. Michele says, they had an amazing time, and Fraser says she was the best Beyoncé. Michele thanks them for her 50th and wishes them the best. She gives the captain the tip envelope, and says, the queen has exited. Live your best life. She and her crown leave, and Captain Kerry says, six weeks. They did amazing. Well done. The drinking commences even before cleaning the boat, and Ben says, they’ll start from the top and get ready to boogie afterward. The captain calls the crew for the tip meeting, and says he’s been in yachting since he was 18. He’s 47 now and has never seen a team work together so well. The tip is $20K or $1,539 each, and the captain says, altogether, they’ve made $208,750. In Dylan’s interview, he says he can feel the pre-workout already. They toast, and Kyle calls home. He tells his mom that he thinks he’s found the one, and in his interview, he says his relationships don’t tend to last, but he thinks he’s in love. He sees a future with Barbie. His mom says, she’s more than welcome to visit. Everyone gets ready to go out, and Kyle tells Ben that he looks like he walked out of Grand Theft Auto.
The crew toasts to the last charter in the taxi, and they go to a gorgeous restaurant next to a waterfall where they’re seated on a deck overlooking it. Fraser suggests a dippy doo doo dar later, which I guess is code for skinny-dipping. Kyle says he’s jumping in the water and takes his clothes off as he goes. Barbie follows him and says, they had a conversation about this. What the f*** is he doing? Xandi yells, get your willie out, and the crew follows suit, but Barbie tells them to stop. This is not enjoyable for her. Dylan hugs Xandi, who says he’s the annoying little brother she didn’t want, but will always love. Ben tells Sunny that he thinks their situation is going the right way and he’d love to take her on a date in Miami. In Sunny’s interview, she says, it feels right, but there’s still a voice in her head telling her to be wary. She’s telling herself not to get wrapped up in her feelings, but she’s a hopeless romantic, and she’s hoping something fruitful comes out of this. Kyle says he’s skinny-dipping, and someone says, get your willy out! Barbie wonders if she’s asking for too much. She’s a class act and she’s not dating someone who’s not.
Barbie tells Paris, this is embarrassing. This is her problem with Kyle. Nick asks if Kyle has adapted at all, but Barbie says, he’s himself and she has to be the one to adapt. In Nick’s interview, he says, neither one of them is in the wrong or the right, and he can’t see a future, but don’t take relationship advice from him. They go to a club where there’s more drinking and dancing. Barbie says she’s nipping this in the bud before it becomes annoying and tells Kyle that she asked him to do one thing. What is so hard about covering his huge d*ck? He surprises me by not saying, thank you, and says he’s not trying to piss her off, but she says he knows it does. She’s literally falling in love with him and thinks he’s worth it. Kyle says he’s in the wrong, but he’s trying. He’s sorry for being an idiot. He hasn’t felt like this in a long time. Barbie takes his hand and says she for real loves him. They kiss and she tells him to stop showing his d*ck. Ben applauds.
In the taxi, Xandi says, if Barbie had been her stew, she would have let Barbie go. She had a bad attitude, but now she’s adapted. Barbie says she made it through, and in her interview, she says, everyone is against her. Xandi says she’s glad Barbie made it, and Barbie says, it’s because her captain believed in her. She busted her ass all season. Xandi says she knows Barbie is good at her job, but Barbie asks, what’s the point in saying that now? Paris tells Barbie to shush, and Xandi is obviously upset. The taxi gets quiet, but then Barbie says, after all she’s done to be nice, why is Xandi attacking her? She’s still here and Xandi isn’t her chief stew. Xandi can’t fire her. Xandi says, f*** me, and Fraser tries to calm her. She starts crying, and Kyle tells Barbie to relax. Barbie says he needs to start backing her. She’s the one who should be crying. Paris tells her, shut the f*** up, and Barbie starts ranting, then everyone tells her to shut up. Barbie says she wants out of the car and she didn’t attack anybody, but Paris says, yes, she did.
They go back to the boat, and Barbie says she’s an alpha in a car of betas. She doesn’t need idiots in her life. She’s successful and worked her ass off. She locks her cabin door and tells Kyle to f*** off when he knocks. She says he was supposed to be her person, but he backs other people. Go f*** yourself, you backstabbing bitch. Get away, all of you. You all suck. Kyle says, this is the worst thing that could have happened, and Xandi says she doesn’t want work with Barbie again. Barbie starts throwing her stuff in suitcases, and says, everybody wins. She doesn’t need that sh*t. She’s done. She quits. They want to drive her batsh*t crazy? They win. She’s going to a five-star resort. In Barbie’s interview, she says she’s not quitting because her job is done, but this job sucks. All she’s done is put her ego aside all season and worked on herself. She cries and says, people continuously continue [sic] to be against her. Nobody cares about her. She walks out, and in her interview, she says she and Kyle are done. She’s not going to be with someone who doesn’t have her back. She broke every rule for him and went against her family, and he let people attack her. Kyle has been the biggest disappointment, and she never wants to see him again. So much for being in love and him being worth it.
In the morning, Nick is snoring in the crew mess, and there’s another kind of mess everywhere. Xandi wants her mummy and Fraser says his head hurts so much. Kyle tells Ben that he got a message from Barbie telling him to change his flight. She never wants to see him again. He put his heart on the table, and it got pinched back. In Kyle’s interview, he says he’s putting on a brave face, but he’s glad she’s gone. He’s never been on such an emotional rollercoaster and Barbie took him for a ride. He thinks he felt more strongly about her than she did about him. He tells Ben, he told her that he loved her, but life goes on. Captain Kerry looks for butter and mumbles that everyone was so annoying last night. In Xandi’s interview, she says she’s disappointed about how it ended, but a drunken mouth speaks a sober truth. Dylan says goodbye to the captain, and Captain Kerry says he knows Dylan struggled a bit, but he got through. In the captain’s interview, he says, Dylan can go a long way, and he would work with Dylan again. He wishes Dylan luck, and Dylan says he got a job today on a 44-foot yacht. Captain Kerry tells him, stay in touch. In Dylan’s interview, he says, it was a character-building experience. He envisions having his own yacht. That’s what he’s working toward. He’s ready. In Paris’s interview, she says, it’s sad to say goodbye, especially to Xandi. She couldn’t ask for a better roommate. She’s going straight back to work, managing a house and working on a boat once a week. She needs money. She’s expensive. In Nick’s interview, he says, St. David, I love you. It’s been fun, but he’s not leaving the couch for a while. He tells the crew, if he misses his flight, he’ll be in the bar. Ben tells Captain Kerry about Xandi saying she wouldn’t hire Barbie, and Barbie going batsh*t crazy over the top. The captain thanks him for the update, and calls Barbie. She says, she’s disappointed that it went down like this, but she’s done. Fraser sits on the floor and says he needs sleep.
Barbie tells Captain Kerry that she’s done. She needs to work on herself, but needs to do it around people who care about her. In the captain’s interview, he says he thinks Barbie was always pissing in the wind. She didn’t fit in, but she tried, and he feels for her. Barbie tells him that she doesn’t like the hotel she’s in and she’s trying to book a villa next door. She thanks him for checking on her and practically hangs up on him. This girl is not going to work on herself. She’s just looking for a group of people who will tell her what she wants to hear. Sunny asks where Barbie is, and Fraser says he wants to push her off the boat, but Xandi says, she’s gone already. Sunny says, she left at 2 am, and Fraser is really startled. He asks if he said goodbye, but Xandi says, no one did. He suddenly remembers that it started in the car, and says, she showed her real self. She took the reins off and galloped into herself. In Fraser’s interview, he says, Barbie hasn’t changed one bit. The proof is in the pudding. Bye, babe. Farewell. He tells Xandi and Sunny that he had to put up with that all season, and Xandi says, he deserves a raise. In Xandi’s interview, she says she’s going back to yacht life, but needs to start thinking about land life. Love and light to everyone. She’s done. In Kyle’s interview, he says he lost the girl he loves, but he’s going to make lemonade out of lemons in Miami.
Ben tells Captain Kerry that seeing the deck crew gel felt like success, and in the captain’s interview, he says, at the start of the season, he believed Ben should be bosun, but he doubts he would have put him there at the end. He hopes Ben learns to pull his socks up and do himself a favor. Everyone says their goodbyes, and in Ben’s interview, he says he came on as lead deckhand and he’s leaving as bosun. He’s going to see how it goes with Sunny. Sunny asks if they’re going with the wind, and in her interview, she says she’s heard boatmances are iffy and romantic. It’s undeniable they have something going on. She wants to pursue it, but is reminding herself not to get hurt. She and Ben leave together. Captain Kerry tells Fraser that he loved seeing Fraser’s growth. He did his best to turn things around. Fraser says he’s lucky to have had Kerry as a captain, and the captain says he doesn’t get accused of that often. I kind of find that hard to believe, since he’s no Captain Lee, but he seems like a fair boss. He says, Fraser did a great job, and in his interview, he says, Fraser is the best chief stew after his girlfriend. Fraser says he thinks Captain Kerry is a fantastic leader. He’s that Aussie bloke, but also has wonderful depth. In Fraser’s interview, he says, one of the biggest lessons he’s learned is that if you have distracting thoughts that are keeping you from your goal, you need to take a step back. He had goals coming in and feels he nailed them. He’s not perfect, but he’d rather learn from his mistakes than regret the things he’s done.
Captain Kerry says he knew he had big shoes to fill coming in. They had epic highs and lows he’d like to forget about, but that’s yachting. He’s grateful for all of it. That was one hell of an adventure.
🏨 Early Check Out…
It’s been a long long weekend, so bidding you adieu until tomorrow, when I’ll give you soap and a VanderFinale. Until then, stay safe, stay taking that last piece of pizza or dumpling if everyone is just sitting around staring at it, and stay learning from your mistakes rather than regretting the things you’ve done.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Anna thanks Carly for coming to her office, and Carly says, Anna’s welcome, but she doesn’t feel like she was asked as much as summoned. Anna says she’s sorry about that, and asks Carly to sit down, but Carly says she’ll save Anna some time. She really has no idea what’s going on with Sonny. She doesn’t talk to him much anymore, and when they do, it’s barely civil. Anna says she didn’t ask Carly here to talk about Sonny, and Carly says she never thought she’d live to see the day. Anna says, a friend of Carly’s is in the hospital, and Carly asks, who? Anna says, Jack Brennan. He was admitted to GH last night. Carly asks, what happened? Is he okay? Anna says, he was stabbed in the abdomen, but no major organs were hurt, and Carly says, thank, God. Anna says, God could be one explanation. Maybe Brennan was the recipient of a miracle or maybe he stabbed himself.
Ava tells Sonny, Kristina is in her third trimester now, right? So trust her when she says, his daughter is now in a swirl of emotions and all of them heightened. It’s not her fault, but right now Kristina is more than capable of taking something she saw and blowing it way out of proportion.
Dex says he knows that’s not an easy offer to make, and he does appreciate it, and Kristina says, it was the right thing to do. He says he’s not sure what he’s going to do yet, and she says, of course (🍷). She’s just so sorry for all of it. Not just the attack, but he’s saved her dad so many times and he’s proved his loyalty to him. He did not deserve this.
Alexis says, as the court already knows, she was disbarred for committing perjury, and Fergus says, there you go, your honor. Now she’s a confessed liar. Case closed. Diane says, if Mr. Byrne refuses to control himself, maybe they should adjourn until they find someone more dispassionate. Judge Caldwell asks Fergus if that will be necessary, and he says, no. Apologies.
Ned says, Brook’s mother told him that she needed him. What can he do? She hugs him, and he says he’s so sorry about the honeymoon. They can reschedule it when they’re ready. She says she doesn’t care about that. Chase just lost his dad and he’s completely heartbroken. Her dad is still here, and she just wants him to know how very much she loves him. He says he loves her too, and hugs her.
In the foyer, Chase opens the compass, looks at the engraving, and closes it.
Elizabeth says she knows Finn is in pain and he’s grieving, but she cares about him way too much to let him throw away his sobriety. He’s already lost so much. Finn says, so what she’s telling him is, put away the bourbon for her sake, but she says she’s telling him that the bourbon isn’t helping him. Whatever he does next, he has to do it for himself and that little girl in her bedroom who just lost her grandfather.
Sonny tells Ava that Kristina saw Jason grab him like he was a crazy person who needed to be held back. That’s what scared her. Ava says, and it wouldn’t help that the person she saw grabbing him was once his best friend. He says he won’t need friends. Not anymore.
Dex tells Kristina to take care of herself, her and the baby, and leaves. Blaze says, he’s right you know. She didn’t do anything wrong. Kristina says, the problem is, she did. In her own way she’s just as guilty.
Alexis says, it is true that she was under oath when she denied having sexual relations with Neil Byrne. But that oath was administered in a medical board hearing, not in a court of law. Fergus says, a distinction without a difference, but Alexis says, it’s a big difference if you ever ended up in a lawyer’s office when you should have seen a doctor. The judges and Diane laugh, which doesn’t make Fergus very happy.
Finn says, Elizabeth isn’t in charge of his sobriety; he is. She says, he’s right. He is. He says, it’s between him and that little girl every day. Her mom walked out on them five years ago, so Elizabeth doesn’t get to walk in here now and tell him if he can have a drink or tell him what’s really important to Violet. She says, they care about each other’s children, and she’s just looking out for Violet like he looks out for her boys. He says, she’s welcome to look after Violet. She can stay here, and she can make friendship bracelets with Violet. Or she can leave. Those are the two choices. You decide. He opens the door, she picks up her bag, and walks out. She turns around, but he closes the door and cries.
Anna tells Carly to just hear her out. If you stab yourself, it’s going to hurt for a minute, but you take care not to hit anything critical. You still get an acceptable loss of blood, and before you know it, you’re out of prison and in the back of an ambulance, and on your way to GH for a couple of days. It’s not the worst plan in the world, right? Carly says, right. When Anna puts it like that, she’s surprised more inmates aren’t stabbing themselves. Anna says, just to clarify, Brennan neither confirmed nor denied harming himself. He did say, however, that if he had stabbed himself, it would give him a chance to see Carly again.
Chase’s phone rings, and he says, Elizabeth? Elizabeth says she knows he’s got a lot going on right now, but his brother needs him, and so does Violet. He asks if she’s okay, but she says she doesn’t know. He asks if she’s with Finn, and she says she was, but she’s not who they need right now. He is.
Anna says she didn’t realize Carly and Jack were so close, but Carly says she barely knows Jack Brennan. They certainly don’t have a stab myself so I can see you kind of relationship. Anna laughs and says, but Carly did visit him in prison. Carly says, Jack Brennan has very little, if anything, to do with her. Are they done here? Because she has a lot going on in her life without this. She gets up and Anna says, she seems to be in a hurry to go somewhere. She trusts that it’s not to see Brennan, right? Carly walks out.
Alexis says she was notified that she was accused of perjury by affidavit. She never even saw the actual document itself, and instead, the Bar Association met without her being present. And it just so happens, Mr. Byrne was a member of that panel. Judge Caldwell says, Mr. Byrne? and Fergus says, it’s true he was a member of that panel, but when Miss Davis’s case came through for judication, he recused himself. Alexis says, and his place was taken by his law partner, and Fergus says, he has an impeccable reputation. How dare she impugn his integrity? She says she didn’t impugn his integrity, and he says he would hope not. Unlike her, he has a sterling reputation. She says, he’s impugning her reputation, and Diane says she’s sorry, but she for one doesn’t need to hear Mr. Byrne wax poetic about his law partner’s curriculum vitae. She assumes he’s brilliant. Otherwise, Mr. Byrne wouldn’t have offered him employment in the first place. The judge says she agrees. Let’s move on. Alexis says she would love to. That is, if it’s all right with Mr. Byrne. Fergus nods, and Alexis says, simply put, she doesn’t think she was given a fair hearing. Not that Mr. Byrne’s friend – excuse her, law partner – had anything to do with it, but she didn’t even know the name of her accuser. Judge Caldwell says, Mr. Byrne? and he says he submitted the accusation. She says, and? and he says, Miss Davis never requested the name of her accuser. Alexis says she’s requesting it now.
Lois makes a charcuterie board in the nook, and Ned asks what she’s doing. She says, putting something together to feed people. He says, why? What people? She says, people they know. They might want to gather here today. Besides, they have a guest coming, and Brook and Chase are here. Ned says, Brook and Chase are gone, and she asks what he did to make them leave. He says, nothing. Brook wanted to see him. He thought it was about the honeymoon, and he told her that they could reschedule it, but it wasn’t. She just wanted him to know how much she loved him. Of course (🍷) he told her how much he loved her. She says, that sounds like Brook. Where did she and Chase go? He says, Chase got a call from Elizabeth. He said he had to go over to Finn’s, like now. She says she’s glad Brook went with him. They’re each other’s family now. And Brook more than Chase will tell them what’s going on later. He says, Chase looked really upset. He didn’t say what the call was about, but he was worried. She says, every couple gets tested, but these two are just right out of the gate. What more can the universe throw at them right now? (Never say things like that because then you’ll find out.)
Finn takes another drink when Violet comes out. She says she made a friendship bracelet. She thinks it looks pretty good. He says, let him see, and she asks, where did Aunt Elizabeth go? He says, this is amazing. He thinks something came up at the hospital, but he can give Aunt Elizabeth this bracelet later. She says, it’s not for her; it’s for Aiden. Finn says, that’s what he meant, when there’s a knock at the door. Finn answers it, and Chase hugs him. Finn says he’s so sorry, and Brook hugs Violet. She sees the bracelet and says, it’s so gorgeous. Violet thanks her and says she made it for Aiden. Brook says, he’s a lucky guy, and Finn says, part of him was hoping they’d get on that plane and go to Italy. And when they came back, everything would be the same, but nothing is ever going to be the same. Chase says, the important thing is that they’re here now, together. Brook notices the bottle of bourbon.
Ava tells Sonny that Kristina is going to come around. She just needs a minute. She’ll realize he’s the same dad she’s always known and loved and adored. He says, yeah, and she says, there’s something else weighing on him, isn’t there? He says, his sons, they turned on him, and she says, sons, plural. She knows where things stand with Michael, but Dante… Sonny says, he’s a cop. That comes first. He just thought maybe it would be different. She says, it’s just terrible that Dex turned out to be the traitor that he is and that Kristina misinterpreted his actions. But really, it’s Jason’s fault, isn’t it? He says, yeah, and she says, when it comes down to it. For butting in and making the situation much worse. He says, she’s got that right, when there’s a knock at the door. Ava says she’s going to tell whoever that is to go away. He deserves some peace. She answers the door and Carly is there.
Anna looks at the police report on Jack’s stabbing, and there’s a knock at the door. She says, come in, and Dex walks in. She says, my God. What happened? He says, before he answers that, can they talk off the record? He could really use some advice, person to person, and he didn’t know who else to ask. She says, of course (🍷). Sit down. Does he need anything? He says, no thank you. He’s already been to the emergency room. She asks, what happened between the wedding and now? What the hell happened? He says, Sonny, after she left, and she hands him a glass of water. He says, Jason put a stop to it, but not before Kristina saw the whole thing.
Ned starts to pick up a piece of cheese with some tongs, but Lois snatches them away. She asks if he’s seen his mom, but he says, not for a while. Why? She says, she and Gregory were close. She thinks he needs to check on her. She’s got to be hurting. He says he’ll talk to her later. He’ll give her some time to deal with it in her own way. She’s not big on emotional displays. She says, Tracy’s got a lot of feelings and they run very deep. Maybe he hasn’t noticed them because of ELQ and how they squabble about Eddie Maine, but she thinks Tracy had real feelings for Gregory. He says, like romantic feelings? and she says, yeah. Maybe. He says, but he was sick when she met him, and Lois says, so what? He says he thought all they did was argue. He knows Gregory would push back whenever she said something. When it came to the wedding prep and rehearsal dinner, he knows flat-out Gregory told her that she had to be nice. Lois says, and she was. She was very nice and very generous. She didn’t snark at anybody. She kind of missed it. And he knows how much Tracy respects people who stand up to her. He says, some people, and she says, and those people are the people she cares about and has feelings for. He says, she’s right. He didn’t see it. He’s a terrible son. She says, of course (🍷) he’s not. Come on. If there’s anything they’ve learned in the last 24 hours, it’s that whether you’re a parent or a child, there’s an invisible clock ticking. They’ve just got to be better with each other.
Brook asks if Violet feels like going for a walk, and Chase says he thinks it’s a great idea. It gives her dad and him a chance to talk about grown-up stuff. Brook says, she knows what grown-up means, right? and Violet says, boring. Brook says, exactly, and Violet asks if it’s okay with Finn. Finn says, it’s okay by him if it’s okay with her, and Violet says, let’s go. Finn hugs Violet and says he’s going to be right here when she gets back. She says she loves him, he says he loves her too, and she and Brook leave. Finn asks if Chase is okay. Does he need anything? Chase says he just wants to know what happened, step by step. He glances at the bourbon bottle and says he means everything that happened.
Fergus says, they can see Miss Davis is attempting to turn this hearing into a personal vendetta (which is odd, since it seems like he is), and Alexis says he’s the one who tried to avenge his brother by getting her disbarred. So she thinks vendettas might be his area of expertise. He says he didn’t need to do anything. If any damage was done, it was self-inflicted. She says she’s made her share of mistakes. She should have taken responsibility for them, and she’s taking responsibility for them right here and right now. He, on the other hand, lets other people do his dirty work for him. She has a right to face her accuser. He laughs and says, apparently, his colleague can’t tell the difference between an appeals hearing and a criminal trial. Alexis starts to move toward him, but Diane stops her. Alexis tells the judges, he says this hearing is about justice and not a vendetta. So let’s let him prove that by telling her the name of her accuser, please.
Sonny says he appreciates Carly running over here, but as she can see, he’s completely fine. She asks if they can talk in private, but he says, Ava knows everything. They can talk in front of her. Carly says, does she? and Ava says, it’s a shame Dex has forgotten who his friends are. Carly says, that seems to be going around a lot. She asks if Sonny has heard from Kristina, and he says, she’s in an emotional place right now. She’s going to get over it. Carly says, his daughter, who thinks he walks on water, saw him beat a man. And when his friend tried to drag him away, he threatened to kill them both.
Blaze says, Kristina can’t make things right for her dad, and she can’t make Dex decide one way or another. Kristina says she knows, but she tried to pressure Dex into doing what she wanted him to do. She just did it through Michael. She is her father’s daughter. Blaze says, she’s much more than that, but she has to make herself and her baby her biggest priorities. Kristina says, if this priority gets any bigger, she’s not going to be able to walk, and Blaze laughs. She says, it’s beautiful. She’s beautiful. Kristina says she wants her baby to have a better world than she had and she’s not doing her part in making sure that happens by letting her dad go free – again.
Anna says, what a mess. Kristina thinks the world of Sonny. Dex says he doesn’t think so anymore, but he doesn’t want to make her testify against him. She says, that’s very compassionate of him, but is he sure? He says, if it were just her, it would be bad enough, but it’s not. There’s a baby to worry about. He respects Anna and he admires her, so he needs to hear it from her. If he decides not to press charges for any reason, is he tarnishing the badge before he even puts it on?
Ned asks if Lois wants a drink, and she says she’ll share a small glass of wine with him. She’s been weeping on and off all day. Her stomach is in knots. He says, his too, and drinks half the glass. She says, not for nothin’, his idea of sharing needs work, and takes a sip. He says, not for nothin’, but if she wants more, he’ll pour some more. They laugh, and she says she’s really glad she married him. And she’s so glad that they were young, and they were in love and they had their beautiful Brook Lynn. She wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe not having her heart broken so much. Although scrap that, because everything that happened brought them exactly to where they are right here. Exes who love each other and they’re the best of friends. And they share a beautiful daughter and years in the future, they’re going to share some beautiful grandchildren. He says he’s looking forward to that, and she says, her too. Although she has to say, she’s a little nervous. She’s going to be over the moon when she gets to hold that grandbaby, but the thought of being a nonna, ugh. She’s afraid somebody is going to ambush her and throw her into a black dress with support hose and orthopedic shoes. He says, Gloria didn’t let that happen to her. It didn’t happen to his mother either. She says, his mother’s not Italian, but he says, Gloria is, and she didn’t turn into a little old lady in a black dress. Why would Lois? She says, he’s right. She’s going to be nonna in combat boots. He says, and she will rock them, and she says, see? He’s a wonderful man. And you know what? Life is short, and we don’t know how much time we have here, so for the record, she loves him, and she appreciates him. He says, she changed his life. He met her and nothing was ever the same. It was all exponentially better. He loves and appreciates her too. She thanks him and he says, and he’s really looking forward to seeing a nonna in combat boots. She laughs and says, it’s really sad though, because someday when they get to hold that hypothetical grandchild, Gregory won’t be here to hold that baby. He hugs her.
Judge Caldwell says, upon review, it is their decision that Miss Davis does have the right to know her accuser, and Alexis says, so? Fergus says, Ava Jerome, and Alexis and I say, what? He says, the name of her accuser. Ava Jerome.
Lois answers the door, and Gio is there. She hugs him.
Diane says she requests a hearing to determine the credibility and reliability of Ava Jerome’s testimony. The judge asks, on what grounds? and Diane says, on the grounds that the revelation that Ava Jerome is the witness changes the entire complexion of this case. Fergus says, Miss Davis forfeited the right to a hearing when she failed to offer up a defense years ago, but Diane says, Miss Davis was denied information years ago. And as such, felt mounting a defense would be futile. Judge Caldwell says, a separate hearing will not be granted. This case has been settled for too long. Diane says, then she would ask for a recess so they can formulate a response to what can only be described as an ambush. Fergus says, that’s ridiculous, but the judge says, they have fifteen minutes. At that time, they’ll expect final statements. The recess starts now. She bangs her gavel and they go to the playground.
Blaze says, how about if she takes Kristina home? and Kristina asks if Blaze is trying to get rid of her, but Blaze says, no. She’s trying to get Kristina to relax. But while Kristina rests, she’ll whip up an omelet. Kristina says, Blaze knows how to make an omelet? and Blaze says she’s a woman of many talents. Kristina says, that she knows, and Blaze says, so she shouldn’t expect breakfast in bed anytime soon. Kristina says, not exactly. She’s a fan of Pop Tarts, right? Blaze says, come on, and they leave.
Anna says, showing compassion for Kristina under no circumstances compromises Dex as a cadet and certainly not as a cop. He says, so failure to report a crime is okay? and she says, let’s just think about this for a second. Just say they could secure a conviction of aggravated assault against Sonny, and they both know that’s not a sure thing. Dex says, understood, and Anna says, Diane Miller would work her magic, and he’d be out in what? Eighteen months, give or take? He says, right, and she says, meanwhile, his entire family would be dragged into this and there is no telling what that stress of testifying would do to Kristina and her baby. On the other hand – and this is very important – he’s the victim of a vicious assault that required medical attention. He says, allegedly. So what is she telling him to do? She says she’s not telling him to do anything. She’s just reminding him that a single crime really affects a single individual. Every crime has ripple effects that just sort of reach out and touch people who had nothing to do with the crime. Their lives, your life, will change forever. Sometimes in small ways. Sometimes in not so small ways. He’s certainly within his rights to report this assault, but he’s under no obligation to do it. And she doesn’t know if this is the right time for them to go after Sonny. He says, everything would be a lot easier if it were just black and white, but she says, life isn’t black and white. People aren’t either; they’re grey. Cops don’t have things easy. If they did, anybody could be a cop.
Carly says she thought she and Sonny came to some kind of understanding. At the very least, a truce. He says he was in a bad place, and she stopped him from going to a worse place and he appreciates that, but she didn’t see what happened. She says, okay, then tell her what happened, and he says he lost his temper. And he punched Dex. Maybe a few more punches. And he kicked him. Then Jason came in and grabbed him, and it all escalated. She says, so it’s Jason’s fault, and he says, Jason just grabbed him real tight. Jason’s a strong guy and he was furious, and he couldn’t move. He started saying things. He doesn’t even remember what he said. Then Kristina’s there. He doesn’t know what she heard, and she ran off. None of this would have happened if Jason had just stayed out of it. She says, now it’s Jason’s fault. Before, it was Dex’s. Before that, it was her and Michael. What is he going to do when he runs out of traitors? Who is he going to blame for the man he’s become?
Dex says he appreciates Anna taking the time to talk to him. He knows how busy she is. She says she doesn’t know if she helped in any way, but she’s always happy to listen. He starts to leave, and she says she hopes she didn’t discourage him from pressing charges. Because the law is the law. That actually is black and white. That’s actually a good thing because it prevents them and saves them from having to make more subjective decisions. He says he understands, but he’s not going to press charges. He’s sorry if that makes him a terrible cop, but for now, he’s going to live in the grey. She says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she thinks he’s going to be a very good cop, and he leaves.
Sonny tells Carly that she said what she needed to say. He thinks she should probably go now. She says, yeah. He seems to have everything he needs right here. She looks at Ava and heads for the door. Sonny says he appreciates what she did for him last night. He and Kristina are good. They’re going to be fine. She says she hopes so, and leaves. Ava says, after hearing that, she’s impressed by his restraint, and he nods. She says, it’s almost as if Carly wants him to be estranged from his children.
In the hallway, both Diane and Alexis rub their foreheads, and Alexis says, according to Ava, she made Ava’s brother’s life a living hell. The night he tried to kill her, she sure hopes she did. Diane knows it was Julian, right? It was Julian who announced to everyone that she was involved with Neil. Diane says, of course (🍷). And Ava takes it upon herself to call Neil’s brother Fergus, who was sitting on the bar disciplinary committee at the time. (God help me, I laugh out loud every time they say Fergus. Not very mature, I know.) Alexis says, it certainly seems that way, and Diane says, meanwhile, Counselor Byrne is sitting on his own pile of conflict of interest. Alexis says she can’t believe they went through this whole big ordeal for nothing. For nothing. All the work they did, all the legal precedents they found, all of the ethics cases, everything – nothing. And does Diane know why? Because her disbarment was never about the law and the law is not going to help her get her license back. They turn around and a guard is there. Alexis says, it’s time? and he says, yes. Alexis tells Diane, Ava Jerome, under the guise of sticking up for her sociopathic brother… Does Diane know what she did? She cost Alexis her career. And not only that, because of Ava, she lost herself.
Lois tells Gio, welcome. Let her help him with his stuff. She wheels in a big suitcase, while he brings in another two, and she asks, who helped him pack? Was it her mom or was it Zia Francesca? He says, Francesca, and he told her that he didn’t need all this stuff. Lois says, but you know what? Don’t worry about it. The room he has, the closet is huge. He’s going to be able to fit everything, no problem. He looks around in awe and says, just tell him where he’s going. Lois says, just leave it there. Yuri will bring his stuff up. He says, seriously? and she says, seriously. Sit down. She’s got to tell him something. She leads him to a seat in the foyer, and she says, he knows Gregory, Chase’s father, the one who officiated at the wedding, right? He nods, and holding back tears, she says, he passed away last night. Gio says, that’s… He’s so sorry. She says, it’s okay. It’s a loss, but Brook and Chase canceled their honeymoon and right now they’re both over at Chase’s brother’s place. He gets up and says, maybe it’s the wrong time for him to come stay. He can look for a rental… She says, absolutely not. Monica is already on board with all this and they’re getting his room ready. He says, the Quartermaines don’t even know him, but she says, they will. He’s extended family and this is on family. She missed him and she was a little worried about what kind of trouble he might be getting into without her having her eyes on him. He says he’s good as gold, and she says, he is good as gold. And she’s so happy he’s here in Port Charles. She really thinks this is the right place for him. They hug.
At Bobbie’s, Violet is coloring, and Brook says, Violet must be feeling pretty sad right now. She’s sad too. Violet can talk to her about her grandpa, but she doesn’t have to. They can just sit here and be quiet together. Violet puts her crayon down and says she’s thinking about her dad. Grandpa was his dad, so he must be especially sad right now. Brook says, he is, and Violet says, what if something ever happened to her dad? Brook says, it’s really scary to think about, isn’t it? Violet says she loves him so much, and Brook says, she doesn’t have anything to worry about. Her dad is strong and healthy, and he’ll be around for a really long time.
Finn says, step by step? and Chase says, please. Finn says he dropped Violet off at school. He came back and the apartment was quiet. It was so quiet. He called out to dad, but he didn’t answer. So he went in his room and… he was so still. He called 911 and a coroner came out not long after that and pronounced him deceased. Chase looks at the bourbon bottle, and Finn says, yeah. He had a drink. Chase says, okay, and Finn says, maybe more than one. He’s not really sure.
Tomorrow, Tracy wonders if Stella could do something for her; Alexis says, had she known any of those things, she would have proceeded differently; Elizabeth says she doesn’t want to regret confiding in Portia; and Finn says he needs a favor from Chase.
It’s really a wonder the Carl/Lindsay relationship didn’t disband earlier than it did. She’s always been an argumentative shrew. She’s one of those people who, if you say black, she’s going to say white, regardless if it’s white or not. She found the perfect lackey in Carl, who was so insecure, he took her abuse until his stepfather told him that he shouldn’t. And while I’ll give him kudos for hanging onto his sobriety in the midst of this mess, she was the poorest choice for a supportive partner. It’s not like he hadn’t known her forever. There wasn’t a chance she was going to stop drinking or even stop drinking to screaming demon excess. He walked right into the awful. This was the only available recap.
I love a celebrity who uses their power for good, and I love a senior dog. I have a Pekingese who’s 17½. He mostly sleeps, but he enjoys his meals, and I couldn’t love him more.
Drop in tomorrow for soap and a bit of this and some of that to send you into whatever the weekend holds. Until then, stay safe, stay gifting without expectations of reciprocity, and stay remembering there’s an invisible clock ticking and be better with each other.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Finn, Gregory, and Violet return home, and Violet says, Brook was so beautiful, and Chase was so handsome. She hopes they have a baby soon, so she can be the cool, older aunt and babysit. Gregory tells her, slow down. She may be cool, but she’s not old. He’s old. Let’s give the newlyweds a chance to be newlyweds. She says she supposes, but she still wants to babysit. What was his favorite part about the wedding? Gregory says, her singing of course (🍷), and Finn says, absolutely. She was amazing. He’s proud of her. Gregory asks, what was her favorite part? and she says, catching the bouquet of course (🍷). They’re going to live happily ever after. Gregory says he believes they will, and she says, and the dancing. Uncle Chase asked her to dance. She spins around and says she loves to dance. Almost as much as she loves to sing. Gregory says, she’s brilliant at both, and Finn says, now that they’ve established that, it’s pretty late. It’s time for her to get to bed. She says, okay, and hands Gregory the bouquet. She asks him to keep it safe for her. She wants to save every single petal. He says he lives to serve, and she leaves. Gregory says, Violet’s right. It was a magical day, and he couldn’t have gotten through it without Finn. Not just today, these past few months. He really appreciates Finn.
Brook says she loves her dress, but it feels so good to be out of it, and Chase says he can’t argue with that. He likes her out of her dress too. She picks up a gift basket and says she doesn’t know what to eat first. Olivia’s been spoiling them ever since they checked in. Now she sent this comp food basket. He asks if she’s surprised. She lives to pamper. Brook says, true… That chocolate wafer looks good. He asks if she’s hungry and she says she just realized she’s starving. Between the dancing and the greeting of the guests and toasts, she didn’t get more than two bites of dinner at the reception, besides that bite of cake he gave her. (Same. You never get to eat at your own reception.) He picks up the wafters and says, okay. Whatever his beautiful wife wants. She says she likes the sound of that, and he says he does too. He loves her. They kiss.
Sonny throws Dex to the floor and asks if Dex knows what he does to traitors. He kicks Dex, and Jason flies in, grabbing Sonny from behind. Sonny says, let go of him, but Jason says, no, and tells Dex, get out of here. Sonny says he’s going to kill them both. They’re both dead to him. He’s going to put a gun to their heads. Some plates of cake crash to the floor, and Kristina stands there looking shocked. She and Sonny lock eyes, and Sonny says, it’s not what she thinks. She runs out, and Sonny says, no, no, no. He tells Jason to get off of him, and Jason tells Dex, get out of here. Dex jets, and Jason says, Sonny’s not going after him. Sonny says, what about Kristina? Let go of him. Jason releases him, and Sonny asks what she saw. When did she come in? Jason says he doesn’t know, but Sonny says, he does know. Jason called her here, didn’t he? Jason says he didn’t. Listen to himself. Just calm down. Sonny says, stay away from him. Stay away from his family. He walks out, and Jason calls Carly. He says he’s at the hotel. Sonny’s in trouble.
Anna goes into Jack’s hospital room and sits next to the bed. She says his name and he opens his eyes. He says, God, she looks gorgeous. No wonder poor Valentin was so obsessed with her. She says, he’s on the mend then, and he says, she knows him. Nothing gets him down for long. She says, not even a shiv attack, and he says, it wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s against the rules. She says, and he always follows the rules, doesn’t he? and he says, about as well as she does.
Dex stumbles back into the Garden, bruised and bloody, and Josslyn runs over to him. She asks, what happened? and he says, it was Sonny. She asks, where’s Jason? and Dex says, Jason saved his ass. She asks if he can see, and he says, mostly. She says she needs to take him to the hospital, but he says, no. He’ll go tomorrow. She says she needs to take him right now, and helps him out of the room.
Gregory tells Finn that it’s been quite the day, but it’s catching up to him. He thinks he’ll turn in now. Finn says, before he does, he appreciates what Gregory said. Gregory doesn’t know how it makes Finn feel to be here for him after they missed out on so much time. Gregory says, that’s ancient history. He’s very much a live-in-the-moment kind of guy these days, and Finn’s been such a rock for him. Letting him move in here and managing all his doctor’s appointments and medications – even when he threw a fit about it – cheering him on to do Chase’s wedding when he was doubting himself, and putting up with his orneriness as he was trying to make peace with this disease. He could go on and on, but he thinks Finn gets his drift. Finn says he’s in awe of Gregory. In awe of the strength and determination he’s shown since he was diagnosed and how brave he’s been. Not just because he jumped out of an airplane, but the way he’s still embracing life. Gregory says he doesn’t have a choice. Now is all he has. Violet comes back and thanks Gregory, picking up the bouquet. She’s going to put these in water now. Gregory says, she could dry those out and preserve them that way. She’s just got to hang them up upside down for a few weeks. She says, really? She’s going to put them next to her bed because they smell so good. Will he help her tomorrow? Gregory says, you bet, and she thanks him. She says, goodnight, and Finn asks if she’s saying it’s not necessary to tuck her in. She says she can get into bed by herself, and Finn says, oh, okay. She says she’ll see them tomorrow morning, and blows Gregory a kiss. She tells him that she loves him, and he says he loves her too, blowing a kiss back. She goes to bed, and Gregory asks if Finn is okay. Finn says, yeah. He just had a vision of saying goodbye to Violet on her wedding day. She’s growing up so fast. Gregory says, not so fast, and don’t worry. Violet will always need her dad. Finn says, yeah. That never goes away.
Kristina goes into the bathroom, breathing heavily. She leans on the vanity, looks in the mirror, and starts to cry. She calls Blaze and says she needs her… She’s in the bathroom across from the ballroom. And please hurry. She tries to calm herself, when Sonny runs in. He says, just let him explain, and she looks totally freaked.
Brook says she wants to ask Chase something, but doesn’t want to bring him down. He says he doubts she could, and she asks how he feels about his mom not being here (thank you). She knows his mom is on assignment halfway around the world, but… He says, at first, he was disappointed, but he’s had a lifetime of experience with his mom’s job. And he also thinks with everything that happened between her and Finn, and how that revelation nearly tore his family apart, she didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, so she just bowed out. Brook says, that was a really loving thing to do. They took a ton of pictures. They can send them to her. He says, that’s a good thing, and she says she thinks all in all, today was a perfect day. He says, it was the best, and she says she was having a lot of guilt, asking his father to officiate, but she’s so glad she did, that he was the one to marry them.
Gregory says he wants to clear the air about something. He’s so sorry about the words he and Finn had yesterday. Finn says, no apology needed, but Gregory says he needs to get this out. He was angry, and yes, bitter, but not at Finn. It was at his disease, at his inability to be whole, and feeling helpless in the face of that. And he lashed out in a petty and, he’s ashamed to say, a vicious way and he’s so sorry. He’s not holding on to some old, past injury. It was a cheap shot, and he regrets it. He loves both his sons so fiercely and he’s so proud of them. Not just because they’re his sons, but because of who they are and who they’ve become, based on their own values and standards and hopes and dreams. Finn is a good man. He’s a loving father to Violet, who’s a joy and a ray of sunshine in this world. He’s doing a wonderful job with her. Finn says, that’s because when it comes to making a parental decision, he says to himself, what would his dad do? Because Gregory is the best father he knows. Gregory thanks Finn and says he wishes he could take some credit, but Finn’s done all the work. He’s a good son, his son. Finn says he hopes he’s half the man Gregory thinks he is, and Gregory says, just keep doing what he’s doing, and he’ll be fine. He kisses Finn on the forehead, and Finn says he loves Gregory too. Gregory touches Finn’s face and leaves.
Carly sees Jason and asks, where’s Sonny? Jason says he doesn’t know. He went to look for Kristina. She says, this is where he attacked Dex? Out here in the open? Jason says, he was out of control, and she says, Kristina must have been shocked. Thank God Jason was here to stop him. He says he saw how Sonny was watching Dex at the reception. Everybody’s having a good time and Lois’s mom made a big fuss over Dex and Sonny didn’t like that. After a while, Dex left, and Sonny followed him. She says, Sonny meant to do this? He planned on ambushing Dex? Right here, when all of his friends and family are out in the Garden? He says, looks that way, and she says, they’ve got to find Sonny. He says he’ll check the parking lot, and she says she’ll check the terrace.
Sonny asks Kristina to listen to him, but she says, no. He says, sweetheart, it’s okay, and comes closer, but she holds up her hand and says, no. He says, Dex and Jason turned on him… and she says, stop. She doesn’t want to hear this anymore. She starts to cry, and he says, listen… He reaches for her, but she says, don’t. He says, she doesn’t have to be afraid of him. Don’t ever be afraid of him. Understand? She says, just go, please, and he reluctantly leaves. She sobs and lowers herself to the floor, clutching her bump. She says, it’s okay, and continues to cry.
Jack says, special occasion? and Anna says, mm-hmm. As a matter of fact, she was having a lovely evening. Then she gets a call that he’s en route to the hospital. He says, prison violence can be so inconvenient, and she says, isn’t it though? But she understands he’s predicted to make a full recovery. The stabbing missed any major organs. He says he doesn’t recall giving permission to release any medical information, and she says, Police Commissioner – she indicates herself then points to him – prisoner. Being a prisoner breaches certain privacy rights. Is he familiar with that? He says, it must have slipped his mind with everything that’s going on, and she says, he had a very eventful evening. Does he want to tell her exactly what happened? He says he guesses those vicious thugs in Pentenville were too much for him.
Finn follows Gregory into his bedroom, and Gregory says he can make it into his room on his own. Finn says he knows. Still, it’s been a long day. Gregory says he’ll grant Finn that, and Finn says, Violet already turned him down. Gregory is kind of stuck with him. He helps Gregory off with his coat, and Gregory thanks him. Finn unties Gregory’s shoes and takes them off, and Gregory smiles at him. Gregory struggles with his cuffs, and Finn undoes them. Gregory is now ready for bed, and Finn picks up the suit, saying, he’ll drop these off at the dry cleaners in the morning. Gregory says, don’t even think about tucking him in, but Finn says, even he has his limits. Finn goes to the door and asks, what’s the last thing Gregory always told him before he went to bed? Gregory says he won’t forget to brush his teeth, and Finn says, goodnight, dad. Have good dreams. Gregory says, goodnight, son, and Finn closes the door. Finn sits on the sofa and makes a call.
Alexis’s phone rings, and she says, hey, Finn. He asks if he’s calling too late. She wasn’t sleeping, was she? She says, no. She’s working. She’s got papers all over the place. How was the wedding? Wonderful? He says, it was wonderful. He drank.
Blaze goes into the bathroom and runs over to Kristina. She asks if Kristina needs to go to the hospital, but Kristina says, no. It’s not the baby; it’s her dad. Blaze asks, what happened to her father? and Kristina says, when she walked in, he was beating Dex. He was punching Dex. He attacked Dex and was kicking him. He was going to kill him. She begins to sob again.
Carly and Jason meet back at the entrance, and Carly says she called security. They’re going to locate Sonny using the security cameras. Jason says, his car is still in the parking lot. He must have driven himself. He doesn’t see any of Sonny’s guys around. Her phone rings, and she says, yes… Okay, great… No. She can handle it. Thank you. She tells Jason, security located Sonny in the Garden, and he says, if he goes with her, it’s going to set Sonny off. She says she knows. She can handle it. He says he’ll be out of sight, but he’ll be close, and she says, okay. They head for the Garden.
At the hospital, Josslyn says, at least the bleeding seems to have stopped, and Dex suggests they just go, but she says, no. He needs stitches and they’re going to be seen soon. He says, it was really nice of her to give him a ride, but she doesn’t have to sit with him. He’ll be fine. She says she’s going to ignore that. How bad does it hurt? He says, it’s not that bad. It’s more the inside of his head, like when your ears are ringing. She says, he might need a CT scan. Sonny meant business. He says he didn’t want to fight back. He just tried to dodge, but Sonny just kept coming. He was out of control. He thinks Sonny was trying to kill him.
Sonny swipes a glass onto the floor, shattering it, then takes his coat off, puts it on a chair, and presses on his forehead. Carly looks at Jason and goes in, Jason staying outside the doorway. She says, Sonny, and Sonny asks if Jason called her. She says, he told her what happened, and Sonny asks why she stopped him from going after Dex and just ended it. He had Dex right there. She asks if that’s what Kristina heard him say, but he tells her that he doesn’t know what he said. The bastard grabbed his arm, he punched him. Kristina walked in… Carly asks, where is she? and he says he saw her in the restroom… His little girl is afraid of him. Jason listens in.
Brook tells Chase that she can’t wait to see all the pictures from the reception. The candids are always the best. Someone got one of Violet catching the bouquet. That was so adorable. He says, can she believe that song Violet sang, and wrote? and Brook says, she was a total showstopper. Everyone had the best time. It’s like their wedding was a gift to them, and she’s so glad. They deserve a thank you for loving them and getting them to the point where they could find each other, which is saying a lot when it comes to her. He says, she turned out great, so he thinks they did just fine. And for that, he can’t thank her enough. She says, her neither, and they kiss.
Kristina is now sitting on a bench, and Blaze brings her tissues. She says, Kristina sounds short of breath, but Kristina says, it’s not the baby; it’s her dad, like she told Blaze. She feels like such a fool. Josslyn tried to tell her. TJ, Dex, everyone tried to tell her all this time, and she didn’t believe them. She thought she knew him better than anyone, and he had this code of ethics. All this time, she’s just been defending him. Over and over and over again, she’s just been defending him, and she doesn’t even know who that man was. She didn’t even recognize him. He was so angry, and he was so violent. He said he was going to kill them.He said he would empty a gun in their heads. That is who her dad is. Blaze holds her as she cries.
Finn tells Alexis that he didn’t even realize what he was doing. Brook’s grandfather handed him the glass and he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. He was going to set it down, but then Violet started singing the song she had written, and everyone was going crazy. They were applauding, and then Carmine made a toast to her, and he drank without even realizing what he was doing. Alexis says she sees, and he says, what? There’s no such thing as an accident, right? She says, no, that’s not what she said… It’s just that now that he brought it up, does he think maybe subconsciously he wanted a drink? To her, it sounded like he was just having a good time and got caught up in the moment. He says he was. Is he overreacting here? She tells him that she didn’t say that either. They both know staying sober is a struggle. They also know a slip is a slip, which is why the important thing is – and he needs to listen to her – he did not fail here. So he has to forgive himself, which is really hard for people like them to do. He says, the hard thing is coming to terms with this. Seven years sober. It’s gone in twenty seconds.
Sonny tells Carly, there are things parents need to keep from their children for their own good. A father needs to protect his daughter, even from himself. He sits down, and Carly says, there’s a part of him that Kristina has never seen, a part that even scares him. Jason continues to listen, and she says, but that’s just one part of Sonny Corinthos, and it isn’t outmatched by the part Kristina has always known, the loving father, the good part. He says, she didn’t look at him that way. She looked scared. Then when he reached out, she flinched. Carly puts her hand on his arm and says, Kristina is confused and she’s going to need some time to calm down and to process, but she’ll remember the father he’s always been. And he can help remind her by leaning into the good. He can show her the father she’s always loved. He says he’s not sure anyone loves him anymore.
Anna says, the thing she remembers is, Jack was always first in class in hand-to-hand combat training at the WSB. Didn’t he almost snap the instructor’s neck once? Jack asks, how long ago was that? Years of desk work has left him lax and somewhat feeble he supposes. She laughs and says, feeble and lax. They’re not two words that spring to mind in assessing him. He asks if that’s what she’s doing, and she says, always, yeah. Placement of the wound is just so suspiciously fortunate. No vital organs were hit. Is prison life so dreary that he had to stab himself to get a change of scenery? Because he was never afraid to take a risk to get what he wants. He says, it doesn’t seem fair interrogating a helpless victim, and she says she very much doubts he’s helpless. He says he’s chained to a bed and he’s too weak to stand. She says, then she’ll be gentle. He’s never more dangerous than when he appears harmless.
Dex tells Josslyn that Sonny’s convinced he betrayed him and he’s coming after Sonny by joining the PCPD. He keeps hoping to see some look of recognition in Sonny’s eyes that he was someone Sonny used to care about and that he cared about Sonny too. Josslyn says she’s so sorry, but Sonny either loves you or he hates you, and right now, he hates Dex. She’s just really grateful that Jason kept his promise. He says, Jason pulled him off, but it was Kristina who stopped him.
Alexis says, Finn did not intentionally drink, so he didn’t mess up his sobriety date, but he says, it feels like he did. She says she understands why he feels that way, but he’s been to enough meetings to know that people who have been in recovery a long time do slip up. And they come back. Those chips are a great motivator, right? They know it all comes down to them because they’re constantly having to climb uphill and there’s no summit. So she feels really punchy and she’s really tired, but please tell her that this is not the end of his sobriety, and he knows that.
Carly says, Sonny’s children love him. Kristina wouldn’t be so upset if she didn’t love him. He says, she didn’t see Kristina’s face. She looked at him like she didn’t know him, like she was afraid of him. She says, he can’t change what happened. He can’t explain it away. And he can’t make Kristina unsee what she saw. But it was one night. Hell, it was less than that; it was five minutes. Weighed against a lifetime of love and support and understanding. He’s going to get Kristina back, but he’s going to have to give her time.
Dex asks why Josslyn wanted Jason to protect him, and she says she loves Dex. That was never a problem.
Blaze suggests she and Kristina go to her room. Take a bath and get into some comfy clothes. Kristina says she doesn’t want to be alone, but Blaze says, she won’t feel alone. Kristina stands up and they leave.
Sonny says, maybe Carly is right. Five minutes is nothing compared to a lifetime. And the memory could fade, but she’s not going to forget. There’s always going to be a part of Kristina that’s going to be waiting and afraid that he could do it again. He gets up and picks up his coat, and Carly says, then don’t do it again. He says, she knows he can’t promise that, and leaves. Jason comes out, and she says she doesn’t think she’s ever seen Sonny like this. She doesn’t know if she got through to him. Jason says he thinks she did, and she says she’s so scared of Sonny. She goes to Jason, and he holds her.
Anna says she heard Jack had a visitor at Pentenville – Carly Spencer. She finds that odd. Because the last time they were together, he was going to zip tie her and drag her off to God knows where. He says, the zip ties are an occupational hazard in his work, as in hers. They carry zip ties the same way the civilians carry pocket tissues. She says, it’s not a thing, no, and he says, okay. She found him out. He’s so hot for the gorgeous Miss Spencer, that he stabbed himself in the improbable hope she’ll come visit him in hospital. So does she think he has a chance? She laughs and says, there’s that twinkle. He’s very good. He says, she thinks so? and she nods and says, but she’s better.
Finn thanks Alexis for taking the time to talk him down off the ledge, and she says, he’s going to be okay. He’s just a bit freaked out, that’s all, and that’s understandable. He just needed her to tell him that. He says he appreciates her. Good luck tomorrow with the Court of Appeals. She says, thanks. She’s going to need it. He says, if she needs to talk to someone after… and she says, he’ll be the first person she calls. Be good to himself and give Brook and Chase her best. He says, okay.
Turning out the light, Brook says she’s so tired. She’s so glad… She sees Chase is already asleep and snuggles next to him. She looks at her rings and closes her eyes.
Gregory turns out his light and remembers his family when they were all younger. There’s a song part about how those were the days. He flashes back to telling Finn that he loves both of his sons so fiercely and he’s so proud of them, and Finn saying he hopes he’s half the man Gregory thinks he is. He thinks back to Chase telling him that when he was a kid, he remembers Gregory saying, I’ve got you, and he knew everything was going to be okay. Now, he’s got Gregory. Gregory flashes back to Violet blowing him a kiss and telling him that she loves him; Violet singing Shine; and telling Finn that Violet is a ray of sunshine and just keep doing what he’s doing. He remembers Finn saying that he just asks himself, what would his dad do? and saying, needing your dad never goes away, and that he’s in awe of Gregory. He thinks back to telling Finn that now is all he has, and thinks about good times with Alexis, hatchet throwing and skydiving. He flashes back to telling Brook that his Christmas wish is seeing his son marry the love of his life, and then, the wedding. Gregory closes his eyes and hears Violet say, goodnight, grandpa.
I want to cry.
Tomorrow, Brook tells Chase that they have to find it or they’ll be sent back; Kristina tells Blaze, as much as she wants to hide from this, she can’t; Dex tells Josslyn that they can try, and she says, try what; and Dante asks why Sonny would put him in that position.
Below Deck
4 hours before charter. Ben goes over things with the deckhands and tells them about finding a Reiki instructor. Kyle says he’s actually had a few sessions, and in his interview, he says, it opens up the emotions in your head. He’s looking for new experiences. Eyes open; keep forward. The provisions come in, and Dylan admires Barbie’s biceps. He tells her that training is his therapy, and she says, he always seems happy. He says if he wasn’t, he’d never show it on the outside, and I wonder if we’ll see a headline with his name in it someday. In Dylan’s interview, he says his dad was hard on him. He wasn’t good with academics, and it killed him, but he learned that he could channel it into something positive. That’s why he’s a happy person. Fraser asks Paris how it’s going with Nick, and she says she’s staying out of the drama. In Paris’s interview, she says, the last charter, she and Nick weren’t getting along. We flash back to that, and she tells us that she says what’s on her mind. She has foot in mouth disease, and most of the time, it gets her in trouble. She’s staying in her own lane. If Nick wants to crash and burn, it is what it is.
Barbie calls her friend Monica and says she’s the only one working. She can’t wait to go back to Miami and live her bougie-ass life again. We see that everyone else is working, while she’s on the phone. Captain Kerry tells Fraser, this is it, and meets Ben on the sundeck, giving him a list of stuff that needs to be done. Ben bitches to Sunny, and in his interview, he says, come on. Chill. He has to bite his tongue. It’s a bit annoying and he’s sick of it. Nick gripes to Dylan about not reaching his potential. Captain Kerry gathers the crew and says he’s proud of them, and tells them, let’s have a group hug before the guests arrive. Nick gets caught in his shirt while he’s changing. The captain welcomes the guests, and there’s a big Happy Birthday sign for primary Michele. Fraser gives the tour, and per usual, the guests love the hot tub. I don’t know if I’d love the hot tub, especially if it was hot outside, but I also don’t think they could ever get it clean enough for me to unsee what I’ve seen happen in it. In Paris’s interview, she says she’d never holiday with a bunch of women. It could be a nightmare. There could be arguments and drama, or an absolutely good time. She’s praying for the girls. Barbie asks Xandi if she can have five minutes to do her makeup, and in Xandi’s interview, she says she’s dumbfounded. Barbie wants a break for makeup, but it’s not about her. She doesn’t have the words. She thinks her face says it all.
They head out, and one of the guests tells Barbie that she did a semester at sea and went around the world in 100 days. I didn’t catch her name, but I’d love to hear more about that. Barbie lounges in the crew mess with her phone, while the others bring in the luggage. The boat anchors in Woburn Bar, and in Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, the deckhands don’t know the bigger picture of why he asks them to do something. Ben and Sunny argue about 2 meters of distance on something, Ben insisting it doesn’t matter. Kyle tells Barbie that they’re on the same flight to Miami, and in his interview, he says, the first girl he was in love with was his high school sweetheart. They traveled together for several years, but recognized that they needed to experience things for themselves. He’ll do anything Barbie wants. Fraser tells Xandi that he’s going to block Barbie. She’s going to see the show and say she’s not like that. Ben tells Sunny that he wants to see her after the season is over, and she seconds that. In Sunny’s interview, she says, it’s been a rollercoaster with Ben. Now they’re both on the same page. At least that’s what it feels like. Who knows? In Ben’s interview, he says, it could have gone south, but they rekindled things. That tells him there’s the possibility of a relationship with Sunny. The captain tells Ben that the jacuzzi isn’t warm. The wind is also at 20 knots, and they should have the umbrellas down now. The guests have lunch, and the entrée is scallops with edamame foam. They pronounce it the perfect bite, although I’m always skeptical of that foam business.
The guests play on the water toys, and Fraser is annoyed to find out Barbie is sleeping. Ben and Sunny put out mats for the Reiki session, and Fraser knocks at Barbie’s cabin. He wonders if she’s dead, and in his interview, he says, they’re all so exhausted, but that doesn’t mean they can slack. So get up, babe. Get up now. He tells her that she’s half an hour late for work. The Reiki instructor tells the guests that an 86-year-old Reiki master trained her, and they’ll still be in the vibe for 24 hours. One guest says she needs it for a week. In Nick’s interview, he says, yachting takes a toll on your body. At 30, it’s amazing. At 40, you wonder, what have I done with my life? The Reiki chick does her thing, and they face the sunset. Paris brings out wellness shots, no details on what exactly those are, but I suspect there’s no vodka. Fraser tells Nick that the guests request dinner be 8:30 at the earliest, and Nick confirms that it’s a French menu. In Nick’s interview, he says he was trained by French chefs, so it’s going to be easy. Barbie asks Dylan what he’s doing after the season, and he says he’s going to France where the owner of several boats requested him to be court jester. He asks if she’s going to travel with Ben, and she says she wants to get know Ben outside of being her boss, but even though she’d like it to be down, she has her guard up. In her interview, Sunny says, they know boatmances don’t transfer well in the real world and she’s nervous about that. She wants a man not a little boy. She wants a man who knows what he wants, respects his woman, and treats her right, like he’d want his dad to treat his mother. In that case, why she wants anything to do with Ben is a mystery. Captain Kerry sees that the Reiki mats are still out and tells Dylan and Sunny that the flybridge is messy. Sunny tells Ben, nice way to end the season. Dylan fixes his hair and says, if he’s getting into trouble, he’s going to look sexy. In the captain’s interview, he says he’s speechless. It’s not the first day. Where is this coming from? Why are you not doing your job? This is ridiculous. What the f*** is going on? He’s pissed.
Fraser says, the guests look fabulous. They’ve got the Paris vibe. They toast, cheers to next year, and everyone tells Michele, happy birthday. In Ben’s interview, he says, Captain Kerry is military. There’s no heads up. It just drops and you’re in the sh*t. We flash back to the captain making them actually work, and Ben says, they’re not military. It’s a bloody superyacht. He’s sick of it. I tell him, get your own boat. In Nick’s interview, he says, this is how you learn in fine dining restaurants. If you work less than 15-hour days, it’s not a decent restaurant. Chefs are always chasing the buzz. That’s probably why so many chefs are drug users and alcoholics. The starter is a salad with arugula, and Michele says she hates arugula. She asks Fraser for sorbet to clear her palate, and Fraser relays the message to Nick, telling him that it’s not on the sheet. The guests think the salad is meh. The entrée is lobster in a lobster bisque, and Michele thinks it’s salty. This is like the third time she’s said something is salty, so I think it’s her. She admitted she doesn’t use salt in cooking, so might be hyper-aware of it. Nick says he feels like she just wants to complain, but they have to make the guests happy. It’s all about the tip, so he needs to impress them with dessert. Fraser tells Nick that the primary is difficult and everyone else is enjoying the food. Dessert is lemon tart with Chantilly cream and cherry compote in a red wine reduction. The dessert passes muster, but guest Mia sends a message that she’s not feeling well and lying down. The guests go to bed around 10:30, which is unheard of, and all of the crew members seem to heave sighs, except for Nick, who yawns. Kyle stares at Barbie while she irons, and Dylan listens to his affirmations: I breathe deeply and calmly and feel my energy smoothing out. He could just go over to laundry, since Barbie has the iron out.
Second day of charter. Captain Kerry says, let’s get this show on the road, and tells the crew that there will be cabin inspections at 6 pm. Fraser is the only one who loves it, and in the captain’s interview, he says, the standard of cleanliness and tidiness is part of health and safety. You’re only as good as your worst day. No excuses. Ben is pissed since he’s a slob. For breakfast, the guests order omelets, except for Michele, who wants salmon benedict with no salt. Nick tells Fraser, no wonder she got divorced. In Kyle’s interview, he says he’s falling in love with Barbie. He’d like to get to the point where he’s thinking about having kids. Not right now, but he can see making a marriage with her. Not unless he’s able to support her in the way she’s accustomed and does all the housework. Nick churns out omelets, and in the crew mess, Ben bitches about the cabin inspection. He asks what the captain is going to do? Fire them? Fraser tells Nick that the guests are having lunch on the beach.
The beach is set up, and Fraser tells the guests, it will be ready in the next sort of hour. That’s a very sort of British way to form a sentence. In Xandi’s interview, she says she’s mortified about the state of her cabin, but she’s not even brushing her hair. Does she have time to flush the toilet? No. In Fraser’s interview, he says, cabin inspections can be weekly, twice a month, or monthly, but they do happen and they’re important. It shows how much you respect your vessel. Stay tidy. Have some decorum, you swines [sic]. Barbie goes on break, while the guests head to the beach. Paris and Sunny greet them, and one of the guests says, well done on the centerpieces. Fraser says, it looks adorable, and tells Paris, it’s amazing. My turn to say, meh. On the boat, Barbie says she doesn’t know how people go without lashes, and in Xandi’s interview, she wonders if this is a joke. This is her career, and she takes it seriously. Barbie is annoying her. Nick forgot the aluminum foil, and says he needs to make a list. In Paris’s interview, she says, Nick is almost 40 and someone still needs to pack his lunchbox. He’s disorganized and useless. She’s a perfectionist and the chef is a bit lazy. He doesn’t care how it looks or what time it comes out. He’s just a dipsh*t. There are two crème brûlées left – one was an extra and guest Brandi didn’t want one – and Paris, Sunny, and Ben eat them. Michele asks for the one that was sent back, and Fraser tells the three crew members, this is why they don’t do this. Paris says, Brandi told her specifically that she could have it, and he tells her to go deal, but keep it lighthearted.
In her interview, Paris says she did the beach set up. She wants a f***ing crème brûlée. She goes over to the table and tells Michele that Brandi said she could eat it and now she’s getting scolded. Jumping in, Fraser says, that’s why they don’t eat the food, but Brandi concurs that she told Paris that she could have it and Michele says it’s cool with her. They go back to the boat, where snacks await them on the bar. Sunny asks Paris if she’s an empty soul, but Paris says, no. She’s very loving. Just not to people who annoy her. In Ben’s interview, he whines some more about cabin check, and (ironically) says, the captain can’t see the bigger picture. We’re busting our asses. Give us a f***ing break. Captain Kerry does the inspection, accompanied by Fraser, and tells Fraser that his cabin is perfect. He lives the way he talks, and his is a 10. Dylan’s cabin is good and gets a 7. Surprisingly, Paris and Xandi’s cabin gets a nine, and Sunny and Barbie’s cabin gets a 7. When the captain sees Ben and Kyle’s cabin, it’s a total mess, and he asks, what the hell is going on? He wonders if they didn’t take it seriously, since there was no attempt to make it clean. In his interview, the captain says, it’s f***ing disrespectful. He’s beside himself. He’s old school and wants them to respect hierarchy. You don’t ask why; just do what the captain says. He calls Ben and Kyle to the bridge. He asks if they didn’t take the cabin inspection seriously, and Ben says, they were just working. The captain says, it’s not just like it’s messy; it’s rude. Every single person took the time and dealt with their cabin, including Nick. Ben is the f***ing bosun and it’s blatant disrespect. He’s shown them respect, busting his ass to help them. Is this the way they say thank you? In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, they made no attempt at all. It makes his blood boil. It’s a huge slap in the face. He tells Ben and Kyle that he’s beyond words.
Next time – the finale, a Beyoncé birthday party; Barbie can’t deal with nakey Kyle; and Barbie and Xandi have a blow up.
Join me tomorrow for soap and VanderMess. Until then, stay safe, stay interesting and be informed about current events, trends, and entertainment; and stay remembering that five minutes is nothing compared to a lifetime.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Gregory says, we are gathered here today – he coughs – to witness…and celebrate – he clears his throat – the marriage of these two…beautiful young people – he struggles getting the words out – Brook Lynn and Chase, are you ready to enter… enter into the holy… state of mat… matrimony. He seems almost frozen, and Chase says, dad? Tracy is ready to get up, and Finn asks if Gregory is okay. Chase says, give him a minute, and Gregory breathes heavily and clutches the podium. Tracy gets up and goes to the podium, walking normally, not rushing. She takes his arm and asks if he can breathe. He nods, and she says, good. She quietly tells him, take all the time you need. Everybody understands. It’s okay. His papers fall to the floor, but before Finn can pick them up, Violet does. She places them on the podium and goes back to her seat. Tracy says, don’t worry about the order. Breathe. He does, and she says she can finish this like she promised him. Or they can just wait. Nobody minds. She grips his hands with her own, and he thanks her, his breathing more normal. She goes back to her seat, and he tells them, as I was saying, and they laugh a little. Brook Lynn and Chase, are you ready to enter into the holy state of matrimony? Which is an honorable estate and not one to be entered into lightly, but humbly and reverently. Are you willing to take your vows in the presence of this company and in the sight of God?
Gregory says, Brook Lynn and Chase, please take hands, and they do. He says, Harrison, do you take Brook Lynn to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love and comfort her, to honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, to be faithful to her for as long as you both shall live? Chase says, I do, and Gregory says, Brook Lynn, do you take Harrison to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love and comfort him, to honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him for as long as you both shall live? Brook says, I do, and Gregory says, Shakespeare wrote, true love cannot be found where it truly does not exist, nor can it be hidden where it truly does. Harrison and Brook Lynn, your love cannot be hidden. It illuminates you both. May the light of love you see in each other’s eyes today be with you in all the years to come.
Gregory tells Chase to repeat after him, but Chase says, actually, he has this memorized and he’s kind of proud of it, so… I, Harrison Chase, take you, Brook Lynn Quartermaine to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part. Gregory says, Brook Lynn, and Brook says, I, Brook Lynn Quartermaine, take you, Harrison Chase to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part. Gregory asks if the best man has the rings, and Finn pretends he can’t find them, but then gives them to Gregory, who says, these rings that you present each other are emblems of the union which you this day declare, and they will henceforth affirm. May they remind you and all others of the bond between you and of the act of faith in which you now partake. He tells Chase to place the ring on Brook’s finger and repeat after him. With this ring, I thee wed. Chase puts the ring on Brook’s finger and says, with this ring, I thee wed. Some people just know the first time they lay eyes on each other. It’s like they’re struck by lightning. That was not us. Everyone laughs, and he says, the first time I saw you, I was struck by a bottle you swung at my head. That bottle is still in evidence lock-up. Now it’s just evidence of my love for you. You’re a force of nature, Brook Lynn. You’re a tsunami, a tornado, an earthquake, all in one unstoppable, invincible, impossibly beautiful woman. And that love and faith that you have in me makes me feel invincible too, and I promise I will bring the strength and love you inspire in me every single day to our marriage, to our children, just as my dad always did for me. He nods to Gregory and says, I don’t know if anyone has been so lucky to get hit in the head with a bottle, but here I am at your side forever. They look at Gregory, and he says he’s okay. Just very, very grateful.
Gregory tells Brook, place this ring on Harrison’s finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed. Brook puts the ring on Chase’s finger and says, with this ring, I thee wed. When I was a little girl, I used to wonder, what kind of man will I marry? Being surrounded by so many strong women, they always taught me not to settle, to hold out for the best possible man like they did. So I made myself a list. My groom to be had to be handsome, and strong, and smart. And he had to love music and he had to love me. Check, check, check, check, and check. Everyone laughs, and she says, but there was one thing I forgot to put on that list – this is a biggie – the husband of my dreams also had to be good. He had to be kind and patient and fair and just… good. And you, Chase, are a good man. You literally make the world a better place every single time you leave the house, and you make my world a better place every single time you come home. You keep people safe and right wrongs, and you do your best to keep people from making bad decisions, no matter how stubborn they may be. I won’t mention any names, but me. Everyone laughs and she says, and even when those bad decisions sometimes happen, you show up with patience and forgiveness and always love. So I am so grateful I hit you over the head with that bottle. There’s more laughter, and she says, and it was an accident. I don’t know how many times I need to tell you that. So I just hope that when I need it, you’ll give me your forgiveness, and I promise I will always give you mine. But the promise I make to you today, to love and to cherish you always, is the easiest promise I ever made, and even easier to keep. Gregory says, by the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Son, you may kiss your bride. They kiss and everyone applauds and cheers.
Everyone stands, and Lois runs to Brook, hugging her. The rest of the crowd follows, and Finn hugs Chase. He says, congratulations, bro, and Chase says, thank you so much. He turns to Gregory and says, and thank you for the best wedding ever. They hug, and Gregory thanks Chase for being patient when he got a little stuck. Chase says, everybody loves a comeback, and Gregory says he’s just glad nobody left. On the bright side, his bucket list is now complete. Chase says, about that. He had one more thing to add to Gregory’s list. Holding their first child. As everyone files out, Dante and Finn pass out packets of birdseed. Leo says he’s not hungry right now, and Olivia says, those aren’t for eating. Leo asks, then what are they for? and she says, follow her and she’ll show him just what to do. He’s the one who served the love potion at the picnic, so technically, this whole thing is kind of his fault. Leo says he’s the bringer of happiness, and Olivia says, damn straight he is. Violet asks if Olivia can take her to the reception, but Olivia says, Violet is going to miss out on throwing the birdseed. Violet says, that’s okay. She needs to get ready for her big surprise. Olivia says, okay. Then let’s go. They leave, and Finn says, Dante’s mom, his whole family. Dante says, they’re something else, aren’t they? Finn says, damn straight, and Dante says, lucky you. They’re part of Finn’s family too.
Outside, Kristina asks Sonny if everything is okay, and he says, yeah. A lot of familiar faces. People he hasn’t seen in years. Kristina says, his people are her people, so he’ll have to introduce her at the reception, and he says he will. Natalia says, it was such a beautiful wedding, and she saw Blaze getting all teared up at the bride and groom. Blaze says she guesses she’s one of those people who cry at weddings, and Natalia says, maybe she should think about that. (I’m guessing Natalia is saying Blaze should change teams, but ironically, it sounds like she’s pressuring them to get married.)
Inside, Carmine tells Gio, nice job, and Gloria sobs. Lois tells her to stop crying, and Gloria says, her first. Chase asks Maxie if she has any notes on the ceremony, and Maxie tells him that she was just saying, the natural light could have been a touch brighter. Spinelli asks if the natural light doesn’t come from the sun, and she says, exactly. The sun had one job. She and Spinelli leave, and Brook asks if the natural light worked for Chase. He says he doesn’t know. All he could see was her. She says she wishes they could do it all over again, and he says, too bad, because this wedding was her first, her last, and her only. But he would be open to renewing their vows every 30 years or so. She says she was thinking every 10 to 15, and he says he can’t wait to argue about it. They kiss. Tracy asks how Gregory feels about sitting down. She found a quiet little room off the altar. He says, the sacristy, and she says, is that what it’s called? He says, everything’s called something, and thanks her. He could use a quiet moment. She says, all right then, and takes his arm. Follow her. As they walk, he says he appreciates her. She’s always thinking ahead, anticipating what he might need, but always letting him make the choice. She says, he knows her. She doesn’t like to be pushy. They stop, and he laughs and says, she has great finesse and grace, which everyone here saw today when his body was refusing to make words. She says she believes every wedding should have some suspense, and he says, forgive him if this is too much… She says she’s on the edge of her seat, and he says he sometimes wonders what life would have been like if he’d met her when he was 25 or 30. She says she’s had the same question a couple of times, and he says, and what answer did she come up with? She says, that life would have definitely been very different. Today would have been very different. And today, since their two families were joined in such a beautiful, joyous way, why would anyone want to change that? He says, why indeed? and gives her his arm. They continue on. Chase and Brook leave the church and are met with birdseed and cheers.
At the MetroCourt Garden, Jordan says, this is a fun party, and Drew says, who’d think Lois would be the subdued one? They take some champagne from a passing tray, and Jordan says, to the happy couple. Drew says, cheers, and they clink glasses. He says, at what point does she think it’s okay to slide out of a wedding reception without being rude? and she says, don’t tell her that he’s bored already. He says he’s not bored. It’s just that, at weddings, he tends to look around and see missed chances. Curtis tells Portia that watching Brook and Chase today made him realize, when you say those vows, you really think you know what you’re in for. The truth is, none of them have a clue. She says she’s just glad they’re in it together, and he clinks his glass against hers and kisses her. Jordan tells Drew that she’s going to pretend she has no idea what he’s talking about. She hands him her glass and says she’ll be right back. She leaves, and Jason approaches Drew. Drew says he didn’t expect to see Jason here, and Jason says, Monica asked him to come. Drew says he didn’t expect to see Jason at all. He guesses neither of them have made an effort to see each other since Jason returned, and Jason says, should they? Drew says he thinks the fact Jason is asking that question pretty much answers itself, and walks away. (Why is Drew so pissed off at him?)
Outside the church, Lois says, okay, okay. Pictures. She poses the bridal party, along with the grandparents. She gets in position herself and tells the photographer, they’re ready. Everybody say, formaggio. They all say, formaggio, and the photographer takes photos while there’s a song part. In the final photo, Chase dips Brook and gives her a kiss.
Jordan goes into the bathroom to find Portia there. She says, touching up or hiding out? and Portia says, a little bit of both. They fix their makeup, and Portia says, and what about her? She noticed Jordan is here with Drew. Jordan says, Drew’s here, she’s here, and that’s all there is to that, and Portia says, mm-hmm. Seems like she and Drew have a little bit of a vibe going on. Jordan says, they’re both single people at a wedding. She’s not exactly sure why she was invited. Portia says, she was Chase’s boss for a really long time, but Jordan says, not anymore. Come to think of it, it could have been Ned that invited her. Ever since she became Deputy Mayor, he’s been very friendly. Portia says, so this was a schmooze invite, and Jordan says, at this point, anything’s possible. Portia says, Curtis thinks they were invited because Brook’s booked clients at his club, and Jordan says, including Chase. So she guesses they’re both schmooze invitees. Portia says, exactly. Anything’s possible. Olivia walks in and asks if everything is okay. Portia says, everything’s fine, and Jordan says, they were just trying to figure out which family invited them. Portia says, and since one of those families is Olivia’s family… Jordan says, they were hoping she could shed a little light on the mystery. Olivia says, that would either be a Lois question or a Tracy question, and Portia says, they’re going to ask Lois. Olivia says, any social event is only improved by their gorgeousness, and goes to the mirror. Jordan says, the woman’s got a point, and Portia says, that does explain it. Jordan says, shall we? and they go back to the reception.
Natalia says, it’s so pretty, and thanks Sonny for a really wonderful afternoon. He says, she’s not leaving, is she? and she says she and Allison are staying at the hotel for the time being, and she figured he’d want to catch up with friends and family. He tells her, stay. He doesn’t know if she knows, but one of his old friends owns the hotel, and she throws great parties. They laugh, and Gio approaches them. He says, excuse me, Mr. Corinthos, and Sonny says, come here, and hugs him. He asks if Gio is too grown up to call him Uncle Sonny. Sonny adjusts Gio’s tie and introduces him to Natalia. He says, this is Giovanni Palmieri. We call him Gio. They shake hands, and Natalia says, that was beautiful today. She really admires his musicianship. He thanks her, and she asks how long he’s been playing. He says, as long as he can remember. His mother was a violinist, and she was much better than he is. Sonny says, he’s just being modest. He studied with the best teachers in New York. Gio says, thanks to Uncle Sonny. Sonny paid for his lessons and his first tutors at college. Sonny says, Gio deserves a shot and he’ll tell Natalia why. He will be a concert violinist. Ain’t that right, Gio? Gio says, thanks to him, and Sonny says, come here. He hugs Gio again.
Kristina and Blaze go in the bathroom, where Sam is touching up her makeup, and Sam asks if they enjoyed the wedding. Kristina says, it was so beautiful, and Blaze says, and Chase’s dad. Kristina says, he was so brave, and Blaze says, he did such a nice job. Sam says, right? when her phone dings. She says, uh-oh. Dante’s bosom buddy is in trouble again. Kristina says, Sam to the rescue, and Sam tells Kristina, they’ll talk over cake. She leaves, and Blaze says she doesn’t know about Kristina, but she’s feeling a little over-chaperoned. Kristina says, her mom was nice today. She’s made eye contact; she smiled even. Blaze says, in a warm, welcoming way? but Kristina says, more like a keep your hands off my daughter way, but hey, she’ll take it. It’s funny. Her mom’s been known to do the same thing. Blaze says, she’s objected to Kristina’s girlfriends? And Kristina says, one in particular. She can’t say her mom was entirely wrong. And if Blaze ever tells anyone that… Blaze says, who would even believe her? Where’s her mom anyway? Kristina says, Albany, and Blaze says, the law license thing. Kristina says, yes. She hopes her mom gets it back. Blaze says, Kristina really likes her mom, doesn’t she? Kristina says she loves her mom. Like depends on the day. Blaze says she hears that, and Kristina says, there’s one thing their moms have in common that’s really important. Their moms are crazy about them, just not so crazy about their choices. Blaze says, of course (🍷) she just wants the best for you, and Kristina says, my job is to convince your mother that what’s best for you is me. Blaze says, actually, Kristina doesn’t have to convince her mother of anything, because Kristina has already convinced her. Anna and Lois guide Gloria into the bathroom, and Gloria says, her contact is caught under her eyelid, and she can’t get it out. She’s half-blind. Lois says, just lean her head back. She’s going to try and fish it out. Gloria grabs Lois’s hand and asks if she’s crazy. Lois will skewer her eyeball with those nails of hers. Blaze says, let her get a tissue, and Anna says she has an idea. She asks Gloria to look down at her shoes for a second, and Gloria does. Anna moves her eyelid, and Gloria says she can see. She can see! She’s going back to the dance floor. She leaves, and Kristian and Blaze are dying laughing. Lois is looking at her nails and frowning, and Anna says she thinks they look very nice. (They’re actually pretty tame for Lois.) Kristina says, really, so nice, and Lois thanks them. She says, let’s go dance, and jets.
Finn seats Gregory at a table and asks what he can get him. Gregory says, not a thing. Why doesn’t Finn sit here with him? Finn says he’d love to, and sits down. He says, Gregory was a rock star today, and Gregory tells him, that’s nice of him to say. Finn says, he was. Everyone’s been talking about how perfect the wedding was. He hopes Gregory allows himself a little pat on the back. Gregory says, if Finn insists, but if anyone was a rock star today, it was Tracy. Tracy walks through, and Gregory says, she bravely stood between him and disaster. Finn says, she was something else. The two of them make a good team. Gregory says he’s just glad the ceremony came off. Performing that ceremony in front of all those people, skydiving’s got nothing on it. Finn laughs, and Lois comes by with Carmine. She thanks Gregory so much for such a lovely service and kisses his cheek. Gregory says, it was his pleasure, and Lois says, this is her pops, Carmine Cerullo. Pops, this is the father of the groom, Professor Gregory Chase. They shake hands, and Lois says, and of course (🍷), he knows that familiar mug, right? You remember Sonny. Carmine and Sonny hug, and Carmine says, this one was at his house so much when he was a kid that after he went home, his Gloria used to take a head count at bedtime to make sure none of theirs were out there getting into trouble. She’d say, pop, we’re short one. Sonny’s not here. They laugh and Carmine hugs Sonny again.
Maxie tells Natalia, yes. Sales are up. And she has the feeling it’s because of their new Face of Deception. Natalia says, that’s so good to hear. She looks forward to having their accountant verify their tally, and that way, her daughter can get her cut as per her contract. Maxie says, Natalia doesn’t get invited to a lot of parties, does she?
Elizabeth tells Jason, this is a surprise, and he tells her, people keep saying that. Monica asked him to come. She says, so here he is, and he says, tell him if this is a bad idea. Does she think Jake would like to go out on the lake with him? Gloria approaches them, and Elizabeth says, he means like fishing or something? Jason says, either that or if he thinks that’s too boring, maybe they could get a speedboat. Gloria says, excuse me. Are you Jason Quartermaine? Jason says, Mrs. Cerullo, and she says, it’s been a long time, but did he ever become a doctor? He says, no, and she says she can’t blame him. She can’t stand the sight of blood either. Sonny walks up, and Lois says, look who’s here. Their honorary son, Sonny. She goes over to Sonny and hugs him.
Spinelli says, Maxie, question, and she says, Spinelli, response. He says, was there a bride at the wedding? and she says, what? He says, because all he could see was her (aww!), and she kisses him. She says she can’t think of a better place than at her best friend’s wedding to tell him that she loves him, and he kisses her. They hear applause, and for a moment, Spinelli thinks it’s for them, but Brook and Chase come in. Lois taps on her glass, saying, kisses! and they oblige. Everyone cheers.
Brook thanks Gregory so much. The ceremony could not have been more perfect. Gregory says he thinks it could have used fewer pauses himself, and Chase says, you were there. You did it, and I’ll thank you for this day every day of my life. Olivia clangs something and asks for everyone’s attention. No one is listening, so she finally yells, yo! I’m trying to talk here. They get quiet, except for some laughter, and she thanks them. She says, now that they have the guests of honor, she’d like to present them with a tray of the cocktail of the day. This gorgeous concoction is known as – wait for it – the Brook Lynn Chaser. Everyone laughs and applauds, and Olivia says, get it? Tracy hopes she doesn’t explain it to them, and Lois says, they’ll take two right here, but Olivia says, wait a minute. This delicious beverage was such a hit at the bridal shower, she decided it deserved a revival, but the happy couple gets first dibs. Brook says, no, no, no. She’s terrified of spilling anything on her dress. Gloria says, what for? It’s not like she’s going to wear it again. Brook says, in that case, she’ll take two, one for her groom. Chase says he prefers to be called her husband, and they kiss.
Carmine tells Finn, hello again. They didn’t get a chance to talk before when they were taking the pictures. Finn says, they were all kinds of busy, and Carmine says, they were, but they’re not now. Is he? (The look on Finn’s face – I’m dying.) Finn says, no, he guesses not, and Carmine says, so he understands his granddaughter’s new brother-in-law is a doctor. Finn says, yes, he is, and Carmine pulls a chair over, putting his foot up on it. He pulls up his pant leg and says he’s got this rash on his leg over here. Is there any kind of lotion or cream he should be using? His wife has got a dozen or so at home, but nothing seems to work here. (HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!)
Sam says hi to Spinelli, and he asks if she’s enjoying the festivities. She says she is. She likes watching Dante being swarmed by his relatives. And Spinelli? He says he’s having the best time he’s had in years, and she says she’s not going to keep him long. She just wanted to know if the Jackal would be available to work with her on a new case. He asks if she could give him a tiny hint as to who they would be investigating, and she gets close to his ear and says, the FBI.
Finn writes something down and tells Carmine, a friend of his happens to be the best dermatologist in the city. Since he’ll be in town for a few days, give her a call, and tell her that Finn sent him. Carmine thanks him and says, having your leg on fire from 2 am on can really spoil your day. So to express my gratitude – he takes two glasses of champagne from a passing server and hands one to Finn – have a drink on me. Finn sets it down, and Ned asks for everyone’s attention. He has his guitar and Violet stands next to him with a microphone. Finn says, that’s my daughter, and Carmine says, she’s an angel. Ned says, they have a little surprise for the newlyweds. Violet promised the bridegroom that she would sing a song at the wedding. What she didn’t tell him was that she would write the song herself. So Brook Lynn and Chase, this is for you. Ned plays the guitar as Violet sings about true love. (The song is amazingly good. This kid is 8. If she keeps it up, she’ll be the next Lady Gaga.) Carmine says, Finn’s little one isn’t just an angel, she’s a star. Salute. He and Finn clink glasses, and Finn takes a drink before he realizes what he did. He stands there with the rest of it in his hand, looking kind of stunned.
The look on his face actually makes me feel a little ill.
Tomorrow, Cody says, if Sasha has a better way, he’s all ears; Spinelli tells Sam that he doesn’t know where to start; Violet says she needs to ask Finn a question and he needs to be honest with her; and Anna tells Jason that he’s causing a scene and asks him to rein it in.
🧴 A Little Bit Of Soap…
Aww. It’s sweet when their real feels creep into it. You can also see Brook’s dress here. Seriously, where is Lila’s dress in that? Wasn’t it supposed to be the sleeves?
Ugh. I hate when they change writers. It’s hard enough to keep track of everything. I’ve always wondered though, if they have one of those bulletin boards like detectives do in the movies, with photos and maps and strings going everywhere.
Every time I actually pay attention to this show, I’m sorry. I watched a 42-year-old man cry because his wife wants to have a project of her own and not just be his Loverboy sidekick. I will say, it was good of the women to have her back and explain things to him. Of course, that’s what made him cry. Like, grow up, dude.
I only watch this on occasion, and only in my peripheral vision. Because I can’t believe anyone would want to follow in the footsteps of this frat house mentality. Jackie Onasis is rolling in her grave.
Take this route tomorrow for soap and assorted amusements. Until then, stay safe, stay refraining from constantly photographing everything for Instagram (we don’t need to see every grain of sand or piece of toast), and stay not assuming the wedding birdseed is a snack.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 