What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase gets out of the pool, and a girl waits with a towel. She says, he looks like he could use some help.

Brook comes into the nook, and sees Ned. She says she thought he would have left for the office already, but he says, since he’s the new Chairman of the Board, his office is wherever he is. She says she’ll let him get to it then, and heads for the shower, but he tells her, wait. It might help if she talked about it. She asks, what’s there to talk about? He made his choice by siding with Valentin. End of story. He says he wasn’t referring to ELQ. He thought there might be something else that’s upsetting her. She says, like what? and he says, like her friend Chase.

Chase says, thanks for the offer, but he already has a towel on his chair. She says, he’s spoken for. Gotcha. Finn walks in with Gregory, and she tells Chase, in case he changes his mind and wants a fresh one, she’ll be over there. She leaves, and Finn asks if that young lady was hitting on Chase. Chase says, what? No. She just asked him if he wanted a towel. Chase goes back to his chaise (ha-ha), and Gregory asks Finn, what do you think, doctor? Finn says he thinks there’s only one possible diagnosis; his little brother has it bad. Chase tells Gregory to let his big brother know there’s currently no one he has it bad for, and Gregory asks, what happened to Brook? Chase says, that’s a non-starter, and Finn says, since when? Chase says, since she decided to make him a pop star.

Elizabeth works on a jigsaw puzzle, when Doc comes in, and asks how she’s feeling today. She says she’s making progress… on this puzzle. He says, sorry for the interruption, but she has a visitor. She says she thought she made it clear she didn’t want to see Finn, and if it’s Laura, she knows Laura means well, but not today. He says, it’s not Finn or Laura, but he thinks it’s someone she’s going to want to see. Jake walks in, and Elizabeth hugs him.

Anna, Alexis, and Laura are at the MetroCourt Garden, and Anna lifts her glass of orange juice. She says she’s going to pretend this is champagne, and toasts to Laura’s success in fighting the recall campaign. Alexis says, to their once and future mayor, and Laura thanks them. They clink glasses, and Laura says, and thank you to The Invader for the editorial support. Alexis says, The Invader wasn’t the only voice of support. Once the people of Port Charles found out what was at stake, they were bending over backwards to defeat that recall. Anna says, absolutely, and Laura says she’s so grateful to everyone who stood up for her. Now they have to just keep going to make Port Charles a kinder, safer, better place to live. Alexis asks why she has the feeling Laura has that planned already, and Laura says she does. And she wants to start by eliminating a clear and present danger.

In the park, Victor tells Valentin, does your heart good, doesn’t it, to think of the wonderful future that lies ahead for these happy carefree children? Valentin says he never pegged Victor as an optimist type, but Victor says, the Cassadines were put on this earth to shape a better future. Not just for ourselves, but for all mankind. Valentin says, and Victor believes that? and Victor says, he won’t always be here to lead the family. He wants to know, when the time comes, there’s someone worthy he can pass the torch to. He knows Valentin has been having a crisis of conscience recently, which is why he got rid of the family ring. So he wants Valentin to consider this – he hands Valentin another ring – its replacement. Valentin thanks him, and says he has something to give Victor too.

Chase says, since his future as a detective is so uncertain, Brook pitched him a new career, as a professional singer. Gregory laughs, and Chase says, it’s absurd, right? In her mind, it’s goodbye PCPD, hello American Idol. Oh, and he pretty much buried the lead; Brook wants to be his manager. They look at him, and he says, that’s the reaction he had. She wants to pull the strings while he dances to her tune. Finn says, he dances now too? and Chase says, the point is, he told her that he’s not interested. Gregory says he has to admit going from cop to singing dancing pop star isn’t the most logical progression, but Brook has written songs before. Is he not even willing to consider her idea? Chase says, Gregory doesn’t get it; that’s not what’s happening here. Gregory’s first impression of Brook was the right one. Gregory says he’s confused. The other day when he was so hard on Brook, Chase convinced him that he was wrong. What’s changed?

Brook says she knows Ned and Chase have had their issues in the past, but Ned doesn’t need to worry about that anymore. Ned says, why is that? and she says, because when it comes to her and Chase, there’s nothing there. He says, really? The way he heard it, Detective Chase has been suspended for a second time, and just like the first time, he landed in the Commissioner’s doghouse for defending her honor. If it happened just once, you could chalk that up as an accident, but twice? She says, who asked him to defend her honor? Certainly not her. Does Ned think she enjoys being the reason Chase keeps losing his badge, because she hates it. He says, even if it proves Chase still cares about her?

Chase says he’s admitting he’s wrong. Why is that so hard to understand? Finn says, as a general rule, the guys in their family usually don’t admit when they’re wrong, and Chase says, there’s a first time for everything. He actually agrees with Gregory’s original assessment of Brook. She just keeps getting herself into these difficult situations; first it was Valentin, now it’s Linc. He’s the one who plunges in to rescue her, and he’s the one who pays the price. Gregory says, some people would call that heroic, and Finn says, doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result is also the very definition of crazy. Is it possible Chase is crazy about her? Chase says, if Finn has such keen insights on what makes people tick, why doesn’t he save them for someone who needs them? Finn asks if he’s referring to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth asks how Jake got here, and he says, it was Doc’s idea. Doc says, guilty as charged. He realized how badly Jake wanted to see her, and figured she’d want to see him, so he drove Jake over, and he’ll drive Jake home. Jake says, Doc can drive them both home. Please. All she has to do is pack her stuff and come home.

Alexis asks if Laura would care to elaborate on the danger, but Laura says, not at this time, but when she’s ready, The Invader will be the first to know. Right now, she and Doc have their hands full trying to wrangle Elizabeth’s sons. Don’t get her wrong; she’s not complaining. The house is so crowded now, but it’s never been so full of life. Even Cameron is making excuses to stay over. Anna says, since he’s the oldest, he probably feels responsible for Jake and Aiden, right? and Laura says, he does. He’s a very conscientious young man. She’s very proud of all her grandchildren. Anna says she hopes Elizabeth comes back soon, for both her sons’ sake and Finn’s, and Laura says, that’s what they’re praying for. In the meantime, she’s very grateful she has Doc to help her navigate the madness. Anna says, Laura is so lucky to have a partner to help with all that; the work and the fun. Laura says she hears what Alexis isn’t saying. It’s okay. A lot of people aren’t sold on having a partner. Alexis says, a lot of people don’t have a prince like Doc. For them, it’s mostly frogs. Anna says, and sometimes someone with a little of both.

Valentin puts on the ring, and Victor asks, what’s wrong? Does it need to be fitted for him? Valentin says, it fits, and Victor says, Valentin was born to wear this ring. It represents everything their family has meant through the ages, and will continue to mean for days to come. So, Valentin had something for him? Valentin says, Laura is working on having Victor deported.

Brook tells Ned, if Chase really cared for her, he wouldn’t have accused her of using him to get back at Linc. Ned says, Linc? He thought Linc was out of the picture for good, but Brook says, unfortunately, he’s like acne; just when you think he’s gone, he’s back. But this time she had a plan to stick it to Linc. Chase got upset because she didn’t discuss it with him first. Ned says he guesses it runs in the family. Olivia read him the riot act about voting to keep Valentin as CEO. She claimed he only voted that way to punish Michael and Drew. Brook says, didn’t he? and he says, his big mistake was cutting Olivia out of the decision. He should  have trusted her with this thought process, and they should have made the decision together. Instead, he acted alone, unilaterally, and she felt completely blindsided. Maybe that’s what happened between Brook and Chase.

Chase apologizes to Finn, saying, that was a cheap shot, but Finn tells him, it’s okay. He’d be happy to share his insights with Elizabeth, but she’s made it pretty clear she doesn’t want to hear them. Chase says, again, he apologizes. He should probably just take his foul mood and leave before he says something even more thoughtless, but Finn tells him, sit back down. He’s not getting off that easy. Gregory says, the two of them spent years avoiding each other, and Finn says, that’s mostly on him, avoiding not just Chase, but Gregory as well. Gregory says, think of all those family dinners they missed, where they didn’t get to experience what other families do, and Finn says, say a blessing, then criticize each other until dessert? Gregory says, since they’re making up for lost time, what’s wrong with Brook making Chase a pop star?

Elizabeth tells Jake, she wishes it were that simple. She came here to figure out what was troubling her, and until she does… She looks at Doc, and he tells Jake to remember what they talked about on the ride over. He wants his mother to get better, right? Jake says, of course (🍷) he does, but why can’t she do that at home? Elizabeth says, it helps her knowing Jake is there with Aiden, and Cameron is there supporting both of them. And even though Cameron is away at college, he needs Jake as much as Jake needs him. The same goes for Grandma Laura and Grandpa Kevin. They all just need to stick together. He says, even her mom and dad? and she says, what about them? He says, they’re family too, right? Does she think they can pitch in and help?

Alexis says, when the conversation turns to relationships, that’s when she goes to the pool. Laura says she guesses Alexis is going to do a follow-up on the Society Set-Ups debacle, and Alexis asks, why is it so hard for anyone to believe she takes breaks? She’s going to the roof. She’s going to get a little vitamin D, a little sun, and ice tea, and she’s going to read her book for 20 minutes. She gets up, says, it’s been fun, and tells Laura, congratulations. She leaves, and Laura asks, what’s going on with Anna? Anna asks what she means, and Laura says, she had that I know something you don’t look on her face a while ago. Tell her. How things going between her and Valentin?

Victor asks if Laura herself told Valentin these plans she has for him, but Valentin says, no. Martin Grey, Laura’s brother, told him that Laura is working with contacts in DC to have Victor deported on grounds of moral turpitude. Marty says, it’s only a matter of time. Victor says, no doubt Valentin told Marty to advise Laura to back off, but Valentin says, there’s no point. Laura’s determined and she has resources. He’d say it’s time for Victor to find a new base of operations, but Victor says he can’t possibly consider leaving. Valentin says, Laura’s giving him no choice, and Victor says, if he didn’t know any better, he’d think Valentin wanted him to go. Valentin asks, since when does Victor care what he wants? and Victor says he thought they’d worked through all this. Certain measures had to be taken for certain people – obstacles – to be removed, and that meant certain other people had to be implicated. Now all that was achieved, thanks to a certain dashing naval captain. Valentin says, Victor made his expectations clear. At the time, compliance was the only option, but things change. Victor says, do they? Why is that? Valentin flashes back to telling Anna that his intentions are very serious, and he says he can tell Victor, but he’s not going to like it any more. Suffice to say he’s done everything he can for Victor. Victor says, well, that’s a pity. Not just for himself; Valentin’s daughter is going to be very disappointed.

Brook says, her problems with Chase are nothing like Ned’s and Olivia’s. They’re not married; they’re not even a couple. He says, point taken, but he and Brook aren’t really that different. They’re both willful and ambitious. Brook says, she’ll give him that, and he says, they both wear their hearts on their sleeves, which translates easily into getting hurt, then makes them lash out and hurt other people, even people who matter the most to them. She says, they have another thing in common; their love of music. It was stolen from her, first when Nelle attacked her, and then again by her lying scheming manager. He says, so she was going to use Chase to get back at Linc, and she says she thought she and Chase could help each other. She could bring out his talent until some big producer came along, and then Chase’s career would be off and running. Ned says, and then Linc would be out of the picture for good, and she says, something like that. But does he know what Chase said to her? He says, he can guess. It probably sounded a lot like what Olivia told him – this is all about you.

Chase says, the whole thing is about Brook and her need to get back at her sleazy ex-producer, and Gregory says, and in the process, Brook could help Chase? Chase says, that depends on how you define help. She wants to turn him into a pop star, and even if there was the slightest chance of that happening, it was never on his list of prospective careers. In fact, it’s pretty much opposite of everything that interests him. Gregory says he’s not so sure that’s true, and Chase says, now he doesn’t know what interests him? Gregory says he’s simply pointing out that Chase couldn’t be as good at performing like he did at Nurses Ball if some part of him didn’t enjoy it. Alexis goes to the pool bar, and Gregory tells Finn to talk some sense into his brother. Finn says, me? and Gregory goes to the bar. He asks Alexis if she’s looking for a headline, but she says, The Invader doesn’t do headlines; they cover the news. Where’s his granddaughter? Too bad she’s not here; she brings out the best in him. He says, then she hasn’t seen his best yet. At the table, Finn says, on one hand, it’s very weird, but what’s so wrong with Brook believing in Chase? Believing in his talent, and wanting something for herself. Chase says, despite dad’s little pep talk, he’s not a singer; he’s a cop. That’s what he does. That’s who he is. What Brook is doing suits her own needs for her own reasons. What is he supposed to do? Just go along with it, no questions asked? What would Finn do if this happened to him?

Elizabeth says she can’t believe her parents went behind her back again, and asks what Jake told them. Do they know she’s here? Jake says he didn’t tell them anything, he promises. He didn’t answer their email. He knows how she feels about them, and wouldn’t want to do anything to upset her. She says, he doesn’t upset her. Just promise if they try to contact him again, let her handle it. He promises, and Doc says, before they go, he’d like to talk to Jake’s mother a minute alone. Would he mind waiting in the car? Jake says, that’s fine, and Doc says he’ll walk Jake down and be back. Jake hugs Elizabeth, and asks if she’s mad at him, but she says, never. He says, then come home soon, and she says she’ll see him soon. Tell his brothers that she misses them. he says he will, and leaves.

Anna tells Laura, it’s no secret that she and Valentin have a history. She feels like she’s known him forever. The thing is, he’s still a bit of a mystery to her. Laura says, it should give Anna a certain amount of trepidation, and Anna says, you’d think it should, but it hasn’t at all. She thinks it’s because they’ve both been  burned so much in the past, and Laura asks if that wouldn’t make her more cautious. Anna says, perhaps. The only thing she would say is, since Valentin was in the clinic, he’s changed somewhat. Laura says, for the better or the worse? Isn’t there an alarm going off in Anna’s head right about now?

Valentin asks, does Victor think he can buy his loyalty with a ring? Victor is keeping his daughter from him; he’s holding Charlotte hostage. She just doesn’t realize it. She’s adjusting to life in a boarding school Victor put her in, and only Victor can take her out of. Valentin can text her, and talk to her by phone, but he’s not allowed any physical contact, and Victor expects Valentin to bond with him? Let’s make one thing very clear, dad. He’s done everything he can to keep Charlotte safe, but if Victor threatens her again, not only will Victor not get what he wants, Valentin will cut his throat. Victor tells him, well said. Spoken like a true Cassadine. Don’t you worry. Charlotte’s life is almost as precious to him as it is to Valentin. Valentin says, no it isn’t, or Victor  wouldn’t be treating her like a bargaining chip; that’s all she is to him. Don’t think he doesn’t know that. Now are they done here? Victor says, not quite. While he’s very grateful to Valentin for letting him know what Laura has in mind for him, he’s now counting on Valentin to help him spoil those plans. One way or another, our beloved mayor is going to be leaving office. Now if Valentin is going to be the son he can trust and a loving father to Charlotte, he’ll help Victor by doing exactly what he says.

Laura asks if she has to remind Anna that Valentin fought Lulu tooth and nail over custody of Charlotte. Really he’s been a threat to her family since he showed up in Port Charles. And now he’s embraced his father, even though he knows full well what Victor is capable of. Anna says, she knows. Laura is right on every count. Maybe it’s because she knows who and what he is, that it makes her feel oddly comfortable with him. Laura says she doesn’t want to see Anna walk into a trap, and Anna says she understands; Robert warned her too. Laura says, and yet… and Anna says she doesn’t know; she just feels comfortable with him. What does that tell Laura? Laura says, it tells her, things are worse than she thought.

Brook says he sees Ned’s point. She probably should have included Chase in the process, instead of going to him with a finished idea, like everything was already decided. Ned says, that would have been a good start, and she says, it just felt like such a win-win. She wrote some really good material while she was under contract with Linc; personal songs that have a lot of meaning for her. Sometimes she even dreams in music, and when she wakes up, she has a tune stuck head, and she realizes that’s one of the songs Linc owns. He can sell it, he can rework it, he do whatever he wants to it, and there’s absolutely nothing she can do. What is she supposed to do, just give up? Ned tells her, he’s not saying that; far from it. He takes out his phone, and says, just look what Leo posted on his social media. Someone recorded Chase singing her song at Leo’s birthday, and posted it. Leo got the ball rolling by liking it, and linking it on his social media. And now thousands and thousands of likes. That’s how good her song is; that’s how good Chase is singing it. She looks at his phone, and laughs, saying, he’s not kidding. This post has over 50,000 likes, and people keep reposting it. Damn. She’s talented… What she meant to say is, she and Chase are talented.

Alexis says she’s disappointed. She was hoping Gregory would take up her challenge to write that op ed piece in The Invader. He says, about that… and she says, no worries at all. Just to be clear, no pressure. She just thought it would be fun to read about his perspective rather than hear about it. She sees he’s with his two boys. She doesn’t want to keep him. Big fan of both of them. He says, so he hears. In fact, if memory serves, she had a hand in bringing Finn and Chase together. She says she did what she could, and he says, then consider this a sincere, if tardy, thank you.

Chase says he’s sorry for comparing his and Finn’s situations. What Elizabeth is dealing with is so far beyond bickering with Brook. Finn says, that’s all right, and Chase says, any updates? Finn says, Elizabeth is convinced the only way she’s going to find any answers is if she does it on her own. She’s been pushing him away, and he’s starting to think he’s part of the problem.

Doc says, Jake’s in the car, and Elizabeth asks, how is he? Doc says, at the moment, he’s engrossed with his phone, but overall, he’d say Jake is a bit confused. She says, he’s not the only one. Ever since Franco died, it’s been non-stop confusion and chaos. Everything changed. She just loved him so much. Doc says he knows, and he knows Franco loved her too, but he thinks Franco would want her to move on with her life and find some happiness. She says she feels like maybe she moved on too quickly, and he says he understands. Be that as it may, he couldn’t help notice her reaction when Jake mentioned her parents. She says, what about them? and he says, clearly they’re a trigger for her. She tells him, if he says so; he’s the professional. He says he is, but Jake saw it too, and she asks what he wants her to say. Where have her parents been all her life? Absent, missing, focused on more important things. They weren’t here when she graduated from nursing school, when she got married, or when she had their grandkids. He asks if they offered any support when Franco died, and she says, they sent flowers, which was more than she expected, or wanted. He asks what she does want from her parents, and she says she wants them to respect her wishes and stay away from her kids. Cameron is older, but Jake and Aiden are at impressionable ages, especially Jake. He’s alone and vulnerable… Doc asks if that’s how she felt at Jake’s age, alone and vulnerable? and she asks what he’s implying. He says he’s not implying anything. She said it herself. The thought of Franco fills her heart with love, but the mere mention of her parents brings on a different reaction entirely. Is it anger? Is it fear? She says, forget her parents. They’re nothing to her. Nothing! She wipes the puzzle off the table onto the floor. She tells Doc that she’s sorry, but he says, no. He’s been waiting for her to do something like that. She says, embarrass herself? but he says, no. Look inside herself. Not in those comfortable places where we usually exist, but in those dark and winding ones that make us uncomfortable. She asks what he knows about dark and winding, and I laugh because I know what he’s going to say. And he does. He says, his twin is Ryan Chamberlain; he knows a thing or two. Clearly her relationship with her parents is… She says, there is no relationship with her parents. She already told him. They handed her and her sister off to her gram when she was a teenager. And when she didn’t turn out to be what they expected, or wanted, they washed their hands clean of her. Other than her gram, she’s been on her own ever since, and never looked back. he says, then has she really left that behind, or has it followed her everywhere she went? Buried deep, but it still haunts her, and he doesn’t mean Franco’s ghost; something much scarier. She says, like what? and he says he’s afraid only she can answer that question, but he’ll do everything he can to help her find the answer. She says, he really wants to help her? She’ll tell him how.

Chase says he knows Finn doesn’t like when he gives him advice, but he’s going to. Finn needs to turn his situation with Elizabeth around. Finn says, meaning? and Chase says, be direct. Ask her what the problem is, and see if she can articulate what’s troubling her. Finn says, for once, that’s not actually terrible. It’s pretty good. Tell dad he’ll catch up with him later. Does Chase mind if he says something? Don’t worry so much about what Brook wants. Ask himself what he wants.

Alexis tells Gregory, she remembers it was like pulling teeth to get those two to talk to each other. She wonders where they got their stubborn streak. He asks if she’s implying he can be stubborn, and she says, nothing wrong with being opinionated. He says he can’t believe she’s still upset about his critique of The Invader, and she says, she’s not upset. Does she seem upset? She was just wondering why he chickened out of writing that op ed piece. He tells her, as he started to say earlier… Her phone dings, and she says, lookee here. It’s a text from her op ed editor. She reads it, looks at him, and says, just in time. He smiles.

Ned tells Brook, nobody makes it alone. She wrote that beautiful song, Chase performed it really well, but it was her little brother’s initiative that caused it to be an internet sensation. Doesn’t that tell her something? She says, yeah. It tells her that Leo should be Chase’s manager and producer, and Ned laughs. He says, maybe one day. After he becomes the next Jacques Cousteau, or saves the world, whichever comes first. Brook says, the kid’s got some big plans, and Ned says, in the meantime, he thinks she has some fences to mend. She says, what if it’s too late? and he says, would that stop her? She says she needs to shower and change before she makes things right with Chase. And Ned needs to double Leo’s allowance.

Anna says she appreciates Laura’s concern, and promises, whatever happens with Valentin, she has her eyes wide open. Laura says, okay, and Anna reaches for the check, but Laura says, her treat. Just to clarify, she’s not telling Anna how to live her life. She’s reminding Anna that she said Valentin had changed when he came back from the clinic, but she didn’t tell Laura if it was for better or for worse. Anna says, it’s kind of a little of both. When he shows up, when he’s present, he’s very attentive. Laura says, and more committed to his father, and Anna gets up. Laura tells her, love can be intoxicating. Don’t let it rob her of her better sense. Trust, but verify. Anna says, okay, they exchange I love yous, and Anna leaves.

Chase is sunning himself, and looks over to see towel girl on the next chaise. She waves to him, and he gives her a weak smile. He takes out his phone, and calls Brook. She answers as she’s walking into the pool area, and he says, don’t hang up. He thinks they need to talk. She says, no time like the present, and he looks over, seeing her.

Doc is putting the puzzle away, when Finn dashes in. He says he needs to see Elizabeth, and Doc says, he’s sorry, but… Finn says, the last thing he wants to do is force himself into this situation, but he’s not just some guy who cares about Elizabeth. He’s a doctor, and before Doc goes, wrong specialty, just remember denial can be infectious too. Please take him to her. He just wants to help. Doc says he’s sorry, but Elizabeth’s gone.

Gregory asks if Alexis’s text said something interesting, and she says, the latest submission to the op ed page. He says he tried to tell her earlier, but he’s guessing she was the star of her high school debate team; she didn’t really give him a chance. She says, no need to explain. Turns out he’s accepted her challenge after all.

In a woodsy section of the park, Anna is on the phone. She says she’s calling regarding a former patient of theirs. Victor stands behind her, and he’s so obvious, I can’t believe she doesn’t notice. She says, his name is Valentin Cassadine.

Valentin walks into the MetroCourt Gardens and sees Laura still at the table, texting. He says he’s glad he found her. Can he join her?

Tomorrow, Britt says she hopes Terry has better luck than she did; Ned asks Cody if they should be looking for a replacement; Victor asks Anna what her relationship is with his son; and Laura wants to know why Valentin is talking about her mayoral tenure in the past tense.

Southern Charm

Shep takes Little Craig to play in the park, and meets Pringle. They bro hug, and Shep says, they need to watch Little Craig. When he was there with Danni, it was a disaster. We flash back to Little Craig going into the river, and Shep says, there’s a Jekyll and Hyde in there. Pringle says, like Craig and Austen.

Craig calls Paige from his car, and says he doesn’t know what to do about the Austen situation. Austen was trying to figure out if the time he and Naomie hung out overlapped when he was seeing Paige. We flash to Naomie telling Craig what Austen said, and Paige says, it’s mean to say to any girl. Craig says, Austen wants people to have a problem with him. He doesn’t know if he wants to stay friends. Paige says, the day Austen stops having Craig’s back, is the day he stops being a friend, and Craig says, that already happened.

Shep tells Pringle that he doesn’t care where you are in life; you need to foster friendships. He thinks he should invite the boys over for a barbecue, and Pringle says, let’s get the band back together. Paige tells Craig, if he and Austen don’t talk, their issues will just fester. Regardless of the outcome, he’ll feel better. Pringle asks Shep how Taylor is, and Shep says she gave him a scare. She said she was late, and for three or four days, he thought, f***; this is it. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. Pringle says, it’s an eye-opening event, and in Shep’s interview, he says he likes the autonomy, and doesn’t want it to come to an end. He asks how old Pringle was when he had his first kid, and Pringle says, 35. Shep says, when he was 35, there was no way he could have had kids, and we flash back to Thomas telling him that Kathryn is pregnant. Pringle asks if Shep wants kids someday, but Shep says he doesn’t know if he has that yearning. Once you have them, your life is gone; it’s like you played life wrong. The more it becomes a talking point with Taylor, the more he disengages. Pringle says, if Taylor wants kids, at some point, Shep will have to figure that out, and Shep says, why screw with it when it’s working? His life isn’t set in stone; he doesn’t know where he’ll be 6 months from now. Pringle says, if you have a kid you will.

Taylor meets Marcie for baby shopping, and Marcie shows her the latest ultrasound. Marcie says, she looks like John, holding up a picture of her husband for comparison, and by God, she does. Marcie asks if Taylor can imagine a baby Shep. Have they talked about it? Taylor says they had a scare, but she’s not pregnant, which is fine. Her family is traditional and religious, and she’d rather be married. Marcie thinks that concept in Shep’s head is foreign. It’s weird, since their family is also traditional, and it’s like, where did things go wrong in Shep’s brain? In Marcie’s interview, she says she thinks Shep is afraid of commitment. Nobody in their family has ever been divorced. She respects that they do it for the long haul, and believes Shep would be looked down on if he ended up divorced. Taylor says, at some point, she wants Shep to think about being serious, and if they can’t get there, unfortunately, they’ll have to go their separate ways. Marcie says, you can’t be a kid forever.

Madison (bleh) meets Venita for lunch. I think. It’s light outside. Madison says, their birthdays are coming up, and Venita says, Madison’s has passed, but as Libras, they celebrate all month. That’s a new one on me, but I’m Sagittarian. We celebrate all year. Madison says, one of her clients has a house, and will let them use it, and Venita says, they should do a joint party, which I thought was what Madison was implying in the first place. Madison tells Venita that she’s in love, and boyfriend Brett makes her want to be a better person. Wow. Now there’s a daunting task. In Madison’s interview, she says she and Brett met when she was at a bachelorette party. They made eye contact, and fell in love. She thinks he might be the one. She tells Venita that Brett has BDE, and asks if Venita is dating anyone, but Venita says she’s hyper-focused on her career. She can’t have someone in her space. In Venita’s interview, she says she’s had issues with boundaries in past relationships. She found out through her Instagram DMs that her ex had cheated. She has lots of guards up. She says, it was nice to see Madison and Austen getting along, and we flash back to them at Leva’s party. Madison says she’s retired from drama, but Kathryn’s party was interesting. She saw people screaming, and wondered what was happening. Venita says, Olivia was screaming at her when she was trying to help Naomie. Another wow. Exaggerate much? Olivia wasn’t even loud, although the other women were loud with her. Madison says she felt bad when she saw Olivia get attacked. Now I’m even more irritated, since I agree with her. Venita insists Olivia wasn’t attacked, but Madison says, they all caught her off-guard. Venita tries to fix this by saying she’s too much of a fixer, and was just trying to help. Madison tells her, Naomie speaks five languages; she’s not a dumbass. She’ll figure it out. In Venita’s interview, she says, Madison makes a good point. She’s not sorry for what she said, but the way she said it. Her communication skills aren’t always great. Madison says, if Olivia’s got thick skin, she’ll survive.

Olivia and mom Robin have wine and cheese. Their yorkie whines for some cheese, and it’s the cutest thing. They talk about Olivia’s parents being married 35 years, and Robin says Olivia will meet someone like her dad, but Olivia says she doesn’t know if there’s any more of dad out there. In Olivia’s interview, she says, her parents are a cohesive fit, and never got out of their honeymoon stage. Olivia tells Robin that Austen wants to Netflix and chill, and Robin says, he’s got the wrong girl. Olivia says, they’re in a feeling-it-out place, and in her interview, she says she wants someone sweet and considerate. She shouldn’t be Ubering. Pick her up. Olivia tells Robin about Kathryn’s party, and says, there was a bit of a hiccup with the girls. Robin says, as long as Olivia is being nice, don’t worry, but Olivia says, the conversation could have gone better. She was like, exit stage left. It doesn’t need to be an ongoing issue. In her interview, Olivia says, she’d rather walk away, and say what she needs to later, than say too much in a hurry, and get herself in trouble. She was put off by it, and she’s not done with Naomie and Venita just yet.

Whitney drives Patricia to the farmer’s market, and he tells her, the champagne is cooling in the back. He says, it’s going to be a bumpy ride, and insists Lauren Bacall said it. Patricia says, Betty Davis, and we flash back to her seeing Whitney’s old loft apartment, and saying, what a dump. They argue about it, and Patricia bets him $1000. We don’t see it, but I assume he looks it up on his phone, because he says he’ll write her a check. She says she wants cash. They also either didn’t show it or Patricia missed it; the quote is, fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night. Whitney says, it he feels like Driving Miss Daisy, and Patricia says she misses Michael. Whitney does too. Michael’s stroke after the unexpected loss of his dad; it was a horror show. We see a picture of Whitney and his dad Lon, and in Patricia’s interview, she says, he was a nice, kind, brilliant man. They were married 15 years, then divorced. He needed a corporate wife, and she was selling paintings to museums and traveling. They stayed friendly. She adored him and he was a great father. We see a video of him and Whitney, and she says, he was a fabulous man; attractive in every way. She tells Whitney, at least he was only ill with leukemia for a few weeks. They get to the market, and Patricia is unsure what winter squash is. She says, the domestic arts elude her, and in her interview, she says, Whitney cooks, but he’s vegan. It’s hard to make vegetables exciting every night. Does she want another cauliflower steak? No. She misses Michael, and wants bacon. We see a clip of Michael taking her to McDonald’s and her saying, don’t tell Whitney. Michael says, Whitney is the first person he’s telling. After shopping, they get back in the car, and Patricia says she’s going to open the Bible – i.e. pop open the champagne.

Craig calls Austen from the car, and says he was wondering if Austen wanted to meet up. Austen says he’s on Pitt Street, and Craig says he’ll meet him there. He hangs up, and says, it’s on. It’s amazing how middle school dramatic these dudes are. They meet at a park, and Craig says, he’s kind of bummed. He feels a disconnect, and thinks they should talk. Austen asks why Craig keeps pushing him away, and Craig says he feels like Austen keeps tearing him down. Austen says he’s a champion for Craig, and this makes no sense. Craig says, Austen was inquiring about the timeline of his hooking up with Naomie, but Austen says he doesn’t care about that. Craig told him that it didn’t happen, and he felt like an outsider. It made him look stupid. Craig says, if Austen had found out he cheated, what would he have done with the information? I’m surprised Craig isn’t bringing up Austen actually saying something to Paige in the first place. Austen agrees that it’s none of his business, and he shouldn’t have put his nose where it didn’t belong. Craig says, it seems like there’s underlying hared. What’s the resentment about? Austen says, Craig has been a sh*tty friend. He uses their friendship when it’s convenient. Craig asks when he did that, and Austen says, Craig hung out with him when Craig was single and didn’t want to be alone. We flash back to them hanging out over the years, and Austen says, then Craig found a girlfriend and bailed. In Austen’s interview, he says, even though they’re not dating, it’s the longest, most steady relationship he’s had in years. Craig asks why he should hang out with someone who throws him under the bus, and Austen says he doesn’t want to be that kind of friend. Craig says he’d love to rekindle their friendship, but asks Austen to try not to do anything to sabotage his relationships. Be nice and kind, and keep moving forward. Austen wonders if they should hug, but Craig says, they never have before, and the whole thing ends awkwardly and hugless.

Chleb’s mom Debbie calls Kathryn while Kathryn is driving. Is anyone not in the car when they get/make a phone call? In Kathryn’s interview, she says, Debbie brings maternal energy to her life. Since she lost her mom, it’s nice to be bonding with her boyfriend’s mom. She tells Debbie that when she has the kids, Debbie has to come over. She says she hasn’t seen Chleb since he left five days ago after their fight, and in her interview, she says, they had a fight over nothing. For him to leave triggered her abandonment issues. She tells Debbie that she doesn’t know if she and Chleb are growing toward the same thing. He’s not making the effort she wants him to. Debbie says, Chleb does care. He told her that he was trying to be there for Kathryn, but doesn’t know what else to do. Kathryn says she’d love to have a conversation with him, and Debbie suggests Kathryn make a dinner peace offering. Light candles, and suggest a do-over.

Shep invites friend Tony over for the barbecue, and tells him, the last barbecue was a disaster. We flash back to Craig not knowing how to grill when he said he did, and Shep tells Tony that he’s in charge. Shep takes some tuna out of the refrigerator, smells it, pronounces it funky, and makes the executive decision to jettison the tuna. The guys all come with something to contribute, and Chleb says he’s been laying low, chilling, keeping his head clear. Craig brings a bottle of rum, and tells Shep that he thinks Madison (ugh) is engaged, and is about to announce it on Amazon Live. He doesn’t think Austen knows, hence the rum. Shep says he thinks Austen will be indifferent, but freaked out deep down. Craig thinks Austen is in denial, and beleives he and Madison are still getting back together.

Pringle says, they’re ready to start grilling, and Craig says, Pringle has impressive meat. Shep tells Austen and Chleb about Taylor being late, and how he doesn’t want kids. In Chleb’s interview, he says he doesn’t know why Shep isn’t using protection. Pull out and pray is not reliable.  Austen wonders what if Taylor eventually tells Shep that he wasted years of her life. Olivia wants to go to Australia for several months, and Taylor can’t go. Shep says, she can go for a couple of weeks, and I wonder if he’s her keeper. I think Taylor should dump him pronto, but I’m pretty sure they’re not together anymore. Shep says he knows people who have dated for five years, then realize they don’t want the same things. Austen says, Shep and Taylor’s goals and life aspirations are different, and Shep says, his life is a moving target. He doesn’t know what he wants. Austen says, it’s going to get to the point where Shep will have to sh*t or get off the pot, and in Austen’s interview, he says, Shep won’t compromise. It took him forever to find someone who would tolerate him because he’s selfish. They guys eat, and then decide to play cornhole. Shep says, the professionals spin it, and nearly beans Little Craig, who grabs a cornhole bag and shakes it. There’s a hole in it, and it’s game over. They sit down, and Craig’s phone dings. He tells Austen that his ex is doing something crazy online; she says she has big news. We see a video of Madison, who says she’s been trying to keep this in. She is gaged [sic]. She flashes her ring, and says, he did good.  Austen says, poor bastard; a life of servitude to Medusa. Someone asks Madison about her exes, and she says, the ex who means the most to her is her son’s father, and he’s happy for them. He’s the only ex who’s meant anything to her. In Austen’s interview, he says, everything Madison does is a subtle jab at him. As if he needed more reason not to have her in his life. Shep what percent they have of making it to the altar, and in Shep’s interview, he says he hopes Austen feels relieved. He didn’t dodge a bullet; he dodged a cannonball. In Craig’s interview, he says, for a long time, Madison and Austen thought they’d end up together. Austen is starting to realize that chapter is closed. Shep says, Madison upstaged his barbecue, but it could be Austen. Chleb asks how Austen was with the stepdad role, and Austen says, he took Madison’s son to school and things like that, but his dad was very present. Chleb says, Kathryn has her kids every other weekend, but he works weekends, so he doesn’t get to see them much. Craig says he thinks Kathryn is nervous that if she gets more custody, Chleb will leave. We see a clip of Kathryn telling Craig that she has this turmoil with Thomas, but when she tries to talk about it, Chleb thinks she’s being dramatic or she gets a blank stare. Chleb says, Kathryn is a good mom, and Craig thinks telling her would go a long way. Chleb says he hasn’t been home for a few days. He’s been staying with his cousin Chelsie. His mom tells him to fix it, and it weighs on his heart. Shep says, Kathryn can burn a bridge like no one else, and Craig suggests they sit down and try. Chleb says, they’re supposed to have dinner tonight, and in his interview, he says, it was a little argument little gone too far. They should be able to work through it; he loves her. Shep says, Chleb has a lot going on. His head is still processing Madison.

Kathryn is still cooking when Chleb comes in. She says, he’s been gone almost an entire week. Where has he been? He says he was staying with Chelsie, and she says, he just ghosted her. He says, they got in a fight, that’s all, and in Kathryn’s interview, she says she thought Chleb was her forever person. Now she feels like he has one foot in the door and one foot out. She asks if he wants to be with her, and he says he came to make up. She asks what he planned to say, and he says, he wants to come home; he loves her. Kathryn says she feels he lacks empathy about what’s going on with her, and he says, it’s always about her feelings. She says she’s the only one opening up. All she does is try to understand him. Chleb tells her to listen to him. He loves her and wants to make it work. She says, she can’t have him react to a problem by abandoning ship because he doesn’t want to deal. He says he needed space, but he’s here now; let’s talk. She says, is he kidding her? She doesn’t know if she can. She suggests they sit and have dinner, and they both push their food around for a moment in silence.

Kathryn asks if Chleb thinks they can make this work, and he says, he’s obviously trying to make it work. Kathryn over the last several days, she’s thought about what she needs and isn’t getting. She feels he’s emotionally unavailable, and she hasn’t seen him taking the steps to fulfill the role she’d like someone to fill. He says, it’s hard to fill. He didn’t know what he was getting into (he’s never seen the show?), and she threw the kids at him three months in. When he sees the battle she has with Thomas, it makes him pull back. It’s a lot for somebody to go through. Kathryn says she’s got two kids and an ongoing custody battle. If he’s overwhelmed emotionally, maybe he shouldn’t be in a relationship. She’d thought they were building a solid foundation for a solid future, but it’s not working. Chleb thinks she should calm down and clear her head, but she says she can’t try if he’s not trying. She thinks it’s best for them to go their separate ways. In her interview, she says, after who she’s dated historically, her requirements were be kind and be a good human, but sometimes it’s not enough. Chleb says, this tough for him; he’s going to grab some stuff. As Kathryn tosses out dinner, I feel sad. They both quietly cry, he leaves, and she blows out the candles.

Next time, Craig says, punctuation is worse than emojis in texts (good to know); Chleb says he doesn’t know how to show emotion; Taylor confronts Shep; Madison (ugh) has a birthday party for Venita; Patricia proposes a clean slate, but no f-words please.

🛶 Denial Ain’t a River…

Come sit a spell tomorrow for soap, tea, quotes to ponder, and music to listen to. Until then, stay safe, stay engaged with the real world, and stay trusting, but verifying.