Tag Archives: Summer House

May 1, 2023 – Anna and Holly Head For Greenland, Gary Is An Awful Person With a Man Bun On Deck, Carl Panic Attacks Himself Into the Hospital & First

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

A huge crate comes into the warehouse, and a guy we’ll just call Mr. P tells a guard to bring in the others, but Sonny says, not yet. Last time he did something for Pikeman, he was ambushed at his own warehouse. Let’s talk about that.

Somewhere in Greenland. Obrecht looks at some slides, and Victor comes in, since he won’t let her work in peace. I’m not sure how he expects anyone to get anything done when he’s interrupting them all the time. He asks her to give him some good news, and she says, the antigen is sound. He asks why she doesn’t sound more upbeat about it, and she says, the antidote is uncertain and you won’t stop bugging my ass. Without it, those he has marked for survival may perish. A significant roadblock, no? He says, that’s the thing about roadblocks. You just have to find your way around them, and he has complete faith she can do just that. She says she can find workarounds, but these things take time. He says, that’s the one thing none of them have, especially not her great niece Willow.

Outside, a guard says, let’s go back, and the other says, sounds good to him. As they’re about to leave, the phone Valentin dropped starts to ring, and one guard asks if the other heard that. Valentin pops out from behind the rock, and they tell him, don’t move.

Martin meets Nina at the MetroCourt, and she thanks him for coming straight from the airport. How is his mom? He says, his mom is high-spirited and happy, and thanks her for asking. He just wishes he could say the same thing as for his sister. Nina says, she must be going through it. Nina also has someone she loves trapped on the Haunted Star, and it’s been non-stop fear. Martin says, Laura hasn’t answered any of his calls today. He’s going over to her place after they take care of business. That being said, what was so important that Nina had to see him the minute he landed? She says she asked him to inform the SEC about Carly and Drew’s insider trading, and he says, what of it? She says she needs him to call it off.

Carly goes back to the Quartermaine mansion, and Michael lets her in. She hugs him, and says she feels awful for ruining Willow’s big night. He says he and Willow are married; tonight is far from ruined. Besides, it’s not her fault; it’s Ned’s fault. She asks if Ned actually admitted turning them in, and Michael says, of course (🍷) not, but if it wasn’t Ned, who would have gone to the SEC?

Martin tells Nina that the SEC isn’t Wyndham’s. They don’t have a return policy on criminal behavior. She says, that’s what she figured, but she thought she’d ask, and he says, now it’s his turn. What’s with the second thoughts? She says, there are just some things she hadn’t fully considered with regard to potential fallout. He says, that might be, but he’s sorry. This is a done deal. She says, this could be a lot of worrying for nothing. There’s no guarantee the SEC is going to act on the anonymous tip that he left anytime soon, or at all. He says, actually, he thinks she’ll find the government has exceeded their expectations. He got a call from a friend of his about Carly. She was there at the police station tonight, being interviewed by the SEC.

Mr. P says, Pikeman was alarmed and dismayed to hear about the attempt on Sonny’s life, and they want to assure him, they’d never be party… Sonny says he knows Pikeman wasn’t behind the shooter. He confirmed their lack of involvement. Brick says, the shooter was untraceable. No fingerprints or DNA in any database. Mr. P says, so a professional, and Brick says, of a specific kind. He’s had military training, probably special ops. Sonny says, that’s not the kind of personnel he deals with, which leads him to believe he was just a means to an end. So whoever tried to kill him, did it to screw with Pikeman.

Anna says, Jordan is going to run interference for them long enough to keep the WSB at bay, and Holly says, Robert should be here any minute to help them hammer this out. The WSB absolutely cannot find out that Victor may be about to deploy a biological weapon on the world. Scotty walks in and says, that’s not their decision to make.

A guard asks, who else is here with Valentin? but Valentin says he’s here alone. The guard asks who he is, and he says he’s Valentin Cassadine. He’s here to see his father.

Holly says she doesn’t know what Scotty thinks he heard, and Scotty says, she seems to have made a miraculous recovery for someone who was burned up in a fire. There’s no scars or anything. If the two of them think they’re going to sacrifice his girlfriend, they’ve got another guess coming. Robert comes in, and tells them, keep it down. He could hear them all the way down the hall. Scotty asks if Robert is in cahoots with them as well, and Anna says, Scotty is operating under the misapprehension that they don’t want Liesl rescued. Robert says, as usual, Scotty has it all backward, and Scotty says, does he? He overheard Drew a while ago, talking about how Robert is withholding some information… Anna asks how long he’s been listening in, and Holly says, Jordan just left ten minutes ago. Anna says, he hasn’t done anything, has he? and Robert says, please tell him that Scotty hasn’t made contact with the WSB.

Obrecht tells Victor, don’t dare threaten Willow. Willow is her family, her great niece. She needs Obrecht’s help. Victor says he’s not threatening anyone; he’s just stating facts. The longer it takes her to prove the efficacy of the antidote, the less time her niece has to undergo a lifesaving procedure. She asks if she has his word he’ll release her if she completes the project (like his word means something), and he says, there’s only one way to find out. Do her job. A guard tells Victor that someone claiming to be his son is on the island, and Victor says he wants to speak to them. The guard radios that Victor wants to speak to the intruder, and Valentin says, hello, dad. Victor says, bring him here. Now.

Scotty says, news flash for Robert. After Ashford left, what he did or didn’t do is none of Robert’s business. Anna says, whether Scotty believes them or not, they’re all working toward the same outcome. So he needs to tell them if he relayed any information he heard to the WSB. Scotty says he doesn’t think they’re all working for the same outcome, but just to be on the level with them, he hasn’t said anything to anybody… yet. Anna says, he does understand people’s lives are at stake, and he says, how dare she say that to him? Liesl’s being held by a madman who wants to burn down the world. Robert says, they’re all working hard… Scotty says, at what? They have information that they could pass along to the WSB, and they can take out Victor. Now they’ve got the Commissioner working for them. None of this makes any sense to him. Holly slips out of the room, and Scotty says, Liesl’s done some pretty horrible things in her day, but he won’t let her be collateral damage for Anna and Robert. Anna tells him, just listen… but he says, save it. Because you know what? If they don’t tell the WSB, he sure as hell will.

Nina asks if Martin is telling her that Carly was officially questioned. She’s kind of shocked that the SEC acts so quickly. Martin says, so is he (me too!). Turns out the government is flat-footed and backlogged in everything but insider trading. That, and alimony payments. Just miss a couple of those suckers, and see what happens. Then again, it probably has more to do with his herd of ex-wives than it does with the government. Nina asks, what’s next with Carly and Drew? and Martin says, doubtless, Carly will face some sort of investigation, as will Drew. He’s sorry. At this point, it’s in the attorney’s hands. Now if there’s nothing else he can do for her, he’d like to go visit his sister. She thanks him, and he says he understands she’s worried, but there’s no point in second-guessing anything. She didn’t incite Drew or Carly to do anything. If there was insider trading, they did it themselves. All she did was report it. He says, goodnight, and leaves.

Michael brings Carly into the living room, and Willow says, they were so worried about her. Carly says she’s sorry the whole situation with the SEC overshadowed Willow’s wedding, but Willow says, the wedding was over. She’s just glad the police didn’t hold Carly longer, and that Drew is safe. Carly says, Sonny showed up and told the SEC that Drew was on a plane to Maui, and it did buy them some time. She’s no fan of Sonny’s, but she’s grateful he showed up when he did. Willow says, as far as she’s concerned, that’s proof they’re still important to him, and Carly looks at Michael. That’s right, Michael. Put Sonny away, and there will be no more stepping in to help when you need a weird favor.

Sonny tells Mr. P, seems to him, someone had a vested interest in preventing the shipment. So he has to wonder if that has something to do with what’s in the cargo. Mr. P says, that was a third party trying to stop them. He doesn’t see why the contents of the shipment is relevant. Sonny says, somebody tried to take his life. Mr. P doesn’t think that’s relevant? He had the assumption they were shipping weapons. Now he’s beginning to think they’re moving something bigger than guns. Mr. P says, they were under the impression Sonny wanted to minimize his involvement. Provide storage and facilitate shipping only. Sonny says, his impression’s wrong, and Mr. P signals to his man who picks up a crowbar, and opens the crate. Lousy spy Dex looks at the camera he hid. Brick moves some of the packing material around, and says, what the…? He tells Sonny, these are some of the world’s most powerful explosives, and Sonny asks, how powerful? Brick says, one brick could take out an entire city block. He steps aside with Sonny, and tells him, that stuff is in high demand. It’s very hard to get. People like it because it’s malleable and waterproof, and a little goes a long, long way. The US military keeps it under tight control; real tight. Sonny tells Mr. P, if this is the cargo they’re sending through his docks, he’s surprised more people didn’t take shots at it, and Mr. P tells Sonny, what can he say? Great rewards come with high risks. Sonny asks what fortune cookie he got that from says, this is something he’s not understanding. He feels like he’s taking all the risks.

Carly says, putting aside her situation with Sonny, she knows he’s worried about both of them, and Michael says he thinks the most important thing right now is to bring Liesl home safe and sound so she can be a bone marrow donor for Willow. And Drew is the one making that happen; not his dad. Willow says, Sonny decoyed the SEC to give Drew time to go after Liesl, you moron. Doesn’t that count for something?

Mr. P says, in regard to what’s in the crates, that information is tightly controlled. Leaks are very rare, and when they occur, those involved are dealt with swiftly. Are they going forward or not? Sonny adjusts his tie and says, Pikeman can use his docks this time, but not again. Not until they renegotiate the deal. By renegotiating the deal, he means he wants information on who’s behind the ambush. Mr. P says, understood, and tells his men to close the crate. Sonny thanks Brick for taking care of the Drew situation, and Brick says, his pleasure. Sonny asks if Brick can take care of the rest here. Nina’s waiting for him, and Obrecht’s missing. Brick says he’s got Sonny, and Sonny says he appreciates it. He tells Mr. P that his associate will take charge of the shipment from here, and calls Dex over. He says, Dex just needs to make sure the cash exchange goes smoothly. We see the camera recording them.

Victor snatches the walkie from his guard, and says, once they’ve brought him his son, check on their guests they left aboard the Haunted Star. Obrecht says, what an intriguing turn of events. But of course (🍷) he’s the man who thinks of everything. She’s sure he thought of his son showing up. He tells a guard to conduct a thorough search. There’s no way his son came here alone.

The guards move Valentin along, and behind the rock, Curtis says, there’s only one way to tell if it’s safe for them to move. He draws his gun, and comes out, Drew motioning for Laura to stay put.

Robert says, they can’t have Scotty rushing off to the WSB with what he just heard, but Scotty says, he doesn’t need their permission. Anna says, he has to understand, they have their reasons, and he says he’s all ears. She says, first of all, they don’t have incontrovertible proof, and he says he thinks he’ll just give the WSB a little call, taking out his phone. Anna says, if he makes that call… when Holly suddenly puts a cloth over Scotty’s mouth and nose, and he passes out. Holly smiles.

Mr. P hands Brick a briefcase, and says, it’s all in there. Brick says, they’re going to count it to be sure, and passes it to Dex. Dex opens the case, and Mr. P says, the last thing Pikeman would do is cheat Mr. Corinthos. They’re hoping this is the beginning of what will be a profitable relationship. Brick says, that will be up to Mr. Corinthos, and Mr. P says, deals this profitable aren’t easy to come by. Mr. Corinthos will find his affiliation with Pikeman will be life changing.

Michael says he sees Sonny is making an effort, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be held accountable for his actions in the past. Carly asks if they can’t just focus on the future, or try to, and Michael asks, what happened at the police station? Carly says she knows the government has frozen Aurora’s accounts and assets, and Michael says, damn it, Ned. Although he shouldn’t be surprised Ned’s games impacted the family business. What he can never forgive is Ned hurting Carly and Drew in the process. Willow asks if he really believes Ned would hurt them this way. He’s always been so kind. Michael says, Ned is a Quartermaine. He always puts ELQ ahead of everything else. He gets that it’s hard for Willow to see that; she always sees the best in everybody. She says, not always.

Nina walks into Pizzulo’s, and tells Kevin that Sonny’s expecting her.  He opens Sonny’s office door, and she goes in. She and Sonny kiss, and Sonny says, sorry to call her down here, but he needed to talk to someone. She says, tell her about the wedding, but he says he’s not going to. He doesn’t want her to be sad, but she says she wants to hear about it. How was Willow? He says, she looked beautiful, a vision, and Nina says she knew Willow would be. Everything wasn’t too much for her? He says, she did great. Nina should have seen the kids. She says she’s sure Wiley was very handsome. How did Donna and Avery do as flower girls? He says, terrible… Just kidding. She should have seen Baby Amelia; she had this pretty little dress on. He took pictures like she wanted. She thanks him, and says she’s glad Willow had a perfect day. He says, it wasn’t quite perfect, and she says, it was too much for Willow, wasn’t it? What happened? He says, no. Some agent from the SEC hauled Carly into the PCPD for colluding with Drew on insider trading. Nina flashes back to being on the phone with Martin, and saying she hasn’t changed her mind; just the opposite. She wants him to go all out and expose Drew and Carly for insider trading. She says, it happened at the wedding? and Sonny says, the good news is, they only held her a few hours. She asks if he thinks that’s the end of it, but he says, no, not for Carly or for Drew. The SEC is trying to find him now. She asks if Drew wasn’t at the wedding, and Sonny says, she hasn’t heard yet?

Curtis comes back, and says, the coast is clear. There’s no sign of any other guards. He thinks the best plan is to head to the Haunted Star. Laura says, but they don’t know how many guards Victor has on that ship, or scouring the rest of the island. They have to assume Victor knows Valentin didn’t come to the island by himself. Drew says he can go with Curtis to get everyone off that boat, and Curtis says he thinks the two-man approach is probably best. Drew asks if Curtis wants him to get Victor’s attention, and keep it off the Haunted Star, and Curtis says, exactly. Does he have any idea how to gain entry into the bunker? Laura says she knows how. (Of course <🍷> she does.) They give Victor exactly what he’s looking for – Valentin’s accomplice.

Robert gently settles Scotty into a chair, and asks Holly, sweetie pie, what have you done? She says she neutralized the threat; temporarily anyway. Anna says she thought she was getting through to him, but Holly says, he was literally dialing the phone to the WSB. They couldn’t take that chance. He’s got tunnel vison. He would literally do anything to save Obrecht. And doesn’t the Bureau strongly recommend against forming attachments? He says, that’s a rather cold calculation, and she thanks him. Anna asks how long he’ll be out, and Holly says, for a few hours. Then he’ll come around with a devil of a migraine. Anna says she’s concerned that Laura and the rest of the crew have no idea what Victor is actually planning, and Robert says, along with everyone else on that island. Holly says, which is why they have to get on the next flight to Greenland. Robert says he’s ready within the hour, and Anna says she’s ready now, hopping out of bed.

Laura says, Drew captures her and holds her prisoner, and gains entry by delivering her to Victor. Drew says, she’s here to rescue her grandsons. He can’t put her at Victor’s mercy, especially when he doesn’t have any. She says, he’s right, and she’s not going to rest until her grandsons are safe, and he’s not getting past those guards without her. Curtis says, he and Laura have been friends a long time; they’ve trusted each other with their lives. Trusting him with her life is one thing; trusting he can rescue her grandkids is another. He promises her, he won’t leave the Haunted Star without them. He’d rather die before he’d let anything happen to Trina or her boys. She says she believes that. So she’ll go with Drew, and keep Victor busy. They hear radio static coming toward them.

Robert asks what Anna is doing, and she says, taking care of business. It’s what she does. He says, it’s what they all do, what they’re best at, but she’s recuperating and has nothing to prove. She says she believes she has a score to settle with Victor, and he says, she’s one stubborn woman. Holly tells him, she would say brave, but she does have to ask. Is Anna sure she’s up for this? Anna says she has to see it through, and Robert asks if this is because of Valentin. Is this guy really worth the risk? Anna tells him, stop talking, and looks around for her clothes. She finds the bag with her stuff, and Robert asks, what about Scotty? Holly says, he’ll be unconscious for some time. He says, then he’ll just go home, pack a bag, and… Don’t even think it. Anna says, he has to stay here, and not just because there’s an unconscious man in her room, and Holly says she’s with Anna. If the WSB gets wind of what they’re doing, he can buy some time. And he can keep them posted on what’s happening in Port Charles. He says, it’s not that he doesn’t have faith in them – he does – but this is probably the most dangerous mission they’ve ever embarked on. Anna and Holly go on either side of him, each taking an arm, and walk him to the door. Holly says, she and Anna were both married to him, and they’ll survive. She gently pushes him into the hallway, and closes the door. She and Anna fist bump.

Victor tells Obrecht to get back to work, and she says, what’s the point? Valentin found him. It’s only a matter of time before others do too. He says, all the more reason to expedite her work, and she says, time is not the only impediment here. The stabilizers and some stuff I don’t understand are all insufficient. He says, in layman’s terms, what’s going on? and she says, in order to make this work, she needs preservatives, single dose vials. Otherwise, the antidote could be easily contaminated. He says, precisely why he has her here. He knows she can get past these problems. She says, even if she could solve the preservative problem, this endeavor of his is reckless, futile, doomed. He says he seems to recall her saying this could be a crowning scientific achievement, and she says, scientifically speaking, she still does, but it’s time to retreat, regroup. He says, if he stops the process now, who knows how long this will set him back. She says, he’s made a valiant effort. His brilliant plan just can’t come to fruition under these circumstances. He says he supposes she’s right. He just has to reevaluate part of his plan. She says, good, and thanks him for listening to her, but he says he hasn’t been bested. Not by his son or by any doubt. He still holds all the cards, including her.

Sonny says, there’s a possible location on Nina’s Aunt Liesl, and she asks where Victor took Obrecht. He says he can’t say, because he doesn’t know, but what he does know is, Drew went out to find her. That’s why he was missing from the wedding. He went out to find Nina’s aunt. He’s going to bring her home and save Willow’s life. Don’t worry about it. He threw the SEC off the scent. He got Brick to make Drew’s name appear on a manifest for a flight going from San Diego to Maui. They won’t know he’s not there until he doesn’t get off the plane. She says, but that’s just a temporary dodge. Eventually, the SEC will find out it’s a false lead, and be back on Drew’s trail. What if the SEC finds Drew before he can bring Aunt Liesl home? What does that mean for Willow? I’d say, there’s no way they’re going to Greenland, but since they show up on an anonymous tip before you hang up the phone, who knows?

Carly tells Willow, it’s all her fault. Drew did everything he could to discourage her from investing in Aurora, but she wouldn’t listen. Michael did too, but she was so determined to support them. Now look. It all came back to bite her. She lost her hotel, there’s an SEC investigation, Aurora’s assets have been frozen… Michael says, let’s forget about that. It can be dealt with later. He thinks they should call it a night. Carly says, of course (🍷). She agrees. She suggests she walk Willow to the gatehouse while Michael wraps things up here, and Willow asks Michael to find her bouquet. She wants to put it in water, and make it last a few more days. Carly tells him to make sure he gets the top of the wedding cake. They have to put it the freezer at the gatehouse, so they can eat it on their first wedding anniversary. True story. We did that, but since our freezer was so small, my in-laws kept it in theirs. The day before our anniversary, my husband went to pick it up, and his brother had eaten it the previous day, not knowing what it was. FYI, frozen cake does not taste that great after a year.

The guards come around to the rock again, when Laura comes limping out, wailing for help. They ask what she’s doing here, and she thanks them, saying, she needs help. She limps to them, and before they realize it, locks arms with the both of them, and says, now boys. Curtis and Drew rush the guards.

Brick takes the briefcase, and tells Dex that he can find his own way back. He goes to the door, turns around, and says, words of advice if Dex wants to stay in this business. Outside of Sonny, trust nobody. Dex says, not even him? and Brick says, especially not him, and leaves. Dex flashes back to hiding the camera when Brick was talking to Sonny on the phone.

Sonny tells Nina, Drew’s a smart guy. He’s sure Drew’s taken every precaution in covering his tracks. She says, but the government is resourceful. Drew is missing. Won’t that intensify everything? He says, probably so, and she says, this could interrupt the rescue mission; make it impossible for Drew to bring Aunt Liesl home. And Aunt Liesl is Willow’s last chance. Again I ask, why aren’t they actively looking for another donor? Sonny tells her, take it easy. He’s going to do everything he can to make sure Drew’s mission is successful. She thanks him, and says, surely the SEC has bigger fish to fry than Carly and Drew. He says he doesn’t know about that, and don’t call him Shirley. From his experience, the government prioritizes its money. He doesn’t know who tipped off the SEC, but they’re not only hurting Carly and Drew, they’re hurting Willow.

Carly brings in the wheelchair, and Willow says she never thought she’d get to the point she couldn’t walk to the gatehouse. Carly says, it’s been a long day for Willow, helping her into the chair, and Willow says, for Carly too, and not in a good way. Carly says, Diane’s an amazing lawyer. She’ll get it all figured out. Willow asks how she can be so sure, and Carly says she knows if they stick together as a family, they can make it through anything. They join hands.

Dex gets the camera, turns it off, and says, gotcha. He takes out his phone, and leaves the warehouse.

Michael’s phone dings, and he says, Dex. He sees a money and camera emoji, and flashes back to telling Dex, so Sonny draws the line at drugs, but is willing to ship weapons of war. Dex says, there’s only two reasons people want to ship under the cloak of darkness. Either what they’re shipping is dirty, or what they’re moving is being supplied to dirty people. This deal is extremely lucrative for Sonny, but extremely dicey. Michael says, this is how they bring Sonny down.

Holly lets Robert back in the room, and he says, Anna is in no shape to go charging off to Greenland. She says, perhaps he’s right, but she feels that they’re all in for a world of hurt if Victor’s plan is successful. Holly says, sorry to leave him with this mess, and he says he’s been cleaning up messes for the both of them for years now. He’s highly experienced at it. Anna says, and they love him for it. She and Holly kiss Robert on the cheek, and he smiles. They leave, and Scotty mumbles in his sleep.

Laura waits behind the rock, when Curtis and Drew come back dressed in the guards’ uniforms. Laura says, very convincing, and Curtis says he is going to bring them home safely. All of them. She says she knows he will. Good luck. He jets, and Drew asks if Laura is absolutely sure she wants to do this. She can still wait by the seaplane until he gives the all-clear. She says she knows he wants to protect her, but he can’t get past those guards without her. And once they get inside… they’ll think of something. He has to trust that she knows what she’s doing. He says, okay. Let’s do this. She says, from this point on, she’s his prisoner, and he ties her wrists in front. They head for the bunker, Drew following Laura with his gun drawn.

Victor says he’s sure it fits with Obrecht’s agenda for him to give up now, but his plan is moving ahead. He just has to speed up the timetable. She says, there’s no way to know if the antidote is viable without testing it on a human subject, and he says, that’s the plan. She says she refuses to use Spencer or Trina as her test subjects. She won’t risk cutting short a young, innocent life. He asks if she’d have qualms about using a more mature subject. Someone who’s decidedly less innocent. Valentin is brought in, and Victor says, perfect timing, son.

The text says, In Loving Memory of Nneka Garland, and we see photos.

Tomorrow, Dex asks Josslyn how Drew managed to avoid the SEC; Robert asks Elizabeth to trust him; and Valentin tells Victor to end this madness.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

2nd day of charter. In Colin’s interview, he says, Chase has a good work ethic, but in Gary’s interview, he says, Chase thinks he knows more than he does. There’s no way in hell he’d talk back to a superior that way. He’s been working on boats for 12 years. Shut it and listen to him. He tells Chase, the boat looks good, and asks Glenn if they’ll be sailing, but Glenn says, there’s not much breeze in the forecast. Glenn tells primary Kim that they’re not getting any wind, so there won’t be much sailing, and she says she understands. He suggests taking them out in the tender, and setting up the rope swing. Breakfast is served, and there’s smoked salmon eggs benedict that makes me want to cry. In Daisy’s interview, she says, the negative feedback makes her feel like she’s sh*t at her job. So she’s taking the opportunity to train the stews as much as she can, and make sure Glenn stays the f*** off her back. Ileisha ordered eel for making sushi, and realizes she’s received a live one. In her interview, she says, they’re like the snakes of the ocean, and freak her out. Growing up in the bush, a python once came through the window, and wrapped itself around the bath. She screamed for help, and her dad had to chop its head off. She was traumatized. Colin cuts the head off, and Lucy screams. She says, it’s horrible, and in the meantime on deck, Kim is saying, this is the most incredible experience.  

The guests go swimming, and Daisy tells the stews to do the cabins. Gary finds that the eFoils (kind of like surfboards) haven’t been charged, and whines about things not being done. Chase asks if one of the stews can come on the tender to pour drinks for the guests, but Gary says he’s sure Chase can go by himself. Lucy tells Glenn that Daisy is sleeping, and she’s not making the call, so Glenn says he’ll make the call. He’s sending her with Chase. In Chase’s interview, he says, thank God he’s self-. The guests are expecting a certain standard. If this was his first time working on a boat and he needed to be taught, considering Gary’s leadership style, he’d be f***ed. When Daisy wakes up, Mads tells her that Lucy went on the tender, but fails to mention Glenn is the one who sent her. Colin and Gary get the eFoils going and ride them out to the tender, and when Daisy sees them, she gets doubly pissed off. In her interview, she says, the boys can f*** around, but the girls have to be with the guests at all times. She’s fuming.

The guests come back, and Lucy explains that Glenn told her to go. Glenn curses the fact there’s no wind, and Chase tells Mads that he’d like to get with Mads. Gary tells the guests that they’ll set up the rope swing for after lunch, and Lucy tells Mads about Chase. Mads says, that’s literally not happening, and in her interview, she says, it was one kiss bro; relax. It’s not that she’s not interested, but there are a lot of other guys on the boat, and she’s sure there are other options. She loves samples. In Alex’s interview, he says he typically dates models with daddy issues, and it hasn’t gone extremely well. Mads is new for him. She’s not high maintenance. Maybe it’s time to break the mold. Ileisha is running late, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Ileisha is feeling the pressure, since she’s a little late with service, but the guests are so lovely, she doesn’t think they really care… which she’s grateful for. When I see the lunch chef has prepared, I’d willingly wait for it too. Anchor is home, and Daisy tells Ileisha that the guests very happy. The boat moves along, and Glenn asks Colin how the engine is doing. Colin says, it’s purring, and Gary tells Chase to take a break, but Chase says he’s got to set up the rope swing. Gary thinks it’s going to be a long season, and in his interview, he says, it doesn’t seem like anything he tells Chase matters. Daisy complains to Gary about Lucy leaving the boat, and in Gary’s interview, he says, it’s easier licking Daisy’s ass than disagreeing with her. He’s just going to tell her what she wants to hear.  They anchor at Grande Pervero, and Chase falls asleep in the crew mess. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s doing a bourbon tasting menu, and it’s best to serve something soft, smoky, salty with a heavy liquor. She’s making southern comfort food, and plans on knocking it out of the park with her presentation. Guest Justin (Guarini) tells the others to tell his children that he loves them before going on the rope swing. I have to say, he looks good; a lot better than when he was on American Idol. Guest Kelly lets go too early, and wails that she hurt her right boob.

Daisy says, they’re doing the table in orange and brown, and eww! Gary with his hair out of the man bun is worse than in the man bun. As far as I’m concerned, there are only two men in the world allowed to have man buns; Sensei Guillermo Gomez and Roger Howarth. Daisy tells Gary that he smells of tea tree and his fly is open. He asks why she’s looking. Primary Ian says, the attention to detail is amazing, and in the galley, Ileisha frets over the lamb being overcooked. She says, there’s always something. She can never do everything right. Glenn tells her not to let it get to her; she’s doing great, and he thinks it will be fine. Ian realizes they left a mess of clothes on the floor, and jets to the cabin to pick everything up, but Mads and Lucy already have it done. He says he came down to clean up their mess, and Lucy says, that’s their job. He says, it wasn’t intended, and reminds me of another true story. Someone broke a glass at my wedding reception, so I went back into the kitchen to get a broom to sweep it up. The caterers were like, um… that’s not your job. Kim says she’s warm, fuzzy, and happy inside, and Glenn tells Ileisha that it’s okay to be a perfectionist, but don’t let it break her flow. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s a people pleaser, and thinks it comes from her upbringing. She has survivor’s guilt because her mom lost two kids. It was ingrained in her to be the best version of herself, and puts pressure on herself to make sure people are really full and happy. Alex goes on anchor watch, and it starts to thunder. The wind picks up around 1 am, and Alex says, sh*t’s about to get weird. The wind is up to 15 knots by 2 am, there’s lightning, and things are rocking.

Glenn comes out to check what’s happening, and Alex says, there was no wind. He went out to put on the covers, and it suddenly came up. In Gary’s interview, he says, Alex has done everything right so far, but Glenn is quick to react after last season’s anchor drag. He thinks if Colin farted, Glenn would jump out of bed and run to the bridge. Glenn tells Alex to keep a close eye on it, and call him if there’s anything over 20 knots. Another amazing breakfast is served, and I think about the leftover Chinese food I had for dinner. the guests don’t want to leave, and Ian says he saw some cupboards they could hide in. Gary gets picky about something else with Chase, and says, it’s all about being prepared. In Chase’s interview, he says he can’t catch a break with Gary, who’s just looking for a reason to be upset, and in Gary’s interview, he says, Chase is trying to piss him off. The boat is docked, and Glenn radios the crew to say goodbye to the guests. Ian says, he can’t even express what an amazing adventure they’ve been given, and Kim says, they were blown away about the kindness they lead with. She gives Glenn the tip envelope, and says, it’s an honor to give them this. As they leave, Glenn blows the horn and everyone waves. Glenn tells the crew, well done. Daisy tells the stews, the more we get done today, the more we do tomorrow [sic]. I think she might be a little off, and the drinking hasn’t even started. Gary says, he came late, so he’s just being a fly on the wall when they go out. He asks who Colin has his eye on now that he’s single, and in Colin’s interview, he says, Gary’s had it easy for the last two seasons. The girls were fighting over him. For the first time, he has a little competition. Gary says he doesn’t cause drama; drama tends to find him. Ugh. He’s such an a-hole.

At the tip meeting, Glenn says, what a charter. A complete 180 from the first one. He tells Daisy that she did a good job; service was on point. It seems her team found their groove. She says she’s happy with the teamwork and communication, and in her interview, she says she’s elevated by the positive feedback. It’s what they needed, and she’s one step closer to a margarita. Glenn says, they’re good attitude makes a difference, and commends Colin on getting the engine running. He tells Ileisha that it’s not easy doing a meal like the bourbon tasting. Her food has been delicious, and she’s doing a great job. He’s glad Gary is back; it made a big difference. Gary says he’s happy with his team, Alex says he learned a lot, and Glenn says, there’s a reason they have a first officer. The tip is $23K, or 2250 euros each. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, yes and yes. She’ll take that sh*t. You’re welcome. They work for a hot minute, and Gary gets on the radio, saying, this is your captain speaking. It’s time to get f***ed up. The crew changes, and goes to an Italian restaurant. A few of them step away for a smoke, and Ileisha asks who Gary is crushing on. He says, everyone, and Ileisha asks who Chase’s type is – say it. After some poking and prodding, he admits it’s Mads. At the table, Alex says he spent 45 minutes getting ready, and Lucy says, he spends more time on his hair than she does. Gary comes back, and tells Lucy that red is her color. She tells him, f*** off, but Chase senses crying himself to sleep. In his interview, he says, f***ing Gary. He just admitted he liked Mads. He knows a snake when he sees a snake, and Gary is kind of an a-hole. Kind of?

Gary tries to kiss Daisy, but she’s not having it. In her interview, she says, she can’t read Gary. She sees how he behaves with her, and he does the same thing with every single girl. We flash back to Gary putting the moves on pretty much every stew he’s worked with, and Daisy says, it’s hard to take him seriously. Gary says, they can’t have that conversation when alcohol is involved, and the crew goes back to the boat. They get in the hot tub, and Mads tells Gary, touch her, and she’ll  knock his man bun out. Chase sits by himself for a while, then gets out of the jacuzzi and goes to bed. Mads and Gary are left with a falling asleep Alex, and Gary tells him that he’s going to drown. Somehow, Alex manages to get out of the tub, and toddles off. Gary says he thinks Mads is gorgeous. He tells her that both Chase and Alex said they liked her, but at the end of the day, they’re just deckhands, like he’s a huge step up. They kiss, Alex falls asleep as he’s eating in the crew mess, and everyone else is snoring.  

Next time, charter three; high school d-bag vibes; in Daisy’s interview, she says she thinks Gary is f***ing with her; and a guest has an accident.

Summer House

Help. I’m watching this nonsense and I can’t turn away.

During the week, Lindsay meets with Gabby, and in Gabby’s interview, she says, when it comes to her type, it’s better for her to show than tell. She’s made a pdf of men who are possibilities, men she’s slept with, men she wants to sleep with, the ones she’s dated and matched with, and men she’s thought about. Boys for Gabby. Lindsay says, they’re all male models, but Gabby says, some of them have jobs. Ciara meets Rachel at a restaurant, and in her interview, she says she’s throwing a party for herself. She’s been in NYC a year, and thinks this Georgia peach is trying hard to become an apple. NYC has helped her come into adulthood, whether she wanted to or not. She tells Rachel that now when she leaves the city, she can’t wait to get back. I know this feeling. It’s like, ah, the not-so-sweet smell of the subway; I’m home. In her interview, Ciara says, it was hard to leave her friends in Atlanta. Her friends have been the light in her situation, and continue to shine. She needs quality friendships, and in NYC, you can have surface level bullsh*t. Ciara tells Rachel that Chris met Cassidy at a party, and fell off the face of the earth, but he’s supposed to come. I’m guessing Ciara must do okay with being on this show, since I don’t think her nursing salary paid to rent this space. The housemates trickle in, and in Lindsay’s interview, she says, it sucks being in a bad place with Danielle. There’s no reasoning with her. Their versions of being a friend are very different. Carl says he invited Cassidy, and Chris says he did too, but she’s ghosting him. He asked her to text him when she got home, but she didn’t, and he’s not playing that game. Carl says he can run interference, and Kyle says, what he lacks in height, he makes up for in volume. Paige tells Ciara that not everyone can move to NYC, and Craig asks how the dating is going, and she says she’s figuring it out. He says he would never leave his house. People in NYC go on dates with people they don’t know. Ciara says, that’s how dating works, and in Paige’s interview, she says, in South Carolina, everyone knows each other, and they’ve all dated. In NYC, a random man could be the love of your life. She doesn’t know if Craig can vibe in NYC; he might be scared. Yeah he might. Once when I went to a family party in Ohio, one of my young cousins pointed at me and said, she takes the subway at night. Carl tells Kyle and Chris that he picked up the ring; it’s exciting and surreal. Ciara asks everyone to gather around, and says she hates giving speeches. She thanks them for coming, and says, it means so much. She gets teary, and says she loves them. They’ve changed her life, and made NYC feel like home. She can’t wait for the next years. This committed bitch ain’t leaving. In her interview, she says, she’s also committing to herself and her journey. She’s figuring out who she is and fixing what needs to be fixed. She’s down for whatever ride God put her on. She opens a bottle of champagne.

On the way to the Hamptons, Kyle tells Andrea that there’s no Ciara or Amanda this weekend. Andrea says his girlfriend Lexi is coming, but he’s sad Amanda won’t be there. Kyle says, she was very torn, but the dogs got spayed two days ago. Andrea says, she’s doing her mommy job, and getting ready for the real thing. Kyle says he got a call from Lindsay that Carl was in the hospital last night. He calls her, and she says, they went to a concert, and he had his arms around her from behind. He suddenly said he needed to sit, and grabbed her. His legs were wobbling, and he said he couldn’t feel them. She got him to the infirmary, and they said his blood pressure and heart rate were so low, they were sending him the ER. He was discharged two hours ago, and now he’s napping. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Carl texted him from the hospital, and thought it was too much caffeine and Red Bull, but he thinks there are other things going on. Been there, done that. We flash back to Kyle sweating it out before he proposed to Amanda, and he says, Carl knows the proposal is upon them, he fainted, and now he’s in the hospital  freaking out. Lindsay says, they’ll either be there later tonight or first thing in the morning. Kyle tells her, no pressure, and in his interview, he says, only he and Chris know. He’s trying bottle this secret as best he can.

In Danielle’s interview, she says, tonight was inspired by Chris. They’re having Latino night. She’s making empanadas like her mom does, and when you make food close to home, it’s like offering a piece of yourself. In Paige’s interview, she says, no one on the planet doesn’t get excited when Andrea shows up. You don’t know what he’s saying, but he smiles and he’s good looking. She’s glad he’s in love; she hates seeing him cry. It’s against their religion for him to cry. Kyle relays the message about Carl going to the hospital and the drinking commences. Chris is now seeing Lauran, who Mya says she’s been trying to introduce him to since Kyle’s party. Mya demands to know the rating of their sexual encounter, and does a drumroll. Chris says, it was an eight, and everyone cheers.  Sam says, it’s a good number for a first time. Chris says, Danielle is making badass empanadas, and then they’re going to teach everyone to salsa. In Sam’s interview, she says, she and Kory have officially gone below the neck. She didn’t get the ick (I assume this is some immature way of saying she didn’t get laid), but she wants to do it again. Kyle calls Carl, and asks how much he thinks nerves, anxiety, and stress had to do with him ending up in the hospital. Carl says, it was a big part. He’s trying to pull off the surprise of the century. Then he’s bringing in Lindsay’s parents and friends. Kyle says, tomorrow is the big day, and Carl says he thinks some rest will make it better. He had to get it out of his system before getting down on one knee.

Sam says Danielle has outdone herself; everything looks beautiful. Danielle thanks Chris for helping, and has everyone hold up their empanadas for her mom. They do, and Danielle takes a photo. She says she’s enjoyed the summer with Chris there. He brought her Hispanic side out. She hasn’t really shared that, and pushed down that part of her persona because she wanted to succeed. Being in finance, she was around white people, and Gabby says she can identify. She grew up around white people and people of color who weren’t interested in Black girls. She thought she could only be attractive to someone who had a predilection for Black girls. Mya says she always claimed she was an acquired taste, and Danielle says, it’s taken a while to celebrate that side of her and not repress it. Chris says he feels her, and when they met, he felt she was his hermana, his sister. They had a connection. Danielle says she’s happy when the group has these moments, when they do stuff together. Family is about sharing. In Danielle’s interview, she says she feels for the first time in a long time she’s been heard. She’s being her true self, not her Hamptons self; Danielle Rivera, Puerto Rican. They move to another room, and Chris teaches them to salsa. Kyle tells Chris that he talked to Carl, and he looks good. The day before he proposed to Amanda, he was feverish, and recognizes this. Chris asks if he thinks Carl is having second thoughts, but Kyle says he doesn’t think so. Although he thinks Carl would love for Lindsay to be on good terms with her best friend. It’s weighing on him.

In the morning, despite everyone looking like they’re hella hung over, Kory and Kyle go to the gym. Mya says she wants to make the house an all-inclusive resort. She wants to do a boozy brunch. Carl and Lindsay arrive, and there are lots of hugs for Carl. He says he feels rested and better. It was a combination of dehydration, exhaustion, and stress. Lindsay tells the story again, and in Carl’s interview, he says he panic attacked himself into the hospital. Another reminder of how beautiful Lindsay is, is that she slept with him the entire time. And she doesn’t know what’s about to happen. On a whiteboard, Mya writes, Myadani Bottomless Brunch, and in Paige’s interview, she says, if there’s a whiteboard around, Mya will use it. Andrea’s girlfriend Lexi comes in next, and Kyle says, they have a bonfire planned for later, and the attire is elevated chic. For whatever stupid reason, Andrea says he wants to be roasted, and they ask a bunch of inappropriate sex questions. Chris asks what it’s like having Lexi here with Paige at the table.

Lexi says, it’s not like she doesn’t know they slept together, and Paige says, it was a fling, and she never wants Lexi to feel uncomfortable. Have brunch manners. Sam says she’s going to make out with Kory, and Gabby says she loves new love. Lexi talks with Lindsay and Carl, and asks how long they’ve known each other, and Lindsay says, since summer 2017. Lexi asks if there was always an attraction, and Carl says, for sure, and we flash back to Carl saying, she’s like a sister. Lindsay asks how Lexi felt when Andrea was trying win her back, and Lexi says she blocked him, but literally every weekend, she would run into him. He’d pour his heart out, so she decided to give him a chance. She starts to get weepy, and says, it was harsh of her to do to someone she loved so much. Andrea says, it was intense, and Lexi says she’s happy they found their way back to each other. Andrea says, it was his fault, and I hope these two are a good influence on the babies in the house. I know. It’s asking a lot. Mya asks, what’s going on with Sam and Kory? and Sam says, they’ve talked about liking each other in a cute way, but they haven’t talked about what happens after the summer. Have they considered passing notes in the hallway? Mya says, in the grand scheme is where it gets complicated. Carl and Lindsay are going to get firewood, but not really. In Carl’s interview, he says, his plan is perfect. Lindsay thinks they’re getting firewood, but she’s going to realize quickly they’re not doing a fire. He can’t wait for this to be over; it’s stressful. Kyle tells him to knock it out of the park.

Lindsay and Carl head for the beach, and at the house, Mya asks Sam if she wants to be exclusive, and Sam says she’d be so in it. Mya says she thinks Carl is going to propose next weekend, and Danielle asks if she’s talking out of her ass. Mya says she listens to every conversation, and infers things. She saw him talking to Kyle and Chris at Ciara’s party, and thinks he’s planning the engagement for next weekend. Danielle says, then she’d rather not come next weekend, and they can live f***ing happily ever after. Alrighty then.

Carl leads Lindsay to a spot on the beach where there’s a blanket spread out for an upscale picnic. Carl says, they haven’t had a chance to break away from the group and do something special. She asks if she should sit, but he tells her to stand for now, and gets down on one knee. He says, since the day they met seven years ago, he knew she’d be someone special in his life. She’s his person, his best friend, and his lover. He’s excited to build a future with her. She says she loves him so much, and he asks her to marry him. She says, a thousand times yes, and there are kisses and I love yous. He puts the ring on her finger, and I wonder if they keep forgetting each other’s name, since they only seem to call each other babe.

Next time, Paige feels that she gets notoriously the most drunk on Labor Day weekend; Sam asks Kory what he’d like the plan to be; Gabby goes on a date; Danielle gets upset about Carl not telling her about the pending proposal; and Carl doesn’t want a camera following him.

🤸🏾 Tra-La It’s May…

Stop by tomorrow for soap and those awful New Jersey Housewives. Until then, stay safe, stay never forgetting where you came from, and stay remembering your brunch manners.

April 25, 2023 – Holly Gives Anna Information On Victor, New Jersey Has a Hen Party In Ireland, Boring Awful People Make Stupid Decisions, A Thought & Garden

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Robert is about to kiss Diane, when Holly walks in. She says, sorry to keep him waiting, and he hugs her.

Alexis goes to Anna’s hospital room, and says she’s sorry to barge in. She knows Anna’s recovering. Anna says she’s grateful for the company, and Alexis says she just got a call from Valentin. She thought he’d be here. He left her this cryptic message. She texted him back and called him, but it’s radio silence. Anna says, he doesn’t have any choice, and Alexis says, it sounds like Anna knows where he is. Anna says, he’s with Laura and Curtis and Drew. They’ve gone to find Victor and get the hostages back. Alexis says, it sounds risky, and Anna says, it is, but Valentin was determined to go, no matter the risk.

Willow looks her and Michael’s wedding rings, still in the box, and Wiley asks what she’s looking at. She says, it’s a very special gift, but Wiley says, it’s not her birthday. She says, even better. It’s a gift she and his daddy are going to give to each other tonight, but they can’t do that without his help. He asks what she needs him to do.

Olivia says, family is about coming together; celebrating the good times, and comforting each other through the bad. Brook says, today’s a little bit of both, and Carly says she thought they weren’t going to cry. They heard Drew. He’s going to find Liesl, Willow’s going to have her bone marrow transplant, and before they know it, they’re going to be celebrating Michael and Willow’s tenth wedding anniversary. Ned says, hear, hear, and Olivia says she likes the sound of that. And this family is going to come out stronger, because their bonds are unbreakable, no matter what life throws at them. They hear a door slam, and Ned opens the living room doors. Tracy stomps in, asking, what on earth was Monica thinking, planting daffodils all up the drive? It looks like the Easter Bunny threw up out there. Thank God she’s home to put things to rights. Everybody just stares at her, and she says, hello? Isn’t anyone going to welcome her home? Olivia says, welcome home, and Tracy says, that’s better. Brook says, granny, what a nice surprise, and moves to hug Tracy, who pushes her away, saying, what has she told Brook about calling her that? Ned asks why she doesn’t give them some advance notice, and she thanks him for the heartfelt greeting. Michael tells her, welcome home, and she thanks him, and says, that’s much better. Now. What is she doing here? She points to Carly.

Sonny kisses Nina, and she says, not that she’s complaining, but what was that for? He asks how soon she can drop everything and get away with him somewhere, and she asks what he’s talking about. He says, she needs sandals and sunglasses, a bikini and sunblock. Forget the bikini. They’ll travel light. She tells him, slow down, but he says he doesn’t want to. He wants them to fly to the islands and soak up some sun. He kisses her again, and says, they’re going to have a moonlight dinner on the beach, and let the world just go right by them. Is that a deal? She says she loves him so much, but she also knows what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. So the answer is, no deal. He says he just wants to spend some time alone with her. He knows they’re both busy. Her with Crimson and the hotel, and he has a business deal coming in, but he thinks they can carve out a weekend in the Caribbean. He knows Willow is a factor, but they have their phones. If her condition changes, they’ll get on a plane and be back to Port Charles in a few hours. She says, he’s really thought of everything, and she loves him for that. He says he loves her. They both need a change. She says she’s not arguing with that, but she says, be honest with her. Is he suggesting this because he was invited to Michael and Willow’s wedding, and she, very specifically, wasn’t?

Carly says she was invited here today. What about Tracy? Tracy says she doesn’t need an invitation; this is her house. Everyone says in unison, it’s Monica’s house; Alan gave it to her. Tracy says, because he was an idiot, and Ned says, they’re thrilled to have her here, but as usual, she didn’t let them know she’d be visiting, which makes him wonder, why now? Is she concerned about ELQ’s latest share price? She says, if she lives to be 100, she hopes she never hears those three letters ever again. As a matter of fact, there are a lot more important things happening in the world, while they were spending time entertaining AJ’s worst mistake. Michael says, also known as his mother, and Tracy says, her sympathies. While they were wasting time, she was risking life and limb to rescue Luke’s son Ethan.

Holly says, Robert won’t believe what she’s just been through. It feels so good to be back. She tells Diane that it’s nice to see her again… Oh, did she just walk in on some high stakes legal negotiations? Robert says, forget about that. He can’t believe he’s looking at her in the flesh. Diane looks like she might explode, and Robert says, Holly took quite a risk, but Holly says, it was worth it. There’s nothing Victor can hold over her head anymore, but he already knew that, didn’t he? He says, Felicia went down South America on an errand, according to Mac. He never heard any more after that. He’s assuming the two of them found Ethan and set him free. She says, it took more than the two of them. They ended up needing some extra help and got it from the most unexpected source.

Olivia asks if Tracy took on Victor Cassadine’s goons all by herself, and Tracy says, it started out as a solo mission. Then she ultimately got a little help. Carly asks if she’s saying she found Victor. Where is he? Was she able to stop him? Tracy says, he was unfortunately not at the auction, so much to her dismay, she didn’t get to put an end to his miserable life.

Robert says, Tracy Quartermaine is back in town? That explains the creepy feeling he got this morning, like something was crawling over his grave. Holly says, she and Felicia were able to locate Ethan, but if it weren’t for Tracy and her sizeable bank account, Ethan would still have a bullseye on his back. Fortunately, Tracy came through for Ethan, so there’s no reason to hide anymore. Ethan’s free, and so is she. Diane says, at some point, she has to ask Holly who her plastic surgeon is, because she sees no traces of burns or even a scar. In fact, she looks good as new. Holly says she realizes that she has some explaining to do, but Diane says, let’s see if I’ve got it. Holly fooled Victor into thinking she was toast, literally, in that cabin fire. Of course (🍷) this was after Diane had been duped into thinking Holly had drugged Robert’s drink so she could steal the Ice Princess. In other words, for Holly’s brilliant plan to succeed, she needed a witness – otherwise known as a stooge – and Diane was cast in the role.

Anna says, Valentin texted her right before he got on the plane? and Alexis says she’s sure Valentin was thinking about Anna. She’s also sure Anna is wondering why, at such a fraught moment, he was thinking about her, so she’ll just let Anna see for herself. She hands Anna her phone, and Anna reads: I must be quick. I don’t know where or when… or if I’ll be coming back. But as the executor of my will… Anna says she didn’t know Alexis was the executor of Valentin’s will, and Alexis says, keep reading. Anna continues: I trust you will make sure Charlotte is well taken care of and loved. I’ll be CC’ing Martin on this too. Gotta go. She hands the phone back to Alexis, and thanks Alexis for showing it to her. Alexis says, of course (🍷). Anna and Valentin are a real thing. That’s nice. Anna says, if she wasn’t stuck in this bed, she’d be with him. She’d have his back, but she can’t, and it feels awful not being able to do anything. Alexis says, it’s awful when you feel powerless. Like when you feel like you’re failing someone when they need you. Anna says, Alexis isn’t failing Valentin though… She guesses that’s not what Alexis means. If Alexis wants to talk about anything, she’s not going anywhere. Alexis thanks her, but says, it’s not her story to tell. She is worried about Valentin, but the two of them have learned to trust each other. It’s funny, because she used to lump him into being one of the horrible, homicidal Cassadines, but it turns out, he’s one of the good ones. She thinks it’s because of Anna. Anna says she thinks they’ve changed each other, for the better.

Robert tells Diane that he apologizes if she feels used; that wasn’t the intent. Holly says, Diane is right. They needed an unimpeachable witness, or Victor never would have believed she’d stolen the necklace. All she can say in her defense is, it bought her time to find her son and kept the real necklace out of Victor’s hands. Diane says, until now. Don’t get her wrong. She’s thrilled Holly’s son is safe, and that fire was as fake as the necklace Holly tried to pass off as the real thing, but their brilliant plan didn’t prevent Victor from getting his hands on the actual Ice Princess and keep him from taking all those hostages. Word of advice. Nex time, trust her a little more and use her a little less. She picks up her coat and bag, and Robert says, let him walk her to her car. Diane says, that’s special. She can find her car by herself, thank you. She leaves, and Holly asks if it’s her imagination, or did Diane take that rather personally?

Sonny tells Nina that he didn’t plan this getaway because he feels guilty. If anything, he wants to thank her. She says, for what? and he says, for urging him to go to the wedding when she can’t. She tells him not to give her too much credit, but he says he knows how important it is for her to have a daughter, and how much she wants to go to the wedding. But instead of being resentful and bitter, she put Willow first. Nina only cares about her. Nina flashes back to Carly saying, all she cares about is that Willow is hers. No wonder Willow doesn’t want to be around her. Nina just wants to blame it all on her. Nina tells Carly that it’s her fault she doesn’t have time to earn Willow’s forgiveness. They’re running out of time because her daughter’s dying. Nina tells Sonny not to make her out to be a saint; she’s far from it. She’s glad Michael put his anger aside, at least for the day, for Willow. There’s no promise for tomorrow for any of them, but she truly wants this to be the happiest day of her daughter’s life. He says, it will be, and they hug.

Willow tells Wiley, how it works is, she gives one ring to daddy, and he gives one ring to her. And it means they promise to love each other until… He says, until when? and she says, until forever, but like she was saying, they need his help. So before Uncle Drew walks her down the aisle to stand beside his daddy, the flower girls, Avery and Donna, will go first, and he’ll follow them, carrying the rings. Does he think he can do that? Wiley says, whatever she needs, and she says she knew she could count on him. He asks if he has to wear a tie, and she says, he gets to wear one. That’s because he’s a big boy now and mommy can count on him. He says, until forever, and she says, yes, until forever.

Tracy adjusts a lamp, and Olivia asks how long this little visit might last. Ned tells Tracy not to let them keep her. They know what kind of whirlwind life she leads. Here today, gone tomorrow. Tracy asks what she walked in on, and Michael says, there’s actually going to be a wedding tonight. Tracy says, a family wedding and she wasn’t invited? Who’s getting married? Michael says, him and Willow, and Tracy laughs, and says, because the first one was such a rousing success? He says, the first time they got married, they weren’t in love. They were just trying to protect Wiley from Nelle. Tracy says, not her fault Monica left that out of the Christmas letter, and Michael says, the point is, now they’re so very much in love. They just had their second child together, so it’s time to make things official. Tracy tells him that she can’t say she’s surprised. Serial marriage seems to run in Michael’s family. She can’t count the number of times Carly said I do to Sonny, and then got divorced because she didn’t. Carly says, Michael and Willow are getting married for the right reasons. Can Tracy say that about her six trips down the aisle? Ned says, that sounds like a fun parlor game; counting his mother’s former husbands. Let’s start with her first husband, his father, Lord Larry Ashton. Olivia says, Dylan’s father was Paul Hornsby, and Ned says, then Tracy married Mitch Williams, even though she caught him in bed with Susan Moore, who would later become Jason’s biological mother after her affair with Uncle Alan. That makes three… Tracy says, all right. She admits her marital track record isn’t exactly spotless. Michael says, that’s putting it mildly, and Carly says, as fun as this has been, she has to go tell the bride-to-be about one more shock. She leaves, and Tracy asks what she meant by one more shock. What else have they been keeping from her?

Alexis’s phone dings, and she tells Anna, it’s her friend Diane. It’s kind of urgent. Anna thanks her for the visit, and Alexis says, Diane is usually very unflappable, so she can’t imagine what this is about, but duty calls. She’ll let Anna know if she hears from Valentin. She tells Anna, be well, and leaves.

Robert says, a lot’s happened in Port Charles since Holly was here last, and Holly says, so she sees. What exactly did she walk in on? He says he and Diane were deconstructing a dinner they had last night, and she says, a working dinner? He says, something like that, and she says, at the very least, she hopes it was productive. He says, yes, and she says, the DA and the defense attorney have learned to co-exist. How very modern and enlightened of him. He says, without cooperation, it’s just words, but she says she doesn’t know what that means. He says, there’s no spirit behind it, no soul, and she says, no heart. I dunno. He lost me here.

Carly goes to the gatehouse, and Wiley hugs her. She says, he’s so handsome, and he says, guess who’s going to be the ring bearer tonight? She asks if it’s him, and he nods. Willow says she told him that he’s a big boy now, and that comes with responsibilities. Carly says, he’d better go practice, and he runs upstairs. Willow says she was so afraid this day wouldn’t happen. Now that it’s here, she’s putting all her worries aside, and she’s going to soak up every moment. Carly says she hopes tonight is everything Willow wants it to be, even if… Willow says, even if what? and Carly says, for starters, Tracy’s here.

Tracy asks if anybody is going to tell her what she missed, and Michael says, Willow is sick. She says, all brides get last minute jitters, but he says, Willow has Stage IV leukemia. She was diagnosed shortly after she found out she was pregnant. Tracy asks why he didn’t tell her. And she had phone conversations with Brook. It didn’t occur to her to mention this? Ned tells her not to blame Brook. Michael and Willow wanted to keep this news private at first. By the time they were ready to share the news, Tracy was unreachable. She was on her way to Ethan. Tracy asks what she can do.

Sonny tells Nina that it’s going to be nice, especially since the Quartermaines will go all out since they’re letting him in. She says, the Quartermaines have some nerve, lording it over him. They managed to keep their hands clean this time, but that doesn’t mean the Quartermaines don’t play dirty, especially if their precious ELQ is at stake. Drew and Carly… He says, don’t stop. What about Drew and Carly?

Alexis meets Diane at Charlie’s, and asks, what’s wrong? Sitting with a martini in front of her, Diane asks what she means. She just wanted to see Alexis and catch up. Alexis says she was worried Diane was upset with her because she cancelled their last dinner plan, and Diane says, must be something about her and dinner plans. Alexis asks what she means. What’s wrong with her? Why is she drinking so early? Diane says, if Alexis must know, it’s about Robert Scorpio, and Alexis says, she was supposed to have a date with the DA. Diane says, dinner, just dinner, and Alexis says, that’s her story and she’s sticking with it. Diane says, okay, it was kind of a date, but then he ended up having car trouble, and it ended up with him receiving an extraordinary dry cleaning bill from her. Alexis says, it potentially could have been a lot of fun, and Diane says, okay, they kissed. Alexis gasps, and Diane says, they might have kissed today had they not been interrupted by – wait for it – his ex-wife, Holly Sutton.

Robert says, Holly might have saved her son, but there’s still a lot of good people in trouble, and Holly says, Felicia told her about Anna. How’s she doing? Robert says, she’s lucky to be alive, no thanks to Victor, and she asks, what about Laura? He says, she kind of dropped off the grid with Curtis and Drew. She wants to corner Victor and rescue the hostages. Holly says she always knew Victor was dangerous, but he’s spinning out of control, and Robert says, that’s because he’s getting close to implementing his plan, whatever it is. She says she knows he wishes he could be with Laura and the rest, and he says he feels so bloody useless being chained to this desk. He can’t help anyone. She says, maybe he can. Can Anna have visitors? He says, sure, why? and she says she needs to apologize to Anna. And they both need to hear what Ethan told her.

Michael thanks Tracy, but says, they’re already doing everything they can, and Brook says, the problem is, they don’t know if Liesl Obrecht will be found in time. Tracy asks what that frau from hell has to do with this, and Olivia says, she’s a donor match for Willow. Ned says, they were all set for a bone marrow transplant when Obrecht disappeared from the Nurses Ball, and Olivia says, the police think Victor kidnapped her. Michael says, but they’re not losing hope. He and Willow are getting married tonight, and it’s going to be everything Willow wants. He gets up, excusing himself, and Tracy tells him that she meant what she said. She has contacts everywhere. If there’s anything they need. He’d be surprised what she can accomplish when she puts her mind to it. He thanks her, and leaves.

Nina tells Sonny, it’s no secret how she feels about Carly and her holier-than-thou attitude. And Drew is just an enabler. She’s been thinking about what happened the other night; a lot about how Carly had to be the one to go to Willow and tell her that Nina’s Aunt Liesl was missing. Sonny says, she told Willow because she didn’t want Willow to hear it from somebody else, and Nina asks if he’s on her side. He says he is. Isn’t that the same night Nina asked him to do what he could to find Liesl? Nina says, he did everything she asked him to and more, and he says, then she has to let go of this resentment she feels against Carly and Drew, because it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is them.

Willow tells Carly that she knows Tracy can be a handful… okay, more like two handfuls, but she loves her family. And after tonight, that makes Willow her family too. Carly says, Willow can’t help but see the good in people, even Tracy, and Willow says, she’s welcome to be there. All she wants to do is walk down the aisle on Drew’s arm… What? What is it? Michael comes in, and asks if Carly told Willow the news. Willow says, what news? and Carly says, Drew’s not going to be able to walk her down the aisle. Willow asks, what’s wrong? It’s not like Drew to back out at the last minute. Carly says, no. He has a location on Victor Cassadine, and they know wherever Victor is, Liesl is too. Michael says, Drew’s gone to find Liesl and bring her back.

Olivia says, somebody needs to tell Maxie that Drew isn’t going to be at the wedding. They know how sensitive she is about her seating chart. Unless Tracy wants to fill the empty seat. Ned says, maybe mother has other plans, but Tracy says, no. She wouldn’t miss it. Her wedding gift is going to be her contact list of specialists from Manhattan to Mumbai. Ned says he knows she means well, but if she really wants to help, she’ll make this day all about Michael and Willow, and she asks if he’s implying she’ll try to steal the spotlight. He says, her? Never. Brook suggests she show Tracy to her guest room, but Tracy says she has her own room. Olivia says, actually, that’s Drew’s room, and Tracy asks why he’d take her room. Olivia says, that’s the room with the best view, and Tracy says, that’s why it’s her room. Brook says, they can share her room, and that would be great because they have a lot to catch up on. She hustles Tracy out, and in the foyer, Tracy says, it is so like Monica to give her room to yet another one of Alan’s illegitimate offspring. What is wrong with her? Why doesn’t she just pay them off and show them the door? Why does she ask them to move in? Brook starts to talk, but Tracy says, don’t give her another lecture on this is Monica’s house. Brook says she’s not trying to lecture Tracy. She’s trying to thank Tracy.

Willow says she doesn’t want Drew risking his life for her; somebody has to stop him. Question. Why aren’t they actively looking for another donor in the meantime? Carly says, they’re not going to stop Drew. He’d be so proud to walk her down the aisle, but he’s doing what he thinks is right. For her, and for all of them.

Nina says, Sonny is right. Nothing matters more to her than what they have. They kiss, and Sonny says, don’t temp him. If he doesn’t go… She says, he’s going to be late for the wedding, and they don’t want that. Because if he’s late, who’s going to be blamed for that – she points to herself – this guy. She’ll let it go, as long as she doesn’t have to let him go. He says, never, and they kiss some more.

Alexis says, Holly’s back in town, and Diane says, and even more beautiful. Alexis says, what happened to the… Diane says, the third degree burns? That was all part of an elaborate scam to fool Victor. Robert and his ex work seamlessly together. Alexis says, they haven’t been together in years, but Diane says, you could have fooled me. Alexis says she’s sure Robert was glad to see Holly, but it was Diane’s dry cleaning bill he was picking up, and Diane says, that was guilt. Nice try, my friend. But the more she thinks about it, she thinks Holly came back to town just in the nick of time, just before she risked having a second date.

Robert goes in to see Anna, and she says she was just thinking about him. She needs him to use his connections to track a plane without anyone knowing. Can he do that? He says, before he does that, there’s someone he thinks she should talk to. Holly walks in, and Anna says, it’s good to see her. Holly says, that’s incredibly generous, given what she put Anna through. Anna says, Victor put Holly in a very difficult situation, and Holly sits next to the bed, and says, but she could have resisted. Instead, she helped him frame Anna for a murder that never happened. She donned a wig and Anna’s overcoat, and shot Lucy with Anna’s gun. Anna says, not her best moment, but she used a rubber bullet, and knew Lucy wouldn’t be hurt or die. Holly asks why Anna is making excuses for her, and Anna says she’s been backed into corners before, and forced to do things she didn’t want to do to help someone she loved. It’s called a devil’s bargain; you suffer either way. Holly thanks her for understanding, and Anna asks, how’s Ethan? Holly says, alive, in one piece, and on his way to Australia. When Victor faked her death in Monte Carlo and killed her sister – her half-sister Paloma – God knows where he was holding her. She kept waiting for him to interrogate her, but he never did. He didn’t want her to talk; Victor just wanted her. Anna says, to get close to Robert, and Holly says, yeah, and then one day, he had Ethan. She had no idea where he was holding Ethan. He could have been in the cell next to her or in a compound on the other side of the world, but Victor made one thing very clear. Her son would only live if she agreed to cooperate. Anna says, so Holly agreed to play along until she could figure out her next move, and Holly says, exactly, at Anna’s expense. Anna says, it happened to her, so she gets to choose who she blames for that, and she doesn’t blame Holly, and Holly should really stop blaming herself. Holly thanks her again, and Robert says, now that they’ve gotten that out of the way, they can have a strategy session. He was expecting to see Valentin here, since he’s been next to Anna’s bed through this whole ordeal. Anna says, he’s not here. He’s with Laura and Curtis and Drew. They’ve gone to find Victor. Holly looks at Robert, and Anna says, what? Holly says, when Ethan was Victor’s captive, he persuaded Victor’s guards to play cards with him; Ethan’s very good at cards. He can make any hand come out exactly the way he wants. He let his marks win just enough so they’d keep on playing, and talking, which is how he learned that Victor plans to revive a technology that the Cassadines developed in the 80s.

Alexis asks if Diane is a quitter, and Diane shrugs and says, maybe. Alexis asks why she’s giving up, and Diane says, there’s nothing to give up. She’s just going to go back to doing what she does better than anyone else, and that’s besting Robert in court. He can have Holly Sutton if he wants. Alexis says, what if he wants her? Life is too short to stand on ceremony. If you feel something, say something.

Olivia asks if Ned is okay, and he says, it’s a mixed blessing, having his mother home with them. She says her feelings are also mixed. It’s the blessing part she’s not clear on.

Tracy says, gratitude isn’t Brook’s best event, but have at it, and Brook says she turned to Tracy when Chase was really in trouble, and she came through. If Tracy hadn’t pulled all the right strings, Chase might have never gotten his badge back. She owes Tracy. Tracy says, Brook is right, and don’t forget it, because she won’t. She heads upstairs, and calls down, bag please.

Nina and Sonny almost start getting busy, but Nina says, he’s going to be late for this wedding. He kisses her one more time, and says, hold that thought. She tells him that she wants lots of pictures, and he says, and wedding cake, because it’s good luck. She says she doesn’t need any luck, because she has him, and he goes to get ready. She takes out her phone and calls Martin. She says she needs to know if he’s had the conversation with the SEC about Carly and Drew.

Willow says, since Drew can’t be here, she can’t think of anyone she’d rather have give her away but Carly. Carly says she’d be honored, and asks if Michael is okay with it. Michael asks what she thinks, and Carly says, if she’s going to play her part, she’d better get changed. She goes upstairs, and Willow says, Michael’s mother is putting up a brave front, but if something happens, and Drew doesn’t come back… He says, don’t lose hope. Drew will come back, and he’ll bring Liesl, okay? She says, okay, but it could be doubly heartbreaking for Carly if it all goes wrong. She’s so in love with Drew.

Nina tells Martin, no. She hasn’t changed her mind. She looks around to make sure Sonny can’t hear, and says, just the opposite. She wants him to go all out and expose Drew and Carly for engaging in insider trading. Just make sure to keep her name out of it.

Tomorrow, Sonny asks why Nina was talking to her lawyer; Maxie says, they have a major problem; Ava says, Nina did the right thing; Anna wonders if their friends are walking into a trap; and everything Victor has ever worked for is behind this door.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Dolores herds the women out of the restaurant and onto the bus. Melissa says she likes when someone takes over, and wants to drunk dial her ex. In Teresa’s interview, she says, Melissa seems a little sauced. Melissa also sleeps in the next morning, and at breakfast Jen wonders where the boogawolf is. Danielle says she comes in peace, and in her interview, she says, being around these women is a mind f***. When it’s bad, it’s horrible, but they’ve been having a good time, and she’s not ruining the trip more than it’s been ruined already. Dolores says, Paulie’s mom Claire might be coming by, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, she saw this cute little lady on Paulie’s Instagram, and fell in love with his mom before him. Claire arrives, along with Jennifer and Sharon, Paulie’s niece and sister respectively. There are lots of hugs, and in her interview, Dolores says, when she and Paulie were first dating, she felt funny sleeping over in front of his mom, who was the last one to bed and the first one up. Claire asks if Dolores is still a hussy, and Dolores tells us that she did the walk of shame when Claire was having her tea and biscuits, and Claire would say, hussy. Dolores introduces everybody, and they sit down to breakfast. Everyone talks about how amazing Paulie is, and Jennifer says, they’ve been planning Dolores and Paulie’s wedding. She asks what Claire thinks, and Claire says she loves Dolores. Dolores made her feel welcome. Dolores says, Paulie’s whole family is here, and Danielle starts crying about the family dynamic. In Danielle’s interview, she says she wishes she and her brother had that. The way Paulie’s sister was talking about him with such love and adoration is the way she would talk about her brother. Sharon tells them about Claire saying Dolores is a hussy, and Teresa says, her dad was like that. Right, Melissa? Melissa says, the first time she slept over with Joe #2, when they were in the DR, their mom asked, why is this puttana lying in bed with you? Teresa says, Melissa was great with her parents, and in Melissa’s interview, she says she’s hungover, but she might be still be drunk. She can’t remember the last time Teresa said something positive about her. Dolores shows Claire the husbands calendar, and Claire checks out the picture of Frank in bunny ears. Jennifer asks if Claire thinks he’s hot, but Claire says, no. They all laugh, and Jennifer says, they have to get ready for Teresa’s hen party; it’s like a bachelorette party. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, Teresa is old school like her, and doesn’t want a ding-a-ling in her face. She googled what was good to do in Ireland for a bachelorette, and found a farm where they can be silly and do activities. When they’re working together, they’re not fighting.

It’s beautiful out, and Dolores says, it’s not typical Ireland weather. They’re sad it’s their last day, and Rachel says she had a great time, despite being called a rat. Jennifer suggests they concentrate on the good, and they take the bus to Causey Farm. Jennifer tells them to all be team players, and in her interview, she says, the minute they find out it’s dirty muddy farmland, she’ll see them rushing for the door. Everything is going to be a surprise. Farm hand Peter greets them, and says, they’ve got a number of activities. In Teresa’s interview, she says she’s not a farm person. This is definitely not what she expected to be doing today. They follow Peter to some chicken pens, and he says they’re going to play a game called Catch the Cock. Dolores says, she’s not pointing fingers, but it should be no problem. Peter explains that it’s a sign of good luck, and the Irish are all about good luck. He asks who Teresa wants to bring in with her, and Teresa says, Melissa, confusing us all. Melissa says, she already caught Teresa’s brother’s cock (BA-DUM-CHH!), and Peter demonstrates how to grab the chicken, who seems like he’s done this before. There are a lot of cock jokes, so we’ll just leave it there. They take turns, and Danielle is especially leery. In her interview, she says, she’s not afraid, but animals lick their balls and stuff. I don’t think chickens do that, but okay. In Marge’s interview, she says, it’s just chickens. The girl is from Staten Island, and Marge is sure she’s been around them. I’ve only been in Staten Island a few times, and have no idea what she means, if anything. For the next activity, the women are taken to a barn, where there’s a humongous piece of white paper hanging up. Peter tells them to grab brushes and paint the story of Teresa’s life; any memories they have. Teresa tells them, that made her think of jail. No bars; only happy memories, happy or funny.

In Teresa’s interview, she says, when she went to jail, it wasn’t easy to leave her daughters behind. She missed milestones like Gia’s 8th grade graduation, and Audriana graduating from kindergarten. It was traumatic, and she’s decided to act like that part of her life never happened. Melissa paints the family coming from Sala Cosolina in Italy, and starts to cry. In Melissa’s interview, she said, in drawing it from the beginning, it shocked her to see where they are now. Teresa starts crying and hugs Melissa, and Melissa says she loves Teresa’s family so much. In her interview, Teresa says she wishes it was like the way it started; a happy beautiful family that loved each other. She’s grateful for the beautiful memories everyone drew. Jackie paints Teresa’s Montville home when the girls were little, and Jennifer includes the iconic table flip. Danielle paints Teresa’s wall of success, and Jen does Teresa meeting Louie. In Teresa’s interview, she says she has a beautiful life story, and hopes for a happy ending. She thanks everyone, and says it made her emotional watching Dolores with Paulie’s mom. Her dad used to say old school stuff. She thinks maybe the tension is misunderstood sometimes, and Melissa says she was upset with Teresa bringing up something that happened a year ago. Teresa claims she wasn’t saying anything bad about Antonia, and loves Melissa’s children. Her brain shorts out, and she tells Melissa that she wants some part of them in the wedding. Jennifer brings her back to reality by asking if she’s saying she wants all of them to be in the wedding, and Teresa backtracks and says, she just want happiness and peace. In her interview, Melissa says, Teresa is talking such nonsense with whatever she’s asking… if she’s asking, since she’s barely asking. Putting an Irish spin on it, Teresa says she wants the gold at the end of the rainbow, and in Melissa’s interview, she says, they’re not Teresa’s props in the final hour. Sorry. Peter says, let’s roll. He has a surprise. He takes them to a beautifully set picnic table, and the food looks amazing. Dolores says, tonight, they’re having a classic Irish dinner at the castle; fancy schmancy. There’s also going to be a whiskey tasting. Oh yeah, just what this bunch needs. Dolores asks about Teresa’s wedding plans, and Teresa says, it’s insane. She has a dress fitting, as well as the girls. The other shoe falls when she says that Louie asked Bill to be in the wedding. In Marge’s interview, she says, who they’ve known literally 12 months. To add insult to injury, Teresa says, he’s been supportive, and she doesn’t have any family. In Melissa’s interview, she says, this is why it’s hard for her to believe anything Teresa says. She’s talking about putting Gino in the wedding, and with the next breath, says she has no family. Teresa says, it’s a new beginning with a new man, and Melissa wipes some tears away. Danielle says, it’s eerily similar to her own situation, and sniffles. In Rachel’s interview, she says she feels bad for Danielle, regardless of their issues. She’d never want to go through what Danielle is, and she clearly hasn’t fully worked through it. Danielle says, nothing else matters if you don’t have family, and Teresa says she wants freaking peace. Melissa says, same, and in Danielle’s interview, she says, they need to get over it before it’s too late. Peter asks if they’re ready to go  to the Irish spa, and Jennifer wonders if they should be worried.

Peter takes them to the bog, where the natural exfoliator for the spa is found. It’s basically a big mud pit, and Marge says, it has Jurassic Park vibes. He tells them to take off their shoes and socks, and go for a whoo into the bog. He assures them there’s no cow poop in it, and it won’t go past their waist. Dolores says she’s done a lot worse and asked less questions, and jumps in first. In Danielle’s interview, she says, it feels like muddy, loose diarrhea, and I wonder why she knows what that would feel like. They all get in except for Melissa and Teresa, and Marge calls them princesses. They join hands and jump in, and Marge tells them, until they make up, they have to stay here. Jen says, this is the best bachelorette party ever, and in Jennifer’s interview, she says, see how rolling in a pile of mud brings everyone together? You’re welcome. They leave, and Marge says, Joe (#3) is having the guys over, and they’re smoking pot. I wonder if I heard right.

Back at the castle, they get dressed up, and we assume they’ve showered. Danielle calls home, and Nate says he’s headed guys night. She tells him that Teresa and Melissa had a heart-to-heart. She related it to her brother, and got emotional. Everyone’s been awful to her on trip. In her interview, Danielle says, her husband is like her rock. She misses her family, Rachel and Marge have been coming at her, and she’s been watching Teresa and Melissa go at each other. She wants off this merry-go-round. Marge calls Joe #3, who’s giving Lexi a ride, and she shows them the castle, saying, they have to come here. Lexi says, it’s 30 minutes by plane to her hometown, and Marge says, they’ll all go. In Marge’s interview, she says, Lexi and Nino are keeping Joe company. They’ve moved into the guest house. When Lexi got separated, Marge told her to move in. Lexi helped her through her breakup with Jan, and she’s Marge’s closest relationship next to her kids and husband, and probably her healthiest relationship. She tells Joe about Bill being in the wedding, and he says he bets Nate will be next. Lexi says, it’s nobody’s first wedding, and wonders why the bridal party is so huge. The women meet for the whiskey tasting, and Dolores says she loves whiskey. It’s an acquired taste, like us. I love whiskey too. Them, not so much. Marge asks how Melissa feels, and Melissa says she feels emotional. She got flashbacks from when the family was together, and can’t believe this is them. She’s upset for Joe #2.

Back at Marge and Joe’s, Lexi says, since they can’t smoke inside, she’ll put flowers on the outside table, but Joe says, this is guys. Put axle grease there. The guys convene, and Joe #3 says, Frank has a new pot business, and wants to test it out on them. Joe #2 says he doesn’t smoke pot or he’ll see snakes. Lexi says, this would be the worst house to smoke pot in, since the animals in the paintings will come to life. I wonder what kind of weed these people are smoking. Louie is still recovering from covid (maybe), and Joe #2 asks Bill about being in the wedding party. No disrespect, but they just threw him in. In Joe #2’s interview, he says he thought the mailman was next. Bill is like Jennifer, panting to be in it, but it’s in two weeks; it’s a joke to them. They toast to Frank’s new business, and in Frank’s interview, he says, three years ago he was contacted about opening a pot business, but he didn’t smoke. Now, ever since it’s been legal, he eats, drinks, and sleeps weed. He likes to feel good, and that’s what weed does. He wants to try it on his friends who need relaxation. Even though Joe #2 doesn’t smoke, Frank makes sure to blow enough at him for a contact high. The guys do a lot of laughing, and Joe #2 says he’s starving. Joe #3 tells them, Lexi got a food truck, and they run over to it. In Frank’s interview, he says, Joe #2 is high and he loves it. Bill suggests Joe #2 smoke weed and have a heart to heart with his sister. He must be really high, since I don’t think that would work unless Teresa smoked weed too. Joe #2 says, the women are in Ireland, and his sister brought up his daughter. He knows his nieces have a lot to say about him. He doesn’t want the children raised in hate and anger. He wants them to love everybody. He loses his train of thought, and says, it’s because that guy blew sh*t in my face. Nate says, Danielle is still learning the personalities, and John asks, what’s up with her calling Rachel a rat; she had her friend’s back. Nate says, they can’t take what the women say seriously, and Joe #2 says he bets the girls aren’t having this much fun. I’ll bet not.

Whiskey expert Andrew oversees the tasting, telling them to take a sip and then have some chocolate, which coats the tastebuds. Somehow this gives you a better experience. I’ll take his word for it. I don’t like to consume any other sugar when I’m drinking alcohol. It just doesn’t sit well with me. Except cheesecake. Cheesecake seems to be okay. He tells them that the whiskey is 43% alcohol (holy!), and Marge tells them to be careful. They don’t want to pass out before the night has started. You’re supposed to take a sip, and then pour the rest into a glass, but a few of the women guzzle it all down, mostly Jennifer. Dinner is served, and Jennifer says she’s totally drunk. Dolores says, it’s their last night, and asks if they liked it. Teresa thanks everyone for honoring her. She’s all about having a good time. Marge says, the weekend was special, and they’ll have great memories. In Danielle’s interview, she says she didn’t enjoy her trip, and she asks Rachel how they are. She asks why she’s the bad guy, and Rachel asks what Danielle’s intention was in repeating what she said. Rachel isn’t even loud, but Danielle escalates everything, banging the table, and telling Rachel, calm the f*** down. She doesn’t know when Rachel’s ass went from normal to changing everything she said to make her out to be the bad guy. She’s not allowed to do that. Melissa says, Rachel only repeated what she’d heard, and in Melissa’s interview, she says, Marge should really be furious at Jennifer and Teresa. They were the ones who met with her best friend. We flash back to Jennifer discussing what Laura said with Teresa while Danielle listened in, and Melissa says, they started all this. Danielle says, Marge should be mad at all the people who are saying sh*t about her, and Marge asks what they’re saying. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, please don’t say anything. She’s not even looking at Danielle in case it reminds her. Realizing she’s said too much, Danielle tells Marge, a lot of stuff, and Jennifer says, it’s coming from other places. Marge says she loves how they’re obsessed with her, and in her interview, she says, she’ll give them Laura’s phone number, and they can hang out together and obsess about her. Danielle says, it’s Marge’s fault that Jennifer’s kids found out about Bill’s affair. She forgives, but doesn’t forget. Marge says, that’s why she’ll always have problems with her family. They’ll never have a clean slate, so she’ll never move past anything. In her interview, Marge says, Danielle is crying about her brother non-stop, but how can they make up if she can’t forget? Jen says, it’s their last f***ing night, and Marge says she can’t have this discussion one more second. In her interview, Jennifer says, Marge is implying it’s Danielle’s fault, and wonders if she gets joy out of being a mean girl. You’re drunk, Jennifer. Go home. Teresa says she knows what it feels like when people question what they don’t understand, and in her interview, Danielle says she knows Marge can be mean, but how dare Marge hit her where it hurts most. Dolores suggests they go to bed, since they’re being picked up at 6 am. In Danielle’s interview, she says, she has no more fight in her. She doesn’t want to waste the energy. She’s done. She cries, but all I can say is, boo-f***ing-hoo.  

Next time, Antonia gets a car; Teresa video chats with Joe #1; Frank wants Dolores to tell him what happened to their dynamic, and gets emotional; Rachel and John talk to an attorney about Rachel adopting Jaiden; and Jennifer throws Teresa a shower. And if you think a lot of people came to your shower, you’d be wrong.

🤽‍♀️ When we last left the most awful people on land in Summer House, Danielle asked if Carl wasn’t ring shopping. He said he was, and she screamed into a pillow. She said, it hasn’t been a year. Not that she was against them as a couple; that’s not where she was coming from. Carl said he’d been thinking Danielle had an issue with his past or their own relationship. In Danielle’s interview, she said, it was long ago. She and Carl met in 2015, and dated briefly. It didn’t end well, and it was laughable if anyone thought she still had feelings for Carl. Danielle said she felt like she was being cut out, and Carl said he hoped the four of them could do more things. Danielle asked, why only the four of them? Why couldn’t they be the amigos they were? She was glad Carl and Lindsay were evolving into a serious relationship, but her relationship was different. She was also a start-up founder, and under a lot of pressure and stress. It would be nice if the people closest to her checked in. Lindsay was at the top of the list, but if they were going in separate directions, then she needed to manage those expectations. Carl asked if it was frustrating that it wasn’t the same dynamic, and Danielle said, a phone call or a  text asking what’s going on would be nice. Carl said, Danielle wanted to feel like she was getting support, and thought Lindsay would want do that. His worry was that Danielle thought he’d do crazy sh*t again, but she said, not at all, and he said he felt better. In Carl’s interview, he said, it would be hard if Lindsay still won’t mend fences, and hoped his positivity helped them. Danielle wants to be heard in the friendship. They hugged it out.

Kory, Sam, Ciara, and Gabby went to a bar, where Sam and Kory made out. Amanda, Paige, and Lindsay joined them at some other bar, and when they got back to the house, Amanda ate black olives out of the can. Kyle said, like beans, but they’re olives. As usual, the soul of brilliance. Carl told Lindsay about his talk with Danielle, and no surprise, she didn’t take it well when he suggested she and Danielle have a conversation. She got loud, saying that she was being blamed, and had to be the one who figured things out. It was like a game. He said he felt good about the conversation, and was glad to hear that Danielle didn’t have an issue with him. Lindsay said she was glad he could move forward with Danielle, but she couldn’t. Carl said he thought she’d be able to, and she said, he thought it was all her fault. He said he didn’t think that, and she asked if he actually had an opinion. He said he told Danielle that he thought Lindsay would want to be supportive, then made the mistake of mentioning again that Danielle didn’t have an issue with him. Lindsay told him, so he felt good, but didn’t give a f*** if she had an issue with Danielle. Carl said he wasn’t getting into this; everything he was saying was wrong. Lindsay said he only cared about how he was perceived, and didn’t care about her, and he told her that she was being difficult. Elsewhere in the house, Kyle told Danielle, something happened, but he doesn’t know what. Danielle said, they’d worked it out; Carl just wanted to hear that Danielle supported them. Kyle said he thought Lindsay was hammered. Lindsay told Carl that he always got so mad, and he said he wasn’t mad, but she insisted he was very mad. She was just asking questions. He told her, whatever he said was wrong, and he didn’t want to keep it going. She said that was on him. Why was he mad? Carl said he was exhausted, as was I by this point. Lindsay asked why they couldn’t have a normal conversation, and Carl said, she wasn’t acting normal. She said she wanted him to tell Danielle, you POS, apologize to my girlfriend, and Carl told her that she was being rude, and to stop looking for a fight. She said she’d be happy when he understood, and he said, all he told her was that he thought she and Danielle should have a conversation. She said that she tried, and he said he hoped his conversation helped hers. She said, it wasn’t on him; it was on her. He said she needed to figure out if she wanted to be friends with Danielle, and she said she was glad he was good; she wasn’t. He might feel better, but she felt worse. Everything was on her, and clearly he hadn’t helped. Carl said, yes, he was a horrible person, and she said he always wanted a pity party. Did it ever occur to him that she had feelings? He left the room, and Paige and Amanda were listening in.

Lindsay said, blah-blah-blah even on her birthday. She couldn’t have the day before her birthday or the day after her birthday either. I’ll bet she’s one of those people who has a birthday month. She said, it was all about Carl. Kory came in downstairs, carrying Chris on his back, and Chris complained that his balls were smushing. In Kory’s interview, he said, growing up, he was always the cute friend. He was skinny, and didn’t want to be cute. He wanted to be hot, sexy, and handsome. He was still that cute skinny guy in his head, and never aggressive. He made the girl chase him. In Carl’s interview, he said, since Lindsay had been drinking, he was trying to navigate things. They got twisted, then Lindsay got upset when she was drunk. Danielle told Kyle that she and Carl had a good conversation, and covered everything. It ended in a hug. Kyle said, after dinner, he could hear Lindsay yelling.

In the morning, Gabby asked how Lindsay’s night was. They heard raised voices. Danielle said she needed a morning cocktail. When Danielle was out of the room, Lindsay told Gabby that she’d had two conversations with Danielle, and she’s even more confused, since Carl said they should talk again. Chris announced that he had a variety of games for today, but Amanda, Paige, Gabby, and Ciara said they were going shopping. Ciara said to start without them… and finish without them. Carl came in from a run, and in Danielle’s interview, she said, apparently, they were pretending like nothing happened. She wants them to go the distance, but if they want to move fast, they can’t sweep everything under the rug.

Chris started the games with a relay race, reminding everyone that he was a Marine. They had to take a drink, flip the cup, run laps, and do crunches, then stop when he told them to. Kyle and Kory sort of competed. In Sag Harbor, the girls continued to shop, and Gabby said she was excited for Sam. She explained that she hated hugs and holding hands, and Paige forced her to hold hands. Paige said her arms were so long, Craig had to hold her by the wrist, and it made people think he was kidnapping her. They went back to the house as Chris was explaining the next game, where they’d spin a bottle. This got the guys all excited since they’re in 7th grade, but Chris said, whoever the bottle pointed to would have to take an egg and the others had to run for their dear life before getting nailed with it. Carl was the first to be hit, but it turned out the eggs were hardboiled, and they realized they were using Amanda’s breakfast, so they switched to water balloons. Amanda asked Ciara and Paige if they got their fertility results, and they gathered in one of the bedrooms to reveal the results. In Paige’s interview, she said, they all took the tests last week, and we flashed back to that. She said she and Ciara really took the tests to help Amanda take one, since when Amanda felt uncomfortable in a situation, she avoided it, hoping it would go away. But when it came to health issues, they had to be dealt with at some point. Paige went first, and the results said she’d hit menopause around age 51, and had an average number of eggs for her age. Amanda then opened hers.  

Amanda’s test said the same thing as Paige’s, and Paige asked if it made her feel better. Amanda said it did, but she still had no idea what the f*** was going on. In her interview, she said she wasn’t having a period, was losing weight, and she could tell her hormones were out of whack from her skin.  Ciara looked at her results, and they said she would hit menopause slightly earlier than 51, and had fewer than average eggs for age. She said she wasn’t going to lie. It was scary to think she didn’t have enough eggs. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Paige asked if she was spiraling, and Ciara said she was. Paige told her, seriously don’t, and Amanda said she felt like it was her fault, but Paige said Amanda needed to know. In Ciara’s interview, she said, the choices she was making now with her career and finances were to prepare herself for the best situation when she found a relationship. She wanted to have a family, and the possibility of not being able to have kids was freaking her the f*** out. Kyle asked Danielle how things were going between her and Lindsay, and Danielle said she thought she’d had a good talk with Carl. She thought he’d wanted to hear that she supported their relationship 1000%, but he thought she should talk to Lindsay again. Kyle asked if she’d been as direct with Lindsay, and she said she thought so, but she felt like she’d been cut out with Lindsay. She was happy for them, but wanted Lindsay to check in with her occasionally. It didn’t have to be World War III. Lindsay joined the group, and asked what she missed. Danielle said it seemed that Lindsay didn’t feel she supported them as a couple, and it was going far beyond what was actually happening. She didn’t want to get defensive, but wanted more from the friendship. She said, they’d always hung out, but Lindsay said, Danielle wasn’t in the city. Danielle said, Lindsay could still check in with her, and Kyle said that Danielle wanted to be seen by her best friend. Danielle didn’t understand why it always got like this with Lindsay; it wasn’t a blame game. She just wanted to go back to the sisterhood they’d had. Lindsay said it wasn’t fair to put it on her, and Danielle started to cry, saying, she’d die for Lindsay, and never blamed her. Lindsay said, Danielle kept listening to other people, and Danielle got up and went inside. Because the way to fix things is to always run away.

Paige and Amanda followed Danielle in, and after Danielle cried in the bathroom for a while, Amanda gave her a hug. Danielle said, just when she thought she was breaking through, Lindsay played the blame game and was talking to everyone else about it. Outside, Lindsay told Kyle that it wasn’t fait to put it on her. Two days ago, Danielle said she felt weird about Lindsay and Carl being together, but now she was supportive. It was contradictory. Good Lord, does this woman listen to anything but herself? Danielle had said, at first, she thought it was weird. Kyle said, maybe it would always be weird. Lindsay, Danielle, and Carl had been like a three legged stool, and Danielle was trying to make sense of it. How did Lindsay not understand? When Kyle is the voice of reason, I don’t understand. Danielle said she was trying, but didn’t think Lindsay wanted to try. If she needed to marinate on if she wanted to be in the friendship, take a moment, but if she didn’t want to anymore, fine.

Ciara started the bonfire, and in her interview, she said she could do anything a dude could do, but better, and on her period. They made some barbecue, and Chris went inside to put on some music, saying, Journey might be right up my dingleberry, whatever that meant. Ciara was talking to Paige in the bedroom, when the rest made a conga line and danced in. Lindsay and Carl joined them, and Carl flipped the light switch on and off. After things broke up, Chris danced to music in his head while he brushed his teeth. I’m going to remind you again. Kyle just turned 40, and these are his peers. And this is how they’re spending their weekends.

In the morning, Chris wondered where Kory slept, since he’s s no rocket scientist. He blew a whistle to wake everyone up, and pulled Kory out of Sam’s bed, dragging him down the hall by his feet, and saying they were going to the gym. Ciara told Paige that Kyle had been humping her, and Paige said Kory had taken a running jump and landed on her wrist. Ciara said they’d been missed so much, the party had been moved to their room. It was time to leave for the week, and in Sam’s interview, she said, Kory hadn’t made it below her collarbone yet, but they were going to Montauk to see how far the chemistry took them. In Carl’s interview, he said, all the things that had happened to him led him to this summer. An inner voice was screaming Lindsay, and he couldn’t hold back anymore. He picked up the engagement ring he’d ordered, which was classic and pretty.

Next time, Chris’s new girlfriend Lexi comes to the house; Mya finds out Kory is interested in Sam; Carl goes to the hospital; Kyle says, Carl is realizing that real relationships take real work; and Carl proposes to Lindsay.

🤯 Just like with Gary (Below Deck Sailing Yacht) and Kory, there must be something to Lindsay I’m not seeing. Is this dude out of his mind? Does he want to start drinking again? She’s alcoholism and your worst PMS nightmare going someplace to happen.

🌷 You Don’t Send Me Flowers…

Boomerang back tomorrow for soap and the hunt for VanderClues. Until then, stay safe, stay seeing the beauty in all ethnicities, and stay saying something if you feel something. Life is too short to stand on ceremony.

April 24, 2023 – The Haunted Star Is Found Off Greenland, First Mate Back On Deck, Deck Idol, Awful People Tomorrow & Hard Rain

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Olivia goes over the list of food for the wedding, and Michael says, they can always order pizza. She tells him to bite his tongue. If he wasn’t the groom, she’d throttle him. Carly comes in, and promises to stay out of the kitchen, but there has to be something else she can do to help get ready. Michael says, Willow is more important than anything, and asks how she’s doing. Carly says, she’s sleeping soundly. How is he? Brook says, he’s trying to be cool; pretending to check his work on his phone. Carly says, he’s not working, and he says he had to make sure a project was on track for later. He’s putting it away now. Besides, he’s getting married today. Carly says, he is, and hugs him. Brook says she’s heading to the gatehouse to help Willow when she gets up. Besides, it’s tradition. She was the one who helped Willow get ready the last time. Carly says, she looked lovely then; she’ll look lovely now. Brook says, she’s going to blow Michael away, and he says he can’t wait to see his beautiful bride.

TJ asks what the doctor said, and Molly says, it’s highly likely that she has endometriosis. It’s an unofficial diagnosis. They won’t know until the results of the biopsy are back. Alexis says, a biopsy? and I love how everyone is acting like this is a death sentence.

Holly clings to Ethan on the plane going back home, and he tells her that he’s not going to disappear. He doesn’t even have a parachute. She says, he’ll have to indulge her. She searched the globe looking for him. Now that he’s next to her, she’s not letting him go. He says he appreciates the save, and she says, as much as she hates to admit it, Tracy’s the one who saved the day.

Felicia tells Tracy that she still can’t get over her showing up at the black market auction dressed in all white. She does have a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t she? Tracy says, wardrobe critique aside, she couldn’t very well let Luke’s son get executed. Although she didn’t expect to spend that much money to save him. What was Holly thinking, driving the price up to ten million? Felicia says, Tracy only paid four, and Tracy says, it should have been two. Felicia says, even so, it’s incredibly kind of Tracy to have saved Luke’s son, no matter what the price. Tracy says, that’s nice of her to say, but the truth is, she only got involved because Victor Cassadine was behind the auction, and she won’t rest until she proves that man killed Luke.

Valentin goes into Anna’s hospital room, and she asks if he has any news on his father. He asks if she means has he gotten any updates in the five minutes it took him to get this coffee, and she says, yes. He says, no, and she says she can’t just lie here doing nothing. He tells her to take it easy. She just got out of the ICU, and can’t just start dancing. She says she’d settle for a little walk, and he says he knows how frustrated she is, but her job is to heal. Victor will be caught and dealt with. She tells him, they’ve been saying that for the last six months, but he says, now Victor’s overreaching. He’s getting close to his goal and he’s making mistakes. Letting Valentin live for one, and kidnapping Laura’s grandsons for another.

Drew tells Laura and Curtis that he thinks they’re making progress, but just because Victor wanted information on Project Demeter doesn’t mean they’re headed for this spot on the map. Robert comes by, and Laura pulls him over, saying, thank God he’s here. He says he came to visit Anna. What’s happening? Laura says, they think they have a lead on Victor, showing Robert the map, and Drew says, it’s the map his SEAL team used when they were working on Project Demeter. Robert says, the one Victor was interested in. What are all these locations? Curtis says, they’re not sure, but they think they’re connected to Mikkos Cassadine. Laura asks if he recognizes that, pointing, and he says, 1981; a good year for stopping Mikkos. She says, and that’s Cassadine Island. They think these sites are somehow related to the Cassadines. Robert wonders why they’re spread out; there’s no logic in that. Curtis says, Trina was able to provide them with the heading from the Haunted Star. Combined with these locations, there’s one shared point. Drew points, and says, right there, off the coast of Greenland. That’s where they think Victor’s headed. Laura says, it’s a longshot, but it’s all they’ve got, and Robert says he thinks he’s figure out how to find Victor.

Ned tells Brook that Valentin isn’t answering his calls. Now his voicemail is full; probably from all the messages he left. Brook says, Valentin is at the hospital with Anna. Maybe she could head over there, but Ned says, it’s not her responsibility; it’s Valentin’s responsibility. ELQ stock has taken a major hit, and their CEO is MIA. Michael and Drew were right. Only a Quartermaine will make ELQ a priority. He looks at Michael, and says, and only a Quartermaine should run ELQ.

Valentin looks at his phone, and sees the missed call. Anna says, Drew? and he shakes his head. She says, oh, Ned. He wants to talk about ELQ. Valentin will have to talk to him eventually. Valentin says he will, but not right now. He wants to stay focused on wracking his brain about what Victor told him about his master plan. He just wishes they’d cracked the code. Portia walks in and apologizes for bothering them. She asks how Anna is feeling, and Anna says she’s actually feeling better. How’s Portia? Portia says, since the demented man who has her daughter is Valentin’s father, she’d like him to tell her everything he knows about Victor Cassadine.

Felicia says, she and Anna always suspected Luke’s death wasn’t an accident, but how did Tracy find out? Tracy says, the longer she thought about it, the less sense it made. Luke Spencer dying in a random accident, in Switzerland of all places. What was he doing there? He certainly wasn’t there for the chocolate or the skiing. He used to go to Switzerland – Zurich – do his banking and get out. So she went to see that twit Jennifer Smith in prison. Something about her having the Ice Princess diamond didn’t add up. She’s a schemer, but she’s a nincompoop. She couldn’t mastermind a theft from Luke Spencer. So when she looked Jennifer straight in her vapid eyes, and Jennifer told her that she’d been framed, she knew Jennifer was telling her the truth. Felicia says, the WSB just wanted to tie it all up. As far as they were concerned, they got the diamond back; case solved. Except, it wasn’t. Tracy says, too bad nobody ever bothered to tell her, Luke’s widow, and Felicia says, they thought she was getting on with her life, but Tracy says, they wouldn’t let her in on it. They wanted to do it their way. Meanwhile, she’s spent 14 months trying to prove Luke was murdered by herself. Felicia says, Luke wouldn’t want that.

Drew says, if the site belonged to the Cassadines, wouldn’t Victor already know about it? They’ve been assuming the code etched into the diamond has been a set of coordinates, but what if it’s completely unrelated? Curtis says, the best information they got was the heading from Trina, and that site is directly on that heading. Laura says, they have so many pieces of this puzzle, but they’re missing that one crucial piece that brings it all together. Robert comes back, and she asks if he contacted help, and he says, satellite imagery show’s a ship parked in the code just outside Greenland. Interesting point is, there’s not supposed to be anything there; there was a research station back in the 50s, but it was abandoned. What’s even more interesting is, the ship is running in the dark with no transponders. Curtis says, that’s it; that’s the Haunted Star. Laura asks how soon Robert can get the WSB there, but he says, they can’t. There’s a problem.

Molly tells Alexis, the way Dr. Navarro explained it, endometriosis happens when the tissue meant to be on the inside of the uterus grows on the outside of the uterus. They’re usually non-cancerous, but these growths can cause painful periods, which she’s definitely experienced. Alexis asks how long this has been going on, and Molly says, a few months maybe, but she’s always had bad cramps. They’ve just gotten more and more intense. Alexis says, Molly has to take her health seriously. She can’t get so wrapped up with work that she puts her self-care on the back burner. Molly wonders who she inherited that from. She seems to remember Alexis not exactly leaping to get her bone density checked. Alexis says, they’re not doing tit for tat right now. Do as I say, not as I do. Molly says she hears Alexis. It took her a while to realize each month was getting worse. When they decided to have a baby, she was looking forward to getting pregnant right away so she wouldn’t have any periods at all. It didn’t happen, so she’s back to dealing with this. Alexis asks if there’s a treatment, and Molly tells her, Dr. Navarro said, usually hormone therapy is prescribed, and Alexis says, that’s bad because… TJ says, the hormone is estrogen, and Molly says, the hormone stops ovulation, which means she wouldn’t be able to get pregnant.

Anna says, they were told Trina made contact, and Portia says, she found a satellite phone, and she was able to relay the ship’s heading. Valentin says, her daughter’s a very brave woman, but Portia says she’d rather Trina be cowardly and safe at home. She’s sure they can imagine how terrified she is right now, not knowing what’s going on; whether she’s safe, whether they found her or not. Has Jordan reached out to Anna at all, or maybe her agency? Anna says, sorry. There’s been no updates on Victor’s whereabouts. She really understands how Portia is feeling, because she’s been in Portia’s position. Valentin says he has too. If they hear anything, they’ll tell her directly. She has his word. His phone dings, and he says, Ned again. Anna says she thinks he really needs to take the call, and he leaves. Portia says she’s here as a mom, not a doctor; a mother who’s very terrified for her child. She hates to ask this, but needs to know right now. How much danger is her daughter really in? Is Victor Cassadine capable of harming Trina?

Ethan says he’s sorry Victor made Holly do his bidding. She was in prison too. The mess was entirely of his own making. He should have seen Victor’s men coming. She says, it seemed there were quite a few participants in that digital auction. Ethan had quite a following; none of whom were admirers. He says, she knows him; rob from the rich, and give to the poor. She asks if there are any particular charities he’s benefitting these days, and he says, a couple of orphanages, and a wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe. He’s been out of commission for a while, so they’ll definitely need some funding. Holly says, before he goes running back to Monte Carlo or wherever, he’s going to need some time to recuperate, but he says he’s sorry. He can’t stay with her in Port Charles. Too many people after him. It’s best he go right to Australia, where he knows the place and who’s got deep pockets and who not to cross. He needs an influx of cash for his charity work, and to pay off a couple of the bastards who want to kill him. She supposes there’s no point in telling him to be careful, and he says, only if she is.

Tracy asks who Felicia is to tell her what Luke would or wouldn’t want from her, and Felicia says she’s his friend. Someone who knew him, and knows he genuinely loved Tracy. He wouldn’t want her spending her time and money trying to avenge him. She thinks it’s good Tracy is coming back to Port Charles. She needs her family around her right now. Tracy laughs and asks if Felicia has met her family.

On the phone, Ned says, Valentin is really alive. He was starting to wonder. Valentin tells him, knock it off. What does he want? Ned asks if he has to remind Valentin that, since he’s not dead, he’s still the CEO of ELQ, but Valentin says he has other priorities at the moment. Ned asks if Valentin even listened to the messages he left? and Valentin says, no. Anna’s been in the ICU; she’s been fighting for her life. Ned’s the Chairman of the Board. He figured Ned could handle whatever came up. Ned says he has been, for months, but that was when Valentin was dead. Now he’s very much alive. Is it too much to ask for him to put out a statement for the shareholders and board members? The general public are all very curious as to why Valentin pulled that stunt. Valentin says, it wasn’t a stunt. His daughter’s life was in danger. Victor Cassadine had to be stopped. Ned says, let’s talk about your father. He now understands Victor is a wanted man. Not a good look on the heels of Valentin’s disappearance. No one understands what’s going on, let alone their CEO’s involvement in it. From their shareholders’ perspective, Valentin has committed a major fraud. Valentin says, his attorney will be handling that, and Ned tells him, cut the crap. He needs to step up and do his job.

Holly says, wherever Ethan goes, he has to keep in touch, and not disappear off the face of the earth this time. He says, Victor knows she wasn’t burned in the fire. He knows she tricked him, and he’s not likely to forget. She says, good, and he says, satisfying though it may be to know she got the best of a megalomaniac, is going back really a good idea? Is there really anything left in Port Charles for her now?

Robert says he realizes how frustrating this is, and Curtis asks if the WSB won’t act because of jurisdictional issues. Laura says, there must be someone he can call, and Robert says, it’s all about the increased scrutiny on intelligence agencies that they have to put up with these days. Curtis says, he told them there was noting on that island. What difference does it make which country it belongs to? Laura says, four innocent people have been kidnapped, and one of them is an infant, and Drew says, and one of them is a bone marrow donor for a women with Stage IV leukemia. Laura says, exactly. She just doesn’t see how anyone could object to sending out a rescue team under the circumstances. Robert says, nobody hates red tape more than he does. He’s doing his best to plough through it, but it takes a bit of time. Curtis says, they don’t have time, and Laura says, neither does she. The hell with the WSB. She’s getting their families home now.

Alexis asks if Dr. Navarro definitively told Molly that she couldn’t get pregnant, and TJ says, hormone therapy is not permanent. Molly’s ovulation will resume when she stops taking the hormones. That’s probably why Dr. Navarro wanted to wait. What they’re dealing with is all speculation and worst case scenarios. This might be a speedbump, not a dead end. Molly says, but what if it is? She’s already done a search on endometriosis, and knows it can cause infertility.  He says, in some cases, but not all, and she says she knows he’s right; they just need more answers. She’s going to write down some questions, do research, and ask Dr. Navarro also. TJ says he has to check on an ER patient, and asks if Molly will be okay. Alexis says she’s got this, and Molly says she’ll be okay, kissing him. She says she’s got to check her messages. She’s waiting for discovery on a case. He leaves, and Alexis says, talk to me. Molly says she’s just being irrational, and Alexis says, feelings aren’t always rational. She asks Molly to tell her how she really feels, and Molly cries, saying, she feels like she’s just been told she’ll never be a mom. Alexis hugs her.

Portia tells Anna that she just realized what a ridiculous question she’s asking. She’s asking the woman who Victor shot if he’s capable of harming someone. She’s sorry. She doesn’t know what she was thinking. Anna says, she’s not thinking. She’s feeling helpless because her child is in danger, and Anna is feeling useless because she can’t be out there, helping Trina and Spencer and Ace get back safely. Portia tells her not to even think about getting out of that bed, because that’s not happening, as much as she’d like Anna to be out there leading the charge. Anna says she’s been told she can’t. Portia won’t be able to get answers, because they have to be careful about the information they put out there, but Anna can tell her, Victor is ruthless. He hates Anna, but he’s very smart, and he knows Trina is his leverage over Spencer. So he’s not going to hurt her, because then he’d lose Spencer. Portia wonders if Victor really cares about his family, and Anna says she believes he does. He could have killed Valentin, but he didn’t. He went for her, and let his son live. She takes Portia’s hand, and says, there are some very good people out there on that man’s trail. She feels they’re going to get a break soon. Portia prays Anna is right, and prays they find Victor, but she’s also getting the feeling it might be too late.

Valentin tells Ned that he’s not going to get into it right now, but there’s more at stake than ELQ stock, and Ned says, his point exactly. If their stock doesn’t rebound, there are real world consequences for their employees. It’s their responsibility not only to protect their shareholders, but their employees’ livelihoods. Valentin asks what Ned wants, and Ned says he wants Valentin to either get back to work, or step down so he can take over. Valentin says he’s not stepping down. Once his father has been apprehended, he’ll get back to ELQ. In the meantime, he trusts Ned can handle whatever comes up. Goodbye. Ned says, unbelievable.

On the phone, Laura says, they’ll be there. She tells the others that they have a charter plane fueled up and ready to go. She has a helicopter coming here in less than an hour. They can use the helipad on the roof. Drew says, that gives him just enough time to get home, update the family, and get what he needs, and Curtis says, it gives him enough time to check in at the club. Laura says she has to check in with Doc too, and Robert says he’s in, but she says, no. He has to stay here and keep putting pressure on the WSB to act quickly. He says he can do that anywhere, but she says, he can’t.  He, Valentin, and Anna are the only ones who are going to know exactly what’s going on. She needs him here as back-up. He protests, but she says she needs him here; he knows that. He says, stay in touch, and she says, lean on the WSB. She tells Drew and Curtis to meet her back here in less than an hour. She leaves with Robert, and Curtis says he’s going to the club to brief N’neka, and retrieve a little something. Drew says, what about Portia? and Curtis says he’ll see Portia before he goes. She’s still upstairs in her office trying to distract herself with work. Drew says he’s sure she’s going to appreciate that they have a lead.

Carly asks how many roses Olivia got, and Olivia says, enough to fill the baskets of course (🍷). Carly says she’s surprised they were able to get the baskets away from Donna and Avery. Avery has been practicing non-stop. She can’t wait for Avery to get here, so they can practice together, and Donna insists her big brother deserves the best flower girls ever. Michael says he appreciates how hard the whole family is working to make this day special for Willow, and Brook says, and him. They all love him… for some reason. They laugh, and Ned gazes at his family.

Molly says she knows she’s just being stupid, and Alexis says, stupid? Her daughter? Impossible. It’s very normal to be upset when you know something’s not right with your body, especially if it’s something you were counting on doing, like getting pregnant. It’s very upsetting. Molly says, logically, she knows she can still be a mom, even if she’s infertile. Being a parent is so much more than biology. Alexis says, absolutely, but they’re also getting ahead of themselves. They don’t even know if she has endometriosis until the biopsy comes back. Molly says, Dr. Navarro seemed pretty certain, and she has all of the classic symptoms. Alexis says, one step at a time, and grabs Molly’s phone, saying, she’s taking this. Do not look at the internet for information. Molly says, sitting around and waiting is not in her DNA, and Alexis says, it’s not in hers either. She’d be all over this thing, trying to face the worst news head on. Molly says, exactly. Knowledge is power. Alexis tells her, so they say, and glances at the ALS pamphlet in the pocket of her bag.

Laura sees Valentin, and says, they think they know where Victor is, and he asks, where? She says, a small island off the coast of Greenland, and he says, what’s in Greenland? She says, according to the satellite, the Haunted Star and nothing else, but Robert thinks there’s some kind of lab there that was abandoned in the 50s. Valentin says, Mikkos preferred his underground bunkers; they were easier to conceal. She asks if he remembers anything about a Cassadine holding in Greenland, but he says, not at all. She says she guesses they’ll find out. She’s leaving with Curtis and Drew in less than an hour. He says he’s going with her, and she says, great, pressing the elevator button. He says, wait. He can’t do that. She says she understands; Anna needs him. She’ll keep him updated as much as she can. He wishes her good luck, and the elevator doors close.

Walking into his office on the phone, Robert says, the situation is critical. He needs the director to authorize the operation now… It’s critical. He’ll be waiting for the call. He tosses the phone down and sits, when Diane walks in. She asks if someone is bothering him, and he says, not for long. She says she’s sensing this is a bad time, but he says, no, come in. He’s waiting for a call; he can’t do anything. What brings her by? She says she was at an arraignment, and on her way out when she heard his dulcet tones. She’s glad she ran into him. He says, she didn’t really run into him; she came to him. She says, that’s absolutely true, because she has something for him. He says his day’s about to look up, and she slides a paper across the desk, saying, it’s her dry cleaning bill.

Holly says she has unfinished business in Port Charles, and Ethan says, good or bad? She says, as yet to be determined, and asks if he’s up for a few questions. He says, go ahead, and she says, when he was Victor’s prisoner, did he ever mention anything he was up to, anything about his organization? Ethan says he was there so long, the guards got comfortable around him and talked in front of him. She says, tell her everything.

Tracy asks if Felicia really thinks she’d go running home to the bosom of her family to be embraced and comforted? Her family doesn’t do tea and sympathy. They just have survival of the fittest engraved on their family crest. But it makes them sharp and strong, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ned asks if he can pour Michael a drink, and Michael says, maybe later. Was Ned finally able to reach Valentin? Ned says, for all the good it did, and Michael says he’s sorry. He wishes he could pitch in and strategize… Ned says, no. Michael needs to focus on his family unlike Valentin. He’ll handle ELQ. Michael appreciates Ned’s understanding, and says, at the end of the day, they both want ELQ to thrive, despite their differences. Maybe they aren’t so different after all. Michael says, how’s that? but Ned says, today’s not the day to talk business, but one day soon, he’d like to sit down with Michael and Drew, and talk about ELQ. It might be time for some changes. Drew comes in, and asks Michael if Willow’s around. Michael says, she’s at the gatehouse, resting, and Drew says he needs to speak to her, but obviously he doesn’t want to disturb her. He can’t walk Willow down the aisle. They have a lead on the Haunted Star. Carly says, they found Liesl? and Drew says he thinks so… He hopes so. He, Curtis, and Laura are heading there now. Michael says he can’t thank Drew enough, but Drew is putting himself on the line. Drew says, this has to be done. Michael doesn’t have to thank him. Michael knows he’d do anything in his power to rescue those hostages from Victor, and get Liesl back here. Michael says he just prays it’s soon.

Curtis finds Portia asleep at her desk, and says, he will bring Trina home. That is a promise. He leaves her a note.

Carly catches Drew before he goes out the door, and asks if he has everything he needs. He says he does, and she asks if he can tell her where he’s going. He says he’s going to an island off the coast of Greenland, and she says she wishes he didn’t have to go, but she’s grateful because she knows Willow’s life depends on it. He says, Michael and Willow are his family, and she says, please be careful. He says he’ll see her soon, and leaves, but she follows him out the door, and he kisses her. She says, please come back, and he says he will, kissing her again.

TJ asks if everything is okay, and Alexis says, it is, and now that he’s back, she’s going to leave. Molly thanks her, and Alexis says she’s here for Molly… and TJ. She leaves, and TJ says, Molly looks better. Good talk? Molly says, it was. How’s his patient? He says he can see a definite improvement, and she thanks him for giving her and her mom some time to talk; it really helped. He says, they’ll get through this – together – and she says she knows. She’s glad he’s back. Her mom was definitely comforting, but she can’t do this. She kisses him.

I miss a little something here, but Robert suggests he and Diane pick up where they left off. He’s about to kiss her, when Holly walks in.

Ned tells Michael, there’s one lesson in business he’s been slow to learn; work can’t love you back. Michael learned that before he did, and Ned admires him for it. Michael says, don’t give him too much credit. Willow’s the one who set his priorities straight. Carly comes back, and tells Olivia and Brook that the baskets look great. She looks over at Ned and Michael, and says, that’s nice to see. Olivia says, it just goes to show you, family really is about coming together; celebrating the good times, and comforting each other through the bad. Brook says, today is a little bit of both, and Carly says, but they’re not going to have any tears, right? They heard Drew. He’s going to find Liesl, and Willow’s going to have her bone marrow transplant. Before they know it, they’ll be celebrating Michael and Willow’s ten year anniversary. Ned says, hear, hear, and Olivia says she likes the sound of that. And this family is going to be stronger because this family’s bonds are unbreakable, no matter what life throws at them. They hear a door slam, and Ned opens the living room doors. Tracy storms in, and asks what on earth Monica was thinking. They planted daffodils all the way up the drive. It looks like the Easter Bunny threw up out there. Thank God she’s home to put things to rights.

Laura tells Curtis that they should really go up to the roof. She just hopes to God that Victor doesn’t find what he’s looking for and leave before they can get there. Curtis says, they can’t think like that. their mission is to rescue Trina, Spencer, Ace, and Liesl, and that’s what they’re going to do. Drew joins them and says, amen to that. Did Curtis get everything he needs? Curtis says he did. Is Drew’s bag what he thinks it is? Drew says he’s just glad they’re not going through airport security. Laura says, her too, and Curtis asks, how long is the flight? Drew says, about 7 hours, plenty of time for them to go over everything they’re going to do when they hit the ground. As the elevator doors close, Valentin stops them. He says he’s changed his mind. Is it too late to hitch a ride?

Tomorrow, Tracy asks what else they’ve been keeping from her; Diane tells Robert to trust her a little more, and use her a little less; and Carly says she needs to tell the bride about one more shock.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

In Chase’s interview, he says he’s a redneck guy and this is crazy for him. This crew parties. In Daisy’s interview, she asks, why? Why so much regret? Alex stumbles down the stairs, but keeps on going, and Daisy asks Mads if she’s okay as she throws her guts up. She says she is, then Lucy takes quite a tumble trying to get into the top bunk. Ileisha and Daisy help her into the bunk, and Daisy puts up a guardrail. In her interview, Daisy announces that this is a public service announcement. If you drink, don’t take the top bunk. Captain Glenn wonders why there’s a water bottle in his bed, and from the bunk above him, Alex says, ishmabud.

7 am. Gary texts Glenn, guess who’s back? Everyone is still snoring when Gary boards the boat. Glenn meets him, and they hug. Gary says he heard it was a sh*tshow, and asks if the engine works. Glenn says, they’re testing it today, and Gary looks around, saying, the crew had a big night. In her cabin, Mads says she can’t believe she threw up on night one. Glenn says he’s happy to have Gary back, and Gary says he’s happy to be here, and they hug again. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the boat’s not the same without Gary. They’re like an old married couple, and know what each other is thinking. Gary gets in Colin’s bunk with him, and in Colin’s interview, he’s says he’s hugely relieved. They desperately need him on deck. Gary slowly meets the crew, and Lucy shows everyone a scrape on her back. Chase suggests getting some antiseptic, and Gary says, they had a big night last night. It sounds like a wild bunch; injuries on day one. Ileisha thinks someone did something, and Glenn asks if it’s still in the jacuzzi. Gary wakes daisy, and in his interview, he says, it’s good to see Daisy. They bumped heads and touched tongues, and he hopes this season they pick up where they left off. Alex tells Chase that he tried to give Glenn water in the middle of night. Glenn tells Colin that he’ll be happy if they can get up to 6 knots, and Colin tells him to go high as he can. In Colin’s interview, he says, they can’t get off the dock relying on the on wind, and until they’re motoring, the won’t know for sure about the engine. They need to find out their cruising limits. In Alex’s interview, he says, they’ve been lost without a boss. It’s a load off his shoulders. In Chase’s interview, he says, now that they know what they’re doing, they’re finally set up for success.

They leave the dock, and he and Colin discuss boat stuff with a lot of numbers involved. In Colin’s interview, he says he has to inspect everything, and make sure there are no oil leaks when they’re doing the test. If it gets too hot, there are parts inside the engine that are corroded and can break. If something breaks, things can literally bust out of the engine. He tells Glenn, everything is stable and looks good, and in his interview, Colin says, this is exactly what he wanted. It’s a good feeling to have it working like this. Glenn says, the season’s not cancelled, and in his interview, he says, what Colin’s done with the workaround is a temporary fix, but they can continue the season. Gary wants stories about the crew’s night off, but no one remembers anything. Chase says he had a quick kiss with Mads, and Alex made out with everyone in the hot tub. In Gary’s interview, he says, that guy’s got game. It took him two and a half years to kiss Daisy. Good for him. Glenn brings the boat back to the dock, and in his interview, Gary says, his one concern about coming in late is, the crew has been working by their own initiative, which is great, but there’s only one way to do things – my f***ing way, bitches. Gary talks to the deckhands about their previous experience, and Glenn radios for Gary, Daisy, and Ileisha to meet him in the crew mess for a preference sheet meeting.

Glenn says, charter two. The primary is Kim, who has a company called Powerful Professionals, where they do coaching and education. Her husband Ian is a luxury real estate agent, and they’re bringing some long-time friends with them. Daisy reads that they’d like a formal dinner with a bourbon tasting, and in her interview, she says she feels this will be better than charter one, which was a complete disaster. She thinks they’ll be fine. Gary reads that on day two, the guests want to experience all the boat has to offer, including all the water toys. After the meeting, Daisy tells Gary that he waltzed on after a horrific charter. He asks if she has a crush on the boat, but she says she’s over the season already. Lucy calls her dad, and tells him that she has hangxiety – i.e. the anxiety that sometimes comes with a hangover. She tells him that she fell, and scraped her back, and he tells her to get over it or don’t drink. In Lucy’s interview, she says, when she’s hungover, she calls her father. Her dad is her inspiration and her best friend. He says, just chill and have some water. She’ll be fine. My dad was my inspiration and we were very close, but I think he might be the last person I’d want to talk to when I was hungover. The crew goes to bed, and we see Colin scratching his ass.

Daisy calls a meeting with the stews, and asks if they were happy with the last charter. Mads and Lucy think they worked well as a team, and Daisy tells them not to take the feedback from the charter personally. But regardless, make sure to refresh the cabins and check on the towels and toilet paper. In Lucy’s interview, she says she’s going to work her ass off. She wants to be known as the one who works as hard as she can to get the job done. The provisions come in, and Gary tells them to just put the mozzarella in his cabin, as we all would. The guests arrive, and Glenn formally welcomes them. He tells them that they’ll be sailing today, since there’s a good breeze. Daisy gives them the tour, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, he’s confident now that his first mate is back, and the boat can get off the dock. Only so much sh*t can go wrong, then something has to go right… Fingers crossed. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, she has to get her sh*t together. She’s always a little nervous with the first meal. Exciting music plays, even though nothing exciting is happening. Daisy serves some glorious appetizers, and guest Justin (see below) says, it’s out of this world. The sails are put up, and Colin says, they have epic sailing conditions. The start heeling, and everything slides. Glenn says, they have to be happy with this heel.

In Colin’s interview, he says, after the last charter, to be out sailing is surreal. The guests are loving it. They’re so lucky. It’s incredible. They drop anchor, and primary Kim tells Glenn that she has a weird request. She’s wondering if dinner could be done as a buffet, and the entire crew could eat with them. Glenn says, they’ve never done that, and tells Daisy about the request. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, the request is crazy, but she’ll do family style and include everyone. Gary wants fewer water toys in the space where they’re kept (it has a name, but I forget what it is), and Chase argues the point. In Gary’s interview, he says, he doesn’t know if Chase is trying to prove something, but Chase is getting on his nerves. In Colin’s interview, he says, Chase has huge potential, but it has to be harnessed the right way. He requires guidance and leadership. Gary needs to man up. Mads says, this is so different from the last charter. They had no time to breathe. There’s sand in the sea bob, and Gary tells them, it can’t happen again. Chase says he thought it had been rinsed, but apparently not, and acts like it’s no big deal. In his interview, Gary says, Chase was talking disrespectfully in front of the guests. It’s a sh*t d*ck move.

In Gary’s interview, he says he’s more pissed about the lack of respect then how they’ve been looking after things. Is this how it’s going to be for the rest of the season? Daisy  tells Gary about the crew joining the guests for dinner, and Gary says his social skills are terrible. The guests play on the water toys, and Ileisha frets that the guests won’t like mussels. Colin says, she’s the chef, and it sounds delicious. (It does.) He helps clean the mussels and make the pasta, getting more points from me. Daisy explains to Mads how to set up the tables for everyone. Colin hangs the pasta on hangers, and says, it’s going to be 14 people, and Ileisha picked the most time consuming thing. Ileisha worries they won’t have enough food, and in her interview, she says, there was no way she could have pulled this off without Colin’s help. They did it. The food comes out, and the guests applaud. Kim makes a toast to a night we will never forget with friends we will always remember. Gary says, Glenn is the captain he’s ever worked for, and the crew is so much nicer than previous crews. In Glenn’s interview, he says he’s proud of Ileisha. This was a massive win for him and the crew. Colin tells the guests that this isn’t normal. In his 14 years of working on a superyacht, he’s never been invited to eat with the guests. He thanks them for treating the crew with respect. Guest Ian says, they’re happy to share the evening.  

As the crew talks about how they got into yachting, Gary says he joined 3 years ago, and never looked back. Chase goes to check the hot tub, and finds it cold. Ian says, the dinner is positively spectacular, and Glenn says, then it’s their gain. It’s been special; very cool. Gary leaves to check the hot tub, and Chase says he just turned on the heater on. Gary calls Glenn up, and tells him about the hot tub, also showing him a smudge on the chrome. Chase says, that’s why he came up in the first place, to check the tub, and in his interview, he wonders why Gary keeps throwing him under the bus. He’s trying his hardest, but he’s just getting sh*t. Gary tells Alex to be vigilant on anchor watch. He gives Alex some instructions and pointers.

2nd day of charter. Gary complains to Colin about Alex not listening, and says he’s been here a long time, and knows how everything works.  Colin says, when he has to deal with someone like that, the only way is to nip it in the bud, or it will end up exploding. He thinks Chase and Alex had a system, but Gary says, he has different ideas. He appreciates them getting the boat through the first charter, but not it’s his way. Glenn tells Chase to keep on top of the fingerprints, and in Chase’s interview, he says, when he wakes up before the captain, and it looks like sh*t because no one cleaned the night before, it looks like it’s him.  It’s a situation he can’t win. One with Gary talking sh*t at the top.  

Next time, who’s zooming who; Gary and Daisy kiss; a storm comes up; and the boat drags anchor.

🎤 Runner-Up On Deck…

Blink and you missed him. I haven’t seen this guy since that beach movie he made with Kelly Clarkson.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-sailing-yacht-justin-guarini-is-a-charter-guest

🤽 Excuses, excuses. Since the fun never ends, it’s already been a week, and it’s only Monday. So I’m saving Summer House for tomorrow, when you’ll get double the awful when it’s coupled with RHONJ. Although the former are mostly awful because they’re a bunch of immature dummies, when the Jersey crowd is just plain mean.

🌍 Go Ahead, Earth My Day…

As stated above, come back tomorrow for a duo of awfulness, along with the usual soap. Until then, stay safe, stay checking for bunny nests before you mow or weed, and stay not taking the top bunk if you drink.

April 17, 2023 – Victor Holds an Auction, The Mother Of All Intense First Charters On Deck, Still Awful In the Summer & Truth

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael answers the door at the gatehouse, and Carly and Josslyn are there. He says, that was fast, and Carly says, they dropped everything as soon as he called. Whatever Wallow needs, they’ll do. Willow says, that’s a good thing, because they need both of them, and Michael says, now more than ever.

Sonny sees Robert at the hospital, and says he just stopped by to see Anna. Robert is carrying two to-go cups, and Sonny asks if it’s coffee for Anna. Robert says, tea, Earl Grey, her favorite, and Sonny says he just sent her some flowers. Robert asks if that’s how it works now; take with one hand, give with the other. Is this his current M.O.? Sonny says he doesn’t understand. Do they have a problem? Robert says, since Sonny used Diane Miller to circumvent the law, he thinks they do.

Brook runs into the CCRB meeting room, and sees Chase. She says, right on time, and he says, the meeting hasn’t started yet. She already submitted a letter on his behalf. Why is she here? She asks why he thinks. Someone has to make him presentable. She straightens his tie.

Alexis says, if Chase and Finn heard Gregory was ill, they didn’t hear it from her, but he says he didn’t come here to argue with her. She asks if he’s okay, and he says he will be if she does him a favor. He promises it’s the last time he’ll ask.

Somewhere off the coast of Venezuela. There’s a knock at Felicia’s room door, and a voice says, housekeeping. A housekeeper carrying a humongous stack of towels says, someone asked for more towels, but Felicia says, she must have the wrong room. The housekeeper toddles in with the towels, and Felicia says she’s going to call the front desk. The maid says, please don’t, and dumps the towels on the bed. It’s Holly, and she and Felicia hug. Felicia asks why Holly is in disguise, and Holly says, when you’re supposed to be mummied up in a Swiss burn unit, hiding out from Victor Cassadine, you can’t afford to be too careful. Felicia says, for someone who was burned in a housefire, Holly looks pretty amazing, and Holly says, the ultimate chemical peel; people pay thousands for that. Speaking of which, Felicia looks amazing. Whatever she’s doing with Mac, keep it up. Felicia thanks her, and says, ever since she got back in the P.I. game, it’s been good for her. It keeps her on her toes, which is how she got the brilliant idea to fly to Caracas, hop a boat, and catch up with Holly on this island. Holly says, let her guess. This has something to do with the Ice Princess necklace. Felicia says, so she knows Victor has the real deal, and Holly says, Robert got word to her that it was especially important that she lay low right now, because if Victor has the necklace, it’s likely he knows she pulled a fast one. Felicia says, unfortunately, he’s taken hostages. She’s sure he won’t hesitate to grab Holly again if he gets the chance. Holly suggests they turn up the heat, but first things first, and Felicia says, first they find Holly’s son. Then they find the person who killed Luke.

Sonny says he’s getting the impression he crossed the line in some kind of way. What’s that about? Robert says, somebody hired Diane Miller to represent this lowlife who was hired to take out Lucy Coe at the Nurses Ball, and Sonny says, every defendant has the right to legal representation; Robert knows that. Robert says, legal representation, but not an A-list attorney like Diane Miller, who happens to be on Sonny’s retainer. Sonny made this person an offer they couldn’t refuse. Sonny says, correct him if he’s wrong, but didn’t this person of interest reveal that Victor has hostages aboard the Haunted Star? That was because of Diane’s information. Nina comes by, and Sonny says, Diane got this information, now they’re armed with all this knowledge. Who cares how they got it? Robert says, that depends. How far is too far, eh, Nina? He goes into the elevator, and Nina looks at Sonny.

Carly asks, what’s going on? When they were asked to come by, they assumed it was a health related issue. Willow says, it is… in a way, but what she needs is help in planning their wedding. Josslyn says, of course (🍷). They’d be happy to help, but they thought that wasn’t for a few months. Willow says she wanted to wait until after the transplant, but now with her donor missing, she’s reconsidered. What does Carly say, does she have Carly’s permission to marry her son tomorrow? Michael tells her, please say yes.

Alexis says, the last time Gregory will ask her for a favor? What does that even mean? He says, let him clarify. He means he won’t bother her again if he’s imposing. By now, it’s public knowledge that Alexis’s family is involved in what may turn out to be the story of the year. Alexis says, he’s heard about the ghost ship then, and he says, it’s impossible not to, but what’s really blowing up the internet are the names of the villain and the victims. To her they’re not just names; they’re family. She says, that’s her family all right. She has reporters on it. Nikolas has vanished – nobody knows where he is – and his sons apparently are hostages. And the mastermind of the whole thing is her Uncle Victor. He says he’s sure it must be overwhelming to juggle her job and her emotions. So that’s why he’s here, to offer his help.

Brook tells Chase to be still. He wants to look his best before the committee, doesn’t he? He says he doesn’t think the CCRB is going to give him a thumbs up or thumbs down because of his appearance. It’s his character and judgement that are in question. She says, they’d be lucky to have him back… anyone would be. They hear people in the hallway, and Brook says, just look each of them in the eye, be himself, and he can’t lose. He asks if that’s his manager talking, but she says, no. She’s just someone who believes in him. The committee files in and takes their seats at the table up front. Brook asks if it’s okay if she stays, and Chase says he’d like that. She tells him, break a leg, and the chairman says, this meeting of the Civilian Complain Review Board will come to order. They’re here to consider the reinstatement, or permanent dismissal, of Detective Harrison Chase. He asks Chase to come forward. The committee has reviewed his work record, and in many ways, it’s exemplary. Chase says he appreciates that, and the chairman says, but given he’s twice resorted to violence in his off-duty life, the committee is concerned he might lack the temperament and the discipline required of an officer of the law, much less a detective. To that end, this is a forum both for those opposed to and in favor of restoring his badge. Chase says he understands, and thanks them for the opportunity, when Blaze walks in. She says she’d like to speak in Chase’s favor, and Brook says, atta girl. The chairman asks her name, and she says, Blaze. He asks if it’s her first or last name, and she says, it’s her stage name. Her real name is Allison Rogers. The chairman asks her relationship to Chase, and Blaze says, he’s her singing partner, and she’s enjoyed every minute of performing with him. But as talented as Chase is, and a real natural on stage, she knows his true calling is being a police officer. He asks how she knows that, and she says, Chase stood up for her when her creep of a manager was sexually harassing her. But Chase didn’t throw his weight around, if that’s what they’re thinking. He just put Linc Brown on notice. Chase made her feel safe and protected… even respected. And isn’t that what a cop’s supposed to do – serve and protect?  

Alexis says, honestly, she didn’t know if she was going to see Gregory again. Their last visits would have implied that. Gregory says he considered keeping his distance, not wanting to add to her troubles. But then he thought his friend Alexis is trying to put out a newspaper while holding her family close because this story strikes so close to home. So he put everything else aside, got in the elevator, and here he is. She says, so he gets to help her, but she doesn’t get to help him. Interesting terms of a friendship.

Carly says, of course (🍷) Michael and Willow have her blessing; they’ve always had her blessing. Is Willow sure she wants to push the wedding up… Willow says, when she’s living on borrowed time? She doesn’t want to waste another minute. Josslyn asks if Michael is okay with it, and he says, absolutely. He wants Willow to have everything she ever dreamed of. Willow says, so Maxie is overseeing, Brook is taking care of the arrangements at the house, and Sasha is contacting the vendors. Josslyn says she wants to do something too, and Carly says, whatever Willow needs. Give her a job.

Sonny asks what Nina is doing, and she says she wanted to talk about alternative treatments for Willow with Dr. Randolph, but it’s no use. Willow never signed the release for her to have the medical information. Sonny says he’s sorry, but she says she’s just grasping at straws. Willow pretty much said there weren’t any other treatments. They have to find Aunt Liesl in time for the transplant. At least they know why she disappeared from the Nurses Ball and who has her, thanks to Sonny. He says he doesn’t know exactly what she heard… She says, there’s no reason to keep her out of the loop anymore. It’s common knowledge Victor Cassadine disappeared with the Haunted Star, and Aunt Liesl is one of his hostages. It’s a lot more than they knew last night. She asked Sonny to do whatever it takes, and he took her at her word, didn’t he?

Robert thanks the reception nurse, when Diane sees him, and says, coffee run? He says, Earl Grey, one supposedly for Anna, but she’s being examined right now, and he supposes it will be cold when she’s finished. Maybe Diane would care to join him. Or would this be looked on as a conflict of interest by her boss? She says she’s the senior partner of her own law firm. She doesn’t have a boss; she has clients. He says he doubts Sonny knows the difference. She’s not here to receive her marching orders, is she? She laughs, and says she’s here to dispose a client who is being wrongfully accused of malpractice. She’s no wartime consiglieri. She’s an attorney with principles. She starts to leave, and he says he’s sorry if he was out of line. She says, yes, very, and he asks her to accept his apologies and this lukewarm cup of tea.

Holly tells Felicia that she hates to admit this, but she’d almost given up hope of finding Ethan. Even with all her contacts and Robert’s trusty rusty Rolodex, it was as if he’d vanished off the face of the earth. Felicia says, people have a way of vanishing when they’re in Victor Cassadine’s orbit, and Holly asks if it’s true about Liesl Obrecht. Felicia says, yeah, and most likely, Spencer and Nikolas Cassadine’s infant son, and Holly says, God knows what Victor’s got in mind. Thankfully, she finally got a lead that Ethan is being held somewhere here on this island. Felicia says, so she knows where he is, but Holly says, no. Just this, and literally in the last 24 hours. Felicia asks if it doesn’t strike her as convenient, coming on the heels of Victor fleeing Port Charles, and Holly says, without a doubt, but this is her son they’re talking about. She had no choice but to follow the lead. Felicia says, of course (🍷). Then what are they waiting for? Let’s go find him. Holly says she can’t go in the maid’s outfit, and Felicia holds up two dresses, saying, take her pick. Holly wonders what she’d do without Felicia.

The chairman thanks Blaze, and says, the committee will take her testimony into consideration. That being said, they also have to consider Detective Chase’s poor judgement and his temper. Frankly, there’s also concern about his commitment to the badge. They understand someone without pay has to earn a living, but pursuing a music career? Perhaps he has a new calling in show business. Geez, it’s not like he’s doing porn. Brook gets up, and says, excuse me. She thinks she knows what Chase’s true calling is. The chairman asks who she is, and she says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine. He says he believes she’s already submitted a written statement in support of Detective Chase, and she says she did, but she has more to say. If they want to know where Detective Chase’s heart lies, nobody knows that better than her. Nobody.

Gregory tells Alexis, in his book, friends don’t always have to agree. Sometimes they fall out for years. He hopes that’s not the case with them. Her daughters are a strong support system for her, but sometimes it’s good to have the support of friends who you can communicate with in a different way. She says, in other words, he missed her, and he says, guilty as charged. He’s hoping she feels the same way. She says she does. She likes their connection. She likes being able to talk to somebody who’s intelligent and observant. So yes, she missed him to. Sit down and let’s get to work. He says, it will be a story to tell, a story that cuts close to the bone. He thinks if they put their heads together and set their egos aside like they did on the trail of The Hook killer, they can make this work. He asks to see a proof of tomorrow’s front page, and she turns her laptop around, but shuts it before he can see, and says, hang on. He asks if he’s already stepped on her editorial toes, but she says her toes are just fine. First, they need to tell another important story; his story.

Sonny asks if Nina is sure she wants to know. If he tells her, she can’t unknow it. She says she knows (ha-ha!) what she’s asking, and he says, Victor’s enforcer – the guy who tried to kill Lucy – wasn’t going to talk to the cops. So he arranged for the guy to have legal representation with Diane. Nina says, he was doing his civic duty, and Sonny says, something like that. In the meeting, the guy and Diane discussed how he might accept a lesser charge in exchange for certain information. She says, so he gives up Victor Cassadine, and gets a lesser charge, and Sonny says, exactly. We don’t live in a perfect world, but one thing he’s learned, one thing you can count on… nobody does anything for free.

Both of them dressed up, Holly leads Felicia into a beautiful living room with a roaring fireplace, and Felicia asks, what is this place? It seems way too formal to be on a tropical island. Holly says, if you have to ask, you’re not a member, and Felicia says she’s not. Is Holly? Holly says, no, but Victor is. A man in a tux comes out, and says he’s sorry, but tonight’s closed to the public; it’s members only. He’s afraid they’ll have to leave. Holly presses some money into his hand, and asks if he couldn’t make an exception in their case. He says he’s sorry, but she made a serious mistake, and two bouncers come out. The guy tells them to escort these ladies off the property, but Holly says, he doesn’t understand. They represent a consortium that does business with Victor Cassadine. He says, so? and Felicia says, so their clients insist they bid for them in person. They can’t risk leaving a digital footprint, if he knows what she means. He understands, right? Felicia slips him more cash, and he says, very well, telling them to take a seat. The bidding will begin shortly. He tells the other two to bring the item up. And remember Mr. Cassadine’s instructions – handle with care. He leaves, and Holly says, that was some fast thinking. Felicia wonders how this gets them any closer to Ethan, and Holly says she thinks they’re even closer than she thought.

Robert asks what they should drink to, and Diane suggests trust, but Robert says he trusts and admires Diane. It’s too bad she has to be compromised by the likes of Sonny Corinthos. She asks if Robert is compromised every time he takes a plea deal, and he asks if that isn’t apples and oranges. She says, is it? Was he compromised when he and Holly were running around carrying out those dubious operations for the WSB? Or every time he and Anna broke the rules just to take down the bad guy? Robert says, it’s different; it’s not the same thing. Diane says, let her guess. Because he was doing it for God and country. Admit it. They don’t deal with saints. They choose to deal with complicated men and women, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sonny asks if Nina has second thoughts about asking for his help, but she says, not a one. The Mike she fell in love with in Nixon Falls is still the Sonny she’s in love with. She learned she can’t pick and choose the parts of him that she loves. He says he thought it was the dimples, and she says, the dimples too, for sure. She says, now that they know where Aunt Liesl is, are they any closer to bringing Aunt Liesl home in time for Willow’s transplant?

Willow asks to talk to Carly in private, and Josslyn says, of course (🍷), leading Michael outside. Willow tells Carly that Michael has been wonderful about the wedding, but as soon as she starts talking about what happens after she’s gone, he doesn’t want to hear it. Carly says, neither does she, and Willow says, but Carly is a mom, and she understands. Willow wants her children to have what she never did; to grow up surrounded by family. Carly says, between them and the Quartermaines, Amelia and Wiley are going to have more family than they can handle, but Willow says, it’s the aunts and uncles she’s worried about. If Michael is at odds with Sonny, his siblings will feel like they’ve got to choose sides. She’s not worried about Dante; he’s able to navigate between the two. But Kristina is fiercely loyal to Sonny, and she’s already pulling away from Michael; not out of malice, but she sees the situation from her father’s point-of-view. As they get older, what if Avery and Donna do the same? She doesn’t want those little girls to miss out on having Michael as a big brother, and she doesn’t want her children to miss out on Avery and Donna. Carly wonders if Willow is asking her to make peace between Michael and Sonny.

Gregory says he had no plans to tell Alexis that he was sick. He regrets losing his temper and blurting it out. And it was wrong of him to dump it on her. She says she’s not glad he’s ill, but she’s glad he shared it. As much as their collaboration means to him, his health and well-being mean more. She can’t unhear what he told her. He says he’s not asking her to pretend she didn’t hear it. He’s asking her not to let it get in the way of what they do so well. If she can do that, he can promise not to let his little problem get in the way again.

Brook tells the committee, what she didn’t say in her letter is that Chase does have a problem. A big one. He cares too much. When you boil it down, that’s what Blaze was saying, and all the people who wrote letters. Chase isn’t just a cop; he’s a human being. That’s what caused him to come to her defense – not once, but twice – and he’s paid the price and learned from it. Chase is good at being on stage for the same reason he’s good at investigating a crime. Because he puts his heart and his soul into it. He never quits until he gets it right. He never quits on anyone… even if they deserve it. They need more people like that enforcing the law in this town. The kind of person who feels for people and fights for them. The kind of cop – the kind of man – they’re all proud to call Detective Harrison Chase.

The chairman says, Chase’s witnesses spoke quite eloquently on his behalf. Does he have anything to add? Chase says, not very much. Because no matter what the Review Board decides, he’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Port Charles as a detective. It was a true honor. However, if they decide to reinstate him, he’ll do his very best to deserve their trust. The chairman says, the committee will adjourn to discuss their decision, and the members leave. Chase thanks Blaze, and she says she only spoke the truth. And if they don’t reinstate him as a detective, she’d be thrilled to be his duet partner for life. They hug, and she says she’s sorry she can’t stay for the decision; she’s due at the recording studio. She’s putting together a new demo. He tells her, good luck, and she says, him too. She leaves, and Brook asks how Chase is doing. He says, no matter what happens he’s going to be okay… because of her.

Alexis says she appreciates Gregory not wanting her to know anything about his illness, but if something happens to him, how will she know what to do? He says, what if she gets hit by a bus? What if he slips and falls in the shower? What if an asteroid hits the planet? Is life just one big what if? He can understand her wanting everything out in the open about his illness, but ultimately, it’s happening to him. All he’s doing is asking her to respect his privacy so they can get back to doing what made her want to work with him in the first place. She says, not a bad argument. He should have been a lawyer. He asks if that means he’s gotten through. Let’s forget about everything else, and tell this story.

Willow tells Carly that brokering peace would mean pressuring Michael, and she doesn’t want that. But she also doesn’t want to leave her children in a divided family when she’s gone. Carly asks her not to say that. Of course (🍷) she’ll be with Michael if anything happens, but can they not put that out in the universe? Please don’t say when. Willow says, if she goes, she wants Wiley and Amelia to be able to see their grandfather and their aunts and uncles, and not feel the tension underneath. Carly says she gets where Willow is coming from. What does she need? Willow says, part of the reason Michael has drawn such a hard line with Sonny is out of loyalty to Carly, and Carly says she knows that. She didn’t expect it, and didn’t ask Michael to turn his back on Sonny. Willow says, of course (🍷) she didn’t, but she is Michael’s mother. Sonny treated her unfairly, and Michael resents it. It’s made him question everything else about Sonny, and it’s all perfectly justified, but being right doesn’t build bridges; compromise does. For the sake of their youngest family members – for Avery, Donna, Wiley, and Amelia – she’s asking Carly to be the one who builds the bridge.

Josslyn says she’s not sure if it matters to Michael, but Sonny knows about her and Dex. He asks, since when? and she says, since the night of the Nurses Ball. He found them together and told them that he’s known for months. He said he was disappointed in Dex for keeping it from him, but that Dex saved his life. Michael says, Sonny acknowledged that Dex saved him? and she says, yes. He also said she was mom’s daughter, so it’s mom’s issue to deal with. He wasn’t happy of course (🍷), but he wasn’t that mad either. Michael knows what he’s like when he’s mad. Michael asks, what happened next? and she says, nothing. He gave Dex another job, which turned out to be looking for Obrecht. Anyway, her point is, Dex told her that Sonny is using every connection to find her. Michael says, Sonny called him and told him that he’d do anything to help, and she says, Sonny called him? Michael says, there was something in his voice that made him almost forget about all the destruction and broken lives. For a moment, he sounded like… Josslyn says, like who? and he says, he sounded like my dad. She hugs him.

Sonny tells Nina, they need to focus on the positive. Jordan has all the information. She’s going to notify everyone from Interpol to the US Navy. Nina says she knows Jordan is doing the best she can, but she also knows he has more resources, and he’s working behind the scenes. She just wants to be able to help him. He tells her to help her daughter as much as Willow will let her, and she says, in other words, stay out of it. He says, it’s safer this way, and she says she trusts him. If she wanted safer, she’d have left a long time ago. She’s not asking him to share his trade secrets with her, but he doesn’t need to shield her. She’s sure she loves him, and she’s sure she trusts him. And she’s sure he’s going to put her and his family before anything else. She’s not asking for anything more. Just him… all of him. He says, she has him, and he kisses her.

Felicia and Holly are seated, and the tux man puts on a monitor where he’s being filmed. He welcomes the audience in several different languages, and says, as they know, they represent a select group invited by their host Victor Cassadine to bid on what he dares say is a one of a kind item. One that has a personal meaning to each and every one of them. Bring him out. The two bouncers bring in a hooded man between them, and sit him down in front of the camera.

Carly tells Willow that she’ll do her best, and hugs her. Michael and Josslyn come back, and Michael asks if everything is okay. Carly says, it is. She was just telling Willow that she’s going to do everything she can to make their wedding everything the two of them want it to be. Josslyn says, they both will, and asks if they should head out. Carly says, yeah, hugs Michael, and says goodbye to Willow. They leave, and Michael says, it looks like they’re good to go wedding-wise. Willow says, almost.

Nina says she really means it. Sonny doesn’t have to protect her. She’s not trying to change him. She loves him. He says he loves her too, and he’s not giving up on her daughter. They’re going to find her Aunt Liesl and bring her home in time to save Willow – whatever it takes.

Chase says, it meant a lot that Brook spoke on his behalf today, and she says, Blaze did too, which really impressed her. Because if he gets his badge back, Blaze is going to lose a duet partner. He tells her, what Blaze said was amazing, but he doesn’t have the same history with her that he does with Brook. She says, he’s right; she owed it to him. He says, but still, thank you, and she says, he’s welcome, taking his hand. She drops it when the committee comes back in, and Chase stands in front of them. The chairman says, Mr. Harrison Chase, the CCRB have made our decision.

Alexis says, the first time they met, when Gregory almost hit her in the head with a frisbee, she knew he was as stubborn as she is. He says he doesn’t like to show all his cards at once, and she says she’ll go along with this if he promises that, if it gets worse, he’ll tell her and let her help him. He says, maybe or maybe not; it depends on the situation. She says, he’s exhausting. It’s a good thing she likes his work. He says, which means… She says, which means, she’ll cooperate. For now. Have it his way. Let’s get to work, professor. Don’t just sit there. Take this copy and do his thing. She hands him some papers, and he reaches for them, but falls to the ground.

Diane says, Robert does realize of course (🍷), it’s been weeks since he promised to take her out to dinner and fill her in on the mystery that began with the fire that scarred poor Holly and ended up destroying the Ice Princess necklace. He says, weeks? and she says, then of course (🍷), that only deepened with the murder of Eileen Ashby. He says, the Deputy Mayor had her share of enemies, and she says, and now apparently there’s this ghost ship floating around with hostages on board. He says, no time like the present; they’ll have dinner tonight. She says, so he just assumes she doesn’t have plans this evening? and he says he’s sorry. He didn’t realize she had plans. She says she doesn’t, but in the future, a lady likes to be given a little advance warning. He looks confused, she laughs, and they leave together.

The man tells the bouncers, show everyone exactly what they’re bidding on, and they remove the man’s hood. Holly says, Ethan, and the man says, for the privilege of ending the life of Ethan Lovett, the bidding will start at one million dollars.

Another one I didn’t see coming. I must be losing my touch. Victor is doing what I kinda, sorta thought Austin’s family might be up to.

Tomorrow, Diane tells Robert that she knows where the line is and won’t cross it; Brook tells Sonny that she may have called in a little favor; and the CCRB gives Chase their decision.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

When we last left, the engine expert team had told Glenn that the boat’s engine needed to be rebuilt, and it would take 15 days. In Glenn’s interview, he says, it’s BS. They need it fixed, and need to get onto it fast. They don’t have a rebuild kit, and it could take days to find one. On top of it, they have guests on board. It sucks to be him. We see the cabins, and these guests are incredibly messy. Daisy asks Glenn to talk to the guests about today’s plan, and he tells them that they’re not leaving the dock. He’s sorry and embarrassed, but that doesn’t mean they can’t go somewhere and have fun. In his interview, he says, they have to come up with ways to keep the guests entertained, and it brings the stress up to 110%. He tells them, there’s a beautiful beach nearby, and they act like this is a great idea, then bitch about it the second Glenn leaves. Glenn tells Daisy to take the tender and the van, and Daisy tells Colin that she’d like to send the guys. Colin says, Alex will take the tender run, and Chase will drive the van, and she decides to send Lucy along, In Daisy’s interview, she says, all she’s seeing are dirty dishes and laundry. Sending both of the girls to open beer bottles isn’t practical, and Gary isn’t here to argue with her. Glenn makes a million calls, trying to find a rebuild kit, but comes up empty. In Glenn’s interview, he says, he can’t find anything, even used. He could have all the money in the world, and it wouldn’t matter. Gary has covid, the guests are disappointed, and they could be f***ed. Daisy texts Gary, who says, he’s trying be positive, and sends a video of him dancing around. Colin calls another engineer, and suggests a possibility. The engineer says, if they were in a Mad Max world, it would be viable. In Colin’s interview, he says he has experience with salvaging engines. He bought a hurricane damaged boat, and knows how bad salt water can effect an engine. There has to be a quicker solution than rebuilding. The guests ask Glenn to join them for dinner. No doubt so they can personally yell at him. As the guests are about to get in the tender, one asks for an espresso martini, so Daisy has to run around to accommodate her majesty. Since Glenn is a man and can’t find things on his own, he radios Daisy that there’s no ice in the tender. Daisy says, it’s there, and he tells her to just bring more. She hotfoots it to the tender, as he’s telling her that he can’t f***ing find it. In his interview, he says, he’d rather have two and get going.

Daisy shows the guests where the ice was – in the ice bucket. In Lucy’s interview, she says, Chase isn’t annoying, but he’s so positive. Moaning about things gets her through life. Colin suggests some engine stuff to Glenn, and says, they’ll probably have to cruise a few knots slower, but Glenn says, any knots are more than they’re going now. In Colin’s interview, he says, what he’s going to do is completely unorthodox, but if he doesn’t try it, they have no charter. The salt water makes things corrode. If they corrode, they become weak, and if they become weak, they break. He’s going to suck out the water, put in diesel fuel, then suck that out. It’s a tedious task, and pushing him to his limit. Lucy comes back to the boat to do cabins, and they’re atrocious. Lucy says she couldn’t live like this. Me neither, sister. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, this dinner is so much pressure, and Glenn is going to be there. She keeps looking at the clock, thinking, another minute gone. At the beach, Chase thinks the guests are getting stirry, so they head back. In Madison’s interview, she says she wants to be on Daisy’s good side, and will fake it until she makes it. Lucy drops a dish and it breaks, and she starts to cry.

Daisy says, it’s just broken glass, and in Lucy’s interview, she says she feels like a child. Like the boat is ruining her. One of the guests wonders, if this is a sailboat, why aren’t they going out? That was my question last week, and we still don’t get an answer. Alex deposits the guests back at the boat, and says, they were mostly drinking again. More espresso martinis are demanded. Appropriately named guest Karen whines that if they don’t check the engines before a charter, it’s on them. She can go to the beach in Florida. She’s disappointed. In Colin’s interview, he says he got as much water out as he possibly can. The next step is to start the engine, and shoot out whatever’s remaining in the cylinders. It excites him in a way. Glenn texts Gary, who says his next test is tomorrow morning. Daisy tells the stews that it’s a black and gold themed dinner, and Colin says he has very good news. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, after working in fine dining, throwing out imperfect dishes becomes second nature. She wants them to be perfect, so she’s hard on herself. Daisy points out the spots Alex has missed in polishing the glasses, and in her interview, she says, Alex is good looking, but she doesn’t want to hook up with a junior deckhand. She tells Alex that it was a good attempt, and she’d put them on the table. An alarm goes off in the engine room, and Colin curses his life. The engine sputters, and Colin says, come on. The engine finally comes to life, and he runs to tell Glenn. They high-five and hug, and in Colin’s interview, he says, he’s so f***ing stoked. In Glenn’s interview, he says, Colin has always been a legend, but he’s gone up three notches. Until they’re out at sea, he’s not going to get too excited, but he’s feeling good. I told you that Colin is the only decent guy on this boat.

Alex helps serve, and he’s nervous. The guests thank Glenn for joining them, and Lucy and I both say, ugh, when we see the cabins. In Lucy’s interview, she says, there’s blood on the carpet, and it stank of fish. She’s not their f***ing maid… well, she is. Seriously, it’s absolutely disgusting. In Mads’s interview, she says, personality is everything. Alex is more mischievous, while Chase is more of a gentlemen. She wouldn’t mind screwing the crew if the crew knows how to screw. Lucy tells Daisy that the bed is covered in blood, and I have no words. Ileisha frets about the anxiety she never used to have that leads to self-doubt. That’s when she makes mistakes. She just has to focus. Primary Stephanie wants a massive nap, and everyone goes to bed.

Glenn says he doesn’t want to try taking the boat out yet. The guests have to leave at 12, and it’s raining. Gary texts that he tested positive again, and Glenn says he needs a drink. Daisy apologizes to guest Joni for not being able to get off the dock, but Joni says, life happens. She loves all of them. It just wasn’t the best trip. Deemed the most outspoken, Karen goes with Stephanie to approach Glenn. Karen gets all weepy, and says she thought she was being punked. They had no toilet paper, towels, or bath mats. Aside from being with her best friend and the company, this was the worst trip of her life. In Glenn’s interview, he says, WTF is going on? Glenn tells her that they take pride making sure the guests have everything at all times, and grabs Daisy as she’s going past. He tells her that the guests were saying they dropped the ball in a few places, and Karen, who I don’t think expected Daisy to be in this conversation, says, they had no toilet paper, etc. and no one took out the trash. Daisy says she’ll speak to the girls, and Glenn assures them that it will all be addressed. In the other room, Joni says she thinks they just didn’t want to cough up the extra money. Karen thanks Stephanie for loving her even when she’s an a-hole. I’m glad she recognizes that, but along with Glenn, I say, WTF?

Finally, it’s time to say goodbye to these slobs, and Stephanie tells Glenn that the picnic was amazing. Some things could have been better, but overall, it was a fantastic; the girls trip of a lifetime. Glenn blows the horn as the guests walk back to their lives. Glenn talks to Daisy about the lack of service, and Daisy says, one time they asked for towels and she brought them straight away. They never said a word. Glenn suggests the toilet paper situation be checked on a regular basis, and Daisy says, it was. He asks if she thinks they’re making it up (yes), and Daisy says she thinks a lot of alcohol was consumed, and now they’re coming down. Glenn tells her not to be defensive. He thinks because they couldn’t leave the dock, there was a massive black cloud over the charter. Just make sure the guests have a full roll of toilet paper at all times. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’s a mixture of embarrassed, upset, and shocked. She tells Glenn that by the end of the season, they’ll be an amazing team. She tells the stews that she’s confused if it was really that bad, and they all agree that they did all they could. In Mads’s interview, she says, it doesn’t make her want to give up, but it dampens the day. They were working as hard as they could. Daisy tells the stews that she thinks they did good. It was a hard charter.

At the tip meeting, Glenn says, this was the mother of all intense first charters. They had no engine or first mate, and the fact they survived is amazing. It was the most challenging engineering problem they’ve had, and he can’t thank Colin enough. He knows that there was an extra strain on Daisy because of being stuck, and thanks her for her efforts. The guests were also pleased with the food, and he agrees. The tip is 19.1K or 2105 euros each. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’s shocked. She guesses the majority of them were happy. Glenn says he’s organized dinner and drinks for them; have fun. They get changed and leave, and Glenn tries to figure out how to use the blender, which is pretty funny. In Mads’s interview, she says, drinking is the only way to release herself after that sh*tshow. Daisy toasts to Colin, but after she drinks a tequila shot, spits it out. Yep. I feel the same way about tequila.

Colin suggests sculling, and says he’ll judge. The guys chug their drinks, and Alex wins. Colin thinks they should head back to the boat, and Chase pushes Daisy back in an abandoned shopping cart. In Chase’s interview, he says, when Daisy drinks, she’s like his spirit animal. He thought she was prim and proper, but actually she’s a good time. In Colin’s interview, he says he still feels anxious. He’d love to get sh*tfaced with his workmates, but he has to be up tomorrow for sea troll day. He needs to be mature. Colin goes to bed, but the others get in the hot tub and drink champagne from the bottle. Alex is all over Daisy, and Chase gives Mads noogies. Chase suggests playing Truth or Dare, and dares Alex to make out with Daisy, and they do. Everyone cheers, and then Alex makes out with Lucy… and Mads. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, if this is night one, she doesn’t know how the rest of the season is going to go. Then Alex kisses her too. Yuk.

Next time, the morning after; Gary returns; the guests request the entire crew join them for dinner; and an exhaust leak while trolling.

🤽‍♂️ In the Summer House that seems to drag on longer than any summer, Lindsay apologized to Danielle, then Danielle apologized to Lindsay, who apologized again. They vowed to try and be better, and went back to the hoedown that was still going on. Gabby wanted Sam to make out with Kory, but Sam wanted Kory to make the first move. She said, normally she wasn’t weak, but he had some kind of power. Once again, I guess you have to be there because I just don’t get it. He doesn’t seem like he’s got any mind meld thing going on to me. Everybody jumped in the pool, and Kory kissed Sam. In her interview, she said they’d been almost kissing all day, and he was finally sealing the deal. I started wondering, how many hours is this party? when Amanda brought out the cake and an off-key Happy Birthday was sung. Everyone went inside, and there was more partying until Kyle was the last one standing, and announced, this place is demolished.

On Sunday, the place looked like something out of an episode of Hoarders, if the hoarder enjoyed a Western theme and hoarded bottles, cowboy hats, and inflatables. Paige said she hated Kory, and didn’t want him near her children. Sam told Gabby that Kory was so hot, he must have been grown in a lab for her. She couldn’t tell how he felt and she loved it. That confused me to no end. In Paige’s interview, she said she was happy that she and Craig talked things out, and that she wasn’t getting engaged for a while. She suggested women just cry to get out of it. Chris made a Spanish breakfast, and Lindsay announced a friendly reminder that she and Carl were having a housewarming on Wednesday. Everyone was invited, even Kory. Carl said it was Lindsay’s birthday as well. Ciara looked around and said, this place is vile, and I concurred. Robert called and Danielle asked if he could make the housewarming, but he said they were doing a tasting menu for a special buyout. Whatever that meant.

In Ciara’s interview, she said, Amanda had been concerned about her fertility, and we flashed back to that. Ciara said she knows Amanda’s ass didn’t try to make an appointment, so she ordered tests for Amanda, herself, and Paige, thinking it would be a good starting point. They met at Ciara’s apartment, and Paige got there first. She said she was curious, since she’d been on birth control for a year, and Ciara said she didn’t want to scare Amanda, but she was also concerned about Amanda’s weight loss. Paige said, Ciara was a nurse, and knew when things weren’t right. Amanda arrived, and said they were in an interesting place in their lives, getting together to do this . In her interview, she said she wasn’t ready to have kids, but being able to do this with them made her more comfortable. The test involved putting three drops of blood on a card, and Ciara helped them with that. She said they’d get the results in a couple weeks, and could open them together. Amanda thanked them for doing this with her, even though she would have done it alone. Ciara said, no, she wouldn’t have.

Lindsay told Carl that she was sorry the housewarming fell on a sad day, but he said, it was also her birthday. She said her birthday was secondary, but I wondered about that, since, if it was so sad, why not have it on another day? In Carl’s interview, he said, August 11th was the day he found out his brother had passed away. It was also Lindsay’s birthday, and they were going to celebrate Lindsay’s life and their friendship. Lindsay said when she talked to her therapist, she’d said, Lindsay got the best birthday gift ever. She’d been searching for love for the last 35 years, and now she’d found it. So, she’s been searching since she was one year old? Carl said, God only knew what would have happened if she hadn’t been with him, and Lindsay said his brother would be proud of him. Carl said, his brother was protecting him and keeping an eye on him. He wished his brother had met Lindsay, but he’d inspired Carl to build something with her. His death put things in perspective. He had to trust that everything happens for a reason. I know people say that, but I’m on the fence about whether that’s true, or is it just something people say to make themselves feel better about sh*tty things that happen?

Danielle came bearing cool gifts, and she and Lindsay had a drink on Lindsay’s amazing balcony. She asked if Danielle was good, and Danielle said she had a lot going on with work, Robert was insanely stressed out, and she thought she took on his stress. When he had time off, she didn’t get to talk about her stuff, and she needed her best friend. Lindsay said she felt shunned by Danielle, and not supported in her relationship with Carl. Danielle said, of course she wanted Lindsay to be happy, but she thought of Lindsay like a sister, and if her biological brother was moving too fast, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to that. Lindsay asked what she considered moving insanely fast, and Danielle said, they hadn’t even hit the year mark yet, and there was talk of marriage. If Lindsay wanted her to be a mute, fine. Lindsay said Danielle was allowed to have an opinion, but she wasn’t living her life on Danielle’s timeline. Why did she need Danielle’s blessing to date someone? Danielle said that sounded like crazy pants to her, and told Lindsay not to ask how she was feeling. She was sorry she had a reaction. Lindsay suggested they take a breather, and Danielle stomped off. Honestly, this is one of the stupidest fights ever. If I was just hearing about it, and not seeing how old they are, I’d think they were in middle school.

Kory and Sam showed up, and Paige said they looked like Ken and Barbie. Well, Sam looks like Barbie. Again, are they wearing special Kory goggles or something? In Sam’s interview, she said, Kory brought out the best parts of her; parts some guys were scared of. She told the girls that they’ve been having so much fun, she invited him to the house this weekend. Carl’s mom Sharon and dad with no name arrived, and Sharon told Lindsay that she didn’t know what to feel or think. Lindsay said, neither did Carl. Paige said the party had engagement party vibes, and figured it was because Carl and Lindsay were moving into a $13K a month apartment.  Ciara asked if Danielle and Lindsay made up, and Lindsay said she’d thought they’d had a productive conversation at Kyle’s party. Paige said Ciara had called her several times, saying she wasn’t sure Craig was a good choice. Ciara gave her all the reasons, and Paige thought them over. Carl showed Kyle the ring he’d picked out for Lindsay. Kyle remarked how big it was – three carats – and Carl said he was only going to do it once. He got why people were saying it was fast, but it was the right move. Kyle said, Carl was the only person who needed to feel it 100%.

Back in the Hamptons, Carl said, Wednesday was a lot, but also a lot of fun. Paige asked how Chris’s date with the denim shorts girl went, and he said he took her ax throwing. We saw a clip, and Paige asked if she was good. Chris said he told her that if they crossed paths with a bear, give him the ax. Rather than continuing to call her Denim 2, he found out her name was Cassidy. In his interview, he said he thought there was a vibe, and he wanted to know more. Lindsay told Carl that Danielle finally admitted it had been weird to see them dating, and Carl wondered why Danielle didn’t like it. Was she jealous or projecting? Kyle said he’d just had his first employee quit, and Danielle asked if it was Carl, but that was a no. Carl said he was making homemade pizza for dinner, but Sam said she also had dinner reservations, so the group split up – Kyle, Danielle, Amanda, and Gabby staying home with Carl, and the others going to the restaurant. Since she’s rarely away from Carl, I’m guessing Lindsay wanted to get away from Danielle.  

At the restaurant, while Kory was in the bathroom, the others pumped Sam for information. Sam said she loved making out with Kory, and would be open to more, but forcing something serious could wreck things. Carl told Danielle that he thought she and Lindsay had been receptive after their conversation at Kyle’s party, but it seemed like something happened at the housewarming. Danielle said, a lot couldn’t be undone, and Carl wondered if she didn’t want them together. Danielle said she loved them together, but thought they were moving hella fast. Carl said he appreciated Danielle defending him with Kyle, but she’d moved in with Robert after two months. My brain shorted out a little, since I couldn’t grasp how those two things were related. Danielle asked if Carl wasn’t shopping for rings, and he said he was. She screamed into a pillow.

Next time, more idiocy; the test results come in; Carl tells Lindsay that she’s being rude and to stop.

🚿 April Showering…

Retrace your steps tomorrow for soap and those horrendous women in New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay not texting while driving, and stay remembering that being right doesn’t build bridges; compromise does.

April 11, 2023 – The Hunt For Obrecht Begins, New Jersey Inflicts Itself On Ireland, Opinion, Ballinlough Castle, Celebration Of an Awful Mullet & Down

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael says, Willow has to be rested for her big day tomorrow, and he won’t take no for an answer. There’s a knock at the door, and Michael lets Carly and Drew in. Willow asks if something is wrong, and Carly says, they’re here about Liesl, and Willow says, what about her? Michael says, Obrecht is donating her bone marrow tomorrow for Willow’s transplant, right? but Drew says, it doesn’t look like it. Liesl Obrecht is nowhere to be found.

At the MetroCourt on the phone, Sonny talks to Brick about getting Obrecht’s location, when Scotty walks in. He asks Nina what’s so important. He was in a card game with the winning hand. She says she didn’t want to deliver bad news over the phone, and he says, the last time he saw her, he had bad news about Britt. Now what? She says, Aunt Liesl disappeared, and he says, she was doing a magic act… What the devil is Nina talking about? Nina says, she never reappeared. She’s missing. Scotty checks his phone, and says, she didn’t text him. He’s going to call Commissioner Ashford. Nina says she already called the PCPD. They found a charm that once belonged to Britt in a crawlspace underneath the stage. The police said they’d look into it, but she has the feeling they’re going to have to find Aunt Liesl on their own.

Diane sees Robert at the hospital vending machine, and says, her sources at the PCPD told her what happened to Anna. Is she all right? Robert says, she’s in surgery. What else has Diane heard? She says she heard it’s been quite the night here in Port Charles, and he says, she doesn’t know the half of it.

Jordan tells Esme that they have officers searching everywhere for her child, when Laura and Dante come in. Esme asks if they’ve found her baby, but Laura says, not yet. Just try to stay calm. Esme asks how she can do that when someone has her baby, and Dante says, they found surveillance footage of a man entering and leaving the building. He shows her on his phone, and she says, that’s him. That’s the man who forced his way into the apartment and kidnapped her baby. He’s got her baby. Jordan says, they put out an APB on the kidnapper, and their press liaison made sure his photograph is on every news broadcast. Dante leaves to see if there are any updates, and Jordan says, don’t worry. They’ll find her little boy. She follows Dante out, and Esme asks how Nikolas could do this, but Laura says, he didn’t. Esme asks how she can be so sure, and Laura says, because she knows who did.

Spencer says, how about if he makes Victor a deal. He’ll agree to go wherever Victor wants to take him, but his little brother has to go home. Victor says, Spencer still doesn’t understand. He is home, and so is Spencer, here with him on the Haunted Star. As long as they have each other, they have everything they need. Spencer says, the Haunted Star might be their home for now, but he plans on returning to Port Charles eventually – Trina listens in – even if Victor has wrecked his reputation by taking Ace. There’s no way a judge will grant him custody now. Victor says he’s worrying unnecessarily. Ace isn’t going to fall under the jurisdiction of family court for the very reason he won’t be returning to Port Charles. None of them will. Trina leans her head against the wall.

Drew says, Obrecht was performing a magic act with the kids, and Michael says he saw it on TV. Drew says, then he saw Obrecht walk into the vanishing cabinet, and she never reappeared. Carly says, she’d never disappoint those kids by not finishing the act, and Drew says, there was a trapdoor in the bottom of the cabinet. Carly says, and a corresponding trapdoor in the stage. A piece of jewelry was found in the crawlspace under the stage; a piece Obrecht has had with her since Britt died. Willow asks what this means, and Carly says, the evidence suggests Liesl didn’t disappear willingly.

Scotty asks what the cops said, and Nina says, not much. They’re dealing with several crises at once tonight, and Aunt Liesl hasn’t been missing long enough to warrant suspicion. Scotty says, she vanishes – poof! – in the middle of a ballroom, and the cops don’t think it’s important. Nina asks if Sonny had any luck, and he says, the cops are tracking Liesl’s phone and computer. Brick had some luck with the location as far as her earbuds and fitness tracker. Scotty says, it sounds like Sonny is having more luck than the cops, and Nina says, they’re not refusing to investigate; they’re just really overwhelmed right now. If they’re honest with themselves, Aunt Liesl hasn’t been the same since Britt’s death. Scotty asks if Nina is saying Obrecht walked away from her magic act so she could grieve. That’s horse hockey. She would never ditch her family like that. Every bone in his body says she’s in trouble. Sonny asks what makes him so sure, and Scotty says he was chucked out of an airplane by a guy who’s obsessed with her, and he’s probably still obsessed with her. Nina says, Victor Cassadine.

Victor says, home is where Spencer’s family is. Him, Spencer’s little brother; they’re all they need. Spencer says, what about his grandparents, Uncle Sonny, Aunt Alexis, and his cousins? and Victor asks if they’re with them or against them. Spencer says, with them. Victor’s not making any sense. He’ll do what Victor says, at least for the time being, because he has no other choice – Trina continues to listen – but he’ll never agree to never go back to Port Charles. There are people back there he cares about, and he has a life, one that was starting to get good. Trina smiles a little, and Spencer says, really, really good.

Diane tells Robert that she heard about Lucy’s surprise arrival at the Nurses Ball, and that Sonny saved her from her pursuer. She knows Anna’s been shot. Is there anything else? Robert looks over at Dante talking to Jordan, and tells Diane, let’s just say sleep’s going to have to wait. What is she doing here anyway, working late? She says, no, she’s checking up on him. She knows how important Anna is to him, and she didn’t want him to have to wait for word alone.

Esme asks, if Nikolas didn’t take her son, then who did? and Laura says, it was his Uncle Victor. Esme says she knew there was something wrong with that man. He was so polite and smooth when he came to see her at the hospital, but he kept calling her baby a Cassadine heir. Then he came to the apartment and… Does Laura think he was planning on taking Ace then? Laura says she doesn’t know. Victor is a treacherous man. He’s ruthless, but to stoop this low, even she’s surprised. Esme asks if the police know he’s involved, and Laura says, they absolutely do. It’s just a matter of time before they locate Victor and bring Ace home. Esme hopes she’s right, and Laura says she’s really proud of how brave Esme was, fighting back for her son. Esme says, she sounds surprised, but Laura says she’s not surprised at all. She’s always known Esme is a very determined girl, but it’s nice to see that determination flipped around to something good in the service of somebody else. Esme says she doesn’t know how the old Esme would have felt. All she knows is, she needs to get her son back. Laura says she knows. She wants that too.

Willow wonders who would kidnap Liesl, but Drew says, they don’t know that’s what happened; that’s just one theory right now. Michael suggests Willow sit down, and Carly says, it’s possible this could all be a big misunderstanding. Liesl can be eccentric. Maybe she wanted to be alone before the transplant. Michael says he doesn’t see Obrecht sabotaging Georgie and James’s magic act. And what would be the point of leaving the stage through a trapdoor? Willow says, Michael’s right. It sounds to her like Liesl’s in danger. Maxie and Nina must be out of their minds with worry.

Scotty says, this is textbook Victor Cassadine. He’s held Liesl hostage before, and he’s done it again probably, and they know he’s behind Lucy’s disappearance, even though they can’t prove it. Sonny says, nothing Victor Cassadine does surprises him, and Scotty says he doesn’t understand all this mumbo jumbo technical stuff, but maybe Sonny’s bodyguard Brick can check Liesl’s devices; maybe ping somewhere by the Cassadine tower. Sonny says he’ll let Brick know, and Scotty says he’s going to try calling her again. Scotty steps away, and Nina asks if Sonny thinks he’s right. Did Victor Cassadine take her Aunt Liesl? Sonny says he doesn’t know, but he’s going to find out.

Robert says he appreciates Diane checking up on him, but Anna’s going to be tied up in surgery for hours. It’s not going to help either one of them wearing the floor out. Diane says, a little distraction makes a long wait a lot easier. They can talk about the law, or sports, or favorite travel destinations. She knows he’s traveled widely for his work, but where does an ex-spy go to get away from it all? He says, it’s not going to work, but she says, trust her. He says, all right. There’s this little string of islands in the South Pacific… Her phone rings, and she says she’s sorry. Don’t go nowhere. She answers, and asks what she can do for them… She’s currently at General Hospital… Okay, she’ll see them then. She tells Robert that she’s so sorry. She gets him to open up, and now she has to dash. She wants to hear about those South Pacific islands someday though. It looks like they’re both going to be working late tonight. Jordan and Dante walk over, and Jordan says she needs to speak with Robert. Diane says she was just on her way out. She hopes Anna’s surgery goes well. She leaves, and Robert asks if they have an update on Victor or an update on Esme’s baby. Dante says, both actually, and Jordan says, it seems the two cases are linked. Robert says, Victor’s into stealing babies now? This guy’s a one-man crime spree. Dante says, Nina reported Liesl Obrecht missing. The police are searching her residence now. The evidence found at the site of her disappearance indicates a struggle.

Victor says he chose Spencer to help him carry out his life’s mission. Don’t let him down. Spencer says he doesn’t understand, and Victor says, all in good time. For now, just no more futile escape attempts. Spencer says he’s not going anywhere as long as Victor has his brother, and Victor says he’s counting on that. Play his cards right, he may just let Spencer see him again. He asks Ambrose to show his nephew to his state room, and Ambrose reaches for Spencer’s arm, but Spencer jerks away, saying, don’t touch me. Victor tells Ambrose, that’s okay. He thinks Spencer knows the stakes by now. He’s sure they can trust him to walk out on his own. Spencer leaves, Ambrose following, and Victor says, why must family be so challenging? Watkins says, not only family. His guest is also troublesome. Victor says, that was to be expected. Spencer’s another matter. He’s gone to bat on Spencer’s behalf so many times, you’d think he’d have earned Spencer’s trust by now. Trina is still listening, and Victor says, but he’s young, romantic… He’ll need a little more persuading. As for the other, Watkins knows what to do.

Ambrose brings Spencer to the stateroom, and Spencer says, there’s a deadbolt on the outside of the door. Ambrose says, his uncle had it fitted especially, and opens the door. Spencer says, Ambrose is locking him inside? and Ambrose says, on his uncle’s orders. If Spencer tries to escape, remember Victor has his kid brother. He shoves Spencer into the room, slamming the door.

Watkins brings a hooded Obrecht in, as she curses him out in German. Victor says, not very ladylike, and Watkins removes the hood. She says she’s only a lady in the presence of gentlemen, and Victor says, saucy as ever. How he’s missed this. Trina watches, and Obrecht says, first he abducts her by air, now by water. What’s next? Victor says, there is no next. She’s here to stay. She laughs, and says, how much humiliation can a man endure before he realizes a woman isn’t interested in him romantically? He says, still the most passionate, fiery woman he knows, but that’s neither here nor there. He brought her here for an entirely different reason.

Scotty tells Nina that he’s got nothing from Liesl. Where’s Sonny? She says, he’s following a lead, and Scotty says he knows Sonny saved Lucy, and he’s not a fan of Sonny’s, but when the chips are down, he’s there, and he’s got resources to help. She says, he’s definitely committed to helping them find Aunt Liesl, and he says, Sonny’s committed to Nina. Sonny doesn’t want to see her in any pain, and Scotty doesn’t want to see Liesl in any pain. And if that son of a bitch Cassadine… Nina tells him not to go to the worst-case scenario… yet. He says he feels guilty because Liesl felt he was protecting Elizabeth at Britt’s expense. Had they been together, he might have seen this danger and been able to protect her. Nina says she understands… all too well.

Willow says, Nina and Maxie will be devastated if something happens to Liesl. So will Georgie and James. Carly says, only Willow would be thinking of someone else other than herself right now, and Drew says, everything possible is being done to locate Liesl right now. Willow needs to focus on preserving her energy. Carly says, he’s right. Willow needs to rest. It’s going to be hard, but she can’t stress. She needs to be strong enough for the bone marrow transplant when Liesl is found. Michael asks if the police have any leads, and Drew says, all they know is, they’re investigating. Carly says, not only the police. Sonny’s involved too.

Diane sits on a bench at the hospital, when Sonny comes in. She says, boss, over here. She was surprised when he called. What can she do for him? He says, the guy who tried to kill Lucy Coe is at the PCPD at this moment. He has information Sonny needs. Diane says, he’s probably being questioned right now, but Sonny says, he’s going to stall, and Diane has to get to him now because lives are on the line. She asks what he needs from her, and he says he needs her to persuade the guy… They need to find Victor Cassadine. Diane asks what she has to offer him, and Sonny says, the best lawyer money can buy. He’s not going to talk to the police, but if she’s defending him… Diane says she’s sure he already has representation, courtesy of Victor Cassadine, but Sonny says he doubts it. He failed his mission; Victor’s going to kill him. He’s their only hope to find Victor. If anybody can get him to spill the beans, he knows she can.

Robert tells Jordan, Victor’s always had a thing for Liesl Obrecht. Two years ago, he took her to a compound he has in Crete. Jordan says, the WSB gave him immunity, and Robert says he thinks Victor is ready to pull out of Port Charles for good, and he’s taken a few people with him who he thinks are important. Whether they want to go or not is another matter altogether. Dante says, he made a big mistake letting Lucy get away. Now they have the guy who tried to kill her in custody. Robert says, Victor’s getting sloppy, not to mention reckless. He’s sure Victor knew shooting Anna would spark a big retaliation. She’s going to be tied up in surgery for a while, and his phone is on. Anything they find out – and he does mean anything – he wants to know about it.

Trina peeks out as Obrecht says, most men treat a woman to a nice dinner, take her to the movies. But Victor has his henchmen abduct her in the middle of the Nurses Ball? Trina changes position, and Victor turns, hearing something, but Obrecht says, why is she here? Enlighten her. He says, she’s a woman of considerable expertise, but her talents are wasted in Port Charles. Watkins walks perilously close to Trina, but turns around, and Victor says, but she’ll soon be employed in the service of a much greater endeavor. He plans on finishing the job he and his brother started forty years ago. Can he count on her to behave herself? She says, of course (🍷) not, and he says, for heaven’s sake. She has nowhere to go. Start acting with some decorum or she won’t make it to their destination. She says she won’t reach the destination he has in mind. She’ll be found long before then. He says he’s had their ship’s vessel tracker left on a buoy. It might as well be a ghost ship. She says, then he’ll be the first ghost, and lunges at him, but Watkins runs in, and Victor says, get her off him, as Trina jets.

On the phone, Laura says, where are you? Please call me the minute you get this message. Esme asks if Laura thinks Spencer might be ignoring her calls because he helped Victor kidnap Ace, but Laura says, she told Esme, Spencer wouldn’t do anything like this. Her fear is, Spencer is in as much danger as Baby Ace is right now.

Spencer paces in his stateroom, and hears someone at the door. He looks around, and grabs a bottle from the bar. The door opens, and he nearly smashes Trina in the head with it.

Victor’s henchman is in the interrogation room, and Robert says, cat’s got his tongue? That is his right, but Robert has a few ways of making him change his mind. Don’t worry. Robert isn’t going to rough him up; he’s here to make him a deal. Diane walks in, and says, she’ll make him a better one.

Sonny asks Jordan how Anna is, but she says, no news from the operating room. He asks what they have to do to nail Victor, and she asks Dante, what if Nikolas’s disappearance is related to Victor? Did Nikolas go into hiding and ask his uncle to deliver his son Ace to him? Sonny says, what about Ace? and Dante says, Esme was at home alone with Ace at Laura’s apartment. A man forced his way in and attacked Esme, but they have security footage of the guy. Turns out he works for Victor Cassadine. Sonny says, Lucy, Anna, Obrecht, now Ace. They gotta stop Victor.

Willow thanks Carly and Drew for coming in person to tell them about Liesl, and for everyone’s efforts in finding her. Carly says, if Willow needs anything, let her know. She can even take Wiley and Amelia if Willow needs her rest. Drew says, the kids can sleep at the main house if she wants, and hang out with Scout and Leo. Scout can’t get enough of Amelia. Willow thanks them, but says she’s fine, and Drew says, if she changes her mind, the door is always open. Carly says, call if she needs anything, and she and Drew leave. Michael takes Willow’s hand, and says, it’s okay if she’s not fine. Fear, disappointment, anger, frustration; whatever it is, it’s okay to feel.

Dante says, they have to track down Victor fast. He’s abducted an innocent child, and if he’s got Liesl Obrecht, that means Willow’s life is in the balance too. Sonny wonders if this is related to Nikolas, and Jordan says, it’s possible. If Victor’s trying to make this a family exodus, he may amass other Cassadines, even by force. Dante says, Cassadines like Alexis and Sam, and he leaves.

Esme says, it’s pretty clear she and Ace aren’t safe in Port Charles, but Laura says, Victor will be found and punished, and Esme has more support and protection here than she would on her own. Esme says, maybe she can’t keep Ace safe anywhere, but she has to try. As soon as she gets her baby back, she’s taking him far away from here.

Spencer tells Trina to get in the room, and quickly shuts the door. He asks if she’s okay, and she thanks him for the warm welcome. He grabs her and hugs her, and asks if she’s all right. She says she followed him here, and he asks why she would do that. She says she had the feeling he was in trouble, and she was right; Victor is crazy. He has Ace and Dr. Obrecht. Spencer wonders why he’d do this, but she says, they’ll figure it out later. They need to get out before the guard comes back, and sees the deadbolt unlocked. They need to get off this boat. Please. He says he wants to, but he can’t right now.

Watkins plops Obrecht in a chair, and Victor says he can make this easy for her or hard. She says, hard, and he says, there was a time when that might have caused a stirring in his loins. I laaaugh, and he says, but right now, it’s just annoying. She knows him well enough to know he means business. She says she knows him well enough to know she wants nothing to do with whatever demented plot he has in mind, and he says, they don’t have to be antagonists. Work with him, and her family – whatever’s left of it – will be safe and unharmed. She asks if he’s threatening Maxie, Nina, and Willow, and her grandson James, and he says, all of the above, and he’ll throw in Scotty Baldwin for good measure.

Nina says she understands what Scotty means. Sometimes you feel like an outsider looking in with the people you love. Like Sonny. He’ll share his emotions with her, but not necessarily what’s happening in his business. Scotty wonders if they’re talking about the coffee business, and Nina says, Willow is the opposite. She’ll tell Nina about her condition, but won’t share her heart. He says he’s sorry. He’s been worried about Liesl, and didn’t think about Nina. Her aunt is missing, and her daughter needs a life-saving surgery that can’t happen if they don’t find Liesl. Nina says, what if she never gets to be a mother?

Michael tells Willow that it’s not self-indulgent to worry about her situation. If she feels resentment, he won’t judge her. If she feels defeated, he’ll bolster her. Just talk to him. She asks him to do her a favor. She could use some warm cocoa… with a few marshmallows, and whipped cream would be welcome. He says he’s on it, and goes to the kitchen. Willow slips to the floor, and cry/screams silently as she rocks back and forth.

Drew says, Willow’s been through so much, and Carly says, and she’s so unselfish. After everything she’s been through, she’s thinking of everybody else first. Drew says, she’s remarkable, and so’s her support system, but Carly says she doesn’t feel like she’s giving Willow much support. She feels so helpless right now.

Laura asks Esme not to make any hasty decision, especially after a head injury, and Esme says, Laura thinks because she got knocked on the head she doesn’t know what’s best for her son? Laura says, no. Esme’s been through a major trauma. Her body right now is in fight or flight. So all of her fears and anxieties are heightened right now, and on top of that, she might have a concussion. So the best thing for her to do right now is just breathe and take it easy and focus on her health, so when Ace comes back, he’ll have his mother at her best. Esme says, that’s the most important thing, that Ace comes home, and Laura says, he will. She’s going to find Esme’s doctor, and see if there are any results from her tests. She leaves, and Esme looks miserable.

Jordan tells Sonny, the PCPD will clear Anna in Lucy Coe’s shooting, but as an officer of the law, she can’t condone Anna’s escape, or her months as a fugitive, but she admires the people who went so far too help a friend. Dante comes back, and says, Alexis, Sam, and her sisters are fine, and will stay vigilant. Laura joins them, and Sonny says, he heard about Esme’s baby. Laura must be out of her mind with worry about her grandson. Laura says, grandsons, plural. Spencer might have also been taken by Victor against his will. Sonny says, son of a bitch. He just wants her to know, he’s already on it. Don’t worry.

Diane and Robert come out of the interrogation room, and Robert asks, what’s going on? This guy here tried to kill Lucy. He works for the guy who shot Anna, and he stole a baby. Diane says, stole a baby? What baby? If Robert wants her client to give him information, he has to do the same. Quid pro quo. He says, one of Victor’s other employees stole Spencer Cassadine’s baby brother. She says, Spencer must be devastated, and he says, now does she get what’s going on here? She says, more than ever. Which is why she’s asking him to refrain from questioning her client. She’ll handle it. He asks how this garbage bag turned out to be her client. What’s going on? She says, he asked her to trust him when they broke into Victor Cassadine’s room at the MetroCourt hotel. She’s asking him to do the same. Can he trust her? He doesn’t say anything, and she says, thank you, and goes back into the interrogation room.

Spencer tells Trina that he can’t abandon his baby brother. He doesn’t know which stateroom Ace is in, but he does know the nanny from hell is guarding him. She says, his uncle might be a power mad freak, but she doubts he’ll hurt a baby. If they get away, they can send help back here. He says, even if they were close enough to shore to use a tender to get back, Victor could be far enough away that the authorities can’t reach him. How will they recognize the Haunted Star? Trina says, Victor did tell Dr. Obrecht that the boat is untraceable. Nobody knows she’s here, and her phone doesn’t have reception. She can float around this ship unseen, and look for a way to raise the alarm. He says, like the Phantom of the Haunted Star? Even if she were able to evade those guards, they could be on the ship for days. What’s she going to eat? Where’s she going to sleep? I might add here that she’s still wearing her Nurses Ball outfit too. She says she might be their only hope of going home, and he says, all right, but he’s going with her. She says, and how long before the guards see he’s escaped? He has to stay put to buy her time. He says he’s in awe of her bravery, but for once, he really needs her to be a coward and not a superhero.

Scotty thanks Nina for telling him about Liesl, and says, they hit a bit of a rough patch, but he’s still crazy about her. Nina says, her too, and he says, Liesl will be fine. Willow will be fine. The surgery will be delayed, but he promises it will happen. Nina says she knows that with her entire heart, and she’s the one who should be telling Willow that right now.

Outside somewhere, Carly says, someone might see them, but Drew says he doesn’t care. The good things in their lives aren’t guaranteed – he hugs her – so he wants to hold on to the good things in his life while he can. They hug again.

Michael comes back with Willow’s cocoa, and asks if she’s okay. She says she was so close. She was so close to forever. He puts his arms around her, and she clings to him.

Laura goes into Esme’s room, and says she talked to the doctor, and he wants to keep her overnight for observation. But tomorrow morning when he releases her, Laura can pick her up and take her back home… if she wants to. Laura takes Esme’s hand, and says she wishes she could guarantee Esme would be safe 24/7, but she can’t make that promise. As mothers, they have to come to terms with the fact they can’t protect their children from absolutely everything. The same is true of grandmothers. She can make Esme two promises. One, they’ll bring Ace back home, and two, she’ll make sure Victor is punished for the things he’s done. Esme says, and go find Spencer too, and Laura says, yes. Esme says, then she guesses she’ll see Laura when Laura picks her up, and they hug.  

Obrecht asks if Victor knows what his biggest fault is, and he says, no, but he’s sure she’s about to tell him. She says he suffers from delusions of grandeur. They’ve led him to fail time and time again. First, as Director of the WSB, and second, the debacle at Creighton-Clark. Third, the catastrophe on Crete. He could never contend with mere power and wealth; nein. His exploits must be epic, monumental. He asks if she can blame a man for wanting to leave his mark on the world, and she says, and yet all he has to show for it is a trail of bodies, and a family who chooses to hide, or he forces onto a barge. Just like his other devious schemes, this one will blow up in his face. Pun intended. Victor says, get her out of here, and she laughs as Watkins drags her out, and says, auf Wiedersehen, Victor.

Diane comes out, and Robert says, she asked him to trust her. He assumes her mission was to extract information. She says, it was, and makes a call. She says, Sonny? She did as he requested. Sonny asks if Obrecht was taken on Victor’s orders, and she says, she was, and if her client hadn’t been apprehended, he was to join his boss on a voyage out of town. Sonny says, voyage?

Sonny thanks Diane, and Jordan asks if he has information relevant to her investigation. He says he knows where they can find Victor.

Spencer tells Trina, Britt tried to be a hero, and now she’s gone. Promise him that she’ll be careful. She says, of course (🍷) she will, and he says he means it. He can’t stand to lose her too. She says, he can’t get rid of her if he tried, and they kiss. She gives Spencer one last look, and slips out of the room, locking the door again.

Tomorrow, Sam asks Cody what Gladys did that he needs to warn Sasha; Portia says, it’s too late for that; Laura asks if history is repeating itself; and Trina tells Spencer that she thinks she found a way off the ship.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

I call Teresa an a-hole during the opening credits, claiming my attitude already. Danielle brings the clothes for the Bougie Kids pop-up at Envy. In Danielle’s interview, she says she’s online, but it’s hard to sell merchandise through a picture. Melissa does an Instagram Live, and the clothes are actually pretty cute. Jennifer comes to the store, and looks at the stuff for grown-ups. She asks Melissa if she’s okay with her and Dolores being bridesmaids, and we flash back to Melissa saying, being in the wedding now would be like seeing an ex-boyfriend. In Jennifer’s interview, she wonders why Melissa broke the olive branch that was extended to her, and in Melissa’s interview, she says she’s trying to push aside the feelings of being excluded. She doesn’t want to go on the Ireland trip with a chip on her shoulder. Danielle gripes about Rachel throwing her under the bus, and calls her a rat. In her interview, Melissa says, where she comes from, a rat is the lowest of the low, and in Danielle’s interview, she says, when she tells someone they hurt her, and then they come at her, they’re not sorry. She forgives but doesn’t forget.

Everyone packs for the trip. I love Marge’s dog Bella, so tiny and cute. Paul’s brother David and his wife Monica are visiting, and David says, it’s funny how they’re here to party in the USA, while Dolores is going to Ireland to party. In Dolores’s interview, she says, for their first anniversary, Paul took her to a castle in Ireland and she met his family. They’re a lot like hers, and she thinks it bonds them. She likes that she’ll be playing tour guide, but she’s dealing with picky bitches. She has some activities planned, but she’s nervous bringing them somewhere rural and ancient. It’s not their jive. Paul tells her, if there’s a fight, remove all the glassware, and Monica suggests plastic cups. We flash back to the last fight, and Paul adds, no coffee. Marge bitches to Joe #3 about the coffee reader using her word endorsements. Melissa tells Joe #2 that she hasn’t seen Teresa since they were at Rachel’s house, and in their corner, Louie tells Teresa that it’s impossible to communicate with Joe without getting his theatrical anger. It’s unhealthy, and he doesn’t have the energy for it. He tells Teresa not to give any of her power to that darkness, and she says she doesn’t want to be triggered by nonsense. Jennifer tells Bill that she wants to have a bachelorette party for Teresa, and she’s going to be avoiding Marge unless she has something specific to say. Now her daughter wants to be a love therapist, and she can’t forget that. Neither can the rest of us. She reminds Bill that the therapist said she was impressed that Jennifer hadn’t told anyone about Bill’s affair. I don’t know if that’s something to get a pat on the back for, and we flash back to the session. Bill says, the therapist was insightful, and Jennifer asks if he wants to participate in family therapy with the kids. He says he’ll have to give up his hobby of golf, but she says, his hobby is hanging around the pool house. He asks if he shouldn’t be his true self, and she says, he left his true self at the altar. If she didn’t care, she’d tell him to go to the pool house and never come back. She thinks they should continue therapy, and he says, maybe. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, it’s not a no. If a maybe is all she can get, she’ll take it. She wants to see him making an effort, and went to therapy to get him to acknowledge her feelings. It’s for their kids.  

The women meet at the airport, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s not the ideal situation, traveling another country with someone you’re not friends with, but she’s not letting Danielle ruin her trip. In Marge’s interview, she says she’s ignoring Jennifer. It’s a big castle. We know they’re in Ireland because the music changes, and a limo bus with snacks and drinks takes them to Ballinlough Castle. Dolores tells them it’s 400 years old, and Melissa says she’s scared. There are a lot of haunted old castles in Ireland. In Melissa’s interview, she says she’s a scaredy cat. She’s scared of the dark and ghosts, and she’s afraid her dad will pop up and want to talk to her. Dolores says, there are nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms. She’s taking the nice room (like there will be not nice rooms), and Teresa is the bride, so she gets the other big room. The rest they’ll pick out of a hat. Good thing Ramona isn’t with them. Melissa thinks Jennifer should roast them again, the way she did in Jamaica, and we flash back to Jennifer doing pretty accurate imitations of everyone. Dolores says, Jen went to acting school, and Teresa asks if she met any actors. Jen says she became a talent agent, but she did sleep with James Gandolfini. I don’t want to even think about this, but in Melissa’s interview, she says, who gets to f*** Tony Soprano? The women fire questions at her, and in Jen’s interview, she says, they met before The Sopranos. He took her to an S&M bar where they hung out and drank. Then they went back to his apartment. He’s the one that got away, but he’s also the one who was never really there. Melissa says, maybe his spirit will come to the castle.

They get to the castle, which is of course glorious, and in Danielle’s interview, she says she’s from Staten Island and this is a different kind of bachelorette experience than she’s used to. They get the tour, and Melissa’s says, there’s typical haunted type artwork on the walls, scaring Teresa. They pick their rooms, and in Jennifer’s interview, she says she doesn’t care where she sleeps because she sleeps in a palace every night. She ends up getting the best room with a gorgeous bathroom attached, and she tells us, forget what she said. She’s enjoying this. The universe gave her the best room, so suck it. Hmmm… I think that’s one of the main reasons most of the Housewives turn toxic – they think life is a competition. Teresa’s room has what Marge dubs a Rapunzel tower, and in Melissa’s interview, she says, her room doesn’t matter. She’s not going to be sleeping in it alone. She’s bunking with one of the others.

They have a fabulous buffet lunch, and in Marge’s interview, she says, Melissa is cozying up to Teresa, and wonders if something is in the air. As soon as the servers leave the room, Dolores reminds the women that they’re in Ireland. They’re not in New Jersey anymore, so calm down and don’t be rude. Like how Jackie called out the coffee reader. Jackie says she didn’t want a reading. It was upsetting everyone. Marge says, that was Jennifer’s fault. The reader knew the answers ahead of time. Jennifer tries to act innocent, but everyone agrees it looked manipulated. Marge says, the reader used the word endorsed, and Jennifer says she only told the reader that she and Marge had a fight. In Jennifer’s interview, she says she called the night before, just to make sure the reader had enough matching cups, and they had a little conversation. When she said endorsement, Jennifer was like, f***. Marge says, Jennifer tainted the witness. You’re not allowed to call the jury the night before. In Marge’s interview, she says, it was her exact vernacular. No one would have known what she said, except Jennifer’s expert witness Teresa outed her. You’re voted guilty, sh*thead. We flash back to the reader talking about Marge having had a falling out, and seeing the letter L. Jennifer says she was shocked. It wasn’t something the reader would know. L said a lot of sh*t, some of which, she’d never repeat. Marge says, only to Danielle, and Danielle says, Jennifer just told her to be aware. Marge says, she’s spreading untruths. In her interview, Danielle says, Jennifer said, Laura told her something she’d never repeat. She wonders what it is. Jennifer knows something big that she’s not telling. What do they know that the rest of them don’t?

In Jennifer’s interview, she says, Marge can’t stand that she knows it, and she loves it. Dolores tells them to meet in the lobby before they go out. Jen suggests they not drop the L word anymore, and Danielle says, let’s rally. Danielle corrals Jennifer in her room, and says she can’t believe what happened at lunch. Jennifer says, Marge is pissed that she doesn’t know what Laura told her. When someone does you dirty, and an ex-friend says they have info you want to hear, you’re intrigued. I dunno. I can’t say I have friends who would behave like that, but I think I’d cut that person loose real fast if I did. Danielle says, Jennifer told them the other stuff, but Jennifer says, that was petty. There’s a family involved, and she doesn’t want to do something similar to what was done to her, which turned out to be true. Geez. You don’t think it’s about an affair, do you? She tells Danielle that she will say, it’s about someone they all know. Laura made her and Teresa swear not to tell. Danielle says, it must be about Melissa. What is it? Jennifer says, Marge was told some rumor from somebody who worked with both of them, and saw Melissa in the back seat of a car with a guy. This person told Marge that they were making out. Danielle says, that’s a bomb, and in Danielle’s interview, she says, it’s shocking because she doesn’t want to believe it. Jennifer says, maybe it was a one-time thing, and it was over, but Marge really does have an arsenal. Jennifer says, she knows all this stuff, and if Marge pisses her off, she can get her back. In her interview, Danielle says, Marge wouldn’t be so pissed about someone saying she had an arsenal if she didn’t have it. Jennifer says, Teresa is pissed, and said she believes it, and Danielle wonders if it’s another reason Melissa’s not in the wedding. She didn’t know the magnitude. Jennifer tells her, just let it go away, and Danielle says she’s not touching it with a ten-foot pole. Nine, maybe. In Danielle’s interview, she says she wishes she’d stayed out of it. Now she’s put herself in the middle. Not yet, but I’m sure she will. She tells Jennifer, you don’t come back from that.

In her interview, Danielle says she had the quintessential bachelorette party, with penis everything. In Marge’s interview, she says she didn’t have a party, but she’d slept with enough men; it’s fine. In Teresa’s interview, she says, for her first bachelorette, they went to a female stripper club in Long Island. I think she means male stripper, but I get the logic in her head… which is a little scary. She thinks she might have seen Channon Taming. I translate that to Channing Tatum. Danielle says, let’s get messy, and they do shots. They chant, Up the Dubs, and head to the restaurant. In Dolores’s interview, she says she never had a bachelorette party. Maybe they can make this a little bit about her. Jennifer says she saw a sash that said Single Tonight, but didn’t know if anyone would wear it. Everyone at the table is like, not me, and Danielle asks if anyone sends naughty pics to their man while they’re away. Rachel goes, eww (which would be my reaction), and in her interview, she says she doesn’t need to. They’ve been married six years. It still looks the same. Danielle wonders, if she sent Joe #2 a pic of someone else, would he know it wasn’t Melissa? and sends Joe a cleavage shot. Melissa gets a text from Joe, saying, who’s that? Marge says, the man knows his t*ts, and in Danielle’s interview, she says, everything is good on the home front. Joe knows Melissa’s boobs. It’s all good. They toast to Teresa, then talk about the bridesmaids’ dresses. Jen asks why Teresa chose Jennifer and Dolores as bridesmaids, and Teresa says, they’re supporters of her and Louie. She hesitated though, since she didn’t want another problem with her brother. If he had only called her about not inviting Melissa’s mom. Melissa says, that’s not what she told everyone else. She’d said, there was history. Teresa says, she meant back in the day, and Melissa reminds her that they didn’t speak back then either. Jennifer says, Teresa just invited Melissa out of obligation, and Marge says, back that up.

Teresa tells Jennifer that she doesn’t need any help, and in Marge’s interview, she says, Teresa put Jennifer in the bridal party out of obligation, so just sit there and shut up. Melissa suggests Jennifer stop talking for Teresa, since she’s putting her foot in her mouth. Teresa says she’s not perfect, and made a mistake. She thought if she invited Melissa’s mom, she had to invite everybody. She just wishes her brother had told her. Melissa says she thinks he assumed her mom would be invited, but Teresa says, she just didn’t think about it. Maybe there were suds from that love bubble in her brain. In Rachel’s interview, she says, her sister-in-law and mother-in-law are invited to everything. The problem is Melissa’s mother not being invited in the first place, number one, and number two, the gasoline being poured on it by Teresa doubling down. In Dolores’s interview, she says, don’t get mad; call. If Teresa says she doesn’t want your mother there, then run your mouth. Teresa says she can’t understand why Joe is pissed. She’s the coolest sister, and he keeps trying to make her look bad. He threw her under the bus, and she never does that to him. Everyone wonders if they’re being punked, and she says she always covers for her brother. He should make this her happiest time. Jackie tells them, don’t fight, but Teresa says, Melissa’s not stopping. She should blame her friend Jen. In Melissa’s interview, she says, there’s zero accountability from Teresa. It’s always someone else’s fault; mostly her fault. She calls it delusional. Melissa suggests they not talk about negative things. Jackie says she has a limerick, and recites (as close as I can get), there once was a girl from Paramus, who was really friendly and amorous. Please bear in mind if you ask her to find a psychic, she might go and scam us. Everyone laughs, but in Jennifer’s interview, she says she doesn’t find it amusing. Which isn’t a surprise, since Jackie isn’t the funny one of the group. Next. Jen does a limerick about Rachel’s nose being made fun of by some of those hoes.

Next time, taking the party to the bar; Jennifer asks if Marge knows what boogawolf means – I didn’t, so I looked it up and it’s an ugly person; Marge thinks Danielle is a sh*t starter; and Melissa and Teresa’s peace doesn’t last for long.

📸 My take. Marge might have an arsenal, but not necessarily because she goes around seeking info. And I don’t think she looks for people to target. Wrong as it might have been, she let fly at Jennifer about Bill’s affair because she’d had enough. Danielle is most definitely a sh*t stirrer. She pumped Jennifer for the information, then pretended like she was sorry she’d asked. Maybe she’s amassing an arsenal. And Jennifer. Danielle didn’t have to pump too hard, and Jennifer seems to be the one who can’t control her mouth when it comes to gossip. Although what can I expect from awful people?

🕌 And You Get a Castle…

In case you want to make reservations.

https://www.ballinloughcastle.ie/

🏖  This week’s Summer House wasn’t quite as awful, but just the celebration of Kyle’s 40th birthday inspired by his mullet made it awful enough. Carl told Kyle about wanting to call Lindsay’s dad to ask if their marriage would be cool with him. Kyle said he waited until he already had the ring, but there was no playbook or rules. In Carl’s interview, he said he was going with what was right in his heart, and we flashed back to selections from his relationship with Lindsay. He said he just knew he was happy and in love, and wanted to take the next step with his best friend. He wanted to make it official. Kyle told him to trust his gut, and Carl said he was prepared for people saying he was moving too fast.  Mya pointed out that Sam was working hard on Kory, and in Ciara’s interview, she said she wanted a relationship, not a casual summer fling. She’d just gotten done with an idiot. We flashed back to Austen. Paige and some of the other girls woke Craig and Kory by smacking them with tortillas. Is that a thing? In Kyle’s interview, he said he’d thrown a few theme parties in his day, and we flashed back to those. He asked, how would Kyle Cooke turn 40? It was pretty damn obvious. He wanted to go into his 40s with a bang, and was throwing a balls to the wall party. Haybales, arrived, and inflatable cows and horses were set up, along with Kyle’s face all over. Kory and Sam took a booze run, and in Carl’s interview, he said, it was a huge milestone for Kyle. He could 100% see Kyle being 80 years old at the shore house, ripping, tearing, and sending it. He imitated Kyle as an old man.

In the car, Sam asked Kory what type of girl he liked, and he said, attractive, as well as being able to take humor and not get upset. She asked if he was guilty of taking it too far, and he said, for sure. He asked if Sam’s feelings were easily hurt, and she said it was hard to hurt her feelings. He asked, when was the last time she cried, and she admitted it was two weeks ago, but before that, she hadn’t cried in like a year and a half. He asked what made her cry, and she flashed back to Mya telling her that she talked too much. Rachel showed up with Jason, and in Amanda’s interview, she said, Rachel was a creative genius. Whatever she touched was pure magic. I wondered why she was wasting her genius on a mullet hoedown, but to each his own. Rachel said she was making a big flower wall, and she and Jason had hung out a bunch this summer. Nothing serious; just a hot girl summer. As soon as Lindsay saw Jason, she ran upstairs, like the newly mature person she is.

Danielle told Carl about Jason, and in Danielle’s interview, she said, even though she and Lindsay weren’t having the greatest friendship right now, if Lindsay was upset, she’d be there for her. It wasn’t a switch she could flip off. Lindsay told Carl that she didn’t want Jason to even say hi to her, because apparently, we’re 5. In Carl’s interview, he said, it was awkward in Vermont with Lindsay and Jason. They’d been through something traumatic together. We flashed back to the headlines about Lindsay’s pregnancy, and Jason saying she could have given him a heads up before she went public. In his interview, Carl said he thought all that had been cleared up, but Lindsay said Jason was bringing up old memories and pain. Carl asked how he could be supportive, and Lindsay said it was best Jason not talk to her and steer very clear. Carl told Jason that Lindsay hadn’t known he was going to be there, and it was for the best he not interact with her. Everyone dressed more than a little bit country, and Sam put on assless chaps. Amanda attached more hair to Kyle’s mullet, and in her interview, she said, Kyle had wanted the mullet for his 40th, and now that it was here, she hoped part of his new maturity would be to cut it. But she knew she couldn’t ask him to grow up, be more mature, or change, so she accepted she was stuck with it. Kyle checked himself out, and said, Look out Kid Rock. Kory told Craig that he and Sam vibed pretty well, and Oliver arrived. Everyone drank a shot to the Hamptons hoedown, and in Lindsay’s interview, she said, it wasn’t their first hoedown. We flashed back to a hoedown from the past, and she said, the only difference was, the mullet was real.

Ciara told Amanda that she thought Kory was hot, and like Gary from Below Deck, I’m not getting it. Chris is a hundred times hotter. Why does no one seem interested? Does he not put the seat down or something? In Chris’s interview, he said, there was a new sheriff in town. He had both glasses full and was ready to take shots. In Gabby’s interview, she babbled about astrology, and I tuned out. Sam said Kory had so much passion, but doubted it was going to work out. Ciara said, Kory was hot and hilarious, but had boy tendencies, and in her interview, she said she’d entertained the possibility of flirting with Kory, but didn’t want to enter into another triangle. We flashed back again to Austen, this time with Lindsay, and Ciara said she’d just gotten done with that. Danielle told Ciara that she still had a lot to say to Lindsay, but she wasn’t going to say it. Ciara said she thought Lindsay was more mad because of how things were brought up, not what was said. In Danielle’s interview, she said, it was unlike her and Lindsay not to talk for so long, but she felt validated about how she was feeling about things. Lindsay wasn’t suggesting they fix it together.

Carl said he and Lindsay were having a housewarming, and Kyle said, this was the longest relationship Carl had held down. Carl said, it was scary. They’d been together nine months. Craig said he and Paige started dating at the same time, and they weren’t ready to move in, but he wondered what the next chapter would be. Paige told him that she couldn’t be engaged to someone she didn’t live with. She’d said things like, when they have kids, they’ll live in Charleston, but they hadn’t even played out next year. There was dancing, drinking, and riding inflatable ponies, as well as riding the mechanical bull. Gabby told Sam that when she asked what Kory thought of Sam, he said they were vibing. In Sam’s interview, she said that she was 100% sure Kory was one of those dudes who didn’t text back as soon as you got feelings for him. So of course she was inexplicably having a crush on him. Luke showed up, and in Gabby’s interview, she said, she and Luke matched on a dating site. They chatted, but he didn’t get back to her during the pandemic. In the Midwestern Country of Hamptons or something, it looks like cosmically maybe her love potion is working.

Craig and Paige sat down, and Craig mentioned that they’d been dating a similar amount time as Carl and Lindsay, although Carl and Lindsay had known each other longer. The guys were asking about them, and he said, they’d discussed things in terms of when they settled down, but how do they get there? They never talk about the middle chapters. Paige said, they’d been dating about a year, and she was almost 30. She’d thought she’d be engaged by 30, but now she didn’t want that. She could wait another year before he proposed. Craig said, they went from one to two years. He was happy with waiting until next year, but when would Paige be ready to move? Paige said, that’s a lot, and Craig said, if he proposed wouldn’t she want to live together? She said, proposals and living together went hand in hand, and Craig said he never thought they’d be talking like it was something they had to do. Paige said, if he proposed, it would be amazing, but it would start the clock; when are they moving, and when are they planning the wedding? It would be changing her whole life, and she’d be changing more than him. She had no friends in Charleston, and her whole career was here. Her family all lived in New York, and she didn’t want to leave her mom.  She started to cry.

Paige said, Craig would never move to New York, but he said he would for her. If she was ready settle down, he’d think of moving. He loved Charleston, but not more than her, and she loved New York more than him. Good answer. Kudos to Craig. I’m actually surprised, since he’s been such an a-hole. Paige said, it’s the greatest city in the world, and I concurred. Lindsay told Luke that Danielle had strong opinions about her relationship with Carl, and attacked her at dinner. She tried to blame Lindsay for the change in their friendship, but last summer, Lindsay was single. In Lindsay’s interview, she said, Danielle accused her of not being a good friend, but sorry if their friendship looked different now. She’d spent a lifetime searching for the love of her life (not too dramatic), and Danielle should be happy for her. It would never occur to Lindsay to hold her friends back because she wanted a drinking buddy.  Amanda wished a happy 40th to Kyle MF’ing Cooke. He’d always said age was just a number, and he’d been the ultimate example. She thanked him for keeping her young, but not for making her feel very old. Kyle – now dressed in a bandana and not much else – said, his friends put so much work into this party, and it meant the world to him. He lifted his bandana, and no one will ever be able to unsee that. He kind of looked like the Naked Cowboy, except not as handsome.

A country band played, and Kyle sang with them. In his interview, he said, the party was everything he could ask for and more. He was the happiest man alive. Good friends, good music, good drink, and good vibes. Chris wisely chose to talk to a girl outside of the group, and she told him that if she drank tequila, she had too much fun. Chris magically produced a bottle, and said he’d been saving the last shot for just this moment. In Chris’s interview, a producer asked why she stood out to him, and he wondered how to put it in nice terms. The producer cautioned him, and he said, she had a golden smile, beautiful hair, and denim shorts. He was going to see where things went. Amanda said she sang off-tune and it made her cry, and Paige said she cried earlier today when Craig wanted to discuss their relationship. He asked where she saw things going in the next year, and she said she didn’t see herself moving to Charleston in a year. She didn’t want to get engaged in another year, and started to cry because she got overwhelmed. Can her mother move to Charleston? Amanda wondered why Paige should leave her life, and Paige said the thought was scary. Amanda said it was exciting and terrifying, but Craig loved her and should make sacrifices and be willing to adjust. Paige said she felt better now.

Danielle told Lindsay that she didn’t even say hi to Jason before she told him not to bother Lindsay, and Lindsay said it was a good reminder of their friendship. It hadn’t felt like that in a while. Danielle said, and vice versa. She hadn’t wanted girls night to get to the level it did. She just thought it was something they could talk about. Lindsay said she felt attacked, but Danielle said that was incredibly wrong. She just wanted to have a conversation with Lindsay. Lindsay suggested she have it like this, and not in front of other people. She didn’t handle that well. If Danielle cared, she would have come to Lindsay, and not everyone else. Instead of finding out about her from other people, how about asking how she felt once in a while? Danielle said that she didn’t feel that Lindsay heard her, or that it was an equal partnership. Danielle had always been there for Lindsay, but Lindsay wasn’t there for her. Lindsay said she hadn’t needed to be, and if that’s how Danielle felt, why were they even friends? Danielle said she thought they were growing in different directions because of Carl, and Lindsay said, she and Carl were not in a relationship, but Danielle said it wasn’t about that. She should be allowed to talk how she wants, even if it’s in a group setting. Lindsay said, if Danielle did that, she’d pull back. If she had an opinion about Danielle’s relationship with Robert, she’d be more respectful, and not attack Danielle. Danielle asked why Lindsay was so defensive, and Lindsay said she trusted that Danielle was an adult who could make good decisions, and Danielle said, Lindsay assumed she had it all figured out, but she needed help too. She was struggling. Lindsay insisted on giving Danielle a hug, and said she was sorry and loved Danielle.  

To be continued…

🌪 Not In Kansas Anymore…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap and VanderRuling. Until then, stay safe, stay not living someone else’s life, and stay remembering, whatever it is, it’s okay to feel.

April 3, 2023 – Walking the Nurses Ball Red-Carpet, Chris Is Initiated Into Awfulness, Another Return & Mercy

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Describing fashion isn’t one of my talents, so let’s just say there were a lot of sequins. So. Many. Sequins. All the men are wearing tuxes.

Maxie gets everyone’s attention backstage, and Bobbie says, the doors are open, and the show’s about to begin. We see the infamous llama, and Brook says she doesn’t want to freak anyone out, but she doesn’t think the accompanist has the updated sheet music. Bobby gives it to Brook, who hugs her, saying, they might pull this off after all. Maxie’s phone rings, and it says, crazy person – do not answer. Maxie says, wherever she is, she’s sure Lucy is smiling down on them.

All dressed up with no place to go, Lucy says, Bobbie and Maxie will never pull it off. They’re in over their heads. They have no idea of everything that could go wrong – and surely will – tonight at the Nurses Ball without me to guide them. She makes a call.

Maxie says, excuse her; she needs to take this. She steps away, and tells Lucy that she doesn’t have time to talk right now, but Lucy says, do not hang up or ignore her, or else… Maxie says she’ll talk to Lucy after they wrap, and she and the llama lock eyes. Frustrated, Lucy calls again, and says she will not be ignored.

Michael says, their little girl can sleep through almost anything… until two am, and Willow says, then they should be able to watch the Nurses Ball. They sit on the sofa, and Michael says, it’s okay too, if Willow falls asleep on his shoulder. Tomorrow’s a big day, and she needs all her strength. She says she doesn’t want to think about tomorrow and the procedures. She just wants to watch their friends and family dressed to the nines and performing for a great cause. He turns on the TV.

Sydney Val Jean introduces herself as co-editor of Crimson, and says, they’re live on the red-carpet at the 2023 General Hospital Nurses Ball. She’s back and flying solo tonight to talk to the arrivals, critique their fashion, and get the downlow on their personal lives. But first, she wants to pay tribute to General Hospital itself, which opened it’s doors on April 1st, 1963. That’s right, our beloved General Hospital is 60 years old. This place has meant so much to so many over the years, herself included, and she’s honored to be here to celebrate it’s 60th anniversary. On a more somber note, tonight is dedicated to the life of head nurse Epiphany Johnson, and the late Lucy Coe, whose time here at the Nurses Ball was more than an event; it was her life’s work. In the safehouse, Lucy says, they love me; they really love me. She raises her glass of champagne, and Sydney says, don’t touch that dial, since she lives in 1973, and promises we’re in for a night of thrills, excitement, and mystery. Victor watches on his laptop from a limo as Sydney says, at the Nurses Ball, anything can happen, and probably will. He chuckles, and says, you have no idea.

Sydney says, now to get this party started is the dynamic duo, the driving forces behind the Nurses Ball; her former colleague at Crimson, Maxie Jones, and the one, the only, the awesome nurse, Barbara Jean Spencer. Lucy asks if Bobbie thinks this is really her best look. Did she even think of consulting a stylist? Sydney greets Bobbie and Maxie, and Maxie thanks Sydney for being here. Sydney tells the audience that she was supposed to be in Milan, but when Maxie reached out and told her that the date had been moved up to sync with the hospital’s anniversary, Milan had to wait. There was no way she was going to miss this. Bobbie says, they’re glad Sydney could adjust her schedule. Tonight is a very special evening, and she makes it even more special. They talk about who they’re wearing, and Sydney says, they should be congratulated, both for their spectacular fashion, and for coordinating this in record time. That’s quite an achievement. Maxie says, they followed the example of Lucy Coe after many successful years of the Nurses Ball. It’s safe to say, Lucy’s spirit is guiding us tonight. She only hopes they can make Lucy proud. Lucy thanks her, and says, that’s so sweet. Sydney says, credit where credit is due. It’s their extraordinary talent and commitment that are making tonight happen – Lucy makes a face – and Bobbie says she’s just happy and grateful to be here tonight. Sydney says, since they’re staying humble, she’s going to brag. She’s been told by multiple sources that this is going to be the best Nurses Ball ever. Lucy laughs, and says, really? The best Nurses Ball ever – without me?  I don’t think so.

Michael says, next year, he and Willow are going to walk down this red-carpet, and she’s going to be the envy of every fashionista from here to Manhattan. She says she doesn’t want to think that far ahead. Tonight, she’s just where she wants to be. They kiss, and there’s a knock at the door. Michael says, come in, and Drew walks in. Willow says, she heard they were looking for a new James Bond, and Michael says, that’s high praise coming from his fiancé, but he has to agree. Drew thanks them, and says he didn’t want to go to the Nurses Ball without telling them that they’ll be missed. Michael says, he and Willow were just talking, and they’re right where they want to be. Willow takes Drew’s hand, and tells him to have a wonderful night tonight.

Maxie thanks Sydney again for hosting, and says she’s got to get backstage. Maxie leaves, and Sydney says, it’s a red-carpet reunion, as Josslyn and Carly walk in. Three generations of Spencer women are here with her tonight. It’s Bobbie’s daughter, Carly Spencer, the ex-Mrs. Sonny Corinthos, and her gorgeous daughter Josslyn Jax. Drew tells Michael that his mom looks gorgeous tonight.

Sydney says, there have been some changes for Carly in the last year, and Carly says, a few. Sydney says, she seems to be weathering them in style, and Carly says, with her mother and daughter by her side, and the love and support of her family and friends, she’s up for any challenge. Sydney says, everyone knows Carly is a fighter. Any interest in reclaiming what was once hers? Carly says, to quote a great man, success is not final, and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. (Since Carly couldn’t be bothered to say who the great man was, I looked it up; it’s Winston Churchill.) Sydney says, poetic, but short on details, and Carly says she’s truly always gotten what she’s wanted, and doesn’t expect that to change. Sydney says she’s heard Josslyn is a lot like her mom and grandmother, and Josslyn says she hopes so. Sydney asks if Josslyn always gets what she wants, and Josslyn says, so far, so good. Sydney tells them to enjoy the show,  and the three of them go over to the photo op. Sydney says, the night keeps getting better. Sonny Corinthos has just joined them. Sonny comes in with Dex, and Josslyn and Dex sort of smile at each other.

Michael says he hopes he didn’t need to be there to run interference for his mom and sister. Like Sonny has really been bothering them. Drew says, they don’t need anyone to stand up for them. He tells them he has to get going, and Willow tells him, have so much fun. Michael says, give everyone their best, and Drew leaves. Willow says she knows Drew and Michael’s mom have to keep their relationship a secret because of the insider trading thing, but she hopes his mom is better at hiding her feelings than Drew is. Michael says he likes that Carly and Drew don’t have to hide their feelings around them, and Willow says, because they’re family. He tells her, you said it, and they settle in to watch the show.

Bobbie says, let’s all play nice tonight, and Carly says she will on her end. They get their photos taken, and Sydney greets Sonny. She says, this is the highlight of her evening. He gets handsomer every year. He tells her that she just gets more gorgeous, and she says she appreciates a man who knows how to give a compliment- with dimples, even better. She asks who Dex is, and Sonny says, Dex is his bodyguard. She tells Dex to do a good job guarding Sonny; he’s very valuable to a lot of people. Dex says, understood, and Sydney says she’s surprised Sonny is here with just his bodyguard. Where is her former red-carpet co-host, the gorgeous Nina Reeves? She sees Nina come in with Curtis, and says, there she is, with a very fine, unexpected guest.

At the hospital, Austin confers with Portia at the reception desk, when Ava approaches, carrying a garment bag. She says she’s sorry to interrupt, but Austin seems to have forgotten he has plans tonight; her, him, and the Nurses Ball? He says he doesn’t know how he’s going to manage this. Dr. Robinson just asked him to do a consult. Ava says, no, handing him the bag. Go make himself handsome. They have to walk the red-carpet and make a splashy entrance. They don’t want to be late. Portia says, it’s okay; she can hold down the fort. He leaves to change, and Ava asks why Portia isn’t ditching her lab coat and slipping into her sexiest gown, but Portia says she won’t be going. Curtis will be there, and that’s why she picked up another shift tonight. Ava says, Curtis filed for divorce? but Portia says, not that she knows of. Ava says, then he’s still Portia’s husband, and Trina is still her daughter. So she made a mistake… a big mistake, but it’s not like she burned the city to the ground. Her unsolicited advice; use that ticket. Ava always looks great, and right now, she’s wearing a pair of the most fabulous silver/gold earrings I’ve ever seen.

Sonny tells Sydney, always a pleasure, and moves on to the photo op. Sydney greets Nina, and says she was sorry to miss Nina at both New York and Paris Fashion Week. Nina says she hated missing out, but Sydney represented Crimson brilliantly, and Sydney thanks her. She says, Nina is dressed beautifully, as is her escort, Curtis Ashford, the hottest nightclub owner in Port Charles. The last time she and Nina were on the red-carpet together co-hosting, this was Carly’s hotel and she was married to Sonny. Now the hotel is Nina’s, and she heard the man is too. Comment? Nina looks over at Sonny.

Backstage, Brook is jotting something down, and Chase says, it’s a little late to change anything, doesn’t she think? She asks if it’s really too late, and he says, it’s her music. It matters more to her than anything. She made that clear. So if she wants to change anything, she has every right. She says, he’s right. She’s just second-guessing herself like she always does. It wouldn’t be fair to him or Blaze to change anything now. It’s too late. Go out there and have fun. Break a leg. She starts to leave, but he says, wait. He thinks she’s incredible. They way she’s thrown herself into the rehearsals, helping Bobbie and Maxie out. She has a special touch. For most of the performers, this isn’t exactly their day job, and she’s convinced every single one of them  to perform to the best of their ability, and have fun doing it. She says, anything for the Nurses Ball, when Linc comes in and says, tonight’s the big night. Brook’s music, Chase and Blaze in the spotlight. It’s going to be an incredible win-win for everybody. Chase says he’s going to change, and leaves. Linc asks if it was something he said, and Brook tells him, yes. It’s always something he said.

Curtis and Nina’s photos are taken, and Sydney says, ladies, this next arrival is just for you, as Spencer walks in. In his limo, Victor says, that’s my boy, and Sydney says, hitting the red-carpet is Port Charles’s most eligible young bachelor, the one and only Spencer Cassadine. Spencer tries to walk past, but doubles back, and says he doesn’t know about most eligible young bachelor, but he’s certainly happy to be here to represent his family. Victor says, that’s more like it. tell everyone what character and good breeding looks like. Spencer’s father may have failed them, but not Spencer. Show those good people of Port Charles a glimpse into what the future is going to look like.

Sydney says she understands the Cassadines are one of the Ball’s biggest underwriters. Is that his doing? He says, his grandmother always taught him that being an important member of this city and this community is being of service to others, and that means giving back. Lucy says, well said, Spencer, and might I add, you look good.

Curtis and Nina run into Sonny and Dex, and Curtis says he’ll leave them alone. Sonny says, damn. She looks good, but she always does. She thanks him, and says he looks pretty good himself. He says, it’s a long way from the firehouse dance in Nixon Falls, and she says, yeah. She misses that old firehouse and the simplicity of that dance.

Bobbie and Josslyn tell each other how amazing they look, and Bobbie says she has no regrets about agreeing to be co-chair, but after this week is over, she’s going to sleep for another whole week. It was a huge amount of work. Josslyn catches Dex’s eye for a moment, and she says she can only imagine. Carly says, Bobbie outdid herself, and Bobbie thanks her. Bobbie notices something, and says, one minor adjustment. She’ll be right back. She leaves, and Carly asks if Josslyn is thinking about a certain someone who has to work, so they can’t be together tonight. Josslyn says she doesn’t know. Is Carly thinking about someone who isn’t here tonight?

Sydney says, Spencer comes from a fascinating legacy. Rumors about the Cassadines range from serious and ruthless to… He says, megalomaniacal, and she tells him, so they say. Meanwhile, his uncle is Sonny Corinthos, and his grandmother is one of her personal heroes, the legendary Laura Baldwin Spencer Collins. Any chance she’ll be joining Spencer tonight? He says, unfortunately, Laura got held up on official business, but she wants everyone to know she’s with them in spirit, and hopes tonight is a huge success. Sydney asks if someone will be joining Spencer tonight, and he nods to Trina, who smiles at him. Trina comes over, and Sydney says she looks nothing short of spectacular. Spencer says she took the words out of his mouth, and Sydney says, just between the three of them, are they an item? There’s certainly been online buzz. Trina says, they’re just friends, and Spencer says, good friends. Sydney says, now that Spencer has graced the red-carpet, will they also be seeing his father, the elegant and mysterious Nikolas Cassadine? Ava walks in with Austin, and tells him to play his part, and she’ll play hers.

Ava goes over to Sydney, who says, hopefully, she can answer the question, and introduces her as Ava Cassadine. Ava says, Sydney is behind the times. She and Nikolas divorced months ago, so she’s back to Ava Jerome. But please give her ex-husband her regards… if she can find him. It’s not her job anymore to keep track of his comings and goings. Sydney asks who this inspiring gentleman is, and Ava says, this is Dr. GH himself, General Hospital’s Dr. Gatlin-Holt. After the tumultuous year she’s had, she’s just grateful to be here. She feels so lucky to have a friend like Austin to lean on. Sydney asks if Austin has anything to add, and he says he’s the lucky one, and as they leave, Sydney says, yes, about six thousand times. Spencer and Trina, and Ava and Austin get their photos taken.

Lucy says, this is the Nurses Ball red-carpet, not an episode of The Bachelorette. Sydney is fabulous, but they don’t want the gossip to overshadow the cause. Maxie would have known this had she just asked Lucy, but no, she had to do it her way.

Sydney says, look who it is, PCPD Commissioner Jordan Ashford, looking dazzling and glamorous, and Jordan thanks her for the kind words, but says, tonight she’s off the clock. She’s just here as one more fan of the Nurses Ball and its efforts to make money for a terrific cause. Sydney admires Jordan’s professional dedication, as well as her killer gown, and Jordan says, on the rare occasion she gets to dress up, she jumps at the chance. Her phone rings, and Jordan says she has to take this. She leaves, and Sydney says, so much for off the clock.

Jordan asks if they’ve heard from the Medical Examiner… So it’s almost certain Eileen Ashby died from a fall?

Sydney says, speaking of gorgeous, it’s General Hospital’s own Dr. Portia Robinson. She says, Portia has something in common with her last guest, Jordan Ashford, and Portia says, they do? Sydney says, they’re both committed to public service, and Portia says she thinks that’s a good thing to have in common. She walks over to Jordan, and Jordan says, she knows that woman did that on purpose. Jordan says, that woman is fierce, but she makes for some good television. They get their photos taken.

Josslyn says, Trina looks amazing, and Trina says, so does she. It looks like a certain bodyguard is looking at her from across the room. Josslyn says she’s surprised Trina noticed, with all the looks going on between her and Spencer, and Trina says she was just behind him on the red-carpet, but Josslyn says, it looked like Spencer was waiting for her. Trina says, he wasn’t. It was just… Josslyn says, coincidence? Manipulation? She’s sorry. She gets that Spencer is different when he’s with Trina, and she’s in no position to judge. Just be careful. Trina says, if she gets hurt, it’s not going to be because… She sees Portia, and switches positions with Josslyn. She asks what they were talking about, and Josslyn sees Portia. She says, their performance, and how there’s nothing to worry about because the number is perfect, and they have it down cold. Trina says, right, and they hug.

Portia goes over to the bar, and she and Curtis both reach for the same glass of champagne. He says, sorry about that. After her. She says, no, she’s sorry. She didn’t look where she was grabbing. They both look over to see Jordan.

Sydney is thrilled to introduce the next guest. One of Port Charles’s most dynamic couples, PCPD Detective Dante Falconari, side by side with his lady love, Private Investigator Sam McCall. Sam almost trips coming in, and tells Sydney that she’s a little nervous. Sydney says, it’s proof she can scale buildings and dodge bullets, but there’s nothing more dangerous than the red-carpet. Sam says, lucky for her, she has someone to catch her fall, and Dante says, for the record, Sam’s the one catching his heart. They go to the photo op, and Sydney says, they’re a living, breathing relationship. Drew walks up, and Sydney says, welcome the President of Aurora Media, publisher, Mr. Drew Cain. Drew says, it’s nice to see her, and she says, it’s always nice to see him, and she’s not just saying that because he’s her boss. Did he really come here alone? Is he waiting for a special someone? He says, you never know, and keeps walking. Sydney says, the ladies are in for a treat. Please help her welcome one of their signature performers tonight, former PCPD detective turned pop star, Harrison Chase, and his equally dreamy brother, world renowned Dr. Hamilton Finn.

Brook messes with a microphone backstage, and Linc slithers up, saying, a nice night for a Nurses Ball, wouldn’t she say? She tells him to leave her alone; can’t he see she’s busy? He says, there’s no need to be hostile. They can play nice together, can’t they? She signed that non-disclosure agreement. She got her songs back, and gave them to her boyfriend to sing. She says, Chase isn’t her boyfriend. Those songs came at quite the high price; never telling the world what kind of serial predator he really is. He grabs the mic, and says, be careful,  but she says, don’t worry; it’s not on. He says, that’s a good thing… for her. Because if she breaks their agreement and breaks her silence, she loses everything. I still don’t get why Brook never considered what Maxie told her; that the NDA didn’t apply to that.

Sydney says she’s all for family togetherness, but these two handsome unattached bachelors could be making better use of their time. Isn’t there someone besides their brother that they’d want to be with tonight? She shoves the microphone at Finn, who says, uh… and looks over to see Elizabeth come in. Chase says he’ll wait for Finn over here, and leaves. Sydney says, everyone wondered if Nurse Baldwin would be making an appearance tonight, and here she is. She tells Elizabeth that she looks lovely, and Elizabeth thanks her. Finn says, beautiful, and they leave together.

Finn says he wasn’t sure Elizabeth would come tonight, and she says, he’s not the only one. He asks if he can escort her, and she asks if he’s sure he wants to be seen with her. He says, it would be his honor, and she takes his arm. They watch Chase have his photo taken, then get theirs done.

Sonny asks Sam and Dante how they’re doing, and Dante says, it’s a special night; they wouldn’t have missed it. Bobbie tells Carly, at least Sonny had the good grace not to walk the red-carpet with Nina. Or is there another reason he showed up with a bodyguard and no date? Carly says, Sonny’s got a situation, and Bobbie says, Sonny’s always got a situation. He’d better not bring it to the Nurses Ball. Carly says, Sonny wouldn’t do anything to mess up the Nurses Ball; Bobbie knows it’s important to him. Bobbie says she’ll give him credit for that, but that’s all she’ll give him credit for. Carly says, Bobbie doesn’t have to be mad at Sonny on her account, but Bobbie says she’s not mad on Carly’s account. She’s mad on her own account… and maybe a little on Carly’s. It’s actually hypocritical. She’s actually glad Carly’s away from Sonny. She wishes Carly would find somebody who treats her with all the love she deserves. Carly says, she just might get her wish.

Lucy stuffs candy in her mouth, and Sydney introduces the Face of Deception, Sasha Gilmore, arriving solo… Oh, too soon. She’s being escorted by… Lucy says, Cody Bell. She’s being escorted by Cody Bell. Sydney says, Cody Bell, and Lucy says, her producer should have prepped her; she would have prepped her for that. She props her fuzzy slippered feet on the coffee table, and swigs champagne from the bottle.

Willow dozes against Michael, and he reaches for the remote. She tells him not to turn it off, but he says he’s just muting it during the commercials. Although he’s wondering why they don’t just record it and go to bed. She says she wants to stay up and see it. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

Sydney says, they’re just a few minutes from the start of the 2023 Nurses Ball. It’s been her pleasure to serve as host and catch them up on the movers and shakers of Port Charles. While the glitz, the glamour, and the gossip was smokin’ hot, this night is really about raising money to fight HIV and AIDs. Whatever you can give, a lot or a little, it all helps.

Everyone is schmoozing, and drinking champagne, when Maxie’s voice announces that the 2023 Nurses Ball is about to begin. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of General Hospital. Think about it. Our beloved GH has been a home and haven for 60 incredible years. And since 1994, the Nurses Ball has been a way to support the life-giving work GH does. The Nurses Ball is a night of music, dancing, and laughter. Okay, and maybe a tear or two. So let’s open those doors, and have a celebration to remember. The doors open, and everyone files in.

Watkins knocks on the limo window, and Victor lowers it. He says, well? and Watkins says, they traced the car that the late Lucy Coe recently hired.

Lucy says she refuses to let tonight turn into a total disaster. She gets up, and says, what do they say? The show must go on. And I’ll be damned if I let it go on without me.

Victor says, now they know where to find Lucy Coe. And where they find Lucy, there they find Anna and Valentin. Time to teach them a lesson, doesn’t Watkins think? Watkins says, Victor’s the boss, and hands Victor a gun. Victor says, that’s right, he is, and puts the gun in his suit jacket pocket. It’s showtime, folks.

To Be Continued…

Tomorrow, Maxie says, this year they’ve turned things up a notch; Curtis suggests he and Nina make a deal; Cody tells Gladys that he’ll stay out of it if she tells Sasha the truth; and the Ball is dedicated to Epiphany.

🏖 On the God awful Summer House, Danielle nagged Lindsay about not drinking, and insisted she was pushing Lindsay to be a better person. A better person by drinking more. See why these people are awful? In Lindsay’s interview, she said, compromise went along with being in a relationship. She was doing the best she could for Carl, and still trying to have fun. Danielle operated like she was single because her boyfriend was nowhere to be found. While the girls were out, Carl told Chris that he had to take something from each girl’s room that they would need to pack for the week, and he had three minutes to do it. After lingering over a particular thong (ew), he brought a bunch of stuff to the living room, and Kyle pointed out that Chris included his hairdryer. At the restaurant, Paige said, before they moved on, did anyone feel like they needed to say anything? I’ve seen this move at Bravo dinners before, and I don’t get why they always think now – on a night out when they should be having fun and bonding – is the right time. Gabby said she and Ciara had never had a one-on-one, and she didn’t know where she stood. Ciara tended to stick to established friendships. Ciara agreed, but thought Gabby was only trying to get to know her on a surface level, and it came off as arrogant. She wanted to know Gabby on a deeper level. In Gabby’s interview, she said she wasn’t sorry. She wasn’t sacrificing how she felt about herself to make someone else comfortable. Danielle said she hadn’t been afforded this years ago, when she and Ciara weren’t clicking. We flashed back to Ciara throwing a glass of wine at Danielle during dinner, and Danielle says she’s mad that they wasted time. She’d never even had beef with Ciara. They headed to a bar to meet the guys, and meanwhile, Carl said Chris had to kiss Ciara as soon as they got there. If he accomplished his tasks, they could be brothers in the South Hampton Awful Brotherhood.

As soon as they got to the bar, Chris took Ciara’s shoe off and kissed her foot. She asked, what the f*** is going on? He didn’t even say hello. She felt like the others had something do with it. Lindsay told Carl that the night went different than she thought it would. The housemates were back by 12:30, and in lieu of a bar, Sam danced on the kitchen island. Danielle thought Lindsay took her for granted, and Amanda said Danielle was like a supporting character. Danielle said, in her life, she was a main, but she was down for being supporting in friendships. That actually seems like it would be normal procedure. Why would you be the main character in someone else’s life?

The next day, everyone stumbled around, and tried to get it together to set up Kyle’s birthday party. Chris said he’d enjoyed the hazing. It was the reason he’d joined the marines at 18; it was in his blood. This was just a different version. Okay… Ciara called Mya, who said she gave a wedding speech, but didn’t know what she said since she was blacked out. Gaby told Lindsay that Danielle was upset about the state of their friendship, and Lindsay said she accepted responsibility for half of that. Danielle had to make a trip to the city now and then. Gabby said, Danielle claimed Lindsay was the common denominator in the house fights, and Lindsay said she’d never questioned Danielle about her job or her boyfriend. She’d supported Danielle no matter what. Yet Danielle didn’t seem to think she was a capable, smart adult. Sam said, it felt more accusatory than tough love, and in Sam’s interview, she said, if Lindsay was trying to support her partner who was battling a demon, who the f*** is she to have an opinion? Danielle and Lindsay needed to find another way to navigate their friendship. If they needed to party for it to survive, that said something else about their friendship. Packing for the week commenced, and when Sam couldn’t find her slippers, Chris thought it was reveal time. He asked if anyone was missing anything, and Paige said she was missing her toothbrush. Chris gave out the missing items, and in his interview, he said, somehow, Ciara’s thong was missing, and he didn’t know where it was. A producer asked if he’d stolen it, but he insisted he had no idea where it was at. In Danielle’s interview, she said she’d never left the house feeling not sure of what was happening between her and Lindsay. She wasn’t sorry about how things went down. It was the opposite. She was upset about how Lindsay was treating their friendship; what she thought was a sisterhood for many years.

Back in the states NYC, Amanda visited Paige, who presented her with some colorful cupcakes. Amanda said she needed help with some crafty stuff for Kyle’s party. She was making haybales and a couch. In Amanda’s interview, she said, Kyle was turning 13 40, and the party was going to be a western theme inspired solely and only by Kyle’s mullet. Paige asked how Amanda felt about Kyle turning 40, and Amanda said she didn’t feel any way, but Kyle did. Paige said she thought new decades were scary, but Amanda said, Kyle was no less energetic, and Paige said he didn’t look like he was 40; he was aging backward. Amanda asked if things were good with Craig, and Paige said, he’d asked for more closet space. Things were crumbling.

Ciara walked with Mya, who was walking her dogs, and Mya said she couldn’t relate to the western party theme. Ciara said she loved it, and lived for the day everyone wore cowboy boots and listened to country music. She told Mya that Craig and Kory were coming for the weekend. Mya hadn’t met Kory, and Ciara said, Kory was a good time. She thought she could hook up with him, but that was for another day. Mya suggested a day this weekend, and in Ciara’s interview, she said she allowed herself to throw the possibility around… in her head strictly.

Danielle and Robert threw out all the expired stuff in their fridge, and Robert said, it was sad; there were starving kids. I could relate, since I hate throwing food out. He wished they could spend more time at home, and Danielle pointed out that his job was the core reason they weren’t there. She loved their place, but when they were continuously in Montauk or Aspen, it didn’t make sense. In Danielle’s interview, she said, when she and Robert met, he was living out of a gargantuan duffel bag. She unpacked even if it was one night in a hotel room. She’d started creating homes for them, and Robert seemed to gravitate to that. He loved it, but still had a chef mentality and wanted to be everywhere. Danielle said she wasn’t pushing for getting married, but thought they should buy property. Mortgage over marriage. Robert said he wasn’t much of a long term decision maker, so it was hard to say. In other words, he’s a fence sitter. I see why she wanted out.

Everyone returned to the house for Kyle’s birthday weekend. I love how they greet each other every weekend the same way your dog greets you after you’ve been gone for five minutes; they act like it’s been a year. Danielle said it was the first time she and Lindsay hadn’t spoken in a week, and in her interview, she didn’t know what to think about it, since it had never happened. Kyle told Ciara and Gabby that he hadn’t thought about being 13 40 right at midnight. Amanda had some wine and fell asleep. Then the clock ticked down, and he got nervous about turning 15 40 by himself. He was in tears, and didn’t want to make Amanda feel weird when she woke up. He hasn’t gone out during the week in a long time. I swear, these people are on a different planet from me. Even in my 20s, I rarely went out on a weeknight unless it was to a class. It’s called work, and I had to get up early for it. Ciara told Kyle that he had to find a work/life balance; he could die tomorrow. He wondered if he might die at his party, and Ciara said, enjoy the life he was living. The three joined hands and vowed to be more social.

Kory arrived, totally harried, and said he thought it was going to be a 20 minute drive and it was three hours. Wow. This guy must never drive to the Hamptons, or anywhere else in or near NYC. An hour’s drive can take you four on a bad day. He told Kyle that his mullet looked amazing, and asked how long Kyle was going to let it go. Kyle said, until Amanda cut it off when he was sleeping. Sam told Lindsay that she thought Kory was cute, and she liked that his first instinct was to be funny. Lindsay said she only knew him for a couple of days in Vermont, but he seemed like a good guy. She was trying not to ruffle Danielle’s feathers, and they hadn’t spoken all week. Danielle had been amazing, being Lindsay’s backbone during her last bad news relationship. Now she was with a guy who legitimately made her happy, and she makes him happy, and Danielle’s not supportive. Nothing else should matter.

The housemates went out to dinner, and Sam chattered to Kory, while Ciara didn’t look happy. They toasted to Kyle, and Amanda suggested they all say something about him. Danielle said he was the best house dad and late night warrior, and Chris said he was making 4-0 look like 3-0. Craig talked about his and Paige’s long distance relationship, and said it made their time together more important, but it had been a year, and he was getting lonelier quicker. In Paige’s interview, she said, he just wanted her around more, but she didn’t want to go to South Carolina. You couldn’t even get Uber Eats after 10 pm. I can relate to this too. It’s better now, but when I first moved here, the local diner closed at 7 on the weekend. Kory said he was seeing Jess – we flashed back to them flirting in Vermont – but he was staying 100% single.

After dinner, Kyle asked Carl how things were going with Lindsay, since he hadn’t been around them. He’d known them for so long, when Carl told him they were together as a couple, he broke down. Carl said it was nerve-wracking in the beginning, figuring out what they were doing, and Kyle said he’d thought they were just having fun. Carl said they were a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t what Lindsay wanted. Kyle said it was beautiful, and Carl said he appreciated Kyle saying that, since he was going to propose be the end of the summer.

On the awful meter, this episode was relatively low key, but that doesn’t mean it’s not brewing beneath the surface. We have a party to get through. There was also that mullet. That alone is pretty awful.

This season, parties; a food fight; dancing in strobe lights; Sam and Kory hook up; Paige doesn’t want to go to South Carolina; Carl doesn’t know how to recover from this; Lindsay says she’ll marry Carl 1000 times; Danielle says, they’re beyond crazy; and Danielle tells Kyle, there’s nothing left to salvage.

👠 This Couldn’t Wait…

GH is certainly pulling out all the stops for its 60th.

Playing Among the Stars…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the appalling side of New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay using as little plastic as possible (I live near a beach; it really does wash up there); and stay remembering that success is not final, and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. And that Winston Churchill said it.

March 27, 2023 – Victor’s Plans Are Thwarted, Danielle Encourages Lindsay To Be Her Old Worse Awful Self, Our Boat Daddy & Parts

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer says he’s here to pick up Trina, and Trina says she’s heading out, but Marshall asks, what’s the rush? He invites Spencer in, and says he thinks they’re overdue for a chat.

Esme picks Ace up, and says, this is it. Grandmother Mayor be on the up and up, but she’s not willing to wait around and find out. She puts the money Laura gave her into her knapsack, picks it up, and opens the door, but Cameron is there, his hand raised to knock. He says, going somewhere?

A sign hangs in Charlie’s that says, Good Luck, Cameron, and Elizabeth writes out a card at one of the tables. Laura comes in, and asks how Elizabeth is holding up. Elizabeth says, letting go is hard, and Laura hugs her.

Anna tells Valentin that she thinks they should have heard from Eileen. She must have delivered the necklace by now. Valentin says, maybe she’s struck in traffic. Just give it time. They don’t have to assume the worst… yet. Eileen will convince him the necklace is real, and he’ll see the false code they engraved. Once he’s done that, he’ll make his move.

Victor looks at the necklace with a jeweler’s loupe, and Eileen asks what he’s looking for. He says, something’s missing, and she asks, what? He says, the key, turns the necklace, and says, that’s more like it. She says, he has what he needs, so are they done here? He says, to the contrary. They’re just getting started.

Anna tells Valentin that she’s convinced these codes are coordinates, but they’re not going to know until Victor takes the bait, and there’s no guarantee he’s going to fall for these fake codes. He could easily figure out someone’s trying to set him up. She has to say, she’s not in love with Eileen being their asset. Valentin says, there’s still the element of surprise. As far as Victor knows, they’re dead, and Drew Cain is completely above suspicion. He’s out of the loop. She says, it does give them the advantage, but they have to be ready for any kind of complication, and he says, one of them is taking an epic bubble bath as they speak. They just have to stay vigilant; they may have to improvise.

Eileen says she’s due back at city hall – good luck – but Victor says, city hall can wait. He’s spent years of blood, sweat, and tears to get to this moment. Surely she wants to witness it. She says she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious to know exactly what this is all about, and don’t call her Shirley, and he says, of course (🍷) she is, and she deserves some answers. He writes down the codes, puts the necklace back in the box, and hands it to her, saying, all hers. Call it a thank you gift. She says, this is worth millions. Doesn’t he want it? He says, fencing stolen jewelry really isn’t his style, and she says, but she’s a public official. She really doesn’t know what to do with that. He says, return it to the PCPD secure lock-up for all he cares, and she says, if he doesn’t want the necklace, what is he doing? He says, just saving the world.

Trina says, they have to go to Cam’s party early, so they can help set-up, but Marshall says, this won’t take long. Besides, didn’t she tell him that she had to get some photos ready for the party? He’s already had lunch. He promises he won’t bite. Trina tells Spencer that she won’t  be long, and goes upstairs. Marshall asks if Spencer wants to sit, and Spencer says, he knows Marshall and Trina’s family and most of Trina’s friends don’t approve of their friendship. Marshall says, except Spencer and Trina are more than just friends, aren’t they? Which changes everything.

Laura asks how the boys are dealing with their brother moving across the country, and Elizabeth says, they’re trying not to make a big deal out of it, but she can tell they’re sorry to see him go. Laura says, they’re not the only ones. She can’t imagine walking into Kelly’s and not seeing him there. Elizabeth says, it’s all she can do not to fall apart when she thinks of putting him on a plane to California. She knows it’s an incredible opportunity and a full scholarship. He’ll be playing division one soccer, and she wants him to live a full and happy life, but she wishes he was closer. Is that selfish? Laura says, no, it’s understandable. He’s her baby. Elizabeth says she wants him here where she can keep an eye on him, and Laura says she knows the feeling. They need to talk about Nikolas.

Esme says she doesn’t have to answer to Cameron. What she does is none of his business. He says he thinks it is; this is his grandmother’s house. She says, he’s Cameron Webber? Another one of Laura’s grandsons, and another one of her victims. Allegedly. He asks if that’s what her lawyers told her to say; allegedly. Actually. She actually ruined his life. She actually recorded him and his girlfriend having sex, and sent it to the whole university. She actually humiliated them, and turned what should have been a beautiful moment in their relationship into something awful. Now she doesn’t remember the hell she put him and his friends through because she lost her memory… allegedly. She tells him, come on in, and tell her more about the horrible person she was. He follows her back in, and she says she really doesn’t remember doing that, but he seems pretty adamant, so if she did, she’s really sorry. She hopes he and his girlfriend are all right. He says he doesn’t need her fake apologies; they mean nothing to him. She says, obviously, he’s angry, and she gets why he loves seeing her here, just out of prison and at the mercy of people she doesn’t trust. Karma’s a bitch, right?

Maxie sees Josslyn outside Kelly’s, and says she’s so happy she ran into her. Josslyn says, let her guess. Maxie wants to talk to her about the Nurses Ball. Maxie asks if she’s ever told Josslyn how smart she is, but Josslyn says, there’s no need to butter her up. Her grandmother told her that Maxie is trying to get everything together for the hospital’s 60th. Anything Maxie needs, she’s in. Maxie says, great, so she’ll perform, and Josslyn says, except that. She can do phone calls and decorations… Maxie says, anybody can do that stuff. She needs talent. Josslyn’s performance in 2020 was a huge hit. (So huge, I don’t remember it.) She can practically hear Lucy screaming, I need Josslyn Jax! Josslyn says, performing is really Cam’s thing, and it would feel really weird to do it without him, and Maxie says, it’s really unfortunate Cameron is leaving before the Ball, but she could perform with Trina, right? Josslyn says, that would depend on Trina, and Maxie says, think positive. And all the performers get a plus-one. Josslyn sees Dex come into the courtyard.

Eileen says she doesn’t understand. Victor said this was the necklace that would lead him to the place he’s been searching for. Victor says, the necklace is merely the conduit to the key. The code that’s engraved on the diamond is the key that unlocks the door. She says, to saving the world? and Victor says, many years ago, he and his brothers, Stavros and Mikkos, had the means of putting the world back to right. He thought at the time they were all motivated by the same idea; mitigating the harm humanity’s done to the world. What he came to understand was, Mikkos was largely motivated by power and money. He tried to make Mikkos see sense, but by then Luke Spencer showed up with Laura and ruined everything. Now they’re running out of time. He sits down and opens his laptop, and she asks how he intends to pull them from the brink; with that code? He says, they were aware their plan may well be thwarted, so they came up with a contingency. Mikkos had the code engraved on the back of the diamond, which he now has. All that remains is for him to crack the code. Eileen flashes back to Valentin saying, this isn’t over until they crack the code and find out what it’s for, and Anna saying, until they know what Victor is after, none of them are free. Eileen asks Victor how he plans to do that.

Josslyn and Dex say hello, and Maxie asks, who’s Josslyn’s friend? Dex introduces himself, and says he works for Sonny. Maxie introduces herself, and says she was just talking to Josslyn about the Nurses Ball. His boss is one of their biggest supporters. He says, Mr. Corinthos is quite charitable, and Maxie says she’s chairing the event this year, and is actually still looking to beef up one of their more popular acts. Does he dance? He says, not in public, but Maxie says, don’t sell himself short. She’s sure he has the pecs… pipes… chops. She asks Josslyn to tell him how fun it is, and Dex asks if Josslyn sings. Maxie says, she brings the house down every year; she’s excellent. He says, so she’s performing, and Josslyn tells Maxie that she didn’t say that. Josslyn says, don’t let them keep her, and Maxie says, okay, but she’s not done with either one of them. She’s going to get some caffeine. Don’t go anywhere. She goes inside, and Josslyn says, Dex enjoyed that a little too much. He says he didn’t know she sang, and she says, there’s a lot he doesn’t know about her. There’s a lot she doesn’t know about him. I’d say so, since they’ve known each other only all of five minutes.

Cameron thought Esme was staying at Kelly’s, but she says, that would require Ace staying here with Spencer and Laura, and she won’t be separated from her son. He’s all that she has. He asks why she was leaving then, and she says, they were just taking a walk. He says, it’s kind of cold out for a baby, but she says, babies need fresh air. He says, the old Esme was better at lying than she is, and she says, okay, he caught her. But he’s not going to rat her out to his grandmother, is he? By the way, she’s not here. Maybe they were testing her with this. She obviously failed. He says he didn’t come to see his grandmother; he came to see Spencer. She says, great. Now Spencer has more ammunition to take Ace away from her. Cameron asks if she can blame Spencer for wanting to protect his baby brother, and she says, he doesn’t need to protect Ace from her. Why doesn’t Spencer believe her? So Cameron’s not going to believe her either. She’s sure he loves seeing her taking care of her baby instead of in prison, but he says he’s actually not that mad about it. Especially since he’s part of the reason she’s free.

Spencer says he knows what Marshall is thinking, and Marshall says, enlighten him. Spencer says, when Marshall sees him, all he sees is the guy who hurt Trina, more than once, and Marshall says, no need to rehash it. Spencer says, but he does, every day. He lives with the regret of hurting Trina and hates himself for it, but he does care about her. He understands Marshall is reluctant, and doesn’t blame Marshall for wanting to keep him away from her. Marshall’s thinking Spencer doesn’t deserve her, but he’s honest with himself about what he did, and the kind of person he was, and he’s trying to be a better man. He knows Marshall has no reason to believe him… Marshall says, that’s where he’s wrong. Stop beating himself up before he knocks himself out. He knows Spencer is trying. He’s been steady support for Trina, with her mother and Curtis, and before them, with Rory. Now Trina tells him that Spencer is stepping up to fight for his baby brother. Despite what Spencer may think, he can appreciate Spencer for that.

Laura says she doesn’t blame Elizabeth. She just wishes Elizabeth had trusted her enough to tell her what was going on with Nikolas. When they made her aware of Elizabeth’s immunity deal, she realized Elizabeth had gotten involved with this right after she came back from seeing her parents. Elizabeth was in a very vulnerable state, and Nikolas shouldn’t have put her in that position. Elizabeth thanks Laura for her understanding, but says she owns what she did. She shouldn’t have gone along with his plan, especially once they realized Esme wasn’t The Hook killer, but by then, they were in so deep… Laura asks why Elizabeth didn’t come to her. Elizabeth can trust her; she knows that. Elizabeth says she does, but she didn’t want to bring anyone else in and make them an accomplice. Laura’s not only the boys’ grandmother, she’s the mayor. She didn’t want to bring Laura into this mess. And more than that, she values Laura’s opinion of her. She was ashamed of what she’d done, and didn’t tell Laura because she didn’t want Laura ashamed of her too. Laura says she’s not ashamed of Elizabeth. She’s proud of Elizabeth’s courage. Elizabeth stepped forward to take care of this thing, when Nikolas left her holding the bag. Elizabeth says, Laura’s still his mom and she knows Laura really loves him. It must be hard not knowing where he is. Laura says, it is, but she honestly doesn’t know what to do with Nikolas anymore; he keeps falling back into the same trap. He makes a rash decision, then he tries to cover it up, and then he runs away. If he felt able to confide in her, he’d be here right now. He’d be with his two sons instead of who knows where; possibly indebted to Victor. She’s sorry. She shouldn’t be doing this right now. Nikolas made the choices he made, and now they’re left to deal with the consequences. Elizabeth says, or in her case, almost no consequences.

Spencer tells Marshall, that was the last thing he expected to hear, but Marshall says, don’t get used to it. But seeing him stepping up for his baby brother, Marshall can’t be anything but appreciative. Spencer thanks him, and says, it means more than he knows. Marshall says, Spencer’s baby brother is one thing; Trina is a whole ‘nother thing. He’s not going to say he doesn’t have concerns about Spencer being with Trina, especially after all this mess with Esme. Spencer says he understands, but hopes he can get Marshall to believe he wants what’s best for Trina. He’s trying to be a better man for both her and his brother. Marshall says he’s glad Spencer wants to be better for the people he cares about, but in his experience, you have to want it for yourself. Looking for validation on the outside will only lead you back to your old patterns. Or worse still, down the wrong path altogether. Trina is willing to go to great lengths for Spencer. Marshall had better see her faith in Spencer rewarded.

Cameron says, he and his friends didn’t want the DA to prosecute Esme. It was Trina who pushed for it. So she contacted her attorney Diane Miller to intervene. She then spoke to the DA to ask him to drop all the charges. Esme asks why she’d do that? Don’t they all hate her? He says, if she were going to trial now without her memories, the jury might find her not guilty. Then if she got them back, they wouldn’t be able to try her again. She says, so this isn’t about grace. It’s about keeping her in check so she can still be convicted. He says, it’s also about keeping Ace out of prison, and she says, right. Spencer’s baby brother. He and Cameron are cousins and friends. She guesses Cameron would do anything for him, and Cameron says, pretty much. Spencer needs this for his baby brother, and he’s willing to wait to see her brought to justice. Sorry if it sounds insensitive. She says, it definitely does, but she thinks it just might be the first honest thing anyone’s said to her since she got back.

Anna and Valentin cuddle on the couch, and Anna says she can’t stand not knowing what’s going on with Eileen. Why couldn’t she just wear the bloody wire? He says, there’s nothing they can do about it now. Will she humor him? She says, yeah, and he says, it occurs to him that if everything goes according to plan, they’ll be heading home, resuming their normal lives. What is the first thing she’s going to do? She says she’s going to the airport and she’s going to book herself a ticket to the bay area so she can see Robin, Emma, and Noah, and she’s going to give them the biggest hug they’ve ever had in their lives. What about him? He says he’ll probably take a road trip with Charlotte, check a couple boxes off the bucket list while reconnecting with his teenage daughter; then dive head first into ELQ, and build some serious generational wealth. She says, it’s interesting. It seems like after all these months together, once they go home, they’re not going to be spending so much time in each other’s lives.

Victor tells Eileen, the trick was to track down the encryption key, but he finally – he digs in his pocket and brings out a flashdrive – managed it. All he needed then was the Ice Princess itself. But by the time he acquired that, Luke Spencer had already sold off several pieces. It took another several years to find the right piece, but now, finally, he has everything he needs to complete what he set out to do. (Does he even what that is?) She says, saving the world, and he says, and securing a place for his family and their progeny. But saving the world comes at a cost. She asks what he means, and he says he can insure the future of his family, but countless other souls will have to pay the price… possibly for generations to come.

Josslyn says she didn’t expect to see Dex back at Kelly’s so soon, and he says he was hoping she was still around. She asks, what happened to keeping their distance? and he says, it’s harder than it sounds. He just wanted to see how she was holding up. Cameron was a little intense earlier. She asks what he said, and Dex says, just that he cares about her and doesn’t want to see her hurt. She asks what Dex said, and he tells her that he said he cares about her too, when Maxie comes back out.

😐 Sorry, there’s a gap here. Circumstances beyond my control. Cameron starts to tell Esme about someone who was even worse than she was, but was redeemed.

Cameron says, after a while, they thought he wouldn’t be able to come back from any of it, but he stuck around and made a life for himself. Not only did he find acceptance, he found love, and a family too. She says, he’s not talking about himself, is he? but he says, no. He’s talking about his stepfather… and her brother.

Trina comes downstairs, and tells Spencer that she even has the photos on a flashdrive. He thanks Marshall, and says, it was illuminating. Marshall tells them to have fun tonight, and be careful. He leaves, and Trina says, be honest. Did Marshall put Spencer’s feet to the fire? He says, they’re a little smoky, but he’s good, and Trina says she’ll talk to him. Spencer says, not necessary. Marshall was honest and wise, and gave him a lot to think about; a whole new perspective. She says, on what? and he says, us.

Eileen asks what kind of cost Victor is talking about, but he tells her not to worry. He won’t forget her contribution. She’ll be taken care of. He puts the flashdrive in, and says, now all he has to do is enter the code engraved on the back of the Ice Princess into the program, and the program will decrypt that code and turn it into a set of coordinates. The laptop beeps, and he says, wait a minute. That can’t be right. She asks, what’s going on? and he says, she betrayed him.

Elizabeth tells Laura not to misunderstand. She’s incredibly grateful the DA gave her immunity. She needs her job. She has three boys to provide for, two of which still need her on a daily basis. It would have been incredibly irresponsible of her to jeopardize their well-being. Laura says, Elizabeth doesn’t have to convince her, but it sounds like she’s trying to convince herself. Does she think she’s feeling guilty because she didn’t pay a high enough price? Elizabeth says, maybe. In hindsight, she doesn’t know how she didn’t see what a colossal mistake she was making. In the beginning, she thought she was doing the right thing. Then it started to spiral and got away from her. People got hurt, and Liesl lost Britt, and she knows she’s going to encounter more people who think she deserves to be behind bars. Laura says, Elizabeth can’t concern herself with that or them, and Elizabeth says she’s already hurt so many people she cares about. Laura and Cameron, even Epiphany. Elizabeth hasn’t heard a peep from her. She knows Epiphany is busy visiting Johns Hopkins,  but she can’t help feeling there’s a deeper reason for Epiphany’s silence. Laura hugs her and says, Elizabeth made a mistake. Everybody makes them. What’s important is how they move forward. Elizabeth didn’t disappoint her. She didn’t disappoint Cameron. And Laura would bet money she didn’t disappoint Epiphany. The people who love her still love her.

Spencer says he’s not sure, but Trina says she is. He deserves to be happy. He says, she makes him very happy, and the only thing he knows for sure is that he wants her in his life. He moves closer, and she says, that’s a relief. She has no plans of going anywhere. They kiss, and Marshall comes in, clearing his throat. He tells them, the party isn’t going to decorate itself, and Spencer says, he’s right. They should get going. He goes to the door, but Trina hangs back, and tells Marshall, whatever he told Spencer, thank you. He says he always has her back, and kisses her forehead. She leaves, and Spencer tells Marshall, adieu. Marshall says, adieu to you too, Cassadine.

Josslyn goes into Kelly’s, and sees Elizabeth. She says she’s sorry. She thought Trina would be here already. Elizabeth says, it’s nice to see her, and Josslyn says, it’s nice to see Elizabeth too. She brought Cam’s favorite pretzels. Elizabeth says, that’s nice of her (everything’s nice!), and Josslyn says, she’s really sorry she hurt Cam. She doesn’t blame Elizabeth if she’s relieved that Cameron is getting far away from her.

Cameron says, Franco was Heather’s son, which makes him Esme’s half-brother. He died. She says, great. So the one family member who would understand how she feels is gone. He says, maybe Franco can still help her. Franco worked very hard to prove his haters wrong. he rebuilt his life here in Port Charles. He knew Franco very well, and would be happy to tell her about him before he goes. She says, he’s going somewhere? and he says he got into Stanford. Ace starts fussing, and she says she was just starting to like him. She gets up to tend to the baby, and he says, there’s plenty of other people to like. She says she hasn’t met them yet, but she’s pretty sure there’s nothing for her in Port Charles. He says, she has her son, and a very generous support system, but she says, Spencer is just trying to take her baby from her, and everyone in this town is Team Spencer. Except for her mother, who’s in an insane asylum. He says, if she skips town now, she really has no one. How is she supposed to prove to everyone she’s a changed person if she leaves town the first chance she gets? She says, he has some valid points, when his phone beeps. He says he has somewhere to go. Is she going to be okay? She says, he’s been honest with her so far. He doesn’t have to act like he cares. They’ll be fine; she promises. He can go.

Eileen says she doesn’t understand, and Victor says, this program should have revealed a set of coordinates, but there’s no way these figures are right, which can only mean the encryption key or the diamond itself have been tampered with. Where exactly did she find this necklace? She says, the secure evidence locker. She bribed a police officer to let her in. He says, she told him that she thought Robert and Laura might be on to her. Is it possible they knew she was about to retrieve the necklace? She says she doesn’t think so. She went in immediately after the officer gave her access. There wasn’t time to inform Laura or Robert, or do anything with the necklace. He tells her not to lie to him, but she says she would never. What about the key? Is he sure his brother didn’t do something with the decryption key? He says he supposes it’s possible Mikkos betrayed him, and if this is the first time he’s thought about that, maybe he’s not the dude for this job. He says, perhaps the code was never meant to reveal anything to anyone but Mikkos. Selfish bastard. Taking his secret to the grave. He throws the flashdrive down, and says, dammit. Eileen eyeballs the flashdrive.

Valentin says he doesn’t like the idea of not seeing Anna every night. So once they settle in with their children, he’d like to know what’s next for them. She asks what he thinks that looks like, and he says, after spending multiple days not getting out of that amazing bed of hers? She says, it’s not very practical, and he says, practicality’s overrated. Is there something she’s not saying? She says, ever since they decided to make a go of it and get together, Victor’s been in their way. She thinks if they’re successful in putting him away, the future will look quite different. He says, yeah. If Victor’s no longer an issue, it will be much better. She tells him, that’s easy to say now, but what if, in a few months’ time, he’ll be itching for excitement or an adventure? He says he’s not a danger freak. Look who’s talking. Any time they’re together, whether they’re cheating death or chasing whoever, or at the market, looking for the perfect papaya… She says she’s not a fan of papaya (me neither), but he says, his point is this. She’s his greatest adventure. She’s the only one he needs.  

Anna decides to call Eileen. Victor paces, and says, after all these years, he’s come too far… No, no, no. He won’t be denied again. Eileen’s phone rings, and she tells Victor, the DA’s office. She says she’s in the middle of a meeting, and already told them she needs more time before getting back to the office. Anna says, time’s up. She’s out now. Keeping one eye on the flashdrive, Eileen says she’s sorry; she can’t. Valentin asks, what’s going on? and Anna says, she’s about to blow up the whole operation.

Elizabeth says she knows Cameron is hurting; Josslyn meant a lot to him. But they can mean a lot to each other as friends, and she’s pulling for that. Josslyn says, her too, and she knows how badly he wants this. She’s happy for him, but it’s hard with him leaving. There’s already this weird distance between them. Elizabeth says she has faith the two of them will see their way through it and remain friends, and Josslyn thanks her.

Dex comes back to the courtyard and says, Maxie’s still here, and she asks if he’s ready to commit to performing at the Nurses Ball. Everybody has a talent, hidden or otherwise, and she thinks she knows where to place his. He says he doesn’t know, and she tells him, think about it. He could be front and center at the most amazing even in Port Charles. As she walks out, she says, he could meet someone. He could get married. Anything could happen at the Nurses Ball. Dex smiles.

Spencer and Trina walk into Charlie’s, and Trina says, everything looks great in here. She tells Elizabeth that she brought some photos, and Elizabeth says she’ll show Trina where to put them. Laura says, Spencer made it, and he asks if Doc minds pitching in with the baby, but she says, Doc got called away. Esme is taking care of Ace. He says, she left his baby brother alone with Esme, and Laura says, Esme is perfectly capable of taking care of her own baby. She’s a guest in their house; she’s not a prisoner. Cameron walks in, followed by Esme carrying Ace.

Tomorrow, Maxie says someone has to trust her to do what’s right; Cameron has a better idea; Victor says, Eileen will leave when he says she leaves; and Anna tells someone that they have to go in there and get her out.

🏖  So when is this thing over already? On tonight’s Too Old For This Summer House, we started with the housemates leaving, but sadly, they’ll be back in no time. Meanwhile, we saw what their week was like. Paige told Craig that she hated his newly redone bathroom, and showed him the sink and wallpaper she wanted. He wanted her more involved, but also wanted her to visit more. He wondered about the next step, but she said, right now she was content where the relationship was. He asked what it looked like down the road, and in Paige’s interview, she said she loved her friends, her career, and living in NYC. Why change that just because it was their one-year anniversary or her 30th  birthday? She wasn’t ready, and didn’t want to grow up. Paige said they were together every day; they weren’t even doing long distance. Craig asked for at least more space for his stuff, and she said she could clean out a closet, but it was for her spring coats. I have nothing to say here, since I have a lot of clothes and turned a bedroom into a closet.

Lindsay met Amanda for drinks, and said, the conversation was a long time coming. She felt there was tension because they hadn’t been able to talk. She’d thought they were getting closer, and then in the spring, Amanda was saying she and Carl were moving in to soon and that Carl had been tainted by her. We flashed back those things being said at the Reunion, and Lindsay said she felt like she had whiplash. Amanda said some hurtful things, and she didn’t know where they came from. Amanda said she’d apologized in a text. After he’d gotten together with Lindsay, Carl’s opinions changed, and she felt frustrated, but knew she should feel like he was right to support Lindsay. Tainted was the wrong word, and she’d tried to apologize afterward at the bar, but Lindsay didn’t acknowledge her. Amanda understood, but she went into a hole where she thought she’d wait until Lindsay was ready. Lindsay said, Amanda didn’t understand how sensitive she was. She was tough, but was still human and had feelings. She thought they had a friendship, then found out she was getting judged and attacked behind her back for things she didn’t even know were happening. Amanda said, Lindsay took things with anger and malice when they weren’t meant that way. She didn’t judge them moving in too soon; it just shocked her, but she processed it. It was like seeing Lindsay and Carl’s relationship change om the begnning. She was sorry for how she’d made Lindsay feel, and wanted to be friends. It should be the two couples’ summer. Lindsay apologized that it took so long, and said they were each waiting for the other to make the first move. In Amanda’s interview, she said she didn’t know if it was real, but she was tired of the tension and awkwardness. She was willing to give Lindsay the benefit of the doubt, and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Robert came back with Danielle, who said she’d love doing this more often, and told him that he was her party trick, since he was a chef. She said Carl was ready to be his sous chef, but warned him that it was different with Carl and Lindsay as a couple. They were still in the honeymoon/fairytale stage when everything was exciting and new. Robert asked if their relationship wasn’t, and she said it was an adventure every day. I couldn’t believe how fast these people got drinks up to their mouths after walking in. Everyone went straight from the front door to the liquor. Robert immediately started to cook, and everyone except Mya, who had a wedding, trickled in. They greeted each other like they hadn’t seen one another in years, and got dressed for dinner. Kyle said he was trying to get blond hair Enrique Iglesias vibes – whatever that is – and Amanda told him not to be the weird old man in the club –  I get what that is. Paige asked how lunch with Lindsay was, and Amanda said, Lindsay had been emotionally hurt by things she’d said and done, so she apologized, and they came to terms. She thought they could be friends, but would never have the relationship Lindsay had with Danielle. Someone needs to tell them that friendships are not this complicated, and don’t need to all be the same.

They toasted to Tulum, and Robert brought out an amazing spread of food. Paige asked those coupled up what was the one thing they didn’t anticipate when moving in together. Robert said, the amount of stuff Danielle had, and Danielle said, Robert had a minimalist vibe. Paige said she’d throw away her birth certificate if she thought it was cluttering up the place, but Craig loved a tchotchke. They’d talked about moving in, but she wasn’t ready. Paige asked what was their partners most annoying habit, and Amanda said, breathing. Kyle said, if Amanda had her way, he wouldn’t chew any food, which made me wonder how the hell he chews. There were more boring questions with equally boring answers, and Gabby asked when the couples thought it was an appropriate time to invest together, but everyone was like, we pay bills with our money. Gabby told Danielle that she wasn’t sure where she stood with Ciara, but Danielle said she was the worst person to talk to about this. She’d wanted to be Ciara’s friend, but they never got there. In Gabby’s interview, she said she was struggling to connect with Ciara, but there was underlying tension, and she couldn’t figure out what the issue was. She was intuitive and could understand something was off, but she wasn’t sure if Ciara didn’t like her or just didn’t understand her. Danielle said Ciara was a tough nut to crack (but what about Karma Brown?), and Gabby said she felt secure with everyone else.

The housemates headed to a club, and Chris waved a light around like it was the 90s, while Carl and Lindsay made out. Since all parties must end, they were home around 12:30. Kyle asked if anybody was cool anymore, and a bunch of the guys, including Robert, danced around in the kitchen. Danielle repeatedly texted, come to bed, and around 3 he finally did. Kyle wandered around and babbled for a while. Robert woke up at 9, jumping straight to searching for his phone, since he was late. In Danielle’s interview, she said she was happy Robert came, but not happy they spent all of 10 minutes together. That was her reality. They didn’t give you a pamphlet on how to date a chef. Amanda said they had a packed day, and in a moment of clarity, Paige said she was too old for this. Kyle was glad there was another dude in the house, since they’d been outnumbered, and he and Carl thought Chris should have a proper initiation. The housemates got dressed, and a party bus picked them up. Danielle told everyone that Robert had left. He was supposed to leave at 7, but didn’t get out until 9:30.  

The bus took everyone to a winery, where they were to be given the wine maker blending experience, where they would make their own blend at the end. Carl ordered an Arnold Palmer, and there was the usual bunch of sex talk about things I don’t want to know. Sam grossed out Kyle, and in Sam’s interview, she said she had a big personality, and wasn’t for everyone, but if Kyle was shook by her, she was here for it. Chris flirted with Ciara, who Danielle thought she suddenly needed to rescue. Chris moved along, and Ciara said she thought he was trying to suss out her personality. She’s an observer at first, and people can’t read her. Danielle said, sometimes when Gabby was talking, Ciara was rolling her eyes, and Ciara said, it was circus level. She wanted to know why people were the way they were, and Gabby was hard to tap into. It was difficult for Ciara to have an artificial friendship or even fake it. Danielle thought they both had going on than what meets the eye, and told Ciara to give it a shot. In Ciara’s interview, she said she was more guarded than the average person, and was working on it in therapy. Trust was a big thing for her; she liked to figure out how people were first. You couldn’t force things; they had to come naturally. Kyle said something about dresses making him horny all the time, and reminded me that he’s the most awful in the house.

There was a separate boys and girls night, and the girls got dressed up, and went out. At the restaurant, Lindsay said she tried not to drink in front of Carly, and she wanted to f***ing go. Not meaning leave, but like, go crazy drinking. The guys stayed home, and Carl told Chris to have a seat, and brought out a paddle. In Chris’s interview, he said he wasn’t nervous. He was happy Carl and Kyle had kissed and made up. Whatever they wanted to do, as long as they weren’t fighting, he was game. They had Chris assume the position, holding fake flowers in his teeth, but Carl stopped short of paddling him. Paige said it was the first time the girls had Lindsay alone, and Lindsay said she tried to be respectful around Carl, but she wanted to be balls to the wall. If she went out with a girlfriend, it was just to dinner. Paige asked how Carl would feel if Lindsay came home drunk, but we never got the answer to this, since Ciara said she felt like Lindsay wanted to go to Montauk (ugh. there it is again), and we flashed back that, and all of them saying go to Montauk ten thousand times. Ciara asked if Lindsay wanted him to go or did she want to go without him, and Lindsay said she had no reason to want to go without him. Danielle said she took offense to that, and would love to steal Lindsay to go out, but she knows it’s not a possibility. It wasn’t that she minded Carl, but she thought Lindsay was curbing her drinking or the intensity because of him. Lindsay asked if that wasn’t a good thing, and Danielle said she liked Lindsay the way she was. Congratulations. Danielle just entered the awful people category. WTF? Sam said, her last boyfriend had been sober for ten years, and she slowed her roll. Lindsay said she wanted to get f***ed up with the girls, and now they were talking about it. Paige insisted it was just normal conversation, and Lindsay was getting mad. Lindsay said, Danielle was hard on her, and Danielle said, if your best friend’s not hard on you, they shouldn’t be your best friend. While I agree, I don’t think that includes encouraging you to drink to blackout.

Next time, Lindsay asks why Danielle is questioning her; Danielle talks to Robert about their living situation; and Kyle turns 40.  

Tonight’s Watch What Happens Live was Ce-lee-brate Good Times! a beautiful tribute to Captain Lee Rosbach’s ten years on Below Deck. There were tons of questions, clips, guests who had worked with the captain, been guests on the yacht, or friends IRL. Queen of Versailles, Jackie Siegel, who’d been a yacht guest, also did a bartending stint. The captain’s wife Maryann was in the audience, and least awful on Summer House, Carl, joined Captain Lee. He explained the captain had reached out when Carl lost his brother to addiction; Captain Lee having lost his son to the same illness. Carl said that the captain had inspired him to be a better man, and I can see why. The secret word was captain, and they said it 34 times, so if you were playing, you’d be pretty drunk since it’s a half-hour show.

🌈 Tasting the Rainbow…

Take a break here tomorrow for some soap and those horrifying women from New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay helping bridge the gap between friends, and stay wanting to be better for yourself. Looking for validation on the outside will only lead you back to your old patterns. Or worse still, down the wrong path altogether.

March 21, 2023 – Valentin Recruits Drew To Help Take Down Victor, Melissa Has a Luau Party At the Shore, Awful People Fail At Communication & Shiver

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny asks, what brings Dante by? and Dante says he was checking on Sonny.

Michael tells Dex, open up. They need to talk. Throwing on his clothes, Dex says, it’s not a good time, but Michael says, make time; it’s important. Josslyn gets dressed, and Dex opens the door. Michael asks if he can come in, and when he does, he sees Josslyn. She says, it all makes sense now. Michael is Dex’s mystery boss?

Willow says, Brook still loves Chase, doesn’t she? but Brook says, it doesn’t matter. They’re over… which really hurts, because yes, she’s still in love with Chase. She keeps telling herself she’ll get over it, that the feelings will fade and disappear, but every time she sees him… Willow says, her heart starts to race, and Brook says, and butterflies kick in. It’s all she can do not to grab him and tell him how much she wants him back. The doorbell rings, and Brook says, literally saved by the bell. She opens the door, and Chase is there with a bouquet of daffodils.

Anna asks if this is mousy librarian, and Lucy asks if she likes it, but Anna says, no. It’s not altogether original. Let’s go. She grabs Lucy’s arm, but Lucy doesn’t budge, and says, where? Anna says, they’re going to the safehouse, but Lucy says, no. The Nurses Ball can’t survive without her. Maxie says, hello? She’s standing right here. Anna says, if Victor realizes Lucy is alive, this whole operation goes up in smoke. Not to mention, people’s lives are at risk. Does she understand that? Does Lucy want that on her head?

Drew says he’s guessing Laura refused to sell Charlotte’s ELQ shares because she knew Valentin was still alive. No more games. What is going on? Valentin says, a group of them, including Laura, are working secretly against Victor Cassadine, and Drew asks, who else is in the group? Valentin says, Anna, Felicia, Robert Scorpio, and Lucy Coe. Drew says, not exactly a combat worthy bunch. If Victor uses the same firepower he did in Crete, they’ll need somebody with a military background. Valentin asks if he has anybody in mind, and Drew says, me.

Lucy says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t want people to die. She didn’t want Luke to die; he was a very special friend to her. She remembers his Nurses Ball performances, and the disco he did. Nothing else was so important to him, and he’d want her… Anna says, stop talking. She understands Lucy is disappointed that she can’t participate in this year’s Nurses Ball, but Victor is planning something big, potentially catastrophic, and it’s up to them to end it. Lucy says, at the expense of the Nurses Ball? Come on. Anna knows everything the Nurses Ball did for Robin. Anna says, don’t play the Robin card, and Lucy tells her, she’s just saying, the Nurses Ball is very, very important. Anna says, if anybody knows that, it’s her, and Lucy says, that’s her point… Maxie says, all right. Enough. She can’t believe she’s about to say this, but they already have a solution. Lucy came up with it.

Valentin asks if Drew is volunteering, but Drew says, that depends. He needs to hear the plan first. Valentin says, Victor has some long-term plan; some grand design that has to be stopped. He doesn’t have details, but he knows it involves a necklace containing diamonds cut from the Ice Princess. Drew wonders why the necklace is so important, and if it has anything to do with Operation Demeter, but Valentin says he doesn’t know why Victor would go to such great lengths to interrogate Drew over Operation Demeter. He wants the necklace because it has a code or a formula engraved on one of the stones.

Brook says, those are beautiful, and Chase asks if Willow is here. She says, Willow’s in the living room, and he goes in. He sees Willow and asks how she’s feeling. She says, pretty much the same, and he says, it’s not worse, so that’s good. He gives her the daffodils, and she says, he remembered. He says, of course (🍷) he remembered she’s obsessed with daffodils, and she thanks him. Brook says she’ll leave them to visit, and leaves. Willow says it’s good to see Chase, and he says, it’s good to see her too. He asks, what’s the latest? and she says, they decided to reschedule the wedding for after the bone marrow transplant. He says, so there’s more to celebrate, and she says, exactly. He asks if she has a date for the transplant, but she says, not yet. Her Great-Aunt Liesl was on medication, and it has to be completely out of her system before she can donate. So in the meantime, she’s keeping herself busy planning a summer wedding in the rose garden. Everyone’s pitching in to pull it off. Brook has been a huge help. In the foyer, Brook tells herself not to eavesdrop, and get it together. Chase says he’s not surprised Brook is stepping up. Willow brings out the best in everyone. Michael’s a lucky guy.

Michael says he thought he made it clear that he didn’t want Josslyn anywhere near this, and Dex agreed. Dex says, that’s right, but the situation has changed, and Michael says, apparently. Josslyn has to go. They’ll talk about this later, but right now, he has to talk to Dex. Josslyn says, it doesn’t matter. There’s no point. She already knows Dex is collecting evidence against Sonny, and she knows about Pikeman. What she didn’t know was who Dex was working for, and now she does. Michael tells Dex, the job’s over. Dex is leaving Port Charles tonight.

Dante tells Sonny that Rocco said he saw Nina in the lobby looking upset. For his self-absorbed teenager to notice, she must have been upset about Willow. Sonny says, everything’s the same on that front. They’re waiting for Liesl to be cleared for the transplant. Dante says, Sonny’s relationship with Nina is his business. He doesn’t want to pry, but if Sonny wants to talk, he knows where to find Dante – down the hall. Sonny says, Rocco’s right. Nina is upset and it’s his fault.

Dex says, as his employer, Michael can fire him, but Michael can’t force him to leave Port Charles. Josslyn says, he can’t leave. Sonny will think he’s a traitor, and then what happens? Michael says, Sonny will track him down and have him killed, and Dex says, there’s something more important. She says, more important than his life? He says, Joss, and she goes to his side. Michael says, it sounds like they already talked about this, and Josslyn says, they have. The best option is for Dex to finish the job Michael hired him to do, so Michael can turn Sonny into the Feds. Michael says, this is why he didn’t want Josslyn involved in this, and she says, why not? He knows how she feels about Sonny. Let her help take him down. Michael says, then what happens after that? and she says, Sonny goes to prison where he belongs. Michael says, and Avery and Donna are devastated. Not to mention Dante and Kristina. He’s prepared to take on the fallout from that, to take on their anger and blame, but he doesn’t want any of that to fall on her.

Sonny gives Dante a beer, and says, it’s not like he and Nina are breaking up; at least he hopes not. He loves her as much as ever. Dante says, so what happened? and Sonny says, she’s experiencing what he calls the realities of his world. It’s a lot to process. Dante asks if that’s why Sonny has guards all over the building, and Sonny says he had a security issue. Dante says, they haven’t heard anything about shots fired or a missing person, so he assumes Sonny hasn’t told the police, but Sonny says he has reason to believe the focus was solely on him. The reason he has guards on his kids and Nina is… Dante says, a precaution? and Sonny says he told Carly that he doesn’t want Donna or Avery anywhere near him. Dante says he’s guessing Sonny told Nina the same thing, and Sonny says he’s just hoping when this is over, Nina comes back to him.

Lucy asks, what solution? and Maxie says, wasn’t the point of this rude ambush… Lucy says, it might have been an ambush, but not rude, and Maxie asks if the whole point wasn’t to get her to be Lucy’s eyes and ears of the Nurses Ball. Lucy says, yes, but Maxie seemed less than enthusiastic, and Maxie says she’s sorry. Didn’t she have the reaction Lucy wanted? Lucy asks if Maxie needed time to adjust, and Maxie says, yes. She happens to be an amazing even planner. She has her own ideas and vision, as Lucy calls it. She’s happy to collaborate, but she won’t just be taking Lucy’s orders. Lucy says, they don’t have time for collaboration. The Nurses Ball is syncing up with the 60th anniversary of the hospital, which means it’s like they’re right in front of a speeding freight train that’s bearing down on them. She’s the only one who can pull this off, and… Anna says she agrees, and Maxie says, what was that? Anna says, 100%. Maxie should do everything Lucy tells her to just the way Lucy tells her to do it. She’s sure Maxie is an excellent event planner, but she’s sure Maxie is more than capable of following Lucy’s lead – especially when it’s for the greater good. Maxie says, fine, and tells Lucy, anything you want, just the way you want it. Lucy says she really thinks this could work.

Willow congratulates Chase on his latest duet. She loves it. It’s a beautiful ballad. He thanks her, and says, the majority of the props should go to Blaze; her vocals were off the charts. Willow wonders if a girl could get an autograph, and he says he never pegged her as a groupie, but her wish is his command. He signs a napkin, and she laughs.

 Brook sits at the piano, and tells herself that she’s a grown-up and is not going to listen in on the conversation. Besides, she doesn’t want to know what Chase thinks of her now anyway. She flashes back to him saying, Brook’s also kind, passionate, and incredibly sexy. He’s fallen for her, and even if she doesn’t feel the same way, he had to tell her because we miss 100% of the shots we don’t take. She remembers them kissing, and spending the night together. Then she flashes back to him finding out she was supposed to write a letter to the Civilian Complaint Review Board to help get his badge back, but didn’t, and saying, she lied to him. She kept him from the thing he’s most passionate about, and there’s nothing to work out. It’s over. She tells herself that she blew it. Maybe she should write a song about that.

Willow looks at the autograph, and reads, to one of the bravest, strongest, and best people I know. Back at him. She asks what it’s like being an honest to God rockstar, and he says, it’s cool. He guesses he’s going to miss it. She asks why he would, and he says, hopefully, when the Review Board meets in the spring, they’ll reinstate him. If it all works out. He enjoys singing, but the only reason he agreed to performing is so he could stick close to Blaze’s sleazy manager. Willow says, Brook’s ex-manager, right? and he says, Linc Brown. He’s the worst. Sexual harassment, shady business practices; you name it. Willow asks if the plan is finding something to charge him with, and Chase says, hopefully soon. He won’t feel right going back to the force if it means leaving Blaze and Brook to deal with that sleaze. Willow says, aha! This is really about helping Brook.

Michael says, when Sonny was holding Dex because he suspected Dex of being The Hook, Josslyn came to him for help. How could he not see it? He should have known right then that she was too close, and pulled the plug. She says, no he shouldn’t have. Dex saved her life when Heather attacked her on New Year’s. Michael says, Britt Westbourne saved her life, and Josslyn says, she fought Heather off, of course (🍷), but she was losing that battle until Dex showed up. He’s the one who fired the shot that drove off Heather. Michael says he’s just hearing about this now, and Dex says he works for Michael. Anything related to that is fair game, but what he has with Josslyn is personal. Steam comes out of Michael’s ears.

Dante asks Sonny why Nina wouldn’t come back. She’s obviously crazy about him. She’d have to be, given the grief they endured getting together. Why would she leave after going through that? Sonny wonders how to explain this. He was a different man in Nixon Falls. Kinder, simpler… Dante says he noticed a lot of that followed Sonny back here. There was a peaceful time in his business. Sonny says he was free to focus on his family, and Dante says, and Nina? Sonny says, Nina made him better in a lot of ways, and Dante says, Sonny cut back on his drinking. Sonny says, that was the least of it. He thinks he misrepresented his life. Not that Nina didn’t know it was dangerous, or what he does for a living is allegedly – Dante thanks him for that – illegal. Dante says, but now she’s getting an up close and personal view of it for the first time. Sonny asks, what if she doesn’t want to be in his life? and Dante says, what about Sonny? If Nina’s not in it, is it still the life he wants?

Valentin says, they haven’t been able to crack the code, but they know it’s pivotal to the success of his father’s plan, and Drew asks how he knows that. Valentin says, because he’s still looking for the necklace, with the help of his operative Eileen Ashby. Carly (remember her?) says, Deputy Mayor Eileen Ashby? and Valentin says, that’s the one. Carly says, she’s working for Victor, and he says, she was. Now she’s working for them. They’re having her deliver a duplicate necklace to Victor. Drew says, with a false code engraved on it, and Valentin says, that’s right. They’re hoping once he has what he says he needs, Victor will make a move. Drew says, so they tricked Victor into making his final play, but didn’t give him the means to get what he’s after, and Valentin says, and in the process, he incriminates himself. And that’s how they’re finally going to bring down his father.

Anna brings Lucy back to the safehouse, Lucy furiously texting. Anna makes sure the safehouse is really safe, while Lucy continues to text. Anna says, all clear, and Lucy says, it’s impossible to text with the glasses on. Removing the glasses, she mumbles to herself as she texts, and Anna says, will she just stop? taking the phone from her. Lucy asks, what is the problem? as Anna puts the phone in her back pocket, and Anna says, Lucy almost got them all killed.

Valentin says, this whole plan hinges on complete secrecy, and Carly says, with him and Lucy faking their deaths, and Anna playing fugitive? Valentin says, Victor thinks Anna’s dead as well, and thinks he has a straight shot at the necklace. So what does Drew say? Will he help them? Drew says, if secrecy is key, what is Valentin out in the open like this? and Valentin says, Lucy Coe has gone rogue. Carly says, of course (🍷) she has, and Valentin says, she wants to take control of the Nurses Ball. Anna’s gone after her. Drew says, so Anna’s risking discovery too. Maybe it’s a good thing they showed up. Valentin tells Drew, like he said, they’re not exactly combat ready. They could use Drew. Drew says, they’ve got him.

Chase tells Willow, yeah, the only reason he got into the music business was to help Brook, and in the beginning, it was great. Until he found out there was a bunch of stuff she wasn’t telling him. Willow says she’s sorry. He didn’t deserve to be treated that way. Not by Brook or her. He says he wasn’t trying… and she says she knows he wasn’t, but that doesn’t make it any less true. She married Chase when she was already in love with Michael. He says, because she thought he was dying; they all did. She says she told herself she was doing the right thing, giving him one final gift to make him happy. He says, she doesn’t believe that anymore? and she says she does. Her intentions weren’t the problem, but now that she’s faced with dying herself… He says, she’s not there yet, and she says, faced with the possibility. She realizes life isn’t just too short, it’s too precious, to waste any time on lies.

Michael says he’s grateful Dex saved Josslyn’s life. He doesn’t even want to imagine what would have happened had Dex not been there. But the bottom line is, they had a deal. Dex says, they did, and in the beginning, when Michael told him to stay away from Josslyn, he had every intention of doing just that, but it became impossible. Michael says, so he lied, and Dex says, about his personal situation. He’s never lied about anything related to Pikeman or Sonny. Speaking of, there’s something Michael should know. Someone tried to kill Sonny in an ambush the other night. Michael asks, where? and Dex says, in one of his warehouses. Michael’s father wasn’t hurt, but he was grazed. Michael asks if he’s okay, and Dex says he’s fine, but the good news is, Sonny trusts him now more than ever. Michael says he can’t have Josslyn near this. God forbid something happens to her. She asks why anything would happen to her. She’s not in the line of fire, Dex is. Michael says, because it’s his job. He hired Dex because he wanted somebody who understood the danger. Josslyn says she gets that Michael hired Dex to perform a service, but Dex is so much more than that to her now. She cares less about bringing Sonny to justice than she does Dex surviving this. Michael says, that’s going to require some sacrifices. If she wants Dex to see this through, Sonny is going to have to trust him. She asks if he didn’t hear the part where Sonny saved Dex’s life, and Michael says, it won’t matter if he finds out Josslyn and Dex are together; which means he can’t. Dex asks if Michael is ordering him to stay away from Joss, but Michael says, he tried that before; it didn’t work. Even if Dex was willing, clearly Josslyn isn’t. This isn’t about policing their relationship. This is about taking Sonny down. And until that happens, Sonny can’t have any reason to suspect Dex. If Josslyn wants Dex to live through this, make sure Sonny doesn’t find out the two of them are together.

Sonny says, it’s a little too late for Dante to ask him if this is the life he wants. It’s the life he’s got. Dante says, he chose it when he didn’t know any better, and Sonny says, Dante knows how it works. If he wants to leave the business, he’d have to leave the country. He’d have to leave his family, and he doesn’t want to do that. Dante says, maybe there were some things Sonny liked about Mike from Nixon Falls. There were some things Dante liked about Mike from Nixon Falls. Sonny was less reactive, calmer. He seemed like he was prioritizing his family over the business. He has the feeling that’s about to change. Sonny says, it has to. It’s just harder than he thought.

Willow says she wasn’t honest with Chase when they were married, but she’s learned her lesson, and she’s going to be honest with him now. He says, this sounds serious, and she says, it could be, and swears she’s not trying to meddle. He tells her, says every person before they dive into meddling, and she says, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of Brook earlier. He says, what? and she says, it’s true. He lights up when he’s around Brook. She would know. Once upon a time, he lit up like that when he was around her. He says he thinks she’s seeing things that aren’t there, and she says, is she? He says, all right. He still has feelings for Brook, because what they had was real. She says, what they had was love, and he says, he can’t just flip a switch and turn that off, because Brook really hurt him. She says she’s not saying Brook didn’t, or even that he was wrong to end things between them, but what if Brook is his person? Is being right really worth being without her?

Valentin having slipped back into the night, Drew says, Carly is being uncharacteristically quiet, and she says, from the minute Drew showed up, she knew Valentin would want him involved. It was his choice to make, and she didn’t want to influence his decision. He says, now that he’s made his decision? and she says, first, tell her why he said yes. He says, Victor stole two years of his life. He can’t let Victor get away with it. She says, that’s not all of it. It’s not about revenge for him. He says, it’s about Victor’s lust for power and control, and this has been going on for decades. He infiltrated the WSB, always moving toward some mysterious goal that no one knows what it’s about. But he doesn’t need to know to know it’s a serious threat. The man has to be stopped, and he thinks Valentin and the others need his help to do it. So now tell him what she thinks. She says she thinks he’s doing the right thing, and he says, but she has reservations. She says, doesn’t he? and he says he has many. She says, Jason died on Cassadine Island. Now Drew is going after Victor. She doesn’t want to lose him too.

Anna says, the only reason Lucy wasn’t shot with a real bullet, the only reason she’s breathing today, is because Victor thought he had use for her. But if he’d seen her tonight, he would have killed her in a heartbeat. Lucy swears she gets it, and apologizes. She says she would have never had the intention of jeopardizing them or the whole plan with Victor. It’s just her. Sometimes she gets carried away. Anna says, she’s the poster child for getting carried away, and Lucy says, well good news. She’s 99.9% sure Victor didn’t see her in the restaurant. Anna says, great… What restaurant? She was in the MetroCourt with Victor? Lucy says, one minute… two minutes tops, and they see Valentin standing in the doorway. Anna says, he’s right. Lucy’s blown the entire operation.

Dante asks if Sonny is all right, and Sonny says he just hopes his family and Nina stick with him. Dante says he’s not going anywhere, and Sonny says he appreciates that, especially coming from Dante’s profession. Dante says, because he’s a cop and Sonny is an alleged – Sonny laughs, and says, thank you for that – gangster? Dante says, it isn’t about that. It’s about being father and son. They hug.

Josslyn says she doesn’t want to leave Dex, but he says, the sooner he gets evidence against Sonny, the sooner this will be over. Until then, he can’t risk alienating Sonny or making him suspicious. Josslyn says, which means he can’t risk being seen with her. Michael was very clear about that. She doesn’t like it, but she gets it. Dex says he’ll be staying at Sonny’s for at least another day. After that, maybe they can figure out a way to meet. In the meantime, she can’t come here, and if she sees him for some reason… She says, act like she doesn’t know him? and he says, that would be suspicious. She can say hi, just don’t… She says, act like she cares. She’ll try, but she does care. They kiss, and Josslyn heads for the door. He says, any regrets? and she smiles at him. He says, him neither, and she leaves.

Chase says, when Willow meddles, she doesn’t mess around. She just goes right for that jugular. She says she has less patience for wasted anything these days, but especially for wasted time, when Michael walks in. Chase says he hasn’t seen Michael since the news broke. Congratulations on his upcoming wedding. Michael thanks him, and they bro hug. Chase says he’s sure he doesn’t have to tell Michael this, but he’s about to marry a very wise and perceptive woman. If they’ll excuse him, he has somewhere he needs to be. He leaves, and Willow asks where Michael disappeared to. He says he was near the end of a project and was tempted to cut his losses, but he realized the best way forward was to see it through, and the sooner the better. She says he sounds like he has it all figured out, and he says he wants to focus on what really matters, her and the kids. She says she likes the way he thinks, and he says, coming from such a wise and perceptive woman, he’s honored. What was all that with Chase? She says, it was driving her crazy, watching him and Brook dance around each other, so she may have stuck her nose in where it doesn’t belong. Let’s hope it works.

Chase finds Brook at the piano, and asks if she’s working on a new song. She says, so far, she has about three verses she regrets. It’s garbage. He says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine does not create garbage, and she says, he’s just being nice. He says he’s being honest. He loves her songs. He loves a lot of things when it comes to her. Talking with her, spending time with her… He misses that. He misses them.

Carly says she’s being ridiculous, and starts to walk off, but Drew grabs her, and says, she’s not being ridiculous. If their positions were reversed, he’d be scared for her too. She says she’s tempted to go to keep an eye on him, but he says, she can’t go anywhere. She says she knows. Willow is sick, and her kids and grandkids need her. He says he’s actually kind of happy that she’s going to stay and be safe, and she says, he has to stay safe. He says, if it makes her feel any better, he has had training and experience in this sort of thing. He can handle himself. She says she’s counting on it, and she knows he has to go for the reasons he said, but if and when he goes, promise her that he’ll come home. He says he promises, and kisses her.

Lucy tells Valentin, she was totally unrecognizable. She’s dressed as a librarian. She asks Anna to tell him, and Anna says, she’s dressed as a librarian. Lucy puts on the glasses, and says, see? And she promises, the second she saw Victor, she turned her back. Valentin says he supposes this near-miss underscores the need for them to stay indoors until this is all over, and Lucy says she gets it. From this moment on, she’s going to be the essence of cooperation. He says he hopes she means it because he really needs her to, and she swears she does. Maxie’s going to be her eyes and ears at the Ball, and Maxie’s going to follow all her instructions to a T, so that’s good too. She’s going to be really good, so could she please have her burner phone back? Anna hands her the phone, and Lucy keeps saying she’s sorry as she walks to the bedroom. She’s sorry for any trouble she may have caused. Anna looks at Valentin and says, may have caused.

On her office phone, Maxie tells Bobbie that she’s calling from the landline. Her cellphone repeatedly dings, and she says, something is going on with her cellphone. She wanted Bobbie to know she had some new ideas for the Nurses Ball. She looks at the phone, and there are a bazillion texts from Lucy. She says, lots and lots of new ideas.

Valentin and Anna right the coffee table he knocked over, and Anna says she would have thought he’d be more upset. He says, if he was he’d be a hypocrite, and she says, how come? He says he couldn’t leave without her, so he went for a walk, and ran into Carly and Drew Cain. She says, a regular party, and he says, long story short, they’ve been briefed, and Drew Cain is on board to help them out. She says, that’s actually very good news, and he says he hopes it is. She says she’s sorry, and he says, he’s sorry. She says she kind of attacked him, and he says he really overreacted. She says, but when she came in here, and saw the table overturned, she thought he’d taken her at her word and gone to Europe. Which she would have deserved, but she would have missed him. He holds out his arms, and she goes to him. He says, if Victor knew she was alive, he’d kill her, and Valentin has loved her always. If he were to lose her now, he couldn’t take it. They touch foreheads, and she says, let’s not lose each other through all this. Let’s bury Victor instead.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth doesn’t see how she has a chance; Finn tells Gregory, it’s too early to determine the results; and Laura tells Esme that she and Doc have wonderful news.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Danielle meets Rachel to shop for a luau. We see a clip of Melissa saying that she has a party at the shore every year, and this year, it’s a luau party. In Rachel’s interview, she says, this is a group of women like nothing she’s ever seen before. It’s nice not to be alone in the boat, and Danielle makes her laugh. They also both have young children. We flash back to some moments with them, and Rachel says, Danielle is no bullsh*t and shoots it straight. It’s refreshing. Danielle says she hasn’t gone to the shore since she was 25, and Rachel says she avoids it at all costs. In Danielle’s interview, she talks about her shore life back in the day, and we see pictures. Rachel says, Danielle talked to Joe #2 at the softball game for more than five weeks, and Danielle says, it was an emotional conversation. We see a clip of them talking about their brother/sister issues, and Danielle says, he told her, don’t ever give up, and she’s not, but she has to protect herself. She has hope for Joe and Teresa, but thinks her situation is a lost cause. In her interview, Rachel says, if her brother blocked her on social media, she’d call him, and if he wasn’t receptive, she’d call their parents, and every other relative to figure out what was going on. Danielle says she talked to Marge, and would like to figure out the Marge/Jennifer situation. Rachel says, Marge doesn’t like the sh*t Jennifer is talking about her, and Danielle says she thinks Marge is too judgmental with Jennifer. And she drops bombs on everybody. Laura said that Marge has an arsenal of stuff, and Rachel wonders if they really know that Marge is locked and loaded, and ready to fire. In Rachel’s interview, she says, it doesn’t make sense to her. Why is Danielle reading so much into it? There’s only two people Marge allegedly dropped a bomb on, and Teresa and Jennifer’s words are their bonds? That’s not how it works.

Teresa goes jewelry store to get gifts for her bridesmaids, and Jennifer meets her there. The owner Benny is her husband’s cousin. Teresa says she thought she’d keep her earrings simple, but Jennifer says, it’s the day when she gets to be extra-extra, so Teresa gets a new, gaudier pair. Teresa says she wants everything to be good. It would have been nice for her brother and Melissa to make things better by asking her and Louie to stay at their house. Teresa says she’s only been there once, and when Gia asked to stay, Melissa said no. I can’t believe there’s not more to it than that, but Jennifer is gullible, and says she can’t imagine her brother not staying at her house when he came to the shore. In Teresa’s interview, she says, Melissa and Joe are upset that she didn’t invite Melissa’s family to her wedding, so why didn’t they invite her and Louie to their shore house? Like this is the same thing. Is she really this stupid at this point? Or is it an act? Jennifer says, Melissa and Joe are always Team Marge, and suggests Marge knows too much about them. Teresa says, keep your enemy closer, and I think, this bullsh*t just gets more unbelievable.

Melissa says she’s got cigar rollers and hula girls for the party. Paulie tells Dolores that he’d be there, but he’s still sore after surgery. Dolores says, normally she’d stay at Frank’s house, but she’s staying with Rachel. Paulie says, she’s doing things differently now, and she says, Frank is emotional, but she’s not worried about it. Jennifer asks Bill what he thinks about Dr. Judy, and Bill says, she was insightful. She says, he was silent, and feels a lot was left unsaid. They keep pretending everything is okay, when it’s not. Bill says, life is complicated, and it’s not about who’s right or wrong, but how they feel. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, when Bill actually starts talking, it drives her nuts. This is Bill’s way of not saying anything. Put your f***ing Confucius out the window and be supportive of your wife. Bill says, small steps.

Rachel and John also have a shore house that’s actually on a shore, and in Jennifer’s interview, she says she’s excited that she now has a shore house to call her own. They literally moved in last week. They bought it with all the contents, and she even took the bed sheets. There’s no reason to dump any money into it. This we can agree on, since I’m sure the house was staged when it went on the market. It’s not like anyone just slept on those sheets. Jackie, Evan, Marge, and Joe #3 are staying at Melissa and Joe #2’s house. Jen and Jeff, and Dolores are staying with Rachel and John, and Danielle and Nate go to Jennifer’s house, along with Teresa and Louie. This house is right on the boardwalk, which is pretty busy, so it seems there’s no shore and too shore, with Rachel’s house being just right. Marge says, Marge Sr. got herself invited to Teresa’s wedding, and Melissa says, her mother isn’t invited. Joe #2 says he talked to Danielle, but he’s skeptical that her beef with her brother is only about Instagram. In Melissa’s interview, she says, Joe and Teresa have had endless fights over the years, and we flash back to several of those, including the classic Juicy Joe versus Joe #3 knock down drag out. Melissa says, they’ve always been able to find a way to bring themselves back together. She doesn’t think it’s the whole story. Jackie says, Danielle must have done something that made her look bad.

Everyone gets ready for Melissa’s party, and Teresa tells Louie that she’s all about love, love, love. Bill suggests he and Jennifer make sure they don’t get kicked out, and far as Marge goes, they would carry themselves with class. The luau looks really cool, with tiny pineapples everywhere and fabulous food. Jennifer toasts to a great night, and says, let’s get sloppy drunk. I can’t say I’ve never been sloppy, but I can say, that’s never been my aim. Frank arrives with Brittany, and Marge asks Rachel if Teresa really warned Danielle that she made a better friend than an enemy. Rachel tells her about discussing it with Danielle in the store, and says, Danielle claimed Marge had information on everyone and was judgmental. Marge says, she’d like to think she was opinionated, and in her interview, she says, bougie mama has some nerve talking about her when she doesn’t know her. There’s lots of eating and drinking, and Marge tells Melissa that Danielle claimed she had an arsenal. Melissa thinks arsenal means book, and Marge explains it’s where weapons are kept. In her interview, Marge says, maybe Melissa and Teresa are a lot more alike than they think. As many of the partygoers drink shots straight from the bottle like they’re on spring break, Marge asks Teresa about what Rachel told her. Teresa says she doesn’t remember saying anything negative about Marge, and asks if Rachel is trying to start trouble by twisting her words. In Rachel’s interview, she says she’s straight up. If you ask her if you look fat, she’ll tell you. There shouldn’t be a problem with her repeating what someone said. If there is, they shouldn’t have said it. Teresa says, this is like high school, and Danielle tells her, it’s exactly what she said.

In her interview, Teresa says she’s just getting to know Rachel, but it doesn’t sit well with Rachel running to Marge and twisting what she said. We flash back to what Teresa said, and that was exactly what she said. Teresa says it shows her what kind of person Rachel is. Um… honest? Teresa moonwalks back, telling Marge, what she said was, if you get on Marge’s bad side, she has no problem taking you down, and admits to being ruthless herself. Marge says, Teresa was undermining her character, and they hear the guys chanting Fuda! Marge says, when she and Teresa made up, she told everyone they were good, and Teresa insists it was genuine. If anyone pushed the wrong button on any of them, they would fight back. Marge says, historically, she’s never done anything bad to anyone. Jennifer lights a cigar, and says, it tastes like sh*t. Bill gets the equivalent of eight shots poured down his throat, and Jennifer tells him, spit it out. Melissa says, now that they’re nice and toasty, they’re going to watch a hula show. In her interview, Marge says, of course Bill drinks. How else could he stand being around Jennifer? Everyone watches the dancers, and some of them dance around. Frank tells Dolores that he’s got a kit to wax John Fuda as an initiation, and she says, he’s got a nice group of guys. Frank whines that he and Paulie are never in the same place, and Dolores says, he would be here except for his health situation. Frank wants her to push Paulie to spend time with him, but Dolores says, it has to be organic. Brittany joins them, and Frank says, it’s the first time Dolores isn’t at his house. Brittany says, they miss her, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, Frank is feeling sorry for himself. The last she checked, he had a hot blonde running with him. He’s good. Jackie tells Jennifer, Bill is so wasted, and we see him crawl on all fours under a limbo pole that’s about five feet up. Dolores tells Jackie, Paulie is the first guy who doesn’t want to sleep with Frank, and Jackie asks if Frank reached out to Paulie. Frank says he reached out to Dolores, and Dolores says, this is when Frank gets in a stupid place. Frank wails for her to fix it, but she says, there’s nothing to fix.

Louie and Teresa talk about the upcoming wedding, and Jen says, it must have been an oversight that Teresa didn’t invite Melissa’s mom. Teresa says, it’s not. They have an history, and she’s leaving it at that. In her interview, she says, to be honest, ten years ago, she got busy, and they got jealous. Melissa’s mom and sisters posted stuff about her on social media, something her mother never did. After that, she kept her distance. She forgives, but never forgets. Jen asks if it won’t put a bigger wedge between Teresa and Joe #2, and Louie says he apologized to Melissa’s mom. We see a clip of that, and he says, he’s not part of her and Teresa’s history. In Teresa’s interview, she says she wishes he’d discussed it with her, but she loves him and knows he’s being a peacemaker. She wishes her brother had come to her, but he loves a spectacle. Louie asks if Teresa would be mad if he invited Melissa’s mom, and she asks why she’d be mad. Everyone cheers, and Louie runs off to find her. In Marge’s interview, she says, thank God Louie has some sense. Joe #2 announces that they’re heating the wax for John’s initiation. They put wax strips on John’s chest, and he barely flinches when they’re pulled off. In Jen’s interview, she says she doesn’t care if she’s bush woman; Joe’s not coming near her with hot wax. The guys do shots for the new brother, and Jennifer wanders around aimlessly. Jackie asks if she’s okay, and says she wants Jennifer and Marge to make up. Marge felt like they had, but didn’t like that Jennifer was still trying to hurt her. Jennifer says, it didn’t mean they were going to be besties. Marge did something hurtful to her children, and her youngest daughter suffered severe trauma; it had the domino effect. In Jackie’s interview, she says she knows firsthand the ramifications of saying someone’s father cheated on their mother. When there were unfounded rumors about Evan, their daughter was scared they were thinking about divorce. Jennifer tells Jackie that she and Bill are going to therapy. Bill is into scholastics with the children, and almost blames her, asking if she wants her kids to be average and have an average life. She told him, don’t call her kids average. Jackie says, that’s a lot of hurt, and they hug.

Jennifer starks talking about sticking fingers in butts, and I tune out in self-defense. Jackie thinks a piece of Danielle is not so nice, and Danielle’s radar goes up hearing her name. Dolores says that Marge is upset about what Danielle repeated, and in Danielle’s interview, she says she was just stating what she heard. There’s was no sh*t talking. But instead talking to her like grown-ass women, they’re bringing her back to her childhood when she was bullied. The only difference now is, she can throw a right hook. Danielle tells Dolores that it irks her to hear her name, and whines to Nate about everyone’s conversation involving her. Marge says she’s calling BS on Danielle’s story about her brother, and in her interview, she says she thinks they’re not getting the whole story. Teresa says, they each have a side, and Italians hold grudges. Marge thinks it’s not the full story, and maybe Danielle is hiding stuff. In Melissa’s interview, she says, regardless of how Danielle and her brother got there, she feels bad. She finds Danielle and says, Danielle looks annoyed, and Danielle says she’s hearing her name. Melissa says she just heard it once about the situation with Danielle’s brother. Melissa says, with her and Teresa, there’s their sides and the truth, and Danielle says she’s pissed. In her interview, she says, everything in her wants to run up and unleash on them. What happened with her brother is her truth. She opened up and now they’re questioning her character. She’s done. If any of them approach her, she doesn’t know what will come out of her mouth. They’re lucky she’s leaving. She gathers Jennifer and Teresa, who says, they came together, so they’ll leave together. Danielle bitches about hearing her name all the way out and during the car ride. Teresa says, Jackie started it, and in Danielle’s interview, she says, Jackie was poking and trying to make her look like an ass. They come from the same place, but she’s a better version of a Staten Island girl, but only if we were still in Staten Island. She tells the others in the car, the one person you don’t want to have as an enemy is her.

Next time, Louie talks to Joe #2; Teresa says, Joe #2 needs therapy, and tells Jackie to STFU; and Marge says, Danielle spreading bullsh*t is f***ed up.

🏖 On what I’d hoped was the finale of Summer House, but wasn’t, the housemates decorated for Gabby’s Studio Fifty Forest party. For a bunch of influencers or whatever, their decorating skills left a lot to be desired. Carl hadn’t spoken to Kyle, and was worried their friendship was in serious jeopardy. He wanted to tell Kyle not to talk to Lindsay the way he had, but communication is no one’s skill on this series. Kyle and Amanda brought their wiener dog mixes for the weekend, which would be points in their favor if they had any other redeeming qualities, but instead, we’ll just give the dogs those points. No surprise, all the girls squeed over these cute little nuggets. The dogs I mean. In Amanda’s interview, she said, they’d decided to come back because she wasn’t allowing anyone to dictate her life. Tomorrow was her 12th 31st birthday, and she wanted the majority of the housemates to celebrate with her. Everyone put on their disco outfits – lots of wigs and sparkles – and in Lindsay’s interview, she said she had zero interest in having conversation. She just wanted to have a good f***ing time. Amanda had sent a text, but she hadn’t responded. Like the newly mature person she is.

Anxiety and liquor being the mainstays of the house, in Kyle’s interview, he said he was anxious about what to say to his best friend. Carl was right across the hall, and they were getting ready to party, but there was tension in the air, and he felt like a fish out of water. Life is tough when you haven’t been able to form a full sentence by the time you’re 40. I’m not joking. Kyle is 40. Can you say, no hope? Ciara dressed up in a huge afro, sparkly dress, and heels, and said she was Karma Brown, and she’d come to bless this house. Bam! I don’t think the Pope himself is capable of that, but good try. She said she wasn’t involved in the drama, and was going to have a good time. I’m liking Ciara this season… for now. Chris tried to help decorate, but was just as inept as the girls. Mya’s boyfriend Oliver arrived, and Sam got a text from Tim, who said he couldn’t make the party, but he invited her to Montauk for a party there. In her interview, she said she had the biggest crush going on, a word I haven’t used since high school, so no surprise here. Karma wondered where the champagne tower was. They were supposed to be popping bottles, and the task was given to a rookie.

Since Kyle has the courage of a really scared Chihuahua, Carl had to initiate a talk, and they told the others that they were going to catch up before the party started, like no one knew what happened last week. On second thought, considering their attention spans, maybe they didn’t. Carl said, last Saturday night had been hard, and master of understatement Kyle said he’d kinda snapped. Carl said he’d never seen Kyle that angry, and we flashed back to Kyle’s tantrum. Carl said he appreciated Kyle’s text, but didn’t appreciate how he’d talked to Lindsay. Did Kyle even like them? Kyle said, Carl had changed and was spending more time with Lindsay, clearly not understanding what being a couple meant, even though he’s married, and Carly said he wanted to marry Lindsay. Kyle claimed the tension stemmed from the tension between Lindsay and Amanda. Carl said Lindsay felt hurt because when she’d told Amanda that they were looking at houses, she’d said it was too soon. Lindsay thought Amanda was being negative about her relationship with Carl. It seemed like there was deeper sh*t going on. Everyone else kept pointing out that Carl and Kyle were talking, but stopped short of eavesdropping. Kyle said he and Amanda felt like they had to walk on eggshells with Lindsay, but Carl felt it was the other way around. He admitted Lindsay could be polarizing and complicated, but she was trying. Kyle said, in a perfect world, they’d be going on double dates, and Carl said he and Lindsay cared about the friendship. He wished they could talk, regardless of what happened with Loverboy in the future, and Kyle swore that, no matter what, he wouldn’t get in the middle, and wouldn’t let Amanda and Lindsay’s issues drive a wedge between them. It wasn’t simple working with a best friend, but he promised they’d figure out a way to put that sh*t behind them and work on the friendship. In Kyle’s interview, he said he was going to put the Lindsay stuff behind him, and get back to what it was about; spending the summer with his best friend.

Amanda told the other girls that Lindsay weaponized their friendship against her. She could apologize for how Lindsay felt, but wasn’t in a place to apologize for anything else. She couldn’t care anymore. Karma said she thought Kyle was crying, but that’s okay; a man can cry. A confetti balloon exploded, and there was dancing and more confetti. Paige texted Craig, who asked how the party was, and she said, it was off to slow start until Karma Brown showed up. I’m sure there was a huge question mark over Craig’s head. Chris told random girls a bunch of BS about himself, and in his interview, he said he loved messing with girls. If they give him sh*t back, he knows they’re a keeper.

Lindsay told Carl that he looked like a washed up rock star, and asked how the conversation with Kyle went. Carl said he felt better, but not good. Kyle’s reaction to Lindsay was the result of something that happened between her and Amanda. Since she’s a narcissist, Lindsay asked if the whole thing was about her, but Carl said, and Amanda. He thought she and Amanda should have a conversation, and Lindsay said, if she had her way, they’d talk all the time. She was a direct communicator when she was coherent and not spinning bullsh*t, but she wasn’t begging for an apology. Carl said he was dealing with his own sh*t, and Lindsay told him not to come at her. He said he wasn’t, and she’d know when he did.

Carl told Lindsay that he wished the four of them were closer, but Lindsay said, how? When Amanda said sh*t, it hurt, and she didn’t need to beg for an apology. Ciara said, Karma Brown can’t comment on this, and Chris said, if Kyle wasn’t in the right state of mind, they all felt it, which again made me question everyone’s sanity, since they keep bunking together every summer. Carl told Lindsay that Amanda had apologized over text, and Danielle said, it looked like Carl and Lindsay were arguing. Lindsay said she was led to believe there would be a bigger conversation in person, but it didn’t happen. She wanted to fix things quick. Carl said, perfect. Let’s play beer pong, which is always the answer to everything. Danielle wondered how they could have a heated conversation, then play beer pong, and Sam asked if anyone was going to Montauk; she wanted to get some d*ck. One of the dogs caught a ping pong ball, which was pretty impressive, and Danielle asked Carl about what looked like his heated chat with Lindsay. Carl said, communication was hard when Lindsay was drunk, and Lindsay told Paige that communicating was hard when you’re in middle school. Paige suggested she just talk to Amanda, like no one had thought of that, and Carl told Danielle that Lindsay wasn’t receptive, so he just walked away. Danielle said, they were the two most outspoken of the group, yet internalized a lot. Lindsay griped to Paige that Amanda felt she and Carl were moving in together too soon, and Paige told her Danielle had said that too. She said it felt like Lindsay and Carl were living in a fairytale. Danielle told Carl that things couldn’t always be great. She had fights with Robert about him always working. They hardly saw each other, and it was hard. In Danielle’s interview, she said things aren’t always perfect. She wanted Carl and Lindsay to talk about the hard stuff. Paige said she was under the impression Lindsay knew how Danielle felt. Wasn’t Danielle her best friend? She thought they should talk, and when Danielle came by, she wisely got the hell out of there. Danielle asked Lindsay what she and Paige had been talking about, and Lindsay said, her. Danielle said, good or bad stuff? and Lindsay said she heard Danielle was concerned about her and Carl’s relationship. She’d thought it was too soon for them to move in. Danielle said she thought they were moving hella fast, and Lindsay said, they’d known each other six years. Danielle said, but they weren’t in a relationship, and in that sense, it was fast. Lindsay whined that she wanted to have babies with Carl, and Danielle said, Lindsay was getting so defensive, it was annoying. Truth!

Lindsay wanted to know what fairytale she was living, and Danielle said they had no fights or talks about the heavy stuff. Lindsay said, Carl didn’t like the hard conversations, and Danielle said she was surprised Lindsay didn’t ask why Carl didn’t stick up for her during Kyle’s tirade. Lindsay said she was pissed off, but Danielle said she didn’t show it. She didn’t want to lose her two best friends. Lindsay said she wouldn’t, but Danielle said, sometimes she felt that Lindsay and Carl’s relationship was off-limits. Lindsay said, at least tell her first before Danielle talked sh*t, and Danielle said she wanted to see them going at the real stuff, and not keep it bottled up. Pizza was ordered and the outside friends were kicked out. Ciara said, Karma Brown’s got to go. Nice knowing you. Danielle rated the party a 6.5, since there was no music. Seriously? No one had a phone with a playlist on it? Gabby said, 65 out of 100 was a fail. Bad decorating, no music, fair to middling food, and Kyle? Yeah, I’d say it was a fail

Kyle said he feared raising children. What if the kid didn’t like him? I’d say that’s highly likely, and I also fear him raising children, but not for that reason. Sam said his energy effected the house, and she thought it was a good quality, clearly forgetting about the previous weekend. Kyle said he wanted everyone to have as much fun as possible, and Sam said, as a friend, she wanted him to be happy, and have fun. Cool positive energy brought the house up. In Chris’s interview, he said, after he graduated, he went into the marines. This summer he wants to talk to and meet girls. If he’s learned anything, it’s that you can’t force things to work. Danielle said her boobs were pointing east; she was going to the party in Montauk. Amanda said she couldn’t go. She was a (dog) mom now. Lindsay said she was part of a couple now, and wasn’t leaving Carl. In Danielle’s interview, she said, in the past, if she’d said party in Montauk, Lindsay would have asked how much time she had to get ready. She hated seeing Lindsay holding back.  I thought if I heard going to Montauk one more time, I might scream. Kyle was surprised the dogs were the first ones to poop on the lawn.

Gabby, Danielle, and Sam finally went to Montauk, and we saw a bit of Danielle’s phone cam party. In Sam’s interview, she said, Tim ghosted her. He put her in an Uber and sent her on her way. She’d said she didn’t want a hit and run situation, and he said he’d never do that. She laughed, and said, she felt stupid saying it now. She was having a crush crisis. She’d come out of an abusive relationship, and this brought back her insecurity. Danielle told her that she had a right to be herself. F*** what anybody thought. Her real friends valued who she was.

Paige said, Amanda deserved a beautiful birthday lunch, and got up at 7 am because she loved Amanda. She and Mya cleaned up, made breakfast, and talked about Lindsay trying to act better for Carl at her own expense. They thought it was going to lead to resentment. In Mya’s interview, she said she’d been in relationships where they wanted different things, and it worked out. Oliver was outgoing, and had 400 friends, while she had maybe 5. Everyone put on birthday hats, and sang Happy Birthday when Amanda came down. Danielle said, the party was fun until Sam laid on a pool table or something. Maybe there was more to putting Sam in that Uber than she thought. Paige said she already put in a full day, and Kyle said, Amanda’s last birthday was a big one – 30. They’d been caught up in wedding planning, and he wanted to make up for it.

He brought out a giant package, and Amanda said he did listen; it was definitely artwork. She unveiled a piece of modern art that said, fruit therapy. It was actually pretty cool. Amanda said, Kyle got married and was a new man, and Kyle toasted to Amanda’s 31st. Amanda thanked everyone for the special breakfast, and said it was how she preferred to celebrate, low key. Lindsay asked if Amanda wanted to get together, and in Amanda’s interview, she said, she and Lindsay hadn’t had a one-on-one and hung out in years.

Next time, we’re tortured with a party bus; Carl wants Chris to have a proper initiation; Danielle talks to Robert about their relationship, or lack thereof; and Paige wants Lindsay to talk about the real sh*t.

🪄 Dreaming I’m Awake…

Hook up with me again tomorrow (no, not that way) for soap and the VanderPlot thickening. Until then, stay safe, stay childlike, but not childish, and stay not wasting any time on lies. Life isn’t just too short, it’s too precious for that.

March 20, 2023 – Valentin Gets Caught Red-Handed, Scary But Lovely Bodybuilders On Deck, Oh Captain My Captain, Awful Tomorrow & Earl

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna looks for Lucy, and Valentin tells her, she said she wanted to take a bath and read Martin’s letter. Anna says she didn’t hear any water running, and goes to check, while Valentin looks outside. Anna comes back, and says, she’s not there, and Valentin says, dammit. He walks out into the night.

Lucy comes out of the MetroCourt elevator looking like a frumpy librarian from the 1930s. She sees Victor at the bar, and tries to jet, but bumps into someone. Before Victor can turn around, Spencer shows up, and says, just the man he wanted to see. Lucy slips into another dining area, and sees Maxie and Bobbie sitting at a table. Bobbie says she can only hope Lucy is somewhere smiling, knowing that the Nurses Ball can go on without her. Lucy is not smiling.

Josslyn asks if Dex has changed his mind about getting evidence on Sonny, and he says he wouldn’t go that far, but Sonny could have easily left him in that warehouse. Instead, Sonny came back and saved his life, so he’d by lying if he said it didn’t make him look at things… at Sonny differently.

In the living room with no TV, Willow tells Michael that she’s looking at wedding gowns on her tablet. Now that they’ve decided to postpone the wedding until after the transplant, she has time to order a custom gown. She wants to walk down the aisle to him in the perfect dress, looking strong and healthy. She wants to dance at their wedding, and wants to look forward to a long life together. He says he wants that too, and it’s going to happen. He kisses her, and she asks, how’s Aunt Liesl? He says, she’ll be cleared for the transplant in time; he knows it. She says she does too, when Drew walks in, and says, she wanted to see him? She says, there is something only he can help her with.

Sonny tells Nina that Carly brought Donna by, but unfortunately, she’s not staying. Nina says, because of her?

Willow asks Michael to leave, and he says, of course (🍷). She says, and no eavesdropping, but he says he’s a Quartermaine. Eavesdropping is kind of in his blood. In the foyer, Brook asks if everything is okay, and he says, damn good, but she says, it doesn’t look like it to her.

Carly says, it’s no secret she doesn’t want her daughter anywhere near Nina, but that’s not why she’s leaving. Sonny says he’ll tell her about it later, but let them go; he doesn’t want Donna to overhear. Carly calls to Donna, and Donna runs to Nina, saying, Auntie Nina! They hug, and Donna asks if Nina is here for a sleepover.

Dex tells Josslyn that Sonny saving his life doesn’t change the fact Sonny is breaking all kinds of laws with Pikeman; he’s talking federal laws. Just because he’s grateful to the guy… She says, doesn’t make him any less guilty, and he says, not for nothing, ex-service here. Violating the National Security Act goes against everything he fought and sacrificed for. She says, on the other hand… and he says he’s now in Sonny’s debt; something else he doesn’t take lightly. Doesn’t he owe Sonny? She says, no, and he wonders if he should tell Sonny what’s about to happen, but she says, if he does, he’ll be signing his own death warrant.

Valentin tells Anna, there are footprints in the snow outside Lucy’s window. She ran off while he was talking to Laura. Anna says, she’s unbelievable. This is all because of the Nurses Ball, and because Lucy can’t face that it’s going on without her. He says, why doesn’t matter at this point. Pack a bag; they’re going. She asks, where? and he says, they’re taking a ferry to Canada, go to Toronto, and take flight to Europe. He’s going to contact Laura and ask her what to do about Charlotte. It’s risky to take her, but he’s not leaving her if Victor thinks they’re alive. Anna takes the phone, telling him, stop. They can’t be sure Victor thinks they’re alive, and they’re not going anywhere.

As Lucy grabs a menu and sits down, Maxie says, the Nurses Ball is fully funded. Bobbie says, that means all the proceeds go to HIV/AIDS research and charities. Maxie says she was nervous. Lucy always said these backers were a tricky bunch, easily offended and hard to handle. Bobbie says she thinks Lucy – God rest her soul – had a tendency to exaggerate prepping the Nurses Ball. It made her seem heroic. Maxie says, that sounds like Lucy, and behind her menu, Lucy makes all kinds of faces. Bobbie says, they’re doing the job just as well as she did… maybe even better. Lucy looks like she might explode.

Victor says, it’s good to see Spencer. With Valentin gone, and Nikolas God knows where, the Cassadines have never been more vulnerable. Seeing Spencer renews his hope in the future; a future involving Spencer and his baby brother. Spencer says, that’s why he’s here. His little brother is in danger, and he needs Victor’s help to save him.

As she and Donna leave, Carly promises she and Donna will watch a movie and pop some popcorn. Nina asks Sonny, what just happened?

Drew says, whatever Willow needs his help with, she’s got it, but she says, he might want to find out what it is first. He says, no need. He’d go to the ends of the earth for her. She says, how about just to the end of the aisle? She and Michael decided to reschedule the wedding until after the transplant, when she’s recovered and hopefully in remission, so they can really celebrate. The only father she ever knew is dead, and she’d really love it if Drew would give her away at her wedding.

Michael tells Brook, overall, the news is good. Liesl Obrecht was on this blood medication, and they’re waiting for it to get out of her system. She’s a match to give Willow a bone marrow transplant, and they’re so confident it’s going to happen, they’ve rescheduled the wedding until after the transplant. Willow wants the wedding to be a real party, and wants to be done with the transplant and remission; he wants that too. But it all depends on Liesl and when she’s ready to donate. Willow could be too weak for it to work.

Josslyn says, if Sonny has any idea Dex has been working against him, he’ll kill Dex. Or more accurately, he’ll have somebody kill Dex. Dex says, she’s right. Tipping Sonny off is a bad idea. He really was doing Dex a favor by leaving him out of the planning. She says, Sonny gave him deniability, and Dex says he can’t warn Sonny without exposing himself. It’s harder than he expected. When he took this job, that’s all it was – a job. She asks how he even got hired, and he says he was working for a security firm; basically, private soldiers for hire. Mostly short-term jobs, two or three months at a time. They sent him on this interview, and the employer wanted someone like him. Young enough that Sonny could train him and take him under his wing. The job sounded interesting enough, and he liked the idea of being stateside and being undercover. Everything was going to plan until Josslyn busted him and Sonny beating up that tabloid reporter. Then everything got blown to hell. She says, sorry, but he says, never. When he started to invest in taking Sonny down – not as a job, but something that needed to happen – then at the warehouse when Sonny could have easily left him there – most employers would – Sonny personally rescued him. He hates feeling like he owes Sonny, but he does. She says she gets it. She owes Sonny too .He saved Dex, but telling him isn’t an option. Dex says, but if Sonny goes to prison, from evidence he secured, he’s going to feel pretty damn crappy about it. She says, there’s another option they discussed. He could disappear.

Valentin tells Anna, once Lucy is discovered alive, Victor is going to know they staged their deaths. What then? How long before Victor realizes Eileen Ashby has turned against him, and comes after them? She says, he doesn’t know Victor would try to kill him, and he agrees he doesn’t, but Victor would try to kill her, and he’s not going to let that happen. She says, he’s jumping to conclusions, and he asks, how? She says, the only thing they can be certain of is, Lucy left the safehouse. They don’t know where she is. They don’t know if anyone has seen her. He says, they don’t? She’s the exact opposite of discretion. She says, they certainly don’t know that Victor has spotted her. They can fix this. She can find Lucy, and bring her back. He asks if she’s out of her mind.

Maxie asks, what about the mistress or master of ceremonies? and Bobbie says, another area where Lucy might have exaggerated her own importance. She always did a terrific job, but there were so many times when the Ball threatened to cross over from charity gala to The Lucy Coe Show. Still listening in, Lucy looks aghast, and Maxie says, maybe they can divvy up the MC duties. Epiphany, Amy, and Felix could represent General Hospital; Ned and Brook could represent ELQ; and it would mean a lot to Liesl if she could be included. Lucy sticks her tongue out, and Bobbie says, it’s a gamble. Maxie says she’s aware of that, and Bobbie says, and there would be pushback. On the other hand, her daughter was Co-Chief of Staff. Maxie says, her fear is that Liesl will get up on the stage and completely lose control. Bobbie laughs, and says, just like Lucy did every year. She’ll be right back. She has to take a powder room break. Lucy hides her face with the menu as Bobbie goes past.

Spencer says, Esme seems determined to keep the baby with her in prison, and Victor says, proof of memory or no memory, she’s as selfish as she ever was, and spencer says, exactly. Which is all the more reason to get his baby brother away from her. Is that something Victor could accomplish with his connections? Victor says he’s sure something could be worked out, but he’ll be needing some guarantees in return. Bobbie walks up and says, Victor Cassadine. I’ve been meaning to have a word with you about my brother.

Anna readies her gun, and tells Valentin, she knows how Lucy thinks. She’ll be able to find Lucy and bring her back. Valentin tells her to listen to herself, but she says, they’ve come to far to jump ship right now. He asks, what’s wrong with her? She’s better than this. They’re professionals. When things go south, they walk quickly and quietly. She says, not this time, but he says, you don’t stick around, because sticking around gets you killed. She says, it’s too early to bail, and he says, she’s over-invested. She dragged Lucy into this; now she’s a liability. Anna screwed up and can’t own up to it. That’s what this is. She asks if he wants to stop his father, and he says, she knows he does. She says, well then, in her professional opinion, this is the best chance they have, and she’s going to see it through. So feel free to go back to Europe or wherever he deems safe. She slams out, and he upends the coffee table.

Bartender Jamie tells Maxie that hotel management has been trying to reach her. Apparently, there’s a problem at the Deception offices with the door alarm. Maxie tells him that Gladys never sets it correctly. She’ll take care of it. She walks out, passing Lucy’s empty chair.

Victor tells Bobbie, Luke’s passing was tragic, but that was more than a year ago. She says, as if she hasn’t been counting the days since he had her brother killed, and he says he did no such thing. She says, it never made any sense. Luke cheated death a million times. Then he dies in some supposedly random tram accident right about the same time Victor slithered back into town. He says, it’s hardly evidence of a crime, and she says she doesn’t have any proof, certainly nothing that would hold up in court, but she knows he did it, and one glorious day, he will pay.

Maxie makes a call to management and says, everything looks good in the office, and she reset the alarm. It’s all good. She hears something, and asks if anyone is here. A hand covers her mouth, and she elbows the assailant, then realizes it’s Lucy.

Drew says he’d be honored to walk Willow down the aisle, and she thanks him. He says he’s truly touched, and she says she just wants this wedding to be perfect. Michael’s been so wonderful through all this. He forgave her for keeping her diagnosis from him and he’s been taking such wonderful care of her; he deserves his happily ever after. Or at the very least, a kick-ass wedding reception. He says, that’s generous she wants that for Michael, but what about her? What does she want for her?

Michael tells Brook, right now, it’s a waiting game. Waiting to see how long it takes the blood thinner to get out of Liesl’s system. Waiting to see how long Willow can keep going. Everyone tells them to stay positive. What’s more positive than planning a wedding? It just feels like they’re pretending; burying their heads in the sand. The truth is, they just don’t know. They have no idea how this is going to play out, and he doesn’t know what to do. She hugs him, and he’s says he’s sorry, but she says, don’t be. He’s being strong for everyone else. He’s allowed to have a moment. He says, just one? and she says, as many as he needs. She sighs, and he says, what is it? She says she doesn’t want to add to his pressure, so tell her, and she’ll zip it. She’s just wondering, with all this uncertainty, is Willow more open to reconciling with Nina?

Nina asks Sonny, if Carly’s not the reason Donna can’t stay over, what is it? and he says he told her; it’s a business situation. She says she’s aware of that. She sees the bodyguards outside, and there are two bodyguards at her apartment following her every move. Sonny says, it’s gone further than that, and she asks, how much further? He says, she knows there was an attempt on his life. He just needs to be clear that he’s not a target; that he can keep the people he loves safe. Until then, his children aren’t going to be visiting him, and neither is she.

Drew says, this is Willow’s life. She should live it as fully and richly as possible. She says, that’s the plan, and thanks him. He asks what he did, and she asks where she starts. He’s been so kind to her, and such a rock for Michael. He’s been the best funcle Wiley could have. He says, funcle? and she says, fun uncle. In this very quiet but steady way, he’s become essential to the only real family she’s ever been a part of. He says, she has no idea how much that means to him, and she says, that’s why she wants him to be with her when she marries the man she loves. He kisses her forehead, and says, he’ll be there. She can count on him always. She says she knows, and puts her head on his shoulder.

Brook tells Michael, she’s not asking for Nina’s sake. She just thought it might help Willow to make peace with her mother. He says, when he was with Willow, he thought, please God, if Willow lives, let there be time for her to do what she wants, but if these are Willow’s last days, then she shouldn’t have to spend them trying to make Nina happy. Either way, it’s her decision, and he’s not going to try and influence her. He thanks Brook for trying to help, and she says, that’s all she’s trying to do. Not just for Willow, but for Sonny. It means so much to him, after all he’s done for her. He says he’s glad she can see the good in Sonny when he can’t. If Willow asks, can she tell Willow that he went to run an errand? She says, sure, and he leaves.

Sonny tells Nina, this is a precaution. He has no reason to think she or his kids are in danger. The reason he’s keeping them away is just for safety. She says she understands why he feels he has to do this for his kids, but she’s a grown woman and doesn’t like the idea of leaving him just because it’s dangerous. He says he thought she didn’t want to be part of this, and she says, believe her, she wants nothing to do with any of this, except for him; she wants everything to do with him. Because she loves him. He says he loves her too, and she says, if she can put up with the guards here and at her apartment, and knowingly accept the danger, then why can’t she stay? He says, just because she’s willing to accept the danger, doesn’t mean he has to accept it for her.

Dex says, he and Josslyn talked about this. If he disappears, Sonny will hunt him. That means he’d have to hide from everyone, including her. Unless she’s willing to come with him. She says, if it was just her, she would, but she has a family. Willow is sick, Michael needs her, and she has a niece and a nephew, and Donna and Avery. He says he gets it. She’s lucky to be so close with them. Don’t give them up. Ever. She says she doesn’t want to give him up either. She doesn’t want him to go into hiding, and doesn’t want him to betray Sonny. But most of all, she doesn’t want to be the reason he has to make this decision. Whether he stays or goes, he has to leave her out of it. He says, too late, and kisses her.

Maxie gives Lucy some water, and says she can’t express how happy she is that Lucy’s here. Maxie’s not entirely surprised. She is Lucy Coe. Lucy says, that she is, and Maxie says, there was a part of her that always held out hope. Lucy thanks her, and Maxie tells her, that being said, where has she been hiding this whole time? And did Lucy have to ambush her like that? Lucy says, that was the only way to save the Nurses Ball.

Valentin goes to the footbridge, and flashes back to telling Anna that she screwed up and won’t own up to it. Anna tells him this is the best chance they have, and she’s seeing it through. Carly appears, and says, isn’t he supposed to be dead?

Brook asks Willow how it’s going, and Willow says, Drew agreed to give her away at the wedding. Brook wonders if Willow thought he’d say no, and Willow says, no, but it’s nice to have that settled. She says, one more item off her to-do list, and Brook says she thinks Drew is an excellent choice. Michael told her that they’re rescheduling the wedding. Willow says, two weeks was never a realistic timetable. She just really wants to plan it out, so when it happens, she and Michael can enjoy themselves. Brook tells Willow that Michael went to run an errand, and Willow asks how Brook thinks Michael is doing. Brook says, great. He’s being a total rockstar. Willow says she can see how hard it is trying to maintain a positive attitude, and Brook says, it’s probably just as hard on Willow. Apparently, Willow’s illness makes her squint, which is really the only thing that seems different about her. She doesn’t even have circles under her eyes. I know you don’t always look sick when you are, but I would think if she only has days to live, she might look at least a little peaked.

Lucy closes Maxie’s office door, and says she really appreciates Maxie and Bobbie stepping up to steer the Nurses Ball. She also understands the urgency of it, since the 60th anniversary of the hospital is coming up. But Maxie clearly doesn’t know what she’s taken on. Maxie says, and that’s clear why exactly, and Lucy says, because the Ball is huge. It takes networking, and vison, and management. It just takes a special touch, that’s all. Maxie says, hers, and Lucy says, exactly. Maxie says, it’s really great that she’s not dead and all… Lucy says, that’s very sweet, but unfortunately, she has to stay dead. She has to stay in hiding. It’s a total drag. She can’t be as hands-on as she usually is, but that’s okay, because she has Maxie. Maxie is going to be her eyes and ears.

Victor says, if Bobbie is quite finished making these groundless accusations, he was in the middle of a conversation with his great nephew. Bobbie tells Spencer, these accusations aren’t groundless, and she believes in his heart of hearts, he knows that. Laura has never actually come out and told Bobbie that she thinks Victor had Luke killed. Probably for feat that Bobbie would go after him out of revenge on her own. But she and Spencer’s grandmother have known each other for most of their lives, and some things don’t need words to be conveyed. Laura thinks Victor is guilty. That’s why she wants Spencer to have nothing to do with him. Victor says, that’s quite enough. Leave the boy alone. Bobbie says, Luke is his namesake; he’s called Spencer after her brother. Spencer says he knows, and she asks how he can sit here with a murderer?

Valentin says he doesn’t suppose he can convince Carly that this is a massive hallucination, and she says, of all the dearly departed people in her life, he might be the last person on the list she’d want to conjure up. He says he’ll concede that point, and she says, so he didn’t die in a sewer in Paris. He says, catacomb, and she says, whatever. Still, a lot of trouble to go to, to fake his death. He says, it was a lot of trouble, and right now, he’s hoping it’s not all for nothing. Carly says, he needs to convince her to keep his secret. So start talking. He says, Victor Cassadine. He’s trying to prove his father killed her Uncle Luke.

Nina says, so Sonny’s wife died in an explosion, and he says, she was his pregnant wife, and she died in a car bombing that was meant for him. After that, he didn’t know if he wanted to live or die. He got himself together, and twenty years later, his son gets killed in a car bomb. She says, it must have been horrible, and he says he can’t… he won’t go through that again. He takes her hand, and says, the reason he’s asking her to go is because he loves her, and he doesn’t know what he’d do if he asked her to stay and something happened. She says she’ll keep her distance, and he thanks her. She says, promise her that he’ll figure this out. Promise her that they’ll have a future together. He says, she’s his future, they kiss, and she leaves, after taking a last look at him.  

Willow tells Brook, she goes back and forth so often, she’s got whiplash. Once again, it’s everything is going to be okay. She’ll get the transplant, and they’ll live happily ever after. Brook says, and the next? and Willow says, she dies, and leaves Michael to raise their kids alone. He and Wiley will grieve her; Amelia will never know her. The prospect is utterly terrifying. Brook says, of course (🍷) it is, and Willow says, ironic, isn’t it? When she married Chase, it’s because they thought he was dying. Now she’s planning her wedding, and she’s the one who… Brook goes over to her, and says she’s not going to feed Willow some BS that everything’s going to be okay when she doesn’t know if it is: but there’s still a life-saving option on the table. She asks if Willow regrets marrying Chase, and Willow says she regrets the pain it caused; that she married Chase when she didn’t love him, because he’s so deserving of love. Brook says, he is, and Willow says, her turn to ask Brook a question. She still loves Chase, doesn’t she?

Lying on the sofa, Josslyn asks if Dex’s arm hurts, but he says, nothing hurts right now. He could just fall asleep with her. She asks why he doesn’t, and he says he has to go back to Sonny’s. She says, so he’s decided to stay, and he says he’s decided the only important thing in this whole mess is being with her. So he’s going to stay. He’s going to get evidence against Sonny, and give it to his boss. (Boo! Hiss!) She says she’d really like to know who this mystery boss is. First she’d thank him, or her, for bringing Dex to Port Charles. Then she’d slap them for paying him to risk his life instead of nailing Sonny themselves. He says, trust him. This person has only good intentions. She asks how he can be so sure, when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Michael, who says, open up.

Victor tells Bobbie to leave now, or he’ll have her escorted out, but Spencer says, it’s not necessary. He comes over to them, and says he’s sorry for Bobbie’s loss, and she’s entitled to her beliefs, but he’s willing to give his uncle the benefit of the doubt. Bobbie says, whatever Victor is offering Spencer in return for his loyalty, it’s not worth it. She walks out, and Victor says, his apologies for that unpleasantness. Now where were they? Spencer says, they were discussing how he can get custody of his younger brother. If that’s something Victor can help him with, Victor will have his full support.

Lucy tells Maxie that she has to call the best lighting director, picking up a pad and writing things down. She says, every great show has a great lighting director, and she’s sure Bobbie would never think of that. Maxie says, enough about the lighting, but Lucy says, the lighting’s very important. She’s putting it on the list. Is Maxie not listening to her? Maxie says she’s been listening. The thing that interests her the most is how Lucy’s been in hiding and presumed dead for months. Why? Who has she been hiding from? Anna walks in, and says, me, if she has any sense. Maxie laughs, and says, Anna. Yes, of course (🍷). Because Anna’s a fugitive, and is also standing in her office. Do either of them care to tell her what the hell is going on? Anna says, they don’t have the time. She points at Lucy, and says, you, with me, now.

Carly says she didn’t know Valentin was so attached to Luke that he’d be willing to disrupt his life this way. Valentin says, his father is a criminal. Luke is only part of the story. Victor has also framed Anna Devane for the murder of Lucy Coe. Carly says, so Anna was with him in Paris? and he says he can’t confirm who he’s working with, and she says, she caught him red-handed; now he’s stonewalling? Why should she trust him? It’s not like he’s a trustworthy guy. How does she know he’s not working with Victor? He says, maybe she doesn’t trust him, but maybe Drew will. They’re rivals in business, but they worked well together against his father when Victor held them captive in Greece. Drew steps onto the bridge and says he remembers that. Because of the hell they went through, he’ll hear Valentin out, but don’t waste his time with lies or anything else Valentin wants to feed him. He wants to hear the plan to take down Victor, and he wants to hear all of it.

Tomorrow, Valentin says they could use someone, presumably Drew: Drew tells Carly, the man has to be stopped, and he might have to do it; and Michael insists on talking to Dex.

Below Deck

Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia. Fraser is already scared of the new charter guests who are all bodybuilders and not smiling. Captain Lee welcomes them to the St. David, and says, Fraser will give the tour, then they’ll get underway. Katie says, they could eat her for lunch. The captain hopes they don’t f*** up getting off the dock, and tells the deckhands, all lines on board. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says, being out on the water is something magical, like Christmas morning. Camille texts Ben, saying, just a couple more days. Tony says they have a legend on the boat. Guest Dexter won Mr. Olympia, as well as winning the Arnold Classic five times. He’s the bodybuilder with the most wins. In Tony’s interview, he says, it takes sacrifice, discipline, and hard work. He respects Dexter big time. Ben tries to call Camille, but gets voicemail. In Katie’s interview, she says, when Ross is good, he’s amazing. She knows they have to go their separate ways at the end of the season, but at this point, she knows who Ross is. They’ll just have fun and leave it like that; living in moment. Primary Jolynn shows Hayley some bodybuilding photos, and tells her that she and primary Keith own a gym, and she runs it day to day. They anchor, and Camille texts Ben that he’s getting the best of her, since she doesn’t text. In Ben’s interview, he says his heart sinks thinking that they’re going to stop texting when they go their separate ways. He asks if that’s going to be the case, and she texts back that she doesn’t have the mental capacity for that conversation right now. In his interview, he wonders what that means. He doesn’t know where they are. Ugh. In Fraser’s interview, he says, the guests are the nicest people; he loves them. His first impression was wrong. They’re lovely and kind. The crew isn’t used to that. We flash back to some choice a-hole charter moments. He says, they’ve been through so much. They need a trip with wonderful people to end the season. Ross gets the toys in the water, and wings are served. They’re dry, and Dexter says, it’s not Popeye’s for sure. In Hayley’s interview, she says, she thinks Rachel has given up at this point. She tells Fraser, who says, it’s painful to hear. Probably more painful is that he has to relay this news to Rachel. He tells her that the guests thought the wings were a bit dry, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, this sucks. She doesn’t f***ing care. The job sucks, and she’s a tired fed-up bitch. She’s been doing this for 17 years, and she’s tired of the whole hoopla.  Ben tells Katie about Camille’s text, and she calls red flag. In his interview, Ben says, something in the back of his mind says he’s not okay with what Camille said. He’s been heartbroken three times, and might be holding out on himself for nothing.

Captain Lee calls Ross and Fraser to the bridge, and asks, what’s the deal with tonight’s dinner? Fraser says, dinner is at 9, and the guests want some form of a bodybuilding competition. The captain jokes that they’re never seen him with his shirt off. In his interview, he says, his ass looks good, but he’s not participating. There’s only so much lipstick you can put on this pig. He tells Fraser that he wants service to absolutely crush it. The guests use the slide and the toys, and the trampoline blows back, knocking into Ben and Tony, who struggle with it. The captain tells them, once it gets airborne, it’s hard to get back. Rachel asks Fraser how he came out to his mom, and he says, there was a story on the radio about a murder, and his mom said, no matter what Fraser did, she’d still love him. He told her that he was gay, and she said she’d always love him. It was the most liberating moment in his whole life; it felt amazing. Keith asks the captain to have dinner with them, and Captain Lee says, it would be his honor. Ross says he’s not stripping to a speedo; this is insane. Ben pumps iron to prepare. In Ross’s interview, he says, his parents loved to travel. There were holidays where they didn’t know where they were going, and would choose at the airport. He thinks it rubbed off on him, since he liked to go where he felt like in the moment. At some point in time, he thinks he’ll settle down. Katie has a lot of things he’d like in a partner, but he’s not in that place. They’re on the no plan plan. Tyler tells Hayley that he’s going to call his mom, and she tells him to stand up for himself. If she doesn’t like it, it won’t be forever. She’ll accept it because she loves him.

The captain comes to dinner in full dress uniform, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s the final charter, and her sh*t-o-meter is in the red. She needs to focus, and not sink like an anchor. She presents the dinner menu, and dinner is served. Captain Lee says, he, too, is a gym rat, and Keith says, he thinks every day spent in the gym is one less in the hospital. I’m pretty sure that’s a factor in why I don’t get sick often; I work out almost every day. In the captain’s interview, he says, they take it to another level. He just wants to look down and still see his shoes. In the galley, Rachel curses the pasta. Keith says his girlfriend is more jacked than he is; he has to work out harder. There’s an amazing chocolate cake for dessert, and Fraser congratulates Dexter on his career. He thanks Dexter for being amazing, and everyone applauds. The crew gets ready for the Buns & Guns Championship, and Fraser says he has to change into something bodybuilder-esque. In Hayley’s interview, she says, she’s got no guns, but she’s got a helluva lot of buns going on. Leigh-Ann oils down Ben, and Katie oils down Ross. Fraser welcomes the guests to their sorry attempt at a bodybuilding contest. They come out one by one – no one is in bad shape – and pose. Tony shows off his athletic prowess by doing handstands and yoga poses. Everybody lines up, and Dexter says, Katie is in 3rd place, Tony is in 2nd place, and Ross is the winner. That’s only because they don’t know him. Fraser says, they’re lovely. They’ve just got scary faces. Everyone goes to bed, and Leigh-Ann tells Ben that it’s frustrating. she wouldn’t mind exploring other things. He says he’s had a good time with Camille, but they’re not dating. She said she was excited to see him, but when he asked what happens after their trip, she said the conversation is too big right now. He and Leigh-Ann hug and go to bed, separately. I dunno. Camille might be a flake, but I don’t think that’s a conversation you should have through text anyway.

Ross asks Katie to haul the anchor, and in his interview, he says, it’s a big deal. When he looks back and reflects on the progression his team is making, he feels proud. Captain Lee tells them, let’s get this dog and pony show on the road. Hayley tells Fraser that the guests are lovely and so disciplined, and he says, their control is phenomenal. In Fraser’s interview, he says, going forward, he’s never going to judge a book by its cover. He’s so pleased these guests came on board. He asks if Rachel is having one last bitchfest, and she tells him to eat her cooter. In Katie’s interview, she says she never expected to haul anchor by herself. She definitely sees a future as a bosun on a 200 footer, so cool. She has the determined personality to get job done. In his interview, Captain Lee says, they’re coming to the dock, and it’s bittersweet. It’s the last docking, and he doesn’t want to f*** it up. He wants to look good, and wants the crew to look good. Now it’s up to them to do their job, and him to do his. You get a rush when it’s successfully done. The wind is blowing like a mofo, and when Ben throws a line, it doesn’t go far enough, and the guy on the dock misses. In the captain’s interview, he says, the first throw was as useful as a screen door on a submarine. To Ben’s credit, he retrieved it quickly, and nailed it on the second throw. No harm, no foul. The crew lines up for goodbyes, and Captain Lee says, they’re a motley crew, but he loves them. The guests all say they had a great time, and it was such a pleasure. Keith says, they come from a place of working their tails off to get somewhere in life, and he sees the same worth ethic here from everybody. He hands the captain the tip envelope, and says he hopes it puts a smile on their faces. The guests leave, and Captain Lee says, good job, and thanks them.

Leigh-Ann calls her brother, and says she likes a guy who’s in love with another chick, but she’s not here. Since Leigh-Ann comes from a line of awful people, he tells her, go for it, and she says she’s going balls to wall. The captain radios the crew to come to the Sky Lounge asap. He tells them, job well done. They’re a cohesive unit, and it meant the world to him that they made his life easier. And when he’s happy, everybody’s happy. They’ve made the most money collectively as a group than any other crew – $222,300 or $17K each. The crew did exceptional. They don’t get a quarter million because the guests like the way he puts on his socks. This charter’s tip was $20K or $1500 each. He tells them, have fun, but don’t embarrass yourself or the boat. Tyler calls him mom, and says he has a few things he wants to discuss. She tells him that she’s at granny’s, and he says, not now. Since she has mom radar, she says she’s his mother, and whatever it is, it will be fine. She loves him a lot. In Tyler’s interview, he says he thinks her being at granny’s was an indication not to do this over the phone, but his mom saying everything was okay was a relief. The crew gets ready to go out. Tyler tries different shirts, and Katie critiques – don’t like it, don’t love it, Fraser will kill you. Fraser tells Ben, looking back, he might think he should have taken the opportunity with Leigh-Ann, but I’m guessing this is less about opportunity and more about Fraser not liking Camille. They go to a restaurant on a cliff with a magnificent view, and toast to nothing specific. Tyler tells the group that he called his mother. He told her that they needed to have a serious conversation, and she said she loved him no matter what. Hayley asks how he feels, and he says, a lot better. Leigh-Ann and Ben step away, and in Ben’s interview, he says, it’s hard to hear the voice in his own head. He kisses Leigh-Ann, and at the table, Fraser says, they vibe. Ben suggests they see what happens, and they make out on the way back.

Back on the boat, Ross and Katie kiss. Leigh-Ann and Ben get in the hot tub, and Ben wonders, where is everyone? In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says, she’s here. Everyone goes to bed relatively quickly, and Ross and Katie get busy. Ben tells Leigh-Ann that part of him wants to live in the moment, and he and Camille have no official status. She says, this is where it would happen if it was going to happen, and asks if he’s confused. They go into a guest cabin, close the door, and we hear kissy sounds.

In the morning, Hayley asks Ben if he and Leigh-Ann shagged, and he says, no, they cuddled. His heart lies somewhere else. Leigh-Ann says, he talked about Camille, and Rachel says she wants to go home bad. Katie says, it’s mimosa time. Ross asks what Tony’s career plans are, and Tony says he’d like to go with sailing. Ross says, it’s more wild and free. He wishes Tony well. In Tony’s interview, he says, he was challenged the entire season. He’s proud he got out of his own cocoon, and learned to let himself go. As he leaves, he yells, wakatta! He used this word with Ben earlier, so I look it up. It means I understand, or I got it. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says she thought Ben would open up. She enjoyed flirting with him and kissing him. She wants to know where his mind is at, and when she asks him, he says he likes her, but he’s following his heart. He agrees to stay in touch, and in her interview, Leigh-Ann says, Ben is everything a girl looks for, but he’s not available. She respects that. In Ben’s interview, he says, he gave in, but stayed true to his heart. He’s a hopeless romantic. Or maybe he’s just hopeless.

One by one, the crew say their goodbyes, and leave. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says she’s going home and having some fun, then back to the reality of being chief stew. Hayley doesn’t know how she feels, and in Tyler’s interview, he says he wishes he’d been on the boat longer. It’s a special bunch, and he hopes they’ll be friends after this. Mom and dad, I’m coming for you. We have a lot to talk about. He hopes there are happy tears. Fraser tells Hayley that she’s a phenomenal human being, and he loves her. She says, he’ll never know how much he helped her, and in her interview, she says she accomplished working her ass off with a smile on her face. She was also the glue to the family, and feels incredibly proud. In Ben’s interview, he says he feels guilty, but wants to know where he and Camille are going. He’s hoping to have the are we exclusive? conversation. He’s head over heels. It’s so embarrassing. Katie tells Captain Lee that she loved working with him, and he says she did herself proud. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s been one helluva f***ing ride, and she loved every second of it. She hugs Ross, and in her interview, she says, in a perfect world she could see pursuing something with him. But he doesn’t have the commitment to be a successful boyfriend. They had fun. Miami out. The captain tells Ross that it was a pleasure having him; his leadership is remarkable. He asks, what’s the next stop? and Ross says, a two-week party in Fort Lauderdale. He’ll see the captain in Florida. In Ross’s interview, he says he has emotions for Katie. He’ll see what happens, but knows they have to be realistic; they lead two separate lives. It would be nice one day to settle down and have kids… and five wives. He’ll let fate decide.

Rachel tells Fraser that he got stronger and better, and in her interview, she says, it’s no longer fun. Being a chef is her life’s passion, but at the same time, she’s too old for this sh*t. Captain Lee tells her, always a pleasure, and she says she’s glad he came back. He says he’s going to miss her, and they hug. In Rachel’s interview, she says she needs a break or something. She’ll leave until she’s bored or landlocked. Until then, bye. The captain tells Fraser that he did an outstanding job, and in his interview, the captain says, Fraser dug deep. He had big shoes to fill, and did it admirably. Then, not being able to resist one last baseball reference, he says, Fraser stepped up the plate and knocked it out of the park. In Fraser’s interview, he says, it was a rocky road, but he’s come quite far, and got a happy ending. He laughs, and says, not with anyone on board though.

In Captain Lee’s interview, he says he hates to say goodbye. He’d stack this crew up against anyone. He’s going on 40 years, and has he seen some crazy sh*t? Is a 40-pound rabbit fat? We flash back over the years to some crazy sh*t, and he says, he’s been in situations he didn’t think they’d make it through. The season ending brings a void. Deciding to become a yacht captain was the best decision he ever made. We flash back to Captain Lee telling Kate that she still looks more like a guest than a chief stew, and some other special moments, like when he gave Eddie his stripes. He says he made a promise to come back; promise delivered. He wants people to look at the job he’s done and know that he set the bar high and kept it high. Goddam, what a ride. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but the ocean is a part of him. And he’s still got the best goddam job in the world.

They didn’t have a preview, but on Watch What Happens Live, Andy said there would be a Captain Lee special next week.

⚓️ Please Don’t Go…

Apparently, the rumors of his retirement are greatly exaggerated.

👻 My computer finally gave up the ghost totally, and I’m still in the midst of recovery, or search and rescue, or something. So once again, I’ll be saving the awful people of Summer House for tomorrow. It will give you something to look forward to. That’s sarcasm just in case you weren’t sure. And they’re such a great combo platter with the awful New Jersey Wives.

👟 Just Doing It…

Same Bat time tomorrow for soap and what I said. Until then, stay safe, stay not making a you problem someone else’s problem, and stay not judging a book by its cover. Just because someone looks like they could eat you for breakfast, doesn’t mean they will.

March 15, 2023 – Dante Tells Cody To Come Clean With Mac, Lots Of Therapy Going Around New Jersey, The Worst People In the World Need Therapy, Funny & Perfect

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dex asks if Sonny thinks the sniper worked for Pikeman, but Sonny says he doesn’t think they’d want to jeopardize the deal; too much at stake. But he’s going to find out who this guy is working for. He tells the guy to wake up, and the sniper stirs a little. Sonny says, if the guy wants his help, he has to help Sonny too, and the sniper asks what he wants. Sonny says he wants the guy to tell him who he’s working for.

Mac and Felicia sit in a table at the MetroCourt, and he says, champagne? What’s the occasion? She says, him and Doc making up. They’ve been friends way too long to stop now. Mac agrees, and they clink glasses. She says, Cody actually encouraged him to talk to Doc? and he says, Cody told him not to let the baggage fester. She says, so it was a good visit then? and he says, it was… until it wasn’t.

Dante asks if Mac is really Cody’s father, and Cody says, seems so. Dante says, so the tests were taken weeks after the other test? What’s the deal? The first test that said Mac wasn’t his father was wrong? Cody says, not exactly.

Finn introduces himself to Victor, who says he’s aware of who Finn is, and also aware of his relationship with Elizabeth Baldwin. Like this would mean what to Finn? Finn says he’s been called in to find out what the pathogen is in Victor’s system. Although extremely rare, he was able to identify it. Victor says, excellent. Now Finn can also get rid of it as quickly as possible.

Drew asks Laura to at least take some time to consider his offer. She’d be enhancing Charlotte’s trust fund and wouldn’t have to concern herself with ELQ matters. If he calls her little lady, I’m turning this off. She says she’s sorry, but she can’t just give up Valentin’s stake in the company, and Drew says, but he’s gone. It doesn’t benefit anybody to hang on to a past mistake… unless there’s something else going on.

Valentin tells Anna, Victor went to great lengths to get his hands on that necklace. So what’s the significance of those codes engraved in the diamond? She says, according to Laura, Eileen jumped at the suggestion she could get an unredacted report on the necklace. So what she’s thinking is, what if they planted false codes in that report to see where it led Victor? He says he likes the way her mind works, and she asks if it’s sexy or scary. He says he thinks it’s both, and kisses her. Lucy comes out with her bag, and says she has to leave immediately. Anna tells her, stop, but Lucy asks if she thinks anyone bothered to order the step-and-repeat for the red carpet. No. Does she think they know how to find a llama that doesn’t spit? No. Without her, the Nurses Ball is going to go down in flames. It will be the end of the show… forever.

Brook lets Maxie and Bobbie into the mansion, and thanks them for coming. Olivia sends her regrets; she caught the bug that’s going around. Maxie says, James’s teacher has it too. Tell Olivia she sympathizes and sends get well wishes. Bobbie asks if they should come back another time, but Brook says, not necessary. Olivia totally deputized her, and is ready, willing, and able to let them use the MetroCourt for the Nurses Ball, but there’s a slight hitch. Bobbie says, already? What is it? Maxie says, or who is it?

Outside the door on the phone, Carly gives Pilar instructions for Donna, and says she’ll be home as soon as possible. She hears Bobbie say, this is outrageous, and Maxie says, it’s unacceptable. Carly says, on second thought… She goes inside, and Bobbie says she’s not talking to that woman. It’s not part of her duty as co-chair, and Carly asks, what’s going on here? Bobbie says, the Nurses Ball needs a new home, and Maxie says, and if they don’t find one soon, the Nurses Ball is not happening.

Finn tells Victor that treating his condition is no simple matter. A pathogen is an organism that causes disease to the host. The severity of those symptoms depends on its virulence. Victor says, the symptom he’s experiencing is virulent in the extreme, and Finn says, what is uncommon is for a pathogen to cause such a specific immune response. Victor asks if it could affect his other organs, but Finn says, it’s not invasive. It doesn’t seem to spread to other organs or tissues. The affects are localized, and very specific. Victor asks what all that means, and Finn says, the pathogen has a mission; one it has achieved. I wonder if he’s laughing at Victor in his head.

Dante says, Cody told him that he didn’t deserve Mac in his life after what he did. What did he do? Cody says he screwed up, and doesn’t know how to make it right, and Dante says, he lied about the first DNA results. He said Mac wasn’t his father, when in actuality, he is. Why did he do that?

Mac tells Felicia, his visit with Cody was great at first. Hell, he likes Bludger. She says, his favorite obscure Australian beer no one knows about. So what went wrong? He says he doesn’t know. They got to talking, then Cody clammed up. She says, it sounds like Cody’s not exactly in touch with his feelings, and Mac says, you can’t really blame him. He lived on an estate that wasn’t his, on the outside looking in. He bets that’s why Cody’s always looking for the next payday.

Laura says, it’s too soon to make any major decisions about Charlotte’s inheritance, and Drew says, because Valentin only recently died. She nods, and he says he hopes his proposal didn’t seem insensitive, but she says, no. He says he’s just trying to heal a family rift, and she says, there’s no need to apologize. She can see why a proposal makes sense from his perspective, but whatever happens with Valentin’s shares isn’t up to her.

Valentin asks if Lucy said a llama that doesn’t spit, and Lucy says, duh. There was a llama in 2017; great llama. There was Lloyd the next year; great llama. Everyone knows you don’t hire Loraine because she’s a great expectorator. There’s all the rehearsals to plan for the musical numbers, the costuming, not to mention the orchestral needs. Anna says she really feels how disappointed Lucy is not to be part of the Nurses Ball this year. She gets it. Lucy says, no she doesn’t. She has no idea. She’s been the Mistress of Ceremonies since the 90s; the only one. It’s the 60th anniversary of GH, and she has to be there to chair all the committees, planning everything with her friends and with Marty. Instead, she’s stuck here with the two of them. No offense. It’s just totally unfathomable. She storms to the bedroom, and Anna says, she’s not wrong. The beauty of the Nurses Ball is that it really does bring people together. Their time, their talent, for such a worthy cause; Robin’s cause. She’s not the only one who’s really sad not to be part of the Nurses Ball this year.

Carly asks why the MetroCourt needs a new venue… Um… I think she means Nurses Ball. Maxie says, it doesn’t, and no one said anything about having to grovel. Brook tells her, Olivia did say it was a joint decision, and Carly asks, what’s the problem? The Nurses Ball is always held at the MetroCourt. Bobbie says, while Carly was the co-owner, but Maxie says she’s sure they can still have the Ball there. Brook says, but it’s not only up to Olivia, and Carly says, ooh. She needs the agreement of her new partner – Nina. This is stupid even for them. Like Nina would say no.

Sonny asks who the sniper works for, but he says he doesn’t know. Sonny says, he doesn’t know who he works for? and the sniper says, contractor. The deal was anonymous. Tony checks the sniper’s pulse, and says, he’s not going to last much longer. Brick walks in with another man, and Sonny asks if he’s the doctor. Brick says, he’s very discreet, and Sonny says he needs to doctor to make sure the sniper stays alive, at least until he gets some answers. The doctor checks the sniper, and Sonny says, they don’t have all day, but the doctor says, he’s gone. Sonny says, son of a bitch! and Brick says, sorry about that, but Sonny says, it was a long shot anyway. He asks if the doctor can help Dex, but Dex says he’s good. Sonny insists, and the doctor checks out Dex. Brick wonders why Dex is always in the line of fire.

Felicia says, Cody’s job at the Quartermaine stables is a really good gig, and Mac says, Cody told him that he was selling his plasma for extra money. Plus, he’s seen Cody with Selina Wu on more than one occasion. It seems that money is the driving force with Cody. Felicia says, or he’s on a never-ending quest for stability. Can’t they help him with that?

Cody tells Dante that he knew Cesar Faison and Leopold Taub were members of some cartel in the 90s, and he thought maybe Faison had access to Taub’s money. So when he met Britt and found out she was Faison’s daughter… Dante says, Cody thought he could use Britt to get her father’s money. Did Cody ever really like Britt? Cody says he did eventually. His feelings for Britt made him take his eyes off the prize. Then it just fell into their laps, thanks to Peter August’s final effects and the safe deposit key. Dante says, then Cody met Mac, and it threw a wrench in his plans? and Cody says, that necklace belonged to Taub, in the late 80s, early 90s. Then it just mysteriously showed up in the safe deposit box of Faison’s son? He really believed that necklace was his birthright. Dante says, except the DNA test proved it wasn’t Cody’s birthright, and he lied. Cody says, his mother was an heiress, who gave away every dime to her daughter, some woman he’s never even met, who ended up giving away what was supposed to be his half of the inheritance to save the whales. Don’t get him wrong; he likes whales. He likes dolphins too, but right now, they’re doing better financially than him. That necklace was supposed to be his shot. Dante says, he lied to Mac; he used Britt. Maybe Sam was right about him.

Finn says, the good news is, this pathogen has low toxigenicity, and Victor says, and the bad news? Finn says, the microorganism is not one that naturally occurs in Northern America, and Victor says he does have several international business associates. Could he have contracted it from one of them? Finn says, what he’s contracted is known as an obligate pathogen, which means it doesn’t survive for long outside of the human body. Victor says, so he couldn’t have gotten this from being in contact with anyone, and Finn says, highly unlikely. Victor asks, then how did he get it? and Finn asks if he has any enemies. Well, that’s a stupid question.

Laura tells Drew, Valentin’s stocks aren’t hers to sell, give, or trade; they belong to Charlotte. When she comes of age, she’ll decide whether to keep them. He says he respects that, and she says, unfortunately, it does put a pin in his family’s plans for ELQ. He says, the stock could be in far worse hands, thanks her for her time, and leaves.

Anna tells Valentin, for all her delusions of grandeur, Lucy’s right. She’s done so much to make the Nurses Ball a success, and she’s helped countless people along the way, Robin included. He says, forgive him; he didn’t even think of that. He shouldn’t have made light of her feelings. Anna says, in all fairness, she’s a real pain in… the thing. She just wishes Lucy could trust Maxie and Bobbie. They’re more than capable of making this happen. The show will go on. The Nurses Ball is bigger than all of them.

Maxie says, it’s an honor for the MetroCourt to host the Nurses Ball. She’s sure Nina won’t object. Bobbie says, if that woman makes them beg… and Carly says, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. Meanwhile, she thanks Maxie for asking her to help; she’s honored. Maxie says, Carly is also essential, and Carly says, whatever she needs, don’t hesitate to ask. She can help organize, and would love to be on the entertainment committee. Maxie says, music to her ears. They have so much to get done in such a little amount of time. Carly says she only wishes she could save them from having to involve Nina, when Nina walks in and asks what Carly’s trying to keep from her this time.

The doctor wraps Dex’s wound, and says, Dex is lucky. A few millimeters over, it would have shattered his arm. Six inches, it would have blown a hole through his chest. Sonny asks Tony to let the doctor out, and make sure he gets paid. Brick asks Sonny, what happened here? and Sonny says, the shooter was right there. If Dex hadn’t spotted him, he would have been taken out. Brick says, nice little ambush spot; the guy was a pro. Sonny says he needs Brick to find out who hired him, and Brick looks through the sniper’s pockets, finding a cellphone. Sonny tells him, check the contacts, and Brick says, there’s only one contact. One message; an address and a time. He’ll see if he can dig out more data. Their guy is wearing no jewelry; no obvious tats. All he’s got on him is a key fob and a matchbook. Dex says, may I? holding out his hand, and Sonny says, go ahead. Brick gives him the matchbook, and he says, it’s The Highsider logo; the biker bar. Brick says, Dex might just be useful after all, and Sonny says, Brick has no idea. The kid saved his life. Brick rolls his eyes.

Maxie says, perfect timing, and Nina tells her, she would say so. Brook says, Nina brought Olivia soup. Isn’t that thoughtful? Nobody says anything, and Brook says she’ll bring the soup up to Olivia. Nina asks what she walked in on, and Maxie says, she and Bobbie are co-chairing the planning committee for the Nurses Ball. Nina asks when the Ball is happening, and Maxie says, three weeks. Nina says, that soon, and Maxie says, GH’s 60th anniversary is coming up, and they didn’t want to break tradition, so they’re kind of hoping Nina and Olivia will let them use the ballroom at the MetroCourt. Nina is surprised Carly didn’t just pretend to agree, and Bobbie says, that’s something Nina would do. Carly says, the Nurses Ball can’t get off the ground without Nina’s consent. So does she want to keep making jabs or rise above her hatred for Carly for a good cause?

Brook comes downstairs as Drew walks in. He asks how Olivia is, and Brook says she thinks Olivia is secretly enjoying the opportunity to stay in bed and read. Seeing the doors closed, he asks if there’s a secret meeting, but she says, more like a gladiator match. It’s anyone’s guess who’s going to emerge from the arena alive.

Mac tells Felicia, as much as he’s grown to like Cody, he’s not their responsibility. He’s not family. She says she can’t explain it, but sometimes he feels like it.

Cody says he thinks he and Sam reached a truce, and Dante says, Cody stepped up for Sasha; she was impressed. But lying about who his father is… Cody says he knows. He screwed up. Even before the necklace burned up in that cabin, he regretted everything he did to get his hands on it, which is why he’s telling the truth now. Dante asks why he doesn’t tell Mac, and Cody says, that’s the reason he got the second test. He figured he could tell Mac the first test was the result of a lab error or something. Dante asks if Cody is going to tell Mac the truth, and wrap it up in another lie, and Cody says, there’s no winning with Dante. Dante says, there is. Just tell the absolute truth – all of it. If he wants to move forward with a relationship with Mac, start with transparency. Fess up. He can handle it, right?

Victor asks if Finn is suggesting he was deliberately infected, and Finn says, it’s not an accidental pathogen, so common means of transmission don’t apply here. Victor asks how he got it, and Finn says, either by injection, which would be invasive, and probably noticeable. More likely through ingestion. Victor says, so something he ate or drank, and Finn says, based on the timing of his symptoms, he’d say Victor contracted the pathogen late November, early December. Victor says, that doesn’t make it any easier to pinpoint, and Finn says he’ll ask for further tests to confirm. Victor says, Finn hasn’t mentioned treatment, and Finn says, research in this area of treatment is limited. Victor says, how so? He’s saying there’s no cure? Finn says, the damage done to Victor is not known to be reversable.

Brick says, so is that right? Dex saved Sonny’s life? Sonny says, he clocked the hit man before he could get a shot off. Dex pushed him out of the way. Dex says, Sonny returned the favor, and Brick wonders if they’re indebted to each other now. He’ll get the data on the phone and the rifle, and get back to Sonny. Sonny thanks him, and Brick says, of course (🍷). Sonny asks how Dex’s arm is, and Dex says, just a crease. Sonny tells Tony to have Dex help him get rid of the body. He’s tired of looking at it. They start to pick the sniper up, but Dex nearly falls over. Sonny has him sit down, and tells him, hydrate, giving him some water, but Dex says he wants to help Tony. Sonny says, Dex has lost a lot of blood, and he’s running on adrenaline. Take a drink. He’s no good to Sonny if he’s down for the count. Dex drinks some water, and asks who Sonny thinks sent the shooter. Sonny says, if anyone can find out, it’s Brick. How did Dex know to push him out of the way? Dex says he saw something out of the corner of his eye. In Afghanistan, sometimes that’s all the warning you got. Sonny says he was going to keep Dex out of the Pikeman deal; now Dex is in the middle of it. Drink up, and he’s going to take Dex home. Dex says, Tony can give him a ride, but Sonny says he’s not taking Dex to Dex’s place; he’s taking Dex to his place.

Dante says, Cody has to come clean all the way. Don’t give Mac a partial truth. Don’t rob him of the ability to make a choice. Cody says, Dante’s right. He can’t tell Mac that he’s his son unless he tells Mac that he lied about the first test, and why. Dante says, if it helps, he’ll be wherever Cody is going to talk to Mac, and Cody thanks him, but says, it’s not necessary. He won’t be telling Mac anything. Dante asks what Cody’s talking about. He’s going to let Mac live his life not knowing he has a son? Cody crumples up the paternity test, throws it into a garbage can, and says, it’s not like Mac raised him, so it’s no big loss. You can’t take away what someone never had. Dante says, you can actually. Why would Cody deprive him of that? Deprive him of getting to know his son. Why would he cheat himself out of all that? Cody says, maybe he doesn’t deserve it, and Dante asks if Mac deserves it. Cody says, what’s Mac losing? A son who’s beat up from stunt riding, and broke down from grifting. Dante says, so Mac pays the price because Cody doesn’t want to admit he screwed up? Cody says, it’s not a huge price; it’s him. Mac will be better off.

Mac says, Felicia treats everyone like family, when Laura approaches, and says she can confirm that. She wonders where Doc is, and Mac says, he wanted them to tell her that he had to see a patient. Felicia says, before that, he and Mac had a very nice chat, and Laura says she’s glad to hear that. She sits, and says, Doc doesn’t blame Mac for doing his job. Mac says he knows that; they’re good. Felicia says, as for the opposite of good… They all watch Victor walk in.

At the bar, Victor asks for two fingers of their best scotch, neat. Bartender Jamie (?) pours him a drink, and Victor thanks him. He’s about to take a sip, and flashes back to Finn telling him, it’s more likely he contracted the pathogen by ingestion; something he ate or drank. He asks for a new bottle, unopened, and Mac comes to the bar. He says his officers have been trying to contact Victor about the disappearance of his nephew Nikolas. Why has he been avoiding them?

Valentin says, Anna could be part of the Nurses Ball if it weren’t for his father, but she says, that’s all right. Mac and Felicia will be there, and they were there for Robin during the toughest part of her life. He says, what they’re doing now will put Victor away for good, and it will allow her to always be part of Robin’s future. Lucy comes out, looking at her tablet, and going, nope… nope… nope. She says she just looked at the MetroCourt ballroom calendar. For the next five months, there’s absolutely nothing. Anna is sure Maxie will find her way around that, and Lucy says she hopes so. Valentin says he’s sure her leadership will be sorely missed. Lucy sits down, and says she really wants… she needs the Nurses Ball to be special. Anna says, it will be. Despite all the glitz and glamour, it’s the mission that’s so important for people to celebrate. Lucy says, Anna is so right, and Anna says she thinks that mission will be realized… without all the pizazz Lucy could bring to it of course (🍷). Lucy says she likes pizazz. She could still do it. She starts to get up, but Anna says, no. She knows it’s going to hurt them all, but life is going on without them.

Nina says she’ll have to check the schedule, but they’ll make it work. Of course (🍷) the MetroCourt will host the Nurses Ball, as long as Olivia agrees. Maxie says, Olivia already gave them her blessing, and Nina says she hopes they’ll let her know if there’s anything else she can do to help… unless they don’t want her involved. Maxie says, of course (🍷) they want her help. Don’t we Bobbie? Bobbie says, sure; the more the merrier. Maxie says, they’re the most capable women she knows. As long as they can work together – peacefully – they can achieve anything. Carly says she’s in, and Nina says she’s in too. She asks Maxie and Bobbie to give her and Carly a couple of minutes alone. Maxie can’t leave fast enough, and Carly nods to Bobbie, who follows.

Bobbie and Maxie go into the foyer, and Brook says, perfect timing. Please tell Drew that he has to perform at the Nurses Ball. Maxie asks if he can carry a tune, and Brook says, he can; he sings in the shower. He says, she hears him? and she says, the acoustics are weird in this house. Bobbie is sure he has some moves, and Drew says, all right. What would he have to do? Maxie says she’s sure he’s heard of Magic Milo and His Magic Wands, and Drew is like, uh… Bobbie says, it’s for charity. The least he can do is give them that shirt off his back.

Carly asks why Nina asked to speak to her privately. It’s not like their issues are secret. Nina says, it’s not about their privacy; it’s about Willow’s.

Dex says he’ll be fine, but Sonny says, no argument; it’s an order. Brick comes back, and Sonny says, any luck with the phone? but Brick says he’s still trying to dig out data. There were some prints from it though. The guy’s not from any registry he can access. He was a ghost. Sonny says, what about the weapon? and Brick says, it’s been modified, probably by the shooter. He can tell Sonny the original manufacturer, but there’s no serial numbers; it’s untraceable. Sonny asks what Brick’s thinking, and Brick says, a guy who doesn’t exist with an untraceable rifle. He’d say Sonny has a very, very powerful enemy. Hmm… I was wondering if Dex hadn’t set it up.

Brook says she has the perfect song, and runs to get her phone. Maxie goes with her, and Bobbie tells Drew, Carly and Nina are in there, and she doesn’t hear any furniture breaking, but… Drew says, it might not be long.

Carly says, now Nina is concerned about Willow’s privacy. She wasn’t concerned at all when she accused Willow of having an affair with TJ. What ticks me off is how Carly acts like it’s unfathomable you might perceive someone differently if you suddenly find out they’re family, especially your child. Nina says, this is about her health, and Carly says, if Willow wants Nina to know about her health, Willow will tell her. Nina says, that’s just the thing, she has, when there’s a knock at the door, and Drew asks if he’s interrupting. Nina asks him to join them; the three of them are privy to Willow’s health updates. Carly says, since when? and Nina says, since she had a conversation with her daughter, and Willow promised to keep her in the loop going forward.

Dante says he hates seeing Cody doing this to himself. He cares about Mac, and he cares about Cody. Why is he sabotaging himself? Why does he think he doesn’t deserve good things? And he’s not talking about fancy jewelry. Cody says, some secrets are meant to be kept, but Dante says, not this one. He knows what Cody sacrificed. Stop punishing yourself. Mac is a great guy. He’s surrounded by this beautiful family. Cody has an opportunity here to come out with the truth, and have these good people embrace him and give him a life he’s never known. Come on. Come clean.

Victor asks Jamie to leave the bottle, and tells Mac that he’s a very busy man. He pours himself another drink, and Mac says, a busy man with a big thirst. Victor says, it’s not illegal, is it? and Mac says, as long as he doesn’t intend to drive. Or harbor a fugitive. Victor asks where exactly he would do that. In his suite at the MetroCourt? Mac says, it wouldn’t be the first time he gave Nikolas a safe haven. Did he smuggle Nikolas to some island somewhere? Victor pours a third drink, and Mac asks, where’s Nikolas? Victor says, Mac’s guess is as good as his, and Mac says, Elizabeth Baldwin told the PCPD that Victor cleaned up evidence of Nikolas holding Esme Prince hostage. Victor tells him, that’s just hearsay, isn’t it? and Mac says he could haul Victor in for obstruction of justice. Victor says, can’t a man drink in peace around here? He doesn’t have a clue where his nephew is, and if Mac has any more questions, contact his attorney. As he leaves, he sees Laura and Felicia, and flashes back to Laura saying she’s going to put her family back together again, and when she does, she’s taking him apart. He walks over to Laura, and says, it was you. Laura asks, what was me? and he says, it had to be her.

Dante tells Cody, do the right thing, but Cody says, maybe saying nothing is the right thing. Dante walks out, and Cody takes the paternity test out of the garbage can, uncrumples it, and looks at it.

Mac goes over to the table too, and Victor says he knows what Laura’s done. She says, really. What has she done? He says she’s a vindictive… She’s determined to strip him of his power, and humiliate him in the process. She says, he doesn’t need her for that. When his life falls apart, and it will, he’ll have more than her to blame. He says, but she’s the one who will pay the most dearly. Mutually assured destruction. She struck the first blow, and now they both have everything to lose.

Anna tells Lucy that she hates missing the Nurses Ball too, but they all have to make sacrifices. Lucy says, but they don’t need Anna; they need her. Valentin says, but they can’t have her, can they? and Lucy says, that’s not his decision to make. She gets up, and Anna says, she can’t risk being seen, but Lucy says, oh yeah? Anna did. Anna left here for several hours the other day, doing God knows what. Valentin says, she’s a professional, and Lucy asks if they’re forgetting she was an asset too. And she was very effective if they remember. Anna says, what she remembers is, they’re in this mess because Lucy wouldn’t follow her orders, so Lucy is going to follow her orders now. You sit tight and you zip it. Lucy stomps back to the bedroom, and Anna says she thinks that went very well.

Brook says, both Carly and Nina are going to be on the planning committee? and Maxie says she thinks they make a formidable team. Bobbie says, if they survive.

Carly asks why Nina is asking her about Willow if Willow is giving Nina updates on her health, and Nina says, because Willow is sick, and she didn’t want to bug her about updates. She assumed Willow said it was okay to fill her in. Carly says, no, she didn’t, and asks if Drew knew, but he says he hasn’t spoken to Willow at all. If it helps, he can ask Willow and Michael, what’s the best way to share information. Carly says, anything else? and Nina says, once again, Carly’s disapproval speaks volumes. Carly says, they all know how dangerous Nina is with the tiniest bit of information. Nina says, she’s dangerous? If it were up to Carly, she’d still be in the dark about her daughter. Carly says, so much for being cordial, and Nina says, she’s right. She’s not going to argue for Willow’s sake, but she will say, Carly is no longer the gatekeeper of information. And it would serve Carly well to have this in the back of her mind. Nina knows a lot more than Carly thinks she does. She leaves, and Drew stops Carly from following.

Brick says, the shooter was contracted by a professional outfit, possibly an agency. Dex says, like the WSB? and Sonny says, whatever it is, they’re going to be very sorry.

Tomorrow, Esme says she has to trust her instincts; Spencer asks, what’s the real reason Cameron is leaving; Alexis tells Sam, there’s more going on than Gregory is saying; and Sonny says, it’s the least he can do since Dex saved his life.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

I tell my dogs, now it’s time to watch despicable people with too much money. Teresa visits therapist Tegan, and in Teresa’s interview, she says she’s been going to therapy for six months. She’d always been against it, but didn’t like the way she’d reacted to Marge – even though she felt it was valid. Louie was into therapy, and told her that she didn’t have to react. She tells Tegan that her way of fixing a problem is lashing out, and in her interview, she says, her delivery is not always the way it should be, which is putting it mildly. We flash back to some choice moments, like her table flip, and she says, her therapist is teaching her how to approach things differently and communicate more. She tells Tegan that boys night did not go good [sic] and her brother told Louie to go f*** himself a million times. Louie said Joe #2 must be in pain, and had her call Joe, asking if he wanted to make peace. He said he did, but he didn’t come to her housewarming, and it was hurtful. She wished her parents were there, and her brother not being there was weird. She only has her brother, and nieces and nephew. Growing up, her father and a cousin didn’t talk for six years over $200. In her interview, Teresa says, her father was strong and stubborn. He never told her that he loved her until she finally started saying it. That’s how her parents were raised. She tells Tegan that she doesn’t want her kids grow up without cousins. Melania and Antonia were close, but haven’t come to each other’s parties. She says, Joe’s temper was out of control, and Tegan says, Teresa was petrified of her dad, so it’s triggering. Teresa says, the toxicity hurts, and Tegan says, she can make it stop by her choices of reaction. If it doesn’t, her only choice is to move on. Wow. Remind me to never use this therapist. As Dr. Phil says, there’s two sides to every pancake, and she’s just believing everything Teresa says. Obviously, she’s never seen the show. And if Teresa is so concerned about losing her only remaining family member (according to her), why doesn’t she act like a normal human?

Jen comes over to visit Marge post-surgery, bearing cookies and flowers. Marge says, they had to rebreak her arm. She’s going to sit on the sidelines and cheer at the baseball game. Jen says she’s doing the same, since nobody wants to see her ruining to first base. Marge says, Jennifer fell flat on her faced last year, and we flash back to that. Jennifer told Bill that she didn’t want him to be nice to Marge at the game. Marge told Melissa that she should leave Joe #2 for a baseball player. This came from Marge’s friend Laura, and when she repeated it to Marge, Marge got so worked up, she called Jennifer a disheveled drug addict. She’s a shampoo commercial, and Marge is an albino with a wig. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, she smokes weed when the kids are asleep, and it’s legal. Marge will find anything remotely negative, and throw it in her face with no regard for how it will affect Jennifer’s life. Marge either isn’t thinking kids or she’s just plain stupid. Marge asks if Jen thinks Jennifer is mad, since she booted Jen out of her house. Jen says, Jennifer texted her, saying she was sorry, but Jen’s friend wouldn’t stop poking at her. Another thing Dr. Phil says is, the word but means forget everything I just said and now I’ll tell you what I really think. Marge says, Jennifer is a f***ing loser, but Jen says, that display was not Marge, screaming like a 16 year old. Jennifer bringing up Marge’s kids was inexcusable, but Marge was her main concern. Jennifer tells Bill that Jen seemed rational, but Dolores was like a mute, and everybody sat there letting Marge rip her apart. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, everybody is afraid of Marge, and thinks they should be on their best behavior to keep Marge quiet. She’s like an evil master puppeteer. Jennifer is off her rocker. I’ve never once gotten that fear vibe from any of them. Marge tells Jen that she’s not going to say a word to Jennifer at the game, or even acknowledge her.  

Dolores’s dad Lawrence comes over, and in her interview, she says she was nervous the first time he met Paulie, since her dad can be intimidating. We flash back to her telling her dad that he intimidated every boy she brought home. She says, Paulie knew how to play her dad like a fiddle. Lawrence says, if his little girl is happy, he’s happy, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, her dad is worried about her being alone, but she’s not dating to date. She’s gearing toward the future. She tells Lawrence that Paulie is going in for a heart procedure, and Paulie says, his heart skips in its rhythm. The procedure has a 90% success rate in it not happening again. Lawrence says, the family is with him, and in her interview, Dolores says, it’s scary. It’s been a long time since she was in a relationship that makes her happy, and she doesn’t want to lose it. She and Lawrence walk Dog, and Lawrence says, she seems happy. She says, Paulie is the type of man she needs in her life. He’s like Lawrence; he’s there for her and takes care of things. We flash back to Dolores telling her parents about the bad times with Frank, and in her interview, she says, Frank and the family were 100% her priority, whether Frank deserved it or not. Now Frank doesn’t need to be here. She tells her dad that she speaks less to Frank, and Lawrence says, there have to boundaries. Dolores wants Paulie to know he’s her number one man, and Lawrence thinks Paulie is good for her; they’re a good couple.

Rachel and husband John meet Melissa and Joe at the batting cages, for practice. In Rachel’s interview, she says she’s an ex-bodybuilding competitor. You have to be strong, but it doesn’t take coordination. She doesn’t often play softball, but she’s been to first base a couple times. They order food and wine, and Frank joins them. He whines about his and Dolores’s relationship not being the same, and Melissa says she doesn’t think Paulie will be as warm as David toward Frank. Frank says, Paulie is affecting the family dynamic, and in Frank’s interview, he says, it’s a shame. He was a good father, but not a good husband, and it’s one of his biggest regrets. He loves Dolores, and they worked hard to be where they are, and it’s not easy. It’s the furthest they’ve been from one another in years, and he’s sad. Melissa suggests he take a step back. Frank’s girlfriend Brittany joins them, and none of them do very well in the cages. Melissa tells them about Jennifer taking what Marge said out of context, and in her interview, she says, Jennifer is planning revenge against Marge for outing Bill’s affair, but she’s not jumping on the bandwagon.

Rachel tells Melissa about Teresa saying, it’s better to be Marge’s friend than her enemy, and Melissa says Teresa is fake, and hates Marge. In Melissa’s interview, she says she sees Louie. He’s charming and manipulating, and told Teresa to be nice to Marge. In Marge’s interview, she says she needs to stop telling the truth about them.  – Rachel says, that’s why she’s not rolling with fake parade, but she didn’t know what say. In Rachel’s interview, she says she didn’t ask anyone’s opinions, and she’s not afraid of anybody, so there’s that. Melissa says, Jennifer is trying to ice Marge out, and in her interview, Rachel says she doesn’t give a flying. She’s a good judge of character and won’t be influenced.

Dolores is informed they have at least 3500 people, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, the baseball game was a major success last year. They made $180K, but for her, this year has to be better. She has a little something-something that’s going help bring in cash. They’re going to sell the Sexy Husband Calendar at the ballpark; it’s the hottest thing ever. We see the photo of Frank in rabbit ears, and he looks like a grumpy Easter bunny. It’s so funny, I might buy it just for that. Evan and Jackie arrive, and again, I’m flummoxed as to why she’s not a wife this season. Brittany and Frank come in, followed by Marge, who says, she’s on drugs, so she’s okay. Danielle asks how it’s going after the fight with Jennifer at Jen’s house, and Marge says, if she has a fight and they make up, she thinks they made up. Jennifer is crazy, and told everyone that she’s trying to break up Melissa’s marriage. All she was doing was trying to make Melissa feel better, and said she was so gorgeous, she could be with any ballplayer. In Danielle’s interview, she says, don’t tell her that to build her up. Say her boobs look perky today, not that she should be married to someone else. Another wow. These people read a lot into nothing. Danielle says she likes Jennifer, and while Jennifer discouraged her being friends with Marge, she said she’d keep an open mind, but an eye out. She says, Teresa told her that Marge was better to be kept as a friend than an enemy, and in Marge’s interview, she says, look who’s talking. We flash back to Teresa throwing an entire table full of stuff at Marge in a restaurant, and Marge says, clearly, she’s the worst enemy known to man. In Danielle’s interview, she says she can’t wrap her head around a friend digging up dirt on another friend, and tells Marge, that’s why Jennifer is vicious. She’s struggling with who Marge is. Marge says, Jennifer is suffering, and Jennifer arrives with bland Bill.  

Oh my God. This has only been on a half hour and it feels like a year.

Jennifer says she’s not acknowledging Marge, and Marge says, charity behavior all day. It looks like the diamond is near Coney Island, where I spent a few times playing hooky from work, and spent many a weekend on Brighton Beach nearby. Teresa and Louie get there last, and in Joe #2’s interview, he says he’s keeping his distance. Teresa can switch from zero to a hundred in an instant, and he has to defend himself before it becomes ugly. They bond over the calendar, and in Teresa’s interview, she says, this is the Joey she likes. It’s the way it always should be, especially around the children. The crowd cheers Dolores, who thanks them for coming to the Battle for Brooklyn to support Maimonides Health. In Melissa’s interview, she wonders if a new ballplayer would hit better than Joe. In Joe’s interview, he says, they suck. The doctors are going to kick the sh*t out of them. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, last year, they had a professional athlete on their team. We flash back to Tiki Barber, and she says she doesn’t know if Joe #2 is tall enough to catch the ball. Rachel tells Jennifer that Olivia broke her heart, saying she wants to be a love therapist; it’s kind of ironic. Jennifer tells Rachel that Olivia never said that before. She’d wanted to be a Broadway star. In her interview, Jennifer says she never spoke about the infidelity for this reason, and doesn’t know what to do. Every time they argue, Olivia tells them to remember they love each other. She’d wanted to protect them.

Dolores explains that Paulie isn’t there because he’s going to have heart surgery tomorrow, and Melissa says she thought it was because he didn’t want to be around Frank. Frank says he misses his and Dolores’s relationship. She doesn’t take his calls, and when he texts, she replies that she’ll call him later. He was crying the other day, which is unusual. Melissa says he’s going to make her cry. Joe #2 hugs Frank, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, Frank doesn’t like change. After the divorce, nothing changed, but he can’t make her feel guilty for being in a relationship she deserves. Knock it off. The score is 8 to 2 in favor of the doctors, and in Marge’s interviews, she says, thank God the kids are stepping in; the old-timers are not doing great. In Gia’s interview, she says her cousins are growing up fast, and it reminds her that she’s not able to be there for them as much as she wants to. It feels like Joe #2 and Melissa are trying to put a wedge between them, and it doesn’t sit well with her. The final score is 9 to 8 with the RHONJ team winning. In her interview, Dolores says, it feels good to be able to do this, and she’s proud of everybody – and the $200K they raised. She can’t wait for next year. Everyone watches the fireworks after the game.

Boring Bill and Jennifer go to therapist Judy, and in Jennifer’s interview, she says, Bill has always been against therapy, but when she told him that Olivia wanted to be a love therapist, he had nothing to say, but say there in shame. He never wants to talk about anything, but it’s the key to a healthy relationship. Learning how this affected Olivia made him want to go. Judy asks what brings them here, and Jennifer says, when she was pregnant with their 4th child, Bill cheated on her. She didn’t tell anybody, and pretending like it never happened was her process. Someone found out, and brought it up, so now everybody has to process it, including the kids. Bill told their oldest son, and she told Gabriella, but Olivia saw it on TikTok. In her interview, Jennifer says, Olivia asked her if all men cheat. (The short answer: yes.) Judy says, Jennifer seems most concerned about how it affects the kids, and Jennifer says it bothers her that Olivia wants to be a therapist. When she sees them bicker, she tells them to kiss. Judy says, Olivia wants security. For ten years, Jennifer forgot and forgave, so how did Bill feel as a father when it became public. Bill says, in the kids’ eyes, their mom is perfect, and their dad is hard on them. Now with the infidelity, he can’t push the kids, and some kids need micromanagement. Jennifer says, they’re outnumbered five to two, with only one participating parent. Bill put everything on her shoulders, and she feels like an employee being told her boss doesn’t like the job she did. Bill says his job is 24/7 stress, and Jennifer says, he goes straight to the pool house when he comes home from work, and only comes in after they’ve finished dinner. What about a hello? Judy says, Bill is very silent, and Jennifer says, everything is always brushed under the rug. At this point, she’s fed up. She’s not a subordinate, but an equal partner, and needs to be met halfway. Judy tells Bill, it’s not that Jennifer doesn’t appreciate his efforts, but she feel lonely, and in her interview, Jennifer says, she’s had up to here. Show her that he cares, or she’s going to check out. Judy says, Jennifer needs Bill to be there, and suggests they address the issue at another appointment. Bill says, great, but without much enthusiasm.

Next time, a pseudo Shore weekend; Jennifer says, Melissa and Joe #2 are always Team Marge, and she probably has something on them; a Hawaiian themed party where Bill ends up crawling; Marge confronts Teresa; and Danielle hears her name coming from a conversation she’s not involved in.

🏖 On the nightmare that is Summer House, we started off by returning to Kyle’s drunken rant about Lindsay and how she’s in Carl’s ear, and I immediately wanted to shove something in Kyle’s ear. Like a railroad spike. Kyle went outside, hollering the whole way, and finishing with yelling, f*** everyone for giving Lindsay so much power. Interesting, since he seems to be the only one who’s given her power, although he’d probably just be ranting about something else if she wasn’t there. Carl just sat there, and Danielle told him to do something, like that was going to happen. He said he wasn’t going to argue with Kyle right now, and would speak to him at the right time. Danielle hunted down big baby Amanda, who was busy crying and saying she didn’t want to be here. Me neither. Kyle continued his tirade in the, saying that Lindsay was ruining everything. I’m not even sure how we got here, since this started with Amanda being upset with Danielle. He stomped back in and went to his room, while Danielle complained to Mya that Carl was saying nothing. In Carl’s interview, he said he was angry and frustrated. Kyle yelling at his girlfriend was ugly and disrespectful. The old Carl would have beat the f*** out of him, but he doesn’t want to live like that. Bravo to Carl. Ciara told Kyle to chill, since he was clearly not fine, and he said it stemmed back to Lindsay. Lindsay said she was the one who felt hurt, since she’d done nothing, yet it was all her fault. She told Sam that it was clear Amanda didn’t want to be friends. Amanda talked sh*t about her, even though Lindsay had never talked sh*t about Amanda, and Amanda and Kyle were now a package deal. Danielle said Carl just sat there while Lindsay was annihilated by Kyle, and in Lindsay’s interview, she said she wished Carl would say something, but she understood. He was trying to figure out how to communicate his feelings and emotions being a sober person. Kyle said, everybody could s*ck his fat d*ck, and Lindsay, in a moment of clarity, said she was too old for this. Kyle said he was tired of sugarcoating, while Lindsay got away with murder, clearly not remembering what he does every time he’s drunk. Hint: It’s not sugarcoating. Gabby said she was exhausted after week with Kyle, and Lindsay said she’d put in 7 years. In the morning, Amanda texted a half-assed apology to Lindsay, while Kyle said Lindsay was a horrible, sick person who his best friend thought he was going to marry. Carl apologized to Lindsay, but said he wasn’t going to fight someone who’d been drinking all day and was now saying crazy sh*t. Go Yoda Carl. Lindsay said she wasn’t upset, and Kyle said he wished he hadn’t said what he said, but didn’t regret it. Get that boy a dictionary. Carl said he could literally bury Kyle. I’ll bring the shovel.

Kyle told Amanda that the challenging part was not saying mean things, because it’s hard when you’re 12. Carly told Lindsay that he didn’t want to talk to anybody; he had nothing to say. Amanda suggested Kyle make a better effort not to let her and Lindsay’s relationship get in the way of his and Carl’s. Carl decided Kyle wasn’t his friend, and he wanted to leave. The other girls toddled to the kitchen for pizza rolls and morning beer, which Danielle dubbed the breakfast of champions. friend. Mya called Oliver and said the Craig/Lindsay situation from last year was nothing in comparison. In his interview, Chris said that summer in the Hamptons was supposed to be fun; getting away from the city to have a good time. How cute of him. The girls decided they’d be pooling today, while Carl and Lindsay got the hell out of there. Lindsay told Danielle that at the end of the day, she was 37, and didn’t need to yell and scream to get her point across. Danielle blamed it on the sad, stupid f***ing slumber party, and told Amanda that she didn’t mean what she’d said about not trusting her. In Amanda’s interview, she said she forgave Danielle because she felt Danielle’s apology was sincere. Danielle was a protective person, and fought Lindsay’s battles like no other. Kyle said he was trying to mentally get in a place where he could talk to Carl with the right words, but now Carl was gone. He felt bad and didn’t know what do, and wished he knew how bite his tongue. Um… don’t drink until ranting point? In his interview, Kyle said he hated putting Carl in an awkward situation, and he’d have to apologize, since Carl and Lindsay were a package deal. He couldn’t keep his lips shut to keep the peace. Amanda told him that he had to say he was sorry, unless he wasn’t. Kyle looked lost in thought, but he was probably thinking about his next beer.

Pool antics happened, and the housemates trickled out, departing for the week, Kyle saying it was another disastrous weekend. That’s another thing. Why the hell do these people keep doing this when it always turns out badly? Oh yeah. The definition of crazy. Back in the city, Gabby and sister Danielle played tennis with Sam and Danielle #1. After two seconds, they called a water break. Gabby said she was in between job offers, and in her interview, she said she’d been working in the fashion industry since graduating college. She worked for a magazine, ignoring the signs the job was not the best for her, and ended up fired. Now she was second guessing her new job offers. Danielle #2 said she needed to focus on what she wanted. I think all of these people should focus on getting some therapy. Carl went to Asbury Park to meet mom Sharon, and in his interview, he said she was the anchor of his life. The house was triggering, and his mom reminded him that he was capable. Of what, he didn’t say. Being sober? Sane? Too old for this? She asked if living with a girl was a pain in the ass, but Carl said he and Lindsay were a good team. Because of her support, he hadn’t had a drink in 19 months, but he was struggling to find out who he is. Sharon suggested that we all do that until we die. Carl wasn’t sure how to handle Kyle’s anger, and Sharon said she just wanted Carl content and happy. Kyle said his brother Curtis had a lasting impact on him and how he lived his life. Curtis had saved his life. He saw how it could end for him if didn’t take things seriously. This was one of those rare moments where the show is actually good.

In Gabby’s interview, she said she loved the disco era, and was planning a Studio Fifty Forest party. She said she fined people if they ruined her party. Paige arrived, and asked Danielle how the previous weekend had been. Danielle said they’d had a slumber party and played games. It started off fun, but ended dramatically. She’d unintentionally hurt Amanda’s feelings, and Lindsay piggybacked on Amanda’s stuff. Kyle yelled about Lindsay, and Lindsay and Carl left early. Paige said, oh great. I can’t wait for the weekend. She got lucky though, since Kyle and Amanda were at a family reunion. Danielle said she thought family time did a soul good, and Paige said, as she got older, she found herself wanting to hang out with her parents. Little by little, everyone arrived, and Sam said she’d had a date with an Australian guy named Tim, who was potentially coming by for this weekend’s party. In Sam’s interview, she said they’d met in Montauk, and it was the best date she’d had in a year, and she has high standards. The girls talked about dating, and Gabby griped about a Taurus she’d gone out with. Sam wondered why she kept the door partially closed just for an astrology sign. Carl and Lindsay showed up, and Sam asked if it was going to be weird now with Kyle and Amanda, but they weren’t sure.

The housemates went dancing, and had green tea shots, which actually sounded good. In Danielle’s interview, she said she wasn’t used to seeing Carl and Lindsay isolating themselves. Remember her? Ah, third wheel syndrome. Gabby said it was interesting being with people who didn’t know her, and it made her reexamine how people see her. She had undealt with trauma, and didn’t trust herself. She felt immobilized, worrying if she’d make the wrong decision. These people must have other friends, right? Right? Danielle and Ciara had to explain to Gabby that they needed alcohol and food for the party, since she was used to hiring people to deal with that. They decorated, and Gabby said the theme of the party said she was extra. Mya told Ciara that she hadn’t cracked the Gabby code yet, and Ciara said, Gabby was missing out on authenticity.

Carl told Chris and Sam that he was doing his best to navigate coming back, but didn’t want to be around people who treated people like that. The girls, minus Lindsay who was glued to Carl, talked about Lindsay drinking again. Ciara said her dad was an alcoholic, and her parents had no alcohol at their wedding, and there was never any in the house to support him. They agreed Carl was moving too fast, and Danielle said he was talking about getting engaged, which was crazy, since you lived a fairytale for the first year.

Next time, a dachshund who catches ping pong balls; awkwardness; Carl asks if Kyle even likes him; Danielle says, Lindsay is so defensive it’s annoying; and Mya thinks it’s all going to lead to resentment.

🤡 Amusing moment. On Watch What Happens Live, guest Chloe Fineman mixed up Keith Urban with Keith Richards.

✈️ Gotta Jet…

Join me tomorrow for soap and VanderHappenings. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your head above water even if it means treading, and stay not giving a partial truth, and robbing someone of the ability to make a choice.