Tag Archives: Summer House

March 13, 2023 – Dante Learns a Secret About Cody, Surprisingly Humongous Tip On Deck, Awfulness Tomorrow, Winner Winner & Winner

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Victor comes out of an exam room, and sees Elizabeth. He says, hello, and she looks at him like he has two heads.

Felicia sees Doc and Laura at the MetroCourt restaurant, and asks if they’re there for a late lunch or early dinner. Laura says, it just the first moment they’ve gotten to slow down, and Doc says he had to deal with his brother’s remains today.

Mac asks if Cody is up for another round, and Cody says, no reason not to. Cody gets up, and the paternity test falls to the floor. Mac picks it up, telling Cody he dropped something, and asks, what’s this? as we all do when something’s not any of our business.

On the phone, Drew thanks Michael, and says he believes it’s for the best. The doorbell rings, and Drew says he’ll check in later. He opens the door to Dante and Scout. He picks Scout up, and says he missed her so much. He tells her that Wiley and Olivia are upstairs, and word is, they have a new game for her to play. She asks if Carly is upstairs, and Drew asks why she’d say that. She says, Carly is always with him now. Told you.

Ava says, now Nina has important information about Carly, like Carly had important information about her. The question is, what’s she going to do with it? Nina says, they don’t really know anything for sure; they’re speculating. Ava says, there’s no other explanation. Carly and Drew committed insider trading. Nina says, and if anyone powerful found out, they might end up in prison.

Carly says she’s not trying to break Josslyn’s spirit. She knows Josslyn is hopeful Dex is going to leave Sonny’s world, and she wants Josslyn to be realistic. Josslyn says she appreciates Carly being direct with her, but what else is Dex supposed to do? If he wants out, he has he at least try. She thinks Dex is willing to do what it takes.

Sonny and Dex walk into the warehouse, and Dex says, it’s isolated, which is good; less chance someone will notice the shipment when it arrives. But Sonny will need to put cameras up. Sonny says he’s got someone on that, when a sniper trains a gun on Dex. Dex asks, how many points of entry? when he hears the gun cock. He pushes Sonny down, and tells him to stay down; there’s a sniper. Sonny pops up and shoots, ducking back down again, and Dex asks what he’s doing. He says, the guy will blow Sonny’s head off if he gets a clear shot, but Sonny shoots at the sniper again.

Josslyn says, Dex needs to be strategic about it, and Carly asks if she even wants to know, when Bobbie walks in with Donna. And hallelujah – the moss bowl 🎍is back! Donna hugs Carly, and Carly says she thought Donna was going to the zoo with grandma. Bobbie says, that was the plan, but Donna said her ears hurt. Carly says she still has a refill for Donna’s drops. She’ll go to GH, pick up the prescription, and Donna will feel better. If only she could fix Josslyn’s problems that easily.

Drew tells Scout that Carly isn’t always around, and Dante says, Carly has been helping to take care of Wiley’s mom, since she hasn’t been feeling well. He suggests she go upstairs and play; he wants to go to the stables and say hi to Cody. Scout asks him, say hi to the horses too, especially Thor, and he says, deal. They high-five, and she runs upstairs. Drew thanks Dante for bringing her, and Dante says, of course (🍷). Drew says, they grow up so fast, and Dante says, Danny and Rocco are teenagers; it’s crazy. Drew asks if he and Sam are thinking about having another one, but Dante says he thinks that chapter’s closed. He’s looking forward to the next chapter, whatever that is. Drew says he found out the hard way how short life is. He can’t wait to find out what the next chapter is himself.

Nina admits, bringing Carly down is so tempting, and Ava says, she and Carly have actually been on better terms lately, so personally, it woudn’t please her as much to see Carly in an orange jumpsuit as it would have a few years ago. Nina says, they don’t know if Carly and Drew would definitely go to prison. Maybe they’ll just pay a fine. Are you kidding? Nina runs a magazine, and never heard of Martha Stewart? Ava says she’s pretty sure people go to prison for insider trading, and Drew and Carly colluded to raise Aurora’s value. Nina says, they don’t know… and Ava says, theoretically colluded. Admit it. There has to be a part of Nina that’s glad to have Carly’s life in her hands again. Just like she did when she was in Nixon Falls.

Victor says, how lucky for him to bump into Elizabeth. They simply must continue their conversation from the other day. She says, sorry, she’s on duty, and he says, they previously discussed her involvement with his nephew’s ridiculous plot to keep Esme prisoner. He got the distinct impression there was more she wasn’t telling him. Elizabeth says she’s sure by now he knows it’s over. The police must have questioned him. He has no more leverage over her. He says, the police? and she says, he doesn’t know, does he? She made a deal with the PCPD in exchange for immunity. She told them everything, including his role in the cover-up. Not that he’s asking, but her advice to him is, get a good lawyer.

Felicia is sure dealing with Ryan’s remains wasn’t easy for Doc, and he says he appreciates that. He doesn’t think anyone should have to pretend they’re upset Ryan’s gone, especially her, and she says she can still acknowledge it’s hard for him. Ryan was his twin brother. Laura says, given the situation, they thought the best thing they could do was give Doc a private moment to spread Ryan’s ashes. Doc’s phone rings, and he says, a patient; he has to take this. He leaves, and Felicia asks how he’s really holding up. Laura says, he brought up his parents’ divorce for the first time in years. Doc stayed with his father when they split, and Ryan went with their mother. Felicia says, the mom who wound up molesting him, and Laura says, Doc told her that he could remember the day he said goodbye to his brother like it was yesterday; when he was young and he seemed so innocent. Even though he knows better, she thinks Doc still struggles with this notion that he could have done more. She knows he’s upset about Lucy. Felicia asks if Laura’s told him that she’s still alive, but Laura says, no. She feels like she needs to protect him right now. She feels like that situation could go south at any moment, but the longer it goes on, the harder it’s going to be. Felicia says she feels the same way about Mac. He knows there’s more going on with Anna. Maybe it’s time they bring their husbands in on what they’ve been up to.

Mac partially opens the paper, sees it’s from the lab, and says he guesses it’s personal. Cody grabs it back, and says, it’s nothing; just forget about it. He puts it back in his pocket, and Mac asks if everything is okay with him. Cody says, he was a little short of money this month, so he donated some plasma for cash. It’s just a little embarrassing, that’s all. Mac says, there’s nothing embarrassing about having money trouble. Been there and done that himself. If Cody needs help getting work, he and Felicia don’t have the bar anymore, but he knows a lot of people and can help. Cody says he’s the last person Mac should be helping.

Dex shoots back, and the sniper shoots again. Dex says, they’ve got to move. The longer they stay here, the worse their chances. From outside the door, Tony says, boss! and Sonny says, Tony? Tony asks what they’re looking at, and Dex says, a sniper with a rifle. Sonny calls out that his guys are here, and there’s more on the way. He wants to live, put his rifle down, and give himself up.

Mac says, Cody is the last person he should help? What does that mean? Cody says, they probably shouldn’t have that second round of beers, picking up the bottles. He still has work to do. Mac says, they were just having a nice talk. Why does he get the sense Cody is blowing him off? Dante comes in, and says, he didn’t mean to interrupt. Cody says, it’s fine, and tells Mac, sorry. He totally forgot he had plans with Dante. Mac says, no problem. He’s supposed to meet with his wife anyway. Cody says, about that friend of Mac’s. He knows things might be awkward and uncomfortable, but he thinks they should talk it out. If they don’t, things are just going to get more difficult to fix. In his experience, a really good friend who’s done right by you is hard to come by in this world. Mac says, good to know, and leaves. Dante asks, what was that all about?

Laura tells Felicia that she thinks it’s time they check in with Robert and Anna. She can’t help this feeling that things are about to blow up. Her phone rings, and she steps away to take the call. In a private area, she says, hello, Drew, and he says, sorry to bother her, but can they meet today? He has a proposal he wants to run by her.

Doc comes back to the table, and asks if he lost his wife. Felicia says, she had to take a call, and Doc sits down. She says she doesn’t want to make a big deal out of this, but she’s been trying to reach out to him for the last couple of days, and he hasn’t responded. He says he should have called back, and she asks why he hasn’t. He says he didn’t know what to say. Mac did what he had to do. His brother was a killer, and had to be stopped. His head knows that, but his heart is grieving and he can’t explain that. He looks at the people his brother terrorized, and many of those people are people he loves. He doesn’t want to mourn Ryan. Felicia takes his hand.

Victor says he wants to know exactly what Elizabeth told the police about him, and she says she told him that he wasn’t part of the kidnapping, but once he found out, he had no qualms about covering up his nephew’s tracks. She can imagine he did play a pivotal role in Nikolas leaving town. He says he had absolutely no part in this ill-conceived mess that she and Nikolas got themselves into, and she says, what’s that saying? It’s not about the crime; it’s about the cover-up? And he’s all over that. All she did was tell the truth, something his family is unfamiliar with, so consider this conversation over. He grabs her arm and says, they’re finished when he says they’re finished, but Carly stomps over and tells him, lay the hell off, Cassadine.

Sonny loads his gun, and tells Dex, he’s almost out. Dex says, Tony’s at the door. He and Tony can keep the shooter busy, and it’s Sonny’s best chance to get out. Sonny says, Dex knows what he’s doing, right? and Dex says, this is what he was trained to do. On three. One… two… three. He and Tony start to shoot, and Sonny ducks out the door. There’s gunfire back and forth, and Dex gets hit.

Bobbie says, Donna is down for her nap. Now she can get some work done. She salutes the moss bowl 🎍 as she goes past, and Josslyn says she thought this was Bobbie’s day off. Bobbie says, it is, but Maxie asked her to help plan the Nurses Ball, and Josslyn says, that’s awesome. She didn’t know they were doing it this year. Bobbie says, this year, not only is the Ball going to help fund research for HIV/AIDS, it’s also going to honor the hospital’s 60th anniversary, and the GH staff they’ve lost. Josslyn says, it’s a beautiful way to keep their memories alive, and Bobbie says, providing she can come up with enough musical acts. She’s going to reach out to the GH nurses, like Epiphany, Felix, Amy, and Deanna, but she’s also going to ask some non-GH staff, like Ned, Chase… and Cameron. Josslyn says she’s not so sure Cam would be up for performing this year. He’s been through a lot, and she hasn’t helped.

Carly asks if no one ever taught Victor not to put his hands on a woman, and Victor says, it’s lovely to see her again, calling her Mrs. Corinthos. She says, it’s Carly Spencer; a name she knows he’s familiar with. He says he’s just waiting for his test results, and she says, then he can wait somewhere else. He says, until next time, and tells Elizabeth that he hopes the situation with Esme doesn’t come back to haunt her. He leaves, and Elizabeth thanks Carly, but says she had it under control. Carly says, no offense, but it didn’t look like it, and asks what Victor was talking about; what situation with Esme?

Victor makes a call, saying, he may be in a spot of legal bother. Apparently, Elizabeth Baldwin made a statement to the PCPD and brought up his name. He needs them to find out exactly what she said.

Elizabeth says, it will all be coming out, so she may as well tell Carly. When Esme showed up at Windymere, she was pregnant with Nikolas’s child. Carly says, wow. When you think a man can’t sink any lower, he sleeps with his son’s girlfriend. Elizabeth says, at the time, everybody thought Esme was The Hook killer, even the police, and Carly asks why they didn’t go straight to the police with it. Elizabeth says, because Nikolas didn’t want his baby being born in prison, and they thought she was dangerous, so he came up with an alternate plan. He kept Esme locked up in one of the Windymere towers, and she provided Esme with medical care. She already told Cameron everything – not Jake or Aiden yet – but because she made a deal with the DA’s office, this is all going to be public very soon. She doesn’t know what came over her. She can only imagine what Carly must be thinking about her right now. Carly says she’s thinking she would have done the same thing.

Nina says, there’s no part of her that enjoys being put in this position again. Don’t get her wrong; she’s happy things worked out with Sonny. But her desire to get revenge against Carly has cost her so much. Although she supposes it would serve Carly right to serve a little time in prison, given Carly kept her from her daughter for the better part of a year. Ava says she’s not going to kill anybody or call anybody, but Nina is. She hands Nina her phone, and says, it’s the number for the SEC; she’s going to call. Isn’t this what she wants? What is she waiting for?

Felicia says she knows Doc isn’t mourning the man who stalked her or terrorized Ava. He’s mourning the little boy he still remembers, before bad things happened to Ryan. Can she tell him a secret? He says, always, and she says, when she heard Ryan was taken to the morgue, she snuck down to see him. After all the pain he put her through, she had to see his dead body for herself. Doc says he understands, and she says she told herself, if she could see he was really gone, and he was no longer a threat to her, maybe she might be able to forgive him, but she’s ashamed to say she couldn’t. She cries, and Doc tells her, don’t ever feel that she has to forgive him. Don’t ever be ashamed for how you really feel. Felicia is immediately together, and says, exactly. Doesn’t the doctor think it’s time he take his own advice? Mac approaches the table, and says, sorry he’s late; the day got away from him.

Dante says, it seems like Cody was trying to get rid of Mac. Why? Cody says he found out what happened with Mac and Ryan, so he sent Mac a couple of texts to make sure he’s okay. Then out of nowhere, Mac shows up where he works. Mac’s clearly trying to be best buds, but he was like, hey man, I got enough friends, thanks. Dante laughs, and says, Cody’s got so many friends, he can count them on one hand, and still have a finger left over. Cody says he hopes Dante knows what finger he’s saving for him, and Dante says he does, and that’s not very nice. Cody took the time to text Mac, and Mac came over to see him. He’s not Cody’s father, but he can still be a friend. He’s known Mac a long time; he’s a stand-up guy. Cody says he knows. Dante’s told him. Everyone’s told him. Maxie’s told him, Sam has told him, which is exactly why he doesn’t deserve to have Mac in his life. Not after what he’s done to Mac.

Nina asks what Ava’s doing. She’s trying to take the high road here. Drew comes over, and says, sorry to interrupt, but does Nina have a second? Nina says, sure, and he says he just wanted to touch base now that her Aunt Liesl is going to be Willow’s bone marrow donor. Nina says, they’re very grateful. She’s doing more tests actually. I’m wondering when Drew became Michael’s spokesperson. Drew says, it’s amazing that Obrecht is stepping up, and Nina says, Obrecht’s always been her rock. It was very difficult to find out Willow was her daughter, then find out she’s fighting leukemia. Drew says, Nina doesn’t have to explain to him. He lost a child to cancer, and although their situations are very different, he wouldn’t wish it on his worst enemies. Nina thanks him, and he asks if he can offer her some hard-won advice. She says, what’s that? and he says, while she’s trying to take care of Willow from a distance, don’t forget to take care of herself. He leaves, and Nina and Ava look at each other.

Elizabeth says, there’s no way Carly can understand why she helped Nikolas the way she did, and Carly says, help Nikolas? No, but she can certainly understand Elizabeth’s instincts. They’ve had their issues over the years, but she could never fault Elizabeth the loyalty she has to her children and family. Carly would move heaven and earth to protect hers; they have that in common. Elizabeth agrees, and Carly says, if Jason asked her to help him the way Nikolas asked Elizabeth, she wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. Although Jason never would have been duped by Esme. Elizabeth says, much less slept with her, and Carly says, and more important, he would never have vanished when the heat was on and left her holding the bag. He would never have done that to Elizabeth either. She knows Nikolas is a good friend of Elizabeth’s, and she’s really sorry Nikolas betrayed her like this. She’s not going to turn this into a therapy session, but this is one of the things that frustrates her about Elizabeth. They’re so much alike, but Elizabeth never learns the tough lesson Carly learned a long time ago – be careful who you give your loyalty to. They may not return it in kind.

Dex checks the wound in his upper arm, and puts a new clip in his gun. The sniper continues to fire, and Dex fires back, Sonny now firing from the doorway. Sonny hits the sniper, who falls to the floor. Tony goes to check on him, and Sonny asks if Dex is all right. Dex says he’s glad Sonny came back.

Josslyn says she and Cam broke up, but she has the feeling Bobbie already knew that, and Bobbie says, a grandmother has a way of figuring these things out, like Carly wouldn’t have told her. But she’s noticed that Josslyn’s been acting a lot lighter lately, so does that mean someone else is making her happy? Josslyn says, she and Cam had been growing apart for almost a year, and Bobbie says, because of the revenge porn? Josslyn says, that certainly didn’t help. Maybe there’s a world where they would have stayed together out of sheer momentum, but a lot happened this year, and they just feel like two different people. They both lost a lot. Bobbie says, the whole town lost a lot this year, and that’s why it’s so important they all come together and celebrate. Not only the amazing achievement of General Hospital being around for 60 years, but also the fact it’s still thriving. And they’re going to honor those they lost; Lucy, Valentin, and Britt. I guess Anna is chopped liver? Josslyn says, and Uncle Luke, and takes Bobbie’s hand.

Victor paces an exam room, and looks at his watch. The doctor some in, and apologizes for keeping him waiting. The results are in. They found something concerning in his bloodwork.

Elizabeth tells Carly that she doesn’t want to be hardened by this, and certainly doesn’t want Nikolas’s actions to change who she is. But this experience has definitely changed her perspective. She can almost see, in a warped way, how her parents thought they were protecting her. Ultimately, her dad’s actions were about protecting himself from embarrassment, but she could see how they were tempted to go down that path. Carly says, Elizabeth would never do that to her kids, and Elizabeth says, never, but the anger she had toward her parents? She’s not there anymore. She wants to just hold on to the good memories, before it all went to hell. Carly says she was hoping Elizabeth would come to that decision at some point, and takes a photo out of her wallet. It’s the photo of Elizabeth’s parents that she swiped.

Drew meets Laura in a private area at the MetroCourt, and she asks what the mysterious proposal is. He says he’ll keep it simple. In the wake of Valentin’s death, Charlotte has been left with a large portion of ELQ voting stock. Obviously, Charlotte isn’t of voting age, so this falls on Laura’s shoulders, at least for a few years. She says she still hasn’t heard a proposal, and he says, so he and Ned have agreed on a plan to buy back Charlotte’s stock at a very good price, provided Laura is on board.

Nina says she’s not going to tattle on Carly today, and Ava says she didn’t think Nina would, especially after that conversation. Nina says, her issues are with Carly, not with Drew. He’s a stand-up guy (maybe he should hang out with Mac), and if she says anything, he’s going to go to prison too. No matter what she thinks or feels about Carly, Carly has been the main source of support for Willow and Michael during this really difficult time, and there’s nothing worth taking that away from Willow.

Felicia says she thinks Mac and Doc should spend some time alone, and leaves the table. Doc says, have a seat, and Mac sits, saying, he’s been avoiding Doc for the last few days. Doc says he thinks they’ve both been doing their share of avoiding. That’s not really like them, is it? Mac says, no. He’s taken a life in the line of duty before, but to see Doc’s face, to see his grief… there has to be a part of him that blames Mac for killing Ryan. Doc says, there isn’t. He’s been avoiding Mac and Felicia because he sees the relief on their faces. He feels it too. Relief that they’re safe, that the burden of his brother has finally been lifted from his life, but he still feels guilty. Mac says, Doc thinks they’ve been avoiding each other to ignore the voices in their head, and Doc says, if he were diagnosing, he’d say it was a classic case of avoidance. Be that as it may, Ryan was his brother at birth, but his brother in life, the one he can count on, his best friend, that’s Mac. Mac goes over to Doc, and hugs him. Felicia stands at the bar and smiles.

Dante says, Cody doesn’t deserve Mac? He has the feeling this has nothing to do with Cody’s past. If Cody doesn’t tell him something, he can’t help. Cody asks if Dante can keep a secret, and Dante says, to the grave. Cody hesitates, and Dante asks, how bad is this one?

Felicia says, everything worked out okay? and Mac tells her, he’d say so. In the 30 years they’ve been friends, this is the most they’ve ever talked about their feelings. He can’t take the credit. Cody was the one who suggested they talk it out. He thinks they had Cody all wrong when he first came to Port Charles.

Cody says, to the grave, right? and Dante nods. Cody gives him the paternity test, and Dante reads it. He says, so Mac is really Cody’s father.

Josslyn says, it’s been almost a year since Uncle Luke passed. Bobbie doesn’t talk about him much. Bobbie says she just can’t accept it. She keeps thinking he’s going to show up at her house one day (where does Bobbie live anyway? have we ever seen her place?), and say, hey, Barbara Jean, have I got one helluva story for you. They laugh, and Bobbie says she also knows that if Luke were still around, he would have reached out by now. There’s no way he would have let her, or Tracy, or his kids, grieve this long. Josslyn says she knows Bobbie misses him. Does she feel unsettled? Bobbie says, Josslyn’s Uncle Luke was larger than life, and there’s no way she’ll ever believe he died in some random accident. Someone out there is to blame.

Victor says, now the doctor’s got his attention. What exactly is wrong with his bloodwork? The doctor says, what he found was out of his purview, which is why he brought Dr. Finn on board for a consult. Victor asks what that means, and the doctor says, the lab results show a pathogen in Victor’s bloodstream.

Laura says, Drew’s given her a lot to think about, and he says, what does she say? Will she sell him the shares of ELQ? She says she’s sorry. She can’t do that. He looked so confident, I laugh. Why on earth would he think she’d just hand them over?

Ava says she’s impressed; this is like growth for Nina. Nina says, maybe not. Selfishly, she doesn’t want to do anything to hurt Willow. Because of her health issues, but also because Nina is hoping down the line they can have a real mother/daughter relationship. Ava says she totally gets that, but still, it must be nice to know Nina has this bombshell in her back pocket, just in case.

Elizabeth asks where Carly got the photo, and Carly asks if Elizabeth remembers her coming by the house after Elizabeth got back from Monterey. Elizabeth was in a really bad place, and determined to burn every picture of her parents. She thought one day Elizabeth would regret that decision. Elizabeth says, that is such a violation. She can’t believe Carly did that… Thank you. Carly knows she’s said this to Elizabeth before, but if she ever finds herself in this spot again, and needs to talk to someone, call her. She knows they don’t like each other all the time, but they respect each other enough to get the job done. Carly walks off, and Elizabeth looks at the photo.

Sonny asks if the sniper is dead, but Tony says, just incapacitated. Sonny asks about Dex’s wound, and Dex says, just a crease. Nothing to worry about. Does Sonny think he works for Pikeman? Sonny says he doesn’t think they’d want to risk jeopardizing the deal. Too much at stake. He’s going to find out who this guy is working for.

Tomorrow, Maxie says, the Nurses Ball is not happening; Dante asks why Cody would cheat himself; Laura says, whatever happens isn’t up to her; and Nina asks what Carly is keeping from her this time.

Below Deck

Captain Lee calls Ross and Fraser to the bridge, and says he thought the guests were well-behaved at dinner. Fraser tells the captain that the guests want to turn the boat into Club St. David. They’re bringing in dancers and a DJ. In the captain’s interview, he says, pick a party, they’ve had it on the boat, but it can rock on without his ass. Dinner is Japanese, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, Japanese food is fantastic, but it takes time to do the details. She’s got to do everything she can to make it perfect. She’s got to kill this. Hayley asks if Tyler is going to call his mum [and come out to her], and Tyler says, what scares him is, he doesn’t know how they’re going to react. Hayley says, they might get upset, but it will pass, and they’ll have to accept it. Isn’t she the optimist? I guess she’s never heard of anyone becoming estranged from their family after they’ve come out. In Ross’s interview, he says, he and Katie have had their ups and downs, and we flash back to some of those. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s a bummer that it’s the end of the season. She and Ross are doing better, and she thinks it could be something more. In his interview, Ross says he doesn’t see a long term future for them. Guest Angel falls asleep on the floating trampoline, and Captain Lee asks how much line the trampoline has. He thinks it might be fun to let him go. Angel’s so-called friends agree, and the deckhands let the line out. Captain Lee says, this is classic. Now they’re going to douche him. In Tony’s interview, he says, the guests are fun to have around. He’d do this for free. He jet skis around Angel, and the captain says, Angel still had his drink in his hand. Angel finally realizes waves of water are crashing over him from the jet ski, and tries to board it behind Tony, but falls in the water. Primary Jake says, that made the trip. He’s ready to go home. Rachel says, tonight is going to be insane, and Fraser asks the stews to help set up the club. In Rachel’s interview, she says, while working with Captain Sandy, she learned how she can be quicker. Sometimes it’s not about quantity, but quality. We flash back to Rachel and Captain Sandy discussing timing, and Rachel says, tonight, she’s making one course after another, but cutting the courses back. The guests get ready for dinner, and laugh about Angel. C Canapés come out almost as soon as the guests sit down, and food just keeps coming. The stews go disco ball happy, and Fraser says, Angel lost his voice. This is the quietest moment they’ve had. In Fraser’s interview, he says, without Angel, it changes his opinion of the guests. They were overshadowed by a hideously demanding a-hole, who’s now lost his voice. Ross picks up the dancers and the DJ. Leigh-Ann grills Hayley about Camille, asking if she and Ben slept with each other. Hayley says she wasn’t there, and didn’t see it, but Tony was in the bottom bunk. It’s not like Ben would be cheating though. He’s allowed to have some fun. Shame on her for encouraging this.

Rachel brings out Kobe beef sashimi with a quail egg she cooks at the table. The guests applaud, and Jake says, it’s the best dish he’s ever had. The DJ sets up, and Jake says, the meal was an absolute pleasure. In Fraser’s interview, he says, great food gave the guests high spirits. Angel is a lovely man… joking. The guests go to the makeshift club and dance, while Leigh-Ann tends bar. The DJ says, this is the kind of vibe you do in St. Lucia. Rachel says she’s five Red Bulls deep, and never sleeping again. The DJ leaves around 1:30, and Ben calls Camille. He tells her that he thinks he’s ready to chill in the DR, and she says, it’s the last push. In Ben’s interview, he says he didn’t tell Camille about Leigh-Ann. Nothing happened… yet, but he does feel guilty. Leigh-Ann questions Ben about Camille, and he says, she was a deck stew who was let go; it was tough. They’re not dating, but they’re seeing each other after the season to figure out where they stand. Leigh-Ann says, the last time he’d messaged, he’d asked if she was seeing someone, and she was; now it was vice versa. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says she and Ben chatted for a year, as well as sending voice notes. It wasn’t nice to hear, but he did say they weren’t together, so she’s going for it. Because she’s an awful person. Not as awful as Jax, but still awful.

Captain Lee tells Ross that there’s a lot more swell, so docking should be fun. Rachel thinks her field of f***s has been plowed, and she has none left to give. On deck, Katie tells the deckhands that Ross tried out for a porn video, and in Ross’s interview, he says he went to a bar owned by a porn actor who said he should try out. A producer asks, what role? and he says, just a penis. Wow. Talk about spot-on casting. The captain gazes out, and envies another boat’s tender, grumbling that they have a POS. They head into Rodney Bay with the wind pushing them. Katie says, the currents are gnarly, and in Captain Lee’s interview, he says, any place the wind can get in, it will. It’s like a game. There’s a bullseye on the side of the boat, and that’s where the wind is headed. They dock, and the guests pack. There are goodbyes and hugs, and Jake says, everything was fantastic, and the food was above and beyond. The beach and boat parties were great. He gives the captain two envelopes, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, one could contain Monopoly money. The crew meets in the Sky Lounge for the tip meeting, and Captain Lee slams the now one envelope down, calling it a fat little f***er. He tells them, job well done. He can’t thank them enough for such a great first charter back. He goes over some docking things with the deckhands, and says, they’re picking up guests tomorrow at 1:30, so it gives them time to unwind. Oh. The money. He says, it was more than he thought – drumroll – $40K or $3,076 each. In her interview, Hayley says, it was payoff for dealing with Angel, and we flash back to what an a-hole he was. She says, it probably happens every time. Sorry about him. She mimics passing out money. The captain tells them to get their asses back to work.

Everyone is in a good mood because of the massive tip, and Fraser says he fancies Jake more now. The captain radios Fraser, Ross, and Rachel for the preference sheet meeting in the Sky Lounge. He says, it’s the last charter, is just one day, and they have a late pick-up, so no lunch. Primaries Keith and his wife Jolynn are bodybuilders, and one of their guests is Dexter the Blade Jackson, who was Mr. Olympia 2008, and his wife. They want a Buns & Guns contest, with the crew as contestants and the guests as judges. In his interview, Fraser says, they look intimidating. In Ross’s interview, he says, the contest sounds like they’ll have to be pretty naked and flexing like an idiot. He’ll try to evade it as long as he can. Captain Lee says, it’s the last one, and they need to end strong. Leigh-Ann wants to see who she’s competing with, and looks at pictures of Camille. In her interview, she says, Camille is beautiful and photogenic. It sucks, but she doesn’t look like Ben’s type. She’s too much of a poppie, a dumb American blonde. It doesn’t make her feel good, but maybe she has a chance. She asks if Camille was good at her job, and Tyler says, no; that’s why he’s here.

The crew goes ashore, and in his interview, Ross says, it’s not much downtime, and probably not the best idea to rage into the night, but what’s a couple days with a hangover? They head for Jacques Waterfront Dining, and toast to one helluva f***ing crew. Ben says, they’re breaking records. Hayley and Fraser step away for a smoke, and Hayley says Fraser made everyone proud. He says, it’s a learning curve, and she says, he taught her so much with grace and patience. In Fraser’s interview, he says, Hayley’s perception makes him confident. She’s a slice of everything okay. He hugs her. Leigh-Ann talks about how her last relationship broke her heart. He ran hot and cold, and she found out he was talking to ten other chicks. In her interview, she says she was cheated on in every relationship, which makes her even more awful, since she knows how it feels. She tells Ben that she feels like she’s moving on to another chapter. They crew goes to  club Discotheque, and as Ben dances with Leigh, he takes his shirt off. He gives her a lap dance, and in his interview, he says he loves playing fire. It can’t hurt, can it?

Ross drags over some stranger named Adelina, and insists she join the group with her friends, Anna, Lisa, and Sam. In Katie’s interview, she says, WTF? She thought they were moving forward, but she guesses they’re going backward. It’s flat out disrespectful at this point. The crew heads back to the boat, and Katie tells Ross to behave, but he says he thinks they’re done. The others seem like they’re having more fun. Ross is a clear argument for not screwing the crew. Katie tells him to chill out. When they get back to the boat, she tells Ross that if he wants to play, fine. Wander, but leave her out. Fraser asks Ben about the comparison between Leigh-Ann online and in person, but Ben says he wants to see what happens with Camille. Fraser says, it’s going to be over before Ben knows it, but in Ben’s interview, he says he thinks Fraser has a better connection with Leigh-Ann than he did with Camille. It’s so hard. it’s a massive temptation, and he feels himself weakening. He tells Fraser, it’s so tricky, and Fraser says, do what’s best for himself. Katie tells Ross that she’s not trying to fight, but he has to realize that he’s a sh*tty person when he’s drinking. Ross insists he’s been nothing but nice, and wonders why she’s mad. He asks if he can kiss her, but she says, no. She’s ending it now. She walks away, and in Ross’s interview, he says, more drama. No matter what, he’s in the doghouse, and he’s over it. He tells her that he doesn’t think they were meant to be together. They’ve tried four times, and he doesn’t want her unhappy. He likes her, but even when he behaves, she pushes him away. She tells him not to let exterior people f*** with him; that’s who she is. In the crew mess, Hayley and Tyler shove cake in their faces, then throw the rest around.  

Fraser says, never again, and Hayley laughs so hard, she pees herself. There’s cake absolutely everywhere, even in fruit bowl, and Tyler says, Hayley is like Ariel on crack. She says, all she wanted was goodnight Doritos. Out on deck, Leigh-Ann asks if Ben is having a good time. She doesn’t want to mess up what he has, and he says he wasn’t expecting her; she’s awesome. In his interview, he says he can feel himself giving in more. He might be in a bit of trouble. They hug, and go to their separate cabins. Hayley wonders why she got left with the mess, and yells for Tyler.

In the morning, everyone is hung over. Ross asks if Katie wants to talk; they need to sort themselves out. Katie says she was in her head, and he says, she came at him (a gross exaggeration). She gets a weird wall up. In Ross’s interview, he says he’s definitely got conflicted feelings. He loves flirting, and can’t decide. He just wants to have fun. Katie says, they both made mistakes, and suggests they just have fun. Ross says, they missed their chance to have sex in the guest cabin. They hug it out. Fraser says he’s not feeling good to put it lightly. He has no recollection of last night, but Tony says, Fraser just disappeared, and he says he’s proud of himself. Provisions come in, and Hayley says she’s too hungover for this sh*t. Everything is incredibly hard today. Captain Lee calls everyone to the aft deck for guest arrival, and Tyler desperately looks for his trousers. The crew lines up, and when they see the guests coming, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he’s not seeing many smiles. Not one hint of emotion. There’s a slow stampede of protein and muscle incoming, and the guests look like they’re going to kill them.

Next time, the crew’s sorry attempt at body building; Rachel’s sh*t-o-meter needle is in the red; Tyler calls his mum; the last crew dinner; and Leigh-Ann and Ben make out, maybe more. How disappointing. But then again, maybe the boat turns some people awful.

🏖 Since I’m desperate to get back that hour I lost over the weekend, I’ll talk trash about Summer House tomorrow. Believe me, it was nothing to write home about. Unless your Carl’s mom.

🏆 Bottom Line…

More on the Academy Awards tomorrow, but here’s the winner’s list. Looks like Everything Everywhere was the big kahuna.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/12/entertainment/oscar-winners-2023/index.html

🌉 In All the Old Familiar Places…

Stop by tomorrow for soap, and everyone awful all at once in New Jersey and the Hamptons. Until then, stay safe, stay appreciating other cultures, and stay being careful who you give your loyalty to. They may not return it in kind.

March 6, 2023 – Esme Learns About Her Imprisonment, Adult Frat Boys On Deck, Awful House People Are Also Boring & You Don’t

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny asks if Nina has talked to Obrecht, but she says, no, and the MetroCourt is super busy because a convention is in town. He says he knows she’s anxious to hear that Obrecht has done everything she needs to do to be a bone marrow donor for Willow.

Michael wheels Willow out of the hospital elevator, and Obrecht says, she didn’t have to be here for this meeting. Willow says, Obrecht didn’t either, but Obrecht says she sees it differently. She owes it to her dear, departed Britta. She couldn’t save her daughter’s life, but if she can save Willow’s… Willow says she’ll be forever grateful. Obrecht says, remember what she told her; like it or not, she’s one of them now.

Austin sees Mason in a private area of the MetroCourt, and Mason tells him, have a seat, but Austin says he’s meeting someone. Mason says, if Austin is referring to Ava, he’d better make time for both their sakes.

Sonny says, Nina needs a distraction, and Nina sees Ava at the bar sipping a martini. She says, there’s someone who needs distracting just as much as she does, and they walk over. Nina tells Ava, you know what they say about drinking alone, and Ava flashes back to telling Austin that she’s sure Nikolas was dead, and him asking, then where is he? Sonny says, she’s not waiting for Nikolas to show up again, is she?

A nurse tells Spencer that they just need a couple of signatures, and he can take the baby home, but Diane joins them and says, there’s been a change of plans. She’s sorry, but that baby’s not going anywhere. Victor asks if she knows who she’s speaking with, and she laughs and says, her client. Laura says, it will be okay, and give them a chance to reconsider their plan, but Spencer says, there’s nothing to reconsider, as he takes the baby from Victor. His baby brother belongs with him. Diane says, unfortunately, his mother disagrees.

Esme pushes the nurse call button, and Elizabeth comes in. Esme says she’s glad to see Elizabeth, and asks if Elizabeth can bring her baby. Elizabeth says she can, but they have to talk first, and Esme says she hopes Elizabeth is going to walk her through the mommy menu. She can’t think of anyone she’d rather have teach her how to be a good parent. Elizabeth says, Esme may not feel that way after Esme hears what she has to say, but Esme says she can’t imagine that. Elizabeth sits down and says, Esme needs to know how she ended up here.

Alexis thanks Gregory for his input and coming by on such short notice, and Gregory says, any time. Not only does he enjoy the work, she’s a friend. She says, then why is he lying to her? and he asks what he’s lying about. She says, he told her that he couldn’t take the job at The Invader because he was bound to his teaching gig at PCU, and he says, it’s a conflict of interest, but she asks, how it can be if he doesn’t have a job? He asks how she’d know, and she says she offered him the job and he said he wanted it, but PCU had a conflict of interest, which didn’t make any sense to her, so she called Dean Jeffries. She hoped she could convince him that Gregory could do both, since that’s what he said he wanted to do. He admits he said that, and she tells him that she’s asking again, why did he lie to her?

Obrecht says, no doubt they’re wondering if her willingness to participate comes with a price tag, and Michael says, now that she mentions it… but Willow tells him, let’s just be grateful Liesl is a match. Obrecht says, it’s an honest question that deserves an equally honest answer, when Terry comes out and suggests they go to her office to discuss the next steps. They follow her.

Ava says, so Obrecht is a bone marrow match. She’s thrilled for Nina and for Willow. Nina says, it’s not a sure thing yet, but it’s a step in the right direction, and Ava says, after she lost Kiki, she swore she’d never lose Avery. After Nina’s loss, she’s rooting for Nina to have a relationship with Willow. She and Nina hug.

The nurse leaves, and Victor says, if Nikolas were here, Esme wouldn’t make such an outrageous claim, and Laura says, no, she woudn’t, but unfortunately, her son’s not here. Spencer says, but he is. Esme’s going back to Spring Ridge while she awaits trial. When she’s convicted – which she most certainly will be – she’s going back to Pentenville. Diane can’t tell him that the court, even on its cruelest day, would think that’s a good environment for a baby. A woman walks up, and Diane says, this is Janet Kershaw from child services. Laura says, they’ve met before, and she’s relieved Janet is involved with this case. She’s sure they can reach a decision that’s best for this child. Janet says, that’s up for the court to decide. Esme Prince has filed a motion for custody of her baby once she’s transferred back to Spring Ridge.

Esme asks how she wound up here, and Elizabeth says, she’d been missing for a while. Everyone, including the police, thought she was The Hook killer. Elizabeth was on the pier waiting to go to Windymere, when Esme showed up. Of course (🍷) she called 9-1-1, but Esme went for her phone, and they struggled and Elizabeth fell down and hit her head. Esme asks if she pushed Elizabeth, but Elizabeth says, no. They struggled over the phone, and when she fell, she went unconscious. It wasn’t until she saw Esme again that she realized Esme was pregnant. Being a nurse, she felt it was her obligation to protect the baby. Esme asks what she means. Protect her baby how?

Austin says, whatever Mason has to tell him, say it fast. It’s not polite to keep a lady waiting. Mason says, that’s right. Austin is a gentleman. He can’t resist a damsel in distress. If Ava was alone on that island with no one to help her, Austin would cross the water and make it his business to help her. Austin says he doesn’t know what Mason is talking about, and Mason says, if he’s worried about the ex-Mrs. Cassadine, she’s probably on her second or third martini by now. He’s not judging her, with everything they’ve been through lately. He followed Austin to Spoon Island that night. He saw everything.

Elizabeth says, Nikolas needed someone to care for Esme until she gave birth, and Esme says, when he came to see her at Spring Ridge with those papers that gave him full custody, he never said anything about Elizabeth taking care of her. Elizabeth says, he was keeping it a secret. He kept Esme under lock and key, in a tower in his home. Esme says, Elizabeth is telling her that she was Nikolas’s prisoner, and she helped him? and Elizabeth says, yes.

Austin says he doesn’t know what Mason thinks he saw, but Ava hasn’t done anything wrong; neither has he. Mason tells Austin that he said that with conviction… and he does mean conviction. He’s sure if Austin tells any judge that story, they’ll believe him, and his lady friend. Austin says he still has no idea what Mason is talking about, and Mason says, some stable at Windymere, huh? And that tack room – he whistles – downright luxurious. But he doesn’t have to tell Austin that, does he?

Alexis asks why Gregory felt he couldn’t confide in her. Is he under some sort of gag order? He says, no, and she asks if litigation is involved. If there is, she’ll back off. He says, Alexis Davis backs off; now there’s a headline. She says she wants him to work here, and he wanted to work here. That can never happen if there’s mistrust. And just so he knows, the dean didn’t offer any additional information, so she doesn’t know what to think. Was he suspended? Was he fired? Talk to her. Maybe she can help him. He says, unfortunately, she can’t. No one can.

Spencer says he thought it was bad enough he had to serve time in prison, but he actually committed the crime. Is Janet telling him that now his innocent baby brother has to be there too? Janet says, in certain cases and certain facilities, the State of New York allows a mother to keep her child with her for the first 18 months she’s incarcerated. Spencer says, the baby is Uncle Victor’s family too, and deserves to be home with them, and Victor says, spoken like a true Cassadine. If it’s a matter of proving Spencer has the means to care for a child, they have his personal guarantee. Diane says, here his personal guarantee might do more harm than good, and Laura says, Nikolas’s baby is also her family. Whether they like it or not, they can’t just take Esme out of the equation. She is after all the baby’s mother.

Elizabeth says, at the time, she had reason to believe Esme was a threat, and didn’t know what Nikolas was going to do to her after she had the baby. Esme says she only has Elizabeth’s word for that, and Elizabeth says she knows what it’s like to have gaps in your memory. Esme says, Elizabeth just told her that she was locked in a tower like some princess in a fairytale. What else doesn’t she know? How did she escape? Did she let her hair down and climb down like Rapunzel? Elizabeth says, no, she jumped from the turret into the harbor, and Esme says she could have died, and her baby… Elizabeth says, but she didn’t, and she lost her memory, but she saved her baby. Esme says, no thanks to his father… or Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t blame Esme for feeling the way she does, but if Esme thinks Elizabeth owes her an apology, she couldn’t be more wrong.

Ava, Nina, and Sonny sit at a table in the MetroCourt restaurant, and Ava orders another martini, champagne, and sparkling water. Sonny thinks Ava has as much to celebrate as Nina and Willow. The way he sees it, she hit the trifecta. She helped capture The Hook killer, Ryan Chamberlain is dead, and Nikolas Cassadine is nowhere to be found on this earth. He’d say that’s a lot to celebrate. Nina says she sees his point, and good riddance to Ryan Chamberlain, but she knows how much Ava loved Nikolas. She tells Ava not to give up hope. He’ll realize what he’s missing, come back, and try to make things right, but Ava says she doubts that.

Obrecht says, as a reminder, she’s a doctor too. What kind of hoops does she have to jump through to make this happen? Terry says, being a potential match is a crucial first step, but before they go ahead with the transplant, they need to know it’s safe for Obrecht to donate. They have to run additional tests and weigh those results… Obrecht says, against her age and medical history, and see if something comes up to disqualify her as a donor.

Alexis asks why Gregory thinks he can’t talk to anyone about this; is it that severe? He says, as one friend to another, he’s asking her to let this go and forget about it. She says she’s sorry, but she can’t do that. In friendship, there’s trust, and he says, and if he were to ask her to trust him to know what’s good for him… She asks if it’s good for him to keep something that appears to be this critical from someone who cares about him. If that’s the case, she’ll have to reevaluate their friendship. He asks if she means end it.

Nina says, it’s hard for her to sit there and do nothing when Obrecht might be able to save Willow’s life. Sonny says there’s nothing he can do to stop her, and Michael and Willow don’t want to see him. So go ahead and go. She thanks him for understanding, and gets up to leave, but hostess Ashley intercepts her, and says, there’s a problem with the AC.

Terry asks if Obrecht is on any medications, and Obrecht says she’s taking an anticoagulant. Terry says she’ll have to consult with Obrecht’s physician, and leaves. Obrecht says she’ll give Michael and Willow some privacy, but Michael asks her to stay. She never answered the question. Obrecht says, what’s in it for her? When you lose a child, or in her case two children, it forever shapes your world perspective. Willow says she still grieves for her son Jonah every day. She can’t imagine the pain Obrecht suffered losing two grown children. Obrecht says, that’s why she was so pleased to find out she had a new family member in Willow. Willow was in need of help, and it never occurred to her not to be a donor, so Willow could have the kind of life her Britta can no longer enjoy.

Austin asks what Mason wants, and Mason says, what he’s always wanted; for Austin to remember his responsibilities. Austin says he knows where he comes from, and knows how far he’s come. Nothing and nobody will make him go back. Mason says, Austin is smart. He’ll figure it out on his own, and in the end, he’ll do the right thing.

Esme says, Elizabeth helped Nikolas keep her prisoner, and she was so desperate she jumped off a turret into a harbor, but Elizabeth doesn’t think she deserves an apology? Elizabeth admits she went about it all wrong, but she thought she was protecting the people she loves, as well as keeping Esme and the baby safe. Esme says she thought Elizabeth was on her side, but doesn’t know what to believe now. What if the police find out? Elizabeth says, they know, and Esme asks how she’s walking around free. Elizabeth says, because she voluntarily came forward and made a statement, and Esme asks if that’s why Nikolas disappeared; he knew he’d be a wanted man? Elizabeth assumes so, and says, all of this will become public knowledge soon enough. She just wanted Esme to hear it from her. She owes Esme that much. She starts to leave, but Esme says, there’s one more thing she needs to know. Did she want her baby? Was she trying to get rid of it and that’s why Nikolas locked her away?

Spencer tells Janet, now that Esme’s serial killer father is dead, her remaining family is Heather Webber, who murdered a very dear friend of his, as well as attacked his lawyer. So does she really think it’s in the best interest of the child? Diane suggests he reign back his rhetoric a little; he’s not winning her any points with child services. Laura asks, what happens now? and Janet says, the baby will remain here in the nursery until his mother is transferred to Spring Ridge. The nurse s to take the baby, but Spencer says he’s not giving him up. Laura says, he doesn’t want to upset the baby, does he? and Victor says, for once, he agrees with Laura. Don’t worry. This isn’t over yet. Diane says, this all has to be argued in family court in front of a judge, but until that time, Spencer complies with all the court orders. Spencer says, okay, but he wants to go one record that this goes against everything he wants for his baby brother. Like anyone cares. He gives the baby to the nurse.

Ava asks why she should be fearful about Nikolas returning to Port Charles, and Sonny says, his guess is, Ava still has a thing for him. Their marriage ended badly, but if Nikolas came back, she’d be tempted to get back together with him. Is he close? She says, no. It was hard to learn, but she learned her lesson. He says he’s happy for her, but wonders why Nikolas wouldn’t make contact, especially after everything that’s happened with Ryan Chamberlain. She says, her relationship with Nikolas was always tempestuous. Their marriage didn’t stand a chance after Ryan decided to use Esme to destroy it. Sonny asks if that’s what Ryan told her, and she says, he bragged about it, right up until she shot him. Thankfully, Mac ended his life altogether. Sonny still thinks it’s strange she hasn’t heard from Nikolas. He doesn’t like Nikolas, but between the birth of his new kid and finding out Ryan ended his marriage, he’d think Nikolas would come running back to her. But he hasn’t. So he’s going to ask her, what’s stopping him?

Michael says he’s incredibly grateful for Obrecht’s kindness, but it seems like there’s another reason she’s doing this. Willow asks if Michael is right, and Obrecht says, her fiancé is correct. She appreciates him being so direct, and will return it in kind. It’s no secret how they feel about Nina, but her niece was devastated when she found out she wasn’t a match to be a donor. So she appeals to Willow as a mother. She knows Willow isn’t ready to think of Nina as her mom, and maybe never will be. All she’s asking for is for Willow to imagine a time when maybe Nina isn’t her enemy. If she can open her heart to that possibility, that will be all the thanks she needs.

Austin says, well, this was fun. Mason got his points in, and he’s out of here. Mason tells him to go have a chitchat with his partner in crime Ava. He searched her online; she’s been around the block. She knows when it’s time to fight, and when it’s time to negotiate.

Nina tells Ashley that there shouldn’t be any more problems, but if there’s anything else, let her know; she’ll be at GH. Austin comes in, and Nina says, Ava is right over there if he’s looking for her. He says he was, and she says, he and Ava seem inseparable these days, and it makes her wonder why they’re together.

Diane says she’ll go with Janet to fill out the paperwork, and Janet says, of course (🍷). They leave, and Laura tells Spencer that they’ll do everything in their power to make sure his brother gets the best possible care. Victor says he’s going to do everything within the law, and even outside of it if necessary, to make sure Spencer gets custody of their newest Cassadine. Don’t worry. He leaves, and Laura says she’s so sorry. Spencer says he’s sorry too. His little brother shouldn’t be in a hospital nursery, and shouldn’t be shipped off to prison before he’s a month old. Like Uncle Victor said, this isn’t over.

Elizabeth says she can’t tell Esme what was in her heart. There was a time she thought Esme was incapable of loving anyone but herself. Esme says, if what Elizabeth told her is true, and she jumped off the turret at Windymere, she must have been pretty desperate, and not thinking about the baby by doing something so dangerous. Elizabeth says, they may never know, but when she surfaced, she seemed to have left the old Esme behind her. In a way, she’s been given a blank slate – Spencer walks in – a fresh start. It’s up to Esme what she does with it. Spencer tells her that he couldn’t have said that better himself, and Esme asks what he wants; to keep playing her so he can take her baby away from her? He says she has a lot on her plate now that she’ll be returning to Spring Ridge, but she says, the difference is, now she knows what he didn’t tell her. Spencer asks Elizabeth what she’s talking about, and Elizabeth says she’s going to let them work it out. She hopes they can both put aside their own needs for the sake of the baby. She leaves, and Spencer sits down. He says he doesn’t know what Elizabeth told her, but he thinks she’d be making a huge mistake if she takes the baby to prison with her. She says he needs to correct his word choice. It’s not the baby; it’s her baby. Hers, not his, and definitely not his father’s now that she knows he locked her up as his prisoner and threw away the key.

Alexis apologizes, and says, Gregory is right; it is his business. But doesn’t he think he’d feel better if he could talk to someone who cares about him? That’s what friends are for. He says he appreciates what she’s trying to do, but he’s asking her to respect his privacy. She says, if he can’t talk to her, she hopes there’s someone he can talk to, and he says, if she’s thinking about telling Chase or Finn about this… She says, they don’t know? and he says, nobody knows, and it’s going to stay that way.

Austin says, nothing like a near-death experience at the hands of two psychopaths to jumpstart a friendship. Does Nina not approve? Nina says, no, on the contrary. She thinks it’s great. Ava has been very lonely since her marriage with Nikolas blew up. She could use another good, trusted friend. Austin thanks her for the vote of confidence, and says he’ll do the best he can. She says she has to go to GH, but a word to the wise. Ava acts like she’s really tough, but she’s vulnerable inside. He says, good to know, and Nina leaves. Austin watches Ava talking to Sonny, then turns to see Austin behind him.

Willow says she’s incredibly grateful for Obrecht volunteering, and if it turns out she can be the donor, she’ll be forever in Obrecht’s debt, but it’s impossible for her to put aside everything Nina has done to her, Michael, and Wiley. She knows how much Obrecht loves Nina and would never tell her not to… Obrecht says, just as she can’t expect Willow to love her; she understands that. But ift Willow does get a second chance at life, she asks Willow to ask herself if she wants to spend it denying someone who’s been waiting their whole life to love her. Willow says she doesn’t think Nina loves her personally; she loves having a daughter. In fact, before Nina found out she was Willow’s mother, she couldn’t stand her. So this about-face seems more like it’s about Nina than about her. Obrecht says, that could describe her. Britta’s childhood was about her; her desperate need to impress Britt’s father, and to mold Britt into the daughter she desired. It wasn’t until the last few years of Britta’s life when she realized how wrong she’d been. She apologized to her daughter, and Britt mercifully forgave her. In those last years, she and Britt not only became mother and daughter, but friends. She can only wish the same for Willow and Nina, despite Nina’s shortcomings. Wow. Who knew Obrecht was one day going to turn into the voice of reason? Terry comes in, and says, the last round of tests are ready. She asks Obrecht to come with her, and promises she’ll give Michael and Willow an update as soon as she can. Obrecht leaves with her, and Michael tells Willow, let’s go home.

Ava tells Sonny that she knows she’s said it before, but she’s through with Nikolas; she means it this time. She hopes she’s seen the last of him. Austin sits at another table, and watches. Sonny says, he doesn’t like Nikolas, but it’s amazing she’s come to the same conclusion. It seemed to him that she was more afraid of Nikolas returning than staring down Ryan Chamberlain. Did Nikolas threaten her? Ava says, Nikolas didn’t threaten her. He threatened Avery.

Alexis says she thought Gregory was closer than ever to his sons, and he says he is, but his boys have enough going on in their lives without worrying about him. She says, that’s what families do. That’s what friends do. If Chase and Finn… He says, if she’s the friend she says she is, she’ll do as he asks. He heads for the door, and she says she is his friend. She’s very sorry for whatever’s going on with him, and sorry she’s upset him, but she’s not sorry for being concerned. He gives her a nod, and leaves.

Diane wonders where everyone went, and Laura says, to their separate corners. Diane says she did some checking, and there’s nothing to prevent Esme from taking the baby to Spring Ridge, for the short term. Laura says she understands Esme’s desire to keep her baby close to her, but given her history, this is very complicated. What are Spencer’s chances of gaining custody of his little brother? Diane says she’s spoken to Spencer about this. Michael Corinthos was able to gain custody of his little sister Avery, and Spencer and Michael are very similar in terms of resources, so there is precedent. However, it would be so much better if Spencer could get Esme to cooperate.

Spencer asks if Elizabeth told Esme that she was his father’s prisoner, and she says, as if he didn’t know. He swears it’s all new information to him. It would explain why she was missing for so long, but he wonders, if it’s true, how would Elizabeth know? She says, never mind. He’ll find out soon enough. And so will the judge, and there will be no way they’ll take her baby away from her. He says, if she truly cares about her son the way he thinks she does, she doesn’t want her baby raised in a prison. She wants him to be with a family that loves him very dearly. She says, her son’s name is Ace, and she doesn’t need lessons in love from him. He talks a good game just like Nikolas did, but he’s no better than his father. (Ouch!) It’s because she loves her son that she won’t let Spencer anywhere near him.

Elizabeth walks toward the hospital exit, and Victor says, she can run, but she can’t hide. She says she doesn’t have time for this. She has to go home to her boys. He says he does admire her maternal instinct. Is that what prompted her to throw in with his nephew to keep Esme prisoner? He has plenty of evidence proving she helped Nikolas keep Esme captive, and he’ll send it to the authorities unless she tells him where he might find Nikolas. She asks, what makes him think she knows? and he says, that’s the way she wants to play it? Don’t say he didn’t warn her. He starts to walk away, and she says, no, she’s warning him. In a short time, his so-called evidence will be worthless, and he’ll have no power over her. But good luck with finding Nikolas. She walks out, the doors making a satisfying swishing sound. Not. Victor’s. Day.

Sonny asks what Ava means about Nikolas threatening their daughter, and she says she means he said he’d try to take Avery away from her, which is ridiculous, right? He has zero chance in court. It’s an empty threat meant to wound her, and it did, but don’t give it a second thought. Nikolas is gone. He’s left Port Charles, and probably left the country. Sonny says, it’s one thing to threaten him or Ava, but if Nikolas threatens their daughter in any way, he’ll find Nikolas; he doesn’t care where he’s hiding. Ava tells him to please let it go, but Sonny says, if Nikolas has anything over her, he can help.

Michael wheels Willow to the elevator, and he asks if she’s okay. She says she’s just thinking about what Aunt Liesl said. If she’s lucky enough to get a second chance at life, she needs to start thinking about how she wants to spend it… and if Nina has any part in it. Nina comes out of the elevator, and she and Willow look at each other.

Tomorrow, TJ asks Molly if they’re having a baby; Willow wants to talk to Nina about something; Sonny needs Olivia’s help; and Dex tells Michael that Sonny might be on to him.

Below Deck

Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. Captain Lee says, it feels goddam good to be back. He feels better than a dog having its belly rubbed. In Ben tells Ross that it’s been an emotional roller coaster with the captain gone and then coming back, while Camille is pulling at his heartstrings. Ross thinks they should get a discount on end of the season counseling. Rachel hugs Captain Lee, and in her interview, she says she likes Captain Sandy and has mad respect for her, but she loves Captain Lee. He means a lot to her as a person. She says she’s glad he’s back, and he says he’s glad to be back. The captain radios Fraser to come to his quarters. They hug, and Captain Lee asks, how are things? Fraser says, good, and tells the captain that a new crew member arrived about an hour ago; she was a chief stew on her last boat. Rachel explains to Leigh-Ann that the guests want tropical cocktails. Leigh-Ann tells Hayley that she knows Ben, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, the plot thickens. It’s going to be horrific. She laughs and says, poor Ben. Fraser says, the steel drummer is coming at two, and they have a cocktail pairing tonight. In his interview, he says he’s never done a pairing before, but they have to cater to all the guests’ needs. Rachel says, they’re having a Caribbean lunch, and Hayley tells Leigh-Ann about Camille. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says she’s disappointed. She’s never been in a situation where there was another girl before. But they’re in yachting; how serious can it be? Fraser asks how long Leigh-Ann was on her last boat, and she says, four years; she was chief stew at the end. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s concerned about how much experience his new crew member has. She’s was a chief stew longer than he’s been, but it’s his boat now. If she jumps in and does what she’s told, they’ll have no issues. The captain radios for everyone to come to the Sky Lounge.

Captain Lee says, it’s a little different, but it’s great to be back. He thanks them for cooperating with Captain Sandy. She did him a solid by filling in. In his interview, the captain says, he was madder than a pissed on chicken, and he’d be goddamned if didn’t finish what started. Everyone welcomes him back, and he says, let’s get after it. Last minute touches are done to the boat, and the guests arrive. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s met a lot of frat boys in Miami. They’re loud and obnoxious. It’s like she’s back in south Florida. The captain says, Fraser will give them the tour, and they’ll get underway. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says, being behind the wheel again is great; it’s where he belongs. It’s like riding a bike, but a big bike. One of the guests says his Wi-Fi password is s*ckmyd*ck. I understand this, since I have some questionable passwords involving eBay. Fraser tells Leigh-Ann that she’s going to be on bar, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, the guests have requested a seafood extravaganza paired with beverages. They’re going to be hammered. Guests don’t pair well with pairing menus. The guests say, blah-blah- blah mortgage business, and in Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says, she’s stressing her t*ts off. She’s just jumped on, and doesn’t know Rachel’s cooking enough to do a cocktail match. She and Fraser come up with drinks together, and in her interview, she says, fake it til you make it. That’s what she’ll be doing until she knows where everything is. She’s taking it by the balls and winging it.

The drummer arrives, and plays as the guests sit down to lunch. I’m not sure why anyone would want to have a steel drummer playing as they sit down to eat; it sounds like it would be annoying. Primary Jake says, they’re off to a good start. Everyone had better be the happiest they’ve ever been. Fraser says, it’s going to be a heavily fueled meal, and Rachel introduces first course – some kind of heirloom tomato soup that sounds wonderful, until I hear it’s being paired with a gin/elderflower tonic and my stomach turns. In Hayley’s interview, she says, cocktail after cocktail; things are going to be broken later. She hopes not her or her soul. The captain sees nothing but wind, and sighs. In Ben’s interview, he says he has a connection with Camille, and they’re going to see each other in the Dominican Republic after the season ends. He’s also developed a connection with Leigh-Ann online, and needs to tell them about each other. He fake cries. Ross tells the captain that he’s going to follow the guests when they use the jet skis, and Captain Lee says, if it gets too crazy, let him know. He thinks the guests will be fun, but it’s going to be a long night. Leigh-Ann tells Ben that she’s on nights, and he says, so is he. She tells him that he’ll have to fill her in on the juicy parts. He admits he hooked up with one of the stews, and he’s sad she left, and in Tony’s interview, he says, the ghost of Camille, plus the sexual tension between Ben and Leigh-Ann has been going on a long time. It’s going to be just boom. He hopes not in the cabin.

Captain Lee joins the guests for dinner, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s time to celebrate. She can’t wait to knock Captain Lee’s socks off. The pièce de resistance is salt encrusted branzino. At the table, the captain explains how you’re not allowed to bring a banana on a fishing boat. It’s bad luck, and you won’t catch any fish. Too bad he doesn’t explain what the logic, or lack thereof, is. Rachel brings out the entire fish, takes it out of the salt, and the guests are served at the table. One of the guests says she’s Jake’s sister-in-law, and within one year, Jake and her sister dated, moved in together, got engaged, and were expecting a baby. In Fraser’s interview, he says, it’s strange that the primary is sharing a cabin with his sister-in-law. He has no idea who these people are, and what their situations are after dark, but something doesn’t add up. The captain says, his wife claims they met through friends, but he doesn’t remember the first time they met. That’s what it’s going to say on his tombstone: you should have remembered me the first time. In Katie’s interview, she says, Ben doesn’t know what to do, and laughs. Her connection to Ross is getting stronger, and more serious. In Ross’s interview, he says, he’s happier when he’s having sex, but it hasn’t been regular enough recently. By that, I’m guessing he means ten times a day. The guests get in the hot tub, and Leigh-Ann and Ben talk about the first messages they sent. Drinks and sandwiches are served, and in her interview, Leigh-Ann says she’s never seen anyone drink so much. She loves margaritas, but this is next level. In Ben’s interview, he says, it’s time to get them to bed; they’re a pain in the bum. Guest Angel slips and falls, but he’s good. Ben texts Leigh-Ann that he’s so glad he met her, and she says, her too. Guess he’s not that head over heels for Camille.

In Fraser’s interview, he says he didn’t finish university, and felt like a failure. He still gets incredibly insecure, even though he knows what he’s doing is working. He’s still the baddest bitch on board. Ross tells the captain that the guests are keen to do a beach set-up, and in the captain’s interview, he says he wanted to be back. Now he’s back to the same goddam wind. They don’t call it the Windward Islands for nothing. Ross says he thinks wherever they put the gazebos, they’re going to disappear, and Fraser suggests having games at the beach with drinks and snacks, then lunch back on the boat. In his interview, Fraser says, he’s learned the hard way that his responsibility is to lead and delegate. Angel says he woke up covered in bruises, and the others tell him that he fell, but he doesn’t remember. Katie, Ross, and Ben leave to set up on the beach, and breakfast is served. Angel asks if Hayley is a ninja; she’s way too quiet. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says she thinks Fraser is challenging her. She’s had to learn everything the hard way. Her parents divorced when she was 8, and she eventually dropped out of school to lead the beach bum life, but she couldn’t do the surfer bum lifestyle. In Fraser’s interview, he says, Jake’s wife is in Chicago with the babies. Interesting. Ben radios the boat, and says they need gazebos because of the heat. In Ross’s interview, he says, since Leigh-Ann has joined the crew, he’s noticing a slight power struggle and the slightest tension. Fraser tells Ross that someone (i.e. Leigh-Ann) has been getting their chief stew boots on. People shouldn’t be getting creative; that’s his job.

Angel doesn’t even look at Fraser as he barks an order, and in the pantry, Fraser says, Angel is a bleepity-bleep. Hayley says, he just noticed? Gazebos are brought to the beach, and in Katie’s interview, she says she thinks it’s weird how Leigh-Ann and Ben have been flirting. Ben isn’t being truthful. He’s obsessed with Camille – we flash back – and needs to come clean. He’s creating feelings, and Leigh-Ann is going to be crushed. He can’t have his cake and eat it too. Fraser tells Hayley that Angel, aka Satan, is a horrible man who didn’t even look him in the face when he placed a drink order. Rachel tells Fraser that the food is packed and ready to go, and the guests head for the beach. Hayley tells Tyler that boyfriend Joss is going back to work by the time she gets home; he’s a drill operator offshore. In Tyler’s interview, he says, his dad is an emotionless man with traditional values. Every time he sees Tyler, he asks if he has a girlfriend. Ben tells the guests that they have cornhole, and there’s going to be a sack race and a three-legged race. Angel says he hates sand. Captain Lee tells Rachel that he likes the new crew. There’s not one scintilla of animosity, and he’s loving it. It feels great coming back. In his interview, he says he’s impressed with the cohesiveness of the crew. Captain Sandy did something right. He tells Rachel that it’s not like it normally is at this point in the season. Usually, everyone’s d*cks are in the dirt dragging down. Katie asks Leigh-Ann if it’s awkward with Ben, but Leigh-Ann says she doesn’t know how Ben is feeling. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she asks why Ben is so f***ing hot.

Fraser says he has a horrible feeling the guests are hating the beach because he’s not there to make it amazing. The beach is sh*t, and the weather is sh*t. Tony says, they’ll get so wasted, they won’t know where they are, and yep, it looks that way. Fraser sets the lunch table, and makes jazz hands since he’s wearing white gloves. Camille texts Ben, and he says he misses her, but he’s working. The guests come back, and Leigh-Ann tells Ben that he’s a cool guy; she’s stoked. He fixes her collar, and in his interview, he says, they were talking every other day, and have unfinished business. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says, they’ve been chatting for over a year, and the chemistry was there. Now being with him, the chemistry is there. She’s the type of girl who goes for what she wants. Ben tells her that she’s a good flirt, and in Ben’s interview, he says he’s between a rock and a hard place. There’s going to be trouble. She’s going to be trouble. In her interview, Leigh-Ann says, she’s all in or nothing. He’d better be ready.

Next time, Angel passes out on the trampoline; Ben tells Leigh-Ann about Camille, but she decides to go for it anyway; the new primaries are bodybuilders, and Fraser says, they look intimidating.

🏖  When the awful people on Summer House aren’t being awful, they’re being boring. Danielle told Kyle that he needed to have another hard conversation with Carl, and they hugged it out. We saw everyone’s day jobs, and zzzzz… Carl met with Kyle at the newly acquired Loverboy office, and Kyle said first and foremost was their friendship. He felt bad, but it had been a slow build. Carl said he understand Kyle had to vent. but it was hard to hear from Danielle. He’d been the face of the brand and did public appearances. He felt he was wearing different hats, but not getting compensated for them. Kyle said, Carl claimed to be working 90 hour weeks, but he had a hard time figuring out if Carl was working 40 hours. Carl admitted to getting distracted, and Kyle suggested they reevaluate how Carl was spending his time. They should also rethink his title, and make sure he felt appreciated and liked what he was doing. He never wanted to let tension come between them again. In Kyle’s interview, he said their friendship came first, and he was going to do his best to support Carl as a friend and CEO. Yeah, until the next time he’s drunk.

It was a fast week, and we were back in the Hamptons in no time. Andrea was going to join them, and promised to cook dinner. The girls reminisced about the last time Andrea cooked dinner and a wine glass was thrown. We flashed back to that, and Ciara said it was not going to happen this year. The drinking commenced, and in Lindsay’s interview, she said she couldn’t be sure that Kyle was making Carl’s happiness a priority. There was no friendship in business. I kind of feel the same way. When I worked 9 to 5, I was always careful who I hung out with from work. At some jobs, it was no one. Paige wasn’t coming, since it was her brother’s birthday, and the housemates agreed their goal was to make it to the tiramisu. The girls sat outside and drank, while the guys cooked inside and drank. Danielle told Lindsay about bonding with Gabby over their mutual ex, and Lindsay told them that Carl and Kyle had talked. Carl appreciated it, and it cleared the air, but there still seemed to be no clear solution. Gabby asked if it affected Lindsay and Amanda’s relationship, and Lindsay told them that Amanda said Carl worked for her. She’d been supporting Loverboy more than Amanda, and had stayed sober – although not right now – to support Carl. Yet Amanda said she was manipulating her boyfriend. Inside, Andrea told the guys, when you taste food, you should taste passion.

The housemates gathered to eat, and Andrea said, everyone was beautiful, and he toasted to life and love in Italian. He said, last year, they’d talked about love and cried. This year, he wanted to know how they keep it sexy in the bedroom. Lindsay said, Carl loved zebras and she had these zebra boy shorts… but no one wanted to hear it. Then there was a bunch of TMI that I didn’t want to hear. After dinner was finished, Andrea jumped up, and said they were going to South Hamptons Social for dancing. Apparently, Sam is a talker, and Mya said she wasn’t telling Sam to be quiet and wasn’t coming for her, but enough already. Sam said, it’s a me thing. She couldn’t shut up, and no one wanted more of her. She cried, and Mya said there was more to her than that. Zzzzz…

They go out, but apparently it was so boring, we barely saw the club, and they were back at the house. They did the same boring dancing and drinking there, except for Lindsay and Carl, who turned in early. In Lindsay’s interview, she said, this summer was different from the last one where she was drunk every weekend. Now she had what she needed at the end of the night; it was right here in the room. Drunk Kyle made a solo trip to the kitchen looking for the goddam cookies. Then he toddled into Danielle’s room. As much as they could, they talked about their argument, and Kyle said he’d been puzzled at Carl’s behavior. Carl was caught up in his relationship, but Kyle swore he loved that. In Danielle’s interview, she said she knew being a couple made things different, but she wasn’t sure how different. She and Lindsay had been inseparable. We flashed back to that, and she said, when Carl came along, they were the tres amigos. Now it was just Lindsay and Carl. it was hard to figure out where she fit in.

Sam called her mom Kristine, and said she was in a house full of big personalities, and felt like she loved the sound of her own voice. One of the girls said she needed to pull it back, and she was too much for everyone. In Sam’s interview, she said, when she was in college, she dated an older man who drummed it into her that she was too much, and she was insecure about that. Kristine said, Sam was used to filling the space. She had to think balance, but be who she was. Kyle told some of the guys that he thought they could have had more fun last night, and he’d come to the conclusion that Carl… had a voice in his ear. I swear, I’m going to scream if I hear him say that one more time.

Ciara talked to Kyle about Amanda, and said she’d given an amazing tea party. She’d talked about her fertility journey, and that she hadn’t had a period for nine months, but was apprehensive about going to the doctor. Ciara was concerned. Women’s health wasn’t her specialty, but as a nurse, she didn’t want someone to take a chance when they wanted to be a mom. Kyle said it would be soul crushing if they found out they couldn’t have kids. Although a possible relief to the rest of the world.

The housemates had a slumber party, and Amanda pulled down Kyle’s pants showing his bare ass. This I can never unsee and I’m scarred for life. The guys were gifted with matching PJs, and Kyle talked to Amanda, who said she was scared. She didn’t want to know. Kyle said she needed to communicate, and she said she didn’t want to talk about her reproductive system anymore. I didn’t want to hear about it either. Danielle said they were going to play a game called Stir the Pot. You picked a card, and the question on it had to be answered. No surprise, it was mostly sex questions. Lindsay’s card read, who would you be most afraid to break up with, and everyone said, her. We flashed back to Lindsay screeching at various boyfriends, including Carl. Danielle’s card asked who she trusted the least, and she said, in a curveball, you can’t see what’s coming sense, she’d go with Amanda. Amanda started crying and walked out, saying, that felt personal.

Danielle said that it felt like Amanda was only her friend sometimes, and Ciara asked if something specific had happened. Lindsay said Amanda claimed she’d been manipulating Carl, and Danielle said there had been undertones of tension, but she didn’t understand why. Ciara said not every battle had to be Danielle’s. Lindsay whined that Amanda said she’d tainted Carl, who worked for her. Everything she did was wrong. Kyle said he was over this sh*t, and looked for Amanda. Amanda wandered past mumbling, and said she was going to bed. She told Kyle that she was done, and he said he was tired of this bullsh*t. Like a sabretooth tiger, he was going to go lose his mind. Whatever that meant. Danielle said she didn’t mean to stir the pot, and Lindsay pointed out that was literally the name of the game. Kyle came back, and said, Amanda had apologized to Danielle, who never responded. She was a master manipulator, and his wife deserved better. Danielle didn’t think they should do this here and now, and in Kyle’s interview, he said they didn’t know the real side of that evil conniving bitch. Kyle told them that his wife was the nicest person, but they were bitches who got in the way, and it made him sick. He stomped out, which he’s made into a lifestyle brand, and Danielle told Carl to say something. Kyle was being an a-hole. Like this was something new. Kyle stood in front of the house, and yelled, f*** everybody for giving Lindsay Hubbard so much power!

To be continued…

… aren’t you glad?

💃🏽 In Appreciation Of All Women…

Come on down tomorrow for some soap and the latest in New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay lifting each other up, and stay making sure honest questions get honest answers.

February 27, 2023 – The Hunt For Nikolas Begins, Cheap Beauty Queens Who Want Everything On Deck, Awful Kyle Storms Out But Won’t Stay Out & I Know

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Jordan says, he failed to mention he was attacked by The Hook killer last year… Curtis knocks at her office door, and she tells him to come in. She says, do a record search and see if Mr. Cassadine purchased a burner phone in the week before February 7th. It’s possible he’s been planning his disappearance for a while. She asks if Curtis shouldn’t be at the airport, but he says, there will be no honeymoon in Tuscany. At least not for him and Portia.

In her dorm room, Trina looks at a wedding photo of her, Taggert, and Curtis on her phone, when Josslyn comes in. She asks if Trina heard. Heather Webber is The Hook killer, and she’s Esme’s mom. And Ryan Chamberlain is her dad. If she hadn’t caused so much damage, she’d feel bad for Esme. No wonder she’s the way that she is. Trina says, yeah, right? and Josslyn asks if she’s not relieved it’s over. Trina says, sure. One horror story ends, and another horror story begins. She zeroes in on Curtis in the photo.

Dante wonders why Elizabeth didn’t come forward sooner, and Scotty says he advised her to be quiet. Dante says, he had her sit on information that could help them in a multiple homicide investigation? but Scotty says his job is to protect his client… at whatever cost.

On the phone, Elizabeth asks Finn if she made a mistake turning herself in, but he says, she did the right thing. He admits he had his reservations, but they offered her immunity. She says she’s afraid they’re going to take the deal back when they hear what she did.

Ava goes to Austin’s room, and he says, hey, how was your night?

Spencer tells Laura, Esme used him on Ryan Chamberlain’s orders. This was all one big manipulation. Where is his father? Why isn’t he here right now? Because Esme just gave birth to his child. She says she wishes she knew, but he says, she knows as well as he does that his father would be here were it not for him.

Heather asks if Esme isn’t going to say hello to her mother. The guard suggests Heather be escorted back to the PCPD, but Esme says, wait. She wants Heather to stay.

Trina tells Josslyn, last night after the reception, her mom told her that her dad might not be her dad. She’s been lying to Trina her entire existence. She keeps hoping it’s a nightmare she’ll wake up from, and everything will be back to normal. Josslyn says she’s so sorry. Did she tell Trina who her real dad is?

Jordan says she’s sorry the honeymoon is off, and Curtis says, the wedding was perfect. The reception, amazing, except for Trina disappeared for most of it. Jordan asks if Trina is okay, and Curtis says, she wanted to visit her new aunt by marriage. Trina was concerned that Aunt Stella was so sick she couldn’t officiate at the wedding, and asked Laura to officiate instead. So imagine her surprise when she realized Aunt Stella wasn’t sick. He doesn’t know what Stella said to her, but it drove Trina back to the reception hot as fish grease. He can tell none of this is a surprise to Jordan, so why doesn’t he skip to the end? Trina might be his daughter.

Scotty comes into the interrogation room, and Elizabeth asks if the DA changed his mind about the immunity deal, but he says, they’re good. The ADA is going to come take down the details of what happened with Nikolas and Esme. She asks if there’s anything that could make the deal fall through, and he says, yeah. If she doesn’t give them what they’re looking for.

Molly comes into the station, and Dante asks if she was assigned Elizabeth’s case. Molly says, she was, and Dante asks how she thinks Elizabeth got mixed up with Esme, and Molly says, hopefully, she’ll tell them. Dante says, it was her decision to come forward. Apparently she wants to tell them everything she knows.

Ava tells Austin, her night was the same old.  Dinner, dancing, death match with a serial killer. He says, at least they’re on the winning side, and she says, are they? He says, Heather Webber is in custody; that’s a win. No more Hook attacks; that’s a win. He gets the dubious honor of being the final victim. He feels like a winner. She asks how he’s doing, and he says he suffered a very deep laceration, but he’s been stitched and sutured and stapled. She says she can relate, and he says, you know what else we have in common? Heather didn’t put the venom on the hook. He’s super-psyched about that. And the winning icing on the win cake? Ryan Chamberlain’s not breathing. They’re still breathing, so they’re champs. She says she’s not feeling very victorious.

Laura asks Spencer not to blame himself. If she knew where his father was, she’d make damn sure he was here right now, because Spencer shouldn’t be shouldering this burden by himself. Spencer says he deserves it. He let Ryan Chamberlain use him. Laura says, he didn’t. He believed what everyone else believed; that Ryan was suffering from Locked-In Syndrome. He couldn’t walk and couldn’t talk. Judging by Spencer’s argument, they should all feel guilty. He says, it’s not the same thing. Ryan Chamberlain used him like a weapon against his own father, and he had no idea. Laura says, that’s her point. He had no idea; he’s not to blame. He yells, of course (🍷) I’m to blame! and immediately apologizes. He says, Ryan wanted Ava all to himself, but Ryan needed to ruin his father’s life for that to happen, and couldn’t do it all on his own. He needed someone close to father, who he could manipulate for his own selfish end, and here I am. I opened the door, and I let in Esme.

Heather says, Esme looks radiant, and asks, how’s the baby? Esme says, fine, showing no expression. Heather says, boy or girl? and Esme says, boy. Heather says, her first born was a boy; Steven Lars. He would be Esme’s older half-brother. He was a beautiful baby. Born blonde – she indicates her own blonde hair – just like Esme was. How about her grandson? Esme tells her, they say the color changes, and Heather says, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that Esme and the baby are healthy and safe at last. That little baby can move beyond the tumult of his birth and on to brighter things, and meeting his grammy. Esme still shows no expression.

Ava tells Austin, Ryan manipulated everything, and was somehow able to manipulate her into killing Nikolas. It was an accident, but accident or not, it wouldn’t have happened if not for Ryan. Austin says, she’s giving the guy too much credit. He was a psychopath, but he wasn’t a psychic. She says she keeps thinking about something Ryan told her in the woods; he said they were the same. Austin says, that’s ridiculous, but she says, it’s why Ryan always felt so connected to her. And for the last two years, he was able to destroy her life from afar because of the connection he felt. Ryan was a master string puller, and was able to manipulate her, and Nikolas is dead because of it.

Laura says, Esme would have found his way to Spencer’s father whether Spencer helped or not, but Spencer says he did help. He came back to Port Charles determined to ruin his father’s life. Esme would whisper in his ear, and tell him that his anger was justified and noble. She says, his anger against his father is justified. When Nikolas came back, she was thrilled, but when she found out he deliberately stayed away for three years and let them believe he was dead, she was angry and felt betrayed. It took her a long time to get over that anger. He says he was angry too. That’s why he wanted to stay in Europe. He wanted to keep his distance, but Esme wanted to come to Port Charles. He starts to cry, and says, now he wonders if his and his dad’s relationship is broken or unsalvageable. He doesn’t know if he wanted to take revenge on Ava or not. Laura starts to cry too, and he says he’s so sorry. And now Ryan is dead, and Esme doesn’t remember, which is truly the worst part. Because it means he’ll never know. Laura hugs him.

Esme says, Heather won’t be around to meet her grandson, but Heather says, the cops will say anything to intimidate her. Don’t pay any attention. She has a beautiful little baby boy to think about now, and that’s plenty. She’s going to make mistakes because she’s a new parent. She’s still learning and it’s okay not to feel like a natural parent. For some women, that just comes later. Esme says she doesn’t know what she feels, but Heather says, that’s okay. Let the nurses do the night feeding so she can get some sleep. Don’t wish this time away, even if it’s hard; you won’t get it back. She and Esme didn’t get a lot of time together when she was a baby, and she’s always regretted that. She always kept an eye on Esme from afar. She had to. Ryan was Esme’s father.

Trina says, Marcus Taggert is her dad, and always will be her dad, and Josslyn says, she’s sorry; that came out wrong. Trina says she’s just so scared. What does this mean for her family? To her dad? He was trying to be so strong for her, but on the inside, she knows he has to be feeling as much of a mess as she is. And Curtis is supposed to be her stepdad. Who is he to her now?

Jordan says she knew Portia had concerns about Trina’s paternity. She’s more than willing to hash it all out with Curtis, but right now, she’s underwater dealing with last night’s events from Spring Ridge and Spoon Island. He says he figured as much. He really just dropped by to see if she’s sorry. She says, sorry for what? She kept herself out of matters that were none of her business. He says, that didn’t stop her from discussing it with Aunt Stella and Portia, but it stopped her from giving him a heads up. Unless she enjoyed knowing he was left in the dark again .

Molly says, the DA and Scotty have worked out a deal that grants Elizabeth full immunity. She’ll tell them everything she knows about Esme’s whereabouts during The Hook killings. She asks Elizabeth to read over the agreement with Scotty, and sign and date it. Scotty says he’s already looked at it; it looks good. Elizabeth signs and Molly sets up the recorder. Dante says he assumes Elizabeth knows where Esme was hiding, but Elizabeth says, she wasn’t hiding. Esme was imprisoned by Nikolas Cassadine.

Austin says he and Ava don’t know each other very well, but what he saw at the stables that night was a woman who had been pushed to the edge by people like Ryan Chamberlain and her ex-husband. She says, Ryan convinced Esme to work on Spencer, to gaslight her, to seduce her husband, to separate her from the people who love her. Ryan got exactly what he wanted, and she’ll pay the price for the rest of her life. He says, only if they find Nikolas’s body. What he hears her saying is, she’s done; so be done. Don’t let Ryan win. Don’t let herself be Ryan Chamberlain’s last victim.

Elizabeth says, it all started the night she ran into Esme on Pier 55, and Dante says, she called 9-1-1 and was found unconscious. Elizabeth says she was confused and disoriented, and Nikolas was standing over her, telling her to trust him. After that, she lost consciousness and woke up at GH. She didn’t tell Jordan that she’d seen Nikolas. Dante asks, why not? and she says, Nikolas was her friend and she didn’t want him to get in trouble, but later, she wondered why he put her in that position. When she went to confront him, Esme was there, pregnant with his child. At the time, they both thought Esme was The Hook killer, and Nikolas was terrified she was going to hurt his unborn child. He was keeping her there against her will to protect his baby, and to keep her from killing anybody else. Dante says, except that Esme wasn’t the one doing the killings.

Jordan says, Curtis came here looking for a fight, but he says, not a fight; answers. He’s entitled to that. He might be Trina’s father. Doesn’t she think that’s important for him to know? She says she doesn’t know if he is or not, and neither does Portia. She begged Portia to come clean, and reminded Portia of how her dishonesty broke up her and Curtis’s marriage, but she woudn’t budge. She said it was her business, not Jordan’s, so what was she supposed to do? Curtis asks, how long has she known Trina might be his daughter?

Josslyn says she can’t imagine how much it must hurt that Trina’s mother kept that secret from her, but she has to know that her mom loves her. Her dad loves her too. Josslyn knows Trina might not want to be around her mom right now, and she understands, but she is Trina’s family, for better or for worse. Trina says, right now, it feels incredibly for worse, and Josslyn says she’s sorry. She wishes there was something she could do to make things better. Trina says she does too, and Josslyn says she loves and supports Trina, and has her back. They hug, and Josslyn says she just wishes she was there when Trina found out, but Trina says she wasn’t alone. She was with Spencer. She doesn’t know what she would have done if she hadn’t been with him.

Spencer says he’s trying so hard; trying to take responsibility for his actions, trying to build a stable home for his baby brother; trying to be a better man than his father. (Well, that’s a pretty low bar.) The reason his father is gone is because he let himself be manipulated by a psychopath. Laura says, but he pulled himself back from the brink. He recognized that Esme framed Trina; then he broke up with her. He even managed to make some sort of peace with Ava. In her book, that makes him a good person. Maybe even one day, a great person. He doesn’t have to just stop blaming himself. He needs to stop feeling sorry for himself, because they can’t change what happened. The best they can do is learn from it. He wonders what he’ll learn from this, and she says, think before you act. Examine your motives. Take responsibility for what he did wrong, but also what he did right. Wisdom is acquired, and wisdom takes time. But right here, right now, there’s an innocent baby boy who desperately needs their help.

Heather says she can’t wait to hold her little grandson. To sing him songs, read him stories. Esme wonders how that’s going to happen, and Heather says, Esme and the baby will be transferred back to Spring Ridge, and in the State of New York, you can keep the baby up to 18 months; she checked. So she’ll get transferred back there too. Esme asks, how? and Heather says she’s pretty good at working the system. They’ll all be there together. Esme will protect her baby, and Heather will protect Esme. That’s what this whole thing was for; they’ll finally be together. Heather will be an excellent grandparent – her voice breaks – she promises Esme. Esme says, never. This is the last time Heather will see her, and she promises Heather will never, ever get anywhere near her baby.

Trina says, Spencer was there for her last night at her lowest time, and Josslyn says she still thinks Spencer is a jerk, but he has a way with words. Trina says, not just words, and Josslyn asks what that means. Trina says, she and Spencer kissed, and they giggle.

Curtis asks when it first crossed Jordan’s mind that he might be Trina’s father, and she says, about two years ago. It was the night she and Portia got trapped in that basement. She was semi-conscious from the leaking gas, and Portia thought she was passed out; Portia thought they were dying. She mentioned Trina’s father, and it sounded like she had a question about paternity. She asked Portia about it later, and Portia brushed her off. Then a few months ago, she overheard Portia on the phone ordering genetic tests for Trina, around the same time Curtis was being tested for schizophrenia markers. Again she asked Portia about it, Portia told her to back off, and she did. Curtis says, or did she give the information to Aunt Stella, hoping she’d use it to blow up his wedding? but Jordan says, Stella figured it out all on her own, and brought what she suspected to her. She had no choice but to confirm Stella’s suspicions. He says, of course (🍷) she did, and Jordan says, if she had any desire to interfere in his relationship, she could have done it months ago. He has every right to his anger and pain, but no right to say anybody set out to hurt him. Not Portia, and definitely not her.

Molly asks, what was Nikolas’s intention after Esme gave birth? and Elizabeth tells her, he said he was going to take care of the baby himself. Meanwhile, Esme was insisting she wasn’t The Hook killer, but Elizabeth didn’t believe her, especially after all the horrible things she’d already done. Scotty says, like recording Elizabeth’s son and his girlfriend having sex and posting it on a website; like framing Trina Robinson. Dante thanks him, and says, they know. He asks Elizabeth to continue, and she says, once Esme was locked in Windymere, the killing stopped… until… Dante says, Cabrera was slashed with a hook, and Molly says, Heather Webber killed the exotic animals dealer as well. Elizabeth says she told Nikolas that they had to let Esme go. Because of their actions, the police were focusing on Esme, not the real killer, but he insisted he just wanted to keep Esme until she gave birth. Then she started to fear Esme’s life was in danger, but before she could do anything, Esme jumped from the tower. It’s a miracle she and the baby survived. (Like it hasn’t happened before. More than once.)

Esme asks the officers to get Heather out, and Heather begs to stay. Whatever Esme wants, she’ll do it. Esme says, Heather has killed people; does she even understand that? Heather says, people who hurt Esme. She was only ever trying to protect her, like any good mother would. Esme says, Heather thinks a good mother is protective? She thinks Heather is right. She thinks a good mother protects her child, and she’s going to protect her child by keeping him the hell away from Heather. The officers start to drag Heather away, and she says, all she wanted was to be a mother to Esme. Esme says, her father is dead, and as far as she’s concerned, her mother is dead too.

Elizabeth says, she was convinced once Esme showed up in town, she and Nikolas would be caught, but then Uncle Victor swooped in to help Nikolas by destroying any evidence of Esme’s imprisonment in the north tower. Molly says, and she has no information on Nikolas’s current whereabouts? but Elizabeth says she’s sorry; she doesn’t. Molly gets up, and thanks her. She tells Dante that she’d like to speak to him in private, and Elizabeth says, that’s it? Molly says, they’ll let her know if they want to speak with her again, and Elizabeth asks, what about the immunity? Molly says, that’s the agreement, and Elizabeth says, even if she doesn’t deserve it? Scotty looks like he might have a heart attack.

Laura says, all Spencer can do right now is really take care of himself, so he can take care of that little baby until his father comes back. He thanks her, and says, she always gives good advice. She tells him that she’s going to say this as many times as she has to until he hears it. He’s not responsible for what Ryan Chamberlain did to this family. He says, his father would still be here if he hadn’t pushed him away, but she says, that’s not true. His father is a grown man who made his own choices. Unfortunately, some of those choices were bad. Spencer says, there’s still nothing he wouldn’t give to see him walk through that door right now. She tells him that she loves him, and he says he loves her too.

Ava tells Austin that she doesn’t want to be Ryan’s final victim, but her present situation is compromised. The police are already suspicious. They asked her what he was doing at Windymere last night, and she said she didn’t know. He says, Felicia asked him the same question. He had a really good answer for her. Ava says, care to share? but he says, no. He thinks it’s more believable if he doesn’t tell her. Glass half full; this is what’s going on. The police are busy looking for Heather Webber, he’ll get out of here soon, then they’ll go back to Windymere… She says, and move Nikolas’s body? and Austin says, that’s right. There’s a knock at the door, and she jumps. He tells her, relax, and calls, come in. Finn walks in, and Ava smiles at him.

Josslyn says she’s glad Spencer came through for Trina, and Trina says, the joy is just falling off her in waves. Josslyn says she’s happy that Trina’s happy. Just take things slow. Trina says, right now, she only has so much headspace for romance. Most of it is filled with what she’s going to say to her mom when Portia finally tracks her down. Knowing her, it’s going to be sooner rather than later.

Jordan asks if this is what Curtis really wants to be doing; fighting with his ex-wife about who knew what and when? Shouldn’t he be talking to Portia? He says he has. He doesn’t know what happened. They sit down, and he says, one minute, he was this happy newly married man; the next minute, he’s canceling his honeymoon and picking up the pieces of his life. She asks if he’s spoken to Trina, but he says, Trina does not want to talk to him. She’s already accused him of trying to replace her dad. Maybe she’s right. He’s grown to care for that young lady so much. He looked forward to her coming home from college; listening about her classes and art projects. Wanting to keep her safe when The Hook killer was still out there. Now she finds out he might be taking the place of the father she adores. Jordan asks if anyone’s brought up a DNA test. What if he is Trina’s biological father? Her phone dings, and she says, the ADA wants to talk to her. She has to go. He says he’ll see himself out, and she goes to the door. She tells him, regardless of what happened, Trina needs to know she can count on him, and she leaves.

Molly asks if Elizabeth has anything more to say, and Scotty says, she doesn’t. Elizabeth says she’s good, and Molly leaves. Dante says, Elizabeth came forward and owned up to some mistakes she made. Not everyone would do the same thing. He leaves, and finds Molly in the squad room, telling Jordan, according to Elizabeth, Nikolas committed a serious crime. Jordan asks, any reason to doubt her story? and Dante says, none at all. They didn’t even know she was involved. She could have stayed silent, but came forward out of sincere desire to do the right thing. Jordan asks if she has any idea where Nikolas is, but Dante says, no. He thinks with Nikolas’s wealth and connections, he could be anywhere.

Ava says she was just thanking Austin for last night, and Finn says, they’ve both been through an ordeal. No toxins were found in Austin’s bloodwork, so once his wound heals, he’ll be good to go. Austin thanks him, and Finn tells Ava that he’s sorry to hear Nik skipped town. Classy move, leaving your wife stranded on an island with a crazy person. Ava says, ex-wife. Who told him that Nikolas skipped town? Was it Elizabeth? He says, poor choice of words, and Ava asks, how is Elizabeth? She gave such a beautiful toast at Curtis and Portia’s wedding (they keep rubbing it in that I missed something). Is she working today? She would love to tell her in person. She asks if Elizabeth is working on another floor, but Finn says, he wouldn’t know. He has another patient to see, but if Austin has any questions, Austin knows where to find him. He jets, and Ava closes the door. Austin says, what? and she says, there goes our breathing room. We’re out of time.

Laura and spencer get to Esme’s room as Heather is being dragged out, yelling, you’re making a mistake. You need your mother. She sees Laura, and says, you. This is all your fault. They could have shared their grandson. They could have been grammies together, but no. Laura wanted that baby all to herself. That’s why Laura had her dragged out of Windymere, so Laura could fill her daughter’s head with lies about her. Laura says she wanted Esme to give birth in peace, without any added stress from Heather, and Spencer stealthily walks toward Esme’s door on the other side of the hallway. Laura says, Heather’s the same as she always has been. She’s selfish, unfeeling, and dangerous.

Spencer goes into Esme’s room, and Esme sits up. She asks, how’s Ace? How’s her baby boy?

Scotty says, Elizabeth did a great job, and she thanks him, but says she doesn’t feel completely unburdened. She doesn’t know how she’s going to live with herself for aiding and abetting Nikolas. He says, he’s probably in the Bahamas, soaking up the sun, but they’ll catch up with him eventually. She says, and when they do, they’re going to throw the book at him, aren’t they?

Molly tells Jordan that she’ll have to recuse herself from the case. Nikolas is her cousin, and he’s been accused of a serious crime. She’ll notify Robert and ask him to take over. Jordan asks her to tell Robert that they’re working with the state police to hunt down Mr. Cassadine, and Dante says, it keeps coming back to Nikolas. Molly suggests they start on Spoon Island. Victor may not have destroyed all the evidence that corroborates Elizabeth’s story. Dante says, they have to start that search immediately if they have any hope in finding what’s left to be found.

Ava finds Finn, and says, Elizabeth is at the PCPD, isn’t she? He says, good luck to her, and keeps walking. She runs back into Austin’s room, and tells him to unhook himself from all those machines, and get dressed. He asks, what’s going on? and she throws his clothes on the bed, saying, he’s checking himself out. He says, right now? Why? She says, because the entire Port Charles police department is about to descend upon Spoon Island. Only this time, they’re going to be looking for Nikolas.

There’s a knock at Trina’s dorm room door, and she says she doesn’t have time to deal with her mom. She ignores it, but it becomes more persistent, so she answers. It’s Curtis.

Esme asks if Spencer saw her baby, and he says, he’s amazing. She says, of course (🍷) he is, and he says, he and his grandmother are going to take very good care of him while she’s in prison. She says she thought she got to keep him, and he says, in prison? How’s that going to work? The arrangements have been made. No expense will be spared. She can trust her baby will be in good hands… while she’s in prison.

Heather says, Laura is stealing her daughter and her grandson, and has the audacity to call her selfish and unfeeling? Laura says, and dangerous, and Heather says she’s got that right. Laura is going to pay for this. Laura asks, how? Where Heather is going, she’ll never see the light of day again. Heather asks if she’s sure about that. The officers drag her into the elevator, and Heather says she’d watch out if she were Laura. Laura hasn’t seen the last of her yet. As the elevator doors close, Heather yells that Laura better be careful, and Laura all but rolls her eyes.

Tomorrow, Trina says she and Curtis will have to agree to disagree: Elizabeth asks if Scotty thinks it will really make a difference; and Sasha says, that would be the worst thing that could happen.

Below Deck

In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Captain Lee is feeling better, and coming back. She’s not sharing it with the crew until he makes it back. Once he’s on the island, she’ll let them know. The dinner table is declared an explosion of beauty and fire. In Fraser’s interview, he says, they’re a stew down on a big boat. The guests are wonderful, but they’re a lot of work. He needs a new stew quick, and needs them to be good. Rachel’s dinner is American steakhouse themed. She feels it goes with 80s night, where the guests will be waving glowsticks and dressing in weird outfits. Captain Sandy is worried about docking the boat, since the wind is up to 35 knots. In her interview, she says, it kicks up the swell, and she gets concerned about an anchor drag. There’s danger of landing on the rocks, and she doesn’t sleep when the wind is like this. Hayley says, the cabins are an absolute sh*tshow, and Rachel says, it’s all annoying. In Rachel’s interview, she says, guest Laquish is getting her 24 karat gold steak. The gold has no taste, but visually, the presentation is fantastic. She’s also decided to give everyone gold dust on theirs. Hayley asks Tyler when he realized he was gay, and says she thought she was gay for a while. In her interview, she says she had a severe obsession with Geri Halliwell. If she’d known where Geri lived, she would have hidden in her garden. Her dad took her to see the Spice Girls when she was nine, and she dressed up like Geri in a Union Jack dress. She looked like a dwarf prostitute [sic]. We see a photo, and she says, her dad must have wondered why his daughter looked like a small sex worker. The guests change into their 80s outfits, and in Fraser’s interview, he says, 80s fashion was great  because it got left there, and can be appreciated from afar. Laquish yells, time to party like a rock star! and Tyler says, it’s been a long freaking day. But everyone still goes to bed earlier than anyone would have in the 80s.

It’s Hayley’s birthday, and she says, today is about her and only her. In Katie’s interview, she says she loves Tony. He has a great heart, but sometimes she has to encourage him to get things done. It’s frustrating because they’re a team, and should all work equally. In the captain’s interview, she says she’s witnessed a change in Fraser; he’s happy and engaged, and got himself out of the abyss. He’s showing action, and she’s proud of him. Tony gripes to Ben about Katie bossing him around, and in Ben’s interview, he says, Katie is very much her own woman, but Tony is a free-spirited island boy. She can’t tell him what to do; he’s going to explode. Captain Sandy sends Fraser an encouraging text, saying, she sees that he’s in it to win it, and his character is shining through. Fraser tells the captain that it means a lot, and she says, he’s learning and it’s an epic thing for him. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says the wind is down to 13 knots, and 13 to 18 is her window. Breakfast orders are taken, and in the galley, Rachel says, mother***ing ass bitch, about everyone’s different dietary restrictions. They head for Rodney Bay Marina, a thunderstorm beginning, and in her interview, the captain says, it’s never fun to dock during a storm; it can be dangerous. The wind can push them off the dock, and she has rocks portside. She needs the bow line, and it’s on Ben. Ben has to make a big-ass throw, and does it on the first try.

Breakfast is served, and the captain follows up with Norma about getting another stew. Laquish asks for a number of things, including a pear, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, here we effing go again. She’s asking for anything… In Fraser’s interview, he says, everything. Who wants a pear? Hayley says, I’ll pull it out of my ass for you, and Fraser says he’s going to put it on Laquish’s head. At the breakfast table, Laquish repeats, I don’t care, a million times, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, eat my cooter is how she feels. She’s done. On behalf of the Queens, primary Laura presents Captain Sandy with a cape to protect her future endeavors, a crown to show her status, and a scepter for disciplining bad behavior. They see the guests off, and Laura thanks them for the wonderful time, and thanks Rachel for keeping them thin. She looks forward to seeing them again, and everyone does the wave. Fraser says, thank God it’s over and done with, and Laquish wanders around the dock. In Hayley’s interview, she says, Laquish has no idea where she’s going; like a fart in the wind. Ben tells Ross about Katie bossing Tony around when they’re on the same level. The crew gathers for the tip meeting, and Captain Sandy asks how they think it went. Fraser says, it’s been his favorite so far, because there was harmony, and the captain says, the energy on the boat changed; it was a total reset – her favorite word this season. In her interview, she says, Fraser is killing it, and tells the crew that their potential is incredible. In his interview, Fraser says, the pat on the back makes them feel appreciated. Unfortunately, the tip doesn’t reflect as much appreciation, since it’s $18,300 or $1525 each. Rachel says, okay, cool, and everyone laughs. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s the lowest tip this season. After everything they did, it was a slap in the face. The captain says, they have a charter tomorrow, and to enjoy Hayley’s birthday celebration. Ross radios Katie to meet on the sundeck, and tells her that he knows she’s proactive and assertive, but they have to respect each other. She can be bossy, and needs to wind it back a little with Tony. He’s more delicate, and it’s winding him up. She says she’s not being mean, but she works harder, and Ross tells her that Tony didn’t say anything, but someone sees it happening. She’s stepping out of line.

Ross tells Katie that they need to respect each other in their positions; it upsets people to be bossed by a peer. In Ross’s interview, he says, he hates having to reprimand a deckhand, but he has to manage correctly. It’s tough to tell Katie, and he feels slightly guilty because he crossed the line when he became romantically intimate with her. There’s a saying, don’t screw the crew, and it’s because of things like this. It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Captain Sandy meets with Ross, Rachel (ha-ha! Ross and Rachel), and Fraser. She tells them, the primary is Jake, who’s in real estate, and is the president of a mortgage broker firm. He’s bringing along business associates, and would like a steel drummer when the guests sit down for their first meal. Okay… On day two, they want some high energy games on the beach, with the crew participating. They want the yacht to feel like a nightclub where there’s a DJ and drinking. The captain thinks they’ll be a challenge on every level, and she’s working on getting another stew. Hayley calls her boyfriend, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he ordered a cake. All he could think of for decorations were Hayley’s amazing hair and a foghorn; she has one of the loudest voices. She brings so much joy and light to the boat, he wants to make her feel special. Norma texts the captain that stew Leigh-Ann will be at the boat tomorrow. Fraser talks about trying to be with girls when he was younger, and says he thinks vaginas are the devil. Maybe you had to be there, but his delivery made me literally lol. This was actually a funny episode overall.

Hayley says, a nice birthday present would be sleep. She’s going to have a couple of drinks, but she needs eight hours, or she’ll wake up a horrible person. The cake arrives, and it has her face on it with wild red icing hair. The crew gathers, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, the cake is creepy AF. Hayley thanks them for making her birthday special, and they party, drinking and dancing and drinking some more. Hayley says she couldn’t ask for a better group to share her birthday with. Katie apologizes to Tony for bossing him, but he says, no worries. In Katie’s interview, she says she doesn’t want Tony to be upset. A lot of guys don’t like taking sh*t from girls, and she’s striving to be bigger and better. In Hayley’s interview, she says she absolutely loved today. It was better than last year, but her head is going to bloody kill tomorrow. Ben and Camille text. Katie tells Ross that she was born on Friday the 13th, and he says, things are starting to make sense. Captain Sandy calls Fraser to the bridge, and says she got the wheels in motion. She shows him Leigh-Ann’s resume, and he notices she’s had chief stew experience. In his interview, he says, there are two roads. One where she comes in and doubts his authority, or one where she knows what she’s doing. Put her anywhere and she’ll be happy to assist. He hopes it’s the latter. Hayley quickly cleans the cabin she’ll be sharing with Leigh-Ann, saying, she’ll be disgusted. Leigh-Ann comes up the dock, and Fraser goes out to meet her. Ben says he thinks he knows her; they both have nudes of each other on their phones. In Ben’s interview, he says he can’t believe he knows her. You can’t write this stuff.

Ben tells the deckhands that he and Leigh-Ann met on Tinder a year ago. They’ve never met in person, but they both have nudes on their phones. They’d decided to sext, and here she is. He says, small world, and Tony says he’s going to enjoy this. In Leigh-Ann’s interview, she says, her favorite part of yachting is boys. Joking-not-joking. She’s from Cape Town, and wants to work hard so she can get to the top as soon as she can. Fraser introduces her around, and in her interview, she says she’d be described as a bit of a tomboy. She likes speed and motor sports, and the adrenaline rush of jumping out of a plane. She tells the crew that she and Ben know each other through Instagram, and Fraser says, yachting is the smallest world. Captain Lee calls Captain Sandy, and says he’ll be there in an hour, and she calls the crew to the main salon for a meeting. She welcomes Leigh-Ann, and says, this meeting is bittersweet, as she’s grown fond of them. Captain Lee is coming back. Everyone gets all wistful, and she says, when you go through the ups and downs, and climb out on top, it forms an incredible bond. She tells them that they’re special, and in her interview, she says, it was like they were in the trenches, and she’s grateful for their hard work and dedication. She tells them that they’re pretty awesome, and she’s going to miss them, and there are hugs all around. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says he’s so goddam glad be back; back where he belongs. He comes on board using a cane with an arm brace, and tells Captain Sandy that it was sciatic nerve damage. In his interview, he says he did a lot of physical therapy, and it was tough. His doctors told him that he won’t do any more damage by working, so he came back. Captain Sandy tells him that Alissa is gone because of insubordination, and in his interview, Captain Lee says, she did the right thing. If they need to go, they need to go. Captain Sandy had to deal, and made the best decision for the boat. He thanks her for bailing him out, and she thanks him for coming back and bailing her out. She radios the crew, asking if anyone can give Captain Lee a hand with his luggage. Everyone says goodbye to Captain Sandy, and in her interview, she says she hopes they shine. They’ve shown how far they can come, and hopes they walk away knowing they’re better. She finished with an excellent crew. In Fraser’s interview, he says, he and Captain Sandy had their ups and downs, but he admires and respects her. She gave him another chance. Captain Lee thanks the crew, and tells them to get their asses back to work.

Next time, a bunch of idiot guests; Tony thinks the sexual tension is going boom; and Leigh-Ann says she’s the type who goes for what she wants.

🏖 On the nonsense that is Summer House, Kyle had gone on a tirade about Carl, and when Danielle called him on bitching about something that was over a year old, he stomped out. Amanda followed him, and back at the table, Danielle said, him bringing old news up, and saying Carl was lucky to work for him, didn’t work for her. Amanda made Kyle shake it off, literally, and smile. In Danielle’s interview, she said she was excited to meet Gabby. She’d dated Gabby’s ex, and already knew who she was. Gabby told Danielle that her ex had actively cheated with her, and Danielle said she’d had no idea they’d overlapped. Apparently, the ex had been with Danielle at Coachella on Gabby’s birthday, then ghosted Danielle afterward. Gabby said she’d gotten into her ex’s social media, pretending to be him, and said, I’m a liar and cheater. Gabby was the best thing that ever happened to him, he’d wasted her time, and it was a pattern of behavior for him. Gabby said he was lucky she didn’t do anything else. Danielle and Gabby hugged, since they were best friends now, and the housemates moved on to a club, but not before stuffing French fries into their bags for later. Classy as ever. After the club, the girls went to bed, but the guys got in the hot tub, and Kyle shoved chips into his mouth.

In Sam’s interview, she said her boxing trainer, Josh, was coming. She loves muscles and tattoos, and Josh is an ex-NFL player. Her ultimate goal was to clear her roster, and she knew she had to kiss a lot of frogs. The frog tally was racking up, but she was having fun. Danielle video chatted with Carl and Lindsay, telling them about Kyle’s tantrum. She said Kyle had claimed Carl was lucky he’d kept him on, and told Carl that he deserved better. Carl said his involvement in the company was important, and Danielle said she wouldn’t work for Kyle. In Gabby’s interview, she said her sister had moved to New Orleans. She’d been Gabby’s built-in best friend and plus one. She was used to her sister being there, and felt really alone. She didn’t blame Danielle for anything, since Danielle was as much a victim of her ex as she was. She was excited to have Danielle for a friend, and it would make her ex sh*t his pants; she thrived in that space. Plus, Danielle was an amazing girl; her ex has incredible taste.

Paige said she was making a tea party for the girls, while Kyle was taking whatever guys wanted to go to a brewery. In Kyle’s interview, he said the level of estrogen was suffocating (maybe he should quite contributing to it), and he needed to do something with a bro. Paige explained an important step in sandwich making, telling the girls to always put the cheese directly on the bread with no condiments between them. Her grandpa owned a deli, and he should know. I’ll have to keep this in mind. I can’t believe I gained actual knowledge from this show, however unimportant. Paige had hired a server, so the girls kicked back, letting him do the work. They picked cards out of a teapot, and had to answer whatever question was on the card. As usual, it was mostly sex questions, and I wonder why these people are so obsessed with anal when all of them claim they’d never do it. They talked about having kids, and Amanda said she’d gone off birth control after she and Kyle got married, but she hadn’t had a period for a while, even though she wasn’t pregnant. She never thought that it wouldn’t happen naturally, but the girls were less concerned about that than why Amanda hadn’t had a period. They encouraged her to see a doctor immediately, and in Amanda’s interview, she said she hadn’t told Kyle because she didn’t love telling people things that might cause fear and concern without having answers. She probably doesn’t love telling Kyle anything that’s not good news. Or even neutral news. She probably doesn’t love telling Kyle anything.

Danielle brought up the Carl discussion, and Amanda said, in the beginning, Carl had done a lot of things other companies would have fired him for. Danielle admitted she’d talked to Carl and Lindsay, and in Amanda’s interview, she said she wasn’t mad about it, but she wanted the drama resolved and squashed. Not more tension. The girls got drunk and went to meet the guys at an outdoor space of a restaurant that had a giant Connect Four game. Oliver showed up with his friend Robert, as well as trainer Josh. Sam asked Josh what he wanted to drink, and he said he stayed away from alcohol, which means he’s probably with the wrong crowd. Danielle was itching to talk to Kyle, but Chris told her that this night was about partying, not fixing things. Danielle agreed that they were too wasted to converse, and Kyle wailed that she’d been vomiting words about him all weekend. He dared her to call Carl, but she said she already had, and – you guessed it – Kyle stormed off. In Ciara’s interview, she said, Kyle wins most dramatic, and we flashed back to his theatrical exits over the seasons. Danielle wanted to resolve it, but Paige said she didn’t need to; it didn’t involve her. Danielle was ride or die for Lindsay and Carl, but Paige never felt like it was reciprocal. She didn’t think Carl would say anything if the shoe was on the other foot, and asked if Danielle thought they gave her the same friendship.

Back at the house, Danielle said she didn’t want to see Kyle for a million years, which sounded good to me. Sam danced on the counter, and Josh watched when he wasn’t messing with his phone. In Sam’s interview, she said she was looking for a guy to jump on the counter and dance with her, not watch. They slept in the same bed, but Sam told him, no funny business. Kyle woke up Amanda at 3 am, and asked her to scratch his back. If he’d woken me up, I’d scratch his eyes out. In her interview, Sam said, on paper, Josh had the things she was attracted to; good looking, ripped, and ambitious. But she needed someone as big, bright, and loud as she was. Ciara told Danielle that she and Kyle needed to talk, but Danielle said she didn’t want to after last night. She was out and over the whole thing.

The housemates had a pool day, once again showing us that all the wrong people get the perks, and Amanda asked Sam about Josh. Sam said he was a nice boy, but she wasn’t in love with him. He’s nice and easy to talk to, so she was glad he came out, but she was hoping to thin her roster. Amanda promised that this summer, Sam would find the man of her dreams. Danielle said she was going to matchmake Gabby, since she had an intimate knowledge of Gabby’s type. Josh continued to be on his phone most of the time, and barely noticed that he’d been put in the friendzone. Kyle asked to talk to Danielle, and said he didn’t want any unnecessary anxiety. Danielle said he was nasty to her. He’d been talking smack about Carl, and it hurt her to hear it, but she didn’t want their friendship to go south because of Carl and Lindsay. She cared about them, but admitted maybe she went too hard. It shouldn’t be her and Kyle arguing. Kyle said he was sorry. She’d walked into a sensitive subject that he’s not handling well as a friend or CEO. He’d texted Carl that he’s done. The last thing he thought was that he’d be having a conversation about work during a house weekend. He was struggling, and could make it easier and fire Carl, but it made him sad. Danielle suggested he have another hard conversation with Carl, but Kyle said he didn’t know what to do. Wow. He almost had a moment of clarity.

Next time, Andrea, Carl, and Lindsay arrive; the housemates play Stir the Pot; Amanda wants to go home; and Kyle says, f*** everybody for giving Lindsay so much power.

🕺🏻 Moving Like Jagger…

Park here for a while tomorrow, and see what’s happening in Port Charles and New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay stepping away from the screen now and then, checking out the real world, and stay thinking before you act and examining your motives.

February 24, 2023 – Heather Has One Condition, New Wife, All By Herself, Sharing, Trial Desire, Two Pairs, Shady Scheana, First World Problems, Edit Err, Pets (!), Teetering On 10 Quotes & Mountain

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme holds her baby, who looks suspiciously like Baby Amelia. She says she doesn’t remember much, but she knows she’s his mommy. They have each other and that’s all that matters. Heather comes in, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and says, there’s her baby girl and her new baby. Esme says, Heather shouldn’t be here, but Heather says she’s Esme’s mother; where else would she be? Esme picks up the nurse call button, but Heather stops her, and says, Esme doesn’t want to interrupt family time. She can’t wait to start spoiling her little grandson. In fact, she’s starting right now. She reaches for the baby, and Esme sits up with a start. The guard lets Laura in, and she asks if Esme is okay. Esme asks, where’s Heather? and Laura says, she’s in custody at the police station. Esme says, please don’t let her take my baby away.

Spencer points to a baby through the nursery window, and tells Sonny, that’s his baby brother. He’s handsome, isn’t he? Sonny asks if the little guy has a name, but Spencer says, not yet. Sonny asks if Spencer is still suing for custody, and Spencer says he may not have to now that his father has disappeared.

Dex tells Josslyn that he was hired to find evidence that would put Sonny away once and for all, but he’ll tell his employer that he’s out if that’s what she wants. She says, it’s not her decision to make, but he says, let’s not make this about Sonny; let’s make this about you and me. (Huh? It’s all about Sonny.) She hates that he’s working for Sonny. How does she feel about him working against Sonny? (What I said.)

Elizabeth looks at a photo of the boys, and remembers Scotty chastising her for letting Nikolas talk her into his cockamamie plan. Cameron comes in, and she says she wasn’t expecting him this morning. He asks if she’s as freaked out as he is about Esme.

Ava asks the reception nurse if Austin is allowed to have visitors, and Mac asks why she wants to see Austin. She says, why would she want to see the man who nearly bled to death on her living room floor? Does that really seem so strange? He says, that depends. Felicia said Ava encouraged her to leave Austin behind when Heather said they could go. She says, so they could get him help, and he says, but instead, she went after Ryan with a gun. (Really, Mac? Does any of that sound strange?) She says, Austin didn’t need both of them to get him help, and she needed to confront the man who made her life a living hell. Mac’s the one who ultimately killed Ryan. He says, the world’s a better place now that Ryan Chamberlain’s dead, and she says, they agree on something. Is Mac done? He says he has a few more questions. Why don’t they start with why Austin was on Spoon Island in the first place.

Robert congratulates Jordan on catching Heather. He can assure the public that their safe, that The Hook killer’s been caught, and that she’s going away for good. She says, her people have already made progress, when Dante walks out, and says, Heather is ready to make a statement. Scotty walks in, and says, hey, Mr. D.A., but Robert asks if it can wait. Scotty says he’s about to make Robert’s life a whole lot easier.

Jordan and Robert go into the interrogation room, and Jordan says, Dante told her that Heather wants to make a statement. Heather says she does. She’s done some very bad things that she’s ready to confess. Jordan says, Heather wants to confess to The Hook attacks without a lawyer present, and Heather says she only wants to unburden her soul. Dante sets up the recorder, and tells Heather, it’s her right to have an attorney present, but she says she doesn’t want an attorney. She just wants to tell the truth. Jordan tells her, start talking, but Heather says she does have one condition.

Scotty tells Robert that he has a client with information about The Hook attacks, and they want to make a deal.

Cameron asks how long Elizabeth thinks Esme has known Ryan and Heather are her parents, but she says she has no idea. He says, she realizes, if Heather is Esme’s mom, that makes her Franco’s half-sister. When Esme moved to Port Charles, he really tried to give her a chance because Spencer was so into her. Does Elizabeth think she was working with Ryan when she was interning at Spring Ridge? Elizabeth says, before she lost her memory? and he says, what if she’s been faking this whole time? He wonders if Joss knows about everything that’s happened.

Josslyn tells Dex, Sonny was in her life for a very long time. Not as a father – she had one obviously – but as a stepfather. They were a family. Dex says, he was good to her, and she says, he was, when she was little and didn’t know about his business. He says, Sonny still considers her family. It’s one of the reasons Sonny thinks he’s not good enough for her. She says, like he has the right to judge anyone after what he’s done? He had Dex beaten and tortured, and Sonny’s hurt so many people, she can’t even count. Where does he get off thinking he’s better than anyone else? The hypocrisy of it all. He asks if that means she wants him to see it through, and see that Sonny goes to prison.

Sonny asks what Spencer means, and Spencer says he doesn’t know what to think anymore. How can someone just walk out on their child? He doesn’t even mean himself at this point. How can someone walk out on an innocent baby? Sonny says, Spencer’s not responsible for his father’s actions. Spencer can’t fix his messes. Spencer says, someone has to. His baby brother has an absent father, and a mother who’s in police custody. That little guy must feel all alone in the world. Sonny says, they can fix that.

Laura tells the guard that he can leave them alone, and tells Esme that she had a nightmare. Esme wishes that’s all it was; that she hadn’t been forced to break out of Spring Ridge, and her parents weren’t serial killers. Laura says, unfortunately, that is true, but she told Esme, Heather is in custody, and can’t hurt her. Esme asks, where’s her baby? and Laura says, in the nursery. He got a perfect bill of health despite his impromptu entrance into the world. Esme says, thank God, and thank Laura and Dr. Collins for helping bring her baby into the world. Laura says she feels lucky that she could be there for her grandson’s birth, and Esme says she just realized, she has a son. Laura asks if Esme wants her to arrange for the baby to visit, but Esme says, no; he should stay away. Laura asks, why? and Esme says, it’s not safe. Her parents are killers. For all she knows, she could be a killer too.

Heather says, what she wants is pretty simple, and Dante says, if she cooperates fully, they’ll see about her request. She says, he knows that’s not how it works, but he says, she doesn’t know how anything works, and grabs the recorder. Jordan gets up, and says, waste of time, but Heather says, fine. What do they want to know? Dante puts the recorder back, and asks if she attacked Ava in August, and she says, yes. He asks if she attacked… She says, it’s going to take all day. She’s The Hook, okay? Anyone stabbed with a hook, it was her. Jordan says, they need details, and Heather says, Ava Jerome, with a hook, at the Quartermaines. Brando Corbin, behind Charlie’s with a hook, except that was a mistake; she was really after Josslyn Jax for making her daughter’s life so miserable. Diane Miller, in the garage. The bartender, Oz Haggerty, at the docks. Nikolas Cassadine, with a hook… Dante says, wait a second, and Jordan says, she attacked Nikolas Cassadine?

Ava tells Mac, that’s one of the reasons she’s here. She wants to ask Austin how he’s doing, and why he came to Windymere last night. Mac says he didn’t know they were friends, and she says, friendly perhaps. Austin treated her after Heather attacked her at the Quartermaine picnic, but she wouldn’t say they bonded over it. He thanks her for her time, and she says she just can’t wrap her head around the fact that Spencer’s girlfriend from boarding school is Ryan and Heather’s daughter. He says, quite a coincidence, but she says, it isn’t at all. Ryan told her that he sent Esme to that boarding school specifically to ensnare Spencer. Ryan was intent on splitting her and Nikolas up, and he succeeded. Mac says, maybe now that the truth has come out, she and Nikolas can find their way back to each other.

Dante asks when Heather attacked Nikolas, but she says she doesn’t know. In the fall? It was breezy. Jordan asks where it happened, and Heather says, at Windymere. It wasn’t her finest hour; he escaped without a scratch. He’s still breathing, unlike that doctor on New Year’s Eve. Dante asks if Britt was a target, but Heather says, no. She appeared out of nowhere, and decided to play hero, and again, Josslyn Jax escaped. Everyone stood between her and protecting her little girl. Jordan says, about Officer Cabrera. A keepsake from one of Ryan’s victims was found on Rory’s person. How did it get there?

Mac asks if Ava has heard from Ryan, but she says, no, and she doesn’t expect to. Things between them had gone too far, and she’s accepted that she’s lost Nikolas for good. Ryan’s destroyed her life, again. Mac says, at least it’s for the last time, and she says she has him to thank for that. She’s just sorry she didn’t kill the bastard herself. He says, after everything Ryan has put her through, killing him would be self-defense under any circumstances, and she says, he has no idea what Ryan has taken from her.

Obviously not having read The Invader, Scotty tells Robert that his client has information on the PCPD’s number one suspect, the one and only Esme Prince. Robert says, keep going, and Scotty says, his client knows Esme’s whereabouts before she showed up at the Haunted Star, soaking wet, with child and no memories. Robert says, so this client will only divulge said information if Scotty makes deal? and Scotty says, that’s why he’s here. Robert says, if this client knows what they know because they’re an accomplice to the crime, he should be telling them to turn themselves in, and he walks away.

Elizabeth asks if Cameron has spoken to Josslyn recently, but he says, no, and he doesn’t plan to. She says she knows the break-up really hurt him, but they’ve been friends their entire lives. He says he feels like that makes it worse, and she asks if he’s hoping they can be friends again someday, but he says, with what Josslyn did… She’s not the person he thought. Maybe she never was.

Josslyn says, it would be easier to figure out how she feels about this, if Dex would tell her who he’s working for, but he says he can’t. She asks, why not? and he tells her, all he can say is, he trusts his employer. She says, and this mystery person wants to take Sonny down, and he says, it’s the whole reason he’s here. She asks how close he is, and he says he doesn’t have any solid evidence yet, but Sonny’s about to get involved with some people in arms trafficking. The plan is for him to get some evidence and turn it over to his real boss, who will turn it over to the Feds. She says her first instinct is to tell him, do it. No one’s forcing Sonny to break the law, and he’d just be reporting what he saw. But if this goes wrong, and he gets caught, that’s on him, not his mystery boss. What happens if he calls the whole thing off? Does he have to work for Sonny for real? Sonny’s not going to let him just walk away.

Esme tells Laura that Heather and Ryan want her baby for themselves. They were talking about all of these plans… Laura says, Heather is locked up, but Esme says, Heather has a revolving door in and out of Spring Ridge, and Ryan… Laura says, Ryan is dead. She’s sorry. He died last night on Spoon Island. Esme says, good. He was a monster, and she’s glad he’s dead. She was terrified of that man. Laura says, what about Heather? and Esme says, Heather kept saying she wanted to protect her, but she’s so crazy. She’s the offspring of two monsters, so she must be a terrible person. Oh my God. She did all of those things she’s accused of; the revenge porn and trying to kill that man. Laura asks if she remembers doing those things.

In the nursery with the baby, Sonny tells Spencer that his family has every right to meet this baby. Spencer says, all he wants to do now is protect him from the world, and Sonny says, it’s the most amazing thing. Spencer asks if Sonny thinks his father felt like this when he was a baby, and Sonny says he guarantees it. Spencer says, that’s good. That means he has to come back now that his new son is here. How could he stay away knowing what he’s missing? Sonny asks if Spencer is changing his mind, and Ava peeks in the window.

Laura asks if Esme remembers her past, but Esme says, no, sorry. Her memory of before she showed up on the boat is still a blank. Laura asks why she said she was guilty, and Esme says, with parents like Heather and Ryan, how could she not be? Laura says, you’re not destined to be bad no matter who your parents are. Does she think her baby is bad? Esme says, no, he’s completely innocent. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him. If she’s found guilty, she’s going straight back to prison. Laura says she hasn’t stood trial yet; let’s not jump to conclusions. Esme asks, where’s Nikolas? Why isn’t her baby’s father here?

Heather says, when she discovered she was pregnant with Esme, she left Ryan. She took this chain of trophies he had as insurance, in case he ever decided to come after her. Dante says, that was twenty years ago. How does Cabrera end up with it? She says she wore the chain during The Hook attacks because she was getting justice for their daughter. She just thought it was fitting. Dante tells Jordan, that’s the sound Josslyn heard when Brando was attacked in the alley, and Jordan says, Brando heard it too. Heather says, Cabrera surprised her. They tussled a bit, and in the struggle, he managed to grab one of the trophies off the chain, but she didn’t realize it until she got back to Spring Ridge. Jordan says, so she’s confessing to murdering six people, and attacking four others? but Heather says, it was five, not six. Brando, Oz Haggerty, the venom guy, Rory Cabrera, and that doctor, whatever they said her name was. Dante says, what about Corrections Officer Williams, who was stabbed to death when she and Ryan escaped? but Heather says, she didn’t kill him; that was Ryan. He stabbed Williams. He planned the escape. He forced her and Esme to go with him. They can’t pin this on her.

Dex says he can’t just tell Sonny that he’s not cut out for this, not without him getting suspicious, and Josslyn says, if Sonny had any idea Dex was working against him… He says, Sonny would kill him, and she says, he’s right; Sonny can never know. He says, so either he keeps working for Sonny, or he has to leave Port Charles. She asks if Dex’s mystery boss would be okay with him quitting, and he says, not okay. He’s gone to a lot of trouble to set this up (what trouble; the occasional phone call to Dex?), and he’s close to getting what he wants. But if Dex tells him that he wants out, he’ll let Dex go. She says, but that doesn’t solve anything. He wouldn’t have to spy on Sonny anymore, but he’d still have to work for Sonny; smuggle arms and commit crimes, hustle coffee or whatever it is. And if he gets caught… Dex says, he goes to prison, and she says, as long as he stays in Port Charles, he’s trapped. I guess Dex can’t possibly get another job? Like a normal one?

Cameron tells Elizabeth that he couldn’t have predicted in a million years that Josslyn would hurt him the way she did. It makes him feel like he never knew her at all. She says, it always hurts when someone you love lets you down, but it doesn’t negate what the two of you had. People make mistakes all the time – big ones – but all you can do is come clean, and deal with the consequences. He asks if they’re still talking about him and Joss.

Scotty tells Robert, his client got involved in a crime that was already in progress, and they would like to make things right, and testify against the real perpetrator. Robert tells him, say more, but Scotty says he needs to hear the deal. Robert says he needs more information, and Scotty says, his client is a good person, not a criminal. They got mixed up in some bad business. So Robert can go after a person who made a mistake, or go after the real felon.

Spencer comes out, and says, Ava’s not here to see… He doesn’t mind if she is; he’s just surprised. She laughs, and says, actually, she’s here to see him. She saw him with the baby though. Cute. He’s a natural. He thanks her, and asks what she wanted to see him about. She takes it he knows Ryan was Esme’s father, and he says, yes, and Heather Webber was her mother. Odd how something can come as a perfect shock, yet make perfect sense. She says she thinks they all felt that way, and he says, is that it? but she says, not quite. Esme and Ryan knew who they were to each other. He says, since Esme came to Port Charles? and she says, since before he met her. Ryan sent Esme to that school in France to get close to him. He asks if she’s saying Ryan sent Esme to France to seduce him in some long game to break up her and Nikolas. That’s good. She says, think about it. Whose idea was it to come to Port Charles and stalk her? Was it his, or was it Esme’s?

On the phone, Mac tells Jordan that he spoke with Ava, and he’s about to question Esme Prince. Jordan says, check Esme’s answers against what Heather told them, and he says he thinks once he talks to Esme, they’ll have a clearer picture about what happened on Spoon Island.

Laura says she doesn’t know where her son is, and Esme says, he came to see her at Spring Ridge to try and get her to sign her rights to the baby over. Why isn’t he here now? Laura says she wishes she knew, when Mac walks in, and Esme says she remembers him from the roadside outside the prison. He stopped to help them, then Ryan hit him over the head. Is he okay? He says he’s fine, thanks. He’s Chief of Detectives Mac Scorpio, and he has some questions. Esme says, Heather and Ryan kidnapped her. They forced her to escape. Ryan even killed a guard right in front of her. He asks if Heather helped him, but she says, no. The guard was questioning her and Heather, and Ryan snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the back; it was horrible. Then Heather told her that she had to do what Ryan said, or he’d hurt her. He asks if Heather seemed scared of Ryan, and she says, not really. He asks, what happened next? and she says, Heather let them out of the prison. Laura asks, whose idea was it to escape? and Esme says she’s not sure. She thinks Heather and Ryan were planning it together, but Heather was the one who knew her way out of Spring Ridge.

Dante says, they know Heather and Ryan were working together. They were planning this escape for months. Heather says, no, no, no, no. She didn’t even know Ryan could walk and talk until Esme showed up at Spring Ridge. He never even told her that he could. They’ve got to believe her. He showed her that he’d been faking his condition when Esme showed up just because he wanted her help with getting Esme out. Dante says, which she was more than happy to provide, but she says, Ryan terrified her. She had to do what he said. Jordan tells her, he isn’t saying anything; he’s dead.

Spencer says, Esme was always going on and on about how Ava pushed him out of his father’s life, and said he should push back. She encouraged him to get revenge. Ava wonders if he ever asked himself why Esme cared so much. She was no one to Esme, and they had the kind of life teenagers dream of. They had Europe at their fingertips. Wouldn’t living his best life have been the best revenge? He says, apparently not. Esme was determined to get him back here. Ava says, because Ryan ordered her to do all of that, and look what happened. She and Nikolas are divorced, and he and his father are more estranged than ever. It was Ryan. Ryan played them all. (Way to get Esme and Spencer off the hook. No pun intended.)

Heather says, thank God, and Dante tells her, give it a rest. She wanted Ryan gone so he can’t contradict her narrative. They know she gave Ava a gun, and sent Ava after Ryan. Heather says, Ava killed Ryan? and Jordan says, no, but she shot him in self-defense. Heather says, of course (🍷) it was self-defense. After everything he’d done to her; running her life, killing her daughter. Ryan was a cold-blooded murderer. Dante says, unlike her, and she says she was just a mother protecting her child. Jordan says, a child she abandoned, and Heather says, because she wanted to give her a better life. But she never stopped missing her. When Esme arrived in Port Charles, she was overjoyed. Then she saw what Esme’s life had become. She saw Trina Robinson’s attempts to humiliate and destroy her. What else could she do? She had to defend her family. Dante says he feels for her, and she says she’s told them everything she knows; she’s confessed to The Hook murders. Can’t they just grant the one little thing she asked them? Otherwise, she can always recant. Who’s going to trust the word of a crazy person anyway?

Laura asks what Sonny is doing at the hospital, and he says, looking after her grandsons, both of them. Congratulations, by the way. She thanks him, and he asks if she was with Esme. She says she was, but now Mac’s questioning her, and he asks if there’s anything he should know. She says she doesn’t think so; not yet. Is Spencer at the nursery? He says, yeah. Spencer’s been here all morning doing the big brother thing; he’s good at it. She says she doesn’t know if he heard, but Ryan died last night, and he says he heard the good news. He also heard Heather Webber killed his cousin Brando. She says, it would appear that way, and he says, that’s a mistake going after his family, but she says, let the justice system do what it does. He says, she knows him. He just protects the people he loves.

Dex tells Josslyn, option one. Say he disappears from Port Charles. Sonny might come looking for him, but he can cover his tracks. She says, if Sonny can’t find him, neither can she, and he says, not for a while anyway. She says she’s not liking option one, and he says, him neither. He says, option two. He tells his real boss that he’s out. He keeps working for Sonny, legitimately following his orders, but Sonny told him that he can’t go near Josslyn. They would have to hide that they’re together indefinitely. She says, marginally better than option one, but not by much. He says, option three. He sticks with the original plan, and gets evidence on Sonny. He turns it over to his real boss, who turns it over to the Feds, Sonny goes to prison, and he’s in the clear. She doubts it will be that easy, and he says, probably not, but it’s the only option that gives him what he really wants; a chance to stay here, a chance to be with her, free of Sonny. She says, option three it is, and he says, option three, kissing her. He says, no matter what happens, he can’t walk away from her, and she says she doesn’t want him to. Um… For all Josslyn’s talk on how she cares so much about her sisters, how come Donna and Avery, and the effect this might have on them, hasn’t been mentioned once?

Elizabeth’s phone rings, and she asks what he said… Yeah, she’s sure. She’ll be right there. She tells Cameron that she has to go, and he asks if everything is okay. She says she loves him, and jets.

Spencer admits he didn’t think Ava knew him so well, but she’s right. He didn’t want any of this to happen until he met Esme, and she used his resentment toward Ava to talk him into stalking her. He owns up to what he did, his part of it, but the escalation – putting the bear on Avery’s bed, setting Ava’s car on fire, putting Kiki’s hospital ID badge next to the wreckage – that was all Esme. He didn’t even know it was done until it happened. Ava says she believes him. All that misery because Ryan couldn’t stand her being with someone else. He says he can’t believe he was so blind, and she says, they all were. They were all blind, and used, and manipulated… He says, manipulated or not, he did Ryan’s dirty work for him. Spencer suddenly looks terrified, and says, he drove his father away, but Ava says, no, it wasn’t him. Nikolas would still be here if not for Ryan Chamberlain.

Mac asks, when was the last time Esme saw Ryan? and she says, he was in the woods with Ava Jerome; she had a gun on him. He was focused on Ava, so she made a break for it. Is she okay? He says, Ava’s fine, and she asks Mac to tell Ava thank you for helping her get away from Ryan. he says he’ll pass along that message. He thanks her for the information, and says, if he has anything more to ask… She lifts up her arm, showing she’s cuffed to the bed, and says, he knows where to find her. He congratulates her on the birth of her son, and she says, before he goes, maybe he could tell her what’s going to happen to her and Ace. He says, Ace? and she says, her baby. He says, she named her baby Ace? and she says, it just came out. Sounds right to her for some reason. Ace? Where did that come from?

Jordan asks if Dante believes Heather, and he says he does. Robert joins them, and says he may have additional answers on this hook business. Baldwin has a client who says she knows what Esme was doing at the time she went missing. Jordan asks, who? when Scotty walks in with Elizabeth, and says he thinks they all know his client.

Laura tells Sonny, she’s glad Spencer is spending time with his baby brother, because he really needs something positive to focus on right now. Sonny says he feels Spencer needs the baby as much as the baby needs him, and Laura’s phone dings. He asks if everything is okay, but she says, no. She’s got to go. She jets, and he follows her.

Josslyn tells Dex that she’s got to go back to her family, and needs to talk to Trina. It’s been a crazy couple of days. (Boy, does she have some news to catch up on.) He says, people need her, and she says, she needs him. So do whatever he has to do, but watch his back. Option three only works if he’s alive at the end of it. He promises to be careful, they kiss, and she leaves.

Laura and Sonny go to the nursery, and Laura asks Spencer, what’s wrong? He says he messed up, and she says, take a deep breath, and tell her what’s going on. He says, because of him, he and his baby brother no longer have a father. It seems even in death, Ryan Chamberlain wins. Laura says, they’ll find his father, and when they do, they’ll explain to him what took place here, and she’ll talk some sense into him. Until then, take a look around him. He’s not alone. Sonny’s here, she’s here… Sonny says, always, and she says, he and his brother are going to have more support than they know what to do with. Ava slips away.

Mac goes into Esme’s room, and asks if she’s sure about this. She nods, and the guard brings Heather in. Heather sort of smiles, but Esme just looks at her blankly.

On Monday, Dante tells Molly that they need to start that search immediately; Laura tells Spencer to think before he acts; and Curtis asks how long Jordan has known Trina might be his daughter.

👠 For Now…

She’s the only one I like at this point on RHONJ, but give it time.

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/rachel-fuda-from-rhonj-husband-family-instagram-bio

👰🏻 All About the Love, But Alone…

Are you kidding me? She had the option of her brother walking her down the aisle, and decided to be the turd that she is. My father passed away before I got married too, and my sister walked me down the aisle. Teresa just wanted to give Joe #2 another slap in the face and get more attention for herself.

🧉 The Unending Grope…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Anyone who could slap LVP in the face could do anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she drank the blood of virgins to help her face fillers last. Although I would be surprised if she could find one in L.A.

💎 What Victims…?

You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, but I’ll bet she has bags that cost more than my house. And being an entertainer with a 12th grade education doesn’t mean you don’t know how many zeros are on the check.

🏖  Summer Lovin’…

Paige might be close to one of the normal ones if she wasn’t attached to ticking time bomb Craig.

Great. The only genuinely normal one. Let’s hope Austen isn’t her rebound. Or anyone else who enters the house for that matter.

🍸 Passing the Shade…

She is clueless when it comes to Girl Code. And did she watch this week’s episode? She pushed.

🎰 Showing Her Cards…

Gambling has never been my jam. I went to Atlantic City once to see a show, and played the slots for a few hours first – back when they were actual slot machines and somewhat exciting. I’d gotten a certain amount of rolled coins from the bank, and decided that would be the only amount I’d play with. I came home a quarter shy. Yeah, it was cool on the spins when a bunch of money came out, but I didn’t feel the need to play any more when I had to get going. Or ever.

Geez. I take better pictures for eBay.

🛣  In Last Week’s Last…

I have to admit, I didn’t even notice.

https://people.com/tv/the-last-of-us-fans-point-out-hbo-editing-error/

My favorite reply.

🐈 Prosperous Pets…

I’ll bet they all still poop on the floor.

🎯 Quotes of the Week

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle (Once again, don’t step on any butterflies.)

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. – Oscar Wilde

What I did or said should never be more important than why I did it or said it.Andrea Kelly

There is only one way to avoid criticism: say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things. – Dick Van Dyke

Each day we are given the opportunity to choose between that which is easy and fast and that which is more difficult and slow. The fast and easy track is attractive, but doesn’t bear fruit. The slow and hard track is intimidating, but has the most potential. – Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy. – Dean Koontz

Renew, release, let go. Yesterday’s gone. There’s nothing you can do to bring it back. You can’t “should’ve” done something. You can only DO something. Renew yourself. Release that attachment. Today is a new day!Steve Maraboli

There is no room for mediocrity in karaoke. – some obviously Drunk Kid I met there

🚶🏽‍♀️ Walking It Off…

Come back fresh on Monday really Tuesday for soap and the return of Captain Lee, which might offset the middle aged adolescents in that House. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your head in the clouds, but your feet on the ground, and stay letting living your best life be your best revenge.

February 20, 2023 – Heather Makes a Surprise Decision, Bratty Beauty Queen On Deck, The Worst People Ever (Besides Jax) Celebrate the 4th & Something

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia tells Curtis, the longer she stayed quiet, the worse the consequences if she spoke up. She lived with constant anxiety and guilt because she didn’t want to risk the life they were building together over something that might not even be true. Curtis wonders what kind of life they could have had with that lie between them, and she says, they love each other. Isn’t their love unconditional? He says, honesty isn’t a condition; it’s a fundamental.She saw how important honesty and transparency was to him, and he thought she felt the same way. She swears she does, but he says, what’s been happening for the past twenty years suggests otherwise. Clearly, he doesn’t know the woman he just pledged his life. to.

Spencer and Trina go to the gallery, and Spencer asks why they’re here. She says, it’s a place she likes; a place she’s been mostly happy. She says he can go if he wants, but he says he’s not going anywhere, especially now that he knows Esme’s escaped from Spring Ridge.

Ryan says, there’s not enough room on the boat for all of them, so either Ava or Felicia is coming with him, and the other is never leaving this room. Now who’s ready to say goodbye? Felicia says, Ryan should be saying goodbye. By now, Mac has figured out where they are. Ryan doubts Mac has the wherewithal to figure it out, and Ava says, and Ryan’s never underestimated anybody before? Does he still feel it where she stuck the knife in his back? He says, a sign of her passion for him, and Felicia says, he’s trapped himself. He’s on this island, and Mac is going to stop him. Ava says, unless of course (🍷) someone else stops him first, and he asks if someone else is on the island. She says, someone, someones That’s for her to know, and him to worry about.

At the hospital on the phone, Laura asks someone to meet her at Pier 55 as soon as possible, and Jordan asks how Mac’s head is, since he’s now up, dressed, and walking around like nothing happened. He says he’ll be fine. He’s more worried about Felicia. Ryan must have turned off her phone. He can’t access the app they use for tracking it. Laura says she can’t reach Ava either, and Jordan says she sent Detective Bennett to the pier, and he reported the launch is on the island, so it stands to reason, Ava is home. Laura says she bets Ava has company, and Jordan says, they also found Mac’s car at Pier 55. Mac says, Laura was right. Heather, Ryan, and Esme must have headed to the pier after they ambushed him. Laura says, it makes sense considering Ava is Ryan’s current obsession, but at least they know where Felicia is. They’ll go to the island and bring her back. Mac just hopes they’re not too late.

Austin starts to make a call, presumably to the police, when the hook comes down, stabbing him in the abdomen. Heather says, sorry, doc, and Esme screams.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office, and she asks for the good news. He sees what looks like champagne in an ice bucket, and asks what it is. She tells him, sparkling cider. They’re going to celebrate him joining The Invader’s editorial board. He tells her, before she opens that, she should hear what he has to say.

At the pier, Mac says, Ryan has Felicia and Ava. They can only assume Heather is with them, which makes the situation even more dangerous. They need to get those hostages. Jordan says, they will, and Laura says, but he heard what Ryan said. If they go in there guns blazing, they’re putting Felicia’s life at risk. He says, it’s already at risk, and Jordan says, as is Ava’s, and presumably Esme’s if she’s a hostage. Acting in haste without a concrete plan will only put the hostages in more danger. Laura says, she’s right, and if it were anyone other than Mac’s wife over there, he’d be saying the same thing. Let’s come up with a plan of action. Jordan says, they have eyes on the island in the air and the water. Windymere is surrounded… Detective Bennett joins them, and tells Jordan that the last hit on the cell phone was on Spoon Island. He tells Laura that her husband is waiting outside the cord, and Laura asks him to let Doc in. Mac says he knows Laura is worried too; Esme is carrying her grandchild. Laura says, they’re not the only ones with family on the island, when Doc joins them, and asks, what’s happening?

Curtis tells Portia, she said she trusted him, and she says, more than anyone. He says, she just didn’t trust him with the possibility they might have a daughter, but she says, it wasn’t about trust; it was about Trina. In her eyes and heart, Taggert was her father. He says, what about the past two years, when it became increasingly clear that he was going to be a part of Trina’s life. Didn’t she think they both should know? She says, obviously, she was afraid she was going to lose him if she told him the truth, but choosing between telling him that Trina might be his and hurting her baby girl, wasn’t a choice to make. But now she knows, and she’s out there, and her heart is breaking. Portia starts to cry.

Spencer says he doesn’t know if Esme’s memory came back or she never lost it in the first place, and Trina says, if she was faking all this time, she’s not only free, she’s dangerous. He says, that’s why he had to make sure Trina was safe, and she says, Esme just escaped from prison. If Esme was trying to come for her, it would be a good way to get caught. He says, fair point, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t take every precaution, and she says she knows he’s worried about Esme’s baby, his little brother or sister.

Austin tumbles into the living room, followed by Esme, still screaming her head off, and Heather carrying the hook. Ryan says he told Heather to be on watch, and Esme faints. Ryan tells Ava and Felicia to stay where they are, and gives Heather the gun, saying, cover them. He checks Esme out, and says, she just fainted; she’ll be fine. Heather wonders, is it the baby? Blood pressure? Ryan says he imagines it was witnessing Heather’s dexterity with a hook, and Felicia says, Heather’s the lunatic who’s been killing people with a hook? Heather says, guilty as charged, your highness, and Felicia asks, why? Heather asks why Felicia’s husband is a cop, and Felicia says, to protect and serve. Heather says, same here, and Ryan says, it’s time to go. Ava says she has to help Austin, but Ryan says, don’t make him shoot her. She says, it’s up to him, and tends to Austin, who mumbles, what happened? Ryan says, he’s alive. Get away from him. Ava says she has to stop the bleeding, and Heather says she’s a regular Florence Nightingale. Ryan says, they’ve had enough fun here. As soon as he bids goodbye to Mrs. Scorpio, they’ll board the launch. Heather says, just in time for the Harbor Patrol to board them. By now, the cops know they broke out of Spring Ridge, and know they have Esme with them. They know Ava is his girlfriend, so it’s just a matter of time before they realize that they’re here.

Doc tells Laura that he wishes he could say he’s surprised Ryan was faking, and she asks if he thinks Ryan ever had Locked-in Syndrome. He says he thinks it was real in the beginning, but clearly, Ryan’s made a full recovery. Since he has an obsession with Ava, it makes sense he’d go straight to Windymere, but how did he get Felicia? She says, they think Felicia went to visit Ava, and was just there when he arrived, and he says, wrong place, wrong time. He wonders how Esme and Heather figure in. Heather is an escape artist, and it would make sense that Ryan would try to recruit her, but why would she agree? Laura says, Heather’s connection is still a mystery. Dante and Sam did some digging, and uncovered some new information, and it explains why Ryan wants to keep Esme near him. Esme is Ryan’s daughter.

Jordan says, Harbor Patrol just arrived for back-up, and Mac suggests they attack by water and air, but Jordan says, Ryan will see them coming. He says, if they negotiate, it gives Ryan time to plan an escape, but she says, it keeps the hostages safe… at least safer. He says, a full assault could be the only way to get the others back. Who knows what Ryan and Heather will do if they manage to buy themselves more time. She says, then they need another option, and he says, but what if there is none? Where does that leave them?

Gregory says, the university won’t allow him to accept the position, and Alexis asks, why not? He says, PCU views it as a potential conflict of interest, and she says, for a journalism professor to actually work in the field of journalism? Only something that stupid would happen in academia. Her desk phone rings, and she says, they’re not done with this. It’s Smoltz (remember him?), and she says she already knows two people escaped from Spring Ridge. When he gets the names, they’ll discuss it. She hangs up, and Gregory says, a scoop? She says, according to Smoltz, and he says, Smoltz has been reliable before. She says, a reliable scandal monger, and that’s when he gets the facts straight. Her cellphone dings, and she says, yes, he did actually. She underestimated her little friend. Apparently, he’s going to get his first byline on the front page.

Spencer says, when he saw Esme, she seemed to care about the child, but maybe that was a con too. Trina says she hopes it wasn’t, and he says, there’s nothing he can do about that situation right now, but he can be here for Trina, like she’s been there for him. So please tell him, what went down tonight? She says she doesn’t know where to start. She just found out her mother lied to her for her entire life. He says, about what? and they sit down. She says, her dad might not be her biological father.

Curtis says, if Portia wants to go after Trina, he understands, but she says, right now, she’s the last person Trina wants to see. He says he cares what happens to Trina too, and she says, he always has. It’s one of the reasons she fell in love with him again. He says, that’s what he’s talking about. Portia watched all the challenges he and Trina faced, and all the obstacles they had to overcome. And the many times Trina and Taggert reminded him that he wasn’t her real father, when all the while, Portia knew he might be. She says she wasn’t sure, and he says, because she didn’t want to be. Tell him, what was she thinking during all those long conversations they had, talking about having children, knowing he wanted the very thing she’d been denying him? Look him dead in the eyes, and tell him how she could do that to him.

Trina says she had to get out of that room, and Spencer says, her mother must be going through hell. She says, who cares what her mother’s going through? She deserves it.

Portia tells Curtis that she was thinking about Taggert and Trina, and how they’ve been each other’s world Trina’s whole life. She thought of the damage it could possibly cause to their relationship. Whether he wants to believe it or not, she thought of him too. Over and over, she pictured telling him, and how the news would hit him. She knew he’d be counting up the years he’d missed. Every birthday, every holiday, every milestone. And how miserable they’d all be if she even raised the possibility. He says, that’s not even the same argument she used when his father came back into his life. She urged him to move on from the past, and look to a future he and his father could share. Because he listened to her, he has a relationship with a man he thought was dead and gone. He has the privilege of getting to know his father. She says, he’s right. She thinks the situations are a little different, but if Trina turns out to be Curtis’s, she wishes the same for the two of them. He says, but that was never her intention. Be real with him. Was she ever going to find out, or was her plan to die with her lie?

Alexis tells Gregory, there were three people who escaped from Spring Ridge; Esme Prince, Heather Webber… and Ryan Chamberlain. He says he thought Ryan had Locked-in Syndrome, and she says, so did everyone else, including the guard he killed. He says, Esme Prince hasn’t even been convicted of anything; she’s in custody, awaiting trial. Did she stumble upon the escape, and decide to make a break for it herself, opportunistically? Alexis says, she probably orchestrated the whole thing. She volunteered at Spring Ridge, so she knows her way around the facility. He says he thought her memory was impaired, and Alexis says, or she was faking it. All she knows is, Esme and Ryan were cozying up together at Spring Ridge. So between Esme’s knowledge of the facility, and Heather’s gift for escaping custody… He says, the van crash, but she says, that’s nothing. That woman has broken in as much as she’s broken out. He says, after the crash, Heather was apprehended almost immediately, and Alexis says, she stopped for a BLT first at Kelly’s, then asked to be taken into custody. He says, but they didn’t take her back to D’Archam; they put her in Spring Ridge. Alexis says, a minimum security prison, and Gregory says, if she gets captured again, she’s going back to max, so why take the risk to escape with two strangers?

Laura wonders if Esme was in this with Ryan, and Doc says he thinks she knew of her connection to Ryan before she lost her memory. Laura says, which explains why she couldn’t stay away from him when she was working at Spring Ridge, which would also mean she knew Ryan was faking. He says, absolutely, but he thinks her memory loss was genuine, and Laura says, which would make her every bit as much a victim as Felicia and Ava. Jordan comes over with Mac, and says, they’ve been strategizing how best to apprehend the escapees without causing harm to the hostages. Mac says, they’re not liking their options, but since Laura is more familiar with the property than anyone… Laura says she doesn’t think Ryan would know about the tunnel from Windymere to the mainland. Valentin used it a couple years ago when he was fleeing with Charlotte. She’s sure it’s still passable.

Heather says, good job, loverboy. He’s managed to trap them in the one place the police are guaranteed to look for them. Esme jumps up and heads for the door, but Ryan blocks her. Ava says, Austin is losing  too much blood, and Ryan says, there’s one thing Esme has to understand. She belongs to him. She’s his baby. Felicia bangs into his side, knocking him down, and Esme takes off out the patio doors.

Alexis says, Esme, Heather, and Ryan have a propensity to kill, but Gregory says, the PCPD no longer considers Esme a prime suspect in The Hook killings. For one thing, none of the recent victims remember the attacker being pregnant. She says, it seems they were both involved; they just didn’t do it alone. She hands him a folder, and says, remember this? and he says, the letter the killer wrote her. She says, the killer said she had a designated hit list of people who had wronged Esme, and he reads, only those who have wronged me and mine will meet with my venom. It doesn’t sound like a hired killer taking direction; it sounds personal. She says, they didn’t pay someone. They recruited someone who had a vested interest in Esme’s well-being. He asks if she has anyone in mind, and she says, Sam and Dante are in England looking for Esme’s nanny; she was close to Esme. He asks if Alexis thinks she might be the culprit, and she says she has no idea, but she’s calling Sam and Dante. Maybe they found out something.

Spencer says he’s not making excuses for Trina’s mom, but he knows what it’s like to hurt the people you love. Trina says she admits she tried to sympathize with what Spencer was going through with his father, but never related to it. But now she can. He says he’s so sorry. Both of them have had their lives ruined by the parents they rely on the most. On the bright side, Trina’s mother is no Nikolas Cassadine. Trina says, it’s a low bar, but he says, she cleared it, and Trina laughs. He says, no matter how bad things get, her mom is never going to abandon her. She says, he’s right. As bad as her mom screwed up, she knows her mom will always be here for her. He says, so will he.

Curtis says, if Aunt Stella hadn’t found out Trina could be his daughter, was Portia ever going to tell him? and she says, probably not. He asks how Aunt Stella found out, since he knows Portia didn’t tell her, and she says she doesn’t know for sure, but he says, she must have some kind of idea. Just tell him the truth; he’s owed that. She says she thinks Jordan must have told her.

Laura says she hasn’t set foot in the tunnels in years, but thinks she can lead them through. Mac shows her the most recent map of the property, and asks her to show them the best route. He tells everyone, they’re going in. Laura steps away, and Doc asks, what’s wrong? She says she can’t shake the feeling that there’s a danger they haven’t anticipated, and he says, with Ryan and Heather on that island, it’s a safe bet.

Felicia struggles with Heather, while Ava tries to grab the hook, but Ryan aims his gun at her. He says, don’t make him shoot her in the kneecap. He might miss and hit an artery. Or better yet, her friend who’s bleeding out on the floor. Maybe she should look after him. She puts the hook down, once again tending to Austin. Heather wants to look for Esme, but Ryan says he’ll go. He says he won’t let anything happen to Esme any more than Heather will let anything happen to Ava while he’s gone. He hands her the gun, and she says, what about the Aztec princess? He says, do what she wants with her. She will anyway. He leaves, and Heather says, this sucker’s heavy. She prefers the hook. She aims the gun at Ava and Felicia, and says, any last words, ladies?

Curtis asks if Jordan knows, and Portia says, Jordan has suspected for a while now. He says, all this time, Jordan knew and said nothing? and she says, only to Stella. He says, Jordan told Aunt Stella and not him? That’s why Aunt Stella avoided officiating at their ceremony. She couldn’t preside over a wedding she didn’t believe in. She probably didn’t even have to fake her own illness. Hell, he’s feeling a little ill himself. Portia says she knows this is bad, but believes they can work through it. She made a mistake, but she promises it won’t happen again. He says, that’s exactly what she told him all those years ago when he found out she was married. He knows it’s been a while, but it’s starting to seem like a pattern.

Spencer says, it’s weird that he and Trina are in the same place they met, but it’s closed now. She hopes Ava will be back in business soon, and he lifts his water bottle, saying, to the gallery and the many fond memories. She says, cheers to that, and they clink water bottles. She says, for the record, getting nostalgic about dousing her in fake blood is really weird, but he says, in all fairness, it wasn’t meant for her. She says, he knows that doesn’t make it okay, and he says he does, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Alexis leaves a message for Sam to call her, and Gregory tells her, say Maggie Fitzgerald is The Hook killer. What does she have to do with the escape? Alexis says she doesn’t know, but she does know Esme and Ryan are connected to each other. Gregory says he’ll leave her to her musings. He hopes to get a sneak peek before the morning edition. He leaves, and she studies the letter from The Hook.

Jordan asks for the status, and Mac says, the team is briefed; Laura is looking for anything she can remember. There’s no more time to wait. They need to move in now.

Doc says, it looks like Laura remembered more than she thought she would, but she says she hopes it’s reliable. He says, whatever she gave them, it’s better than going in blind, and she says, something’s been nagging at her. Doc said Ryan insisted Esme wasn’t The Hook killer. Was that because Ryan was protecting his daughter, or because Ryan knows who The Hook killer is?

Alexis makes a call to the warden. I assume of Spring Ridge, but she didn’t say.

Heather says, bang! and starts laughing. She wishes Ava and Felicia could have seen their faces when she asked if there were any last words. They both say, we were there, and Heather says, they’re a hoot. They’re priceless. You know what? Go on. She waves the gun toward the door, and says, get out of here. Ava says, she’s not going to kill them? and Heather says, nah. Why should she? Fly away, girls. Be free. Live your lives… Why are they still here? Felicia says, her offer of freedom would be more believable if she wasn’t holding a gun on them, and Heather says, people call her unhinged, but she’s never been accused of being a complete idiot. There’s two of them and a hook right there. She has to hold the gun on them until they leave. If she wanted to kill them, she’d have done it already. She actually doesn’t want any part of Ryan’s stupid little games. Ava says, what about Esme? Why abduct her? Heather seems to really care about her. Heather says, now she’s getting bored with them. She’d just as soon set them free if it meant she’d never have to lay eyes on them again. Ava knows there’s an underground passageway leading off the island. She’s free to use it.

Trina says, before Spencer found her, she was talking to her dad, and he was telling her nothing would change between them, even if they found out she’s not his biological daughter. She believes that he believes it, but how can things not change? They already have. He says, such as? and she says, herself. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. Spencer says he knows who she is. She’s a girl who likes classic sitcoms and books about guerrilla feminist artists. She’s the same Trina who mocks his love of gingersnaps, and who won’t rat him out when she’s on the stand even though her freedom is on the line. She’s blunt, but she’s big-hearted. She’s fair and she’s forgiving. She improves the life of everyone who knows her. She’s the one who always told him that who he is, is more than just his last name, his DNA. So whoever’s child she is, she’s the sweetest, smartest, and bravest person he knows. She gets up on her tiptoes and kisses him. They kiss again.

Curtis says he needs some air, and Portia asks if he’s coming back. He says he can’t answer that, and leaves. She cries some more.

Mac puts on a bulletproof vest, and Laura tells him, good luck. Jordan thanks Laura for her guidance, but Laura just hopes it’s accurate. Jordan says, they’ll figure it out, and Doc says, be careful. What Ryan feels for Esme is as close as he’ll ever get to a real bond, and he’ll stop at nothing to protect that. Mac says he’ll stop at nothing to protect his wife, and Jordan promises they’ll bring Felicia back. They head out, and Laura says she prays to God this works. Alexis calls to Jordan, and an officer tells her to step back, but Laura says, it’s all right. Alexis says, it’s urgent that she speak with Jordan, but Laura says, she’s on her way to Windymere right now. Alexis asks, what’s at Windymere? and Laura says, off the record, a hostage situation. Alexis asks if it has anything to do with the escapees from Spring Ridge, and Doc wonders why she’s asking. Alexis says, that’s why she wants to speak to the Commissioner. All the victims were linked to Trina Robinson and Esme Prince. That hitlist was compiled to avenge Esme. Laura says, they suspected something like that, but had no concrete proof, and Doc asks if Alexis knows why The Hook would avenge Esme. Alexis says she doesn’t know why, but she knows who. She knows who The Hook is.

Ava says, all right, they’ll go, but Felicia says she won’t leave an injured man. Heather says, good luck dragging his body all the way through the tunnels to the mainland, and Ava says she thinks the best thing is for them to go, and send help back for Austin. Heather says, now that she thinks about it, Ava might want to hang back, and Ava asks why she’d want to do that. Heather says, to end this unholy obsession between her and Ryan once and for all, but Ava says, the obsession was one-sided, thank you very much. She’ll let the authorities handle Ryan – again. She tells Felicia, let’s go, and they move toward the door. Heather asks if Ava isn’t curious to hear what Ryan did to try to win her back, but Ava says, not particularly. Heather says, he was the one who really the one responsible for destroying Ava’s life in the process. She’s sure when Ava hears, she’ll want to handle Ryan herself. Felicia tells Ava, let’s go.

Ryan tears through the woods, looking for Esme, and finds her on the ground, leaning against a large rock or maybe a tombstone. He asks if she’s hurt. She tells him to get away from her, but he says, it’s okay. Daddy’s here. It’s cold, which means she shouldn’t be on the ground like this. It’s not good for her or the baby. She says, he is? and he says, right now, he’s the best chance for the both of them, so please, let him help. She says, her water broke. The baby’s coming.

Tomorrow, Curtis tells Marshall, some things are really unforgivable; Trina tells Spencer, don’t stop; and Ava tells Heather, Ryan started this and she’s going to finish it.

Below Deck

Captain Sandy asks Ross to escort Alissa off the boat, and in her interview, the captain says, it never feels good to fire a crew member. You’re ending their income, but as captain, she has to make the hard decisions, and  has to live with them. Alissa tells Fraser that she got fired for basically nothing, and in Ross’s interview, he says, it’s awkward because he and Alissa have a bit of history, but he trusts the captain. Unfortunately, Alissa has to go. Alissa whines that it’s a dictatorship, and Captain Sandy radios Fraser, Hayley, and Tyler to meet with her. She tells them that everyone has a personal opinion, but you have to respect the hierarchy. She doesn’t like malicious gossip; it infects the vessel. She guarantees they’ll have lighter steps, and knows that together they can kill this charter. Rachel wonders what’s happening, but Katie has no clue. In Fraser’s interview, he agrees that Alissa was an a-hole, a blight on the boat a problem, but she did a great job. He’s worried, but he feels since the captain gave him a second chance, he should use this opportunity to turn things around. He’s better than this. Captain Sandy sends a text saying she’s looking for a new stew. Alisson packs, and in her interview, she gripes about being a scapegoat, and says she was the only person with the balls to speak up. Fraser is impossible to replace, so Captain Sandy got rid of the next best thing – her. Again, this girl does not seem to grasp the boss/employee concept. All jobs with a boss are a dictatorship, some more benevolent than others. She leaves, and the captain calls Fraser to the bridge. Fraser runs out and gives Alissa a hug. In Alissa’s interview, she says she’s leaving with a full heart and tired feet. The captain tells Rachel that the lack of respect was intolerable. She thinks it will be lighter on the boat, and this will be the best charter. Rachel agrees, and says, it had been building. Katie tells the interior, if they need help, the deckhands will pitch in. In Fraser’s interview, he says he respects the captain’s decision, and he’s going to work his ass off. Captain Sandy tells him that he has an amazing team. It’s a lot, but he’s reset. She finds his ability to compose himself exceptional, and admires that. In the captain’s interview, she says she knows Fraser wants to be the best of the best, and deserved the chance to reset. She believes in him, and knows he can do this. Fraser tells Hayley to just make sure everything looks pretty, and Ben calls Camille, who says she’s been vindicated. In her interview, she says, Alissa has shown her real face, and she’s satisfied they see what she saw. #justiceforcamille. She says she can’t wait see Ben and chill, and in Ben’s interview, he says he’s head over heels for Camille. He’s fallen for her hook, line, and sinker. Captain Sandy has a quick pre-charter meeting, and tells the crew, we’re almost there. What happened it just part of yachting, and she supports them. Let’s tackle this.

The beauty queens come on board, wearing their winning sashes. In Tony’s interview, he wonders if this is really necessary. Is the circus in St. Lucia? They have one dude with them, John, and I guess what they meant on their preference sheets was that they’d be bringing a drag queen, not requesting one. Rachel tells Hayley that she’s going to need to concentrate, since there are multiple dietary restrictions. John asks if Fraser can go in the hot tub with them, but Fraser says, alas, no. He tells the guests that his only concern is to make it divine and spectacular for them. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s been single for three years or so. While you never say never to guests chartering a superyacht, in this scenario it has to be a no. Drinks and snacks happen, and the guests pageant wave as the boat leaves the dock. In Hayley’s interview, she says she’s quietly freaking out. Alisson was more on service, and worked the bar. She knows how to consume alcohol, but putting it together has her concerned. Anchor is dropped in Rodney Bay. Guest Laquish requests a turkey club, and it throws Rachel off her timing for lunch. The guests start demanding food, and it makes Fraser stressed. Rachel says, the club sandwich f***ed her.  

The guests talk butt lifts and pageants at lunch. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s doing everything tin his power to impress the captain. It’s a lot of work this charter, but he’s adamant they can get it done. John flirts with Fraser, and several of the guests go out on the jet skis. Captain Sandy offers to help with turndowns, which is another thing I like about her; she’s not above doing grunt work. John tells Fraser that he’s going to do a drag show, and they go over the logistics. Camille texts Ben about meeting in the DR, and Ben asks Katie about future plans with Ross. In Katie’s interview, she says she can’t have a relationship with someone across the world. Not that she could handle any relationship with Ross. Fraser brings out homemade gluten-free bread, which is met with enthusiasm. In Rachel’s interview, she says she has to mentally apply herself, since the dietary restrictions are all different. John talks about having been married, and says, they had a daughter in 2016, but he found out the baby was a product of his wife’s affair with her boss. He says, everything happens for a reason, and now instead of being dad, he’s Papa John, because he delivers the goods and flavor. The guests declare the chef amazing, and John says, she’s seven star. Fraser tells Rachel that the guests want dessert with the drag show, and the crew dons wigs. In Ross’s interview, he says he’s all for dressing up and role play (of course he is), but typically not in the work place. Fraser introduces Trossie Twatts, and in Tyler’s interview, he says, you have to be happy being you. It doesn’t matter what other people think. He wonders if he’s trying to convince himself.

Laquish tells Fraser that she’ll be wanting another turkey sandwich for a late night snack, and 24 karat gold on a steak. In Fraser’s interview, he says, she’s a problem. She doesn’t want a sandwich, or even want to eat. She’s just going out of her way to ask for more. There’s always one. He gets the sandwich from Rachel, who tells him, it’s made with goddam love. Laquish can’t sleep in her cabin, and sets up camp on one of the couches, asking people to tote and fetch for her. In Tyler’s interview, he says, she’s acting like a brat. He thought beauty queens would be poised, and have more class. Clearly, that’s not true. Captain Sandy asks Ross to check out beaches for the guests’ Beach Queen Olympics. She thinks it’s going to be a no-go because of the wind, but they can tell the client they checked it out. In her interview, she says, the wind is 35 knots. As captain, you want to meet the guests’ requests, but sometimes you have to manage their expectations. They’ll ask for the moon, and they can’t get the moon. We flash back to the last beach disaster, and it starts raining. Laquish bugs Fraser about the gold steak, and he says, they’ve gotten her everything she’s requested; they’ll get her that. In Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s a new fad; steaks encrusted in gold. As if it’s a good idea to eat that much gold. You could take a turd and wrap it in gold foil, presenting it like a Fabergé egg. It’s literally decadent sh*t. Fraser tells Captain Sandy that the guests won’t want to go to that horrific beach, but they want their Beach Queen Olympics. In his interview, he says, they don’t like to say no, so he’s thinking they should provide more entertainment and luxury on the boat than off. The captain tells the guests that they’re looking at heavy wind and rain, and patchy sun. They only have one option here, where they’ve been numerous times, and everyone thinks there are nicer beaches. However, everything is doable on the boat. Katie suggests the do different events on different bridges, and Fraser tells the guests that there are better options than that horrible beach, but it’s their trip. Laquish says, they just want be happy, which is a little vague. Does this involve another turkey sandwich?

Primary Laura asks if the crew can be part of their teams, and Laquish pops in the galley to make sure Rachel knows about the steak. In Rachel’s interview, she says, you want glitter sh*t, I’ll give you glitter sh*t for days. Fraser grumbles that the cabins are the worst, and he’s absolutely right; the guests have their junk everywhere. The Olympic events are, a three-legged race, draw me like a French girl, and dive style. John gives Ben one of his million neon Speedos to wear. In Hayley’s interview, she says, the cabins are making her anxious. It reminds her of the creature on Sesame Street that lives in a bin. The Olympic teams are formed; Two in the Pink, Miami Queens, Nauti by Nature, Boat Mamas, and Queen Beaches. For the French girl drawing, one partner poses and the other draws them on a whiteboard. The Queen Beaches win, and in Fraser’s interview, he says, there is less tension. Maybe Captain Sandy is the Oracle. He thinks she helped lift the weight he didn’t know he was carrying, and Alissa might have been one. The captain gets a text that a stew has been found and can be there in two days. The Miami Queens win the three-legged race, and they move on to the dive, being judged on style and elegance. Most of them dive like I do, not at all, and just jump in. In Ross’s interview, he says he’s enjoying Katie’s bikini, and I just don’t see what anyone sees in this guy. The Miami Queens win the dive, and the overall championship, for which they receive a ribbon. Huzzah. Laquish – not being called Laqueef by Fraser and Hayley behind the scenes – wants fun stuff in her water, like strawberries and mint. Fraser tells Hayley who it’s for, and she says, of course it is.

The guests demand more fresh towels, which Hayley delivers. Laquish asks, how can she wash her Hello Kitty without a towel? and Hayley can’t get out of there fast enough. I can’t blame her. Captain Lee texts Captain Sandy, asking if she can talk. Hayley and Tyler do the main cabin, and Hayley says, what a mess; an absolute bitch. She flops on the bed as Laura walks in, and Laura says, sorry about the glitter. Hayley says, they love her, and in Hayley’s interview, she says she’s hoping Laura hasn’t got the best hearing, or they’re going to get fired. Laura leaves, and Hayley asks if Tyler ever feels like he wants to get in a hole and die. Captain Sandy asks how Captain Lee is doing, and Captain Lee says he spoke to his doctor, and has important news. He’s been cleared to return, and he’ll be back in a couple of days. In the captain’s interview, she says, it’s always been Captain Lee’s boat and crew. He’ll come back to a sweet, lean operating machine. She’s happy for him – and herself.

Next time, the new stew was a chief stew, which Fraser is not happy about; Ben knows the new stew, which he doesn’t seem happy about; and Captain Lee is goddam glad to be back.

🏖  On the God awful Summer House, the housemates had a July 4th picnic on the beach, inflicting themselves on other people. Mya whined to Kyle about Lindsay putting the kibosh on her and Carl’s friendship, and Kyle whined about Carl changing. I think it’s called maturing, of which Kyle knows nothing. He hunted Carl down, and said it felt like there was an elephant in the room; something was off. Carl said he’d been busy moving in with Lindsay, and was burned out. He’d been about the long term; what he wanted to do and where he was going with Loverboy. He was working his ass off, and it still wasn’t good enough. He didn’t feel valued. Kyle wondered what was different, and decided Lindsay must be in Carl’s ear.

Carl said, Lindsay wanted him to be happy, and had opened his eyes to his value. In Kyle’s interview, he said he thought that was bullsh*t. Loverboy had given Carl a purpose when he had none, and he thought it was more like Lindsay was bored not having Carl around. Gabby was introduced to new guy Jaerez, and when she found out he was a Cancer, went off her rocker. She said, Cancer men were triggering for her, historically dishonest, and sociopaths. This was too bad, since he’s a model and possibly shallow enough for her. As she read him this riot act, the others stood at a distance, deciphering it as flirting. Gabby told Jaerez that her ex had ghosted her, and shown up at Coachella with another girl. In Gabby’s interview, she said, they got together right out of college. They were together four years, and he was cheating on her for three. Mya said Lindsay had spoken to her in a way she’d never been spoken to, because at least one person has to be offended by something imaginary every week. Lindsay tried to explain that because Mya had texted Carl about smoking weed, she felt Mya was sabotaging Carl’s sobriety, and she was just supporting her boyfriend. Mya said Lindsay had accused her of a lot of things, but Lindsay begged to differ, and said she’d only been calmly and adultly sharing feelings. Mya tried to run, but Lindsay followed, and told Mya that it had been disrespectful. Mya got all sarcastic, and said, feel however you want, bitch. Nice.

Lindsay said she’d thought they had a civil conversation, but Mya was changing the narrative. Mya said she just wanted to be okay living together, and Lindsay agreed. They hugged, but I’m pretty sure that’s not the end of it, since it never is. Junior Housewives in training. Back at the house, Kyle came out in a blazer with an American flag design, said he was Captain America, and Amanda said she hated her life. Oliver came by, and by midnight, Carl and Lindsay were asleep, while Kyle ran around outside with a sparkler in each hand. Sam thought he might be her dad and it was upsetting.  Carl and Lindsay met Danielle for lunch, and Carl said, Loverboy was Kyle and Amanda’s dream, not his. He wasn’t loving being in bars, and wanted to be compensated for his time and energy. Danielle was concerned he was being taken advantage of.

We saw everyone in their native weekday habitats. In Paige’s interview, she said she and Craig were feeling no pressure to hit milestones. Gabby’s parents grilled her about her dating life and in her interview, she said she was so codependent on her parents, it bordered on mental illness. They just wanted her to be happy, but she had a wall up after her last relationship. Kyle told Amanda that their Palm Springs/Coachella area distributor had dumped them, and he blamed Carl for not forming a relationship with them. In his interview, he said, distributors had to feel the love, and Carl wasn’t doing his job. No one knew what Carl was doing, but he’d been doing less since getting together with Lindsay. Amanda reminded Kyle that he was Carl’s friend, and Kyle said Lindsay’s influence was the problem. He was determined to find something that worked, but not at the expense of the company.

Ciara showed up, and in her interview, she said this summer was a redo without a certain someone. We flashed back to Austen, and Ciara said she and Danielle were amicable now. Then we flashed back to Ciara acting like a lunatic, throwing a glass at Danielle for pretty much no reason. I noted that everyone had the same long, straight hair this season, and wondered how I’d tell them apart. Luckily there are only two blondes, and Lindsay is one of them. Her, I know. Lindsay and Carl flew off to a wedding in California, and Amada said no one in the company had any idea he was going to be gone. Even she had to ask for time off. The housemates went to a restaurant for dinner, and I thought if Kyle said in his ear one more time, I might smash the TV. He whined to Mya that he was happy when Carl and Lindsay found each other; he cried. Carl was VP of sales, but he’d checked out, because… Lindsay was in his ear. 🔨 He’d hired Carl when he was unhirable, and came to work drunk or coked out. The world needed to know that he was an understanding boss. He got up and said he couldn’t eat anymore.

Danielle said Kyle was ruining her night talking about Carl. He’d said Carl was coked out. Was that two weeks ago or two years? Kyle said it had been over a year ago, and Danielle asked why he was bringing it up now. Kyle told her MYOB, but she asked how he could talk sh*t about Carl, and her not have an opinion? Kyle ranted about how he gave Carl all kinds of chances when he wasn’t hirable, but Danielle said he was so wrong, it was laughable. Kyle said, Danielle was seeing him today, now that he’s put together, and didn’t have a clue as to what goes on. Kyle walked out, saying, he was so sick of it.

Sick of what? Of his own dramatics? Of Danielle being one of the few housemates who doesn’t behave like a teenager having their first drunk night, or like she’s in middle school? I know what I’m sick of. A 40 year old man child who creates drama where there is none, women girls who come just short of passing notes in the hallways and are disrespectful of other women, and maybe most of all, vapid people in general. In other words, a house full of awful people.

Next time… Either I wasn’t paying attention (entirely possible) or they didn’t have a preview (also entirely possible).

📺 Afterwards, there was a rerun of Watch What Happens Live, where Kyle and Mya were the guests. Kyle summed it up neatly when he said, life is too short to be mature. The theme of Summer House. They want to be Animal House, but that bar is way too high.

📻 Flipping It Over To the B Side…

Stop by tomorrow to pick up some soap and whatever namaste is left in New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay never taking those close to you for granted, and stay remembering, honesty isn’t a condition; it’s a fundamental.

February 14, 2023 – A Valentine’s Wedding, Mozzarella Memories in New Jersey, That Awful House Full of Awful People Is Back & Endless

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura asks that question that’s only asked in movie and TV weddings; if anyone can show just cause why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace. Everyone laughs, and Portia flashes back to Jordan telling her to let Curtis know Trina might be his daughter before the wedding.

Stella reads from the Bible, speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one with another. She flashes back to telling Jordan that Curtis and Portia’s affair would line up with how old Trina is. There’s a knock on the door, and she opens it to Jordan.

Heather slips into Ryan’s room, and says, evening, grandpa. She tells him, it’s only the most romantic day of the year, and gives him a heart she made out of construction paper that says Happy Valentine’s Day on it. She says, from mee-maw. It’s not his only gift. He asks if it’s chocolate covered strawberries, but she says, something much sweeter; a way out for all four of us.

Outside the pub, Dante teases Sam about driving on the wrong side of the road. They peek inside the pub, and Sam says, what if Maggie isn’t a drinker? Dante says, hopefully, someone who knows her is, and they go inside. A woman asks if she can help them, and Dante says, they’re counting on it.

Laura says, as per tradition, she’ll pose the same question of Curtis and Portia. Do either of them know any reason why they should not be joined in holy matrimony? Portia looks at Trina, but doesn’t say anything, and Laura says, let’s get these two hitched. She reads the wedding vows, and they both say, I will. She asks the guests if they’ll do their best to support Portia and Curtis in their new union, and they say they will. Another part of a wedding I’ve never seen or heard of. Laura says, surrounded by love and support. They’re truly blessed.

Stella warns Jordan that what she has might be contagious, and Jordan says, diagnosis? Stella says, second guessing herself, and Jordan says she’ll take the risk. She sees someone’s been drawing comfort from the Good Book, and Stella says, trying to anyway. Not much success. She wonders if she’s doing the right thing, staying away from the wedding, or is hiding out just plain cowardly? Jordan says, Stella Henry is no coward. She loves her nephew and wants him to be happy.

Heather tells Ryan that she made the heart in arts and crafts. They wouldn’t let her use scissors, so she had to improvise. She pulls out a homemade knife, and he says, she’s all heart. I love these two. She says he’s going to owe her huge when they blow this joint, and he asks, who’s the fourth? She says, Esme’s baby – duh. He has to work on his grandfathering skills when they hit the road. He says, it sounds like she has it all figured out, and she says, down to the last detail. He asks if their daughter is on board, but Heather avoids the question, and he grabs her arm, saying, Esme doesn’t know, does she?

Dante says, two of your finest ales, and the woman says, that’s a matter of opinion, isn’t it? He says, hers, and she says, two of her favorite ales coming right up. She asks what brings them to her village. It’s not one of those fancy tourist sites. Sam says, they’re drawn to faraway places, and she says, then they’ve come to the right spot. She serves them, and they take a sip, declaring it delicious. She asks if there’s anything else she can help them with, and Dante says, they’re looking for a friend of a friend. She asks if the friend has a name, and Sam says, Maggie Fitzgerald.

Laura says, Portia and Curtis want to say a few words to each other, and suggests Curtis start. He takes Portia’s hands, and says, my love, it’s been a long and winding road with us. First, we were together, then they were apart. Thankfully, now we’re back together, and I don’t doubt that journey took a toll on us, and others, but some of those others have blessed us, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. What I’ve learned about love ain’t always pretty, and certainly not easy, but nothing worth having ever is. But this – he looks around – this is everything. He vows to love her with all his heart, to give her all he has, and all he is, to make their lives and the lives of the people they treasure better. This is his vow to her. Laura says, Portia’s up.

Portia says, you mentioned a long and winding road. I know it well. I thought I’d be traveling that road with my daughter, and she and my work was all that I would ever need, and I was fine with that, but then you came back into my life and literally saved my life, and Trina’s, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. Your courage, your kindness, your conviction – all of it – literally leaves me breathless. No one can make me laugh like you do, or cry like you do – in a good way, in the best possible way. You make me want to do and be better, and you have no idea how thankful I am for that. You’re part of me, and I can’t imagine a world without you in it. That’s… that’s why I… She looks around, and stammers. Curtis asks, what is it?

Stella tells Jordan, they’re damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. She’s terrified that, no matter how this plays out, Curtis’s heart is going to be broken. Jordan says, maybe temporarily, but she’s forgetting Curtis loves Trina. He might be shocked if it turns out she’s his daughter, but once that settles, he’ll be thrilled. Stella says, that blessing comes with a price. He’ll realize Portia’s been lying to him for decades. Jordan says, Portia was looking out for Taggert. The man adores Trina, and has been an amazing father to her. Stella says she understands that. Telling the truth has the potential to upend a lot of lives. Jordan says, once Portia and Curtis got back together, Trina was going through so much, and Stella says, maybe it wasn’t the time then, but once they decided to join their lives together and be a family? She keeps praying about this, but she doesn’t know if prayer is enough.

Heather says Ryan is a handy one-handed man, and puts the knife to his throat. He laughs, and she says, they’ll be told when the time is right. Can they please leave the family’s paths for the road trip? He says, every law enforcement agency from here to Alaska will be looking for them, and she says, but they’ll be looking for three escaped fugitives. Not a happy family cruising in their RV, listening to the radio. Can he picture this? He says, no, and she asks why he’s being so negative. He says, Esme has kind of outgrown a baby seat, but Heather says, they’ll be needing one of those for the RV. He says, she’s an adult, pregnant woman who’s lost her memory. Does she really think Esme will let herself be thrown into the back of an RV? Heather says, he’s the one who said she’s got it all figured out, and he says, then tell him the plan. They can’t be too careful, especially with that detective and his girlfriend trying to track down Esme’s nanny. She says she doubts Ryan is going to be doing the driving, so why doesn’t he sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride?

Sam says, they’re not there to make trouble for Maggie, and Dante says, just the opposite. Maggie was this person’s nanny. Sam says, there was this family she used to work for, and they said she moved to this village. The woman says she recalls a woman who used to work as a nanny, but her name was Marjorie. She only came for trivia nights on Thursdays. She was fantastic at that, but she stopped showing up, so they figured she’d moved on. Sam says, maybe she left a clue as to where she was going. It’s really important they find her. A woman she once cared for, Esme, is in trouble. Dante says, Esme Prince. Did Marjorie ever mention her?

Portia looks at Trina, who says, it’s okay, then she looks around. She tells Curtis that she’s sorry. It’s just hitting her all over again that she’s not just marrying him; she’s marrying him and his beautiful family. He says, they’ll be her family too, and she says, and hers will be his. That road doesn’t stop here. All of them travel together. He says, together, and puts the ring on her finger, pledging to love her today, tomorrow, and always. Finn looks at Elizabeth, and smiles, and Portia says, with this ring, she pledges all her love. And like this ring has no end, neither does her love for him. She puts the ring on him, and Trina smiles at Spencer. Laura says, with vows and rings, they’ve pledged their love to each other. Therefore, by the power vested in her by the State of New York, and the blessing of all their family and friends, she pronounces them husband and wife. They know what to do. Everyone laughs, and Curtis says he certainly does. They kiss, and everyone applauds.

Heather says she almost forgot. His Valentine’s present. She hands him the knife, and he asks, what’s the catch? She says, is he always this suspicious? and he says, yes. She says, it’s her Valentine’s gift to him, but he has to keep it hidden before the big escape. He says, she does recall he’s supposed to be in a fugue state, unable to speak or move, let alone wield a weapon, but she says, once they’re outside these walls, he can be his old self again. He says, but if something goes wrong, and he’s caught holding a knife, and she’s caught holding Esme’s hand and claiming he hijacked them… Everyone needs a back-up plan, right?

The woman says, Marjorie never talked about her charges. Why are they so invested in this Esme person? Dante says, she’s in quite a bit of trouble back in the states, the kind that Maggie could be the key to get her out of. Sam says, she gets that the woman has no reason to trust them, but if Maggie knew what Esme was going through, she’d want to help. Dante asks if she’s sure there’s nothing she can tell them.

At the reception, Drew asks everyone to join him in welcoming the newlyweds, Portia and Curtis. Everyone applauds as they walk in, and the band begins to play. Portia and Curtis dance, and there’s a song part as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Curtis asks if he’s told her that he loves her, and she says, he has. He asks if he’s told her how excited he is to start their lives together, and Portia says, he has. He asks if he should stop, but she says, never. Trina says she’s never seen her mom so happy, and Josslyn says, maybe true love does exist. Spencer says, maybe it does, and looks at Trina.

Sonny tells Nina that everything looks gorgeous, especially the co-owner of the venue. How is she holding up? She says she’s okay. She’s thinking about Willow, and imagining dancing at her wedding. He says, there still may be a chance of that, so they can’t lose hope.

Marshall says he’s lived long enough to see his son get married, and TJ says, Curtis looks like he’s on Cloud 9. I wonder if there’s a Cloud 10, and Zeke says, his sister looks stunned. Molly says, it’s like she can’t believe the wedding actually happened, and Marshall says, those two are destined for a lifetime of bliss. Elizabeth tells Finn, watching them, it seems so simple, and he says, maybe it is. Maybe people tend to overcomplicate things. To life getting simpler one day. She says she can cheers to that, and they clink glasses. The dance finishes, and everyone applauds. Curtis brings Portia over to Sterling, and says he believes there’s another tradition to uphold. Sterling says he believes there is. He’d love to dance with his little girl. Portia says she’d love that too, and they go out to the dance floor to more applause.

Taggert tells Trina, it looks like they’re doing the daddy/daughter thing. Should they show them what they’ve got? She says, lead the way, and they go out too. Drew says, it looks like they’ve got a father/daughter duo, and asks for another round of applause. Portia looks over at Trina.

Stella takes a pill, and Jordan says, Stella is actually making herself sick over this. Stella says, it’s just something she takes for her blood pressure. Don’t worry. Her cardiologist assured her that she’ll outlive them all. Jordan says, she’d better; she’s indispensable. Stella says, the cemetery is full of indispensable people, and suggests they talk about something else. Has Jordan forgotten what day it is? Enough about Curtis’s love life. What about hers?

Heather tells Ryan, just stay in that chair, look as vacant as the Bates Motel, and she’ll have him and their daughter out of here and on their way to their new life before the guards have a chance to realize they’re gone. She gets misty-eyed just thinking about it. After all this time, together again; a real all-American family. He says, it sounds promising, but she says, it’s more than promising. It’s a sure thing. He says she’s not accounting for one potential glitch, but she says, this plan is glitch-free. He says, what if Esme refuses to come with them?

The woman says, as Dante and Sam pointed out, she’s never laid eyes on them before tonight. How does she know they’re not the reason that poor girl’s in trouble? Dante says, she just has to trust them. Sam says, Maggie Fitzgerald was the closest thing Esme had to a friend. Maybe she can tell them something about Esme’s family; a mother or a father… Dante says, basically someone who would do anything for her, and Sam says, and they mean anything. The woman says she wishes she could help them. Marjorie could name all of the Spice Girls faster than lightning – Mel B, Mel C, Victoria, Emma, and Geri – but she never heard her mention an Esme Prince.

Curtis asks Taggert if he can cut in, and Taggert says, now that he’s official the stepfather, it’s only fair. He thanks Trina for the dance, kisses her cheek, and tells Curtis, precious cargo. Curtis says, doesn’t he know it, and tells Trina that she looks lovely. They dance, and Trina asks how he feels. He says, mostly elated, and grateful. Of course (🍷) for her beautiful mother, and everyone here, but a large piece of that is reserved for her. Sterling asks Portia, what’s wrong? and she says, nothing. She’s just getting emotional. He says, the happiest day of your life can do that.

Sonny says he and Nina used to be good at that. Remember when he used to spin her around at the Tan-O? Let’s give it a shot. He knows it’s hard to have fun with what’s going on with Willow and Michael and everything, but they’ve got to live life, or what’s the point? He takes her hand, and they go onto the dance floor.

Elizabeth tells Terry to go dance and have fun, and Terry says, Elizabeth might consider taking her own advice. The dance floor is calling. Finn says he’s only an innocent bystander, not a dancer, and Elizabeth tells Terry, what he said. Terry says, suit yourself, and she and Yuri go to dance. Josslyn asks Spencer what he’s waiting for. She still doesn’t think he’s good enough for Trina, but that’s not for her to decide. Just like it’s not for Spencer to decide who she spends her time with. Got it? He says, got it.

Spencer asks if Trina has one more dance in her, and she says, with him? They start to dance, and she says she thought they weren’t pretending to be friends in public anymore. He says he wasn’t pretending.

Jordan asks Stella, please tell her that she’s not playing matchmaker, and Stella says, not after the mess she made of Curtis’s love life. Jordan says, Stella’s not to blame for the break-up of their marriage, but Stella says she didn’t help. Then there was Curtis’s relationship with Portia. Jordan says, Portia’s good people. If only she’d been upfront from the start, they’d know if Curtis was Trina’s father or not. Stella says, it’s too late for it to come out with minimal damage. She sees what Jordan is doing. They were talking about Jordan’s love life. Jordan says, Stella was talking about it, and Stella says, message received. She won’t be meddling in Curtis’s love life or Jordan’s. Jordan picks up the Bible, and tells Stella, like the Good Book says, take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Stella says, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew, 6:34. Jordan says, that Matthew, he really knew what was up. She kisses Stella on the cheek, and leaves. Stella says, he most certainly did.

Trina tells Spencer that Curtis is hiding it well, but it’s killing him that Stella isn’t here. He asks what she’s thinking, and she says she’s thinking it’s wrong that Stella’s sitting in her hotel room. She thinks Stella needs to be at this wedding.

Heather sticks her Valentine to the wall, and tells Ryan that she’s been earning Esme’s trust since Esme was brought here. She has no one else she can count on, especially that supposed baby daddy of hers. All he ever did was dump a bunch of papers in her lap, and tell her to sign away her rights. Ryan looks at the knife, and says, give him five minutes with that prince, and he swears he’ll eviscerate him. Heather says, spoken like a true and loving father. (She’s not wrong.) She tells him, for now, just be patient. Let mama take care of everything, and once they’re outside these walls, no one will ever hurt their baby girl again.

Dante puts some money on the bar, and tells the woman that they’ll get out of her hair, thanking her for the beer. She thanks him for the generous tip, and Sam says, they’ll be staying at the B&B, so if she thinks of anything that could help them, that would be fantastic. The woman says she’ll be sure to reach out. In the meantime, they’re welcome here anytime. They leave, and outside, Dante asks what Sam thought. She says, same as him; she’s lying through her teeth. I wonder where else you would lie from, and Sam tells him, that woman knows more than she’s saying. He tells Sam, say she’s lying… Sam says, she was, and he says, what’s the next obvious question? Why? Inside, the woman takes out a box of letters, and says, Esme, I warned you not to go look for your father. What have you gotten yourself into now? I think we all already guessed she’s Maggie.

Heather asks if Ryan is on board, and he says, he has a choice? She says, not so much. Once the stars are aligned, and Esme’s with them, they’ll make their escape. It’ll happen so fast, Esme won’t have time to object. He says, still, no plan is foolproof. What if they encounter an unforeseen complication? She touches the knife, and says, then he’ll be the solution. Happy Valentine’s Day. He says, let him throw one little wrinkle into the itinerary. He just needs to make one stop before they take off. I’m guessing to see Ava.

Making his toast, Drew says, the quality that stands out the most when he thinks of Curtis is loyalty. This man would lay down his life for those he cares about, and he considers himself lucky to be among them. He’s so happy for them, and can’t wait to see the life they build together. They’re beautiful inside and out. All of them love Curtis and Portia. Everyone is in agreement with that, and Drew says, to the best of the best. Congratulations, Curtis and Portia. Everyone raises their glasses and says, to the best. Portia and Curtis thank and hug Drew, and he says he meant every word. He tells the guests, it’s the maid-of-honor’s turn now, and asks Trina to show herself. She’s nowhere to be seen, and Marshall suggests she’s fixing her makeup. Portia wonders, where’s Trina? She was excited to give the toast. Where could she be?

Stella looks through the Bible, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it, and Trina and Spencer are there.

Tomorrow, Trina asks, what would keep Stella from the wedding; Heather tells Esme, everything’s going to be taken care of; Nina tells Ava that she’s sure the reasons are less than legitimate; and Ryan says, you what?

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

When we last left, Bill was dragging Jennifer out of the party as she called Dolores the c-word. Dolores was pissed, since she’d been backing Jennifer for ages. In the car, Jennifer whined that Dolores didn’t care about her, but Bill said Jennifer’s expectations were too high for her friends. I think he really wanted to tell her that she was being an a-hole, but he has to sleep with her. Dolores said she was quitting Jennifer.

Wedding planning was in full force, and Teresa conferred about invitations with Louie’s assistant Jess. In her interview, Teresa said she wanted an epic wedding with Circe de Soleil dancers and fireworks. Melissa and Joe #2 thought the wedding was going to be awkward, and Melissa hated that Louie had called her insecure. Joe was shocked that Teresa put them out in the cold at the engagement party, and said she didn’t want him to walk her down the aisle.

Danielle visited Jennifer along with her kids, and was afraid once her kids saw Jennifer’s house, they’d want one. Danielle asked if it was going to be awkward with Jennifer and Dolores at her house, and Jennifer rehashed all that. They called Teresa to ask how her meeting with Marge went, and Teresa said it was a fresh of breath air [sic] because they’d communicated. Jennifer and Teresa had also met with Laura, an ex-friend of Marge’s, who said she had stuff they’d want to hear. In Jennifer’s interview she said, since Marge would do it, she decided to do it. Teresa indicated there was something serious Laura knew about, but Jennifer said she didn’t want to know… unless she needed ammunition.

Rachel has two under two, and a fifteen year old stepson, and actually seems like a decent person. My advice, stay far away from most of these people. Marge was having Dolores, Melissa, new friend Jen (who Marge knows through Siggy), Lexi, and Jackie over. Melissa brought sprinkle cookies, and we had a flashback of that Christmas long ago when Teresa threw them in the trash. Lexi said one of her worst faux pas was eating from the wrong bowl of edamame; she ate the pods people had sucked the beans out of. I can’t even imagine how TF you could make this mistake. She must be a real dimbulb. They played a sex question game, the first question being, what sex act did they feel guilty about? Jackie said, since she was Jewish, it was all of them. They never got past the first question because Melissa started talking about how sad it was for Joe #2, as he’d decided to call it quits with his sister. Jackie thought Jennifer was more dangerous than Teresa, and Dolores said, after being accused of not being a good friend, she and Jennifer were done. Marge said she’d genuinely made up with Jennifer, then found out she and Teresa were digging for info about her from a childhood friend. She felt played. In Marge’s interview, she said she found out because there was a mole in Jennifer’s camp.

Regarding her relationship with Paul, Dolores said, for the first time, she was dropping her guard 100%. Paul told her that he’d thought the other night was fun, and we flashed back to Jennifer going berserk. He’s clearly not paying attention. In Dolores’s interview, she said, beforehand, Paul had told her to be the bigger person. Had he not, it could have gone differently. Frank wasn’t used to her having a guy in her life that did everything for her, and Paul said he had her now. I’m liking Paul, so maybe there’s hope for Dolores. Teresa’s invites went out, imprinted on an acrylic pane that rested on top of fresh flowers. Fancy! Joe #2 said it was going to be awkward like in L.A. They’d been at this amazing event, and Teresa woudn’t even take a red carpet picture with him. In his interview, he said, their parents were looking down, and thinking it was a disgrace. Instead of being zen, Louie added fuel to the fire, and Teresa went apesh*t again.

Danielle got ready to have the women over for a mozzarella making party, and said Jennifer’s house could eat hers for breakfast. If anyone said her house was cute, they’d have a problem. Dolores arrived first, and when Danielle asked if there was going to be a problem with Jennifer, she said she always started off with a clean slate. Apparently, she’s never watched herself on this show. Melissa and Marge rode over together, and Marge said she didn’t care if Laura had said she was f***ing goats in her backyard, but Jennifer had undermined their friendship. Teresa said she had to send out new invites, thanks to Ramona. (Yes. RHONY Ramona of the googly eye fame.) Ramona had put Teresa’s invitation up on social media, and we saw the clip of her filming the invite. Teresa wasn’t able to get new acrylics in less than a few weeks’ time, so now the guests were going to be emailed new passwords. In Teresa’s interview, she said she’d wanted to keep the wedding private, and Ramona ruined it. I have to admit, I’m on her side with this one. WTF, Ramona? Dolores said she hadn’t spoken to Jennifer since Jennifer’s (latest) meltdown, and Teresa said she wasn’t taking sides. She wanted them to talk it out, but Dolores didn’t want hear what Jennifer had to say anymore.

Before Melissa got there, Teresa told everyone what a great time they’d had in L.A., but said, Joe was still hurt even though she’d apologized. She said she was seeing a therapist, and they talked about how Italians felt there was a stigma with therapy. When everyone got there, Danielle introduced the two chef instructors, and they all put on Making Mozz Memories aprons. It actually didn’t look too hard to make. Marge asked to chat with Jennifer, which was a mistake, since Jennifer only justified what she’d done. Marge asked if her apology hadn’t seemed genuine, but Jennifer said it had. Laura had approached her, and she was just curious. Marge suggested Jennifer be more self-reflective, which wasn’t a popular idea. She asked if Jennifer didn’t want to be friends, and Jennifer said, friends were on a spectrum. While I agree with that, I don’t go around digging up dirt about the ones on the low end of mine. Later, Marge told Teresa that Jennifer could benefit from therapy, and when Jennifer got annoyed about that, Marge pointed out that she also had issues with Dolores. Jennifer said she and Dolores were good, and Dolores got up and took off her earrings.

Dolores said if Jennifer had a problem with her, Jennifer should come to her, and then there was a bunch of no, you stuff. Teresa wondered what happened to the clean slate. Jen tried to intervene, and told them that this wasn’t going to get anywhere. When they ignored her suggestion, Jen stuffed her face from the buffet. Dolores suddenly decided they were good, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she was done with people who didn’t care. I have to add, this was all shouted about in front of the chefs, who must have wondered WTF they’d gotten themselves into. Teresa said, all these people were going to be at her wedding, and no seating chart was probably a good idea. Marge said, Teresa had issues with it last time at the engagement party, and in Dolores’s interview, she said, in Italian families, it’s big deal where you sit. Teresa insisted that Melissa and Joe #2 were supposed to be at her table, and Jennifer backed her up, saying, Teresa was unaware of the issue. Melissa said Teresa was horrible to them in New York, which brought us back to Teresa feeling that Melissa hadn’t stuck up for Louie with Marge. Melissa said she’d told Marge to knock it off a million times, and Marge agreed. Melissa told Teresa to stop saying how family was everything.

Next time, Paul confronts Frank; Marge thinks Jennifer is on a downward spiral; Danielle admits she’s also estranged from her brother; and Joe #2 has a fight with Louie.

🏖  The Summer House premiere was just the warm up to what will surely be a summer of awful people drinking liquor and fighting.

Carl and Lindsay have moved in together, and Lindsay said she was living a rom-com movie in real life. I give this five minutes. On July 1st, the housemates headed for the Hamptons, and Kyle said he intended to have a massive summer, since he’s about to turn 40 and he’s married now. I’m not sure what he means by massive, but I’m sure it involves a lot of drinking and acting like an a-hole. When they got to the house, they found out the number of bedrooms had been cut back, due to zoning laws. In other words, the landlord advertised that he was renting out too many rooms on national TV, and got caught.

Paige picked her up new girl Gabby, who is all about astrology, and on the way, explained the logistics of the house. She said, Mya, who was dating Oliver, would also be joining them, and Gabby realized she was the only one not part of a couple. Kyle said he took the vibe of the house very seriously, and I decided the word vibe is overused. Mya said she was friends with Carl, but Lindsay thought she wanted Carl in a sexual way. Lindsay didn’t want Mya near him, even though she and Carl were in a permanent friendzone. Mya said after they’d played Family Feud (like really, on TV, not in the living room), she told Lindsay that she’d texted Carl to see if he wanted to smoke a jay. She’d smoked with Carl before, but Lindsay said it wasn’t respectful, and got all bent out of shape. I see Lindsay overreacting in the future. Another new girl, Sam, showed up, as well as a new guy named Chris. Carl was now working with Kyle at Loverboy, but described it as rocky, and said he didn’t know if Loverboy was for him. The first night they decided to have pool party, and Lindsay told the girls that she’d been sober for nine months, but then she wanted a glass of wine with her Aunt Rhonda at Easter, so she was drinking again. But now she didn’t black out. Oh okay. There’s that. Add drunken to overreacting.

Gabby whined to Carl about Lindsay, but kudos to Carl – who’s been the one actual adult in the bunch for a few seasons – for saying, nope. Lindsay was his priority. There will still be overreacting though. Lindsay explained to the others that she got pissed because she’d been supporting Carl’s sobriety, and felt Gabby was sabotaging it by suggesting he smoke weed with her. New guy Jaerez joined the group, and one of the girls (I think Sam) mixed up Leonardo da Vinci with Leonardo DiCaprio, which is pretty amusing, and shows how stupid these people are. How did I miss out on making millions and being on TV?

This season, stupidity; alcohol; alcohol and stupidity; Kory comes to the house; Craig puts pressure on Paige; fights; and a possible engagement.

🐰 Don’t Change a Hare For Me…

Stop in tomorrow, where there will be soap, a glimpse into everything Vanderpumpish, and perhaps some Bowl talk. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing friends are God’s apology for relatives, and stay living life. Or what’s the point?

September 2, 2022 – Ava Unburdens To Nina, She’s Back, Booked, On Or Not, Jersey Switch, Cockroach, VanderEww, House Hitch, Emmys, Dragons, Barely More Than a Dozen Quotes & Opportunities

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase and Brook walk into the pool area, and Brook thanks him for getting her away from the house. The place is swarming with cops and people cleaning up. He says he can’t believe someone stabbed Ava at a crowded event, and she says, the good news is, Ava is out of surgery and in stable condition. He says he’s sure the PCPD will find out what happened, and she says she hopes so. She asks if they can change the subject, and he says, absolutely. Can he just say how happy he is that they both finally got out of their own ways and are doing this. They’re going on a date. She says, at least they’re giving it the old college try, but he says, they can do much, much better than that, and kisses her.

Sam is sitting in a chaise lounge when Dante approaches. He asks if the seat next to her is taken, and she says she was saving it for someone. He’s like, fifteen minutes late. Dante sits, and says, damn. What’s with this dude? He’s late? That’s so rude. She tells him, she wouldn’t say that. He probably has good reason. He’s a cop, a detective. Dante asks if she’s saying he puts his work above his personal life, and she says, he’s just really dedicated to his job.

In the home of the moss bowl 🎍, Josslyn gives Cameron something to drink, and he says he’s sorry. He feels like he should be waiting on her after everything she just went through. Is she sure she’s okay? She says she is now, since the moss bowl is back 🎍 but when she first saw Ava, she just froze. There was so much blood. Then Ava opened her eyes, and Josslyn went to reach for her phone to dial 9-1-1, but she’d left it inside. She knew she had to get help, but Ava was so scared. Ava wouldn’t let Josslyn leave her. He says he’s sorry she had to go through that, and she says, eventually, she found a towel, something to apply pressure to the wound. By that time, Ava had passed out, and she didn’t know if she should run and get more help, or stay and keep applying the pressure. And that’s when Dex showed up.

At the hospital, Sonny tells Dex that he won’t need him for the rest of the night. Dex asks if he’s sure, when Temp Michael (who always confuses me for a moment) comes around the corner. Dex tells Sonny, he knows Selina Wu has a shipment coming in. He can go to the docks and make sure things go smoothly, and Sonny says, he wants to work that bad? Dex tells him, he’s said it before; he wants to prove Sonny can count on him. Sonny says, all right then, and Dex starts to leave, but Sonny says he has something else he wants Dex to do for him.

In a room at the MetroCourt, Spencer holds his head, and says he feels like crap. He needs to take a shower. He takes off his shoes and shirt, and sits down on the bed instead. He says, maybe a nap, and lies down.

Willow leans against the wall for a moment, and Terry asks if she’s all right. Willow says, it’s the end of her shift. She’s just a little tired. Terry says, Nurse Tate, my office. Now.

Nina goes in to see Ava, and sits next to the bed. She asks if Ava is in much pain, and Ava says, at the moment, she can’t feel much of anything. That’s probably good. She’s not looking forward to the painkillers wearing off. She asks if Avery was here, and Nina says, Sonny brought her by earlier. She needed to see for herself that her mommy was all right. She figured Ava might want some company, but if she’d rather sleep, Nina can go. Ava says, no. Stay. It’s better not to be alone. Nina says, speaking of being alone, why is she alone? Where’s her husband? Ava says she told Nikolas to stay away, and Nina says, when she saw him earlier, he seemed pretty worried about her. Ava sort of laughs, and says, she bets he did. Nina asks why she doesn’t want to see Nikolas, and Ava says, he hurt her. He betrayed her in the worst possible way.

Cameron says, Dex was there, Sonny’s guy, and Josslyn says, he helped her save Ava’s life. He really knew what he was doing. Cameron says, he bets Dex did, considering his line of work, and she says, Dex was a soldier. He served in Afghanistan. He says he didn’t know that. What he does know about Dex is that Josslyn saw him pestering one of the jurors at Trina’s trial. She says, yeah, and she still thinks he’s an idiot to work for Sonny. All she’s saying is, he has a few redeeming qualities. When he found her and Ava, he didn’t panic. He knew they had to get to the hospital right away. If they’d waited for that ambulance, Ava would be dead. So, yes, she helped, but Dex saved her life. Cameron wonders where Spencer was during all this, and Josslyn says she doesn’t know, but is he implying Spencer could have attacked Ava? He says, no, of course (🍷) not. Spencer did stalk Ava, but he doesn’t think Spencer is capable of that kind of violence. If Esme were still in town, maybe she could be the one, but he only asks because Ava is Spencer’s stepmom. This attack affects him. She says she didn’t see Spencer at the picnic, but apparently, he got totally wasted.

Spencer sleeps, and dreams he’s searching for Trina, Cam, and Joss in an empty Savoy. Esme says, they aren’t here, and he sees her sitting on the bar, holding a martini. She says, neither is Trina. It’s just you and me. He says, she’s come back, and she says she never left, not really. He doesn’t have to pretend with her. She knows he missed her. He says, the only thing he missed was the police arresting her for framing Trina. He’s disappointed she was able to skip town before the cops got her. She says, liar, and hops down from the bar. She asks if he isn’t really disappointed in himself; that all his plans were for nothing? He says, at least it got her out of his life. One call to Commissioner Ashford, and she’s done. He’ll have her sent to prison. She laughs, and he says, it makes her smile, prison? She says, she’s out of his life, but she took his father and Trina with her.

Nina says, don’t tell her Nikolas is the one who attacked her, and Ava says she doesn’t know who attacked her, but she doesn’t think it was Nikolas. Nina says, then how did he hurt her? and Ava says, he betrayed her in the most basic way. Nina says, he cheated on her. She’s so sorry. He’s such an idiot. Who was it? Not that it matters; cheating is cheating. Ava says, it matters, and Nina says, who was it? Ava says, Esme, and Nina says, Spencer’s girlfriend Esme? Nikolas slept with his son’s girlfriend? That’s disgusting. Ava says, Nikolas claims he thought their marriage was over, that he’d been drinking heavily, and that Esme came on to him. Nina asks if that’s why Esme left. Did Ava run her out of town? Ava says, something like that.

Dante slides Sam’s chaise closer to his, and says, sorry he’s late. He kisses her, and she says, he’s forgiven. Besides she had plenty to keep her occupied. She points to Brook and Chase, who are still kissing, and says, his former partner and BLQ can’t keep their hands off each other. She thinks it’s in the air. Actually, she thinks it’s pretty easy to get in your own way. Like her totally overthinking the moving in thing. He says, but she didn’t do that. She had her reasons, and as long as he knows she wants to move forward, he and Rocco will move in… someday. She says, how about tomorrow?

Michael watches from a distance, and Dex asks what Sonny wants him to do. Sonny says he wants Dex to go to the ICU, and stand guard by Ava’s room until Frank gets here. Dex says, that’s it? He can do a lot more than that. Sonny asks how many times he has to tell Dex; just do what he tells him to do. Does he have a problem with that? Michael comes over, and says he heard about Ava. He asks if Sonny has any idea who attacked her, and Sonny asks if there’s any reason he should know that. Michael says, it was a fundraiser for sick children – a picnic, barbecue, games on the Quartermaine grounds – and somehow, Ava got stabbed in the middle of it. Sonny asks what Michael is suggesting, and Michael says, they both know violence tends to follow Sonny around. Was he involved?

Brook tells Chase, they have to stay focused. They have a plan. Does he think it’s time? He looks at his watch, and says, just about. He stares at her, and she says, what? He says, she’s really beautiful, and she tells him, stop. She should have known he’d become a mushball after they got together. He asks if she thinks calling him a mushball is an insult; it’s not. After all these months of hiding his feelings, he gets to say them out loud. Guess what? He yells that he thinks she’s beautiful. She’s wicked smart, and impossibly funny, and what she did for Maxie and Bailey Lou, who has a bigger heart than Brook Lynn Quartermaine? Which is why she deserves an epic first date. She says, he doesn’t have anything planned? That is a letdown. He says, he has plans; lots and lots of plans. They kiss, and Linc walks in. He says, what the hell? Is this how Brook thinks a manager services her clients? It’s hardly professional.

In Terry’s office, Willow drinks some water, and says she feels better already. Terry says she doesn’t have to tell Willow, nursing is a strenuous occupation. You spend most of the day on your feet, and it’s usually go, go, go. Willow says she knows that, but she still loves it. She’s proud of graduating, and proud of being a full-time nurse. Terry says, that’s quite an accomplishment. When she found Willow in the hallway just now, it looked like she was about to faint. Willow says, what nurse isn’t wiped out at the end of their shift? She can still do her job. Terry says, if Willow decided to take a medical leave, her job would still be waiting for her. Willow says, she’s not even out of her first trimester yet, and Terry wants her to take off the rest of her pregnancy? And maternity leave on top of that? She’d be gone almost a year. Terry says she’s not talking about Willow’s pregnancy. She’s talking about the time Willow will need to beat her leukemia. Willow says, pregnant women get tired even if they don’t have leukemia, and Terry says, and Willow is handling both, while keeping her diagnosis a secret from her partner. Willow says, it’s her choice and her mind is made up.

Michael asks if Sonny has considered that Ava was targeted because of her connection to him, and Dex tells Michael to shut his mouth. Sonny pushes Dex back, and tells him, stop that; stop jumping like that. Let him explain something to Michael. Ava is Avery’s mother, and that’s the only connection he has to what happened. The attack took place on Quartermaine property. Maybe Michael’s other family should have better security. Michael says he thinks the GH Board should reconsider their relationship with Sonny, and Sonny says, his donations built not one, but two wings to the hospital. Michael says, money can’t buy respectability, and leaves. Sonny says, what a shame, and Dex says, he has no right to speak to Sonny that way. Sonny says, when he tells Dex something, just do it. Go to the ICU now.

Spencer tells Esme, don’t talk to him about his father. He can’t believe she had sex with him. She sits at a table where a martini is waiting, and asks if he’s really that surprised. She was his first, but he was hardly her first. Deep down, he had to know he wasn’t experienced enough for her. How does she explain this in a way he’ll understand?… She knows. He just wasn’t man enough to keep her satisfied. He says, the thought of touching her physically repulsed him, and she says, it’s true she was never his top priority. He chose his friends over her, especially Trina. Is it any wonder she turned to someone else; a man of experience? He says she could have turned to anyone else, and he wouldn’t have cared, but she chose his father. How could she? How could he? She says, poor little rich boy. His father chose her over him, just like his beloved Trina chose rookie Rory over him. That makes him the biggest loser, doesn’t it? He lost his father and the girl. He says, that’s because Trina doesn’t know the truth. She doesn’t now he was on her side the entire time. Esme says, and if she did? What then? Does he think Trina is going to drop Officer Six-Pack and come running to him? Keep dreaming. He says he had to act like he didn’t believe Trina to trick Esme into admitting she’d set Trina up, and Esme says, but she was smarter. No way she’d incriminate herself. The only reason Trina got exonerated is because that rat of a bartender sold her out. Spencer’s plan didn’t accomplish anything. That’s not strictly true. Spencer played his role so well, Trina is never going to forgive him, and he knows that. So why hasn’t he told her? It’s not some noble gesture; he’s far from noble. It’s because he’s scared it still won’t make a difference. Trina still won’t want him. She made sure of that. He yells, shut up! and Esme disappears. She says, enjoy Pentenville. She’s sure he’ll make a ton of friends. He yells, shut up, Esme! as she laughs. He wakes up.

Cameron tells Josslyn, Spencer’s going to Pentenville tomorrow. He doesn’t blame him for cutting loose. She says she’d probably do the same thing if she was in his shoes. Does Cameron think they should check on him? He’s at the MetroCourt. Cameron says, he’s spending his last day of freedom at the pool? but she says, he’s staying there. She thinks he got into yet another argument with his dad. He said he was going there to shower and get some sleep. Her phone rings, she says, hey munchkin… Slow down… Where is she?… Is she sure?… Okay. She’s going to look for it. She’ll tell her if she finds it. Cameron asks what she’s off to look for, and she says, Avery’s charm bracelet. Her mom gave it to her, and she thinks she left it at GH, so Josslyn’s heading over there. She thinks she has enough time before Trina’s party. Cameron says he thinks he’ll check on Spencer. It might be the last time he can say goodbye before Spencer goes to Pentenville. He’ll see her at the party.

Dex stands guard outside, while inside Ava’s room, Nina says, so Ava’s husband slept with his son’s girlfriend, and Ava found out about it, and walked away? That doesn’t sound like the Ava Jerome she knows and loves. She would expect some epic Shakespearian payback. Ava says, believe her, she wanted to make Nikolas pay. She had to wait. Nina asks, why? and Ava flashes back to struggling with Esme on the parapet. Nina asks, where’d she go? and Ava says, it just wasn’t the right time. Nina says, it sounds like she’s talking about something specific. What is it? What made her wait?

In his room, Spencer writes, dear Trina. I want you to know the truth. I wasn’t going to tell you. I figured you were better off without me in your life, but I need you to know, from the moment I walked into that interrogation room after you’d been arrested, I knew you were innocent. Despite what I said, I believe in you. I always have.

Brook says she can’t believe a dirtbag like Linc is lecturing on professional behavior, and Linc says, didn’t he warn Chase? All Brook wants is to get Chase in bed. Chase says, actually, they’re dating. See that thing on his face? It’s a smile, because he’s happy. Linc says, a manager and a client are hooking up, and he’s calling it dating? Brook says she’s not surprised Linc doesn’t understand the concept. Dating is when a woman actually wants to spend time with you. Linc says, he and Chase have a meeting on the books. Chase is supposed to be with him right now, not Brook. They have to talk about studio musicians. Chase says, they had a meeting, but he’s canceling it. He doesn’t need 30 days to decide who his manager is going to be. He’s ready to sign with Brook. Linc says, what about the gig at The Savoy he just got for Chase? and Chase says, he’ll still do the gig, and Linc will get his cut, but Linc says, Chase thinks he’s going to promote someone else’s singer? Unless Chase signs with him, that gig is off. I’d bet dollars to donuts (I have no idea what that means, but it sounds good), Curtis would let him sing there anyway.

Sam asks why Dante is laughing, and he says he’s not laughing at her. It’s just when he brought it up, she seemed hesitant. Now she’s all gung-ho about it, which is great. He loves this change of pace, but he doesn’t want her to feel like they need to rush anything. She says she was just thinking it would be good for Rocco to move before the school year starts. Unless he’s too busy working. He says he’ll always make time for them, and they kiss.

Michael tells Nurse Andrea that he’s here to meet Willow. Has she seen her? Andrea says she saw Willow earlier, and believes she’s in Dr. Randolph’s office.

Ava tells Nina that she doesn’t know what she’s saying. She thinks it’s all the pain medication they have her on. She asks Nina to promise not to tell anyone about Nikolas and Esme. It would just be so humiliating if people knew Nikolas cheated on her with a girl young enough to be his daughter. Nina promises not to tell anyone, but says, Nikolas should be ashamed of what he did to Ava; of what he did to his own son. Ava didn’t do anything wrong. Ava says she’s not sure everybody would agree, and Nina says, Ava’s not to blame for this situation. Ava says she’s not a particularly popular person. Nikolas knows this. Even after she knew about him cheating, he tried to convince her that they still needed each other. A part of he actually believes him. Nina wonders why Nikolas is saying they need each other. What isn’t Ava telling her? What did she do? Ava looks past Nina, who turns around to see Sonny standing in the doorway.

Linc says, either Linc signs with him, and keeps his show at a first class venue, where he can guarantee Chase at least two promoters from Manhattan in the audience; or he can blow it all playing kiss-and-tell with the sequel to Clueless. Brook says, hey, who’s he calling clueless? and he asks if she’d prefer Dazed and Confused. Chase says he’s made up his mind. The Savoy gig would have been fun, but he’s sticking with Brook. Linc says, Chase is a fool. He would have made Chase a star. All Brook can do is keep his bed warm. Chase says, watch it, and moves closer to Linc. Linc tells him, enjoy his career as a wedding singer. Brush up on The Village People. People can’t get enough of YMCA at receptions. Linc leaves, and Brook says she didn’t love the insults, but they did it. Step one is complete. He says, now on to step two.

Willow says, it’s like Terry’s pressuring her to tell Michael about her leukemia diagnosis, and Terry says she’s sorry. The last thing she wants to do is add stress to Willow’s life. The decision to share her diagnosis or not is hers alone, but as her as boss and her doctor, it’s Terry’s duty to point out that if the people around Willow don’t know she’s ill, they’ll expect her to maintain her busy schedule. So it’s going to fall on Willow to take care of herself. Willow says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to jump down Terry’s throat. She’s not lying. She basically feels fine; she just lacks some energy. Her goal is to keep her life as normal as possible for as long as she can. She’s lucky. They caught it early, but her life is no longer normal. She has to face that. There’s a knock at the door, and Michael says he’s looking for Willow. Willow says she’s in here, and he asks if he’s interrupting something. Willow says, no. She’s glad he’s here. He needs to know what she’s decided.

There’s a knock at Spencer’s door, and Spencer asks who it is. Cameron says, it’s him, and Spencer puts his writing stuff under his pillow. He smooths his hair, and opens the door. He asks what Cameron is doing here, and Cameron says, nice to see him too. He came to check on Spencer. He heard Spencer got a little drunk at the Quartermaine picnic. What gives? Spencer says he’s going to Pentenville tomorrow; he thought he deserved a big send-off. Cameron asks if Spencer is sure that’s it, and Spencer says, yeah. Cameron says, in that case, why is Spencer spending his last night of freedom alone, and not with his family at Windymere?

Frank tells Dex that he’ll take over, and Dex says, the boss is inside. Josslyn joins them, and asks, how’s Ava? Dex says, Frank just got here; he’s been here a while. He walks with Josslyn to the waiting area, and says, it’s seemed quiet since he got here; no medical emergencies. What is she doing here? She says, Avery lost her bracelet. She thinks she might have left it in Ava’s room, or somewhere in the waiting area. He says he’s been here for a while, but he hasn’t seen anything like that. She looks under a couch, and says she’s going to keep looking. The bracelet is from Ava, so Avery is pretty upset. He says, a janitor took the trash not too long ago. Maybe he knows what happened to it.

Sonny says, it got quiet when he came in. Is everything okay? Ava says, for starters, some lunatic stabbed her with a hook, and the cops don’t know who it was. He asks if she has any idea who attacked her, but she says she didn’t see anything. Nina says, maybe she will when she recovers, and Ava says she hopes so. She asks if Avery is all right. It wasn’t too scary to see her like this? Sonny says, she was reassured that her mom was just sleeping, and she just wants her mommy to get better. Ava says she wants that too, but until the person who did this is caught, what’s to stop them from trying to finish the job?

Sonny comes out with Nina, and tells Frank to keep his eyes open. Frank says he’s on it, and Sonny asks what Josslyn is doing here. She says, Avery lost her charm bracelet, the one Ava gave her. She thinks she might have left it here. Dex comes back, and says he found the janitor, but it was too late. He already took the trash to the dumpster. Josslyn says, she’ll figure this out; they don’t have to wait. Sonny says he appreciates her looking out for her sister. She says she always will, and Sonny and Nina leave. Dex says he’s sorry her little sister lost her bracelet, but Josslyn says, this isn’t over. Does he know where the dumpsters are?

Willow tells Michael that she was so excited to get her nursing degree, she tried to do too much too soon. She was just talking to Dr. Randolph about cutting back her hours. He says he’s completely supportive of this. He’s been worried about Willow since she fainted. Once the baby comes, their lives will only get busier. He’s glad she’s getting her rest now while she can. Willow says she promises her goal is to be 100% when this is over.

Spencer tells Cameron, his Uncle Victor got him the room. Something about not wanting to haul his drunk ass back to Windymere. Since this is his last night of freedom, he figured he’d spend it there. He wanted some five-star luxury before his three months in maximum security. Cameron says, that makes sense. So is his dad at the hospital with Ava? Spencer says he assumes so, and Cameron asks if he’s scared to go to Pentenville. Spencer says, of course (🍷) he is; who wouldn’t be? His life is royally screwed up, and for nothing. Cameron says, it’s not for nothing. Spencer was helping his friend Trina; that matters. Spencer says, except that it turns out it was completely pointless. He didn’t do anything to help her. It was the bartender’s testimony that got the charges dropped. Cameron says, what’s important is that Spencer was helping a friend, and Spencer says, maybe, eyeing his pillow. Cameron says, if Spencer wants, he can stick around. They could play some video games. He can be a little late to Trina’s party. Trina is having a party to celebrate PCU dropping the Title IX charges; she’s going back to classes in the fall. Spencer says, that’s great; good for her. But Cameron doesn’t have to stick around. Cameron asks if he’s sure, and Spencer says he’ll see Cameron in a few months. Cameron asks if Spencer doesn’t think he’ll come visit, and Spencer says, he is? Cameron says, Spencer’s his friend, isn’t he? and they hug.

Sam asks how the investigation into Ava’s stabbing is going, and Dante says, slow. Whoever stabbed her took a big risk, doing it at a picnic with so many people around. She says, maybe it wasn’t about the risk. Maybe it was a crime of passion.

Brook says, she knew it was a good plan to make Linc want to sign Chase, then make a big deal about Chase signing with her. It’s just going to make Linc want to sign him more. He’s one of those guys who wants what he can’t have. Chase says, and on to step two. They have to find a way to make him some kind of success… as a singer. And step three, Linc will buy out his contract. She says, at a very good price, she might add, and he says, then he’ll abandon his singing career, and leave Linc in the lurch. She says, yes. That is the final step. He says, then the hard part. She’s got to make him a star. She says, easy peasy.

Dante helps Sam up, and says, let’s go for pizza, then to his place to start packing up. She asks if he’s sure Rocco will want to give up his backyard, and he says, there’s a beautiful park a block away from her penthouse. She says, what about living with two other kids? and he says, they’ve spent so much time together at the Quartermaines, they’re pretty much siblings already. They kiss, and she says, it’s a go. On their way out, the run into Brook and Chase. Dante says, look who they have here. He was going to say they should be enjoying each other more, but he doesn’t think that’s possible. Chase says, they’re that obvious? and Sam says, only in the best way possible. Dante tells them, have a good night, and leaves with Sam.

At the dumpster, Josslyn tells Dex, that smell; it’s so gross. He says, it’s garbage. What did she expect? She tells him, it says number ten, and the janitor said that’s trash, not medical waste. She brings a wooden crate over, and gets on it. He says, she’s not actually climbing in? It’s just a bracelet. Why doesn’t she buy her sister a new one? Josslyn says, no, and opens the dumpster. She says, her sister is going through enough right now. If there’s a chance the bracelet is in here, she’s going to look for it. Is he going to help her or what?

Dressed in a suit, Spencer signs the letter and puts it in an envelope. He leaves, taking it with him.

Willow thanks Terry for hearing her out, and Terry says she’s a great nurse. They want to support her any way they can. Her desk phone rings, and she says she has to take this. Willow and Michael leave, and in the hallway, Willow says, hang on. Michael asks if something is wrong, and she asks if he thinks they can skip the MetroCourt, and have a quiet dinner at home. He says, as long as they’re together, he doesn’t care where they go.

Frank comes into Ava’s room, and she asks if he’s going to be right outside her door all night. He says he will, and she says, he won’t let anyone in who isn’t approved? He says he has the list on his phone, and she asks if Nikolas Cassadine is on the list. Frank says, he is, and she says, he shouldn’t be. Take her husband’s name off.

Chase says, if it was that easy to make someone a star, wouldn’t every karaoke singer do it? She says, they’re not talking about karaoke singers. She has experiences; she has contacts. Chase is the total package. Every guy is going to want to be him, and every girl is going to have a poster of him on her wall. Anyone who hears him is going to become an instant fan. He says, is that all it’s going to take? and she says, he can be very charismatic. They kiss, and Chase says, and she can be very convincing. How are they going to get him in front of a crowd? She sees Nina and Sonny walk in, and says she has an idea. Trust her.

Sonny says he knows he interrupted something between Nina and Ava. When he walked into the room, it was tense. She says he doesn’t need to know about this. It’s just, Ava’s been through a lot, and she’s emotional right now. He says, he knows that’s not it. Tell him the truth. What were she and Ava talking about?  

On Monday, Brando says, Sasha is in trouble; Sasha asks Lucy, what’s the bottom line; and Sonny asks what favor someone needs.

🏋️‍♀️ They Never Die…

I still expect Faison to show up again, even though Doc has his brain in a jar. Or perhaps a good twin. Could happen.

📖 Sweet Side Hustle…

This looks like a beautiful book. Congrats to her! Apparently, both our Trinas are young women of varied accomplishments.

🛠 Who’s Laboring…

Hint: There will be a new episode of GH on Monday.

👠 New New Jersey…

I don’t get Jackie being demoted. At first I thought maybe she’d decided to take time off, but no. Bravo has made some bad decisions lately. They’re reducing the time of the person who had the most interesting, and real, storyline last season; yet they continue to keep Teresa, who has become a liability with her temper, in the forefront. Don’t even get me started on RHOBH.

https://screenrant.com/rhonj-season-13-finale-features-screaming-match-fighting/

💎 Can’t Quit Her…

I’m like a cockroach. You can’t get rid of me. I agree with half of this statement.

🍸 Just a Little Creepy…

The word incestuous comes to mind. I also don’t know why Raquel would want to go from one bad choice to another. At least the chances of Schwartz rage texting her are slim.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-tom-schwartz-wrote-off-raquel-leviss-during-katie-maloney-marriage/

https://www.eonline.com/news/1344541/vanderpump-rules-scheana-shay-breaks-silence-on-tom-schwartz-and-raquel-leviss-rumors

💍 Engagement In the House…

I don’t even know what to make of this. I’d actually thought Carl was a sane person. And what about Austen?

https://people.com/tv/summer-house-stars-lindsay-hubbard-and-carl-radke-are-engaged-exclusive/

🏆 So They Say…

I don’t know if it’s everything you need to know, but it’s not until September 12th, so you have time.

https://ew.com/awards/emmys/2022-emmys-everything-to-know/

🐉 Hobbit This…

I don’t know how much of a competition it is though. It’s not like you can’t watch almost anything at any time now. I personally have at least three premieres on my viewing schedule this weekend.

https://www.avclub.com/house-of-dragon-game-of-thrones-youtube-premiere-free-1849492467

🌬 Quotes of the Week

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. – Dale Carnegie

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

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. – Oscar Wilde

You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.Ronald Reagan

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. – Alan Watts

It’s the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter. – Marlene Dietrich

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.Mahatma Gandhi

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. – Thomas Jefferson

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw

I think the only answer is to live life to the fullest while you can and collect memories like fools collect money. Because in the end, that’s all you have – happy memories.Sarah Strohmeyer

We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten. – Cesare Pavese

Basic cable; it’s like being in prison. – Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen), Two and a Half Men

You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein (The first guy to figure out Survivor.)

🍁 Unofficial Seasonal Change…

Soap and Deck will still be laboring on Monday, so join me for both. Until then, stay safe, stay laboring at whatever you want or not this weekend, and stay knowing that helping a friend is never for nothing. It always matters.

June 3, 2022 – Sonny Won’t Let Nina Go, Why, Opening Up, Joining Salem, a Farewell, So She Claims, Reaction, VanderNews, Premieres, New Motel, Quotes of Eight & Somebody

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny picks up Nina’s necklace from in front of Nelle’s gravestone. I knew it!

In a cab, Nina tells the driver that she’s going to the airport; the international terminal. Her phone dings, but she brushes it aside.

On the phone, Sonny tells Phyllis not to worry. He’s going to find her.

Sam says, when Cody said, partners in crime, is he talking about Detective Falconari? Cody says he can’t wrap his head around the cop part. This guy’s mom sent him to summer camp to keep him out of trouble, and he got in a lot more while he was there. Dante says, that was because of Cody, and Cody says, right. He’s the one who led Dante astray; Dante’s the innocent one. Sam says, they’ve known each other that long? and Cody says, we were twelve? Thirteen? Dante says, twelve. He came home from school one day, and his mom had a bag packed. He was going to camp for the summer. Stay out of trouble and get into nature. Sam says, and Cody was the bad influence that corrupted Dante? Cody says he was a bad influence, but so was Dante back in the day.

Josslyn sees Cameron at the pool, putting out towels, and says, two shifts? Kelly’s, now here? He says, with everything going on with his mom, he figured he could use the extra work, and she asks if they can talk about what’s going on with them.

In front of her house, Trina says she can’t believe she and Rory stayed out so long, and he says he guesses that means they were having a good time. She says she guesses so, and thanks him for everything back at the pool, and for dinner, and for ice cream. She’ll pay him back for everything. He tells her not to worry about it, and thanks her for introducing him to that amazing food truck. She says, right? She only knew about it because it goes by PCU on certain days. He says, another testament to her incredible taste. Good art, good food. He can’t wait to see what else she introduces him to.

Spencer says he promises whatever Esme has to say, he’ll listen, but can he please go first? He’s had a lot of time to think about what she said to him; how he takes her for granted, and how Trina gets under his skin. But he evades every time she calls him out on it, and he realized she’s right. She deserves some answers.

Ava says, don’t tell her that he hired a divorce lawyer already, and Nikolas says, no, but he was ready to give up on their marriage. She says she was too. She drew a line in the sand, and she was ready to walk away. Thankfully, she realized it was the last thing she wanted. They can find their way back from this, can’t they?

Dante says, Cody didn’t corrupt him, but he definitely coerced Dante into going along with his more harebrained schemes. Cody says, like Dante didn’t have any suggestions, and Dante says, Cody knows it wasn’t his idea or choice to take a canoe out in the middle of the lake, and tip it over on purpose. Cody starts laughing and banging the table, and says, they pretended they were drowning, and yelled, help! help! until the prettiest CIT came over. Dante tells Sam, that’s Counselor-in-Training, and Cody says, she swam over. She – air quotes – rescued us – end air quotes – and boy she was mad. Dante says, they got banned from the beach for the rest of the summer, and Cody says, then Dante stole all the camp director’s cigarettes out of his cabin. Dante says, and why did he do that? and Cody says, because he dared Dante to. Dante says, they got busted because this guy smoked every cigarette in the pack, and started puking all over the place, and Cody says, nothing like a little adrenaline rush to let you know you’re alive. Sam says, it’s like jumping out of a plane and crash-landing on an unsuspecting woman, and Cody says, talk about mad… and pretty. She actually reminds him of that CIT. Still, if she hadn’t been there, it would have been a perfect landing. Dante says, instead of a potential negligence lawsuit, and Cody says, look at Dante, former renegade, embracing the straight and narrow path to a humdrum life. Dante says he doesn’t know if staring down the barrel of a loaded gun is as dangerous as jumping out of a plane, and Cody says he’s just messing with Dante. He’s going to get another round for that dinner Dante is going to buy him. He gets up, and puts his hand on his back. Sam asks if he’s okay, and Cody says, that tumble just fired up some old injuries. He’s good. A little pain just lets you know you’re alive. He goes to the bar, and Sam wonders why Dante never mentioned him before. Dante says he doesn’t know. They saw each other at summer camp, had a helluva time, but they lost touch after Dante stopped going. Sam says, that’s too bad. He seems like a good guy. Dante says, he is a good guy. Good at getting in trouble.

Josslyn says she feels like she and Cameron should be able to tell each other everything by now. Unless this is something bigger. Does he feel like they need time or something? He says, no. He doesn’t want that. Does she? She says she doesn’t know what else to do. Clearly, something is going on. Cameron flashes back to telling Spencer that he’s not going to lose Josslyn because Spencer can’t keep his head in the game. Make it happen, or he will. Cameron says, Josslyn is right. There’s something he has to tell her. She says, okay, when Adam walks in. Cameron says, isn’t that…? and she says, the creep who tried to hit on her when she thought they were just study buddies? Adam says he’s sorry to interrupt, but he really needs to talk to her.

Taggert tells Portia that he was hoping Trina would get home before he left, and she says, Trina is actually supposed to be back by now, but she has been working a lot. Dealing with everything hanging over her head, Portia doesn’t blame her. She wishes there was something she could do to make things better, and Taggert says, she will. He asks her to give Trina a big hug from her dad, and she says she sure will. Trina’s still a daddy’s girl; don’t worry. Taggert opens the door to find Rory and Trina standing there, and asks, sweetheart, who’s your friend?

Nikolas downs a drink, and Ava says, they had a fight; so do most couples. She just had to remember everything they’ve shared. How they’ve survived, despite everyone’s predictions to the contrary. Because they love each other. Because they understand each other. It’s going to take a helluva lot more than an argument to sever that bond. He flashes back to… I don’t want to talk about it, and says, to be fair, it was more than one argument. There are things between them that aren’t easy to resolve. She says, nothing between them has been easy, and it hasn’t stopped them yet, but he says, she walked away from him; from them. He thought it was over. She says she thought so too, but it’s because they’re both stubborn, passionate people. When they’re at odds, things can get really ugly, but when they’re together, they’re unbeatable. That’s the problem. They stopped working as a team. They started to let their own agendas drive them, and forgot to protect this life they’ve created together. That life is beautiful. It’s remarkable, and utterly their own. And she’s not going to let Spencer and Esme tear it down.

Spencer says he’s so sorry for how bad things have gotten between him and Esme. He’s so sorry for the way he treated her. He takes her hand, and asks if she’ll please forgive him.

On the phone, Sonny asks if Brick can track down Nina for him. She’s not returning his calls, his texting, or nothing… He’s just afraid she’s not in a great state of mind, and she might do something she’s going to regret.

Nina thanks the driver for making the stop; she left her passport in the office. She realizes her necklace is gone, and asks him to wait. They have to make another stop before he drives her to the airport.

Cody comes back with beers, and says, to Port Charles finest. That means Dante. Dante says, to unexpected reunions, and they clink bottles. Sam says, no wedding ring; he’s not married? He says, free as a bird, and she says, no kids? He says, no, and she asks if there’s anyone special in his life. He says, she asks a lot of questions, and Dante says, Sam is a private investigator; occupational hazard. Sam says, it’s like jumping out of a plane and landing on a roof. It’s sort of like skydiving. Is that what Cody does for a living, or is it his side hustle? Cody says, actually, for a long time, he was a stunt horseback rider, and Dante says, cool. Cody was always good with horses. Cody says he grew up around them, and when he moved out west, he worked on ranches. That’s where he learned stunt riding, but after too many tumbles, he had to hang up his saddle. Now he makes a living doing short term gigs. Sam asks if dropping out of the sky isn’t hard on his back, and he says, yeah. He’ll probably have to quit that too. So how long have Sam and Dante been together? Dante asks if Sam wants to take that one, and she says, they’re coming up on a year. Cody asks how they met, and Dante says, Sam has been a family friend for years. Sam says, her ex-husband was best friends with Dante’s father. Cody says, Dante found his father. He remembers Dante wanted to know who he was. Dante says he got to know his father a little over 10 years ago, and Cody says, that’s significant; tell him about him. Dante says, he’s a businessman in Port Charles, and Cody asks, what’s his business? Dante says, Corinthos Coffee, and Cody says, his dad is Sonny Corinthos?

Sonny tells Brick, talk to him… a plane ticket, where?… Dammit. Milan?… How soon?… All right. He’s on it. He starts to leave, but meets Nina, who’s coming into the cemetery.

Cameron says, if he was Adam, he’d get the hell out of here, but Josslyn says, it’s fine. Let’s hear what he has to say. Adam asks if they can talk in private, and Cameron says, he’s joking, but Josslyn says, it’s fine. He’s got a minute. Cameron steps away, and Josslyn says, one wrong word, and he’s in the pool, and she’s pretty good at it. He says he’s been afraid to talk to her at school, but he saw her come in there, and figured it’s now or never. She says, for what? and he says, an apology.

Nikolas tells Ava, as convenient as it would be to blame Spencer and Esme, they’ve struggled with trust and honesty from the beginning, and he takes his responsibility in that. Ava says she knows they have legitimate issues to work through, but despite that, there’s love here. There’s a kinship even, and there’s certainly no denying their attraction. Surely those things can see them through. What does he say? Is still in this with her? He says, don’t call him Shirley.

Esme says she appreciates Spencer’s acknowledgement that he’s treated her badly, but it’s not that simple. She removes her hand from his, and gets up. He follows and says, he knows he messed everything up. He’s trying to work it out. He wants to be the man she deserves, but in order to do that, he may need a second, third, or fourth chance, and he doesn’t even know which one he’s on now. Just believe he’s trying to do better by her. She says she needs more than trying, and from where she’s standing, it doesn’t look like he’s trying very hard, except to justify his behavior. She’s been willing to stand by him, no matter what, but she hasn’t gotten anything close to that from him. She deserves better. His father reminded her of that.

Nikolas says he’s with Ava, always and forever. She moves to kiss him, but he backs up a little. She says, forever lasted all of four seconds, and he says she just surprised him. She says, and his instinct was to recoil; that’s not very reassuring. He says he’s as in love with her as ever. He wanted to grab her in his arms so many times, and he had to restrain himself. They came so close to the edge of giving up. It might take time for him to feel normal. She says, there is still one giant thing between them. If they really want to move forward, they have to settle it once and for all.

Spencer says, Esme talked to his father about him? and Esme flashes back to – oh! My eyes! She says, among other things. Nikolas saw her suitcase, and she accidentally broke the news about Ava’s offer for them to move out of Windymere in exchange for an allowance from his trust fund. One thing led to another, and she told him they fought, and she was on the verge of walking out on him. Spencer asks what Nikolas said to make her stay, and she says, Nikolas cares about Spencer and doesn’t want to see him hurt, so he talked her down. He gave her a new perspective on relationships. It was a lot to take in, but it made her realize she has to be honest in what she needs from Spencer. He says he knows their relationship has been rocky. He’s been in a bad head space ever since he came back from Spring Ridge, but he’s ready to do whatever it takes to make this work between them. She asks if he really means that.

Portia asks if she can get Rory anything to drink, but he says he’s fine. Trina asks if Taggert wasn’t supposed to be leaving, and Portia thinks she remembers Rory. Wasn’t he at the courthouse at Trina’s arraignment? He says, yes. It was the first day he officially met Trina. Trina says, Rory got her a soda when she was in the interrogation room. Portia says, well, that’s an interesting story, and the three of them force a laugh. Taggert says, mm-hm, and Rory says he heard how Taggert and Commissioner Ashford took down Cyrus Renault. Great work. Taggert says, ya think? He broke the law. He had to convince his ex-wife and daughter that he was dead for nearly six months. Trina says, which she had a problem with at first, but then she realized he was just doing what he had to do. Rory says, it sounds like Taggert did what he needed to do to protect his family and community. He admires that. Taggert asks if Rory likes breaking the rules. Is that the real reason he’s hanging out with Taggert’s daughter?

Josslyn says, Adam wants to apologize? and he says he does. He’s sorry for being a total jerk. He had no right to say the things he said. She says, no, he didn’t; so why did he? He tells her, he’s ashamed to say it now, but all he saw was a hot girl in a video. He didn’t think about how it felt to have her privacy violated. Then he read her article in The Invader. Reading about what she went through, it was seriously messed up, and made him check himself. If someone did that to his sister, he would be furious. He’s really sorry, and sorry he made it worse for her. She thanks him, and says she accepts his apology. He asks if they should hug it out or something, and she says, remember the pool? Don’t push it.

Dante says he’s guessing Cody knows the name Sonny Corinthos, and Cody says, he knows Sonny roasts a mean bean. Can Dante hook him up with some free coffee? Dante says, some things never change; always looking for an angle. Cody says, it’s not what you know, and Dante says, it’s who you know. Cody asks what Dante is up to tonight. Does he want to raise a ruckus to honor the old times? Dante says he has an early morning, and Cody says, Dante has to keep those bad guys off the street. Dante says, and get his kid to school. Cody says, look at Dante. He’s a dad with a great job, and a cool girlfriend. He didn’t think Dante had it in him. Cody is happy for him. It looks like he grew up to have a full life. Dante thanks him, and says, it looks like Cody got the life he wanted too. Cody says, more or less. He’s glad they had this chance to catch up, even if it’s just one night. Sam says, they’re having dinner at her place tomorrow night. Why doesn’t Cody come by?

Sonny says he was worried about Nina. He called and texted, but she didn’t return his calls. She says she put her phone on silent; she wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. He says he heard her petition to see Wiley was rejected. He’s sorry. She asks if he’s upset about how she let Scotty go after Michael, and he says he doesn’t like to see Michael in pain, but can’t he feel for her too? She says she won’t be hurting Michael or anyone anymore. She’s headed to the airport as soon as she finds… He says, this? holding up her necklace. He won’t give it to her, and she says, she’s running late; there’s a car waiting for her. He says, too bad. He’s not letting her go.

Ava says, her offer to Spencer wasn’t only to get him and Esme to move out; it was for her and Nikolas. Nikolas says, she wanted to give them space to work on their marriage, but it hurts that his son chose money over their relationship. Ava says she means no disrespect, but in Spencer’s eyes, Nikolas did the same thing. As a gesture of good faith and to show him she’s committed to their marriage, she won’t make Spencer choose. He says, if she reneges on their deal, Spencer will be furious, but she says, no. She’ll still give him the money, on the condition he remain here. Of course (🍷) she’ll still have to put up with Esme. He says, not necessarily. Esme and Spencer might be breaking up. Esme seems to think so. Ava says, maybe that’s why Spencer was looking for her. Maybe she’s gone already. This calls for a toast. Things are looking up already.

Spencer tells Esme, he means it with all his heart. He wants them to make it. Can she please accept his apology? She takes his hands and says she loves him. She wants to make this relationship work, so yes, she forgives him. She hopes this can be a new beginning for them. He says he wants that too. He’s ready for all this drama to be a thing of the past. She says, the best part is, she knows he means that.

Portia tells Taggert, this isn’t an interrogation, but Rory says, it’s a fair question. Actually, he’s a by-the-book guy. That’s why he looked it up, and there’s no rule he’s not allowed to be friends with Trina while she’s awaiting trial. Taggert says, he’s a rookie, right? There’s something Rory needs to understand about law enforcement; there’s written rules, and unwritten rules. Rory says, yes, sir. He takes that seriously. Just like he takes seriously their oath and motto, to protect and serve; that’s why he was drawn to the job. He’s not violating the oath or motto by hanging out with Trina. If someone has a problem with that, it’s on them, not him. Portia asks what Rory likes to do in his spare time, and he says, Trina is teaching him about art; she has a great eye. Trina says she keeps telling him, art is subjective, but she guesses she’s been around it more. Rory says, no false modesty; own it, lady. Trina says she guesses she’s pretty good at it, and Rory says he likes to keep active; play sports, swim, work out when he can. The job keeps him pretty busy, and the whole work/life balance is tough. Portia says, let her know when he’s got that figured out, and he says, right now, he’s trying to remind himself to make more time for the things he enjoys. He and Trina smile at each other.

Cody tells Sam, he appreciates the offer, but he’s got to hit the road tomorrow. She says, no way. He’s only there for the day? He says, life in the gig economy. His next job’s in the Finger Lakes area, but Port Charles seems like a nice town. Sam says, it is. Too bad he can’t stick around and get to know the place. Cody says he never gets too comfy in one place; got to pay the bills. Sam asks if he’s looking for something long term, and he says, since he quit riding, he just goes where the wind blows. He’s open to opportunities. Why does she ask? She says she might know of a job that’s a good fit, if of course (🍷) he’s interested.

Nina tells Sonny, she can’t stay here. She hates losing him, leaving him, but she can’t keep doing this. Her mistakes have cost him everything, and they’ve finally caught up with her. He says he meant what he said on the stand; he forgives her for what she did to him. She thanks him, and says, it means everything, but it doesn’t change the fact she lost Wiley, her grandson, her flesh and blood, the last link she’ll ever have to her daughter. He says, she doesn’t know that for sure, and she says, Michael and Willow won’t let her see Wiley after everything that happened in court today. He says, Michael and Willow can’t keep her from her grandson forever, but she says, they can. They won’t let that little boy see anything redeemable in her. Willow accused her of being exactly like Nelle. And Nina said terrible things. She has a habit of lashing out when she feels cornered. She missed her chance at getting what her mother stole from her. She won’t know Nelle, and now she won’t know Nelle’s son. The only thing she has left of them is that necklace. Please give to her so she can go. It hurts too much to stay here. He puts the necklace in her hand, and asks her to do him a favor. Before she leaves; let him ask her one thing. How does she think Wiley will feel when he finds out she gave up on him?

Sam tells Cody, her kids spend a lot of time at their grandmother’s. They have stables and horses. They just got a new horse, and they’re actually looking for another handler. Cody says, so old money? New? She says, does it matter? He said he worked on ranches. Does that mean he has experience in managing and grooming horses? He says, yeah. When he was a kid, his family tended to some horses that were on an estate near the camp. He helped out, and even took over for a couple years before he went out west. She says she can’t promise anything, but she and Dante can get him a foot in the door, but Dante says, he thinks it’s a good idea, but he doesn’t think it’s the right one for Cody. Never too comfy in one place, right?

Cameron gets a text from Spencer: All good. Plan on track. Josslyn comes back with Adam, and Cameron says, everything okay? She says, yeah, and Adam says, he was telling Josslyn that he read their article in The Invader, and how sorry he is everything went down the way it did. They’re really brave, and he appreciates them both. Cameron says, cool, thanks, and Adam leaves. Cameron asks if he’s legit, and Josslyn says, actually, yes. He apologized, and told her that when he read the article, he changed. They changed his perspective. It’s just more validation that they made the right decision in agreeing to do the article. He says he guesses they did. He’s glad she’s finally getting some closure. She tells him, she wouldn’t say that. She won’t get any closure on any of this until Esme gets what she deserves.

Spencer and Esme walk in, and Ava says she’s glad Spencer is here. She has some news. She’s decided to amend their agreement. Spencer says, she’s giving him full control of his trust fund? but she laughs, and says, no. She’s still giving him an allowance like they agreed, except Spencer won’t be moving out. He’ll stay, and work things out with his father. Spencer says, she wants him to stay here? and she says, yes, and it seems the timing has worked out perfectly. Nikolas told her what happened. Esme looks at Nikolas, who gives a small shake of his head, and Esme asks Ava, what was that exactly? Ava says she understands Esme and Spencer have been having some difficulties, and are looking to take a break. She’s not going to insult Esme’s intelligence by saying she’s sorry to hear that. She’s sure Esme will land on her feet; find some other family to terrorize, as long as it’s not hers. Esme says, that’s where Ava is wrong. She and Spencer worked everything out. He stays; she stays. Does that alter Ava’s terms? Ava looks at Nikolas.

Nina tells Sonny, she’s not giving up on Wiley; she’s fighting to stay in his life. Sonny says, until now. She had one setback, and she’s going to throw in the towel? She says she can’t sit on the sidelines and watch that little boy play out the rest of his life without her, knowing his family poisoned his mind against her. It just hurts too much. He says, if she runs away, Wiley is going to believe the lies. He’s going to grow up, and want to know his mother and her family. He’s going to seek Nina out, and maybe want a relationship with her when he finds out how great she is. She says she doesn’t see that happening, but he says, they don’t know the future, but he can tell her right now, she’s not going to have a relationship with Wiley if she’s not here. She says she just feels hopeless, and he says, so she’s going to run. That’s what she does; it’s her pattern. She has to break that pattern. Otherwise, Wiley is going to grow up believing all the lies people are telling him. She says, what if it’s too late? but he says, that’s her fear talking. Remember what she said to him? The only way she could make it up to Wiley is to prove how much she loves him. She believed that then, believe it now. She says she doesn’t know what she believes, and he says, stay here. She has a life here. She could have one with Wiley, but she’s never going to know if she runs away.

Cody thanks Sam for the offer, but says, it’s not the right gig for him. Dante says, ever since they were kids, Cody’s had adventure in his veins, and Cody tells Sam, he’s right. Dante’s always had his number.

Cameron says his break’s just about over, and Josslyn says, he was going to tell her something before Adam interrupted them. He says, it’s not really important; it can wait. She says, really? Because she can’t shake the feeling he’s hiding something from her. He says, no. He’s sorry. He’s probably giving off weird vibes; he’s worried about his mom. She says, right. She’s sorry, but he knows he can tell her anything, right? He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too, and they hug.

Ava says, the most important thing is that Nikolas and Spencer work out their problems. If Esme and Nikolas are back track, it seems that Esme will be sticking around. Nikolas says, that is if Spencer decides to stay; the decision is his. And Nikolas supports whatever he decides. Esme says, seems like win-win to her, and Spencer says, how can he refuse such a generous offer? but the look on his face is skeptical. Ava says, then it’s settled. As a welcome home gift, she’ll wire his first payment. She jets, and Spencer says he’ll come too. He follows Ava out, and Esme tells Nikolas, she thought they’d never leave. In the hallway, Spencer asks if Ava is really okay with Esme staying here. She says she’s committed to her marriage, just like she’s committed to Spencer and his father moving forward. If that means putting up with Esme, Ava will do her best to tolerate her. She walks away, and inside the room, Esme says, so Nikolas didn’t tell Ava? She doesn’t suspect? Nikolas says, no, and what happened between them can never happen again. They’re back together with their partners, and have another shot at making it work. He thinks it’s best if Spencer and Ava never find out, and Esme says she totally agrees. Ava and Spence never have to find out. Nikolas leaves.  

Rory says, it’s nice meeting Portia and Taggert, but unfortunately, he has an early morning. Portia says, it was nice meeting him too, and Taggert says he was just leaving; he’ll walk Rory out. Rory says, see Trina soon, and leaves with Taggert. Trina laughs, and picks up her phone. Portia says, he was nice, and he was cute too. She picked up a little connection. Trina tells Portia, like she said, he’s a nice person, but she barely knows him, and Portia says, okay. Whatever Trina says. They both squeal.

Nina touches Nelle’s gravestone, and tells Sonny, okay. She’ll stay in Port Charles, for Wiley. He says, she’s making the right choice, and she says, she’ll watch that sweet little boy become a stranger to her, or worse, afraid of her because of what his family has said about her. She’s not sure how she’s going to handle that. He says, she’s not going to handle it alone. She has him, Phyllis, her family and friends. He takes her hand and says they’re here for her, and she says, that’s a good thing. He says, every step of the way, and she says, because she doesn’t know how she’s going to watch Wiley grow up without her, or how she’s going to live without him. Sonny holds her, and she cries

On Monday, Portia asks if Marshall gave Curtis a reason to trust him; Valentin tells Ned, everything has a price – what’s yours; Willow tells Carly that dealing with Nina helped her come to a big decision; and Elizabeth tells Finn that he’s hurting her more than he realizes.

⌨️ Why the Temp…

It was a little startling. The weird thing was, I kind of thought he made a better Michael than the regular Michael.

🏍 It’s All Good…

I’ll bet it was nothing in comparison to his wife having a baby with another dude.

🧼 Joining Beyond…

The latest actors to jump onto the Salem bandwagon.

🥀 Goodbye Too Soon…

I vaguely remember him from Melrose Place. It was sad to read he’s leaving behind a wife and 8 children.

https://people.com/movies/brad-johnson-always-and-melrose-place-actor-dead-at-62/

🍷 Have Some More…

So how many f***s do you think she gives now?

🚗 Smarter Than the Average Car…

I don’t get the attraction either.

🍸 At the Pump…

Is this the royal we, or is she having a change-of-life baby?

We’re not sure how Lisa can show a text that [neither PK nor Dorit] can show on their phone, so we don’t know, [Kyle] Richards, 53, told us last week.

Unhinged? More like the worst human on earth.

Aww! They’re all growed up.

📺 Coming Right Up…

TV premiere dates for 2022.

https://ew.com/tv/2022-tv-premiere-dates/

👠 In the Pink…

I can’t wait to see this show. I love Trixie.

https://www.queerty.com/trixie-motel-book-queer-5-reasons-tune-discovery-pride-season-20220602

🏓 Quotes of the Week

Trust is lost in buckets and gained in drops. – Judge Faith Jenkins

The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax. – Albert Einstein

If I were to search for logic, it wouldn’t be among the English upper class. – Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith), Downton Abbey

I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles. – Audrey Hepburn

I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers. – Kahlil Gibran

Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them. – Orison Swett Marden (Or smack them out of the way.)

There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.Nelson Mandela

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

🧍🏽‍♀️ Just Taking a Step To the Right…

Come hither again when the Dead are Feared. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your priorities straight, and stay not letting your pattern be running away. And if it is, break it.

May 2, 2022 – Willow Begs Harmony To Come Back, Horrible House Replaces Yacht, a Fight, a Return, Father’s Son, Daddy Andy, Gala Fashion & Right

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At The Savoy, Frank says, it’s almost time, and Sonny says, Frank knows what to do when he gets here. Sonny looks around, and Nina says, looking for someone?

N’neka asks if Austin and Maxie would like anything else, but Maxie says, they’re okay. N’neka leaves the check, and tells them to enjoy the rest of their night. Austin says, they don’t have to be in a rush, and Maxie says, she wishes, but she needs to relieve her mom and Mac of babysitting duty. He asks if she wants to make a plan for tomorrow night, and she says she’s counting on it. They both reach for the check, and Maxie says she was going to treat him, but he says, his treat. She says, she did order that fancy top-shelf drink, and he says he’s a doctor, remember? He can afford to buy her a drink.

On the phone with her boys, Elizabeth says she misses them too, and wishes she could be with them. Things are just difficult right now, but remember, it’s only temporary until they figure out what’s going on at home. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, it’s room service. She loves them, and will talk to them soon. She opens the door to Finn, who hands her a bouquet of flowers.

At the hospital, Michael sees Britt, and says Willow has been waiting for an update on Harmony, but Britt says she’s still in surgery. She’ll make sure Dr. Ashford finds them as soon as she has an update. He says, that’s not good enough.

Sam and Alexis come out of the elevator, and Alexis says, the cafeteria really needs to improve their selection. Sam says, maybe this isn’t a good idea right now. Maybe they should go home. Alexis needs to rest. Alexis says she needs to check on Harmony, and Sam says, Harmony tried to kill her. Alexis says, she and Harmony have unfinished business, and she intends to finish it.

Willow says, her mother being out in the road makes no sense, and asks if Carly knows what happened. Carly says, Gladys told her Sasha’s the one who hit Harmony, and Willow tells her, Sasha said her mom came out of nowhere and ran in front of her car, but why? Why was she there in the first place? That area is so remote. Carly said, she and Alexis were with her mom before the accident at Razzmatazz Point. Carly says, they were, and she and Willow sit. Carly says, this is going to be hard to hear, and even harder to understand. Willow is going to have to prepare herself. Willow asks, what happened? Why was her mother even there?  

Felicia holds Bailey, and asks if she’s having trouble sleeping. Mac tells Bailey that he has news for her; sleep doesn’t come any easier when you get older. Felicia tells her, don’t listen to grumpy grandpa. Georgie and James are sleeping just fine. He says, for now, and Felicia fusses over Bailey. She asks if Mac remembers Maxie and Georgie. Does he remember those days? He says, like it was yesterday, and she says, those were wonderful days, weren’t they? He says he wishes he could go back in time and relive those days, and she says, her too. If only that was possible.

Maxie says she’s sorry if she offended Austin, but he says he’s sorry. He thinks maybe the wrong words just came out of his mouth. She bought dinner, so he thought he could pick up the nightcap. Balance is important in a relationship. Spinelli comes in, and goes up to a woman, saying, greetings and felicitations, fair lady. Might he trouble her for a moment of her time? She walks away, and Austin says, ooh. Maxie says, poor Spinelli. He’s trying to reenter the dating pool. Austin says, he just dove in head first, and she says, he and Ellie were such a good match. Now it looks like maybe he’s trying to hard. Austin asks, what’s he wearing? (a suit) and she says, Spinelli has such a unique sense of style, and now it’s like he’s trying to be somebody he’s not. Austin says he could talk to Spinelli, and Maxie says, that’s so sweet. She knows Spinelli is missing Jason. She calls Spinelli over, and he says, it’s a delight to see her as always. Dr. Gatlin-Holt. Austin tells Spinelli to call him Austin, and says, it’s good to see him. Maxie says, this is the second night she’s seen him here. Austin asks if he likes The Savoy, and Spinelli says, it’s the perfect aesthetic for his needs. Maxie says, there’s other places he can meet people, and Austin says, it doesn’t have to be a bar or restaurant. It can be a group with common interests; people who share similar interests. Spinelli says he knows what common interests are, and says he appreciates their counsel, but assures them it’s unnecessary. He’s managing perfectly fine. Maxie says he doesn’t have to lie. They saw that woman turn him down.

Nina says, fancy meeting Sonny here. What brings him to The Savoy, business or pleasure? He says, actually, he’s just taking in the sights, and they’re incredibly beautiful. He nods to Frank, who goes off with another guy, and he tells Nina that she looks beautiful. She thanks him, and says she’s meeting Britt and Obrecht there for a girls night out. He asks where her cowboy boots are, and she says she thinks they only work in Nixon Falls, although they’re a lot more comfortable than the heels she’s wearing. He says, things were a lot more comfortable in Nixon Falls, right? Especially after they exposed Elijah Crowe. She says, it sounds like he misses the place, and he says, sometimes he thinks about what it would be like to go back there, especially after a hard day. She says, a hard day like today?

Michael tells Britt that he’s sorry. Willow is a wreck. He saw his mom briefly in the ER, but couldn’t say anything to her. Then he had to explain to his son why he and Willow won’t be there to tuck him in tonight. Wiley keeps asking why, but he can’t tell him why. He can’t explain what’s going on with Wiley’s grandmothers. She says, and helplessness isn’t a trait he’s comfortable with, and he says, still, he shouldn’t have lashed out like that. She says, it’s a lot of pressure waiting for answers, and another doctor comes out. He says, he and Dr. Ashford need to consult with her, and Britt excuses herself.

Sam wonders if Harmony is seeking some sort of absolution, but Alexis says, if she is, Harmony’s not getting it from her. She won’t let Harmony deflect either. She wants Harmony to understand the full extent of her destruction. Sam wonders if Alexis wants closure, but Alexis says, it’s something she’ll never get if Harmony doesn’t survive.

Britt tells Michael that they have to find Willow now, and he says, she’s in the chapel. They dash to the elevator, and Alexis asks if there’s an update on Harmony. Is she out of surgery? Britt says, Miss Miller’s family will be notified first, and let her know. She and Michael get in the elevator, and Sam goes over to the other doctor. She says she’s Harmony’s niece and this – indicating Alexis – is her sister. Is she out of surgery? He says, she is, and Sam says, thank goodness. Would he happen to know what room she’s in?

Carly says, Harmony attacked her and Alexis, and Willow asks if Carly is okay. Carly says, she and Alexis are both fine, and Willow asks why Harmony attacked her. Carly says, she was in Alexis’s house. Harmony was there, they got into a fight, and Harmony stuck her with a syringe. Willow says, her mother drugged Carly? What were they fighting about? Carly says she discovered a secret Harmony wanted to keep, and Willow asks, what would be so bad that her mom would attack Carly? Carly says she knows Willow has a lot of questions, starting with how Harmony ended up at Razzle Dazzle Point. She drove Carly there in her SUV, but Carly doesn’t know what happened since she was unconscious. When she woke up, she heard Harmony and Alexis arguing, and when she climbed out of the truck, Harmony was about to attack Alexis. Willow says she doesn’t understand, and Carly says she was able to stop Harmony, but when Harmony heard Alexis call 9-1-1, she took off for the woods. She must have found the road, and that’s where she jumped in front of Sasha’s car. Willow asks why her mom attacked Carly in the first place. What secret was she trying to keep? Whatever it is, she promises she can handle it. Britt walks in with Michael, and Michael says, there’s an update on Willow’s mom. Carly says, this can wait; she’ll give them some privacy. Carly leaves, and Willow asks, how is she? Britt says, Harmony made it through surgery. She did, however, suffer several substantial injuries. She’s been admitted to the ICU. Willow asks, what’s wrong with her? and Britt says, internal bleeding, as well as damage to several organs. The surgical team did all they could, but Willow’s mom became hypertensive, and they had to stop operating. For now, they’ll continue to stabilize her, while evaluating the extent of her injuries. Michael asks if she’ll need more surgery, and Britt says, that’s to be determined. Willow asks if she can see Harmony, and Britt says, she’s unconscious, but she’s allowed to have visitors. Willow thanks her, and Britt leaves. Willow says, all this time in nursing school, and her mind is blank. What does this mean? He says, it’s still touch-and-go, and she says, so now it’s up to her mom to survive, and he holds her.

Sam and Alexis look in on Harmony, and Alexis says, this seems wrong. What if Harmony’s not even awake? Sam says, then they stay until she opens her eyes. This could be Alexis’s last chance to get closure. It’s up to her. Does she want it or not?

Spinelli sips a drink, and Maxie says, it was that woman’s loss, not his. Austin tells him, it happens to everybody; don’t even think about it. Spinelli says, like the Quartermaines don’t think about him trying to wrangle a share of their company? Maxie says, Spinelli… and Spinelli mumbles an apology. Austin says, it’s getting nice out. He was thinking about going out on the lake kayaking. Maybe Spinelli would like to join him. Spinelli says, his schedule is rather full these days, and Maxie says, kayaking sounds like fun. Is he sure he can’t go? Spinelli says, he’s sure he can move some things around, and tells Austin to let him know when he’s going. Maxie says, it’s settled. Now she and Austin have to go. They get up, and Austin says, if Spinelli gets the chance to talk to another woman, don’t overthink it; just be himself. Maxie says, yeah, don’t overthink it, and they head for the exit. Spinelli looks pained.

Nina asks if Sonny wants to talk about his hard day, and he flashes back to his argument with Michael, and saying, if Michael wants his forgiveness, he’ll have to beg. Michael tells him, don’t hold his breath. Sonny tells Nina, it’s nothing he can’t handle, and she says she’s sure he can… Obrecht grabs her arm, and says, she reserved a table. She drags Nina away, and Frank comes back. Sonny asks if everything is good, and Frank says it is. Sonny asks Frank to wait for him outside, and Frank leaves. Spinelli approaches Sonny, and says, he just wanted to pay his respects. Sonny asks what he can do for Spinelli, and Spinelli says, there’s far too many unsavory characters here tonight, and watches as Austin and Maxie go up the stairs to the outside.  

Finn tells Elizabeth that he and Violet spent the afternoon at the nail salon. He actually got a nice lavender high-gloss, but it didn’t go with his shoes. She laughs, and he says, Violet is over the moon. Between her Uncle Chase staying with her and her new manicure, she barely acknowledged his departure. She says, he makes it sound like Chase moved in, and he says, temporarily. Finn took the room next to hers. She says, the whole point of her staying here is so she’d feel safe, and be away from whoever’s stalking her. She doesn’t want to be upending his life. She’ll be fine. He says, she’s always brave for everyone else. She can admit she needs someone too. That’s why he’s here, and because he owes her. She asks, for what? and he says, for a start, when he thought he killed Peter August, and was working himself into the ground to find a cure for Chase. He wasn’t the easiest person to be around through all that. She showed him nothing but kindness, and was supportive. It’s the least he can do to thank her. She says, he doesn’t owe her anything, and he says, one of the best parts of their relationship… Is it okay if he calls it a relationship? She says she’ll allow it, and he says, just this once? They trust each other, and they’re honest with each other, and they’re there for each other. She agrees, and he asks, how is she really? She says she’s totally freaked out. She just wants to go home with her boys like this nightmare never happened. He says he thinks he might be able to help with the last part.

Willow wonders how this happened. How did her mom end up like this? Michael says, things seem grim right now, but she can’t lose faith. Her mom is tough; she’ll make it through this. Willow says she thought so too, but after what Carly just told her… He asks what his mom told her, and she says, she’s sorry. She knows she should tell him, but she can’t think about it right now. He tells her, that’s okay; he’ll get the story from his mom. All Willow has to do is focus on how much her mother loves her, and will do everything in her power to stay with Willow. She says she prays he’s right, and lights the one conveniently unlit candle. She says she’s ready to see her mother.

Spinelli asks if he can purchase a cocktail for Sonny, or whatever he prefers beverage-wise. He takes out his credit card, and Sonny says, platinum, huh? What did he do, win the lottery? Spinelli says, he’s working on a new business venture, and Sonny says, what’s that? Spinelli says, it’s still in the planning stages, but when he’s ready to launch, Sonny will be the first to know. Sonny says, it sounds like Spinelli’s got a lot going on in his life; a new business venture, maybe a new woman.

Nina asks Obrecht, what the hell was that? She completely ignored Sonny. Obrecht says, the man threatened mein Scott, and Nina says, Scotty provoked him. Obrecht says, so Scotty was asking for it? but Nina says, Obrecht knows about Scotty and Sonny’s history, and their tempers. Sonny won’t hurt Scotty again as long as Obrecht’s boyfriend doesn’t go around looking for trouble. Obrecht says she doesn’t care who seeks out whom. If something happens to Scotty, Sonny is going to feel her wrath. Nina says, Obrecht is going to take on Sonny? That’s a good one. Obrecht says, a gunfight will be a pleasant memory compared to her vengeance, and Nina says, let it go. Britt approaches, and Obrecht says she can’t believe Nina would side with that man against her own family. Nina says she’s not siding with anyone; don’t force her to. Britt asks if the two of them are actually fighting over guys.  

Felicia asks Mac, if there was a way to relive those days, what does he think it would look like? He says he’s not following, and she says, he never had a child of his own. He says, it never mattered to him that Georgie, Maxie, and Robin weren’t his own biological children. He loved and raised them as if they were. She says, he was a father to them in every way that counted. She was, and still is, grateful for that, but surely he would have wished for a child of his own; one they raised together. He says, that would have been nice and don’t call me Shirley, and she asks if he still feels that way. He asks what they’re talking about.

Alexis goes into Harmony’s room, where she’s hooked up to a bunch of machines, and says, this is ridiculous. How is she supposed to talk to Harmony when she’s like this? She wants to tell Harmony how absolutely furious she is with her; furious doesn’t even begin to cover it. She never asked for Harmony’s friendship, but Harmony came along when she needed it most, and she valued their friendship. She stood up for Harmony when everyone told Alexis to dump her. She sits next to the bed, and says, now she learns Harmony’s friendship was just a way to clear her conscience about killing Neil. She thought she glimpsed a good person in Harmony. Was any of it even real? Maybe if Harmony could have had a different life; she could have had a relationship with Willow based on honesty. Willow says, Alexis? and Alexis turns around to see Willow and Michael at the door.

Spinelli asks Sonny, who, pray tell, is this new woman? and Sonny says, maybe not new, but rediscovered. He saw the way Spinelli looked at Maxie when she walked out with her boyfriend. Spinelli says, he’ll always love Maxie – she’s the mother of his child – but not romantically. He just wishes for her happiness, and a better man than that would-be Quartermaine. Sonny says, man to man, if there’s a woman Spinelli cares about, that he’s after, whether it’s Maxie or not, he has to follow his heart and tell them he cares, what they mean to him, before it’s too late. Spinelli thanks Sonny for his for hard won wisdom, which of course (🍷) he knows Sonny goes by.

Britt says, it’s just a punch in the gut, how close Willow is to losing her mother. Especially since it hasn’t been that long since she and Obrecht reconnected. Then she almost killed Obrecht with a speargun. Obrecht says, but Britt didn’t. Here she is, safe and sound. Britt says she knows she’s supposed to keep a professional distance, but she’s reminded none of them have as much time as they think. Nina says she regrets the missed opportunity to be close to her daughter; they’re very lucky. Life is really short, and she’s not going to waste time being mad at the people she loves. Obrecht says, neither will she.

Felicia asks if Mac has ever seen such an angel, and he says he’s looking at one. She kisses him, and says, about reliving the past… and he says, is that what they were talking about? She says, weren’t they? Maxie and Austin come in, and Felicia asks how they’re doing. Maxie says, other than tripping at the MetroCourt – she shows them a sprained finger – they had a great time. They went to a wine tasting. Mac says, other than the finger, sounds like fun, and Austin says, it was pretty good. Maxie says, the way he downed that foie gras, she thinks it was more than pretty good. Austin says, in his life so far, his tastes have run to the can of beans and hot dog over an open fire kind of thing. It turns out goose liver is delicious. Mac says, Maxie has always had expensive taste, and Felicia says, there’s nothing wrong with wanting the finer things in life. Mac tells them, all he’s saying is, it’s a good thing Maxie’s company went public, so now she can pay for the finer things. Maxie says, it’s better than when she ran up his credit card in high school, and Mac says, laugh now. Wait until it’s her turn. It may seem like years from now, but blink, and her own kids are going to be running up their own extracurricular shopping. She says she’ll be thinking of him when that day comes, so be kind.

Elizabeth says, so now that the dinner portion of their evening is over, how is Finn going to make her forget she’s being stalked by a dangerous weirdo? He says, funny she should ask, holding up a deck of cards. She says, they’re playing cards? and he says, not just any cards; this is slapjack. She’s never played slapjack? She says, no, and he says, they each get a pile of cards, and take turns flipping them over. If one of them gets a Jack, they slap. Whoever slaps it first, gets the take. Any questions? She says, no questions, doctor, and he says, ladies first. Her first card is a Jack, and she slaps it first. He says, you’re kidding me, and she asks, who taught him how to play? Violet? He says, his daughter loves a semi-violent card game. His turn. They play, and she asks how he knew this was exactly what she needed. People in her house, hearing voices… He says, what voices? Did someone try to contact her?

Alexis tells Willow, she’s so sorry about Harmony, and jets. Michael asks if Willow wants some privacy, and she asks if he minds. He says, he’ll be outside the room if she needs him. Willow says, oh mom, what have you done?

In the hallway, Sam asks if Alexis got what she needed, and Alexis says, yes and no. Carly comes in and hugs Michael, who says he’s sorry they keep missing each other. Carly says, he’s been with Willow, which is where he needs to be, and he says, Carly had a tough night too. She says, yes, but Willow is more important. Michael says, she’s in with Harmony now, so Carly can tell him. What were she and Alexis doing in the ER, and what does it have to do with Harmony? Alexis says she just wants to go home, and Sam asks if she’s sure. Alexis says, Carly can handle things from here, and Carly thanks her for everything she did tonight. Alexis says, back at her, and leaves with Sam. Michael says, care to explain? and Carly says, Harmony drugged her and tried to kill Alexis. Michael says, why? and she says, Willow.

Willow asks Harmony what she’s supposed to think? She knew Harmony was capable of doing harm, of doing wrong, but she thought Harmony was misguided. She never thought Harmony was a murderer. There’s got to be more to the story. Her rehabilitation wasn’t an act… unless it was, and Willow didn’t want to see it. Because despite everything Harmony has done to her, and others, Harmony is still her mom. She’s never stopped loving her, even when it hurt. She puts her hand on Harmony’s, and says, so please wake up. She still loves Harmony. Isn’t that worth living for?

Nina says she’s going to the ladies room, and Britt says she’ll order Nina another drink. Nina says, she’ll just take a Ride Share home, and leaves. Britt says she’s glad Obrecht and Nina kissed and made up, and Obrecht says, Nina is as good to her as Britt is. She wishes them both happy and full lives. She knows Britt’s diagnosis weighs on her – how could it not? – but she still has much to look forward to. Britt says she’s trying. It’s just been a rough couple of days. Obrecht says, aside from this woman having a terrible accident, what else happened? Britt says, for one thing, she was stood up by the stupid date that the stupid matchmaking service set her up with, and Obrecht says, that schwein. How dare he reject her beautiful and intelligent daughter? Britt says, it was the guy with the cat, and Obrecht says she told Britt not to date the cat man. If she wants an attentive person, find someone with a ferret. Britt laughs, and says, okay. Here’s the thing. Why waste time she doesn’t have on a man? Obrecht says, is it that Britt doesn’t want any man, or she just wants the one she lost? Britt says, she didn’t lose him, but Obrecht says, she did. Jason should have chosen her. If he had, all their lives would be different. What is indisputable is that he saved Britt’s life, and helped Britt save hers. Britt is different; stronger, yet more vulnerable. It’s unfair that what was left between them went unfinished, and Britt has every right to grieve, but the greater waste would be to deny herself happiness in the present, longing for a man who’s dead, and a love that is gone. Britt says, Jason made a strong impression, and Obrecht says, that’s why she should broaden her horizons. Instead of a dangerous man who will rescue her in a hail of gunfire, find someone who will get her out of the hospital to do fun things. A shoulder to cry on, someone to share a laugh with. If Britt won’t do it for herself, do it for her. Britt says, Obrecht is sure playing hardball, and Obrecht says, doesn’t she always? Britt says, okay. She’ll carry on with her manhunting. Obrecht says, good. She has to go. Scotty awaits, and has promised an eventful night. Britt tells her, go; get out of here. Obrecht says she loves Britt, and to tell Nina auf Wiedersehen.  

Felicia asks if Mac doesn’t just love being a grandparent, and he says, other than being near her, it’s the best feeling in the world. She says, he’s such a charmer. She just loves spending time with those precious little ones, and he says, he’d spend all his  time with them if he could. She says, absolutely. She couldn’t ask for anything more. He says, she could.

Elizabeth tells Finn, no one contacted her; it was nothing. He asks what she meant about hearing voices, and she says, a patient called to remind her about getting him a blanket. He started by saying, don’t forget me. Finn says, like the intruder said to her, and she says, at first, it sounded like a completely different voice, almost otherworldly. But obviously, she misheard him; it was a long day. He asks if she’s sure Lucy didn’t get in her head, and she says, she’s not sleeping, she’s stressed. Between the Ouija and hearing Lucy talk about her beliefs, she doesn’t know what to think anymore, except that she’s completely losing it. He says, no. He can’t imagine anyone handling this as well as she has. These occurrences would have broken a weaker person. He knew shew as strong, but he’s in awe of her. She says she doesn’t feel strong, or awesome, but he says, it doesn’t matter. He’s going to keep telling her that she’s strong. He kisses her, and says, awesome, and kisses her again. He says he thinks she’s perfect, and they kiss some more.

Austin asks if the kids are asleep, and Maxie says, sleeping the sleep of the innocent. Austin says, as they should be. It sounds nice. He should get going. He thanks her for a lovely evening, and says, they should do it again sometime. She tells him, name the day, and he says, tomorrow. She tells him, they did say they’d do something tomorrow. Or did they? There was so much going on between that photographer and Spinelli. She thanks Austin for being so kind to Spinelli. He’s usually standoffish like that, but he’ll like Austin when he gets to know him. She’s worried Spinelli is lonely. He lost Jason and Ellie within a few months, and he’s trying to figure out what’s next for him. Austin says, Maxie, and she says, she really does want to see him tomorrow, but Georgie and James have a lot of activities. She really needs to bake, or go to Eckerd’s and throw herself at their mercy for four dozen cupcakes, which will probably bankrupt them… He says, if she doesn’t want to hang out tomorrow, she can just say so.

Nina asks where Obrecht is, and Britt says, she dumped them for Scotty. She told her to tell Nina, auf Wiedersehen. Nina says, who would guess that out of the three of them, Obrecht has the love interest? and Britt says, never would have thought. She has a busy day, so she’s going to call it a night. What about Nina? Nina says, she’s going to be sulking at Britt calling it a night. She’s going to finish her wine, and no matter how short their visit is, it’s always nice to see Britt. Britt says, back at her. Britt passes Spinelli’s table, and says, his drink is certainly colorful. He says, he was hoping it would lift his mood. Speaking of… She says, how is she doing since her date stood her up? She’s feeling wonderful, confident, no self-pity at all. He says, research shows, the majority of people who sign up have a good experience with matchmaking services, and she says, so she’s in the minority? He tells her, he saying she should keep on trying. Her Mr. Right is out there, and waiting for him is definitely worth the effort. Just don’t give up. She says he sounds like her mother, and he says, heavens forbid. She thanks him, saying, she needed it, and he asks if that means she’ll take his advice and give matchmaking a try again. She says she did it to pacify her mother; don’t push his luck. Enjoy his drink.

Sonny asks Nina, is this seat taken? Finishing the cliché, she says, it is now.

Michael says, so Carly saved Alexis’s life, and Carly says, Alexis saved hers too. She doesn’t know what would have happened if Alexis hadn’t shown up. She thinks Harmony was going to stage some sort of accident, so it looked like she drove off Rhoda Morgenstern Point. Michael asks what she was trying to cover up, and she says, a secret about Willow, but before he asks, she needs to tell Willow first. She’s just debating whether to tell Willow tonight; she’s got a helluva lot going on right now. Michael says, Carly doesn’t have to protect Willow. She’s strong and she deserves to know the secret her mother was willing to kill for. They look through the window at Willow and Harmony.

Willow says, if Harmony doesn’t come back, there are so many things they didn’t get to say. They have a lifetime of things left to say. Please give them that chance. Willow is begging her. Willow cries and Harmony opens her eyes.   

Tomorrow, Lucy says, it’s about to get hotter; Austin wonders if Maxie is looking for an excuse to push him away; Valentin says, he’ll do what has to be done; Willow asks Carly to just tell her; and Elizabeth yells for Finn.  

🏖 There was no Below Deck tonight due to an onslaught of Summer House episodes, which ended the season. Thank you, God. I’ve been watching this show peripherally on the embarrassment level of paying to see an archaic freak show. Maybe I just can’t believe it’s real. Actually, what I think I can’t believe is real is that these immature jerks display their behavior for the world to see. I don’t mind if the VP of my bank goes wild on the weekends in the Hamptons, behaving like they never left high school, but I don’t want to see it. I’m pretty sure my trust factor would plummet. Unfair? Maybe, but I’m being honest.

And please, I’m the last one to say guys can’t show emotion or everyone can’t let their freak flag fly, but between Kyle and Andrea, you could have floated an ark on the tears. Don’t get me started on the whining. I’m guessing Paige latched onto Craig so she can jump ship to Southern Charm. Hopefully, it doesn’t go horribly wrong and Craig gets absorbed into the Hamptons house. As for bedroom roulette, I lost track of who was hooking up with who. Or is it whom?

At least Andrea is single, and not inflicting his emotional wreckage on anyone (yet – another bullet Paige dodged), but Kyle… Amanda doesn’t seem stupid or insane, and her parents seem like they were a decent example of a couple. I just don’t get why she decided to hitch her star to this mess of a wagon. To each his own I suppose. She probably thinks she’s going to fix him. Never. Going. To. Happen.

The surprise highlight of the season was Ciara losing her sh*t at a dinner, when Danielle defended Lindsay for Austen-blocking her. Ciara felt like Lindsay had intentionally disrespected her, and went off Housewives level, throwing wine in Danielle’s face, and everything going everywhere. This is why these people shouldn’t have nice things.

There was a lot of whining, tears, and anger over a pre-nup between Kyle and Amanda, but as far as I know, it never happened. Robert wanted Danielle to move to Charleston, and I wondered if she’d do double Southern Charm duty. Even though he’s never been on the show, it looks like they have a few slots to fill. In the same-old category, Lindsay spent a lot of time getting opinions about her decisions until she found one that agreed with her own. Carl had broken up with McKenzie, and went back to meditation and working out.

To continue keeping tethered to their high school days, the group decided to have a prom. Kudos to the ladies for being able to fit in their old dresses at 50 40 32, but why? I remember my father calling me two years after I moved away from home, saying he found a roll of film (yes, we had no digital camera), and it had my senior prom pictures on it. The point is, I never even realized they were missing. Once I graduated, I wasn’t too interested in reliving the moments. But again, different strokes. While there were traditional prom factors, it was basically a barbecue in the backyard where some people dressed up and some didn’t. Kyle ended up having a baby cry, and in his interview, he said he bottled up his emotions, and it came out at the wrong time. He was right, but his delivery was wrong, and it was the story of his life. Cue the violins. I think Peter Pan is probably closer to the story of his life. Oh, and no surprise, everyone jumped in the pool with their prom clothes on. I did think it was cute that Craig faked Paige out, saying he had to go somewhere else, then showed up in his fancy prom duds.

The season finished with Carl – ordained online several weeks prior – marrying Kyle and Amanda at the house, which was at least a fitting venue. The biggest shocker for me was seeing jewelry designer under Luke’s name. I thought he was a lumberjack or buffalo hunter or something. Didn’t he tap maple trees?

The Reunion is next. I still can’t believe this trash is on TV. Even worse, I can’t believe I keep looking at it. Maybe I expect them to unzip their suits and newly minted high school graduates will come out.

🥊 About That Fight…

This pretty much sums up Ciara’s meltdown. I can tell you one thing, I wouldn’t have cleaned up that mess.

📰 GH OG Returns…

It’s kind of sad she missed the good part.

🎭 Footstep Following…

Sonny’s son is back on GH.

👶🏻 Two Times a Daddy…

Congrats to Andy – it’s a girl!

https://people.com/parents/andy-cohen-introduces-son-benjamin-to-newborn-baby-sister-lucy/

👠 From Wow To WTF…

Met Gala fashion

With a small side of shade.

🌅 Healthy, Wealthy and Wise…

Come by tomorrow to recharge your soap knowledge and shudder at the New Jersey Reunion. Until then, stay safe, stay being a risk taker, and stay following your heart. Tell people that you care and what they mean to you, before it’s too late.

March 28, 2022 – Jordan Arrests a Suspect, Huge Mistake On Deck, Hamster Wheel House & Bad

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis comes in, and says, it smells incredible. She points to TJ, and says, you cooked, but he says, he and Molly cooked, as a thank you for her being so amazing in letting them stay here so long. Alexis says, she didn’t cook, but she stopped at Eckerd’s, and they cooked an amazing dessert for them. She’s going to miss them. Molly says, it’s a good thing Alexis has that compelling new job to throw herself into; she won’t miss them as much.

Harmony walks into Charlie’s and Phyllis says, Lorraine… sorry, Harmony. Harmony says, Lorraine is in the past for a reason. If Phyllis called to reminisce, working in New York was a long time ago; it’s a little fuzzy. Phyllis says, it’s about something in the here and now, and Harmony asks, what’s on her mind? Phyllis says, they need to talk about Harmony and Nina.

Nina sees Scotty at the MetroCourt bar, and asks, where’s her aunt? He says, she’s running a little behind, and Nina says she guesses she’ll get a table and sit down. Scotty says he kept her out of prison. Can’t she at least sit with him while she waits for Obrecht? He pats the seat next to him, and she says, fine. He says, let bygones be bygones, huh?

Marshall asks why Curtis was talking to Sonny, and Curtis says, they were talking about a run-in Sonny and Marshall had. Care to explain? Marshall asks what exactly Sonny said, and Curtis tells him that Sonny said Marshall was hostile. And it’s not the first time. Why is that? Marshall says he told Curtis before; he doesn’t trust Sonny’s type. Curtis says he’s noticed any time Sonny’s name is mentioned, Marshall has a strong reaction. It almost feels personal. He knows Marshall can duck and dodge with the best of them. He’s been doing that since he arrived in Port Charles. If bringing Marshall into his life means bringing trouble to the doorstep he and Portia share, he needs to know.

Esme says she has nowhere to go. Is there any way she can stay with Nikolas? Portia looks over at Esme, and tells Taggert that she bets anything that girl is behind the video of Joss and Cam. Ugh. She’s so relieved that Trina’s out of Esme’s orbit. Taggert says, she’s a piece of work, that one. It takes every bit of him not to give Esme and lover boy Spencer a piece of his mind. She says, if she has to bite her tongue, so does he. Besides, Trina would be mortified. He says, that’s the only thing stopping him, and she asks if she’s told him recently what a good father he is. He says, having a great daughter like Trina makes it easy. He got lucky.

Dante asks what Josslyn is doing at the station. Is she looking for Detective Lopez? Josslyn says she’s waiting for Trina. Commissioner Ashford said she had a couple questions for her; shouldn’t take long. He says, she might want to head home because it might take longer than she thinks.

Jordan brings Trina to her office, and tells her, have a seat. This is just an informal chat, but it might disrupt her plans for the evening. Is there anyone she needs to call? Trina says she’s missing a lecture, but can get the notes from her study partner. This is more important. Jordan says, as Trina has figured out, she called her in because they’re investigating what happened to Josslyn and Cameron. Is she comfortable answering a few questions? Trina says, ask her anything. She wants to find the person who hurt her friends, and she hopes Jordan makes them pay for it.

Nikolas says, Esme wants to stay at Windymere? and she says she knows it would be an imposition, but it won’t be forever, just until she gets on her feet. He says she has to understand. She and Spencer have broken up. Her staying in Spencer’s family home puts him in an awkward position, especially considering the fragile state of his and Spencer’s relationship. She says she understands, and he says he’s glad. She says, he’s turned his back on her too.

Josslyn tells Dante that she doesn’t mind waiting. Trina’s had a lot to deal with since that night at the cabin. He says he thinks Josslyn’s had the most to deal with since that night at the cabin. Trina’s her friend and wants to help her. She says, Trina’s her best friend, and the person he should be talking to is Spencer’s psycho girlfriend Esme Prince. Has he brought her in yet?

Esme says, Nikolas believes the horrible things people are saying about her, and he says he’s no stranger to false accusations. He doesn’t believe everything he hears. She says, Spence doesn’t share his discernment. He’s taking Trina’s word over hers. He says, it is hard to believe Trina would betray Joss and Cam in that way, and she says, Trina’s got everybody fooled. Believe her, Trina is no saint. He says he doesn’t believe people are saints or sinners; everyone is capable of both. But he does trust his wife’s instincts, and Ava thinks very highly of Trina. She says, right. And much more highly than Ava thinks of her. Well, she did set Ava’s car on fire.

Jordan says, Trina doesn’t recall anyone entering Josslyn and Cameron’s room at the cabin besides them? and Trina says, no, but there were plenty of chances for her to do it, and Jordan says, her? Trina says, Esme Prince; she’s behind this. Jordan says, both Cameron and Josslyn’s statements indicate Spencer and Esme left earlier that evening. Did Trina see or hear anything that leads her to believe Esme set up the camera? Trina says, nothing concrete, but who else would have done it? There were big blocks of time when they were all in the cabin, and Esme was unaccounted for. Esme had means, motive, and opportunity. Jordan asks where Trina was when Spencer and Esme left, and Trina says she was in her room; she didn’t actually see them leave. Jordan asks how long Trina was in her room, and Trina says, a few hours. She was feeling a bit off. Jordan says she knows about the drinking game. Although she doesn’t condone underage drinking, that’s not what she’s interested in right now. Trina says she’s clearly a lightweight when it comes to drinking. She had one hot toddy, and it put her out. Jordan says, she blacked out? and Trina says, pretty much. Jordan reminds her that even though it’s an informal conversation, she can call a parent or legal advocate, but Trina says she doesn’t want to bother them. Besides, she has nothing to hide.

Marshall says he doubts any of this will come knocking at Curtis’s new home, but his club is a different story. He’s worked enough clubs as a musician to have seen these mob types get their hooks into club owners, and the clubs become their personal playground. Curtis says, there have been offers, but he’s refused them, and Marshall says, those offers can quickly become demands. Curtis says, that’s not the case with Sonny, and Marshall asks where Curtis got the notion that Sonny is some sort of benevolent don. TJ wants to believe this too. Curtis says, years ago, TJ witnessed a shooting. He and Jordan were limited as to what they could do, and Sonny was there to protect him. Marshall says he never knew that, and Curtis says he wouldn’t call Sonny benevolent, but he is most certainly conscientious. He was there for TJ when it mattered most. Marshall says, his issue with Sonny isn’t personal. He’s just concerned the man might suddenly want to call in his debts. Curtis asks if Marshall is sure that’s all it is.

Phyllis says, she couldn’t violate Nina’s privacy back in the day, but now she can tell Harmony that Nina was her patient. She was in a coma, and Nina gave birth, and Nina’s mother tricked Phyllis into giving her child away. Harmony says, that’s so tragic. Why is Phyllis telling her this? Phillis says, to make her understand. Nina’s had so much loss in her life, yet she still has the capacity to love. That love extends to the grandson they both share, so talk to her daughter. Convince Willow and Michael that Nina’s no threat to Wiley. Harmony has a winning way about her. She remembers how well she got along with Nina’s mother Madeline.  

Nina says, Scotty and Obrecht conspired without her knowing, and put Willow on the stand. He says, to save her from jail. He’s not going to apologize for that. She says, she’s not going to apologize resenting him for ignoring her wishes. Scotty says, the reason why he did that, is because he knew she wouldn’t approve of his strategy. He can see why she’d feel blindsided in court, and she says, that almost sounded like an apology. He says, that’s about the best she’s going to get from him because he’s not sorry for keeping her out of jail. So let’s put this behind them. She’s Liesl’s niece and he’s Liesl’s boyfriend. Nina asks what’s taking Obrecht so long, and he says, rush hour. She says she supposes she only has two options here; reschedule or order a cocktail and enjoy the company. Scotty calls bartender Trish over, and says, two martinis, on him.

Alexis tells TJ and Molly not to worry about her being alone. Harmony is going to stay here for a little bit. There’s a look, and Alexis says, quelle surprise; they have an opinion about it. Molly says, Harmony staying here is a big deal, and Alexis says, Harmony is having a hard time, so she’s just staying until she can afford a place of her own. Molly asks where she’s been staying; her car? What happened? Alexis says, it’s none of their business. Again with the eyes. Why don’t they use their words and get it off their chest, so she doesn’t have to be questioned like a little girl?

Jordan says, the reason she called Trina in there is, they received a call on the tip line from someone implicating her in what happened to Josslyn and Cameron. The caller claims to have seen Trina, watching the video on her phone, weeks ago, long before it was released online. Trina says, that’s impossible. She never had that video on her phone, except when someone sent it to her, and even then, she deleted it right away. She can prove it; check her phone. She starts to dig in her bag, and Jordan says, Trina isn’t required to hand over her phone, but Trina says, it’s fine. She’s volunteering. She wants Jordan to know that this tipster – who she’s going to bet is Esme – is lying. She digs around some more in her bag, saying, there’s a thousand things in here, which I totally understand, and Jordan asks her to describe her phone. Trina says, it has a purple case, and Jordan says she only has one? Trina asks why she’d need two, and gives Jordan a phone. There’s a phone ding from her purse, and Trina digs around some more, and pulls out another phone. Jordan says, she thought Trina only had one, and Trina says she does. It’s her study partner wondering why she missed the lecture. This is her phone. Jordan says, then who does this belong to? but Trina says she has no clue. Please believe her. She has no idea how it got in her bag.

Scotty asks Nina, how’s the colonel, the Kentucky fried brother of Cyrus? Nina says, that’s just great; Ava’s been talking. Did she also tell him that she’s consider suing for visitation of Wiley? Scotty says, she means petitioning for visitation, because it’s still got to go to court, and it’s kind of a tough sell. She says, that’s not how Martin described it, and he says, he may have oversold it… billable hours. She asks if he’s saying New York state law won’t guarantee her access to her grandson, and he says she has a standing for a petition, and she says, that’s just great. Martin’s not in Port Charles, he’s looking after his mother, and she put a pin in her legal action. He says, he’s available… family rate, and she says she doesn’t think that’s a good idea for him to represent her again. Plus, she has a plan in the works that doesn’t involve the inside of a courtroom. He asks why she doesn’t want to go down the legal road. Is it the same reason she didn’t want him to put Willow on the stand?

Phyllis says, Harmony’s friendship with Madeline Reeves was a surprise. She was an ice queen; so cold to anyone she considered the help. Harmony asks if Phyllis is sure she’s remembering correctly. She doesn’t remember a Madeline Reeves, but Phyllis says, sure she does. The attractive blond with the penthouse apartment? They used to walk dogs together. Harmony says, oh yeah, with the toy poodles. She didn’t know her as Nina’s mother; she was just Madeline. And they weren’t friends. They were cordial at best. Phyllis says, that’s not how it looked to her. They were laughing and talking together. She was shocked Madeline could be that friendly to anyone. Harmony says she knows what’s going on. Phyllis didn’t call of her own accord. She can pass this message on to Nina. Point taken. It’s under consideration. Good day. She leaves, and Phyllis looks astonished.

Curtis suggests he and Marshall put this to rest right now. Marshall’s issue with Sonny has nothing to do with Marshall going into hiding for all those years. His phone rings, and he says, excuse him; he’s got to take it. He goes outside, and says, he’s glad she decided to call him; he could definitely use her help. Jordan says she hasn’t changed her mind about Marshall’s sealed records. This is about something else entirely. He asks, what is it? and she says, since they recently discussed ethics, she needs his advice. You know how a member of law enforcement should not contact a family member of a suspect being questioned? What about contacting a family friend? He says, that depends on the suspect in question, and she says, suppose the person was the daughter of a long-time friend and former partner of said law enforcement officer. Maybe there’s some ethical space to contact a family friend? Someone who’s close to the mother of the suspect? He says, she’s talking about Trina. What’s going on? She says, this is hypothetical. She’s just wondering if she should contact a family friend and let them know a young lady is being questioned at the station right now, and refusing legal counsel. He says, hypothetically, that friend of the family would be grateful. He thanks her, and goes back inside. He tells Marshall, something’s come up with Trina. They’ll continue this conversation later. Marshall says, of course (🍷). Is everything all right? Curtis sighs, and leaves, and Marshall says, take care of your family, son. He’s definitely going to take care of his.  

Portia tells Taggert, this is really nice. They’ve always been wonderful co-parents. She’s just glad they’re still friends, and she appreciates him wishing her and Curtis well. Is he really okay with them moving in together? He says, they’re moving on. He, Trina, and Portia are a family. Why wouldn’t he be okay with his family being happy? Her phone rings, and she asks if Curtis’s ears were burning… Trina is where?

Nikolas says, he and Ava are grateful Esme encouraged Spencer to reconcile with them. Esme says, but her gratitude stops short of letting Esme sleep under her roof. Ava will forgive Spence because he’s Nikolas’s son, but not her. He says, that’s unfair, and she says, Ava doesn’t know what it’s like to be abandoned, not the way she and Spence do, and Nikolas. Spence told her how he grew up. First in Greece, then on Spoon Island, isolated, not even knowing his mother until he was 16. He says, those were lonely days, and she says she thought her lonely days were over when she met Spence. She was an orphan. After her parents died, it was just her and her nanny. Then her nanny took another position, and Esme was sent away to school. Spence understood because he felt that pain himself. He became her family, and now he has his family back, and she no longer has him. She has no one. He says he’s sorry this has been so hard on her, but he can’t appear to take sides. She says she guesses she’ll have to leave Port Charles. She’s out of places to stay, and people who care about her. Everyone hates her here. His phone rings, and he tells her, sit tight. They’ll figure something out. He answers as he’s walking away, and says, he’s at the restaurant. Esme dries fake tears, as Portia and Taggert dash to the elevator. She wonders where they’re rushing off to. To Trina the saint.

Alexis says, any more issues, just tell her. Do it now. Harmony’s going to be here any minute. Molly says, Harmony’s coming for dinner? and Alexis says, is that a problem? TJ says, they don’t know Harmony well enough to have any issues with her, but Shawn was concerned and asked them to keep an eye on her. Alexis says, really? and Molly says, Shawn cares about Alexis, and doesn’t trust Harmony. He’s concerned she still has some secrets. Alexis says, who doesn’t? And whatever secrets Harmony has doesn’t concern them or Shawn. Harmony clears her throat, and says, she guesses her keys work. Hi.

Nina says Obrecht hasn’t responded to her texts, but Scotty says, he’s sure she’ll be along. She says, he doesn’t seem concerned, or the least bit worried… Wait a second. Did Obrecht set her up, and make Nina sit with him while she was waiting for her? He says he can’t confirm or deny that it, and she says she’s out of here. He’s manipulated her again. He tells her, wait a minute. He thought they were over this Willow thing. She says he thought wrong; they’re not. He says he’s going to give it to her straight. The reason she didn’t want him to put Willow on the stand is the same reason she doesn’t want to drag Michael into court over Wiley. Because she has it bad for Sonny. She says, that’s none of his business, and Scotty says, what is it about Sonny? Is it the slicked back hair? What is his real appeal? I vote for the dimples. She says, there’s more to Sonny than he knows. Sonny’s not immune to pain and loss. Scotty says, Sonny has a very chaotic life and a lot of losses, but she’s not answering his question. Can she deny that she’s not in love with Sonny? She doesn’t say anything, and he says he thought so. He has a little piece of advice for her. He suggests she get off this ride, go through the gift shop, and never ever look back.

Josslyn looks into the interrogation room, and asks Dante, what’s going on? Why is Trina in the interrogation room? He says they have to talk to everyone who was at the cabin that night, and Josslyn says, but the interview started in the Commissioner’s office, so why is it moving to the interrogation room? She thought this was just routine. Jordan calls to Dante, and he tells Josslyn that he’s got to get back to work. Is she sure she’s okay here? Josslyn says, yeah. She told Trina that she’d wait, so she’s going to wait. Dante goes over to Jordan, who hands him the phone in a plastic evidence bag. He says, purple case, like the tipster described. Jordan says, Trina claims this isn’t her phone; she’s got another one. He says, so this is theirs to examine? and she says, there’s no password. He says, that’s a little too convenient, and she says, indeed. He says he’ll get it to forensics, and leaves. Taggert runs in, followed by Portia, and he asks, where’s his daughter? He looks at Jordan, and says he thought they were friends.

Harmony says she thinks she’s caused enough problems. She thanks TJ and Molly for dinner, and says she’s going to go and let them have a last night together. Molly says, no, absolutely not. She and TJ will go; her mother’s upset with them. Alexis says she’s not upset with them. She’s upset with Shawn, who overstepped, and put them in an awkward position… which they fully embraced. Harmony says she’s going to go, but Alexis says, stay right there, and Molly says, her mother and Shawn go way back, and he’s very protective of her, as are they. TJ says he can understand Alexis’s outrage, and he wishes Shawn hadn’t asked them to play watchdog. Any concerns he had, Shawn should have shared with her. Alexis says, he did. She just doesn’t get that, if he trusts her with his business, why doesn’t he trust her with her own life? Harmony says she’s happy Shawn asked them to spy on her. She wouldn’t want anyone to hurt Alexis either, and since Shawn put her on notice directly, she’s not surprised he asked Molly and TJ to look out for her. Alexis should be appreciative that she has friends who care and love her. TJ says, that’s a gracious way of looking at it, and Harmony says, or it’s a ploy to get some pie from Eckerd’s. Molly says, they’re on it, and she and TJ go to the kitchen. Alexis asks, what else happened today, besides her ex getting Molly and TJ to spy on her? Harmony says, try Nina Reeves enlisting a former colleague of hers to help Nina secure visitation with Wiley.

Nina tells Scotty, she knows Sonny is no angel, but neither is Obrecht. There are a lot of people who think she’s a menace; she’s done horrible things. Scotty says, she’s not a menace anymore, and Nina says, her point is that he’s defied all the naysayers by finding happiness in the most unlikely partner. Why can’t she?

Nikolas comes back to the table, and tells Esme, his mother can’t make dinner, and since it appears the guest of honor can’t be bothered to show, he thinks the celebration is officially a bust. She says she thought he and Spence were getting closer; she was optimistic. He says, so was he. He doesn’t get it. She says, that’s Spence. That’s why she has to stay on things, especially Spencer mending his relationship with Nikolas. She’s sorry she won’t be around to keep doing that. He says he’s noticed she’s put in the effort, and appreciates it. He also appreciates how she’s been there for Spencer when he wasn’t. She says she still believes he and Spencer will work things out. It will just take time, that’s all. In the meantime, she needs to figure out her next step. Starting with a place to stay. He says he’s been in her shoes; nowhere to call home, surrounded by people without good intentions. She says she’s strong, she’ll get through it, but he says she doesn’t have to. He can’t let her worry about where she’s going to lay her head at night. She says, does this mean what she thinks it does?

Trina says, Portia and Taggert have to believe her. She doesn’t know where that second phone came from. Portia says they know it’s not hers, and Taggert asks why she would turn anything over without a warrant. Why would she talk to the cops without an attorney? If he told her once, he told her a thousand times… Portia says, that’s enough. What’s done is done. Trina says she didn’t think it was a big deal because she didn’t do anything wrong. She was with Jordan… Commissioner Ashford. Taggert says, they understand. But remember moving forward, there’s no such thing as a casual talk with a cop. Anything she says can be used against her. She says she wanted to help Joss and Cam, and Portia says, they understand and that’s admirable, but now it’s time for her to help herself. Trina asks what she should do, and Portia says, she talks to no one else until their lawyer gets there. And Portia and her father are going to get to the bottom of this. Taggert says, starting right now, and storms out. Portis says they’re going to figure this out. Everything’s going to be all right. Is she holding on okay? Trina starts to cry, and says she hates that she made them so upset. She’s so sorry about all of this. Portia says, they’re only upset because they know it’s unfair to her. She doesn’t need to be sorry, but Portia promises, whoever did do this to her, they will be.

Scotty says, Nina can’t save Sonny, but she says, Sonny doesn’t need to be saved. He just needs a partner who understands him. Someone who accepts him; someone who will support him. He asks if she doesn’t think Carly did that. They went through many storms together, but in the end, he ended up letting her down. What makes Nina think he won’t do the same thing to her? She says she doesn’t know; he might. But she wants to try. He says, there it is, and she says she’s calling it a night. He says, let him say this real quick then. She can’t have Wiley and Sonny. She has to make a choice. Who does she want? The kid or the gangster? Who’s more important to her?

Alexis can understand Harmony not wanting to pressure Willow with everything that’s going on. And she really appreciates Harmony overlooking all the secrets stuff with her kids and all of that. She hopes Harmony knows that whatever she says to Alexis is held in confidence. Harmony says she does. She feels safe with Alexis. Now if Alexis will excuse her she’s going to see if… She misses the coffee table with her cup, and it falls on the floor. She apologizes, and runs to get a rag, passing Molly and TJ. Molly asks, what’s going on? and Alexis says, just a little spill.

Marshall pays his tab, and tells Phyllis, thank you, gracious lady. She says she doesn’t want to pry, but she gets the feeling he’s lived a lot of life. She just wants him to know, any time he needs a friendly ear… He says, she’s an insightful lady. She’s right. His life has had twists and turns, mostly without his family; without his people. Life is tough without connections. She says, he doesn’t have to go through life alone. Sometimes you choose your family too. You never know. You might come across someone for a reason. It happened with her friends Sonny and Nina; they became family. They’ve been there for her like nobody else. They’re actually why she’s in Port Charles. He says, she’s talking about Sonny Corinthos? and she says she is. This is his place. He bought it, and gave her this job after she lost Lenny and the Tan-O. She can never repay his support and generosity. Nina’s too. She vowed to always be there for them. He says he feels the same way about protecting his family. He wasn’t here for them, but he’s here now. And he’ll fight for them. No matter the cost.

In her office, Jordan says, the tip just said the evidence was on a phone inside of Trina’s bag, and Curtis says, that’s a little too neat. She says she doesn’t disagree, but it’s enough detail to create reasonable suspicion of a crime. Trina shouldn’t have handed that phone over. Taggert blows in, and says, how could she? They were partners. Curtis tells him, easy. Jordan was just doing her job. Taggert ignores him, and asks where the hell Jordan gets off questioning Trina with no attorney? Jordan says, she asked, and Trina declined; it wasn’t official. He says, but it is now, right? and she says she had no choice. She has to investigate. There’s a knock at the door, and Dante asks for a word. Jordan steps out in the hallway with him, and Taggert says, what the hell? Curtis says, he has every right to be upset, but go easy on Jordan. Taggert says, his kid is in a police interrogation room. His daughter is being framed. They know she wouldn’t do this. Curtis says, it’s weighing on Jordan, and that’s probably why she reached out to him to loop him and Portia in. No one wants to see Trina get railroaded. Jordan comes back in, and Taggert says he has the feeling he’s not going to like what she has to say. She says, he won’t, and trust her, she doesn’t like having to say it either.

Jordan goes into the interrogation room, and Portia asks her to tell Trina not to worry. Jordan asks Trina to come with her, and Portia asks, where exactly? Jordan says, booking

Nina says, Scotty’s out of time, and she’s out of patience. So thanks for the drink, and no thank you on the unsolicited advice. He says he hopes she listened to what he said. If Wiley is what she wants, he’ll do everything in his power to get that kid for her, but if it’s Sonny, she’s on her own, and God help her. As she’s walking away, Nina’s phone rings, and she says, Phyllis, how’d it go? Phyllis says she did what Nina asked; she spoke with Harmony. It didn’t go as well as she’d hoped.

Alexis says, it’s not coming out. She should probably use seltzer. Harmony says, no need; she’s got everything right here. Alexis says, she found the carpet cleaner. How did she know it was in the basement? Harmony says, just years of being a caregiver gives you a sense of where people put things. She hopes Alexis doesn’t mind, and Alexis says, no. It’s her home too, for now.

Nikolas says, they’re not five-star accommodations, but he’s renting her a place above Kelly’s to stay short term. She says, Kelly’s. She didn’t know they had lodging there (me neither), and he says, there is. She thanks him, and says she’ll be all alone, but at least not on the streets. He says, she won’t be alone. He’ll stop and check in on her. Whatever the state of her relationship with Spencer, she won’t be forgotten. She thanks him, throwing her arms around him. She says, he saved her life, and rolls her eyes.

Portia asks what Jordan is trying to book her daughter for, and Jordan says, the phone Trina handed over directly links her to the illegal possession and distribution of unlawfully taped, sexually explicit images. Josslyn says, that’s impossible. She has the wrong person. Trina says, Esme set her up, but Taggert says, not another word until they get an attorney here. Josslyn says, Trina’s right. It was Esme Prince. She set this whole thing up. She asks Dante why he’s not investigating Esme. She told Detective Lopez in her statement that it was her. Dante says, it’s not the time or place. She’s got to calm down or leave. Portia tells Trina that she’ll be okay. Don’t worry. Jordan says, detective… and Portia says, don’t do this. Jordan knows Trina. Dante gives Trina her rights, and gently leads her away. Curtis holds Portia, who cries.

Tomorrow, Jordan says, there’s another piece of the puzzle Laura needs to be aware of; Harmony asks if Alexis has made any decisions she needs to know about; Ava tells Trina, it’s a terrible miscarriage of justice; and Sonny says, when somebody pulls out a knife… and Carly says, you pull out a gun.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

It’s almost 6 am, and the wind jacks up to 31 knots. Colin jumps up, and says, WTF? Tom says he thinks they’re dragging anchor; the boat is tilting. Sh*t. Everything is blowing around, and Tom gets wrapped up in the jacuzzi cover. He extracts himself, and by now, everyone is running around. Gary tells someone to get Colin up, but he’s already there, and says he’s got to get the engine started. Glenn gets up, and Ashley tells him, the boat is dragging. Tom says he thinks they might run aground, and Gary says, they’re already aground. Glenn is concerned about being in shallow water, and by now, the guests are getting up. Ashley asks if they want coffee. In Colin’s interview, he says, it’s a hundred times worse than any docking. Glenn tells Colin that he’s going to try and run ahead. In Ashley’s interview, she says she wants to keep the guests calm, and primary James Jr. wonders if the anchor is dragging. In her interview, Ashley says, he can tell things aren’t fine, but she tells the guests, things are great. Tom goes out in the tender, and Glenn finds out the water is 4.4 meters deep. He tells Tom to try and spread a wake. In Glenn’s interview, he says, if the keel pushed through the sand and they don’t move, they’ll get in deeper, and can get to a point where they won’t be able to get out. The tender isn’t big enough to create a wake, so on top of that, he’s using the thrusters to help wiggle their way out, then pick up the anchor. Ashley tells Daisy that she thinks they’re stuck. Glenn feels like they’re making progress, and tells Colin to check the anchor chain, and keep pulling it. He tells Tom to continue to make a wake with the tender, and Colin gets the anchor off the bottom. Glenn says, it’s off the bottom for now, and in his interview, he says they were very lucky they could fix it themselves. The guests go, yay! and one thinks this calls for a bloody Mary. In his interview, Glenn says, the guests are safe, the boat is safe, everyone is safe. He just needs to wrap his head around it, and process what happened. He tells Tom, if he even thinks there might be an issue, get someone. Tom says, everything was fine, and Glenn tells him to take a few minutes, and calm down. Tom says, everything started going fast, and Glenn says, when he’s doing night watch, it anything doesn’t seem right, get him immediately.

Ashley confers with the guests about breakfast, and Tom is all pissed off. Daisy tells him that he needs to control his temper. No one said it was his fault. In his interview, Tom says, he’s capable of anchor watch, but everything happened so fast. James Jr. says, there was no wind and no sailing, then they just almost got blown to Madrid, and now it’s calm. Gabriela wonders, what the flying… She’d thought they were sailing. Colin says he heard the alarm; he’s a light sleeper. Glenn says he felt them keeling, but they weren’t aground at that point. Gary says, it was 5:45 when Ashley said the boat was dragging, and Glenn says, that was ten minutes before he got up. Gary says, they woke up themselves; Tom didn’t get anyone. Ashley says she heard Tom say the boat was dragging, and Glenn says, the whole thing took 30 minutes. Gary says he’s worried. They could have hit rocks, but Tom could have gotten him up. In Glenn’s interview, he says, there’s a boat in Indonesia that’s been on the beach for a year. It could have been worse; it’s a scary thought. He suggests they check the hull. As long as the hull is good, they’re good. Gabriela tells Marcos, it’s been a harrowing day, and it’s only 9:30. Another amazing breakfast is served, and in the laundry room, Daisy and Ashley talk about Tom. Daisy tells Ashley, they all get defensive, but if you handle it better, you get more respect. Colin goes underwater to check the hull, and in his interview, he says, whenever you run aground, you have to go under to see if there’s damage. The keel was up on the beach, and if it’s structurally damaged, the boat can’t sail.

We go under the water with Colin, and he checks everything out. In his interview, he says, it’s super important to check for cracks in anything that holds the boat together. He sees where the beach has scratched the sh*t out of the bottom of the keel. He comes back up, and Glenn asks, what the verdict? Colin says, it’s scratched up, but the rudder is untouched; there are no cracks. Glenn says, that’s what he’s looking for, good news. In a couple of minutes, they’ll get going. They got a break. Tom says, f*** me, and rolls out of his bunk.

The guests pack, and James Jr. says, the party’s over. It would have been good to sail… They dock, which seems like nothing after what they just went through. Tom messes something up with the lines, and in Gary’s interview, he says, that was miniscule, but it was still another f*** up. The guests say goodbye, and tell the crew, everything was awesome. James Jr. says, the captain was the best. They don’t usually get to spend this kind of family time. Almost being a yacht on the rocks made it unique. Glenn says, it’s the only reason they did it, and James says, they had a great time, and it was nice meeting them. Glenn blows the horn as they leave, which they appreciate more than the last people did(n’t). James Jr. says, it’s not they first time they heard that today. Tom whines that he did his job right, but everyone is bitching it’s his fault. Ashley tells him, they’re not, and he says he will not take responsibility for his actions. Glenn calls the crew to meet in the saloon for a tip meeting.

Glenn says, it was not a good thing this morning. It could and should have been avoided. They could have been dragged seven boat lengths before he woke up. It’s a big issue. The boat is their home, their job, and their livelihood, and what happened could have ended that. They got lucky. If anyone thinks they’re dragging, wake him and the deck crew up. He tells them, don’t think any more about it. The guests enjoyed themselves, and the tip reflects that. It’s $16K or $1778 each. Well done. Everyone applauds. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, it’s a huge tip considering they almost killed the guests. Glenn tells them, have fun and be safe, and Daisy  tells the stews, they’ll finish at four, and start at ten tomorrow. The crew turns over the boat, and Colin gets some sleep. Gary tells Glenn that Ashley heard Tom say the boat was dragging, and we flash back to five minutes ago. Glenn says he doesn’t want it to happen again, but Gary doesn’t feel confident. He’s going to spend the rest of the season worrying. Glenn says he feels the same way, and in his interview, he says, he knows it wasn’t on purpose, but Tom dropped the ball big time. He should been checking the wind gage before it went from 15 to 36 knots. Tom tells Kelsie that it hadn’t been tough, and then so much in one week. It’s mental. Gary tells the deckhands to wrap up; they’ll finish tomorrow. The crew gets ready to go out.

Daisy asks Ashley how it’s going with Gabriela, and Ashley says, she doesn’t know if she’ll get a severe or nice response from her. They move on to talking about Tom again, and Ashley says, he’s fun and funny, and she loves him, but he keeps saying it’s not his fault. She hates that sh*t. Daisy says, it’s a lesson they all need to learn, and Ashley tells Gabriela, this is why she doesn’t like going out with guys her age. She intends to get f***ed up tonight, so she won’t remember. Gabriela says, it wasn’t a bad decision, just premature, and Ashley says she wants to hook up with Gary. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, everything is a game to this bitch. Sometimes being too confident is a mistake. She’s going to learn the hard way.

In the taxi, Daisy asks Gary how the deck team is doing, and Gary says, Tom is in denial, and he can’t be. He’s been on boats where people were fired for less. He tries kiss Gabriela, but it’s a hard no. She says they’re building a friendship. At the restaurant, they sit outside, and the waiter asks if he can bring tequila shots. I wonder how he knew. They toast to a great charter. Gary asks if Gabriela wants to share some oxtail stew. Ashley tries to start some inappropriate dinner conversation, and says she wants to black out and not remember the bad things she does. On the side, Daisy asks Gabriela how it’s going with Ashley, and Gabriela says, it’s a day to day thing. She tries to give Ashley direction, but she goes to Daisy, and it’s disrespectful. Daisy says she’s upset about being third stew, but she told Ashley that she has to respect Gabriela. In Daisy’s interview, she says she understands where they’re both coming from (really? I think Ashley is coming from a place of a-hole), but they don’t behave like that in front of her. They don’t like each other, so there’s not much that can be done to move forward. She tells Gabriela that she’s doing an incredible job.

They go back to the boat around 10:30, and Gary suggests an orgy, excluding Colin because he has a girlfriend. Daisy, Ashley, and Gabriela gather at the inside bar, and Daisy says, there’s been tension, but this is when the fun feelings come out, when they’re drunk. Ashley says she likes Gabriela, but she’s scared to ask Gabriela things. She doesn’t know if she’ll get attitude. Gabriela says, then don’t go to the chief stew, but Ashley says Gabriela had attitude on the beach. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, Ashely has the manipulation as a victim sh*t down to a science. Gabriela says, there was only one time she’d was short with Ashley, and we flash back to her asking Ashley if the list wasn’t important. She says she apologized, and it’s not the time to talk about it; they can talk when she’s sober. She doesn’t like being called the bad guy when she’s just being honest. Ashley tells Gary that she doesn’t want to deal, but he tells her, relax. Glenn, always the smartest one of this bunch, wisely gets some sleep. The crew changes, and gets into the hot tub with as much alcohol as they can carry. Tom pouts, and Ashley drinks a shot from Gary’s bellybutton, seriously grossing me out. In Tom’s interview, he says he’s embarrassed. Ashely wanted Gary from the get-go, and turned to him when she wasn’t getting any from Gary. It makes him feel like sh*t. Ashley follows Gary around, while Tom scarfs Reese’s peanut butter cups in the crew mess. Ashley gives Gary a back massage in his bunk, and Tom mumbles that Ashley is a POS. In his interview, he says, it’s the biggest f*** you to his sh*tty day. He tells Ashley that she’s embarrassed herself. Gary tells Ashley that she made her bed; he just wanted a massage, and Ashley says she didn’t do anything wrong. Tom says she’s a sket, and I’m thinking, he’s drunk, and he’s messing up another word. He says it a few times, so I look it up later, and it’s a slang term meaning slut. All I can say is, if I had to look it up, I doubt Ashley has any idea what it means. She barely speaks English. And it’s her native tongue. Anyway, he says she’s sket, she has no loyalty. She’s full of sh*t. She doesn’t deserve anything good. She gets back in the hot tub, and Tom dumps a bottle of (probably) tequila on her head, and stomps off. In Ashley’s interview, she says she’s never had a drink thrown on her, let alone an entire bottle poured over her head. It’s immature. She gets out, and he follows her, saying, she’s a mess. It’s not his fault she can’t keep it in her pants. She tells him, get out of her face, and walks into her cabin. Daisy is already there, and when Ashley tries to close the door, Tom opens it. Daisy says, no, this is not happening, and pushes him back to the hallway. Gary comes out, and tells Tom to come with him. Daisy tells Ashley, Tom was in the wrong, and that was inappropriate. In Daisy’s interview, she says, she feels sorry for Ashley, but what she did wasn’t nice. You don’t f*** someone, then two days later be all over someone else. Gary tells Tom that he’s going too far, and Tom goes to bed. He says, this is the worst experience of his life.

Gabriela and Ashley go to the crew mess, and drunkenly eat. Everyone goes to bed, and Ashley says she knew that was going to happen. Gabriela gets in Gary’s bunk, which pisses Ashley off. Gary and Gabriela make out. It’s hard to keep track this season. Seriously, WTF? 

In the morning, Daisy says she was hammered, but she’s not okay with what happened. Ashley asks how Gabriela slept, and Gabriela says she and Gary didn’t knock boots. Ashley says, they need to get it over with. Tom calls his mom Carol, and says he’s humiliated. Something is going on, and he’s becoming a monster. Carol says, that’s the alcohol, and he says he thought he could see past the thing with his friend, but he can’t. In his interview, he says he’s hit his wall. Daisy tells the stews, just do cabins, and they’ll do the main tomorrow. Gabriela tells Gary that she had to do the walk of shame, but he says, the walk of pride is more like it. Gabriela says, Tom acted like a hooligan, and Daisy says, Ashley slept with him, then she was all over Gary. She thinks Tom was embarrassed to admit he was jealous. Gabriela says, she touched Gary’s weenie, and Daisy says she doesn’t want to know. The less she knows, the better. Me too. Tom complains to Kelsie about Ashley flirting with Gary in front of his face, and Kelsie – who seems to wisely stay out of the drinks and drama – says, when the drinks are flowing, emotions and problems sometimes come with it. Glenn tells Gary, running aground should never have happened. They know what went wrong, and have to prevent it from happening again going forward. Ashley tells Tom that they need to talk on the dock, and Tom follows her. He asks if she wants to sit, but she says, nope; it’s going to be quick. She’s going to talk, and he’s going to listen.

Ashley tells him that she doesn’t know what’s going through his mind, but she’s never in her life been disrespected like that. She did nothing to deserve it. He says he didn’t mean any of it, and apologizes, but she says she doesn’t have to accept it. She was mortified. He says it was not okay. It wasn’t him, but he’s not going to blame it on the booze. She calls him a jealous loser, and he says he’s sorry. In Tom’s interview, he says he’s not proud of himself, but it took something to pull the trigger. She owes him something. Wow. That’s pretty creepy. It’s time for the preference sheet meeting time.

Glenn says, the primary is Jim from Boulder, Colorado, and he’s being joined by his long-time girlfriend Veronica. They want to have a dinner party featuring traditional dishes, and a seafood palooza (Chef Rachel would like that), followed by a talent show. Gary says he has no talent, and Daisy suggests he be a clown. In Glenn’s interview, he says he sees something more than meets the eye between Gary and Daisy. As long as they keep doing their jobs, a boat romance is good. He tells them that they’ll come up with something. It looks like a good group, a fun one. They’re on a roll, except for yesterday morning. They have to do better.

Tom sprays something too close to the control panel, and Glenn tells him, those are delicate controls; they can’t get wet. In Glenn’s interview, he says, Tom should know better. He’s had plenty of experience, and needs to get his head on straight. This is some basic sh*t. Daisy says, good job, and tells the stews that they’re done for the day. Daisy tells Colin about Gabriela being in Gary’s bed, and he wonders, what’s wrong with these people? She says she and Gary kissed, but at least they know each other. Gary flirts with everyone. Colin said he could hook up with Gary if he wanted to. Gary tells Glenn, with Tom, it feels like a lot of little f*** ups. Tom calls his mom again, and she says, baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day. In Tom’s interview, he says, he’s overthinking everything, and beating himself up. He tells Carol, he made a mistake, and feels like everything is crashing down. She tells him, stop.

Tom tells himself to keep his cool. The provisions come in, Glenn asks Colin and Gary to meet with him. He’s scrambling to find a solution to the Tom problem. He likes Tom, but it hasn’t sunk in how serious this is. Kelsie tells Tom that he needs to get his emotions under control; he’s been all over the place. He says, it had been the best time of his life, and he needs to get that back. Glenn says he’s happy with Tom shammying, but doesn’t want to give him any responsibility. In his interview, Glenn says, if he puts Tom back on anchor watch and it happens again, he’s f***ed. He tells Gary and Colin not to tell the crew until he’s figured out a solution. He doesn’t want to jeopardize the season.

Gabriela asks Ashley what they can do going forward. Ashley has to trust her. Ashley says she likes Gabriela, but sometimes she’s scared to talk to her. She doesn’t know what she’ll get back. Gabriela says she can understand if Ashley is thrown off by her moods, if she has them, but she doesn’t when she asks Ashley to do something, and then Ashley asks Daisy. Ashley says, it’s hard for her, and in Ashley’s interview, she says she’s happy to pretend everything is great, but she doesn’t trust Gabriela. Gabriela thinks they’d work well together, but it won’t work if Ashley doesn’t trust her.

Tom wants to prove to Glenn that he should stay, but Glenn says, they’ll talk more later. There’s other stuff going on, but he’ll figure it out. In Tom’s interview, he says, it’s never good when someone says they want to chat later. Glenn says he’s not putting Tom on anchor watch; he needs to trust that person. In his interview, Tom says he’s ready to smash it, but when you’re telling your boss what you think they want to hear, and they don’t look happy, you know what they’re thinking. He might be sacked.

Next time, the talent show, Marcos wonders, WTF? and Glenn asks, what’s the point in keeping someone who’s just taking up space?

🏖 On the nightmare I can’t turn away from that is Summer House, it looked like new girlfriend McKenzie seemed to be good for Carl, the only sane person in the house. Carl told Luke and Kyle that his priority was himself, but McKenzie had been supportive. In Carl’s interview, he said everyone was telling him to stay sober for a year before having a relationship, but he thought there was a possibility for a future. Adrian had a new girlfriend, sort of, but seemed to be holding onto feelings about Paige. He had a mini emotional breakdown, saying, the loneliness he’d experienced was heartbreaking. I broke out my violin. He was making everyone a big Italian dinner, and Paige told Ciara to let her inner Italian out, and let this bitch (i.e. Lindsay) know what she thinks of her (i.e. in regard to her pawing Austin and holding him hostage). At dinner, Daniele said, thank you for this wonderful dinner,in Italian, and you’d have thought she discovered the cure for cancer. Ciara lit into Lindsay, who didn’t seem to care a whole lot, but then I got distracted, went to get ice cream, and by the time I came back, Watch What Happens Live was on, so I don’t even know what happens next week. I suppose everyone growing up and acting their age is too big of an ask.

💃🏽 Dance Like Everyone’s Watching…

Sashay by tomorrow for some soap and what’s going on in New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay marching to whatever drummer you like, and stay not saying a word until the lawyer gets there.