What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase comes into the station wearing his softball jersey and hat, and Dante says, there he is. Good to have him back. Chase says, it’s good to be back in the squad room. Dante says, he’s not going to cry, is he? and Chase says, nah. He goes over to his desk, and Dante asks if Chase wants to have some time to get reacquainted with it. Is his suspension over or what? He’s not in the loop. Chase says, he still has 54 days, 11 hours, and – he looks at his watch – 33 minutes, but who’s counting? He’s only here because he volunteered to organize this year’s community softball league. He’ll be fully reinstated when it’s time to play. Dante says, that’s nice of him. They’ll be looking forward to having Chase back on the team and the force. If it was up to him, he would have been reinstated just for what he did to help Maxie’s baby. Chase says he just helped a little at the end. Brook’s the real hero.

Lucy, Maxie, and Brook pass a binder to a woman who looks through it.  She says, everything seems to be in order. The only thing that’s left is to take it to the stock exchange. She’ll be in touch. Lucy thanks her for her time, and says they appreciate it, and of course (🍷) they’ll be waiting. The woman leaves, and they all squeal. Lucy says, it’s happening. They did it, and she’s so proud of all of them; all their hard work that they did together. They’re such a team, and she can’t wait to celebrate all their accomplishments at the IPO launch party. Maxie says, that’s coming up April 5^th, and Lucy says, let’s just finalize everything. Guest list, refreshments, the food and drink, and the entertainment, and then let the fun begin.

Brando and Sasha go into the MetroCourt, and Sasha says she’s starving. She could eat the air. He asks if that means the PB&J sandwich on stale bread didn’t do it for her. He guesses that’s the downside of having an extended honeymoon – no groceries. She says she can live with that and he says, him too. He really loved their time away, but it’s nice to be back as husband and wife. She says she’s not ready to give up their honeymoon vibe yet. She loves it when it’s just the two of them. They kiss.

Pacing in her office, Portia says, he’s late, and Curtis says, give him in a minute. She says she just doesn’t know about this. What if he’s not the right fit for Trina? They have no idea. Curtis says, they won’t know until they talk to him. Laura hooked them up, and she said he would know what to do, and Curtis trusts her. Let’s just give him a chance. He trusts everything will work out, and Trina is in good hands. Scotty appears, and says, sorry he’s late; the elevator was chock full of people. He shakes Portia’s hand, and says, Scott Baldwin, at your service.

Trina says, did Spencer just ask her why she did it? He knows she didn’t. Spencer says he was ready to believe it was Esme… and she says they both know she’s not capable of doing anything like this. He says he thought so, but there is evidence, and it points to her.

Victor comes into Charlie’s, and says he’s glad he found Nikolas. They need to talk about Spencer. Nikolas says, later. Did he see Esme outside? Victor says, as a matter-of-fact, he did. Another car was pulling out as he was pulling in, and he saw Esme in the back seat. Nikolas asks, who was driving? Which way did they go? Victor says, he couldn’t tell; he didn’t think it was unusual. Although it did seem like an expensive Ride Share for someone with such limited means. Why is Nikolas worried? Nikolas says, he was asking about the video and Spencer, and she got really upset. She was keeping something from him. She told him that she needed air, and she’d be right back. Victor says, perhaps she felt better and left, but Nikolas says, why would she just take off without a word? She was obviously holding something back. Victor says, that, she most certainly is. Esme could be carrying the next Cassadine heir.

Sonny thanks Esme for coming, and she says she didn’t have much of a choice. He says he’s sorry about his associate; he’s a little rough around the edges. He doesn’t come from the school of social graces. He’s kind of a man of action. Sonny hopes he didn’t frighten her. She says, actually, he did, and Sonny says, that wasn’t his intention. He just wanted Esme to come here so they could chat. She says she doesn’t know why he’d want to chat with her, but he says he thinks she does. She says, Spence? and he says, this is about what she did to his stepdaughter Josslyn.

The new credits are great, but why does Felicia look like she stepped out of Breck ad from the 1970s?

Maxie says, they need to finalize music selections and book the artists, and Lucy says she happens to have some inspired live performance ideas. Maxie wonders where they’re going to get talent on such short notice, and Lucy says, hello? Lucy Coe, mistress of ceremonies of the Nurses Ball. Brook says she thought this was for Deception’s IPO, and Lucy says, she happens to be senior equity partner of Deception. She’s just going to ask all the people who she asked to sing for the Nurses Ball to sing for their company, starting with Amy and Chase. Brook says, about that… and Lucy says, Amy will love it; she’s a sucker for the spotlight. So did Brook get a chance to ask Chase to sing? Brook says, the thing is… and Lucy says, Brook’s not hearing her. They need him to sing, so why didn’t Brook nail him down when he came by here the other day? Gladys comes in and asks if she’s interrupting anything. Are they still talking about the IPO? Lucy says, yes on both questions, and Brook asks what she wants. Gladys says, stock options, especially now that Sasha’s her daughter-in-law. She’d like to revisit having a personal stake in the company. Lucy says, really? They don’t have shares based on nepotism, but if Gladys wants to prove her worth to the company, she can get them all lunch. She’d love a Caesar salad with lots and lots of little croutons. Brook says, she’ll take a chicken pasta salad, and Maxie says, make that two. Lucy repeats the order, and pushes Gladys out the door, thanking her. She says, enough of the distractions. They really have a million things to do. And the first thing is, Brook has to get Chase to sing. Brook says she’s sorry, but the answer is no.

Dante tells Chase, he has to hand it to Brook. He knew she could scheme with the best of them, but this is next level stuff. She didn’t even get anything out of this. Chase says, that’s what he means. Brook went into it for the wrong reasons, but she wound up doing everything right. Dante says, who’d have thought faking a pregnancy would turn out to be a noble gesture? and Chase says, she thought she was looking out for her family. Dante says, that’s Brook right there; she’s a walking contradiction. He told Chase, they grew up together. As kids, she even had this heart underneath all the selfish pranks she liked to pull. Chase says, people grow up, and Dante says, hopefully, she did. Hopefully, that’s what this is, and not just a one-off, and the real Brook, the old school selfish Brook comes back again. Chase says, Brook today is kind and caring, and he doesn’t like Dante talking about her like this. Dante asks where this is coming from. Chase is the one who said he couldn’t trust her.

Brando says, they’re getting their food to go, and Sasha says, okay, husband. He says he loves it when she calls him that, and she says, she loves it when he calls her wife. So they’re doing this? He says, yes, definitely, and since no one knows they’re in town yet, they can just try to ease their way back into reality. But there are a few things they need to talk about immediately now that they’re married.

Scotty sits down, and says, he’s sorry this happened to Trina. He’s reviewed the case, and it’s a doozie. Portia says, her daughter didn’t do the things she was charged with. She knows people probably say that to him all the time, but she didn’t. Trina could never; it’s not her. Scotty says, if she wants him to say he believes her, he does, he really does. He’s got a guy in the DA’s office, so he knows what the evidence is, and the burden of proof is on the prosecution, and this case is loaded with opportunities to cast reasonable doubt.

Spencer says, the whole time Trina was trying to convince him the tape was Esme’s fault, she had that phone with that video. She says she’s never seen that phone before. Someone set her up. He asks if she means Esme, and she says, that’s the only thing that makes sense. He asks how she did it, but Trina says she doesn’t know. How does she do half the stuff she does; she figures it out somehow. He says, they weren’t at the cabin when the video was taken, but he was there long enough to know that Trina was really drunk, and mad at both Joss and Esme. She says she doesn’t remember being mad at Joss, and he says, that’s exactly right. She doesn’t remember what she did or didn’t do, but Esme was next to him nearly all the time, so when would she have had time to do that to Trina? She asks if he’s really trying to accuse her of this, and he says he’s not judging her; he’s in no position to do that. He’s just trying to understand. She says, understand this. She didn’t do it. He says he wants to believe her, and she asks, then why can’t he?   

Nikolas says, Esme might be pregnant? and Victor tells him, Spencer said they don’t know for certain. Nikolas says, that would explain why she’s been so emotional; she’s dealing with a lot right now. Victor says he heard about the break-up, and Nikolas says, obviously Spencer knows. How’s he doing? Victor says, he’s pretty shaken up. That’s why he came to find Nikolas. If Esme is indeed pregnant, that baby will be a Cassadine. Spencer and Esme are going to need their support. Nikolas says, maybe they should talk somewhere more private. He’s just going to call Esme and make sure she got back to Kelly’s all right. He calls, and a phone outside near the bench rings. Nikolas picks it up, and says, this is Esme’s phone.

Esme says she hasn’t done anything to Joss, but Sonny says, she knows what she did, and she’s going to make it right. She says, wait. Is this about that unfortunate video of Joss and Cam? He snaps his fingers, and says, got it, and she says, the PCPD arrested someone for that; it wasn’t her. He says he has very good instincts, and they’re telling him that Trina Robinson wouldn’t do that. She says, he’s never been wrong? and he says, never. And Esme’s name’s being tossed around a lot. She says, it’s no secret that she and Joss don’t get along, but she would never do that to her. Please, he has to believe her. He says, don’t do that. There’s no need for that. He called her here because he wants to know the truth. She says she is telling the truth. What has she done to him that would make him think the worst of her? He says she doesn’t remember the hospital, when she lied to him?

Esme says, if Sonny means the time she mistakenly told him that Nikolas and Ava were taking Avery out of the country – he says, yeah, that’s it – that was a misunderstanding, one she regretted. He says, why? Because it led to the truth about what she did to Ava and Nikolas? She says she didn’t mean for anything bad to happen to his daughter, and he says, now she’s lying to his face. She and Spencer meant every horrible thing that was done to Ava. Then to reach her goals, she involved his daughter twice; once with the teddy bear, and the other time she lied that Nikolas and Ava left with his daughter. She says she regrets the things she and Spence did, but she apologized. Didn’t he forgive her? He says he did, and she says, but he didn’t forget. He says he has a long memory, especially when someone hurts his family. And now she’s hurt Josslyn. He squats down and leans on her chair, and whispers, let’s save everybody a lot of time. Just admit you were behind the sex tape.

Spencer says he believed Trina when it was just her word against Esme’s. What she says means a lot to him, but now there’s evidence. She says, which was planted, because like she keeps telling him, Esme set her up. He says, he and Esme have been through a lot, and Trina says, then he should know what she’s capable of. He says he’s seen the worst in Esme, but he was the instigator when she did those things. She thought she was helping him because she loved him. Trina says, the difference between her and Esme is that she would never… she could never intentionally hurt another person. He says, she’s done things for him she wouldn’t normally do, like lie. If he stoked those impulses in Esme, maybe he did the same to her. Wow. He’s even more full of himself than he was before.

Chase tells Dante, Brook has done some shady things, but people do change, and it’s hard when everyone keeps dredging up who they used to be. But he was there during some of the toughest times. Brook was taking heat from all sides, and he saw how it affected her, and she kept on protecting Bailey. Dante says, he was right; Chase does have feelings for her. Chase says, they went through something significant together, and he knows Brook is more than Dante is saying. Dante says he didn’t mean anything by it, but that’s the beauty of a real friend. They see who you are and like you anyway. Chase tells Dante, all he’s saying is to give Brook a little more credit.

Brook says she can’t ask Chase to do the duet. She feels like she’d be taking advantage of their friendship. Lucy says, this is the same guy who pretended to be a father, even though he wasn’t a father, to help Brook protect Maxie’s baby. This is just a teeny tiny favor in comparison. Maxie says she sees Brook’s point. They owe Chase for everything he’s done already, so let’s explore other options. Lucy says, what good are friends if you can’t guilt them into singing for your company? She’s guilted tons of people over her… Never mind. She gives up for a moment. She needs Maxie to talk sense into herself, then talk sense in to Brook. She needs gummis, and she’s going to get them. She stomps out, and Brook says, thank you. Maxie says, not a problem. Now that it’s just the two of them, what’s Brook’s deal? Does she not want Chase around? Brook says, that’s not it. It’s the opposite.

Sasha asks Brando, what needs their attention? Should she be worried?  He says he hopes not. He just wanted to point out, they’re married and don’t live together. She says, they should figure that out, but let’s just enjoy being married for now, and he says, it’s not like they do things in the right order. She says she knows their relationship has been a little unorthodox, but she’s happy where they are now. He says, him too, and she says, let’s just enjoy the feeling a little longer. Gladys screeches that Brando’s back, and hugs him. She says she missed him so much. She tells Sasha, hello, and says, Sasha is looking well. If she’d known they were coming back, she would have asked for the day off. Sasha says, it’s probably best she didn’t. She’s sure Deception is busy with the IPO. Gladys says, it’s all anyone is talking about, and since what’s Sasha’s is Brando’s now, he’s going to be living on Easy Street; he can retire early. He says he’s keeping the garage, and Gladys says, have it his way. He’ll need somewhere to work on all the cars he’ll be collecting. She has to put in a lunch order, but don’t go anywhere. She wants to hear all about the honeymoon. She flounces off, and Brando says, it’s too late to make a run for it, and Sasha says, so much for easing back into reality.

Victor asks if Nikolas is sure that’s Esme’s phone, and Nikolas says he saw it earlier. Victor says, perhaps she dropped it, but Nikolas says, she’d need it for updates on the Ride Share. He’s sure she would have noticed if she didn’t have it, and would have come back for it by now. Victor suggests she caught a ride with a friend, but Nikolas says she told him she has no friends; everyone blames her for the sex tape. Victor says he heard about that. Carly Corinthos’s daughter, right? Nikolas flashes back to Esme saying Sonny’s had it in for her ever since she stretched the truth about Nikolas and Ava leaving town with Avery. He tells Victor, they have to go, and Victor says, go where? Nikolas says, Sonny Corinthos has her.

Maxie asks Brook to explain. She wants Chase there, but doesn’t want him to sing because of Amy? Brook says, because of her and her feelings, and Maxie says, now they’re getting somewhere. She knew something was going on, because Brook was acting weird around him the other day. This is why she hustled him out of here, and didn’t want to talk to him about singing the duet. Brook says, Chase has made it clear he just wants to be friends. So she has to keep her distance until she can get a handle on her feelings, and get back to the friendzone. She doesn’t want to ask Chase for any favors right now, and to be honest, she doesn’t even want to see him at the launch party. Outside the door, Lucy says, Chase, just the man she wanted to see. Isn’t it funny how the cosmos is working… Maxie pushes Brook out the door, and Lucy says, you put the energy out there, and there you are.

Gladys, Brando, and Sasha sit at a table, and Gladys says, at least they had a nice honeymoon, considering they got married out of the blue. The rings aren’t bad, although she might have gone for something a little flashier. Brando says he picked them out, and he was lucky to find a jewelry store nearby. Gladys says, like finding the garage they got married in, and Brando says, mom… Gladys says she gave them her blessing, and she meant it. She wants the best for them both. Brando’s phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. Gladys says, now that it’s just them, let her tell Sasha how she really feels about this elopement.

Scotty says, he’ll have witnesses testifying to Trina’s stellar character and lack of motive. He’ll get Cameron and Josslyn; they should have significant sway. Curtis says, okay, but first they have to get through the arraignment. What’s that look like? Scotty says, it can go two ways. The best is that they waive bail because there’s no priors. The worst is, they take it up a notch to high profile because of Josslyn’s stepfather. But it still comes down to Trina’s character, which is really great. She’s at PCU, 4.0, she’s got a job, teachers love her, a lot of friends, and Portia’s reputation as Chief of Internal Medicine. Portia says she sees Scotty’s done his homework, and Scotty says he sees Cameron as his grandson. He would never represent anybody who would do this to Cameron. Curtis says, they should get to the arraignment; they don’t want to be late. Scotty says, he’s right. Judges don’t like it if you’re late. He’ll see them there. He leaves, and Curtis asks if Portia feels better about it. She says they’d better get going, but he says, hold up. Is she okay? She says she will be, and starts to cry. She says, she will be after all this is over. She just needs to stay strong for Trina right now. He takes her hands, and says, he knows everything is going to be okay. Whatever happens, he’s got her.

Trina says she knew Spencer was self-centered, but this is next level. She may have gone against her instincts and principles covering for him, but that doesn’t compare to making a sex tape of Joss and Cameron, her best friends, and posting it. She would never do that to anyone for any reason. He says, she was drunk and admitted to buried feelings about Joss and Cameron being together. She asks how he can even consider that she did this. She had faith in him when everyone told her that he didn’t deserve it. All she had was a gut feeling he was a good guy deep down. Where’s that guy now? Was she wrong all along? He says, it’s not that simple for him, and she says, he knows the truth in his heart, but he just doesn’t want to see it. He’s still blind to Esme after everything she’s done. He says, everything she’s done has been for him and his family.

Maxie says, it’s so good to see Chase. What brings him by? She gently pushes him into the office, and he says he was following up with HR about the softball league to get the charity donations set up. Maxie says, oh man, they’re out today; recruitment event. On his way in, did he happen to see Gladys Corbin? He says, no, and she says, typical Gladys. She suggests she and Lucy go to the restaurant to look for her. If she’s not there, they can have a working lunch. She not-so gently pushes Lucy out, saying, they’ll get her gummis. Chase asks what that was about, and Brook says, he knows Lucy. She probably wants to change the color of the softball jerseys or something. He asks if she’s going to play, but she says she hasn’t thought about it. He says she should; it would be nice seeing her around the diamond. She says, actually, Lucy wants to get some singers to perform at the launch party. Remember that duet she wrote? She’d love for him to sing it… with Amy. Plus, it would be fun to see him there. What does he say?   

Trina asks what Spencer means by his family. His father? He says he means the Cassadines, his family. Esme is included in that. She asks, how? By pushing her way into it? He says, she’s part of it now because she… He lowers his voice, and says, she might be carrying my child. Trina says, Esme might be pregnant with his baby? That explains why he has to see the best in Esme, and the worst in her. He say,s she has to understand… and she says, here’s what she understands. From the moment she met him, her life has gotten worse. There were so many times she looked in the other direction when she shouldn’t have, to protect him. Now she’s arrested because of his girlfriend’s lies, and he wants her to understand? She understands that he should know her better than that. So if he can’t look her in her eyes, and tell her that he knows she had nothing to do with it, then she’s done; she’s through. They have nothing left to say to each other. He should go check on Esme. You two deserve each other. He says, Trina… but she stands up and says, leave. The officer tells him, it’s time to go. Come with him. Trina turns her back, and the officer leads Spencer out.

Sonny tells Esme, neither of them is going anywhere until she tells him the truth. She says she has told him; she didn’t do it. He says, okay, and asks if she wants something to eat. She says he can’t keep her there forever, and he says he’s had his share of regrets, choices he can’t take back, but it doesn’t define you. She can step up right now and take responsibility for her actions, and make almonds amends to the people she’s hurt and move forward. She says, some things you can’t make up for, and he says, true. The people you’ve hurt are not obligated to forgive you, and sometimes you can’t make it right by them, but you keep working on it. You know why? To better yourself for you and the people that are going to come into your life. Esme has played games with Avery, Ava, and Nikolas, and now she’s hurt Josslyn and Cam… There’s a young woman sitting behind bars right now. Esme can make it right. All she’s got to do is confess.

Nikolas walks into Pozzulo’s with Victor, and Sonny’s guy asks where he’s going. Nikolas says he’s going to see Sonny, but the guy says, Sonny’s busy. Nikolas says, I’ll bet, and tries to walk through, but the guy stops him. Victor says, take his hands off his nephew, and Nikolas says, where is she? Esme hears them and screams, help me!

Sasha says, she doesn’t expect Gladys to understand why they eloped. It’s what felt right in the moment. Gladys says, that’s her concern; in the moment. Marriage is a big step. They went on that trip to deal with some pretty weighty issues in their relationship, and came back married. It seems like they didn’t think it through.

Dante tells Portia and Curtis that Trina is in the interrogation room. Portia sees Spencer, and walks over to him. She says, he has some nerve showing up here, after what that vile girlfriend of his did to her daughter.

Chase tells Brook, that’s why Lucy was fawning over him. The last time, he’d just come out of the shower in the men’s locker room. Brook says, what? and he says, the first time Lucy recruited him for the Nurses Ball. She basically ambushed him. He had to say yes. It was the only way he could get dressed. She says, they all know how great a singer he is because of what a great success he’s been at the Nurses Ball, and he says, he’s flattered, but he’s not a performer. The only reason he sings at the Nurses Ball is because it’s for charity. She says, making people feel beautiful might not fit into the definition of charity, but it’s still worthwhile. He even said what they do at Deception is interesting. He says, his suspension is up in a few months. He kind of has to keep up appearances. Singing for charity is one thing, but he doesn’t know about singing for a cosmetic’s company. She says she gets it. He has an image to maintain, and he doesn’t fit in her world.

Sasha tells Gladys, her and Brando’s decision to get married was spur of the moment, but they talked it through, and know it was the right decision. She loves Brando, more than she thought was possible. Gladys raised a good son, and Sasha promises she’s going to make him happy. Gladys says she can already see being married to Sasha makes Brando happy. She just doesn’t want him getting hurt. She can’t deny they’ve had issues, but he means everything to her. Brando comes back with Lucy and Maxie, and says, look who he found. Lucy says, there’s the married lady. Congratulations. Maxie says she should be mad at Sasha for not letting her plan the wedding,  but she’s too happy for her. Sasha thanks them, and says, they’re pretty happy themselves. Lucy says, I’ll bet, and tells Sasha that the launch party is on track, but after they celebrate the IPO, and Deception’s fabulous future, they’re going to throw another fabulous, huge party for both of them. Maxie says, a Happy Marriage party. They’ll go all out; everyone will be there. Gladys says, now we’re talking, and Brando thanks them. He says, it’s very generous, and Sasha says, and totally not necessary, but Maxie says, nonsense. Getting married is a big deal. It deserves to be celebrated properly. Sasha says, but they’re already married, and Lucy says, who cares? Brando says, he’ll take any excuse to celebrate his beautiful new wife, and Sasha says, when they put it like that, how can she say no?

An officer brings Trina a soda, and smiles at her sympathetically. Dante asks Spencer if they’re going to have a problem, but Spencer says, no, sir. Dante asks if Portia wants to see Trina now, but she continues to stare at Spencer. Curtis says, Portia? and she says she’s fine. She tells Spencer, she doesn’t have time to deal with him today because her daughter needs her. Curtis says, let’s go, and steers Portia to the interrogation room. Curtis says, he’ll give her a minute, and Dante tells Spencer, there’s really nothing for him to do here. In fact, he thinks Spencer is making things worse. So why doesn’t he help Trina and her mom, and get out of here. Spencer leaves, and Portia goes in to see Trina. They hug, and Portia says she’s sorry Trina is going through this. But she wants Trina to remember, she’s going to be home in a little while. Scott Baldwin is her lawyer. He believes in her; he believes in her case. And when Trina walks into the courtroom, she wants Trina to walk with her chin up – she lifts Trina’s chin – and her head held high. Trina says, she didn’t do it, and Portia says she knows Trina didn’t do it. The truth is going to come out.

Nikolas yells, let her go, and Esme runs to him, throwing her arms around him, fake weeping. Nikolas says, what the hell? and Sonny says, they were just talking. Nikolas leads Esme to the door, and Sonny says, she knows where to find him. Nikolas says, that’s enough, and they leave. Sonny tells Victor, okay, we’re done, but Victor says he doesn’t think so. He and Sonny are just getting started.

Lucy says, once it’s official and they go public, they’re going to focus all their time and attention on a big, wonderful wedding party. She just realized, people are going to flip out when they find the Face of Deception is married. Maxie asks if Sasha is okay, and Sasha says she’s just had a long day of traveling; she’s fine. She’s fantastic. She has the perfect husband, super thoughtful friends. Why don’t they catch her up on the IPO? She’s missed so much. Lucy shows her the binder, and Sasha opens it to a picture of herself when she was pregnant, that says, the Face of Conception. She excuses herself, and Brando closes it. Gladys says, she sure bolted out of here, and Brando says, they were just surprised. She’s probably overwhelmed with everything, but don’t worry. Sasha can take care of herself. In the hallway, Sasha makes a call to Sienna. She says she needs something to get her through. How soon can they meet?

Chase says he didn’t mean to imply anything negative about Brook or her job, but Brook says, she understands where he’s coming from. He’s a cop, not a singer. He wants to focus on getting off suspension and back on the job; she gets it. He says, so they’re good? and she says they are. She needs to get back to work. She promised Maxie some numbers. Shut the door on his way out. He says, okay, and leaves. She almost opens it again, but doesn’t, and they stand on opposite sides of the door.

Scotty asks if they’re all set, and Dante says, it’s time to go. Curtis asks how Trina is holding up, and she says, she’s okay. Thanks. He says, she’s better than okay. She’s a champ. Let’s go.

Nikolas and Esme go back to Charlie’s. He asks if she’s sure she’s okay, and she says, only because of him. He saved her. She can’t thank him enough. She throws her arms around him, and Spencer walks in.  

Victor says, he’s putting Sonny on notice. Stay away from his family. Sonny says, Spencer is his family too, and what happens to him, or if anybody influences him in any way, that concerns Sonny, especially if they’re coming after his family. Victor says, he’s been warned, and Sonny says, really? Victor says, the Cassadines always come out on top one way or another. Keep harassing his family, and Sonny will learn the hard way. Sonny laughs, and says, he’s faced down men a lot more intimidating  than Victor, and he’s still standing. So if Victor wants to take the first shot, believe him, he’ll finish the fight.

Tomorrow, Nina tells Maxie that she might have found someone who can change that; Scotty asks Trina what she wants to do; Diane has a plan; and Carly is staying right here.  

All the Wrong People Have the Money The Real Housewives of Orange County

Everyone packs for Aspen. Shannon tells John that she and Gina haven’t talked since their blow-up, but she’s sure everything will be fine. As if. John tells her to just be cordial, and she says she’s always fine when she’s on vacation. I almost choke on my coffee. In Emily’s interview, she says she’s excited because she’s never been to Aspen, but she’s also excited to be in a different climate. Cabo was hot and people got irritated. Maybe they’ll cool off in cooler weather. After the fastest plane ride ever, they’re at an elevation of 8000 feet. On the way to the hotel, they get all excited to see a deer on a hill. I guess it doesn’t take much. They arrive at the 7 bedroom, 7 bath house, and in Noella’s interview, she says, now this is a house. Concierges Trisha and Michael welcome them, and Trisha gives them the tour. Yeah, yeah, another amazing place in a galaxy outside of my price range. In Emily’s interview, she says, there are huge windows, and you can see the foilage [sic] of Aspen. She asks a producer if that’s right, and corrects it to foliage, saying, she didn’t learn that in law school. There’s a bowling alley downstairs and Gina gets a strike. In her interview, she says, now she feels like the trip will be a success. Noella tries to play the dead dad card to get a better room, and in Heather’s interview, she wonders if they’re going to compare tragedies to see who gets the best room – like any of these rooms are bad. Noella wants every room, and Heather says she’ll take the dungeon (i.e. the downstairs bedroom). In her interview, she says, Noella likes dungeons, and we flash back to the one in her house. Heather says, they’ll throw in handcuffs, and Noella will be right at home. They get oxygen and IVs with vitamins and such. Jen asks if Ryne should be her emergency contact, and in her interview, Emily says, who else is going to pick Jen up if something happens? Mr. Puppers? I say, absolutely.

They get ready for dinner, and Noella and Emily get all freaked over what they call a huge spider that’s not that big. By the time the others join them, it’s become a tarantula, but we flash back to a second ago, seeing the spider, and the text says, not a tarantula. Noella says, the altitude is real, and they go to Bosq (a restaurant) where several of them get green drinks. I hate drinks or food that’s a weird color. It makes my stomach flip. Emily suggests everyone tell something the group doesn’t know about them, and Jen says she’s been engaged seven times. In Noella’s interview, she says, no judgement. She’s grateful no one knows how many times she’s been engaged. Heather says, when she first met Shannon, she thought Shannon was cool with great style, and she loved Shannon’s home. We flash back to that, and Heather says, what she appreciates about the group is, at the end of the day, they’re all mothers, and that means something to her. She wants everyone to do well. Shannon says, there’s room for everybody, and changing topics, Heather says she doesn’t like mean people, liars, and sh*t stirrers. Shannon says, sometimes Emily can stir the sh*t. She told everyone that Shannon wanted to have more fun at her dinner party than Gina and Heather in NYC. She meant it in a silly way. Emily says, it was a competition, but Shannon says she knew what was going on in her own mind. Emily tells her, just own it. Good luck with getting Shannon to own anything. Has Emily met her?

Emily says, it was a little competitive, but Shannon says that wasn’t her intent. Gina says, Shannon called to say she was having more fun, and Shannon says, there are certain things between her and Gina, but she doesn’t want to have that conversation at the table. In Gina’s interview, she says, the altitude is enough. At this point, she’s fully willing to put a pin in it. Heather says, she thought Shannon had been calling about her podcast, and Shannon says, she didn’t know Heather’s itinerary. I swear they had this conversation already, and Shannon says she was just calling to say hi. She’s an a-hole. Sorry. Noella says, Shannon is taking way too many bullets on this, and in Noella’s interview, she says, they think Shannon is an easy target, and like bullies in the schoolyard, if you don’t hit them back, they keep coming for your lunch money. Noella wonders why Shannon would be jealous; they’ve known each other for a decade. Heather says, Noella doesn’t know them, and Noella talks over her. Heather puts her teacher hat on, and tells Noella, there’s an art to conversation; one speaks and one listens. Noella wonders how she got through life communicating without Heather. Heather says she was excited, and thought Shannon was going to ask how it went. Shannon says she was in the middle of a party she’d been preparing since before 8 am, and everyone was helping with. Um… But isn’t she the one who made the call? Why is she making it sound like Heather interrupted her? Shannon says she called to see how Heather and Gina were, and in Shannon’s interview, she says, Heather likes to single her out. The hoedown is a perfect example. She walked in late – with Vicki. We flash back to Heather telling Shannon to let her know next time, since they were waiting on them. (They weren’t.) Shannon says, clearly Heather is never satisfied with her. She tells Heather that she’s sorry, and gets weepy. She says she’s a single mom running a company, and dabs at her eyes with her napkin, adding, she gets no more than five hours sleep a night. No comment. She says she’s doing the best she can, and Heather says she thinks Shannon is doing a great job, which she’s told her. It’s okay; Shannon wins. In her interview, Heather says, she doesn’t care what happened, and in Shannon’s interview, she says, it’s not like they haven’t seen the Heather Dubrow eyeroll before. Emily says Shannon voiced derogatory things about her friend, i.e. Gina, and Noella says, put a pin in it. Gina says, Noella shouldn’t get involved, but Noella says she’s just being a supportive friend. Gina asks why Noella isn’t supporting her, and Noella says she relates to Shannon. Shannon has a big heart. Gina says, and she doesn’t? Noella tells Gina that she says hurtful things, and Heather says, Noella doesn’t? She claimed Heather slams people against the wall. Noella asks if she’s going there.

Noella says, she saw Heather shove a camera. In Noella’s interview, she says, she saw Heather push a camera. Then Heather stood on her stairs and went off on everybody. We flash back, and it’s more like Heather put her hand over the camera, and talked to everyone sternly. I think she was kind of off her rocker, but in a spoiled way, not in a violent way. Noella says, if Justin Bieber had done that, the police would have been called. Another highly unlikely scenario. Apparently, Noella just makes it up as she goes along. In Heather’s interview, she says, Noella is perpetuating false bullsh*t, and it’s dangerous. Speaking with the royal we, Heather says, did we get heated? 100%, but do we slam a person against the wall? No. Jen asks if Noella saw Heather put her hands on someone, and Noella says, just because she didn’t see it with her own eyes… In her interview, Noella says, Heather went upstairs, and she asked someone what happened. They said Heather was with Terry, and shoved someone against a wall. Noella says, Heather came after her in her podcast room, but Heather says, it was the other way around. We flash back to Noella in Heather’s podcast room, saying she was nervous, since Heather was slamming people up against walls. In Noella’s interview, she says she’s holding Heather accountable because no one else is holding her accountable. Maybe because there’s nothing to hold her accountable for. She’s an annoying spoiled snob for sure, but she definitely wouldn’t slam someone up against a wall. That’s just stupid. In Shannon’s interview, she says, it’s a huge accusation. She doesn’t think Noella is making it up. Someone told her that story. Noella says karma is going to get Heather, and Heather says her karma is just fine, but Noella’s is already hunting her down. Noella whines, so Heather thinks her POS husband causing her problems is a good thing. I love when someone starts sh*t, then cries when you clap back. Heather says she’s out; she’s done. Noella says, Emily heard it too. They compared notes. Emily says, that’s not true. Now Noella is a f***ing liar. In Emily’s interview, she says she’s never made an allegation of assault. She wasn’t there and doesn’t talk about things she doesn’t see with her own eyes. Emily gets up, and goes outside, joining Heather. Noella asks the rest of them if they think she’s pulling this sh*t out of thin air. I vote yes. Heather tells Emily that she’s done of the highest order (is that a thing?). Either Noella leaves the house, or she’s going to a hotel and home. At the table, Noella says, that’s what a guilty person does, and Jen suggests she let it go. Outside, Emily says, if Heather leaves, it will feel like Shannon won. Heather says she doesn’t care, but Emily says she should stand her ground; Noella is the one who’s lying.

On the way back, Jen tells Heather, Noella isn’t credible. How can you argue with that? Shannon talks Heather smack to Noella, and the others get to the limo first. They’re pretty chatty until Shannon and Noella get in. Then it gets real quiet. For whatever reason, Noella tells Jen that she’s sorry, and Jen suggests she say that to Heather. Heather says she has a family and children, and Noella saw nothing. What’s wrong with her? No one is agreeing with her. Just apologize. In the back, Emily tells Gina that Noella claimed to be repeating hearsay, and Shannon says Emily repeated things about John. We flashed back to Emily telling Gina a million years ago that Shannon had been upset about John being drunk at a golf tournament, and Shannon telling Emily at the Reunion that John hates golf. Emily says she repeated something Braunwyn told her, and they all knew that Braunwyn was a POS. Shannon asks if Emily ever said she was sorry, when Noella wails, she hates that it’s day one. Emily tells her to stop acting innocent. She causes problems, then says she’s sorry. Shannon says, Emily causes problems too, and the next day says she didn’t mean it. Emily says, she apologizes; she doesn’t lie. Heather finally tells Noella, shut up. In Jen’s interview, she says, it’s either the altitude or their extreme personalities. Next time, she’s sitting up front with the driver.

Noella tells Shannon that she can’t believe the gang mentality, which is apparently what she calls the majority’s opinion differing from her own made up narrative. Gina and Emily stay behind in the limo, and Gina says she wants to have a normal conversation about normal things. Noella and Shannon are already sitting down inside when the others join them. Shannon says, they don’t have to be best friends, but they’re in the same friend group. They need to figure out how to get along. Heather asks to speak to Shannon in private, which of course ends up including some other people. Heather says, no one is standing up for her, and Shannon says, everyone is standing up for her. In Shannon’s interview, she says, Heather wants them to defend her, but she feels what Noella is going through. It feels like Heather has an expectation they should defend her, but she’s capable of defending herself. A champagne cork pops, and Noella says, love that sound.

Heather tells Shannon, Noella says sh*t about her, and she should apologize, but she’s not hearing it from anyone else, and doesn’t feel supported. Shannon says, her role is to engage Noella in rational conversation, and Heather says, what if someone went around saying Shannon was a thief? She would defend Shannon. In Shannon’s interview, she says, it seems she and Heather have one thing in common. When someone says something they know isn’t true, they get upset and want to defend themselves. We flash back to Heather saying Shannon yelled at her, and Shannon saying she didn’t. Shannon says, it’s hurtful that people can sometimes believe it. That’s why it’s important for her to be a peacemaker. Heather says, if Noella would admit what she did and apologize, she’d forget it like that, and snaps her fingers.

Gina and Emily have wine and snacks. Emily says she thinks she instigated everything, and Gina says, only emotionally. In Emily’s interview, she says, if there wasn’t so much sh*t, she wouldn’t have to stir it. It’s like, which came first, the chicken or the egg? The sh*t was there before she stirred it. Heather tells Gina, there are consequences for lying. Shannon suggests that if Noella wants to make things better, say she blew up a story she’d heard, and she was sorry she did it. Noella says, that she can do. Shannon adds that she not be defensive, and Noella asks if Heather would be receptive to a conversation, but Heather says, not now. Noella says, let her know when the timing is right. She thinks they should discuss things, but was shocked Heather brought it up the first night at dinner. She’d love a one-on-one. Heather says, okay. Let’s have it now, and walks into another room. Noella says, this isn’t awkward, and follows.

They sit on a fabulous couch, Heather looking like the Grinch, with a death grip on her wine glass.

Next time, an archery lesson, which I’m not sure is a good idea; a hike and a mine tour; and Noella has a meltdown.

📌 Putting a Pin In It…

Leaving an empty seat for you tomorrow, when we’ll go over some soap and probably some awards talk. Until then, stay safe, stay as chill as possible, and stay working on making things right, to better yourself, for you and the people that are going to come into your life.