What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly says, it’s inevitable that she and Nina are going to run into each other, but they have no more business between them. So if she passes Nina on the street, be glad Carly treats her like she doesn’t exist. Nina says, it’s not going to be that easy, and Carly says, goodbye, but Nina says, wait. She came for class. She didn’t deliberately seek Carly out, but since they’re both here, Carly needs to hear her out. Carly says she doesn’t need to do anything for Nina, but Nina says, this isn’t about her. It’s about Sonny.

Deanna takes the blood pressure cuff off Sonny, and he asks if he’s going to live. She tells him, Dr. Sullivan is on his way, and will see Sonny as soon as he gets here. Sonny says she didn’t answer his question, but she says, it’s above her pay grade, and leaves. Sonny obviously has too much energy, and paces, rolling up his sleeves and unrolling them again. He finally grabs his coat and leaves. He punches the elevator button a bunch of times, when Monica sees him. She asks if he’s okay.

Esme says she made hot toddies for everyone, and Spencer offers to help her, but she says she’s got it. Keep talking amongst themselves. Cameron says he was thinking of trying some snowboarding tomorrow, and asks what Josslyn thinks. Josslyn says, she’s down. She and Trina have gone snowboarding a couple of times, and it’s actually safer than skiing. Spencer says maybe he’ll give it a try, and Trina asks if he’s crossing over to the dark side. Esme puts the drugs into one of the toddies, and Cameron says he’s starting to think Spencer flunked Skiing 101 at his fancy boarding school. Josslyn asks if Spencer really broke his legs, or it was just an excuse for his terrible skiing? Spencer calls for Esme to help defend him, and Esme brings the tray of toddies over, saying, maybe these will mellow everyone out. She warns them, she did not skimp on the whiskey. She hands one to each of them.

Martin says, so Brook lied about her child’s paternity a second time, and Valentin says, why not? She’s a proven liar. Detective Chase has a reputation for being a stand-up guy. Why would he go along with it? Martin says, that would be a relevant question, considering initially, she kept him in the dark about being her daughter’s father. One would expect him to be more protective of his legal rights. Valentin says, that’s not what he means. Chase and Brook are close. Brook is a liar, Chase has a reputation of being a stand-up guy. Why would he go along with her lie? Martin says, because he’s her friend, and defines friendship differently than Valentin does. Valentin says, speaking of friends, Maxie is another upstanding citizen who’s awfully supportive of Brook. Martin says, now Valentin is spinning. First Chase, now Maxie? It’s one thing to have friends; it’s another for a whole herd of people to be aiding and abetting a friend’s lie. Valentin says, Maxie and Chase. Something does not fit.

Maxie says, Austin has it mixed up. She knows he wants to help, but he’s remembering things that didn’t happen. She wasn’t talking to anyone that night. She was too weak after giving birth and being overpowered by that nurse that Peter hired to kidnap her. He says he heard her voice. Please stop lying to him.

Peter asks, how is it Victor intends to hold up his end of the bargain? and Victor says, if he finds Louise for Peter, Peter will give him the information he needs on Drew Cain? Peter says, and Maxie will come back to him, and Peter, Maxie, and Louise will be the family they were meant to be. Is Victor saying he found Peter’s daughter? Victor says, she’s been here in plain sight the entire time, living with the Quartermaines under the name of Bailey.

Sonny tells Monica that he’s fine; the elevator is just slow. She says she knows things haven’t been easy since they lost Jason, and he says he’s so, so sorry that he didn’t reach out to her, but she says, no, don’t be. They’ve both been grieving. She thinks it’s just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other, and he says he’s trying. She tells him, please don’t take this the wrong way, but when someone is grieving, they often self-medicate. He says, that’s not what’s going on, but he appreciates her concern. She says, okay, and tells him to take it easy. She moves on, and Brando comes out of the elevator. Sonny asks him, what’s going on? and Brando says he needs help.

Carly tells Nina, she thinks they said everything they had to the last time they spoke. Remember? When Nina told Carly that Sonny would have slept with her if she hadn’t said no? Then, if he came back to her she wouldn’t send him away? Nina says, Carly… but Carly says she doesn’t need to hear anything else from Nina, and walks away. Nina flashes back to when she wanted to call Carly, but Sonny told her not to, saying he’d  caused Carly too much trouble already. Nina follows Carly, and says, look, she’s not going to apologize for being honest, but she shouldn’t have been so blunt. All she wants is what’s best for Sonny. Carly is his wife; she’s what’s best for him. Carly says, now Nina thinks she’s what’s best for him. She’s so done arguing with Nina, and rehashing the past. Wherever she and Sonny go from here, it will not involve Nina. Sasha comes in, and she and Carly hug.

Spencer toasts, to friends, and an unforgettable weekend. Everyone says, cheers, and lifts their cups. Esme suggests they play a drinking game. They used to do it all the time in boarding school. Spencer says, Never Have I Ever, and Esme says, it’s a good way for them to get to know each other better. Josslyn says she loves it. She can’t wait for all of them to get to know Esme better. Spencer asks Esme to give them the rules, and Esme says, you say an experience you haven’t done before, and anyone who’s had that experience takes a drink. For example, she could say, never have I ever worked in an art gallery, and Trina has to drink. Trina takes a sip, and they laugh.

Martin asks why Valentin even cares if Brook is scheming again. He’s no longer her baby’s father. Shouldn’t he just be grateful that Brook’s affairs are none of his concern? Valentin says, Charlotte fell in love with Bailey; she thought Bailey was her sister. He was the one who had to tell her that wasn’t the case, and had to pick up the pieces. Brook broke his daughter’s heart, and that’s a debt that will be paid. Martin says, if Valentin is thinking of doing harm to a Quartermaine, let him warn Valentin, attorney/client privilege only goes so far. Valentin says, relax. He’s not talking about hurting Brook. But knowledge is power. Martin says, and if Valentin learns something, it gives him leverage over Brook. Valentin says, so much the better, but first he needs to exactly what she’s up to.

Peter says, Victor really expects him to believe Valentin’s daughter is his Louise? and Victor says, Peter’s been out of the loop for too long. Bailey isn’t Valentin’s daughter; Brook lied to get her shares of ELQ back from him. Peter says, so some other poor sucker is Brook’s baby daddy, and Victor says, Maxie and Brook have been thick as thieves for a while, despite previously being sworn enemies. Peter says, that doesn’t prove anything, and Victor says, then try this on for size. Valentin gave him Bailey’s sonogram for safekeeping. The patient ID number on the back belongs to Maxie Jones. Peter says, perhaps there was a mix-up at the hospital, and Brook was given the wrong sonogram. Victor says he wondered the same thing, so he checked every hospital within twenty miles of Port Charles. There’s no record of Brook receiving prenatal care in any of those hospitals. In fact, the only hospital she visited was General Hospital in Port Charles. She had a sonogram in the cubicle right next to where Maxie was having a sonogram of her baby. Peter asks if Victor is telling him that Brook stole Maxie’s sonogram, and Victor says, or Maxie gave it to her. Peter says, because Brook was never pregnant, and Victor says, because Maxie conspired with Brook to pass Louise off as her and Valentin’s child, so Peter would be convinced his child was kidnapped, and disappeared into thin air.

Maxie asks if Austin is calling her a liar, and calls him Mr. Fuzzy Memory. Forgive her if she doesn’t believe he actually heard her voice. He tells her that she said, this was your idea. Why? Does it have something to do with her plan with Britt? She says, what plan with Britt? and he says, Britt told him that she’d planned to deliver Louise, and then put her up for adoption so Peter would think she was dead. Maxie says, what was Britt thinking? No one was supposed to know that. Austin tells her, don’t be mad at Britt. She didn’t mean any harm, and obviously, the plan never materialized. She can tell him if that’s what she was talking about. She says, okay. She’ll tell him what really happened.

Spencer says, never have I ever thrown up in the middle of a dance floor, and Esme pokes him, saying, it was only one time. He says, one is one more than zero, so drink up, baby. Josslyn says, this sounds like a very fun story. Please share the details. Spencer says, there was this guy at school; great parties, really strong drinks. Cameron says, sounds like somebody wasn’t smart enough to avoid that, and Esme says, it was only once. Sam’s parties were where she and Spence really connected. Spencer says, she was the most beautiful girl in the room, and Cameron asks if that was before or after she threw up on the dance floor. Esme asks if that’s not how it was for Cameron and Josslyn, and Cameron says, he and Josslyn were friends long before they got together. Josslyn says, which makes their relationship so much better than if they hadn’t known each other before. Esme says, they’re so cute, but now she knows what she’s using for her next turn; never have I ever dated my best friend. Cameron and Josslyn drink, and so does Trina. Josslyn asks what friend Trina dated, and how she missed it. Trina says, right. We drink if we did it, and they didn’t date. Esme asks who Trina is thinking of; Cameron?

Valentin tells Martin, Brook and Maxie have become suspiciously close, which is interesting, considering historically, Maxie’s never had any use for Brook. Martin says, historically, Maxie wasn’t an angel either. Maybe her history of bad acts incites sympathy for Brook. Valentin says, if some bad act has brought them together, then what is it, and why now? Martin asks if Valentin believes someone like Maxie would go along with the hypothetical lie that Chase is Bailey’s father, and Valentin says, it’s clearly possible. They’re close, they work together, Maxie’s always at the mansion. He can’t tell Martin how many times Maxie has visited the house with some excuse to see Bailey. Martin says, being party to something that could damage so many lives, doesn’t jive with who Maxie is now. All he can say is, if he had a friend who was involved in that kind of dirty dealing, he’d steer clear of them, unless he was invested in some kind of outcome. Valentin says, Martin, you beautiful bastard. That’s it.

Maxie says she wants to tell Austin the truth, and he says, great. She says, when fake Chloe got the better of her, she passed out. It was probably her subconscious trying to protect Louise somehow. He says, she was hallucinating? She was having an imaginary conversation with Britt? She says, all she cared about was keeping her baby safe from Peter. It’s all she thought about for months, especially after she found out Peter was a monster. It’s not just that Peter lied to her every minute of their relationship; it’s that she insisted on defending him. People she loves and respects warned her over and over about him, but she refused to listen. And when she was finally forced to face the truth, she was already pregnant. He has no idea what it’s like to feel terrified for the safety of your unborn child. She carried that burden alone for a very long time. He says he’s sorry. He wishes he’d known her then. He would have tried to protect her. She thanks him, and says, eventually, she confided in Britt. He says, just Britt? Did she talk to Brook? He knows they’re close… She says, Brook had nothing to do with this, and he says, it’s just a simple question. He doesn’t know why it has her so upset.

Peter says, Louise was in Port Charles this entire time, and Victor says, Louise is alive and well, and living a very nice life with the Quartermaines. Peter says, all those months he traveled the globe, searching for her, haunted by the fear she was alone, scared, hungry, or hurt. He thanks Victor for finding his Louise, and Victor says he’s happy to oblige. But as they discussed, his skills and contacts come at a price. Peter says, his daughter’s alive, and now she’s going to be his.

Valentin asks Martin, what does Brook stand to gain? She’s told the lie twice, and how does Maxie benefit from that lie? Martin says, she doesn’t. Initially, Brook was using Bailey to regain control of her ELQ shares. He assumes if she’s willing to do it again, it’s to benefit the family’s company. Valentin says, Maxie doesn’t have a stake in it, and Martin says, what about Deception? Maxie cares about her own company. It’s going to go public, and she wouldn’t want to screw that up. It’s going to be a huge financial for her. Valentin asks how Bailey’s identity affects Deception, and Martin says he doesn’t know. How can Valentin be sure, Bailey’s real father – whoever he may be – knows the truth? Valentin says, exactly. All they know is, Brook told the same lie twice. Why would Maxie go along with it? Martin says, there’s no reason for Maxie to be invested in the lie. Why would she even care about Brook’s baby? Valentin says, because Brook isn’t Bailey’s mother.  

Victor tells Peter, you really have to admire the elegance of her plan. Brook fakes her pregnancy. Maxie has her baby in secret, and passes it off to Brook, sending the whole world, Peter included, on a wild goose chase for a missing child who isn’t missing at all. Peter says, Maxie betrayed him in the worst way possible. Is Victor certain she planned and orchestrated this entire lie? Victor says, it’s his conjecture that Maxie didn’t count on Peter evading law enforcement for as long as he did. She probably thought it would only be a matter of weeks before he was shipped off to super max or ended up dead. Peter asks if that hick doctor is in on it too; Austin Gatlin-Holt? Victor says he doesn’t think so. It seems Maxie and Brook contained their secret pretty well. Peter says, seems. Maxie was quite diligent in planning the disappearance of their daughter. She played him for a fool. Even that nurse he hired didn’t stop her. He didn’t know Maxie was capable of such deviousness, such cruelty. He thought she loved him. Victor says, the people we love often hurt us the most, and Peter says, he thought if he found their daughter and brought her to Maxie, she’d remember the man she fell in love with. Maxie is lost to him. She made him suffer, and made him believe a terrible fate had befallen their child. Now Maxie must pay for her betrayal. I have to admit, I thought Peter was going to say, now that he knew what she was capable of, he loved Maxie even more. Faison would have.

Josslyn asks why Esme would say Trina was thinking of Cameron, and Esme says, Cameron told her that he and Trina got close before he and Josslyn got together. They were getting closer, and considered dating. Trina says, Cameron had feelings for both her and Josslyn. It was confusing to her, so she backed off. Cameron says, it was a mutual decision that they were better off as friends, and Josslyn says, and that was a while ago. Trina says, like last year, and Esme says, it doesn’t seem like a while ago to her, but Josslyn says, they told Esme, they moved on. Esme asks why she’s so defensive. It’s not like Cameron did anything wrong. Josslyn asks, what’s that supposed to mean? and Spencer suggests they get back to the game. Josslyn says, Esme clearly has something to say; say it. Esme says, never have I ever moved in on my best friend’s crush. Drink up, Joss.

Brando and Sonny sit on a bench, and Brando says, he ran into TJ the other day. They had a good talk about Liam, and TJ thought it might help if Brando talked to someone. Sonny says, let him guess. Brando’s anxious and not sleeping; is he right? Brando says he is. The brain fog is the worst. A customer came in for an oil change, and he replaced their battery instead. Sonny says, there’s nothing worse for a parent then losing a child. They’re supposed to outlive us, not the other way around. Brando says he shouldn’t be dumping on Sonny. He heard about Carly. Sonny says, don’t worry about him. What he and Carly are going through doesn’t compare to what Brando and Sasha went through. Brando says, the truth is, he doesn’t know what he’s going to get out of talking to a shrink, and Sonny asks if he’s never talked to a therapist about his PTSD. Brando says, he has, but this feels different. What is he supposed to say about a child he never got to know? Sonny pats his heart, and says, this is where he goes. His hopes and dreams, the way he imagined life was going to be. Brando says, none of that ever happened. He needs to move forward, like Sasha. What’s wrong with him that he can’t do that?

Carly asks how Sasha is. She knows Sasha is probably still having a rough time. Sasha says, she’s great. Deception is going public, so work is so busy. Carly says, how is she? and Sasha says she’s fine, really. Nina says she’s so glad Deception is going great, but is Sasha taking time for herself? She and Carly both know what it’s like to grieve for a child. Carly asks if she can have a minute with Sasha, and Nina goes in the back. Sasha says she knows what Carly is going to say, and don’t. Liam is always in her heart. She’s accepted his passing, and she’s ready to live her life. Carly says, grief is a treacherous emotion. Sometimes denial disguises itself as acceptance. You think you’re doing good and moved past the hard part, and you’re ready to move on. Then grief just overwhelms you. And if you don’t take time to deal with it, grief can destroy you.

Maxie says, Austin’s question about Brook didn’t upset her. Being here is really overwhelming. She keeps having memories about that night, and the months leading up to it when she was terrified things would go wrong. And things went even more wrong than she could have expected. That’s because Peter did even worse things than she thought he would do. He says, right, but he heard her voice. Then he heard a second voice. She said the nurse had run off, so whose voice was it? She says, no way he heard another voice. Being here is mixing things up for him, and they’re not any closer to finding Louise, so what’s the point? He says he’s sorry. He doesn’t want her to feel the way she’s feeling, but he is glad they came here because he thinks they’re really on to something. She grabs his face, and kisses him. She says, sorry, but he says, don’t be. That was really nice. He hopes she thinks that it was nice. Felicia says they’re still out here. She was getting worried. She went to the cabin, and Maxie wasn’t there. Maxie says she and Austin were just talking, and Felicia says, seems like it was something important. Want to fill her in?

Josslyn says, she and Trina had a pact that no guy would ever come between them, and they stuck to it. She reminded Trina of that pact when she and Cameron started to go out. Trina said she was happy for them. Trina asks, what was she supposed to say? and Josslyn asks if Trina was upset when they started dating. Trina says, no, she wasn’t upset. She doesn’t think so. She doesn’t know. It’s just always Josslyn and Cam, and she’s just… there. When they got together, it was like, where does that leave her? She just missed what they had. Esme asks if Trina means what she and Cam had, but Cameron says, he and Trina never had anything. Trina says, she just missed the three of them. She tells them that she doesn’t feel so good, and runs out of the room.

Sasha thanks Carly for looking out for her, but honestly, she doesn’t have to worry. Everyone grieves differently. Brando, for instance, wants to talk about it in excruciating detail, but that’s just not her. Carly asks why Sasha doesn’t listen to Brando, and see where it leads, and Sasha says, she respects Carly, and appreciates she’s trying to help, but she feels like Carly is judging her, and she doesn’t need that. She knows herself. Reliving everything that happened after Liam was born will not help her. Carly asks how she knows if she doesn’t try.

Sonny tells Brando, living the emotions makes you stronger. It’s easy bury things, but when you face things that hurt you, it gives you strength. He knows Sasha is probably not moving forward. Has he talked to her? Brando says, no. Sasha’s not doing much talking these days. She’s been concentrating on work, and throwing herself into Deception’s IPO. Sonny says, Brando and Sasha are Liam’s parents, and know what they’re going through; they’re the only ones,. Brando says he guesses he’s just embarrassed that he’s not able to bounce back like Sasha has, but Sonny says he’s proud of Brando; that he realized he needs help, and had the courage to do something about it. Brando asks how Sonny stays in control no matter what’s going on, and Sonny says, family, friends. Sometimes that’s not enough, so he has to get professional help. Why don’t they do this? Brando nods, and says, all he knows is that he misses his boy.

Valentin tells Martin, the night Bailey was born, Brook ditched Yuri. She claimed she was headed to Bensonhurst to visit a friend. She went into labor, pulled into the nearest hotel, and gave birth alone. There were no witnesses, except for some mystery doula who has never been identified. Martin says, suspicious, but still circumstantial, and Valentin says, Bailey was born the same night Maxie gave birth to her daughter. Maxie claimed her daughter was kidnapped. Maybe Maxie is invested in Brook’s lies because Bailey is Louise. Maxie is the mother. That means Peter August is the baby’s biological father. Martin says, and any mother would do whatever she could to protect her baby from Peter August, including giving her to Brook to claim as her own. Valentin says, Peter has no idea he’s been searching in all the wrong places. Is Martin going to go to his other client with this information? Martin says, he sees. Just because he’s an attorney, he doesn’t care about the safety of an innocent child. Thank you very much. Besides, without a DNA test, Valentin has no proof Bailey belongs to Maxie. Valentin says he’s trusting Martin; don’t cross him. Martin is still on the payroll, and this is confidential. Valentin messes with his phone, and Martin asks what he’s doing. He says, he’s texting Yuri to see if Yuri can give him any proof. He doesn’t work for Brook anymore, but he still keeps tabs on her. Maybe Yuri can give him some information that will lead to the truth. Martin says, if he does, what exactly is Valentin going to do with it?

Trina sits on the bedroom floor, leaning against the door, and Josslyn knocks, asking if she’s okay. Trina says she’s fine; go back to the party. Josslyn says, talk to her, but Trina says she doesn’t want to talk. She doesn’t feel so hot. Josslyn says Trina’s her best friend. If she did anything to hurt Trina, she’s so sorry. Please, just let her help. Trina says, please leave her alone, and Josslyn says, Esme did this on purpose, and she’s not letting Esme get away with it.

Austin tells Felicia, he thought he heard a second voice that night that wasn’t Maxie’s, but he’s not really sure he’s remembering it right. they were both attacked that night, and he thinks being there is bringing up some really bad memories. Felicia says, they’re both so brave to come back here and face what happened. She knew Maxie was strong enough, and it looks like she found a match in Austin. She gets the feeling something else is going on here. What happened before she came back?

Valentin strides into the hospital, and sees Monica with Yuri. He thanks her for meeting with him, but she says, she’s doing this as a personal favor for Yuri. Yuri says something to her in Russian, and Valentin asks for an update on Bailey. How’s she doing since he left the mansion? He hopes she understands, he’d really rather not face Brook, Monica says she hasn’t seen much of Bailey since Brook moved to Jax’s beach house, and Yuri has seen even less, since he’s no longer her bodyguard. Yuri says, when he worked for Brook, she took Bailey to work. Maxie helped with Bailey at work, and sometimes they’d meet with Chase. Valentin asks Monica, how is it having Maxie around? He knew she didn’t appreciate Maxie’s frequent visits when Bailey was first born. Monica says, it wasn’t the frequency she minded, it was the interaction with Bailey, and Valentin asks, how so? Monica says, she was very maternal. She knows Maxie is suffering the loss of losing a child, but Monica was worried she’d have a break with reality. He says, as if she saw Bailey as her own? and she says, at times, yes, but it could be Bailey. It’s hard not to fall in love with that girl. Speaking of that, she hopes he’s found some peace of mind where she’s concerned. He says he’s  still searching for what he needs, but he’s pretty confident he’s going to find it.

Victor says, no doubt betrayal is causing Peter considerable pain, but before he runs off to plan his revenge, there is one thing they need to discuss. He gave Peter what he wanted; now it’s Peter’s turn to return the favor. Peter says he doesn’t think so, but Victor says, they had a deal. Peter says, that deal included Maxie. Obviously, that’s not happening now, so they have to revise the plan. He needs Victor to do one more thing. Victor says he found Peter’s daughter when no one else could, and Peter says, what good will the information do him when he’s cuffed to this bed? He needs Victor to get him out of here. Victor says Peter is under 24 hour watch, and Peter says, a man with Victor’s skillset should come up with a quick workaround. Victor says, planning Peter’s escape from this place will take a while. In the meantime, he’ll be shipped back to Pentenville. Peter says, then Victor had better act quickly. If Victor discovered Maxie gave Louise to Brook, it’s only a matter of time before others make the same discovery; others who won’t hesitate to keep Louise from him, as far away as possible. Victor says, not his problem, and Peter asks how badly he wants the information on Drew Cain. It will stay locked up with him until he’s reunited with his daughter.

Esme asks how Trina is, and Josslyn tells her, drop it. Esme has been playing all of them, Spencer included, ever since she got to town. The only reason Josslyn held back is because Spencer thinks he loves her. Esme says, all she wanted was to be Josslyn’s friend, and Josslyn hated her for no reason, but Josslyn says she has plenty of reasons; starting with Esme’s threat. Minding my own business is free, but minding yours will cost me. Remember? She’s threatened Esme from the beginning because she can see right through Esme. All the simpering sweetness, and how she leads Spencer by his pants. Josslyn knows Esme for what she is, a manipulative little bitch.

Maxie tells Felicia, today was a lot. She’d just like to go home, and hug James and Georgie. Felicia says, let’s go, and they leave, Austin following.

Sasha tells Carly that it was good to see her, and leaves. Nina flashes back to Sonny telling her that he felt badly about her wrist, and thanking her for caring. She tells Carly, please wait. She says, Sonny loves Carly, and what he feels for her isn’t real. He wants to be with Carly; he needs her. Carly says she’s not going to argue with Nina on the subject of her marriage. She has nothing left to say, and she leaves.

Brando says, grown men aren’t supposed to cry, but Sonny says he cried like a baby when his dad died. He guesses he’s not much of a grown man. Brando says, Sonny is the best man he knows, and thanks Sonny for listening to him. Sonny says, anytime, and Brando says, he hopes Sonny knows, it goes both ways. He hopes Sonny is okay. Sonny says, yeah. Let’s get checked in.

Monica goes into Peter’s room, and he says, his complaints must have finally reached her. She tells him to save it for someone who cares. He has a clean bill of health, and she can’t wait until he’s out of the hospital. He asks why she’s here, and she says she wanted to look him in the eye during his last free moments, and know he’ll finally face justice for what he did to Drew and Jason. The only thing that gives her comfort is knowing he’s going to spend the rest of his life in Pentenville. Peter smiles.   

Victor sees Valentin going to the reception desk, and gets big ears. Valentin says, he’s here for Bailey Quartermaine’s medical records. He’s her father, and wants to be sure exactly what’s going on with her.

Tomorrow, Josslyn asks if Spencer finally sees Esme for who she really is, Laura asks Martin if he has any idea what he’s in for, Valentin tells Victor that turnabout is fair play, and Dante wonders what makes Peter think he can find Louise when no one else has.

Project Runway

Kristina told her mom about being close to getting the boot. She said she’d had a tough day. She’d decided to get creative, and got shot down. We flashed back to the critique on Kristina’s oversized pantsuit from last week, and she said she couldn’t deliver clearly her design message and point-of-view. On the winning side, in Shantall’s interview, she said she was having a unique moment, and it had been hard getting here. An invite from Christian was delivered, asking the designers to meet him at the Rockefeller Center rooftop garden. You won’t believe it. Christian told them that you could really feel the city from up there, and Shantall thought it was magical. He said they’d been through 12 challenges, and outlasted their competitors, as well as winning 10 of the challenges. Nina said it was the first time ever that Project Runway had an all-female finale. Their work had exploded with creativity since day one. She said, the city was always changing, just like fashion; with the culture and the times. Christian said, they had a sky high perspective, and the challenge was to show the judges how their brand was relevant and part of the conversation in fashion. Nina told them to give them something to make the judges want to send them to Fashion Week. They’d made it this far for a reason. They were the future of fashion. Christian told them that it was one day, plus time on runway day, but they’d each have a seamstress to help. The designers did some sketching on the rooftop, using the city as inspiration.

For their last trip to Mood, the designers were given 30 minutes and $750. Kristina had been inspired by the American flag waving in the wind, and went for some red, white, and blue gingham. Christian tried to talk Chasity out of black, but she said it gave a message of strength. Shantall wanted to do something gender fluid in white, and Christian was frustrated that no one was using color. When the 30 minutes were up, he said he was exhausted, and hadn’t even done anything.

In the workroom, Sara Kozlowski from the CDFA and publicist Tenique Bernard (Brandon is one of her clients) stopped by to talk about their brands. Sara said, how to tell a story, and having a voice was critical. Tenique said consistency was important. It helped people identify connect with them as designers, and solidify their brand identity. It also helped drive sales. Sara and Tenique were also going to meet them individually on the runway.

Coral was first, and was also met by her entire collection of designs from this season. In Coral’s interview, she said she felt lucky. It had been more than a competition. Her mom had discouraged her going to fashion school, but bragged about her to other people. Tenique said Coral’s point-of-view was strong, and translated best with color. Sara said, from a business perspective, color sells. Kristina was next, and Sara said she had an unconventional drape and shape to her clothing. Tenique said she liked that Kristina gave the unexpected using different materials. In Kristina’s interview, she said, seeing all her pieces together, she could see how innovative she was. It was Chasity’s turn, and in her interview, she said she was proud of how she’d grown. Sara said Chasity had a great eye for movement, and told her to think of building community relationship. In Chasity’s interview, she said she was here to grow her business, and that was what was pushing her forward. Shantall was last, and Sara said, the market was looking for authenticity and a unique point-of-view. She suggested Shantall narrow down her ideas, and pick the strongest ones. 

Christian said, it was his last walk through, and it made him sad. In Coral’s interview, she said she’d never won a challenge, and she knew how difficult it was going to be. She wanted to show her son that if you work for something, if you’re persistent, you’re going to get it. Christian told her to make the most gorgeous dress she’s ever made. In Chasity’s interview, she said, in making it to the final four, she’d had a lot of help from Christian, and she was grateful. She was going to miss stressing him out. We flashed back to that, and Christian encouraged her to roll with what she was doing. It felt different from what they’d seen from her before. He warned her to be careful in finishing the hems and such though; it got cliché when it was too done. Kristina was doing a pair of blue jeans as part of her outfit, being inspired by the blue sky to make sky blue jeans. Christian told her that her fabric was very Americana, and reminded her that the judges wanted something new and different; what was next. In Kristina’s interview, she said it was the last important challenge, and she had to be smart. Christian shook his head at Shantall having chosen something technically difficult, but in her interview, she said, part of the challenge was showing the future of fashion. She wanted them to see what she was capable of. The designers worked with their models and the seamstresses. Christian said it was the night before runway pressure and anxiety. They’d have 2½ more hours to work on runway day. Shantall said she had nothing, and was nervous.

In the morning, Coral said she was excited, but sad. She was so close, yet so far at the same time. Christian reminded them of the stakes; a quarter million dollars, and some other stuff. I always stop listening after the quarter million. Christian said he was emotional, and the models arrived. In Shantall’s interview, she thought she might have tried to tackle too ambitious of a project. Christian told them to work with their Maybelline (plug-plug-plug) makeup artists, because makeup could make or break a moment. He bugged Chasity about whether or not her model could walk in the gown, but Chasity said she couldn’t do this right now.

Karlie Kloss was the guest judge, and Nina said the stakes couldn’t be higher. They’d asked a lot, and had no doubt the designers had delivered. Coral’s design was a lot of macramé on top, including a neckpiece, and a sheer skirt, both nude in color. She said she’d wanted it to represent the ethnic part of her. Kristina had a three-piece Americana pantsuit, with a palazzo pant, bandeau top, and a versatile jacket, all in picnic-y gingham. To accessorize, she made a paper bag style clutch. Shantall’s white pantsuit had cutouts in the fitted jacket, and slits in the not-so-fitted pants. Chasity’s black gown had a flowing skirt, with mesh cutouts and sequins on top. Karlie was impressed with the runway show.  

Nina said, three would be moving on to the finale, and one would be out. Kristina was up first, and said she’d been inspired by the American flags flying everywhere. In no other culture did they fly their flags like that. It was also important for her to make smart clothes that could be versatile; streetwear turning into eveningwear. (Like Fashion Transformers.) She said, the world was changing fast, and they needed to answer to that as designers. She explained that the bandeau and bag were reversable, and Karlie said Kristina’s intention translated. Her outfit was conceptual, yet practical. Nina said it was refreshing to see a day look from Kristina, Versatility was the crux of what she did, and it was the superpower for today’s busy woman. Elaine loved the pant, but said it wasn’t for everybody because it was too complicated. It was also reminiscent of what Kristina had done before. Brandon said modular dressing was her signature, and very identifiable.

Coral said she’d been inspired by the old architecture beside new buildings. Her macramé displayed her ethnicity, and was monochromatic on one side, and more artistic on the other. Karlie said Coral’s design was strong, yet beautiful, and the future of fashion. Elaine said Coral had clearly translated her story. Her design was both delicate and edgy, soft yest hard. It was artisanal, and Coral had quietly and smartly given her craft as her signature. It was the mark of a great designer.

Chasity said she felt black represented power and strength, and she’d used St. Patrick’s Cathedral as inspiration for the design; she’d envisioned a strong woman storming out of the pandemic. Elaine said Chasity’s gown was an elegant staple of a classic gown, but she’d given it an update with the cutouts. Karlie said she immediately thought it had couture quality, and Elaine asked if Chasity thought she’d be in the finals. Chasity said, no, and started crying, but tried to keep her composure. Brandon said she’d held so much in, it was the end; have at it. Chasity said she’d been very depressed in 2020. Her business was bridal and prom dresses, and she had no money coming in. Her children were looking to her for answers, and she didn’t have any. She had to search herself to find the light. Nina said Chasity’s light was her work, and Brandon said, the reality was, it had been awful in the world. Chasity came there, she wanted it, and put everything into it.

Shantall said she’d wanted to do a gender fluid piece, and Brandon said it was ambitious to do a patterned garment in 13 hours. He was excited for what she’d do if she had more time. He did think modernity was lacking with the peplum, but Karlie loved it. Elaine said that Shantall had centered the non-binary body, and Nina said she showed maturity and confidence in her design.

The judges talked right there in front of the designers, Brandon walking down the line, and whispering to all of them. The consensus was, they were all going to Fashion Week, and there were lots of hugs and squeals. Elaine said they saw something special in each of them that was so unique, they couldn’t send any of them home. Their task was to make a ten-piece collection for Fashion Week. They had a budget of $10,000 and five months, and Nina told them to expect a visit from Christian. He was going to check in on them while they were working. Karlie told them, be whoever the hell you are.

Backstage, Christian brought champagne, and said, we did it. He was exhausted. Kristina said she was thankful, grateful, and honored. She wanted to surprise everyone. Christian toasted to their really hard work, and said they were four strong women. Now the real work would begin. He’d see them in two months. In Coral’s interview, she said it was even better than her dream. Maybe her mom would tell her that she’s proud to her face. Chasity said she’d be bringing the heat to Fashion Week.

Next time, Fashion Week – the winner needs to have everything it takes to be a household name.

🎍 Not Gathering Moss…

Join me tomorrow for that variety show of days, where there’s always soap, a variety of tea, words to heed, and a flip-of-the-coin tune. Until then, stay safe, stay bringing out the best in others, and stay not playing Never Have I Ever. It never ever seems to go well.