The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 5 Features An Ending With A Bang And A Whimper

The week is bringing our stay at The White Lotus Sicily one step closer to a close — but it seems as though the fuse is starting to catch fire as we head into the season's final acts. The episode opens with Lucia and Albie having sex in the early hours of the morning on day five, but after, there's a misunderstanding about her getting paid for the privilege. Yep, he didn't realize she was a prostitute. Awkward. Somewhere on another floor, Portia wakes up in bed with Jack to the sound of her phone going off. Tanya informs her she's taken up Quentin's cute offer from last episode, which was to hang out in Palermo with his group for two nights. Clearly, she's cool with it, considering she just slept with Quentin's ... what did he call him, "naughty nephew"? Yeah, that raunchy and dashing young Brit named Jack.

Ethan finds the rogue condom on the bathroom sink when he and Harper wake up that morning, which naturally ignites an air of distrust from Harper. Ethan tells her that Cameron was the one who was using condoms that night because of the interactions with the Italian girls. She is taken aback that he watched and certainly isn't convinced he didn't participate, especially after he also admits to the fact that the group took MDMA during the evening. Ethan admits to lying by omission after Harper claims that she gave him a chance to tell her what happened the day prior, but he didn't. My favorite part, though, is when Ethan tells Harper, "I kind of think you should feel good about this" — you know, because he didn't do anything. Men.

Wine tasting chaos

During breakfast, Tanya remarks that she should've "started that healing spa with the girl from Maui," which is an obvious but cute little nod back to season one of the show. Albie is determined to get the money for Lucia, because it's clear he's developing a crush on her in the absence of Portia. He's distracted at breakfast and insistent to his father and grandpa that he has to go to the bank. Considering Dominic knows that Albie has been with Lucia, he's visibly unhappy at his son's request. He knows what's up.

Mia pleads her case to Valentina again about becoming the regular bar pianist following Giuseppe's incident with the MDMA that was mistaken for Viagra. Naturally, she says no again. Dominic approaches Lucia after breakfast and asks her to stay away from Albie, as well as to keep their tryst to herself because he doesn't want his son knowing. Portia apologizes to Albie for everything the day prior, and they awkwardly part in a way that leaves things seemingly permanently over between them.

The Spillers and the Sullivans head out to a nearby local town for a day of wine tasting. Harper shamelessly flirts with the waiter during lunch and really packs on the alcohol. She implies that "old habits die hard" with Ethan and Cameron—they lightly admit to having sex in the same room in college—during the tasting, which Cameron picks up on and is displeased by. Ethan broke his trust. Valentina makes a bold move of her own and moves Rocco from his post on the front desk with Isabella to the beach club, a move clearly motivated by growing feelings toward Isabella.

A night at the opera

At the beach club, Albie makes it a point to spend time with Lucia despite Dominic's dismay. Grandpa calls her and Mia escorts, which offends Albie. He again schools his father and grandfather on why their judgment of prostitutes is hypocritical. Meanwhile, Cameron scolds Ethan for telling Harper what happened during their rager night. Albie tells Lucia that he has her money during a cute little swim at the beach club. In response, she lets him know that she wants to see him again, but not for money because she "likes" him. Sparks are flying, folks.

Quentin and his crew take Tanya to the opera in Palermo while Portia and Jack explore the streets of the city that night. The couples head to dinner, where Cameron and Lucia make eyes. He still owes her money, of course. They have a hushed chat where he assures her he just needs to go to a bank. At dinner, Harper admits to having had a threesome in the past, and Cameron touches her leg in a way he definitely shouldn't have. She flirts with the waiter again shamelessly; Cameron and Daphne love it, but the whole thing is making Ethan miserable.

Get yourself a trainer

Mia tries again with Valentina — but this time, she reads her like a book. She tells the hotel boss that she knows she's a lesbian and that she would be willing to have sex with her in exchange for time at the piano. It takes some prodding, but Valentina finally agrees to let her sing until Giuseppe comes back. Later, Harper and Daphne are left alone while the boys go find cigars, and Harper tells Daphne that she thinks "something happened" while they were in Noto. Cameron's wife explains that she has a trainer that she's attracted to and whom she spends time with to make herself feel better about things like what may have gone on that night. Hint hint.

Lucia is approached by a seemingly abusive ex while she and Albie are out for gelato in town. After their night out, Jack promises Portia he'll come back to her room after he does "something" — unspecified, of course — for his uncle. Lucia and Albie have sex again that night, and things seem to be quite tender between them. Maybe they were the better match all along. But the episode ends with a match you never saw coming. That night at bedtime, Tanya leaves her room to explore the exquisite manor she's staying in, owned by Quentin—and she finds him getting it from his "naughty nephew" Jack during her excursion. Yep, you read that right. The first bombshell of the season is upon us, folks... and if these are the kind of in-your-face reveals we're getting this season, I'm hopeful that the ante will be sufficiently upped for the remaining two episodes. After all, we still have a few dead bodies in our midst.