On this week’s episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta the divide between NeNe and Kenya gets deeper and the girls embark on a “truce” trip to Mexico.
The episode starts with Cynthia and NeNe meeting up to shop for swimwear for their upcoming Mexico trip. After picking out a few new pieces, Cynthia tries to broach the subject of Kenya and immediately NeNe shuts her down. A cute hat try on session passes and again Cynthia tries to bring up Kenya and Marlo and the infamous Bailey Bowl. This time NeNe gets hostile and tells Cynthia not to bring up Marlo’s name to her ever again and storms out of the store.
Speaking of the devils, the scene moves to Kenya arriving at Marlo’s house for some girl talk. Marlo tells Kenya that she feels awful for what happened at the Bailey Bowl and then recounts how the situation went down with NeNe. Of course Kenya is immediately on Marlo’s side, explaining that she only tried to bridge NeNe and Marlo together. At this time, Marlo feels the need to bring up the fact that NeNe supposedly told her weeks ago not to be friends with Kenya. NeNe lived by the elementary school rule that if I’m not friends with someone, then you can’t be friends with them either. Both Marlo and Kenya agree that NeNe is just taking her anger out on them because her television show got cancelled and she’s not the big “star” she thought she was going to be.
We’re treated to an adorable scene at Phaedra’s house next. Her son Ayden is sweeping the pool with a net. He’s calling for the frogs to jump into his net but he can’t find any. That kid is definitely charming. Phaedra and her husband Apollo discuss the blow up at the Bailey Bowl and the upcoming trip to Mexico. Phaedra’s face scrunches up when she mentions the trip and she states, “when it comes to traveling to Mexico on a trip that Kenya organized, honey I’d rather Portia take my black history final exams”. She explains that she doesn’t want to deal with the drama her husband and Kenya get into when they are together. She suggests bringing her friend Dwight to Mexico instead of Apollo. Apollo doesn’t take to this decision very well. He thinks Phaedra’s trying to punish him like a child. The scene ends with a question mark as to whether Phaedra and/or Apollo will attend the event.
It’s a house husband’s gathering next with Peter arriving at Portia’s ex-husband Kordell’s house. After exchanging catch up chat about being busy with work, the conversation turns to Kordell and Portia’s marriage. Kordell explains that Portia’s family was the downfall of their marriage. She always had her mother and sister at the house. They were never alone and whenever they had fights she’d run to cry on her mom’s shoulder. He wanted a marriage between two people, not two people and their familes. Peter relates to that reasoning because of all of the trouble he’s had with Cynthia’s mom and sister. Next Kordell speaks about how he doesn’t owe Portia any spousal support because they didn’t share any property and therefore the law says he doesn’t need to give her any part of what he owns. Throughout the entire conversation Peter nods and agrees. He is 100% on Kordell’s side.
The next stop is Mexico! Kenya and Miss Lawrence arrive one day early to set everything up for the other ladies. At the hotel, they take a tour of their room, the Presidential Suite, and gush over the beauty of everything. Kenya has brought gifts for all of the ladies and asks Miss Lawrence to help her put the bags together. She pulls out 8x10 pictures of herself that she plans to put in everyone’s room. Miss Lawrence calls it when he says she’s just trying to stir the pot. Kenya whips out Mexican ponchos and fake mustaches that she wants to give the ladies on their arrival. They joke about everyone’s reactions and then head out to dinner.
In the morning, we’re back in Atlanta watching all of the ladies and their husbands arrive at the airport. At this point we learn that Phaedra has lost her passport and is going to miss the plane. It’s still a question as to whether she and/or Apollo will show. The good news is that all of the other ladies have shown up and they are off to Mexico seemingly in good spirits.
The good spirits last until they are all tucked into the limo in Mexico on their way to the resort. Peter chooses this moment to bring up his conversation with Kordell. He tells Portia that Kordell said that he still loves his wife. Surprisingly, Portia handles it like a big girl and explains that she loves Kordell too. But he treated her so badly in the last few months that she can’t and won’t forgive him. She’s firm on signing the divorce papers.
Once they arrive at the hotel, Kenya greets them in a bikini and a poncho, doing her famous twirl dance. She makes them all put on their ponchos and leads them into the hotel. This is when she notices that Phaedra and Apollo are missing. She speculates that Phaedra is trying to keep her and Apollo apart. When Kenya presents Miss Lawrence as her date, everyone wonders where her African prince boyfriend is. I do too!
On the tour of the resort, Kenya announces that NeNe and Gregg will get a Presidential Suite. She calls it a peace offering for the blow up at the PJ party weeks ago. The rest of the group mutters that they better have good rooms, as they aren’t fighting with Kenya at all.
Later that night, all of the guests are getting dressed for dinner. Cynthia stops by Portia’s room and scares the breath out of her by telling her that Peter called Kordell and invited him down. Both girls end up giggling about that fib. However Portia wants to set the record strait and know that Cynthia isn’t now choosing Kordell’s side like her husband Peter. Cynthia reassures her that she has nothing to do with Kordell and the two girls hug it out.
At dinner, Kenya announces a surprise that they are doing a husband swap. Each wife will have a different husband to sit next to for the night. She explains that it’s to push the ladies out of their comfort zones, but Peter calls it when he says she wants to split the couples up because she’s not coupled up. Shockingly the swap starts off fine. NeNe plays flirty with Todd and in exchange Gregg wraps his arms around Kandi. Everyone is laughing and having fun. It’s a refreshing change from all of the bickering from the last few episodes.
Suddenly Phaedra and Apollo show up. Everyone is happy to see them and then it goes down hill.
Gregg brings up the Portia/Kordell story again. He thinks that they need to give it another try because he and NeNe did and it’s a new blessing for him. Immediately NeNe states that it’s not the same situation. Then Todd steps in and asks the million-dollar question. Does she feel in her heart that it’s 100% over? Finally Portia speaks up. She clarifies that their home situation changed and that’s what caused trouble in the marriage. Peter pops in and tells her that Kordell explains it differently. Portia says that he’s entitled to his opinion but she signed on to the marriage to help Kordell’s image because it was tainted. At this moment everyone jumps in and tries to understand what she means by “tainted” image. Peter’s picking up Kordell’s fight and Portia is trying to talk her way out of the conversation. NeNe and Kandi come to Portia’s defense, but immediately Kenya speaks over them and accuses Portia of being Kordell’s beard. The conversation is halted as the episode ends. It looks like lines are being drawn and sides are being chosen. It’s not going to be the relaxing trip that everyone was promised.