The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Ladies Think Accusation Against Michael is Ashley’s Karma

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The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Ladies Think Accusation Against Michael is Ashley's Karma

The Real Housewives of Potomac were back at it last night, and they brought some major drama. As we all know, things aren’t all that they seem in the Darby marriage these days.  Last night, it all came to a head in a BIG way! The keyword of the night was karma as the ladies believed Ashley was finally getting hers following years of inserting herself into the marriages and business of others. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s just dive right in.

When we picked up with the RHOP crew, everyone was still reeling from last week’s disastrous dinner party at Candiace’s (mother’s) house.  Candiace’s husband, Chris, tried to talk to her about it during a night out.  He said that he felt that maybe her over-the-top reaction to Ashley’s comments about her mother were misplaced.  It was her mother she was really angry at, and while Chris understood her feelings, he said that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.  Candiace often exhibited behavior that was similar to her mother’s, and it was often aimed at him.

Needless to say, this didn’t sit well with Candiace.  She said her mother’s “diminishment and disrespect” was unacceptable, and it in no way mirrored the way she treated Chris. She soon stormed out of the restaurant—she was not trying to hear Chris’ futile attempts at diffusing the situation.  He said he was only trying to help her mend the broken relationship she had with her mother, as whatever they had been doing for the past three decades clearly wasn’t working. But Candiace is in conflict when it comes to her mother.  On the one hand, Candiace can’t stand the way her mother treats her.  But on the other hand, she refuses to hear a bad word about her from anyone else and quickly becomes defensive.  When that defensive side inevitably reared its ugly head last night, she sped off in her car, leaving Chris hurt and confused.

Across town, Monique and Ashley met up to do some baby shopping, and they had their own post mortem on the dinner party.  Monique said she couldn’t believe Robyn, of all people, had brought up the whole situation with Michael in front of everyone.  Ashley agreed, and she said that while Robyn had tried to shift the blame to Gizelle, it was her fault.  After all, Ashley pointed out, they all knew that Gizelle was “an instigator,” but Robyn didn’t have to take the bait.  Mainly, Ashley felt that it was wrong for Robyn to have piled on with the Michael stuff after things had already been so heated between her and Candiace.  Ashley said that doing that had “poured more gas” onto a fire that had already been burning out of control.

Monique could see Ashley’s point, but she didn’t really believe that any of it had been Robyn’s idea.  She pointed out that she “ain’t the Brain, she’s Pinky.” This comment that was followed up with an unfortunate, but perfectly timed, photo of Robyn with her newly cropped hair dyed an unflattering shade of hot pink reminiscent of a magic marker.

Things went from bad to worse when the ladies woke to the news that Michael had been criminally charged with groping a Bravo cameraman!  The breaking news was way different than the previous rumors of Michael’s peccadilloes, as this time he faced up to 11 years behind bars if found guilty.

The ladies were quick to send texts and screenshots of blogs and news articles on the matter, and it was clear that they were enjoying every minute of it.  But we soon found out that it wasn’t news to Ashley.  Gizelle called her to see if she was alright, and Ashley said that while she didn’t know all the details, as it “wasn’t her case,” she admitted to having a “mini breakdown” when she’d first found out.  She said she’d found it “troubling,”  but also said she “wasn’t worried about it.”  However, she did tell Katie, who was with her when she took Gizelle’s call, that she found the timing “odd” because the story came out at the same time that Robyn and Candiace were accusing her husband of making sexually explicit comments about one of the RHOP husbands.

Candiace soon high-tailed it over to Monique’s to further discuss the matter, and she seemed disappointed when Monique expressed genuine concern for Ashley.  Candiace just couldn’t understand how Monique could be sympathetic toward Ashley after everything Ashley had said about her last season.  She said she was still fuming over the things Ashley had said about her mother, and she couldn’t believe that Ashley had taken the details she’d shared about their troubled relationship and used them against her.   

Monique didn’t agree.  In full big sister mode, she told Candiace that she had been wrong that night, and she said that the vibe she had been giving off lately was not in keeping with “a grown woman who was in control” of her own life and emotions.  Furthermore, she said, taking delight in someone else’s pain, regardless of what they’d done in the past, was sure to invite some bad karma.  Once again, this didn’t sit well with Candiace, who isn’t fond of hearing the truth about herself (she gets it from her mama).  

She said during her confessional that while she’d admittedly had a few “cuckoo moments,”  she didn’t appreciate feeling “judged” by a friend who’s exhibited “hood behavior” in the past.  To Monique’s face, she took a safer tact (after all, Candiace spoke the truth about the hood behavior—I think we all remember that umbrella incident, right?).  Candiace simply told Monique that her mom was “off limits,”  and she hadn’t appreciated Ashley bringing it up.

But Monique wasn’t backing down. She said that it wasn’t really “fair” that talk of Candiace’s mom should be off limits since she talked about her all the time.  Besides, she said, echoing Chris’ earlier sentiments, she had the exact same tendencies as her mother.  However, in an effort to keep the peace, Monique promised not to bring up Candiace’s mother again.  During her own confessional, Monique said that Candiace was surely inviting bad karma with her behavior.  She said Ashley was a perfect example of how it could come back to bite you.

Later, it was time for all of the ladies to get together at Katie’s ranch for a hoedown.  Speaking of karma, Gizelle and Ashley rode to Katie’s together, and Gizelle took advantage of the time alone with Ashley to get more dirt on Michael’s arrest. But first, she had to butter her up.  She apologized for the part she’d played in the events at the dinner party.  She also finally admitted that she was partly responsible, but only “about four percent.”  Ashley accepted the apology, but off camera, she once again brought up Gizelle’s messiness, although she was still mainly upset with Robyn.  However, in a rare moment of self-awareness, Ashley also acknowledged her own messiness.  She said that a lot of her anger had to do with the fact she didn’t care for the pot being stirred if she wasn’t the one holding the spoon.

When Gizelle finally brought up Michael, Ashley said that she couldn’t discuss it.  But she did say the whole situation had made their relationship “stronger than ever.” What?!  

Once Gizelle and Ashley finally arrived at Katie’s place, the ladies were stunned to see that Ashley was in very good spirits.  She even made a point of hugging Robyn and telling Candiace that it was “good to see her.”

After a few rounds of corn hole, the ladies sat down to eat.  Then, all hell broke loose.  First, Candiace apologized to the group as a whole for the debacle of a dinner party.  Gizelle said that she should point her apology “over there,” indicating that Ashley was the one who deserved it.  Candiace said she would gladly apologize to Ashley, but that Gizelle had already told her that Ashley never wanted to speak to her again.  She added that, in light of recent events, she understood that Ashley didn’t want to discuss it now, but whenever she was ready, they could.

Ashley knew then that she needed to acknowledge the elephant in the room.  She kept it simple, saying that she knew that everyone had heard about Michael’s arrest, but that they should “wait for the truth” to come out.

As they were all getting up from the table, Karen told Ashley that she hoped everything worked out well for her and Michael.  It was a simple statement, and even a kind one, but Gizelle could see right through the Grande Dame’s games.  Gizelle pointed out that, on the night of Candiace’s dinner party, Karen had hugged Robyn after she brought up Michael’s comments.  With the flood gates open, Ashley took the opportunity to remind Karen that she had plenty of skeletons in her closet as well, and ought not to be talking about her.  Karen told her to calm down, and she quickly turned on Gizelle.  She said Gizelle “needed to be slapped” for bringing Ashley back into Candice’s home after she’d asked her to leave.

Katie, who was helplessly watching her hoedown turn into an all-out brawl, suggested that they “squash” the whole thing.  Candiace said that she hoped she and Ashley could squash it and get back to being friends, but Gizelle and Robyn told her that she had been too judgmental toward Ashley when she’d brought up her drinking while trying to get pregnant.  Once again, Candiace didn’t want to acknowledge her fault in anything.  Instead, she threw the rest of the ladies under the bus.  She said that she hadn’t said anything that the others hadn’t said, and the only difference was that she had said it to Ashley’s face, while the others had talked behind her back.  They were all shocked, and, of course, denied doing such a thing, but they all knew that Candiace was absolutely right.  Even Ashley.

Katie then took another jab at diffusing the situation and made an awkward toast to “fake b****es and grabbing asses.” It went over like a dead dog, and no one bothered clinking glasses.  

Then Karen walked over to Ashley and tried again to appear sympathetic.  She asked Ashley if she was alright, and Ashley said she would “always” be alright, and thanked her for asking.  It wasn’t hard to miss the attitude, and Karen wanted to know where it was coming from.  Ashley said she’d heard that Karen had talked plenty of trash behind her back, all the while smiling in Ashley’s face.  Karen said Ashley had done the same, but Ashley quickly pointed out that she absolutely had not.  Say what you will about Ashley, but she doesn’t talk behind people’s backs.  If anything, she’s confrontational and honest to a fault. If she has a question, comment, or observation about someone else’s life, she’s going to voice it.

Karen admitted she’d had a moment of enjoyment at Ashley’s expense, and she advised Ashley to “have some cooth.”  Karen felt this was Ashley’s karma for the comments she had made about Ray and her marriage last season.  Ashley then made a half-hearted attempt to bring Karen down a notch by reminding her of her own husband’s IRS troubles last season.  Ashley had gone hard at Karen over this, and so Karen was delighted to have the opportunity to give it back to her.  And give it back to her she did, and she used Ashley’s own words from last season to do it.  She clicked her wrists together and taunted “clink clink.”  Then, she told Ashley to help her husband to “not drop the soap.”

Things only got uglier when Monique walked over to try to talk to Candiace.  She said again that Candiace had been wrong for reacting to Ashley the way she had.  Monique said she was a hypocrite for defending Ashley, and she wasn’t about to be judged or chastised by a hypocrite.  That did it! 

Monique told Candiace that she would still “drag her, pregnant and all,” and further threatened to throw the bottle she was holding at her.  Sheesh.  Umbrellas and bottles and knives…oh my!

Luckily, it didn’t take long for Monique to cool off, and she walked over to Candiace to apologize.  Monique got the big brush off from Candiace, who told her she didn’t want to hear it.

 This episode was well, a lot, and this drama isn’t over.  Stay tuned! 

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