'Real Housewives of Atlanta' ('50 Shades of Shade') recap: season 7, episode 9

: Chronically deluded Mama Joyce doesn't think her  daughter

Kandi Burruss

appreciates what others do for her despite the fact Kandi gave her (TWO!) houses free of charge. Mama Joyce sent Kandi a nasty text after hearing that she was bitching to other relatives about Mama Joyce's boyfriend not finishing renovations he had started at the first house she gave her mom. Instead, he left it a hot mess. Joyce never admits to making mistakes so nothing gets resolved. "I just want my mother to let it go and move on," Kandi says, her standard way to avoid confrontation.

- Newbie=scrutiny: Recurring new cast mate Demetria McKinney makes her RHOA debut at the Bailey Agency. She is identified as a singer/actress. Peter Thomas and Cynthia Bailey are shocked when they find out she's been dating producer Roger Bobb for eight years. (I wrote a profile about Bobb in 2011 when he opened his new production company after leaving Tyler Perry's company you can read here.) They both know Bobb and knew nothing about her relationship. Demetria said they kept it on the down low because of their professional ties to Perry's "House of Payne." And she admitted their relationship was "on and off."

- Kenya=Carrie?  Kenya Moore makes a belabored comparison to "Sex and the City" with her (Carrie), Cynthia (Charlotte) and Claudia Jordan (Samantha): "All we need is a good Miranda!" Not so coincidentally, Roger Bobb's name comes up. This gives Cynthia the "excuse" to tell everyone Demetria is dating him. "He's dated several of my girlfriends," Kenya said. Kenya once had a photo taken with Bobb and rumors circulated they were dating. Kenya never denied the rumors, annoying Demetria. Demetria confronts her about it at her video release party at Harlem Nights (the old space where Peter Thomas' former club Uptown existed downtown until 2010.) But the confrontation dissipates quickly when Kenya says she had no interest in Roger. Roger earlier in the episode talked with Kenya about a possible work deal where he could put a show together starring Kenya.

- Wig=huh? I'm confused by that moppet wig NeNe Leakes is wearing in this episode while talking about her HSN clothing line. But at least her first HSN show goes smoothly and she sells out.

- Porsha + Apollo =  Most awkward hug ever. At Demetria's video release party, Apollo shows up and tries to engage Phaedra, who shuts down. As Kandi notes, a loud club is not a conducive place for productive conversation. Yet this is where Apollo chose to make a scene that made everybody squirm. At one point, he holds her and she acts as if a decrepit zombie is hugging her, not her jail-bound hubby.

This week's episode featured yet another awkward hug.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

NeNe Leakes returns from Florida and her HSN clothing line success. Feeling better, she decides to gather Kenya, Porsha and Cynthia to the Arena Tavern in Duluth to clear up some issues between her and Cynthia, Cynthia and Porsha and Porsha and Kenya (and Kenya and NeNe to some extent).

This time around, she actually makes progress. Cynthia and Kenya are especially open to making things right.

Kenya says she took Aunt Lori's words to heart a couple of episodes ago and came to the dinner to forgive and move forward.

She tells Porsha she is past the reunion attack and offers to hug her. Porsha is not nearly so open with Kenya, who she felt had earlier rudely interrupted her reconciliation with Cynthia. She hesitates but after some goading, gives Kenya a half-hearted hug.

Cynthia is in a much better mood and clearly is okay with Porsha compared to the last time they got together, especially after Porsha (finally) apologized for being an hour late at their previous meal.

The most complicated conflict is the frayed friendship between NeNe and Cynthia. They appeared to come to some level of understanding two episodes ago but the damage has not healed.

NeNe repeats how hurt she was when Cynthia didn't come to her about her issues but went on social media and other friends to complain about Nene.

"I love you as a sister. I really feel bad we're in this place," NeNe says.

Cynthia, too, is equally remorseful and gives a sincere apology. But Kenya keeps interrupting and annoys NeNe because it reminds NeNe that Kenya and Cynthia are now buds.

"Kenya is butting in," NeNe says to cameras with jealousy in her tone. "She doesn't know Cynthia. Now she's acting like she knows her so well. That is so funny to me."

Cynthia says she hopes they can be friends again and "organically try to get back" to where they were before. NeNe says she still needs time. Kenya suggests they have a private meal together in the future. NeNe's walls come up, though, and she says maybe they can have said meal in "two years."

Other storylines:

Kandi keeps kicking the can: She continues to avoid issues with her mom and Todd's mom.  "You can't walk away from problems." Todd says futilely. They also express concern about the promoter handling their "A Mother's Love" national tour. (It would be eventually cancelled.)

Dealing with family: Claudia brings her 90-year-old grandma (who is black) and mom (who is white) to Atlanta and takes them to a drag queen show Lips. Her mom has never said "I love you" to her but she is reserved that way and Claudia herself knows the  love is there. She repeats how much she struggled over her bi-racial identity growing up. And she worries about not finding a man. "I don't have a lot of time. I'm 41 years old." Claudia says.

Running out of time: Apollo's clock is ticking before he is going to prison for eight years. Yet he is not going to the house, where he feels unwelcome. So he is not spending time with the kids, which saddens Phaedra.