While I covered the Apollo Nida sentencing this past July, I had no idea why Phaedra Parks didn't show up.
Now we know thanks to tonight's return of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," which remains more popular than ever as it enters its seventh season. It's quite extraordinary for a reality show to reach its biggest audiences in its sixth season as it did last year. The melange of personalities keep fans coming back.
A crime story and a pending divorce doesn't hurt either. Phaedra, on Apollo's sentencing day, had taken their two sons (Ayden, 4, and Dylan, 18 months) to a hotel in Augusta 120 miles away.
She had reasons to be bitter and no reasons to support Apollo.
"It's traumatizing to deal with something that is not of your own making," Phaedra says on the show. She didn't think going to court would change anything. He had already expressed guilt. For her, "it was the ultimate betrayal. I thought he was a changed man."
"Apollo's actions led to this day," she adds. "He is a big boy and he made his decisions. He will have to deal with his choices alone today."
She didn't want to expose her kids to paparazzi outside her home. (There was no actual paparazzi in reality, Apollo says.)
"I am not a murderer," he says. "I am not a child molester." While he may be in prison for eight years for bank and ID fraud (to the tune of more than $2 million), he felt Phaedra shouldn't treat him with such disdain.
She finally returns two days after the sentencing. It's awkward in the house immediately. He is still angry for not being there for him.
"I prayed for you," she offers.
"You abandoned me," he says. "Families are supposed to stick together through thick and thin."
She feels otherwise, says that he wasn't thinking of family when he ripped all those people off so he could have his own money.
She says he had ruined her good name. He is incredulous she cares about her reputation more than him.
He feels she's being selfish and says they will get divorced. Sadly, it's clear the final weeks before he goes to prison will not be a happy time for the two of them. Next week, we see Kenya and Apollo revisiting really old territory yet again. I'm tired of it. I can imagine they are, too.
Other storylines:
- Although Porsha Williams is no longer a full-time housewife, she gets a smidgen of airtime, enough to show off her new boobs and to say she not going to apologize to Kenya Moore over the reunion fight because she knows Kenya won't apologize for what she did to incite it. Kenya, in the meantime, tells Cynthia (her new friend!) that she is truly the victim in all this, blah blah blah. "I think everyone ganged up on me," she bemoans. "They. Hate. Me." Cue the violins.
- NeNe Leakes is prepping for being a guest host in Vegas for the Zumanity Cirque du Soleil show. She seems very happy to be away from the other ladies. Plus, her marriage with Gregg appears solid.
- Kandi Burruss and her new husband Todd Tucker are bringing his daughter 18-year-old daughter Kaela into the fold. He is more about discipline. Kandi is more about spoiling her daughter, which is surprising given her prudent spending habits. Also, Todd is more sympathetic toward Apollo. He can't believe Phaedra would not support her husband in this situation. Kandi feels empathy for both Apollo and Phaedra. She could see how rough it is for any ex-con to find a legit job.
- Cynthia Bailey is moving on without NeNe. And she feels better about things without her. She feels freer. She is spending more time with her husband. Life is good, even though she had to move her modeling agency back to her old space and Bar One has to move to a new location.
She is still stinging over NeNe saying she is no longer relevant. "I know exactly my history," she says. "I have one that does not include a stripper pole."
QUOTES
"I was team NeNe. I was her cheerleader. I was the quarterback. What was I supposed to do? Crawl up and live in her butt? I'm now free to be me." - Cynthia
"Apollo won't be able to share in these moments but at the end of the day, I will do it alone and will do it very well." - Phaedra, being her stoic self.
Watch What Happens Live with NeNe Leakes
NeNe continues to feel superior to the other ladies, saying she's above all their drama.
She tells Andy she has mixed feelings about Phaedra not being there for Apollo. She says if it were Gregg, she would have been there.
She also ays things went bad with Cynthia only after the shows aired featuring Peter butting into her business with Kenya and NeNe calling it a "bitch" move. She feels Cynthia reacted to social media and didn't value their friendship enough to weather through that. She says she has moved on from that friendship although Andy says he liked them together.
In a game of whether she'd leave people hanging (Circque du Soleil style) or cut them off, she would cut Cynthia, Peter, Wendy Williams and Kenya. She's save Mama Joyce, Bethenny Franknel, Kris Jenner and Kandi Burruss.
"I'm very over all this drama and all this negativity," NeNe said. "I don't want to be in a negative space every time I go to work. I have grown."
Then why is she still here? She never says why but it has to be about the $$$$. Right?
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