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The latest episode of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island keeps the drama rolling as the Newport trip unfolds. Key players Kelsey and Rosie decide to reconcile, believing that harmony among the group leads to more enjoyable experiences. Unfortunately, Rulla is absent due to an unspecified illness. Meanwhile, Jo-Ellen uncovers a shocking revelation: video evidence of Rulla’s husband, Brian, continuing his affair. This discovery prompts the pressing question—should Rulla be informed, and if so, who should break the news?
Kelsey’s antics from the previous night linger in the air. After some heated words with Rosie, it’s apparent that Kelsey’s criticisms may just be a projection of her insecurities. Rosie spent the night feeling unwell, possibly from frustration with Kelsey’s behavior rather than any physical ailment.
Despite Rulla’s continued absence, tensions simmer between Kelsey and Rosie, with Kelsey avoiding eye contact and conversation. During breakfast, Alicia outlines the day’s plans, but the unresolved issues cast a shadow over the group. Kelsey insists her comments to Rosie were meant kindly, though Rosie perceives them as backhanded. Kelsey argues that she hasn’t seen Rosie’s true self yet, suggesting Rosie is still wearing a metaphorical mask.
Rosie retorts by labeling Kelsey a “high-end squatter” and accuses her of being delusional. Liz intervenes, urging Rosie to let her guard down, but Rosie’s need for support clashes with Liz’s tough-love approach. Emotions run high as Ashley, in defense of her friend, is moved to tears. The vacation, it seems, is anything but relaxing.
Rosie refers to Kelsey as a “high-end squatter” and calls her delusional. Liz jumps in and wants Rosie to turn it on, but Rosie needs to be nurtured. Liz’s tough love is not gonna be into that approach and so Ashley starts crying while trying to defend her friend. So much for the fun trip.
Jo-Ellen and Alicia debrief with Kelsey after breakfast and egg Kelsey on to talk to Rosie one on one. Kelsey joins Rosie in her room and admits that she doesn’t know Rosie well enough to see who she is as a person. Kelsey goes on to say she wants to be friends with Rosie, so it seems like they are willing to brush things under the rug for the sake of the trip.
Alicia and Jo-Ellen head out for some space and they find out their driver also lived in the house on the third floor…along with the ghost of the nun who allegedly hung herself. As those two hear the ghost stories, the rest of the gang are enjoying the water slide.
Jo-Ellen and Alicia begin their walk and start talking about Jo-Ellen’s mom. Alicia always saw Jo-Ellen’s mom as bubbly and jovial, but Jo-Ellen claims her mom was never maternal. In fact, she put Jo-Ellen in a court-ordered juvenile camp because she thought Alicia was promiscuous.
Jo-Ellen explains that she was sent away three times…the first time in 7th grade. The third time, when she was in 9th grade, her mom wound up giving partial custody to the state because insurance stopped paying. Jo-Ellen’s mom referred to it as a boarding school, but it was traumatic and it made her become suicidal because “death was better” than living with her mom. Alicia went to high school with Jo-Ellen and her sister, but no one asked questions when they went away. It was a hard childhood for Jo-Ellen.
Alicia did not have an easy childhood, either. After her father left her and her mother, Alicia wonders if she does not want to get married because who would walk her down the aisle? This is not easy for either woman to talk about and they both become emotional. Jo-Ellen thinks that if Alicia talks about her feelings, it would help her get this heaviness off her chest.
After the heart-to-heart, Alicia gets a text from Rulla. Rulla’s “entire body has been in pain from head to toe (?)” and so she will not be making the trip to Newport. As Rulla lays in bed, her husband and children serve her tea in bed with a side of hand-drawn pictures. Rulla goes on and on about her illness and shares she ended up in the ER and had to be taken by rescue. After a litany of tests, Rulla is still not sure what’s wrong with her.
In the meantime, the ladies get the butlers to go down the slide. Liz finds it challenging to be with a group of girls who could essentially be her daughters. Ashley goes to check on Liz, who has excused herself from the group. As a 56 year-old, she is finding it hard to flirt and go down a slip and slide- she simply can’t relate. As Ashley hangs out with her more and more, she realizes Liz is really soft beneath her hard exterior shell.
When Alicia and Jo-Ellen return to the mansion, they can’t seem to find anyone. They break off to get ready for the Newport boat ride that Liz has planned, except the weather is not looking great…and Ashley’s son is still struggling at home, leaving her wondering if she should head home to be with him. When Ashley gets the text from her dad that they are taking her son to the emergency room, Ashley knows it’s time to go.
Everyone’s heart is with Ashley, but the boat party must go on. We learn that Jo-Ellen had sex with Kelsey’s ex (NOT on a boat, but on land) and this was BEFORE Jo-Ellen was with his brother. The connections are wild… It’s nice to see that everyone is now getting along, especially Kelsey and Rosie, who both agree to let the past go.
They return back to the mansion and Liz finds an upset Jo-Ellen, who claims she “feels like sh*t.” Jo-Ellen got the proof Rulla asked for about the ongoing affair and it’s so bad, even Liz cringes. It’s “indisputable evidence” that Brian is still being unfaithful. Jo-Ellen got this video from her girlfriend, but she does not know where to go with this info.
Jo-Ellen blesses herself before joining the rest of the group because she knows uncovering more about the affair will make things even messier. Before she shows the girls the video, she points out that they went to the polo match on Saturday the 9th…this video is from two days before.
Rosie narrates the video for all of us nosey viewers and it starts out looking through a glass door. Brian is consoling and caressing a blonde and proceeds to give her a five minute hug. Jo-Ellen is vindicated because she called this. But how did Jo-Ellen get this video and what does she plan on doing with it? Jo-Ellen explains that she asked her girlfriend, who is friends with the mistress, for some proof, and BOOM, incoming proof. Everyone thinks that they have to show Rulla this video-she simply must know what is going on. Jo-Ellen puts this task on Alicia, but in the end, no one is sure who gets to be the messenger of this bad news…
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RHORI EPISODE?