This episode of The Real Housewives of Dallas was all about family. From LeeAnne Locken looking to form a new one with boyfriend Rich, to Brandi Redmond reaching out to her grandmother, and Keatin running away from his step mom D’Andra Simmons. This show has proven it’s more than poop jokes and charity events. Cary Deuber, Stephanie Hollman and Brandi pack for the big Memphis trip. Brandi plans to visit her grandfather who suffered from a recent stroke.
D’Andra enters her ornate house and catches up with her husband, Jeremy. They discuss his photo journalism lectures and appear to have a good partnership. Jeremy breaks the news to his wife that his son Keatin feels he doesn’t fit in and wants to move out less than two months of living there. D’Andra is upset by this. She thought he’d pick up on their ambition and shake the feeling of entitlement. D’Andra wants to hold her step son to the year he committed to, she gets fired up. The two may be newlyweds (don’t forget LeeAnne stood at the Simmons wedding!) but he knows how she is, asking her to be levelheaded.
Brandi, Stephanie and Cary are off to Memphis. We learn that Brandi grew up in a trailer and swam in the Mississippi River as a kid. She’s definitely done well for herself. At the hotel, Brandi jokes that it’s nice to stay there and not have to perform “sexual favors”. This gets Cary on a roll – she can’t jump in fast enough – agreeing that she’s excited to have 3 days off. “It’s every day” she explains. The ladies prepare to open a bottle of champagne but Cary goes on to say she has to “do double duty” and some weeks it’s 5x a day and others 10. Side Note: the more you talk about all the sex you’re having the less believable it is…
Anyway, they all plan to attend a birthday party for Brandi’s grandfather. We’re told her grandparents divorced before she was born and she’s had a close lifelong relationship with her grandmother, until recently. Once Brandi formed a relationship with her grandfather, both she and her mother were rejected by her grandmother. Brandi has felt guilty for betraying her for a year and a half.
Back in Dallas, Kameron Westcott is either prepping for a middle school science fair or a business meeting…we can’t tell. Her poster board is ready to go in front of the judges her husband Court. She asks her kids if they want pink dog food and her daughter Hilton ever so politely says, “I prefer brown”. Adorable. Clutching the pink poster board which reads “Let your dog sparkle from the inside out”, she reminds us that she’s SMART and she’s looking to enter a $25 Billion Dollar industry. 
Kameron rolls up to her husband’s office in a BMW i8 (more on that later). She’s looking for a $100,000 investment, which she’s denied. Despite her strategy of being over the top and bubbly, which apparently Court LOVES, she’s met with a blank stare and “NO”. She takes this as a yes and that he simply can’t refuse her. Instead, he gives her $10,000 for a proof of concept. Kameron’s BMW starts at a price of $143,000. There’s your investment.
Back in Memphis, everyone is celebrating Brandi’s grandfather’s birthday and meeting her extended family. Jesus juice is pouring. Brandi and Stephanie bond over both wanting to be pregnant at the same exact time. Someone better tell their husbands. Cary notices how co-dependent the two are. The whole thing is reminiscent of last season.
Next, the girls go catfishin’. In every circle of friends, there is always one that is freaked out by fishing. On this trip, it’s Stephanie. Last week, she did say she was afraid of fish. When it comes to baiting the hooks, she doesn’t think it’s something Jesus would like. Maybe she should have sat in the car with Brandi’s part time Nanny, Megan who was asked to wait there.
Cut over to LeeAnne who doesn’t get nearly enough airtime on this show BTW. She primps for a dinner with D’Andra and Kameron. She feels hurt that Brandi didn’t invite her or call her about the Memphis trip. Her loyal boyfriend, Rich shows his support. He gets down on one knee…to tie his shoes. LeeAnne’s still waiting on that engagement ring.
At dinner, LeeAnne confesses her attraction for Kameron. Kameron mentions she heard Brandi say the former carny kid wasn’t allowed in her home.” Untrue”, says LeeAnne. D’Andra remains perplexed by Brandi, pointing out that half the time she’s around her she looks to be asleep! They all predict that Cary will be brainwashed by the end of the trip. It has really become 3 on 3. LeeAnne, D’Andra and Kameron vs. Brandi, Stephanie and Cary.
Speaking of the other team, they’re out in a horse drawn carriage headed to Beal Street, Memphis. Now it’s time for this group to talk about the other. Brandi says her relationship with LeeAnne is still a work in progress, citing her kids being “scared” of LeeAnne after last year’s antics. Brandi goes on to say she couldn’t care less if she has anything in common with D’Andra and Kameron. The divide gets a little bigger. Despite Brandi’s claims, Stephanie refuses to believe that LeeAnne likes her and Cary. Cary tells the ladies that she’s a better friend than LeeAnne is to her and she threatens to lose her mind if LeeAnne is talking about them behind her back. When will these ladies [especially Cary] realize that ALL they do is talk behind each other’s back?
LeeAnne is off to her therapist’s office to talk about Rich. The two have been together for 8+ years and they’re approaching the December ultimatum deadline, where she is supposed to get a ring. LeeAnne asks her therapist if she should hint, draft a letter, sky write, etc., resulting in the shrink thoroughly disagreeing. It’s “essential” that LeeAnne be direct with Rich. LeeAnne struggles to be patient with him, not wanting to push him away.
On the road, Brandi and her mom Jana are off to Mississippi, where Brandi hopes to explain her relationship with her grandfather. Brandi says her grandmother knows they’re coming because she sent her a text. Jana plans to wait in the car but encourages her daughter to go inside. This is when you see the real relationship fracture. Jana won’t even bother seeing her own mother (and vice versa). This all makes Brandi feel the pressure of reuniting her family.
At the hotel, Stephanie and Cary talk about the rekindling of ‘Stephandi’. Steph feels the two soul sisters are in a much better, healthier place. Cary agrees and throws in, “I don’t want to say you kiss her ass, but you do“. Interesting. One could argue Cary kisses the behind of Brandi and Stephanie a lot more.
Tensions are high at the Simmon’s house. D’Andra is angry. Keatin’s eBay career is over and he’s moving out. Keatin is your typical guy. He doesn’t feel comfortable, and he doesn’t want to talk about it. Keatin hasn’t done anything in less than two months living in Dallas. (Think of all he could accomplish if pursued the Dallas social scene in that time?) D’Andra warns him that if he goes back to South Carolina, he’ll go back to his old ways it will go back to the way it was – Keatin rolls his eyes. Poor D’Andra, everyone rolls their eyes at her. Keatin doesn’t care that D’Andra wants to push him into success, and is moving out that night. D’Andra appears to be both genuinely disappointed in herself and her step son. In true Mama Dee fashion, Dee gets the last word, “if you graduate in 10 years, I’ll be very shocked”. Later, Keatin carries a backpack down the stairs and he’s out of there. Barely even looking at his own father, he leaves. Sad, D’Andra hugs her husband as he drives off. She takes it hard, wanting a do over.
Back in Mississippi, Brandi takes a long walk, flowers in hand up to her grandmother’s front door. Her biggest fear being that she won’t open the door. Brandi painfully rings the bell and knocks as dogs bark on the inside. The knocking continues. She calls to her grandmother. Heartbreaking. Brandi gives up, leaving the flowers at the door, feeling ashamed and shunned. At the car, Jana consoles her daughter. All parties involved are going to regret this moment one day.
Brandi returns to the hotel in Memphis where Stephanie and Cary welcome her with open arms. Brandi says that she did learn from the experience: exactly what her grandmother did to her, she did to Stephanie. All three ladies get in one bed in a purple room. Brandi’s still upset and announces that she plans to drink a lot that night. Cary breaks out a gold mask and starts to put it on Brandi as she sips red wine. Stephanie remarks that it looks like she just had a facelift, “D’Andra watch out, I’ve had mine before you”, jokes Brandi. Was that shade? The three hydrate their face and all is calm. It wouldn’t be Dallas without shenanigans and Jesus Juice after all.
NEXT: Mark Deuber continues to look like an ass in front of the Westcotts. LeeAnne and Rich go home to the carnival. Is he going to propose?? D’Andra feels the ladies need a sit down to hash out all the talking they’ve been doing and LeeAnne and Cary fight in between an animal skin.
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE? DO YOU THINK CARY IS KISSING UP TO STEPHANIE AND BRANDI TOO HARD?
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Photo Credit: Bravo TV
