On this week’s Real Housewives of Orange County, Vicki continues to battle Lauri over Lauri’s accusations of Vicki’s promiscuity. The source of Lauri’s malice towards Vicki is exposed. Tamra questions Gretchen about her actions surrounding her day of wedding dress shopping. And Tamra experiences a freak mishap.
Roundup: More Brandi Blunders, Teresa’s Hurt Feelings and Vicki’s Denials >>>
Sex, Lies and the Dinner from Hell
After a day of skiing and accusations of “deviant” sexual activity, the ladies go to dinner. Vicki is still reeling from Lauri’s malicious tale of Vicki’s alleged threesome that nobody believes anyway. Vicki can’t understand why Lauri would rejoin the group after her absence and tell blatant lies. Vicki’s also frustrated that she lost her temper. That is, if you call shrieking like a banshee to the point of possibly causing an avalanche “losing your temper.” She feels her moral integrity and ethics have been called into question. Tamra advises Vicki to let it go, knowing full well that Vicki won’t.
In Lydia’s hotel room, she and Alexis enjoy a cocktail hour and reflect on the events of the day. Alexis feels bad for Vicki but is also overjoyed that this latest drama doesn’t involve her. Sweet Lydia retains hope that the trip can be salvaged. She says a group of Canadian women would never have a fight on a mountain about threesomes. I would have to say most women, with the exception of those starring in a reality show, wouldn’t air their dirty laundry in such a public venue. Plus, in Canada, they’d probably talk about it during a hockey game or a curling match. She says the whole thing is ridiculous and wrong. Ah, but Lydia, that’s exactly what makes it all so right.
Lauri stops by Lydia’s room to make sure she’s still invited to dinner since Vicki told her not to come. Lydia tells her she is still invited, so everyone can just move forward. So why has Lauri been on this campaign to slander Vicki? It turns out, several years ago, Vicki received an email from George’s ex-mother-in-law which contained defaming information in regards to George. Instead of handing it over to Lauri and/or George, Vicki supposedly gave it to ex-housewife Jeana Keough, and then it went viral. Lauri thinks if she can sit down with Vicki and let her know why she’s upset with her old friend, then maybe the two can get past it. I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed. Lauri might have wanted to have that conversation before blabbing to Gretchen and Tamra.
During dinner, Vicki says that Brooks is a class act. I’m not sure where this is coming from since last we heard he was banging some 20-year-old stripper/escort. In fact, Vicki was in tears even though the relationship was over. But here she sits defending him, which is more than Lauri can stand. She says Brooks is too good to be true. This is just the opening a still seething Vicki needs to strike back. Vicki tells Lauri to shut her mouth, but Lauri makes it clear that she won’t be intimidated by her. Vicki announces to the table that Lauri is a liar, and Lauri tells Vicki she takes huge offense at being called a liar. Vicki then proclaims she’s not going to discuss “it” anymore. There’s so much s**t flying around, who knows specifically what she’s referring to. The other girls aren’t letting her off the hook that easily.
Now’s the part where Gretchen gets thrown under the bus. Lauri tells Vicki she never judged her for her indiscretions until the day Gretchen came to see her at the stables. She says Gretchen mentioned that Vicki said Gretchen had cheated while she was still with her terminally ill boyfriend, Jeff. Lauri says this is when she insinuated that was the pot calling the kettle black because Vicki is known for her numerous relationships outside of her marriage to Don. I’d say Vicki was very discreet because she managed to get away with whatever she was doing even while filming the show.
Vicki and Lauri haven’t even come close to resolving their conflicts, and Vicki, probably in an attempt to deflect the attention off herself, decides to start questioning Gretchen. Gretchen says Vicki barely knew her when she started calling her a cheater and a gold digger. A flailing Vicki grabs on to Tamra by pointing out they both had engaged in chatter about Gretchen’s intentions with Jeff. Gretchen says that she and Tamra have already worked all that out. Vicki calls that statement into question. Tamra quickly agrees with Gretchen that between them, all of that stuff is water under the bridge.
Vicki shifts gears again and says she just wants to be respected as a businesswoman and a grandmother. Gretchen points out how ironic it is that when an unflattering spotlight is pointed at Vicki, she wants to quickly move on. Vicki says she has owned her behavior and starts berating Gretchen, who just finally gives up. Gretchen says it’s impossible to deal with someone who won’t take ownership for her behavior. This seems to be a recurring theme in many, if not all, of the Real Housewives installments.
Vicki decides it’s time to table the discussion, but Lauri refuses because Vicki called her a liar, and she’s not going to let that go. Lauri says she doesn’t want all of this to continue the next day. Vicki declares she’s had enough and excuses herself from the table. On her way out, she tells Lauri they will never be friends, and she has no respect for her. Then she tells Lauri to have a nice life and that she wishes the best for her and George. Lauri says if Vicki wanted the best for her, she would have told her about the email.
Vicki’s version of the events differs greatly. She claims she received a phone call seven years ago from George’s ex-mother-in-law warning her to keep Lauri away from George. Vicki then emailed Jeana asking her what she should do. She says Jeana basically advised her to stay out of it and then proceeded to spread the information herself. Vicki thinks if she keeps insisting it’s over with, then it is, so that’s what she does.
Vicki leaves one particular cast member still nursing her wounds at the table: Gretchen. She asks Tamra when she and Vicki got to be so chummy again. Tamra tries to explain that her relationship with Vicki goes back a long way and is full of ups and downs. She expresses that it’s difficult for her to share the status of her relationship with Vicki with Gretchen because they don’t get along. Gretchen says she’s hurt and starting to question their friendship.
Tamra says that Vicki has a problem with the fact that Gretchen lied to make Tamra feel bad. This goes back to the Malibu Country/wedding dress/Alexis shopping incident. Gretchen says she feels like Heather is trying to make the whole Malibu Country thing a competition between her and Gretchen. Gretchen swears an offer was on the table, Tamra thinks she’s lying. Gretchen says she can produce proof she’s telling the truth, but Tamra tells her it isn’t necessary. They hug it out, but there is no doubt things aren’t the same.
Lauri Peterson Backtracks on Rumors She Spread About Vicki Gunvalson >>>
A Secret Garden Moment
Vicki and Lauri agree to be civil, so the group can forge ahead with the activities Lydia has planned. They all go snowmobiling and release some tension by throwing snowballs instead of shade at one another. Vicki makes it clear that once this trip is over, she has nothing left to say to Lauri and no interest in making amends.
Absolutely Freezing
The ladies enjoy a swanky dinner at a restaurant that has the coldest vodka tasting room in the world, which is pretty darn cool, literally. The temperature inside this alcohol emporium is a brisk minus 26 degrees Celsius. The ladies bundle up and take a shot. Then Tamra sticks her tongue and experiences a Christmas Story re-enactment. Alexis takes it as a sign from God that Tamra needs to watch what she says.
Amazingly enough, despite all the drama, the ladies are all leaving Canada on a high note. And this may be the last we see of Lauri. It looks as if her job is done.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays at 9pm on Bravo.
Want to add The Real Housewives of Orange County to your very own watch-list? Download Buddy TV Guide for free for your phone.
(Image courtesy of Bravo)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
