'Real Housewives of Atlanta' recap ('Flirting With Disaster'): season 6, episode 18

For that primary reason, Phaedra was reluctant to take this latest trip to Mexico Kenya put together. But heck, she needs to go to fulfill her "Real Housewives" duties and it's a free trip, natch. She even brings Apollo along, hoping no trouble happens.

The teases to this episode showed Kenya at a cave where she strips down to a bikini and jumps into a lagoon. They make it appear as if Apollo is leering at her though it's not clear once we see the episode that is the case. He does goes in the water with a few others but nothing untoward happens. Quite anti-climactic.

Later, while Peter Thomas (Cynthia Bailey's husband), Apollo and Todd Tucker (Kandi Burruss' fiance) are smoking stogies at the resort bar, Kenya comes by. When she asks for time alone with Apollo  in full view of everyone else, Peter suggests Todd babysit them. Soon, Apollo waves Todd off. So Todd and Peter watch the scene out of earshot from the bar.

Kenya tells Apollo she is upset he is throwing shade at her via third parties. She says she has said nothing untoward toward or about him,. She feels she has respected his marriage with Phaedra. He too claims he has been a Boy Scout, that she has been the flirty one. He says he even chose not to sleep with her though he could have.  She sort of denies that's necessarily the case but not terribly convincingly. There is clearly an attraction between the two and the argument devolves into a giggly, laugh fest.

Of course, Phaedra shows up. She asks why the two are together alone. The hour ends. We will have to wait until next week to see how this plays out. But since we know that Phaedra avoids shoutfests or physical attacks, we can't expect much will happen.

In other story lines.

- Kenya opens up. But beware! She is an actress. It's hard to tell when she's being sincere or just play acting. Perhaps she really wants a baby. This has been a story line for her this season since whoever she is supposedly dating is off camera. (An African prince? Or something like that.) She had previously visited a sperm bank. During this episode, she goes through a Mexican fertility ritual, hoping it will make it easier for her to get preggers.

Months later, we have no word whether she's got a bun in the oven. She is 43. It's tough to get pregnant at that age.

Later in the episode, she goes all vulnerable with NeNe Leakes, Cynthia and Kandi (She left Porsha Williams and Phaedra out.) She explains that she had a previous boyfriend when she was 35 who had a son and she really wanted her own child but that relationship failed. She hasn't had any luck since then. Now, she feels, it's almost too late. She gets teary. Kandi says she likes her better this way than when she generates fake drama.

- Kandi is the queen of avoidance. Kandi's fiance Todd repeats what he had demanded a couple of episodes ago: Kandi and Mama Joyce need to go into counseling, together and individually. Until then, there is no marriage and he may even leave her if she can't resolve this problem. Kandi kind of hopes things will work out but she has to know Mama Joyce is stubborn. Todd later tells Peter that he had even invited Mama Joyce to lunch to clear the air and she never called back. There's only so much he can do as long as Mama Joyce does not want to move forward. Todd thinks Kandi is the only one capable of getting Mama Joyce to come around. She has to put her foot down. Kandi knows this but does not want to do it. (Kenya rightfully says Todd seems really sensible. Indeed.)

We know they are now putting together some sort of wedding special so they are getting hitched at some point, whether Mama Joyce is involved or not.

Teaser for next week

- Kenya and Phaedra argue yet again over proper boundaries in marriage. Then there is some sort of dispute between Peter and Gregg Leakes, NeNe's hubby that gets physical.

Ratings

The ratings last week for episode 17 was a typical 3.9 million viewers, about average for the year.