Erika Girardiand her estranged husbandTom Girardi’s ongoing legal troubles continue to dominate the focus of theReal Housewives of Beverly Hillsthis season.
Wednesday’s episode of the Bravo show picked up during the cast trip to Del Mar, California. Though Erika, 50, skipped the group’s wine tasting outing, she later joined everyone for dinner.
Erika told her castmates that she took the day to catch up on sleep. (On last week’s episode, she had learned that Tom, 82, was beingplaced under a conservatorshipdue to his declining health.)
“I’m so overwhelmed that I needed a minute so I can escape my own personal situation,” she said. “And then I go, ‘You know what? It’s not as bad.’ What I’m going through sucks, but, you know, [Tom has] done a lot for a lot of people. People can step up. He’s done a lot for a lot of people that could come in and help right now.”
Erika and Tom Girardi.Steve Eichner/AP
From there, Erika shifted gears to joke about her “untraditional” relationship with her son,Tommy Zizzo. She remained in light-hearted spirits throughout the night, whichLisa Rinnanoted toGarcelle BeauvaisandSutton Strackethe following morning. “It’s been such a long time since we’ve seen the real Erika come out,” she remarked.
Later that morning, Erika met up withKyle Richardsfor a game of pickleball. As they enjoyed some champagne afterwards, Erika thanked Kyle, 52, for being her “friend” and said she appreciated the support. Erika then mentioned that she had read an article about Tom facing eviction from his $16 million mansion.
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When the ladies gathered for a boat ride later, Erika approached Sutton, 50, to apologize for her part in their ongoing feud. Tension between the two came to a head after Sutton organized a secret meeting — sans Erika — to discuss perceived discrepancies in what she had been telling the women. After Erika found out, she threatened Sutton with a lawsuit.
“It’s just been rough, honey. And it’s something that I can’t even f—ing predict,” Erika said to Sutton of her current situation on Wednesday’s episode, to which Sutton replied, “I know. I’m sorry.”
Telling Sutton it was “okay” and that she would “get through it,” Erika added: “But I had to lash out, and I apologize.” (Sutton later said in a confessional that she wasn’t sure how sincere the “mild apology” was.)
Amy Sussman/Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
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Still on the boat, the group asked Erika to fill them in on her conversation with Sutton.
“My life’s [in] shambles. And I’m angry, and I’m hurt,” she said. “And it’s not [a] kumbaya [with Sutton], but it’s an opening. I’m in a good mood. The moment is right and she was receptive, and so here it is, you know. That’s all you can do.”
Recalling how she used to be, Erika said she wanted to continue being “a good time.” But she stressed that she had to be careful due to her and Tom’s legal woes, which include a lawsuitaccusing the former couple of embezzling settlement fundsthat belonged to Tom’s clients.
“I’m a good time and I want to be even a better time. But you know what? I have to walk a very fine line, because there are a lot of people that are looking at me, and if I look like I’m having a little too much fun, I’m not remorseful,” said Erika, whofiled for divorcein November 2020, shortly beforethe legal crisesemerged. “If I look like I’m looking a little too good, I have no shame. So I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t.”
“I want to have fun. I want to laugh,” she added. “But if I laugh too much, I get criticized for that. Then, if I hang my head in shame, I’m clearly guilty of something.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsairs Wednesdays (8 p.m. ET) on Bravo.
source: people.com
