Sometimes you can kiss and make up — and other times, you just need to cut the cancer out. On the Sunday, September 18, episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Kathy and Rosie Wakile were on a mission to make nice with their estranged cousin, Teresa Giudice … but she didn't seem to be in the mood.
Turning to the professional, Rosie enlisted relationship expert Siggy Flicker to try to help bring the two sides together. "I just want her back her in my life, and that's not such a horrible thing," Rosie said, prompting Siggy to say that she was optimistic they could make peace. Jacqueline Laurita, however, who was far more familiar with their history, wasn't so sure.
Teresa and Melissa Continue to Thrive
While Teresa's future with Rosie and Kathy was shaky at best, her relationship with sister-in-law Melissa Gorga seemed stronger than ever. During a power walk, the two women discussed Joe Giudice's upcoming prison sentence and how he was handling his impending incarceration. Short answer: not well.
Teresa and Melissa both agreed women were stronger than men and Teresa admitted that Joe had been getting "worse and worse" as his sentence start date approached. She also confessed to Melissa that she hadn't been able to get Joe to open up and talk to her about his feelings at all, instead insisting he was OK (though he clearly was not). Teresa admitted that Joe couldn't go to sleep at night without drinking, prompting her sister-in-law to note that he was "addicted." The silver lining to his sentence, they agreed, was that he would be forced to detox.
Melissa seemed bolstered by Teresa's openness about the tough times she was enduring. "This is definitely the closest that her and I have ever been," she said to the camera.
Ashlee Gets Engaged
In happier news, Jacqueline's daughter Ashlee Holmes got engaged to her boyfriend, Pete Malleo. While on a sunset walk with the Manhattan skyline in the background, Pete dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. "Shut up!" Ashlee said before then saying yes. He told her he was nervous and she told him the ring (which her mom helped pick out) was "perfect." Then they headed home to share their happy news.
Naturally, Jacqueline broke down in tears of joy. "That's my daughter wearing an engagement ring. It's so beautiful. It's so surreal," she reflected to the camera. Her husband, Chris, however, had a different take: "She's all yours, Pete," he laughed. "Good luck."
Teresa Tells Jacqueline to Back Off
It seemed like everyone was trying to help Teresa and she didn't want any help. When Melissa and Siggy suggested they take a girls' trip to Vermont, Teresa said she needed to stay with her family. They didn't give up that easily, however, and it seemed like she was (possibly) going to agree to attend.
Then Siggy, Jaqueline, and Teresa met for drinks and Siggy made her sales pitch for Teresa to meet Kathy and Rosie for lunch as they'd asked. "With all respect to both of you, I don't get involved in your family life so please don't get involved in mine," Teresa said. When Jacqueline pushed a little more, Teresa snapped, "Jacqueline don't bring up my f–king family. I don't want to f–king hear it." Well, that much was clear.
Siggy was stunned by Teresa's emotional reaction, but Jacqueline wasn't. That's when Teresa asked Siggy what her family would do if she were accused of a crime and Siggy admitted they would "never believe" she was guilty.
"OK, I'm looking at you, Jacqueline!" Teresa screamed. Siggy and Jacqueline continued trying, though, insisting that all Rosie and Kathy wanted was their family back. "They should have thought about that before trashing my family," Teresa said.
Richie Punches Below the Belt
Melissa, Joe Gorga, and Jacqueline headed to visit Rosie, Kathy and her husband, Richie. Of course, the subject of Teresa came up and tempers boiled over in about 0.2 seconds. Joe Gorga argued that his sister didn't mean any harm but simply couldn't forget the things the Wakiles had done to her, while Melissa begged not to be put in the middle again. That's when Richie jumped in.
"I know what it is! This is what it is, right here!" he said before planting a big kiss on Kathy. "I love her for 25 f–king years! I'm a happy f–king married guy with a beautiful f–king family and that's what it is. That's what is." That didn't play so well.
"Richie was trying to say that he loves his wife and Teresa's husband doesn't love her. What a dick thing to say," Melissa reflected while Rosie barked at her brother-in-law to "stop." Teresa's brother Joe was not pleased either. "We all know what you just did," he said. "It's got to stop!" Richie took a moment and then apologized, and Joe said he did want Teresa to sit down with Kathy and Rosie. (Teresa still wasn't keen on this idea when her brother suggested it, but ultimately caved.)
Teresa Calls Rosie and Kathy 'Cancer'
Finally, Rosie, Kathy, Teresa and Joe Gorga met up. Teresa said she felt badly she'd dragged her brother into it, but Rosie and Kathy thought it was actually a good sign. Kathy began by making it clear that she wanted to "go forward and be a family" but Teresa quickly replied that she just wanted "to be left alone." Teresa explained, "I don't want to be hurt anymore. Every time I'm around your husband, he's always got something negative to say." Kathy admitted Richie had a "cutting way" about him, but that hardly solved the problem.
"I'm tired. I've been through a lot and I haven't heard from you guys," Teresa sighed, adding that she suspected they were only coming around now because she was back in the public eye. (They passionately denied this.)
"There's been a lot of turmoil. I want to cut the cancer out, really," Teresa said. "We're not cancer," Kathy replied. Teresa said she couldn't bring herself to soften toward them and needed them to respect that, prompting Rosie to say that they were all "an embarrassment" to their parents.
Miraculously, the lunch ended without any real screaming and even though they weren't any closer to mending their relationship, at least they knew where the other stood. Teresa wished Kathy and Rosie the best and they all agreed that if they ever really needed anything, the door was "always open" — they were family, after all.
Teresa walked out with her head high, but then cried the entire way home.
Tell Us: Do you think there's any hope for Teresa to mend her relationship with Kathy and Rosie?
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs on Bravo Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
