Entertainment

Erika Went Back To Her Hometown On 'RHOBH'

by Alaina Urquhart-White
Richie Knapp/Bravo

This week's Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills focused a lot on Erika and it was frankly, a welcome change from the Lisa Rinna/Eden/Dorit show that has dominated the season thus far. We finally got to see more of Erika's backstory and her vulnerability throughout the episode while she spoke about her childhood was so relatable. She took us back to her hometown in Georgia where she was in town to see her mother, and fans definitely got to see a side of Erika on RHOBH that we haven't been privy to before.

Before heading back home, Erika had to endure some Dorit shenanigans because apparently Dorit can't ever be in the room with Erika without starting an awkward argument with her. Erika had the nerve to compliment Dorit's new haircut and Dorit's response was, "I don't think you have ever given me a compliment, ever." Cue the montage of compliments that Erika has given her that have been caught on film. I mean, seriously, think before you speak, girl. The next day, Dorit started right back in at her by calling her guarded and basically shaming her for being protective of her feelings. This is when we got some background story attached to Erika, which explains her methods for protecting herself.

When she finally arrived in Georgia with her glam squad, Erika opened up and got emotional about her grandfather, who she says was basically an amazing father to her and her grandmother who died after a horrific battle with Alzheimer's. Apparently, growing up, her mom was loving and strong but also felt it was important to be tough on Erika. It was clear that she was raised to be loving to those who deserve it but to fight for herself. She and her mother even visited her grandparents' graves, where they had a really deep discussion about the pressure her mom was under as a young mother.

Erika is one of my favorite Housewives and seeing her open up about her childhood was really great. I hope this is the last we hear about her being "guarded" and "cold," because she just knows how to take care of herself.