Pose :: Love is in the air

Screengrab

Well, this was certainly what you would call an episode that laid the groundwork for the last two episodes of the season … and it was a doozy.  

Ricky’s diagnosis of being HIV+ has all kinds of ramifications attached to it. For one thing, it means he lied to Damon about not sleeping with the dancer who made that claim a few episodes back. And with their friendship in a good place, having to tell Damon his status is definitely going to be messy. And with that looming over him, Ricky just sees this diagnosis as a death sentence. But after the caper he helped pull off with Damon and Lulu on behalf of ‘The Elders’, Ricky knows there’s one person who can help put him on the right track … Pray Tell.

And Pray is more than happy to show Ricky all that he needs to know to stay healthy, from meds to vitamins to Chinese herbal tea. It’s a whole regimen that Ricky is just not prepared for but Pray is there to help. With a head full of information to decipher, Ricky’s not quite up for going back to Mother Elektra’s house, especially if she has a friend in for the evening so he asks to crash with Pray who sets him up on the sofa, warning him it’s not comfortable but it’ll do. Next thing Pray knows, Ricky’s in his bed, making himself a little more than comfortable and though Pray tries to dissuade him, the two wind up engaged in an evening of passion. And even though Ricky seems to genuinely have a thing for Pray Tell, is it for real or will Ricky find someone in his own age group and dump Pray like yesterday’s news?

The love between Angel and Papi continues to grow as Papi takes Angel to a loft apartment of a friend that is available to rent at just $450 a month. And the place has a view to boot! Angel reminds Papi that the last time she took an apartment, it belonged to a man (Stan) and she felt like she was just his property. Papi said with the money she’s making with her modeling and the fancy people she’ll be haning out with, she needs a place like this, not a room with Bianca. But is Angel really ready to be on her own?

Pray has a funny moment with the meeting of the other ballroom MCs who give him a hard time about ‘taking a luvah’ (finally, they say) and then clutch the pearls when they find out it’s Ricky. Even they know it’s going to be messy when everyone finds out but Pray is adamant that he is not Ricky’s House Father, and they are both grown ass men. Still, an Elder in a relationship with someone from their ballroom is all kinds of taboo. And it’s only going to get messier after Ricky reveals his status to Damon and kind of implies that he’s been spending some personal time with Pray.

It’s a wonder Damon got through the dance recital that marked his graduation from the dance academy with all that on his mind but he did, and that led to a really nice moment between Blanca and Ms. St. Rogers. Blanca wanted to tell Helena what an honor it was and how thankful she was for her giving Damon a chance, but it was Helena who thanked Blanca for bringing Damon to her, for forcing her to let him audition, and for being a true mother to her children. Even though they’ve occasionally butted heads, they’ve both fought for Damon and that united them into a friendship that I hope will continue.

Screengrab

At Damon’s little family party — and I’m not sure why Elektra and Lulu were there but I’m glad they were — the pride and joy everyone was feeling for Damon went out the window real fast. It started with Angel making out of character snide remarks at Damon, and two things were obvious: he was exercising as much restraint as he could not to pop off at her, and that she was as high as a kite. But she kept pushing and he finally had enough and spilled his first cup of tea, revealing that Angel’s been taking drugs. Except Blanca refused to believe him. Then he told everyone that Ricky is HIV+ which set off Pray Tell who told him that was not his business to reveal to anyone. Of course that only pushed Damon further and he spilled the whole pot of tea when he blurted out that Pray and Ricky have been sleeping together. Well, that was crossing a line with Blanca and now she’s raging at Pray, all while Elektra and Lulu enjoyed the show. Before all control was lost, Papi hustled Angel out of the apartment and Blanca and Elektra both had words with Pray about his actions, causing a rift between him and Blanca that widened when she threw him out.

And then everyone was at the ballroom. Papi won a trophy, Damon won a trophy, but Blanca’s feelings were still too hurt to even register the wins. In the dressing room, Damon was approached by an agent for Malcolm McLaren (‘Deep in Vogue’) with an opportunity to dance on his European tour. Blanca had more words with Pray, who felt she was acting out at him because someone found him desirable. Whatever her reasons for being so angry, it looks like Pray may have lost his closest friend. And he’s not even sure Ricky’s going to stay around. But later that night, Pray has drunk himself into a stupor and Ricky is there to help get him to bed. And he’s even there the next morning, with a large breakfast prepared to help nurse that hangover Pray must have. Maybe this is for real after all.

But that other shoe has got to drop at some point.

Angel arranges a lunch with Blanca since they’ve not really had time to talk with the nail salon being so busy, but it was Angel who had to take the role of Mother here, admitting that Damon was telling the truth and she was on drugs. Blanca immediately blamed Papi but Angel let her know in no uncertain terms that it was she who chose to do the drugs. No one else. She also told Blanca that she was moving out but hoped they’d still get together for Friday night dinner.

Back at the apartment, Damon was cleaning up his room and Blanca apologized for not believing him about Angel. He revealed the offer to tour and while she didn’t want to see him go, she knew he had a talent the world needed to see, so she helped him pack and sent him on his way. At the end, it was just Blanca, all alone in the apartment, realizing she may have just pushed away everyone she felt was her family.

What did you think of this episode? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.