Beyond The Gates Updates
Update written by Suzanne
First, some family background to help you out: The main family of this soap is the wealthy Dupree family. Grandfather Vernon was an activist and senator. His wife, Anita, was a singer who raised their family and supported his work (Both are now retired). Anita dresses in fancy clothes, but with her own personal tastes. Everyone on the show dresses very well. They have two daughters: Dani (a former model) and Nicole, a successful doctor. Nicole is married to a surgeon, Ted. They have two children: Martin, an ambitious congressman, and Kat, who’s starting a business with her cousin, Chelsea. Ted has a nephew, Andre, who’s a photographer. Martin is gay and has a husband, Smitty, a former reporter. They have two teens, Tyrell and Samantha. Dani has two daughters, Naomi and Chelsea. Her ex-husband, Bill, is a savvy attorney. He and Dani are divorced, and he’s marrying a former family friend, Hayley. Naomi’s best friend is Ashley, a nurse. Ashley is married to Derek, a firefighter. Naomi’s boyfriend is Jacob, a police detective.
SUMMARY:
Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson drives her car into the gated community of Fairmont Crest while the song “Best of My Love” by The Emotions plays. She and her mom, Anita Dupree, are welcomed into the country club restaurant by the host, Calvin (clearly they eat there a lot). Anita and Nicole hug and sit down. They talk about Dani, another daughter, who’s supposed to be there, but neither has heard from her. Anita hopes that Dani isn’t giving her emotions free freight. The waiter, Jerome, greets them. Anita sighs that Nicole and Dani are so different. They talk about how Dani’s ex-husband, Bill, cheated on her with Hayley. Dani is still reeling from the end of her marriage, and now that Bill and Hayley are getting married there at the club, it’s set her off again (even though she and Bill have been divorced for a while now).
Dani is in her kitchen, looking upset and making coffee. She has two mugs. She throws one across the room. It smashes against the wall. She tries to calm down, but instead, she throws the other mug, too. Her good friend Vanessa drops by for a visit. She sees the mug debris on the floor and makes a funny comment. She can’t believe it when she sees that Dani still has the invitation to Bill and Hayley’s wedding. She thinks Dani should have thrown it into the garbage like most people have. Dani feels humiliated, but Vanessa assures her that she shouldn’t be embarrassed because her family rules Fairmont. She suggests they have a spa day to make her feel better. Dani likes the idea, but she has to meet her mom and sister.
Anita mentions to Nicole that she never liked Bill and felt that he just used them to get ahead and become more upper crust. It reminds her of how men acted in the music business (when she was a singer years ago). She wishes Dani had taken her advice and not given up her modeling career. Naomi texts Nicole to let her know that she’s running late. Naomi, meanwhile, is having sex with her husband, Jacob Hawthorne.
New nurse Ashley Morgan is greeted by her husband, Derek, in their kitchen. He is wearing pants and an apron (no shirt) as he offers her breakfast. He wanted to do something special for her on her first day as nurse.
Dani phones her daughter, Chelsea, to remind her about her wardrobe fitting later on. Chelsea is annoyed that her mom doesn’t think she can handle her life. After she gets off the phone, Dani remarks to Vanessa that her daughter is a brat. Chelsea is a model (and influencer) like Dani was when she was younger. Vanessa wishes she had known Dani back when she was a model. Dani speaks fondly of those days, saying that she faked confidence that she didn’t have.
Chelsea gripes about her mom to her cousin, Kat. Kat reminds her that they’re going to be starting their new line of purses, so they will be making their mark. Chelsea isn’t sure that she wants to abandon her mom just yet.
Nicole is going to receive an important award, so Anita tells her that she’s very proud of her. Nearby, Hayley is chatting with her wedding planner – giving her instructions. The planner points out that most of the invited guests haven’t responded, but Hayley dismisses the idea that there is any problem. She spies Dani, who’s just walked in. Hayley tells her that she’s upset that Dani and her family all hate her. She wonders if they can salvage their relationships. Dani tears into her for stealing Bill, saying that she betrayed them all. Hayley asks if they can find a way to be civil to each other, but Dani’s not having it.
Ashley thanks Derek for his support, as she sits on his lap. He is proud of her starting her new job as a nurse at Garland Memorial. He praises her for being so selfless, and they kiss.
Dani arrives at the table where Anita and Nicole sit, griping about Hayley. They remind her that Bill is also to blame, and in fact, he cheated before that. Dani is aware of that, but is more insulted that he slept with the woman that they had taken in, right under their roof. Dani makes fun of Nicole having the perfect husband and family.
Bill arrives at his office. His assistant, Caroline, has given him a very heavy schedule. She knows that he’ll be off on his honeymoon soon, so that’s why she’s given him so much to do before that. Bill tells her earnestly that “This is a new dawn.”
Hayley gets the keys for her new home in Fairmont Crest from Vanessa, her realtor. Vanessa wonders why she and Bill picked the same community where Bill’s family lives. She points out that everyone will freeze Hayley out, socially, thinking of her as the “sexy, younger, husband thief.” Hayley is optimistic that people will come around. Vanessa wishes her luck, sarcastically, saying that she’s going to need it.
Vernon, Anita’s retired Senator husband, meets his grandson, Martin, at a diner called Orphy Gene’s. It’s clear that they go there often. Vernon counts his many blessings and praises Martin for following in his footsteps to make a difference in their community. Martin declares that he wants more, but he’s not sure what that is yet.
Naomi checks in via text with her mom and Dani. She undresses Jacob again, to have more sex. Jacob is a police detective at the DC police department.
A woman, Bessy, walks up to Vernon and Martin at the diner. She chats with them about how she was also involved with the civil rights movement in the 70’s. She admires Anita as well, and his work as a senator. They shake hands, and he’s glad to hear from her. Vernon points out to Martin that this is the best way to get people to vote for you – talking to them personally and giving them attention.
A man named Wayne (a former football player) visits Bill in his office to ask him for help. He tells him that his son, Terry, was arrested. He’d gotten in trouble with drugs, so he broke into someone’s home to steal jewelry and cash. He tells Bill that the couple he stole from were Diana and Jerry Overton. Bill tells him that he’ll make this go away.
Dani and Nicole bicker (in front of Anita) about marriage. Naomi thinks that Dani should stop obsessing about Bill and Hayley; Anita agrees. Dani doesn’t like that advice and wants to make the cheaters pay.
Derek leaves with Ashley, saying that he’ll take her to the hospital and pick her up after her shift. She’s impressed with how much he’s spoiling her. They kiss.
Naomi tells Jacob that she has a gift for Ashley – a stethoscope on a nice chain. She also got him a gift: pink, fuzzy handcuffs. He puts them on her
Vernon and Martin join Anita, Dani and Nicole. Dani vents that everything she had is one, telling Nicole that she has a right to her feelings. Vernon says soothing things to Dani, which calms her down. He agrees with her, saying that Bill is not worth her tears. They do a little verbal thing that seems like they’ve done it many times in the past, where he gets her to say that she’s the best and brightest. She agrees to let it go.
Chelsea and Kat sit nearby, admiring how Vernon got Dani to cheer up and actually laugh. Naomi comes in and joins them. Chelsea’s not sure how she feels about hating her dad for all he did, but Naomi already feels that way. They go over to join the rest of the family in the lounge.
Ashley starts her first day as nurse at the hospital.
Bill gets the Overtons to drop the charges. Wayne is astonished and how quickly that happened. He’s even more shocked when Bill tells him that there’ll be no charge. Bill tells him that he owes him one.
Vernon tells his family a story (that they’ve probably heard many times already) about trying to find Asian pears when Anita was pregnant with Dani. They talk about family and marriage. Naomi says she plans to stay single. Nicole tells her that there’s nothing wrong with that.
At the hospital, Andre, a photographer (Naomi’s husband’s nephew), chats with Ashley and congratulates her on her first day. He flirts with her as well.
Bill has a short video chat with Hayley. They make a date to have some sexy time in his hotel room.
Vanessa arrives at the club briefly to tell Dani that Bill and Hayley bought a house in Fairmont Crest. Dani is outraged, saying that she’s done being disrespected. She approaches Hayley and yells at her for moving into the house. She slaps Hayley, hard. The rest of the family each glare at Hayley as they walk out, one at a time. A woman sitting nearby, played by guest star Karen Huger of “The Real Housewives of The Potomac.” She says to Hayley, “Welcome to Fairmont Crest.”
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