Deanna is dead set on removing Joey from her mother’s life. So next week, she puts a dastardly plan in motion on Beyond the Gates. Here’s a recap of the week that was and a breakdown of what happens during the week of July 13-17.
Key Takeaways
- Deanna targets Joey with a dastardly new plan that could shake up multiple lives.
- Bill’s medical crisis sparks concern while Hayley continues playing her own game.
- Naomi faces difficult choices as family, health, and relationships take center stage.
Weekly Recap: July 6-10, 2026
Monday, July 6 – Episode #318
Eva (Ambyr Michelle) and Kat (Colby Nixon) both went home from the hospital. At Eva’s place, Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant) gave her daughter a gift. Ski boots so they could (down the line) take a ski vacation with her daughter and Izaiah (Lami), too. Izaiah felt that this was Leslie’s way of giving Eva the world she should have had all along. During Leslie’s visit with Eva and Izaiah, Darlene (Monique Mosee) unexpectedly showed up and was super sweet to Eva. Brought the food that she cooked and hoped that Eva and Izaiah would join the family at the Hawthorne house for their famous Sunday dinners.
Meanwhile, Tomas (Alex Alegria) took Kat back to Anita (Tamara Tunie) and Vernon’s, where the family gathered to give her a surprise party. Just when Vernon (Clifton Davis) was starting to give one of his famous speeches, Tomas interrupted him and proposed to Kat in front of the entire family. Kat was left stunned. But she gracefully got her and Tomas out of there so they could have a private conversation where she was able to gently turn him down. And she talked about revisiting the proposal down the line.
Vanessa (Lauren Bugliolli) met up with Deanna (Angela Fairley) at the spa for mother-daughter time. Vanessa wanted to leave the topic of Joey (Jon Lindstrom) off the table, but Deanna didn’t want to. She said she accepted their relationship. And she noted that she was clearly happy and glowing with Joey in her life. However, she did ask about Vanessa’s real estate company. She brought up working there over the summer, but she didn’t know how often Joey visited. Deanna’s suggestion delighted Vanessa.
Later, when Vanessa was back at the casino, she told Joey about Deanna’s thoughts and her desire to work at the real estate company, and Joey vocalized his suspicions. That Deanna would use the summer to try to dig up some dirt on Joey and Vanessa and their less-than-legal dealings. He said he could get her a job at Uptown instead, but Vanessa wanted to work side by side with her daughter. Meanwhile, Joey assigned Randy (Maurice P. Kerry) to get close to Deanna and find out her true thoughts.
In other developments, Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) was on his grad school trip, and Samantha (Najah Jackson) was helping June get tested for breast cancer. Shanice (Ernestine Johnson) and Jacob (Jibre Hordges) arrived late to Kat’s surprise party at the Duprees. And Tomas had to deal with the awkwardness of the moment. Andre (Sean Freeman) told him they all experienced awkward moments within the family, even him. He cited his drunken wedding to Dani (Karla Mosley) as the reason the photo went viral. And he said that his and Dani’s turn is probably coming up again soon.
Tuesday, July 7 – Episode #319
Joey and Vanessa were at Orphey Gene’s, where Joey informed Vanessa that he had made a business decision to protect his interests and hers, too. Since Deanna would be interning alongside her at her real estate company, Joey didn’t want Deanna snooping and finding evidence against him.
So until Deanna went back to school, he would make sure to pause the money laundering through her business. Vanessa wasn’t happy about this move, but she understood. She refused to step away from Heart Attach temporarily, however. Per Joey’s orders, Randy reconnected with Deanna in person. Their conversation made it clear that Deanna still despised Joey with the fire of a thousand burning suns.
In Garland’s waiting area, Dani, Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix), and Vernon awaited the results of Anita’s lumpectomy. Her surgery was a success. They removed the tumor. Next steps included waiting for more test results to see whether the cancer had spread. And then radiation. Vernon, Dani, and Nicole took Anita home.
Eva and Izaiah had an unexpected visitor — a depressed Tomas who was there with a gift in hand and a depressed look on his face. He told Eva that he needed a friend. That Kat had rejected his proposal in front of the whole family. Eva didn’t like that Tomas had turned to her when things got rough between him and Kat. Not after what happened last time when he and Eva slept together. Eva was not about that this time. She had a boyfriend, a man who loved her, thank you very much.
Meanwhile, Kat and Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) kept talking about what went down between Kat and Thomas. It very much sounded like Chelsea wanted Kat to think about her relationship with Tomas. She saw that Kat was worried that Tomas could do what he did last time and seek comfort in someone else’s arms. But even though Kat could tell that Tomas shut down on her, she felt that he wouldn’t go there again.
By the end of the episode, she decided to take drastic action. Yes, she wasn’t ready to get married. But she put moving back in together back on the table. But since she’s Kat, she called up Vanessa to help her find a place immediately. Vanessa gave that assignment to her new assistant, Deanna. And Kat found a new place. However, when she told Tomas she had made an offer on a place for them both to live, he said it wasn’t going to happen.
Wednesday, July 8 – Episode #320
Mona (Karan Kendrick) and Jan (Jerri Tubbs) set up camp at Orphey Gene’s, where they talked about Mona’s AIC number, Ashley (Jen Jacob), and other things. Leslie joined them, and she talked about how, after the scare with Eva, she was trying to be a whole new person. Not the mean Leslie she had been.
Kat’s condo purchase hit Tomas the wrong way. He didn’t want to feel like a kept man since Kat was purchasing the condo with her own money. They ultimately compromised. He would keep his place, pay her rent, and split the utilities. After he left, it was clear that Kat wasn’t all that happy with what transpired. She vented to Mona and Jan about her woes. And they advised her with their different hot takes on love. Meanwhile, on the phone, Tomas told his mother that he would be headed to Puerto Rico alone.
At the hospital, Monica (Iona Morris) had a chat with Ted (Keith D. Robinson). She let him know that Shanice was a little nervous about his elaborate, fancy dates. Sometimes, simple was better. So he ditched the yacht dinner date, and instead, the two had dinner in his office. Shanice appreciated it, although she said she was fine with whatever he planned for them. As for Monica, she tested Leslie’s brand-new-woman status. And Leslie passed with flying colors, although they would keep an eye on each other.
Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) started thinking about the secret she was keeping from Jacob now that the drama around his undercover operation, the tornado, and her grandmother’s health had died down a little. She started to come clean, but Jacob didn’t want to think about health stuff. He actually had a date night planned for them. They went to Uptown, where they saw Grayson (Jordi Vilasuso) and Ashley. And he gave her a surprise gift for the anniversary that he didn’t get to plan.
Grayson lamented that he was once again struggling to help pay for his ailing mother. He needed to find a way to make more money. At Uptown, he and Ashley were on the business end of some bad bartending service. Grayson ended up stepping in. He had been a bartender in the past. It was how he helped pay his way through school. The manager of Uptown was impressed when Grayson stepped in and covered for the lame bartender and offered him a job.
Thursday, July 9 – Episode #321
Naomi came clean with Dani. She tested positive for the BRCA gene. She tried to explain herself to her mom, who at first thought she was going to confess she had an affair with someone while Jacob was undercover. Naomi said she was like Dani. She would never cheat on her husband, which must have been awkward for Dani to hear her daughter say that, considering. Naomi didn’t know how to admit this to Jacob. But Dani encouraged her to do it.
Kat broke the news to Anita and Vernon. She bought a condo, and she was moving out of their manse. Anita was sad about it. She had gotten used to listening to true crime podcasts with Kat. Vernon was sad but knew this would be good for Kat. Kat told Anita that when she moved in there, she was her grandmother. But then she turned into a friend.
Samantha told her dads that Jessica would be breaking up with Tyrell at the end of the summer before they both go to college. But that Tyrell had high hopes for getting Jessica (Camryn Jade) to change her mind about UCLA and stay close to home so they could be together. Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Smitty (Mike Manning) worried about Tyrell, who later showed up back at the house with Jessica. And they sported tattoos.
Jessica’s tattoo was her favorite quote from Audre Lorde. And Tyrell’s tattoo was a big old “J.” But he insisted that the “J” wasn’t for Jessica. That it was for June. Kat showed up at Martin and Smitty’s place, and the brother and sister apologized to each other for what happened while Kat was contemplating donating part of her liver to Eva.
Andre had to comfort Dani, who told him what she learned. He pointed out that Dani hadn’t fully processed her positive result. That she hadn’t really thought about or decided on any next steps. She stated that she was busy with her mother’s diagnosis and the tornado. And then she got frustrated with Andre. She wanted to know why he was criticizing her for putting her family first.
Naomi went home and finally told Jacob that she had tested positive for the BRCA gene. He was hurt that she didn’t tell him. That he hadn’t been able to be there for her. But he also understood. But there was more to it. She also told him that she was thinking about getting a double mastectomy.
Friday, July 10 – Episode #322
Naomi and Jacob continued talking about her seriously considering a double mastectomy. Jacob needed a minute to process. But he ultimately told his wife that this was her decision to make. She had to do what’s right for her. And he had to understand that.
Naomi didn’t want this to be a situation where he goes along with what she wants, but changes his mind down the road, like what happened when she thought she was pregnant. Jacob said that what mattered here was them. And that she was happy, healthy, and standing by his side for as long as possible.
Smitty had a meeting with his boss at Orphey Gene’s. She was super impressed with his plasma ring articles. And she told him she was going to submit them for a DMV Press Award for Excellence in Local Journalism. But she also wanted to gauge his commitment to investigative reporting should Martin actually make that rumored run for the Senate. Smitty said he was committed to the hard-hitting journalism that he loves. And he was committed to his husband.
After his boss left, June (Jasmine Burke) and Smitty talked about the award, Tyrell, and Samantha. He told her about the tattoo. She didn’t think for one second that that “J” tattoo of Tyrell’s was about her. Jacob stopped by Orphey Gene’s to pick up the cornbread he had ordered, and he got a chance to catch up with Smitty. They briefly talked about The Impaler. Jacob mentioned that any leads he had about Leslie’s involvement were gone.
Tyrell and Samantha dropped by the restaurant to talk to June. Tyrell gave his mother a gift. A framed photo from his graduation. June cried tears of joy.
Izaiah and Eva spent time together. Izaiah tried to stay mindful of Eva’s recovery period, but she was anxious to get out and do something. Later, Jacob stopped by with the cornbread from Orphey Gene’s and learned that Darlene had dropped off her food for Eva. So it seemed like she was coming around on Eva. Meanwhile, Leslie and Darlene were at the same place at the same time, getting coffee. They came to an understanding, somewhat reluctantly, to keep the peace between them for Eva and Izaiah’s sake.
Dani stopped by the hospital to talk to Ashley. She told Naomi’s bestie that her daughter had finally come clean about the BRCA gene test. And Dani thanked Ashley for being. there for her daughter. Yes, she was hurt that Naomi had waited a long time to tell her. But she would be there to support her from here on out. She had Ashley tell her what it had been like for Naomi since learning the news.
Madison’s deposition went from bad to worse for all involved. Mike Davis (Pierce Lackey) showed up at the law firm acting cocky and saying all the wrong things. During the questioning, Mike grilled Madison (Kenjah) relentlessly. Naomi and Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) countered as much as they could. When it was Bill’s turn to ask the questions, he started mumbling and seemed distracted. There was clearly something wrong. Even Mike looked concerned. Hayley (Marquita Goings), however, faked concern for her husband.
Weekly Breakdown: July 13-17, 2026
Monday, July 13 – Episode #323
Bill is rushed to the hospital. Andre and Dani try to get on the same page. Chelsea’s proposition does not sit well with Kat. Nicole worries her daughter’s latest decision was made for all the wrong reasons.
Tuesday, July 14 – Episode #324
Dani gets a call that causes her to make an impromptu visit. Chelsea, Naomi, and Madison present a united front. Hayley’s advice causes Tomas to clash with Naomi. Ted is flabbergasted by Kat’s recent actions.
Wednesday, July 15 – Episode #325
Doug’s final words startle Joey. Deanna sets a dastardly plan in motion. Jacob accompanies Naomi to her oncology appointment with Monica. Hayley and Randy plot to accelerate their con.
Thursday, July 16 – Episode #326
Smitty and Martin recall this time last year when their marriage hit the skids. Naomi updates her cousins on her health status. Vanessa, Joey, and Deanna have a tense dinner. Pamela bolsters a guilt-ridden Dani.
Friday, July 17 – Episode #327
Leslie interrupts father-daughter time between Ted and Eva, and clashes with her ex. Dani and Hayley lock horns. Kat’s surprising sentiment shocks one of her siblings. Ted has an admission that leaves Shanice stunned.
MORE: Four BTG Performances Worthy of a Daytime Emmy Nomination.
