There were several great conversations in the Wednesday, October 29, episode of Beyond the Gates. Izaiah called on his new “buddy,” Eva, to help him organize his thoughts about his dad and his newly ended relationship with Yolanda. Martin and Smitty caught their 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, in the act of making out on the couch with Nathan.

A non-judgmental Dani listened to Vanessa’s perspective about her relationship with Joey Armstrong. Nicole handed Carlton a sweet rejection that put a pause on their budding romance. And Elon and Joey hashed out the Marcel Malone of it all. A theme emerged, and it had to do with timing.

Key Takeaways

• Nicole presses pause: She gently tells Carlton she’s not ready for romance, proving sometimes the healthiest move is taking a breather.
• Dani and Vanessa connect: A heartfelt talk turns judgment into understanding as Dani shows real care for her friend’s choices.
• Elon vs. Joey: Two powerful men square off over Detective Marcel Malone’s fate.
• Izaiah and Eva bond: Shared family struggles lead to surprising chemistry, but timing could make or break what’s next.
• Parent panic: Martin and Smitty walk in on Samantha’s couch make-out session — and the fallout is anything but quiet.

Nicole & Carlton

Tuesday’s showdown pitting Ted (Keith D. Robinson) against Carlton (Robert Christopher Riley) got Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) thinking. And she decided that she wasn’t ready to start seeing anyone, let alone Carlton. Plus, she had to be thinking that Carlton isn’t just a fun, casual hang. He is somebody you get serious with. So she let him down gently and told him that this was a pause, not a permanent cancellation.

It was actually a refreshing decision. So many characters on soaps float from one relationship to another, and they don’t let themselves stop and process the one that just ended. Sometimes that breather is necessary to enable healing. True closure is important, and Nicole is going to allow herself to experience it. So, unfortunately for Carlton, he will have to wait. Timing is everything.

Dani & Vanessa

At first, it seemed as though Dani (Karla Mosley was judging Vanessa’s newly formed relationship with Joey (Jon Lindstrom). In the end, he conveyed she wasn’t. Her goal is to ensure Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli) is protected and that Joey knows she has people who care for her. And that he can’t take advantage of her. It took Vanessa a minute to get where Dani was coming from.