Episode 9 of Palm Royale opens with a poignant flashback, revisiting the fateful first encounter between Norma and Robert. For months, he silently served her, until one day, Norma broke the silence, inviting him to sit at her table. That moment marked the beginning of a unique bond, a symbiotic relationship that would shape their lives.
Meanwhile, in the present, Maxine floats aimlessly in the vast ocean, her fate seemingly mirroring that of Jack. Evelyn finds a new playmate in Eddie, while Dinah agrees to tie the knot with Axel. But Robert and Dougie stand alone, with no one to save them from the looming raid. Their only hope, Maxine, is far away, entangled in her own adventures.
Just then, an astronaut, conducting trial runs, unexpectedly crash-lands in the middle of the ocean, close to Maxine. Amazingly, her first question to him is whether he'd like to attend a party. While Maxine is being rescued by this handsome spaceman, Robert and Dougie encounter FBI agent Tom, whom Robert had previously encountered at a gay bar. Tom assures them that there's no need to rush their escape, as Maxine is too busy capturing the headlines with her newfound astronaut companion.
During a televised interview, the news anchor quizzes the astronaut about his plans for a potential landing at the White House. He replies with a wistful smile, revealing that he would have loved the opportunity, but he's been invited to a party by Maxine. To everyone's amazement, Maxine extends an invitation to the president himself, inviting him to her beach ball celebration on live TV.
Elsewhere, Dinah attempts to mend fences with Eddie, but he's just spent the night with Evelyn and offers to cook her dinner. Eddie firmly rejects Dinah, reminding her that he meant it when he promised to leave her for good. Meanwhile, Evelyn seems increasingly serious about Eddie, but her lack of a home or money poses a challenge for their budding romance.
Back at the Delacourte residence, Mary, fed up with caring for Norma, steals the cat statue that Maxine had tried to auction off at the Fibs and later repurchased for a whopping 75,000 dollars. Mary takes the cat, realizing its true value and seeing no sign of Maxine paying her dues.
Douglas reaches out to Mitzi for help, pleading for her assistance to save him and Robert. She kindly agrees, sharing tender farewells as she prepares to leave for New York to pursue her modeling dreams. However, fate intervenes when Mitzi's car breaks down, forcing her to hide in a bush as Maxine unexpectedly arrives at the house.
Maxine heads upstairs to freshen up, only to stumble upon a shocking sight - Ann, unconscious on the floor. Mitzi, now also present in the house, is informed by Maxine that her arrival is timely, as she desperately needs her help for the upcoming ball, which is just two days away. Without hesitation, Maxine rushes Ann to the hospital, deeply understanding what it means to be left alone in the throes of dying.
Meanwhile, Robert, while cleaning up the mess left by Ann, stumbles upon an empty grasshopper glass, realization dawning on him as to what may have happened to her. The tense atmosphere hangs heavy in the air, and the stage is set for more drama and revelations in the upcoming episodes of Palm Royale.
In the bustling hospital corridor, Maxine's gaze fell upon a familiar figure - her astronaut hero. Their eyes met, and he offered to serenade her with a piano performance, a token of appreciation for her spectacular beach ball show. Ann's memory quickly faded into the background as Maxine and the charming Herkimer embarked on a rehearsal session. Douglas, busy decorating the venue, watched them with a mix of admiration and envy, muttering about men and their double standards.
During their rehearsal, Maxine discovered a surprising bond - Herkimer was also a native of Chattanooga, and they shared a wealth of common interests. However, one detail in their conversation stood out, casting a shadow over their camaraderie. It seemed Maxine might be embroidering the truth about a childhood incident involving being left alone in a sink.
Douglas, sensing Maxine's naivete, tried to warn her about Herkimer's true intentions, but their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Tom and a pair of stern secret service agents. It was apparent that Maxine's pleas had reached the ears of higher powers, and the agents were there to deliver a bombshell. Nixon himself would be attending her beach ball celebration!
Excited yet nervous, Douglas and Maxine were ushered away for a security check before the president's arrival. But Maxine's excitement turned to horror when she was called out for signing Linda's anti-Nixon petition. In a moment of panic, she accidentally revealed the location of the feminist organization to the agents. The authorities wasted no time in arresting the ladies, leaving Mary and Linda alone in the house.
Later, the truth emerged - it was Tom who had betrayed the gay bar's location in a bid for a promotion. Meanwhile, at the dress shop, Evelyn cornered Maxine, demanding to co-host the ball and receive half of the proceeds. She threatened to report a bogus bomb threat if Maxine refused, ensuring Nixon's absence from the party. With no other option, Maxine reluctantly agreed to Evelyn's demands.
Maxine's eyes were opened to the secrets of the gay bar, and Douglas weaved a tale to justify Robert's and his presence there. He claimed it was all part of a surprise celebration planned for her. Meanwhile, Linda was gearing up for a spiritual journey to an ashram in Peru, but before embarking on her adventure, she sought out Robert to extend an invitation.
Robert revealed to Linda a painful truth about Norma's downfall. He confessed that their fiery argument on the day Norma's spirit was broken had led to her desperate act. He had wanted to go on a date, but Norma's resistance had sparked a vicious verbal spat. In a fit of anger, he stormed out, leaving Norma alone with her thoughts and a lethal syringe of insulin. Linda was shocked to learn of Norma's diabetes, a secret none of them knew. Robert went on to explain that Norma provided him a sense of safety and comfort that he couldn't abandon.
On a separate note, Maxine stumbled upon a bombshell when Raquel spilled the beans about Pinky and Douglas's clandestine plan to launch their club in the Delacourte mansion. Maxine felt betrayed and enraged, believing Douglas had betrayed their home. She lashed out at him, accusing him of always leaving her to clean up his messes. In a final, heartbreaking revelation, Maxine accused Douglas of being the one who stole her dreams of becoming Miss Chattanooga.
Mary, on the other hand, hatched a dangerous plot to assassinate Nixon and shared it with Linda. Linda, horrified, tried to dissuade Mary from such folly, promising not to call the police. Mary seemed to relent, but as Linda turned to leave, Mary lashed out, striking her with a cat, a silent warning of her unstable state.
The astronaut, mistaking Maxine's signals, made a bold move, only to be firmly rejected. She made it clear that her heart belonged to Douglas. Herkimer sought solace in the outdoors, but his absence at the beach ball left a nagging feeling that he might not return.
Evelyn, emboldened, invited Eddie to her party, declaring her desire to be seen with him in public.
In the tense aftermath of Palm Royale's ninth episode, Maxine and Douglas attempted to mend their fractured relationship. Douglas assured Maxine that he couldn't have given away their estate since she was its conservator. However, Maxine's trust was shattered as she realized he had been hiding his affair with Mitzi, who now resided under the same roof. As a gesture of reconciliation, Douglas presented Maxine with a magnificent crown, intended as a token of love that he had failed to give her two decades ago. It was a material gesture that could never erase the truth of their fractured relationship. Both Maxine and Douglas were now guilty of keeping secrets from each other.
Finally, Robert learned that Norma was not only well but plotting to steal Maxine's thunder at the beach ball. The stage was set for a confrontation that had been brewing since the series' inception. The final episode promised to be more explosive and unpredictable than anything the audience had witnessed thus far, even the whale incident.
