#BlackInkChi: 2nd City Ink Loses Two Artists, Van Pops Up, Ashley Catches Don Slipping Again & More

Last week on Black Ink Crew: Chicago, Jess was BIG MAD that Charmaine hired Kitty permanently . Don returned home to find that Ashely took the kids and bounced, but left her rings and a note informing him that she wants a divorce. Now it’s time to get into this week’s shenanigans.

The episode opens up with Kitty and Charmaine having a conversation about Jessica’s decision to bounce following Kitty coming on full time. Charmaine decides to gather the 2nd City Ink crew to have a discussion about the shop’s co-manager deciding to quit. Charmaine explains to her artists that Jess decided to leave due to Charmaine standing behind her hiring of Kitty after they all wondered where Jess was.

After a few minutes, Plug finally reveals that Jess told him that she was going back home to London much to the dismay of Charmaine, who feels Jess should have had a discussion with her before making that decision.

When Kitty’s name is brought up as the reason that Jess left, Kitty defends herself. Draya feels Kitty got her job out of pity from Charmaine after she was fired from the New York shop.

Kitty was not trying to hear that takes a page out of her old boss, Ceaser’s book, and threatens to fire her. Charmaine isn’t trying to lose any more artists and thinks Kitty is a doing a bit too much but understands she is only trying to get them to respect her.

That beef would be short-lived because Kitty and Draya decided to put their issues behind them to work together.

Ashley has taken herself and the kids and checked into a hotel. Her friend meets up with her and Ashley quickly reveals she made the decision to leave because of Snapchat video someone sent to her. In the video, Don can be seen dancing with a woman, and he is looking very much single, pretty much hardening Ashley’s stance on divorce.

Back at 2nd City Ink, Charmaine walks into a much calmer situation now that Kitty and Draya called a truce. She breaks the news to her crew that the Chicago Tribune will be writing an article about the shop. Charmaine also reveals that she will have her gender reveal at WGCI’s Big Jam concert.

Of course, there has to be a Kitty and Ryan moment in the episode. Ryan stops by his “friend,” Kitty’s apartment, to do a tattoo. Kitty wants her first Ryan Henry piece to be a tribute to her mom, and Ryan delivers.

During the session, Kitty couldn’t stop smiling as Mr. Henry was permanently drawing on her calf. Kitty also admits during her confessional that Ryan possesses the qualities in a man she would consider dating and that he is indeed attractive. We just need these two to confirm what we already know is going on already.

We head across the pond to London and Jess is home bringing her parents and sister up to speed about what happened with Charmaine in Chicago. Of course, her family is on her side with her dad suggesting she should move on because Charmaine has no idea what she is doing. Her mom and sister both agree with that idea.

Back in Chicago, Ashley returns home to have a much-needed conversation with Don. She shows him the video, but he quickly dismisses it as a fan doing the most, and its nothing that should warrant her leaving and asking for a divorce. Ashley disagrees and feels its a big deal, Don, on the other hand, is upset she won’t get over the past and keeps holding it against him. The conversation leads to the decision one of them is going to have to move out of the house.

It’s the day of the big concert and Charmaine’s gender reveal and everyone is there including Ryan’s ex, Rachel. Kitty immediately believes that Rachel is the reason why Ryan is giving her the cold shoulder and not speaking to her following their tattoo session at her apartment. Kitty says she is upset, but she’s not going to beg for his attention either.

It’s finally time for the big reveal, and we learn that Charmaine is having a girl, and she is going to name her Nola Glenda Bey.

The next day after the concert, the mood goes from happy to instantly sad and anger when Fly Tatted reveals that he dropped Prince off at jail, and he will be gone for at least 2 years. Charmaine is pissed because she feels that it is essential information that Prince should have been told her.

Now down three artists, Charmaine storms into her office where she is about to get even more bad news. Remember that article Charmaine was so excited about?  Well, it revealed that 2nd City Ink isn’t registered with the Department of Public Health. Kitty acknowledges that is a big issue and it needs to be addressed immediately.

To close out the episode, Charmaine gets a visit from Van, who was fired by Ryan. He stopped by 2nd City Ink to clear the air with Charmaine and finally admitted the rumor that was spread that they slept together while in Vegas was not true. But he did drop an eyebrow-raising detail, he claims Don was the one started it and that he never told Don anything. While Charmaine is shedding tears, Van apologizes for everything and even offers to help Charmaine get her shop registered. She declines the offer, and he tells her if she needs anything, she has his number, and the episode ends.

Of course, viewers had thoughts on the episode, you can peep them in the gallery below.

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Photo: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz/VH1