Bravo’s Married to Medicine is back for its 11th season, and Dr. Heavenly Kimes seems to find herself in the middle of some things. This season marks the return of Dr. Contessa Metclafe, Kimes’s former close friend whose relationship was derailed due to differences between the women stemming from Metcalfe’s marriage. And Metcalfe is seemingly back for revenge.

Kimes will not only face off with Metcalfe, but she’ll also have to face Lateasha “Sweet Tea” Lunceford again, and their husbands will also get in the mix, leading to an all-out blow between the foursome.

Ahead of the show’s premiere, Heavenly spoke with Blavity’s Shadow and Act us about how she’s preparing to watch the season unfold. She also dishes on her beloved family, and opens up about how her sons are following in her dentistry footsteps. 

Congratulations on Season 11 of Married to Medicine. This season, we see the return of Contesa, or as you have called her in the past, Coon-Tessa…

I don’t call her Coon-Tessa. I call her Cone-Tessa, like ice cream. Calling her Coon-Tessa is taking it too far. I never called that woman a coon. She calls herself Coin-Tessa because she makes the money so we will go with that.

But thanks for clarifying. Initially, you guys may have had your ups and downs, but you guys were good friends at one point. The last time we saw you guys, you weren’t in the best of places. She felt as if you overstepped in terms of you speaking on her marriage. Do you stand by those choices that you made that she felt contributed to the fallout of your guys’ friendship?

I do. I think that she was ok with it as long as she was leaving [her husband]. I’ll say the same thing I said three years ago. When you come back with the same stuff, three years ago, she was OK with it. She was happy that I was saying stuff, and in fact, she joined me in talking about it. But when she decided to stay with her man, just like you do, just like I probably would, you get mad at the chick because you can’t be mad at your man. And that’s all that is. I was there for her. I was ride or die for her. I was telling her, “You are beautiful. You shouldn’t take this.” I was there. I was that kind of chick. But when she decided to stay with her man, you know how people do with their man, and I understand it but don’t put this shit on me. Don’t put it on me, because I didn’t do it. You put all that s**t out there. I did not. You and your husband did these things. I did not do anything wrong. So there you have it.

Now, how do we see the reunion between the two of you play out? In the trailer, some things seem explosive but as we know from previous trailers, it may not always match up to what’s actually shown on the show. 

Oh, the trailer matches up. This season is a lot. But the thing about me is you’re not going sit there and say things about me that are not true and let me let it ride. I am for family. I’m for households. I love the Lord. I never would want to see anybody’s family be ruined. But after you and your husband make these mistakes and then you put it on TV, you can’t be mad at me when you decide to stay. That’s all I’ll say about that. 

Last season, we also saw the addition of Sweet Tea, and you guys had your issues as well. Where would you guys say that you stand now?

Probably standing in the same s**t we were standing in. She’s different from us. She’s a lot younger, a lot more naive if you will. But I do get her. I think she’s a sweet girl. I just think she come off real wrong. Anytime you tell Jackie to ‘F**k you, b***h,’ you wrong. Anytime you do the things you do, you can’t go around saying different things on social media about people and then when somebody responds, I ain’t mad at nothing you said, but if you gonna give it, be able to take it, don’t cry yourself to sleep at night about nothing. If you’re going to do it, go ahead, but don’t bring your mama at me.

Now, Phaedra Parks also joined the cast last season, we knew her from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Many fans were excited that she was joining initially, but some would say that she contributed very little to the overall success of the show.  Obviously, she feels otherwise. What is your stance on that entire discussion?

I feel like Phaedra brought eyes to the show. I definitely will have to give her that. I think she’s a phenomenal woman. Anytime it’s a Black, beautiful woman…educated, I’m here for it. I think she played the game just right. I think that Phaedra wanted to be with Housewives and I think when she got the opportunity, she went. I don’t think she meshed as well here as she does over there. I take my hat off to her. She didn’t revive our show, but she definitely played a part with bringing eyes to the show and I’m grateful, and everybody has their opinions, and everybody can have their opinions. We’re just excited about Season 11.

You know, now there’s nothing bad about Phaedra. People want me to say something bad about her but I can’t say nothing other than she didn’t revive this show. Reviving my mind means that it was dead. We have great numbers because we have Quad and her ex-husband and the new wife and that dynamic. People tune in to see me and Dr. Simone arguing. We have a great ensemble cast.

Now, Quad has a new man. And it’s the first time since her divorce from Dr. Gregory Lunceford that she’s bringing a man on the show and she’s on the show with Dr. G and Sweet Tea. Do we see them all interact this season at all?

I mean, you saw the trailer. These people are fighting over Quad. Wait, I am not going to say that. Let me mind my business. But she had a man and she’s been with him for over a year. She never really showed us other men she’s dated because she wanted to make sure they were the right ones. But he’s a great guy. I’m gonna give him the big ups. He reminds me of Dr. Damon in a lot of ways. He’s very calm. He’s a very mild mannered, very intelligent guy. I think he’s good for Quad because he does allow her to run over him. So she’s exactly what she needs and I see them having great success being together.

But we have great numbers because we have Quad and her ex-husband and the new wife and that dynamic and how we putting in me and Simone and Jackie and all of us, all of us come to work.

What will we see from your personal storyline? We know that you have your dental practices, you’re doing everything that you are with your daughter, even though she’s away in college. Your son is working with you now also, correct?

Yeah, he’s actually in dental school now. He’s in his first year of dental school. So I’m really, really proud of him and he’s getting ready to take over my practice. Or at least I’m gonna present him to my practice. We’re gonna work together. He’s agreed to come work in the practice and he does. Now he knows a lot. So he’s way well ahead of the game now.

In the trailer, we see Dr. Damon getting testy this season, which is not something that we’re used to seeing. Without giving too much away, tell us about what happened.

I will tell you that if you allow your wife to say disparaging things about everybody around her and you have nothing to say, then you can’t be mad when somebody says something about her or you — You come after my career? Your husband got a career.  She doesn’t have one. So my whole thing is get your wife. If you can’t get your wife, then don’t say nothing to me. Don’t keep bringing the same stuff up and being sensitive about it now cause you allowed your wife to do it. So it’s all good. We’re not mad about nothing but don’t cry yourself to sleep after you bring things to the table. So that’s all I would say about that.