- ♪ When we come together
- Ten singles threw caution to the wind
and took a bold leap of faith in order to find true love.
- Aah! [laughs]
- Last time, the couples' retreat provided
our spouses and a few singles the opportunity
to see each other in a different light.
[both howl]
[upbeat music]
- [laughs]
Sexy watching him talk and communicate and be open,
and, most importantly, shirtless.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching you take a bubble bath.
♪
- It's not always a very obvious pairing.
It takes a lot of work
and commitment from both animals,
like it does with humans as well.
- And we just need to move forward
and get out of our heads because I want it to last,
and I wanna be together forever.
♪
- Baby! - How are you?
- Had a day.
Sadly, while this was a traumatic event,
I think it did really show a lot to us both
about how much we care about each other.
This is why you always wear [bleep] helmets, you guys.
Like, I would have been dead.
And with Decision Day right around the corner,
times a tickin', but I feel like
we just reached new heights.
Okay, night-night. both: Good night.
- And tonight, with Decision Day
less than two weeks away...
- Such form.
- Three of our couples contemplate their futures.
- If she says that she wants to stay together, like,
I'm going to stay together with her on Decision Day.
- You really have been committed
and, like, I have felt that.
- Good, me too.
- Like, I've appreciated, like, so much, like,
you being here. - Yeah.
- Who would have thought-- a tree?
It's what we needed.
- Meanwhile, our newest couple adjust to the challenges
of everyday life together.
- So how has married life been?
- I have been overwhelmed.
[dramatic musical sting]
Everything is moving so quickly.
So what I was thinking about was taking a few days apart.
- Mm.
Like, oh, well, wait a minute.
Do you not want to be with me?
[tense music]
- All of these fights and all of these things
are, like, days and nights of rejection.
- Becca, do you want this marriage?
♪
- ♪ It's all or nothing
- This is "Married at First Sight."
- ♪ There's no other way
♪ It's all or nothing
- ♪ Take our chances, try our luck ♪
♪ With our arms wide-open
♪ Like we're flying, like we're flying ♪
[Chloe exhales]
Whew, we made it. - Home.
What'd you think?
- No, it was a nice, easy drive.
I just want to unpack
and then head over to get my work stuff
and then pick up Melo, get her accommodated here.
Graham and Franklin I'll probably bring
in here tomorrow just to make it a little easier
instead of trying to wrangle--
- Why don't you bring 'em over tonight?
- With them, it's more so making sure
I have all their stuff.
Melo is easy.
I just need to bring her food and her.
I might try to squeeze in a little nap, though,
before I go pick her up. [Chloe laughs]
That way I can greet her with the proper energy.
- Yeah, yeah.
I feel like a nap's always a good idea.
Michael and I have had an absolute whirlwind
the past week, coming back from honeymoon
and then having the couples invite us to retreat.
But we're back to reality now. We're back to work.
We're back to doing all the things
that we would be doing in our days.
And we still have so much that we need to learn
about one another, just from a life perspective,
'cause I wanna give Michael and I the best possible chance
that we have, but I'm exhausted.
- Do you have any idea how you want to unwind tonight?
- Oh, I think I'm gonna go see the pups.
- Mm-hmm. - I miss them a lot.
- Are you gonna-- like, are you gonna hang out
with them with your cousin, or do you think you're gonna
take them back to your place and kind of have,
like, your time with them?
- With the dogs being so old
and with the dogs being so needy in so many ways,
I hate to go and visit and then leave again so quickly.
So what I was thinking about was taking
just the next few days to be at home with them.
[tense percussive music]
It has been go, go, go.
I feel like everything is moving so quickly,
we don't actually have an opportunity to just process.
- Yeah, true. That's true. - Yeah.
And being together all the time,
we don't have a chance to think.
We don't have a chance to feel. - Mm.
- And I'm this deeply introverted person
who needs a lot of alone time and a lot of silence
to feel like I am listening to my own needs.
And I think we just need that time.
- Mm.
- Um, kind of give us a chance to kind of
take a deep breath... - Mm-hmm.
- If you think that sounds good.
- Mm.
I am a little surprised
that Chloe's gonna go home
and spend time with her animals.
I do want her to know, though,
that I support whatever she feels is best for her.
But I can't help but wonder if there's something
that's bothering Chloe.
Like, oh, well, wait a minute.
Do you not want to hang out with me?
Do you not want to be with me?
All of those things do, in fact, creep into my mind.
[sighs] All right.
Well, I'll probably then--
yeah, I'll probably unwind.
So, no, that's perfectly--
- I think that's a great idea. - That's perfectly fine.
- We're about to really actually embark
on the marriage portion of our relationship,
which is a good thing, which is a really good thing,
but it's also a little scary.
[somber piano music]
I have given a lot of thought to whether or not
going home at this point was the right thing to do.
- ♪ I got feelings that I can't seem to figure ♪
- I'm like, here is this man
that's everything I've ever wanted.
What is it that is making me feel like
I just need to, like, take a break?
And I'm hoping that it's just the time
we've spent together is a lot.
I'm hoping that it's just that I'm missing my pups.
I'm hoping that it's just that I need time to think.
I also don't know.
But it's just something I have to do for myself right now.
- ♪ Is this even real love?
♪ Ooh, ooh
♪
- ♪ Circles falling through the atmosphere ♪
♪ These are things that you don't wanna hear ♪
- I'm at my place because today we were at the wolf sanctuary,
and... the cameras had left.
And, like, he was buying stuff from the gift shop.
And I, like, tried to help him open up a bag
to, like, help him, like, get the stuff in the bag.
And he just, like, started, like, mumbling
under his breath, which is, like, what he does sometimes
when I just, like, try to help him.
And then it led into, like,
an hour and a half drive home of, like...
[sniffles]
Just, like, more miscommunications.
And, like, he admitted in the car
that, like, this last week, he has been, like, questioning
whether we would work or not, which... was hard.
[uneasy music]
But it's also hurtful 'cause, like,
I don't understand why he didn't bring it up before.
Like, I feel like I haven't been able
to, like, talk to him about how I feel,
because every time I do, it doesn't really go well.
It just feels like... we just need help.
'Cause right now, we're really not doing so good.
♪
[upbeat electronic music]
♪
- On the road to recovery, baby.
- Whoo-hoo.
Got peas.
We got emotional support dog.
- Mm-hmm. - Got the rest.
- Yep.
Got everything. [both laugh]
She's doing so good, though... - Mm-hmm.
- Being a real trooper and still in great spirits so.
- We're hanging in there.
- Yep.
Been through a lot, huh?
- Mm-hmm.
But we're still standing.
- We're still standing.
It's just making us stronger, right?
- Mm-hmm. - Love it.
- ♪ Times like these, I've just got to hold on ♪
[soft music]
- Do we want to do anything?
Do we want to talk? I don't know.
- Yeah.
- Can I nestle in behind ya?
- Huh? - Can I lay my head on ya?
- Um...
I think I just need some space right now.
[knock at door]
- There they are. I'll go get 'em.
At this point,
kind of, like, a lot of our issues are snowballing.
- Hello. - Hey there.
- Oh, geez. - You get us both.
- And the things that we were doing right in the beginning
we've kind of lost a handle on
and are now, like, doing poorly with.
- You know, I want to say first that I've heard
really good things about you as a couple,
because there seems to be a genuine connection.
But we're also here to problem-solve and to help you.
So you tell us a little bit about what's been going on.
- Um, I think I've been having a hard time
because I feel like
our communication has gotten--
- Deteriorated, maybe? Or--
- Yeah, it just hasn't been working in a way
where either of us feel heard.
- Mm.
- And I think we both have similar concerns.
And I think I have been
having a more difficult time than I've let on.
I don't want to, like, hurt Austin.
But I also feel like it's so hard.
Sorry. [laughs]
Um-- - Give me an example.
- At the wolf center,
I, like, was trying to help you load your bag.
And you, like, mumbled under your breath,
and even the ladies at the counter noticed it.
- Um, see, I have, like--have-- naturally, like,
I have a different perspective of that.
So bought some trinkets at the wolf center.
And they were, like, getting a bag for me.
And Becca was like, "No, we don't need that bag.
Like, he can just put it in this bag."
And, like, there was a lot to, like, fit in there,
and I didn't want it to get lost, and I just, like--
like, to me, that felt like--
to me, it feels like she tries to micromanage me.
And I feel like I get pushed to the side.
[light tense music]
- Got very upset with me. - I did not get very upset.
- You were upset. Your direct quote was,
"I don't like being told what to do."
There's been, like, a level of, like,
dismissiveness and combativeness.
And I know it's a high-pressure situation,
but, like, it makes me shut down.
And then the shutting down for him is perceived
as, like, the problem.
But what's frustrating is that, like, all of these fights
and all of these things are, like,
days and nights of rejection.
Like, I feel rejected by, like, deep conversations at times.
Like, feel rejected, like, when I try to flirt at times,
and, like, I get, like,
swatted away or, like, laughed at.
And, like... it's so hard.
'Cause, like, I deal with it so well on a day-to-day basis,
like, so well that I don't tell you, like,
half of the things that are bothering me.
And then it just, like, gets to a point
where, like, I don't know what to do anymore.
- Can I interject real quick? - Yeah.
- Because this is fixable.
- Is it? [laughs] - Oh, God, yes.
- It is fixable, but... - It is.
- But all of this has to come out.
- You were saying earlier you don't want to hurt him,
or you don't want--what is it that you don't want to say?
- Um, it often feels like when the cameras go away, like,
he's not asking, like, for that depth or that intimacy
or, like, that connection in the same way,
like, to when we're on camera.
- Or just because it happens on camera doesn't mean
it's not, like, real.
You know that, like, I am committed
to figuring these things out.
I just, like, don't always think that the timing is right,
and I try to communicate that with you.
But, like, it just seems like,
for some reason, like, everything has changed.
And I think, like, a large portion of that is,
like, due to, like, our physical intimacy
not being, like, where you want it.
And then that just kind of, like, snowballed
from one thing to another.
- You know, it seems to me that you are fighting
for the relationship, and you are discouraged.
- I don't understand where it comes off
that he's fighting for the relationship.
- I-- - Like, it's so hard,
'cause like, what he's saying here is different
than what happens off camera, and I, like, don't know how
to express that or explain that.
And, like, I feel like I'm starting to go crazy
and, like, that I don't have, like, my own self-awareness.
And, like, I am at a loss on, like, where to go now.
[soft tense music]
- Well--well, let me just say, Austin,
if a woman doesn't feel sexually desired,
it's gonna be corrosive to the relationship.
- Yeah, I think-- I think you're right.
- So you're not crazy. [laughs]
I think part-- I really do think that part
of this angst and this sadness and these interpretations
come from not feeling wanted enough.
- But then, like, when I ask to, like, be wanted,
like Friday night at the couples' retreat
when, like, you wanted to go spend the night
in some celebrity's bedroom instead of with me, like--
- He's a big football player.
And I was, like, so excited to, like, sleep in his bedroom.
And-- [Dr. Pepper laughs]
- I know it's stupid. I know it's dumb.
- Really? - But what was frustrating is
that he kept talking about, like, how excited he was
for the weekend to work on intimacy and X, Y, and Z.
- Was there drinking involved? - Yes.
- He was drinking. - Okay.
- That's not an excuse, though. - No, it's not an excuse.
- No, it's not. - It's not an excuse.
- No, it's a bad choice. - But it does affect--
- And also, if he seriously wants
to work on intimacy, then why is he getting so wasted
that those are the decisions that he's making?
- It's a good question.
Would you consider the possibility
that there's something in you that got drunk to avoid this?
I mean, what's going on?
- No, I don't think so. It was just, like--
- I think he avoids a lot of things.
- Oh. - At the very least,
it was not putting your wife first.
- Yeah, no. I admit that it was a mistake.
It definitely wasn't intentional.
- Did you apologize...
- I did. - To her this--
- The first time that he apologized to me
it was because a producer, like, prompted him to.
- That's not--I-- I feel like that is--
that wasn't the first time I apologized to you about it.
- So that was not his best moment, right?
- Yeah. - So the question is,
can you accept now
that he sees that as a very bad choice that evening
and that he's truly sorry about it?
Do you believe him?
[dramatic chord]
- I think so, but, like, now I'm, like, questioning.
Like, I've just, like--
for me, it's like that instance is an example
of all of the times I try to be intimate with you,
try to make time, like, try to do whatever.
There's always something blocking it.
- Let's see if we can prioritize intimacy.
Let's--there's a-- - But Dr. Pia gave him
so many assignments, and they have not happened.
- I do feel like I actively try, and, like,
then it's just--is--or, like, I get that as a response.
Like, like it wasn't enough.
And, like, even if things were to happen now, it's like,
oh, is it just happening 'cause of the cameras?
Like, I feel like you don't believe my intentions.
I know it's a problem that I'm trying to, like, work on.
- Do you want to?
- Yes. I do.
- For you, the way that this week went
is making you question the relationship,
and that's what you said in the car.
- I said that I feel like I am, like,
trying to do all these things.
But, like, for me, it doesn't feel like
they're good enough for you.
- Becca, do you want this marriage?
[suspenseful music]
♪
- I don't know. Our conversation in the car
is just in my head, and, like-- - Okay.
- I feel like I've been-- - I want you to look
at the totality of your relationship.
Is there something here worth fighting for?
- I feel like I wanted it, like, so bad
up until, like, this past week, and, like,
this past week has just been, like--
- It's been a challenge. - Yeah.
- Yeah. I get it. - Yeah.
- I really do, but I don't want you to judge
the entire relationship by one--
by a small segment of it.
- So let's assume that you're
in a particularly fragile moment.
So I actually think it's wise of you
to back away for a moment
from a decision-making kind of statement.
I think what Pastor Cal is feeling, what I'm feeling
is that you have deep emotions here
because this is an important thing for you.
- Yeah. - And somehow,
your trust in each other has been undercut.
So the question is, how can we get back
to a feeling where you can trust why you're both in this?
Because if you don't feel that,
then everything is going to be seen as questionable.
Everything might be seen as an attack.
Everything can be walking on eggshells.
- That's definitely, like, how I have felt.
Like, I've told you over and over again,
I do want to work on this and I'm trying to, and I, like,
want to, like, stay in a relationship with you.
But, like...
- Period. both: Yeah.
- Don't--no "buts." - Period.
- Reassure each other that you're into this thing
because you can deal with a lot
if you feel the person is in it,
is really gonna try.
- Yes. It's not about the bedroom.
It's not about any of that.
It's about whether or not
you guys actually trust each other.
Because it looks like every time
someone throws someone an olive branch,
it's just completely rejected.
And that comes from a lack of trust.
- I think you both need real reassurance...
- Yes. - That there is
some deeper admiration and desire for each other.
And if you can feel like there's good hope there,
then you could relax a little bit
and not be backing away from each other.
- Yes. - Yeah.
Yeah, and I agree with you.
And then the whole thing about trust, I think,
is, like--that's really landed with me as well.
Those are things that I think would really help us.
I do want to, like, work on those things.
Period.
- I'm really grateful and thankful that you said that.
I don't think I've felt that reassurance
this week much.
And I think my words are not that great right now
'cause I'm just feeling really drained and tired and--
- Yeah, okay.
- We're asking you to do hard work here.
And try and be specific and honest with each other in--
in kindness and in cooperation with trying to make sure
that you get to feel like you're your authentic selves,
and you get to say what hurts you and what you need.
I think that will take you a long way.
- Yeah.
[dramatic piano music]
♪ Don't you wanna feel explosions? ♪
♪ Have you grown sick of the motions? ♪
♪ Don't you want this?
- So Chloe's gonna be spending some time with her pups.
And look who just joined me.
Look who just joined me. My little girl did, huh?
This is my little Melo girl, huh?
Look at that little Melo girl.
She's just making her-- look at that.
She's already making herself at home.
I just actually sent Chloe a little picture of us
just chilling here at the house.
Chloe's excited to spend some time with Melo.
I'm excited for Melo to spend some time with her.
But yeah, my little Melo girl is getting comfy here at home.
Look at that. Look at how cute she is.
You're just so damn cute!
[upbeat music]
♪
- All right, Emily just woke up.
It's now 2:30 in the afternoon.
And Emily wanted hamburgers, so we got her some burgers.
Step one of recovery.
- Got our parkas dry-cleaned.
They were a little bloody.
- Just getting her nourished, and then afterwards
we'll probably go back to bed and continue to rest.
So the road to recovery.
- Stay tuned. - Stay tuned.
- ♪ Hold your head up to the sky ♪
♪ Life ain't easy, but it's all right ♪
♪ Keep on rolling, don't think twice ♪
♪ Spread your wings, and you'll learn to fly ♪
- How cute is this place?
- It is such an amazing, cute place.
Love it. - So fun.
- Oh, my goodness, how are you doing?
- I'm, um--I'm feeling pretty--
I'm feeling pretty hopeful. I'll be honest.
But the first week of marriage was a lot.
- A lot to take in. [Chloe sharply]
- It was a lot. It was a lot
in ways that I, um, wasn't anticipating.
Oh, my gosh. Amazing.
- Guess you're not ready for it, right?
I mean, who can be ready for anything like that?
- So yeah, I ended up going home for a few days.
- Oh, you did? - I did.
- Okay. - I did.
- Was he understandable? - He really was.
We had a very frank and just gentle,
but direct, conversation.
- Between us... [chuckles]
Do you feel like you were second-guessing your choice?
Maybe he--like, his personality or himself,
or whatever the case may be, do you feel like maybe
I need to think it through?
- I knew this process was gonna be a lot.
You could never prepare for this process.
- I'm sure.
- And so to so quickly have Michael and I talking
about everything,
realizing that we align on everything,
which is incredible, but it's also just been a lot.
And I told him, I was like, "This is not you.
"I just really needed to process
the human that the experts had given me."
So I'm glad Michael didn't take any offense to me going.
And maybe he did and he's just not telling me.
- True. - But I also think he needed
a few moments to himself and getting his animals acclimated.
So in these days that I've taken away from Michael,
it's given me an opportunity to think about
exactly what I asked for
and how Michael aligns in everything that I asked for.
And every day that passed,
and the more I processed who Michael is as a human,
the more I missed him.
I actually missed being with Michael.
And I realize that for every ounce of different
we may be in one another,
we are almost the same in everything else.
There is not a thing
about our relationship that I'm concerned about.
- That, for me, is a little concerning.
[laughs]
I sometimes feel like he's unreal in a way
because he chooses his words really wisely.
He's really--
he's a good spokesperson, right?
He knows his words.
He knows how to say what you wanna hear.
Do you feel like his words speak louder than his actions?
Or do you feel like his actions
are right there with his words?
- That was my concern.
He is able to say exactly what needs to be said in a moment.
And I thought, "You cannot be real."
But so far, he's given me no reason not to trust him.
But it's something that's gonna be in the back of my mind
until it's not in the back of my mind anymore.
[gentle hopeful music]
[bright music]
♪
- We are en route to get my stitches out.
- Stitches-out day.
- Yeah, I'm very intrigued how this is gonna go,
but I've got my emotional support driver.
[laughs] It's a big day.
- We are now at the doctor's office
waiting to get Emily's stitches out.
- It's exciting.
I'm trying to guess how many stitches.
- Like, 35 stitches.
Doctor said it was just the right amount, so.
- Whatever that means.
- Pleased to hear it.
- Pleased.
♪
- We just got done at the doc.
He was able to take out all the stitches.
- Yep. - He seemed pleased
with how the healing's going, so.
How you feeling?
- Um, still feel and look scary.
But he said it looks good,
so I have to believe him, you know?
- Yeah. Onwards and upwards.
♪
- ♪ I'm hoping hard
- Welcome to Austin's meditation zone.
We are here finding inner peace at a...
SunWater Spa.
Because yesterday, the extra visit
was emotionally exhausting.
But I think, like, the most important thing is, like,
that the vibe between us really, like, changed
and improved for the better after last night.
And it was, like, a palpable, um, change.
I think we both kind of realized
that we need to do things, approach things differently
and have a different frame of the way we think about things.
- Oh boy.
Oh, that's nice. It's not too hot.
I'm feeling hopeful and optimistic
because last night needed to happen.
The conversation was important for us.
And I'm hoping that by being honest,
maybe that helps Austin open up more
or maybe that helps our communication.
You know, Decision Day is approaching.
And Austin and I have a lot to figure out.
But I'm always ready and willing to try
because you don't know if you don't try.
- How relaxing.
[laughs]
Do you want to talk about last night and the expert meeting?
- Um, yeah.
General vibe was that I thought it was good.
Like, I think that there were a lot of things
that I hadn't said,
or, like, we hadn't talked about on camera yet and...
- Mm-hmm. - It just felt exhausting
to, like...
manage those two realities, you know?
- Yeah, it's challenging.
- Mm-hmm, definitely.
- Like, 'cause I thought it was helpful.
I thought it was, like, good advice and things
that, like, could help both of us, you know,
with our relationship. - Mm-hmm.
- You know, the thing about, um, trust--
that would be, like, good for the both of us.
- Yeah, I think I'm having a hard time
knowing when I need to be self-reflecting.
And I'm kind of just, like, questioning a lot about myself
right now, and I think it's really hard.
- Yeah. What do you mean? Like--
- I know I'm sensitive. Am I too sensitive?
Or what are the things that I am valid
on being upset about?
- Yeah.
- So, like, when you do try to, like, make a step forward
in intimacy in any way, like, I need to trust
that it's not because you feel like you have to do it,
but because you want to.
[exhales] - I think--well, I know
that, like, I'm committed to, like,
keep trying to work on things.
- Yeah.
- But I... [clears throat] Started to question
if that was something that, like, you wanted.
- I love that in your heart you really have been committed.
And, like, I have felt that, and I'm happy to hear you say
that, like, you are committed to working on this.
It is a harsh contrast from our conversation,
where it felt like largely what you needed
from me was validation,
and largely what I needed from you was validation, and then--
- Neither of us were really giving the other one that?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
So yeah, I'm grateful and thankful to hear that
that has still been the same.
- Okay. Cool. Good. Me too.
[singer vocalizing]
- ♪ Ain't no way you're gonna move ♪
- ♪ Let time follow you
- It's good to be home.
♪
- Oh, yeah, I do.
What you thinking, huh?
This your new home?
[indistinct]
Yeah.
We have made it back to the apartment.
I've got little Theodore here,
and he is very excited to be in his new home.
All of the babies are doing so great.
And they all love each other, and have settled right on in,
and are just happy to be siblings.
[chuckles]
Oh, I can't handle these babies.
And we are decorating
for our '90s hip-hop housewarming party.
Franklin is there for it; so is Melo.
She's there for it.
We can't wait to have our friends over for all the fun.
Happy kiddos.
[chuckles]
[hip-hop music]
♪
Actually, that looks good hanging.
I think-- - You just--
- Let me confirm. - Sure.
- Yeah, I like it.
- Boom.
- Perfect.
- Do you feel recharged?
- I do feel recharged.
- Yeah. - I really do.
It's been a lot.
And I'm an introvert, so I'm always
grateful for your extrovert tendencies
because you carry us along.
But I think it was just what we needed, personally.
So were you able to recharge a little bit?
- Yeah, I was.
And it was a good opportunity for me to get, like,
back in the swing of work.
I was--I was stealing a page from your book
going to bed, like, at 9:30 and stuff like that.
- It's the right thing to do. [chuckles]
- I missed Chloe a lot.
But I could just tell that there was
a renewed sense of energy in her.
She just seemed so much more at peace
and having Theodore here.
Like, when you're overwhelmed, you're going to feel
discomfort just in general.
And so I want to make sure that, you know,
Chloe feels comfortable, safe, and secure around me.
And I don't want to understate that at all.
♪
Got this good-good right here.
- [laughs]
- Got this good-good.
- Let me help. Let me help.
♪
- These are the two that, like, dedicate to those--
or that donate to the specific causes.
- Thank you for being so sweet.
- I think this is the Youth Symphony one,
and this is, like, for anyone that's experiencing, like,
any type of domestic abuse.
See?
Pizza with a cause.
- Thank you for finding that. - Yeah.
- It was really sweet.
- You just can't tell anyone I'm sweet, all right?
- I won't.
- I mean, you see these chains.
- I mean--
- Sweet men don't wear chains, right?
- They don't.
You're a good man, Michael. - On most days.
- I'm probably not gonna tell you that every day
because I need to get your head out of this apartment.
- You shouldn't, because I will turn evil if you do.
- Just try to get frisky on that bourbon.
- [laughs]
And you better keep your hands to yourself
after that pizza gets you all--
- You know what tequila does.
- Why do you think I got some? - [laughs]
- You think I don't know?
Huh?
- ♪ This is my awakening
♪ And nothing can break me down ♪
♪
- Hello.
- How you feeling?
- Good.
I just semi-showered, and yeah,
had a productive unproductive day.
- Yeah. How's the wound?
Are you--are you in pain still, or no more pain meds?
- No, no.
I haven't taken pain meds.
I actually do need to take some Advil, though.
- Better be extra gentle this week to let you heal.
- I know. I think it's hard,
because I feel like it looks better,
but I have to keep reminding myself
that I'm still recovering.
I told you the doctor said I can't do any physical activity
or anything that raises my blood pressure
for two to three weeks post-surgery.
- Yeah.
In the spirit of helping you rest and recover still,
I'm gonna clean up.
And you just--
- You mean you're not doing it just from, like,
the willingness at the bottom of your heart?
- Oh, of course I am. - Kidding.
I can't wait to watch, 'cause you know I love dishes.
And this has given me a panic all day.
So I'm excited for those to clear.
- Here we go.
[upbeat music]
♪
- Mop twisting--such form.
- There's something about a nice mopped floor
that just smells great.
- Honestly, yeah. And it looks good.
I know you're probably getting there,
but do you mind doing underneath the kitchen table
when you're done?
- ♪ Oh, want you come my way
♪ I love the way you're moving ♪
♪ I love the way you dance
♪ I love those chills
- Thanks for doing that. - Of course.
- [snaps] Did it like that.
- Thank you, thank you.
- I think any sort of experience like this
kind of has, like, two ways it can go.
It's like it either really brings people together,
or can really freak people out and take them apart.
But Brennan made it very clear he was not going anywhere,
which I really think speaks a lot.
And he made it clear that he cares a lot about me.
- It's been so nice, though.
Like, we've had so much support from everyone.
- Mm-hmm.
- With all your friends sending you stuff,
and the experts checking in, it's just been like--
- And yeah, I feel like it was beneficial for us both,
considering what we experienced.
But I feel like it was just a needed time just to chill.
- Yeah.
- And you just being here the whole time--
- Yeah.
- That really does mean a lot.
- If the accident was reversed,
I think you'd be doing the same thing for me,
so it's not even a question.
- That's what I'm saying.
I've appreciated so much that you've been there.
And I really hope you know how much I appreciate it,
appreciate you.
It means a lot.
This has made me trust you fully--
- Yeah.
- Like, from the accident and through this.
- And I feel the same way.
I feel like I can trust you way more now.
Like, I feel like just as much as I've been there for you,
you've been there for me, which is a huge aspect of it for me,
you know?
- ♪ Tell me you believe
♪ I'll show you all the things that we could be ♪
- Who would've thought a tree?
It's what we needed.
- Trees bring people closer together, huh?
- I know.
I know it's pretty dark to joke about it.
But it just made me see kind of everything
differently a little bit.
♪
And it would be great just to keep
the post-trauma happy vibe going.
- Yeah.
- ♪ I only wanna love you
- ♪ Right side in the VIP
♪ 'Cause we the hottest thing around ♪
[dog barking]
- Oh, I think someone's here.
Hey, hey, hey.
- Stop.
- Hey. - Hey.
- Hi.
- Hey, guys. - We made it.
- You did. - How you been?
- What a surprise.
- I know, right? - Hi.
- How are you?
- You must be Lauren.
Nice to meet you.
- Whoa! - One after the other.
- Crazy timing, right?
- I know.
It's just so weird how that works.
- Hi!
- All of my friends and family became
best friends with my husband's friends and family
at the wedding. - So I've heard.
- They've all hung out at this point about a dozen times.
- We had lots of fun. - We did.
[laughter]
- I'm sorry you guys couldn't be there, but--
- Somehow, I don't get that you're sorry for that.
[laughter]
- So how has married life been?
- It has been--I'm--
full transparency: so I'm an introvert.
The older I've gotten, the more introverted I've gotten.
He is a full-blown extrovert. - Yeah.
- [chuckles]
- So it really is a process that you
can never prepare for.
And I never imagined it being as difficult as it is.
I--[sighs]
Have been overwhelmed on so many occasions.
I have sobbed on so many occasions.
And he's like, here's a tissue, and how can I help?
When he starts seeing me sort of shut down,
he swoops in and saves the day.
So I'm like, I can't talk anymore.
And he's like, I can. And so--
[laughter]
Which I know if-- y'all know that man.
But we--so we took a few days apart.
♪
And Michael was wonderful every step of the way.
He just checked in to make sure everything was good.
And I came back recharged.
We got the animals.
Everybody's living their best lives.
- It is more so us recharging so that when we are together
like we are now, we can fully be present,
which we agree is healthy and important.
- Yeah. - I love to hear that.
- You've gotta fill your own cup, right?
- It's amazing. - So you keep pouring.
- Gotta fill your own cup.
- In normal marriage. - In normal--
- Yeah. - Yeah.
[all chuckle] - Yeah.
- That's key for me and Paige. - Yeah.
- And I would say it really helps that we're just
naturally, like, really considerate people--
I mean, especially her.
More--let's be real, more so than her.
I'm not that considerate. - Oh, wow.
- That's our Chloe.
- I thought it was interesting--
Chloe moving home for the week,
how much explaining and justifying
Chloe had to do about it.
'Cause they're also like, it's the puppy dog phase.
Like, you don't really know each other.
You haven't had those conflicts and everything.
They both want everyone to feel okay, which is great.
But at a certain point, like, you know,
their true feelings will come out.
And it's, how will those mesh?
And that'll be the real test.
- So is there anything you guys now are
currently working on or working through?
Because I'm sure every day is different
and brings its own challenges.
- Nothing has presented itself as a challenge at this point.
But I feel like this is a stress test
in a lot of ways, you know?
We are-- - Totally.
- Under pressure.
So when it comes to navigating Michael
not being at his best self,
is there any advice you might throw my way?
- I'd say, for him, just there's no such thing
as overcommunication.
So just if anything's on your mind at all,
don't ever hold back and say,
I don't know if now's the right time.
He just came back. He's tired from the gym.
Because I think he would sense that,
and then maybe he could interpret, like, oh,
is something wrong? - Yeah.
- So just, you know, speaking your mind--
I'm sure you're already doing that, though.
[chuckles] - We're trying.
I've not always been a great communicator.
So I've not been vulnerable in a really long time.
I've had to be independent, self-sufficient,
all of these things, right? - Yeah.
- So this whole raw vulnerability is--
pushed me to my limits in a lot of ways.
I get to that point where it's like, I've taken it,
I've taken it, I've taken it, and now I can't take anymore,
and I don't talk about it.
So I took those few days.
And I think--
I think we're better for it.
- So when Chloe voiced to you that she needed
some time away from you,
did it give you any level of insecurity of maybe
she doesn't want this for herself;
maybe she's not really sure of what she wants for herself?
- Mm-hmm. - Or was that too much?
Am I too much?
Like, did you--did any of those things, kind of--
- Pop in my mind? - Yes.
- Like, I get it.
Some people may say, well, that's weird.
You guys just got married.
You explored all these topics.
And she's gonna spend the next couple of days away from you.
- Thinking about it. - Like--
- Have you checked in with your husband?
- How can you not feel weird about that?
And my whole thing was that I trust, you know,
what we feel we need to do
to put our best foot forward in this relationship.
- You seem and sound very supportive.
- Mm-hmm.
- But what are some of the areas
that you feel like you already find some disagreement?
- You know, right now, we haven't encountered
an area where-- - What?
- Yeah.
But I think Chloe is so selfless
and is--always puts other people first,
and is always extremely mindful of how everyone around her
is feeling, which is extremely admirable.
But I don't want her to overextend herself
in those moments.
And I think the new variable is now we're also trying
to foster a relationship.
And it's about creating the best environment
for love to grow, and then leaning into that.
And I feel very confident about the level of effort
that we're both exerting for that.
- He's really, really good at de-escalating any situation.
He's one of the best I've ever met at that.
But I think he almost leans into that, like,
as his default setting.
And it's like, no, no, no. What do you really feel?
Like, it's okay. It doesn't have to be pretty.
It doesn't have to be well said.
What are you really feeling?
And you just kind of have to, like, don't let him only
show what he wants you to see.
Don't let him get away with not giving you that,
'cause it is really important.
- I think that's really helpful.
- Yeah, you've got to demand it.
- Okay, because I get that sense about Michael.
He just wants everyone to be comfortable.
- Mm-hmm.
- Unfortunately, Michael and I are both
people-pleasers to the max.
And I didn't know that about Michael until tonight.
But the strongest marriages have healthy conflict.
And Michael being a de-escalator is
great in the short-term.
It is not healthy in the long-term.
So the more he feels the need to de-escalate,
the less we're going to have the healthy conflict needed
to have a healthy marriage.
And so Michael and I have to be more authentic
than we have ever been before
if we are ever going to be happy.
I appreciate hearing you say that, 'cause I am going
to dig in a little bit deeper.
- Yeah, don't let them get away with that [bleep].
- I'm not gonna let him get away with it.
♪
[melancholy music]
♪
- Hello. - Hello.
Hi, honey. - Hi, Mom.
- How are you? - Good. How are you?
- Good.
♪
- What's up?
- Hey, buddy.
♪
You all right? - Yeah.
- Good. - How are you doing?
- All right. - Good.
- How are you doing?
- Okay. How are you?
- I mean, a lot has happened.
Like, I feel like I've just been
on an emotional--like, an emotional roller coaster,
like, every single day.
- You look great for someone who's been
in and out of the hospital last two, three weeks.
- Yeah, so it's a bit of a weird situation
because people our age can, like, develop
a thing called atrial fibrillation.
- Yep.
- But there's a rarer version called atrial flutter.
So that's what I have been experiencing.
And it's like part of your heart
is beating three to four times for every single beat.
- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
- So it literally feels like you're suffocating,
but in your heart. So--
- Okay.
- It's like the chances of me mountain biking
this year are zero, basically. - Wow.
- Yeah, just a life adjustment is the--
- For the time being?
- Yeah. - Damn, man.
That sucks. I'm sorry, man.
- Yeah, but you know, I'm not dead yet, so...
- How's--how's Clare been through all this?
Like, has she been supportive? - Yeah.
I mean, I think she's been good.
There's not really much to support.
- Yeah.
- You know, it's either I'm--
I'm doing nothing or I'm in hospital.
It's not like I have a wound that needs ongoing upkeep.
♪
- It's just hard because, you know me.
Like, I want to be there for people that are struggling
or that need help, and he doesn't necessarily
want that right now from me.
- You know, when I had cancer-- - Mm-hmm.
- You tend to isolate, you know?
It's like people in your life want
to be there for you, but it's--
I can understand his wanting to just--
- Yeah. - You know,
like a habit.
- Right, it's just hard to know what to do.
- For Clare, it's weird.
It's different, right?
Because like, she's been off doing
all these things without me.
And she spent a lot of time talking about me and her,
like with you and Emily and everybody.
So she's growing and maturing in her feelings, right?
And so every time we touch base,
she wants to see, oh, how I've changed
and how I've matured with my feelings towards her.
But like, it's not something that has been maturing
or progressing for me. - Yeah.
- I think that's hard for her, you know?
And I can totally see why.
- Yeah, of course.
Do you think she's trying to, like, get you back
or try to reconcile things,
or, you know, get the marriage back?
- I don't know.
She's coming at things from the angle of,
well, there wasn't like--
there wasn't maybe the attraction.
And that was something that I think
we struggled with, like, early on.
And...
♪
- Yeah, take your time. Take your time.
- It's just I can't talk for long periods of time.
- Take a sec.
♪
- Just give me, like, a minute.
- Take your time, bud.
♪
- From my perspective, I couldn't make it work.
And I was feeling quite a lot of emotional stress.
Maybe it's the reason I'm struggling
to breathe right now.
I kind of had just this crumbling sand castle
that I couldn't put back together.
And trying to put it back together
was just causing me more pain.
- Yeah.
- From my perspective, I think the hard thing
for Clare and I is--
I've said this to her.
I'm like, you keep saying how sad you are
and how emotional this whole thing makes you.
And that confuses me.
I'll say, hey, like, I'm moving out, because,
you know, it's something that we've talked about.
And then she'll get emotional.
And then it will be like I'm--
I'll get confused if she's emotional
because she doesn't want me to leave,
or if she's just being emotional
because it's a big moment.
And I think Decision Day is going to be, like--
I think it's going to be an emotional moment for her.
So I don't know how that whole thing is going to go down.
♪
- There's been sad moments.
And there's been really hard moments.
But looking back, it's like,
I've met this amazing human being.
He's so kind, unbelievably smart.
I respect him so much.
The way he challenges me, it causes me to think
all the time, which I love, you know?
Or he can call me out
on my [bleep] sometimes. - Oh, yeah.
- I want somebody who can do that.
- I really liked him at the wedding.
I felt very hopeful. I know you did too.
You liked him. - Mm-hmm.
Oh, I love him as a person.
He is the greatest.
That has not changed at all through this process.
It's just the fact that we were not--
I don't believe that "husband and wife" is
the correct title for our relationship.
- Right.
- And it just makes me sad because, you know,
he is such a beautiful person.
♪
- I just need to make sure that I really understand
what she's trying to say.
Because--because if she says that she wants
to stay together, I'm going to stay together
with her on Decision Day.
Like, I'm not I'm not going to, like, leave her out to dry.
We're doing this together.
- Right.
I think making sure that she feels comfortable enough
to express herself of what she's feeling in that moment
so that there's no confusion-- that will, I think,
help the whole situation.
- Yeah, I agree.
- ♪ The only missing piece of me is you ♪
- ♪ Yeah
- ♪ There have been others who've come here before ♪
♪ So many, too many to ignore ♪
- So this is my other home right here.
- Holy smokes.
- And this is my guy, Kenny.
This is his gym. - Hey, Kenny.
- Kenny, this is my wife, Chloe.
- Hey, Chloe. Nice to meet you.
- It's nice to meet you. - Good to see you finally.
- Thank you for having us. Holy cow.
- Nice seeing you again, sir. - Good to see you.
- Yeah, man.
- I wasn't scared until I got down here.
- Yeah. Well, let's go head over there.
- I feel like I need to put my hair up.
- Yeah, we'll wrap you up. - [laughs]
- ♪ Here we go, here we go
♪
- So we'll start with the feet first.
So what you're going to want to do--
imagine your toe-- if we had a clock,
point your toe at 1:00.
And then your back foot will be at 3:00.
So what I want you to get used to
is everything being in the hips.
- Okay.
- So any time this arm is firing,
something's going to happen with this hip here.
- Okay.
- When this arm is firing, something's going
to happen with this hip here. - Got it.
- So the most basic punch is the jab.
- Okay. - Okay?
I want boom, okay?
Just imagine that-- imagine that pulling, boom.
- Okay. - Okay? Boom.
Now we're going to do the first power punch, which is the two.
This is the one. The jab is the one.
- That's the one-two. - This is the two, yep.
- Got it.
- One, two, boom. There you go.
I'm really enjoying seeing Chloe participate in boxing.
You know, number one, she's doing a great job.
So proper form, seeing her engage in my sport,
it definitely, you know,
heightens my attraction to her.
- ♪ I'm feeling so alive
♪ Think I feel reborn
- There you go.
♪
- ♪ Well, it's the rebirth
♪ Well, it's the rebirth
♪ Everything is coming strong ♪
- There you go.
- Major turn-on watching my husband be
so sexy out in that ring.
- ♪ We gon' bring it on
♪
- Jesus.
- [grunting]
- I knew he was athletic and strong and boxer,
but I didn't know what I was gonna see,
and, holy cow, it's great.
Jesus, Lord.
You made my heart race.
- He looks good, doesn't he? - Really good.
- [chuckles]
- You're very powerful.
You got some strong-ass arms.
[chuckles] - It's right here.
It's all-- - It's all--
- It's all in the hips. You know what this.
- Oh, he's gyrating again. Somebody help.
- You know what this is. It's all in the hips.
But I'm glad you participated in this with me.
I know it could be--
I know it could be intimidating coming into a spot like this.
- This is not my average kickboxing class,
let me tell you. - Sure.
- No, I think it's pretty special, actually.
It's got to provide a lot more respect for yourself
as well, 'cause look at what your body is capable of doing.
- I feel like it just helps bring a sense of--
a sense of balance in my life.
Like, obviously the physical exertion is one element.
And I think there's just a ton of positives
from a mental, emotional, and psyche standpoint, so...
- Thank you for showing me this part of your world.
So I--it's funny, because after our housewarming party,
I completely forgot to talk to you
about something that really resonated with me
that Paige and Evrim shared. - Sure.
- So I thought this would be a good place,
now that we're both feeling in our power.
[laughs]
They said you were a bit of a people-pleaser.
- Mm.
- Yeah, which I thought was kind of interesting,
'cause you know that I'm a recovering people-pleaser.
- Yeah. - And they said that
you would never, ever, ever admit to it.
But I need to dig in a little harder
whenever you are feeling a sort of way.
- Sure.
- So I just kind of wanted to talk through
what you need from me.
The past couple of weeks, you've had to be the rock
on more than one occasion. - Mm-hmm.
- More than five occasions. - [chuckles]
- And that's not fair to you.
So me trying to be a better communicator,
trying to be a better partner-- - Mm-hmm.
- I want you to be, like, "You gotta chill, wife."
Chill out.
- I would--even though they said that I would deny it,
I won't fully deny it.
I do have elements of that.
I think I don't realize it when it's happening.
I mean, honestly, up to this point,
I haven't felt like any of that slack that I've had to pick up
was beyond my capacity.
- Yeah.
- But to your point, if I do start to feel that way,
I'll try to be mindful of communicating that with you
so that we could step back and kind of
figure out what we need to do.
Or maybe we just need to step back, right?
Take a moment, pause, kind of just
get our mentals aligned, and that's it.
- Oh, yeah, 'cause I think
we could run a risk of being so hyper-focused
on trying to make each other happy
that we're not actually focused on our needs.
And that can be-- that can be scary.
- I agree with that.
- ♪ Oh, you are my, you are my life ♪
[upbeat music]
♪
- Brennan, you ready?
- Yeah, let's do this.
Hi, guys. - Hello.
- Hey. - Hi.
- Hello.
- Well, hi.
We've been worried about you.
And, Emily, I have to say,
oh, some of the pictures I saw of your wounds
were just so frightening.
How are you doing?
- I'm doing a lot better.
I guess I'm a fast healer.
I think between sleep, eating a lot--
a lot of people sent me, like, a nice amount of food--
I'm on the road to recovery, yeah.
- That's great news.
- Yeah, because you look incredible.
But how are you--how are you doing on the inside?
Are you okay? How are you dealing with it?
Are you still in shock? Or--
- I don't know if I was ever in shock.
I just feel like, obviously, it was traumatic.
But I'm just so thankful that I'm alive.
- [laughs] - Yeah.
Honestly, I feel like it just
kind of put things into perspective.
It was a good week for us just to, like,
spend time with each other.
Because like, life's too short.
- I'm very impressed at the way that you're
handling this, Emily.
Like, when I saw the photos, I was like, oh, my gosh!
Like, how did this girl just, like,
have a smile on her face?
Like, how is she still participating in anything?
I think it really just speaks to your character.
And I want to hear a little bit more
from you, too, Brennan, of what this was like for you.
Because of course, this was
a traumatic experience for you, Emily.
But also, like, the vicarious trauma
of watching this happen to your wife, I can't imagine.
- Yeah.
No, it was definitely a lot, you know,
seeing someone you care about, you know,
with her head cut open.
And I kind of just went into fight-or-flight mode
to just help her the best way I could, you know,
until the paramedics could get there.
- It was scary there for a sec.
I was like, I really didn't know if I was going to live.
I'd never experienced that much blood in my life.
I was like, am I going to be okay?
And he's like, "You're going to be fine.
Just trust me,"
as blood's, like, squirting all over us.
I don't know. I'm just, like--
was so happy he was there.
And he doesn't even do well with blood, but, like,
he really pulled it together.
- It sounds like the two of you have seen
some new things in each other.
What do you think you've learned about each other,
and maybe yourself, from this very scary,
difficult experience?
- It really did bring us closer together in a new way.
Because before, you know, we were talking
about being friends and everything,
but those are just words.
You know, actions speak louder than words.
So to actually be there for one another--
'cause she's been there for me, you know,
as much as I've been there for her.
So I think just us supporting each other
and, you know, being there for one another has just
really grown our relationship.
- You know, it--
when we put couples together,
we hope that they'll just have all this passion
and all this attraction,
and just, you know, fall all over each other.
But one thing that we also hope is that
people really see the value
in forming great relationships,
and learn, you know, what you need in a relationship
and how to care for one another.
And I think you guys have seen that.
This is something that's going to bond you guys
for a very long time.
- It just made me think about, you know, we were talking
about trust and intimacy.
Wow, how much trust must you have had in Brennan
in those moments, right?
And he's seen you at probably the most vulnerable
that you've been with someone that you've known
for such a short amount of time.
And it makes me think about just, like,
that "through thick and thin."
It speaks to how-- it sounds like, you know,
Brennan, no matter how much traumatic it was for you,
how much you didn't like blood,
you sprung into action.
And you knew that you needed to be there for her.
And I think that that's just really beautiful.
And I hope that this is something that
you all can continue to-- to grow and foster.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
And, like, I can't express enough--
Like, I might start--
I cried yesterday saying this too.
But like, you've just been so amazing.
And it just has meant so much to me
that he's been here for me.
And, like, it just kind of felt like we were
back to when everything was,
like, really good between us.
So I think it just really shook us both a little bit.
And I'm hoping we can keep this moving forward.
- Absolutely.
- This accident really changed our relationship.
As the days and the week goes on,
I'm definitely realizing and seeing that
he really does care about me.
So while I am a little sad that it took me
to hit a tree for us to have this bonding experience,
I'm happy that we did
because I think it came at a good time.
And I think it's really helping me, like,
see things clearly as Decision Day gets closer.
- We're really proud of you guys.
And we're just so happy that you are still
coming through this, you know,
looking at the value in each other,
and seeing the courage that you found in yourselves.
You guys are doing great, you know, in our estimation.
- ♪ I know it'll be all right ♪
♪ I know it'll be all right
♪ All right
- Yo, welcome. - Hi.
How's it going?
- We're good.
- Next time on "Married at First Sight"...
- I'm looking for [bleep].
I'm looking for another vibrator.
- I am more than happy to partake in freaky activity.
So any of these things that she wants to play around with,
I'm all for it.
This doesn't do it for you? - Oh, my God.
- Cheers to making it to this point.
- I can't just live a life that isn't real.
Like, I can't keep pretending.
- One of my deal breakers was positive--positive person.
- What do you [bleep] mean?
There is no negativity.
- I'm just trying to be honest.
- [sobbing]
[dramatic music]
- Austin left the apartment.
♪
I'm hurt and upset because I really did
want to make this work.
- I've heard through the grapevine that
he wanted to go on a double date with Cameron,
and that he is going on dates.
- [sobbing]
♪