ARYANNA: Previously on Love In Paradise...
Frankie wanted to marry Abby,
and he wanted to bring Abby back to the United States.
SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
This is my first time being in an environment like this with Carlos.
And I feel like he is trying to stifle me, or stop me.
I think I'm going to get married,
I just wanna make sure that this is the right move.
I consult with my spiritual mentor, Baba,
before I make any major life decisions.
The thing that it does recommend is that you keep away from peanuts.
Peanuts? Yeah. OK.
Have you been seeing other people? I have.
I am the mother of your kid now.
You owe me that respect to try
and give him two parents that love each other.
I am tied to you for life.
UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
You ready?
This is my fifth day in the Dominican Republic
with my fiancé Yohan.
And things have been very challenging so far.
Is this yours? No.
We're supposed to get married in four days
and last night I found out he hadn't told his best friends.
That makes me feel like I'm not an important person in his life.
So, I was already angry when I woke up this morning,
but now I'm livid.
I really could kill you.
Because Yohan ate $200 worth of peanuts.
I don't really know how that's possible.
I didn't know they could even fit $200 worth of peanuts in a mini bar.
We're leaving the hotel today
and we're going to spend a few days with Yohan's family.
When I went to checkout of the hotel,
they handed me a $200 charge for the mini bar.
Because Yohan couldn't stop eating the peanuts.
SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
He doesn't have $200 to pay, I have to pay for the peanuts.
"I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
"I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
"Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
We're in the car for five minutes
and Yohan starts eating the last of the hotel peanuts.
Before I left New York I met with my mentor Baba
and he gave me a list of things to do, and things I shouldn't do
in order to make sure that my marriage was successful.
One of the things he told me not to do was eat peanuts.
No.
As if it's not enough that we have to deal with trust issues, finances,
fertility issues, we also have to deal with $200 peanuts
and witches who eat babies.
It's times like this when I think,
what the hell am I doing with this man?
UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
CARLOS: Phew! It's really not that hot.
A few days ago, I introduced my friends to Valentine
and he learned that I was insecure about my sexuality for a long time.
But I know Valentine doesn't want to feel like he has to hide
who he is to be with me.
I'm so happy today.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, like, honestly.
I'm trying to come out of my shell for him,
but Barranquilla is a conservative city,
and homosexuality is not accepted completely.
So, today, we are going to Santa Marta,
this is a city on the Caribbean.
I mean, you will see that's a real paradise,
I love it, I'm actually, I used to live there for a while.
I picked Santa Marta because this is a progressive city
and they welcome all kind of people,
which is the opposite from the small fishing village that I grew up with.
Yeah.
There was no better education than that.
This is in Santa Marta? That was in Santa Marta.
Wow! Did you come from Santa Marta to Barranquilla
or you went someplace else first? I go to Santa Marta first.
No, no. Yes, you went to Santa Marta.
Uh-huh. When you left Santa Marta,
did you come back to Barranquilla or did you go someplace else?
I didn't come back to Barranquilla because I didn't live here before.
Oh, OK. Remember?
Maybe.
It seems like you don't know anything about me.
Oh, Lord, here we go, the sky is falling again.
I say one thing, Carlos doesn't like...
Sometimes you wanna get your point across without feeling like,
you have to police every word that comes out, it gets so frustrating.
Like, disconnect your phone, let me connect my Bluetooth.
Carlos.
Can you play a song for me?
Stop doing that, please, please that's irritating.
I don't wanna talk at all.
I didn't wanna hear, I didn't wanna hear a whistle either.
I didn't want to hear the loud whistle, it was irritating me.
Don't talk then, don't look at me then.
I wish I could, but you are right next to me.
Well, in less than 20 minutes, 30 minutes you can get out.
No, you can get out. I am gonna get out.
Carlos and I have been together for five days, non-stop
and I'm starting to feel suffocated.
We both have alpha type personalities.
And we definitely like to get our own way
and can be pretty stubborn at times.
Oh, my God, look at this place.
I experienced some of that over the phone before this trip,
but I thought things would be easier in person.
I'm gonna take a shower, real pressure in the water.
Those are the little things in America that we take for granted,
that when you go... when I come outside of America,
I miss, and I notice.
It doesn't make any sense.
I'm making comparisons and I may prefer certain things,
but it's not an insult or anything about your place.
Or anything about your culture or your country.
You know this is like tense. The conversation we're having.
I might be a little tense, but it's real.
I know, but it's not what you're saying, it's the way you're saying.
I don't want every time I say something to offend you.
I know you feel sensitive, but...
I don't because... I don't.
I guess I'm feeling like I'm losing my independence.
I don't wanna have to feel like I've to be prepared to defend myself
or explain myself every five seconds.
Just the way you talk, it's like condescending it's... Stop it.
I am a grown ass man,
I did pretty well for myself in this life, yo, fall back.
I can't believe that we could handle a relationship
better over the phone than in person.
I understand it's not easy to share this space with somebody else.
But sometimes I feel like you are in a position
that you think that everybody is attacking you,
and is not like that, Valentine.
I know that. I just need to be able to go through my process.
So, if I say, "Leave me alone," leave me alone.
You know, the attitude, the tone you use, you are not listening.
I'm getting frustrated, mad, and getting disappointed.
I planned this trip, so we can know each other better.
And this thing happening right now,
all this fight, all this drama, is a wakeup call to me.
We are trying to build a relationship,
he is acting like
he doesn't want to, you know, figure things out.
Leave me alone.
2 00:13:49.400 -- 00:13:51.560 align:start line:90% position:30% UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
Come here, papi chulo. Oh, my God, you want to sleep baby chulo.
Sleepy, sleepy boy.
I've been in Jamaica for a few days now,
and things between Sherlon and I have not been going well at all.
The other day he admitted to sleeping with other women.
Papi chulo. What's up with you, papi chulo?
I made it clear that I was not OK with that,
and he said that he would make more of an effort to work harder
on our relationship for the rest of this trip.
It fell in the sand, and I didn't have time to clean it off.
Then, just this morning, his phone's blowing up
and I see him getting photos from another girl.
And I'm just like, seriously dude?
What?
OK, Shinika baby on your phone and then... No, no, no, no, no.
And then getting a whole bunch of photos. Nah, nah.
You've been playing the fuck out of me that's for sure.
Oh, you saw one fucking photo in my phone. I get that...
And then your phone was fucking buzzing going off all night long.
Hey, hey, listen. Hello, thank you.
I thought that we were, you know, together
and in a relationship still.
He never told me I wasn't his girlfriend or anything like that.
At one time I was his girlfriend and he never told me I wasn't.
So, I came down here, you know, thinking, you know, yes,
this was a relationship that needed work,
but I didn't think it was an open relationship.
And so it's just like, again, I'm here looking like a fool.
That's what you saw. Got it.
But who's Shanika baby? That's...
I admitted to Aryanna that I have friends with benefits,
but I'm not committed to any of them.
I know she doesn't get it, but...
Every relationship I've been in, right,
I've never had to, like, commit to somebody like, say,
"Oh, yes, you're the only one," never in my life, never in my life.
So, like, I haven't seen you in a fucking year,
a whole year I haven't seen you.
In the past, we used to jump on each other, right,
but you notice there's a difference, yes?
You're like, now you're hooking up with girls that like aren't,
compared to me and I come down here
and you act like you aren't attracted to me.
What is it that lost like attraction or spark there was between us?
I don't know, honestly.
Before I leave this trip we have to be on the same page,
it's either we're exclusive and only seeing each other.
Or, you know, we're not together, and this co-parenting situation
is gonna look completely different.
I need you to be honest with me about, you know, your intentions
or else, like, it's literally just a waste of our time. I agree.
If you don't wanna be with me, I don't wanna keep waiting on you.
Like, I'm gonna... It's like, I don't wanna have to move on,
but like, I will because I deserve, like, somebody to be there for me,
and to be there for Odin.
I said, all we got to do is work on this relationship, brah, right?
Working on this relationship means like,
you really have to be more considerate of my feelings.
I want you to like, treat me the way you treated me when we first met.
You know, I wanna, like, have time like, with just me and you,
whether it's like going out on a date, or like...
Yes, but we have a baby to take care of at night,
so when your mum gets here then we gonna have time by ourselves.
My mum is coming to Jamaica to watch Odin
so Sherlon and I can have more alone time to work on our relationship.
But that's not for another few days.
I need things to start changing before that.
The issue from the jump is that
actions are not lining up with the words.
And like, that's what I'm just waiting on.
I understand where Aryanna's coming from,
and I also do want the relationship to work.
But I'm not sure if I am wired that way.
But at the end of the day,
I know Aryanna and Odin needs more stability from me
as a dad and as a partner, so I have to try my best to make changes
and, you know, make them fast.
OK.
UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
I don't understand what you're saying?
Right. Thank you. You understand, right?
Right.
Right now, I'm really annoyed, I'm really frustrated,
Yohan and I are bickering about money,
and the differences between our faiths.
This is not what our relationship should be like
when we're getting married in just four days.
SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
I'm trying to let things go because we're on our way to see his family.
As we arrive in Yohan's home town,
I am reminded that
the Dominican Republic is an island paradise for tourists.
But it's not necessarily a paradise for the people who live here.
CHILDREN SCREAMING
The first time I went to Yohan's house,
I expected that he lived in poverty.
But I didn't expect his home to be as bare bones as it is.
There's two bathrooms, but neither of them have running water.
I'm disappointed that even though we live in the modern world,
there are still people who live in these conditions.
WOMAN: Hola.
Hi. Hi, how are you?
Hi. Hi.
I'm sure that most of Yohan's family has never stayed in a hotel.
I'm sure they see me as this rich American lady
who's wining and dining him.
It makes me nervous that they'll have
these unrealistic expectations of me.
I've lived in New York my entire life
and the energy is super-fast paced.
It's a constant grind and I'm so done with that.
I wanna get old with the person I love
and do yoga on the beach, and live my life.
Si.
I definitely worry that Yohan could be with me for the wrong reasons,
especially when I hear how much pressure Yohan's family
is putting on him to move to the United States,
because they know that that's how he's going to help them the most.
OK.
I have compassion for Yohan and his family,
I understand that they want possible to help make their life better.
But I'm not gonna support Yohan coming to New York, making money,
sending all of his money back home
and then I'm left figuring out
how to support the two of us. That's not gonna happen.
Gracias.
I love Yohan with all of my being,
but I wonder sometimes, if I wasn't American,
if he would still want this marriage so deeply and so quickly.
2 00:26:41.400 -- 00:26:44.600 align:middle line:90% position:50% All right, is everyone ready? Yeah. Let's go. Let's go.
Frankie cancelled the trip to Mexico,
but his friends, Rodney and Selena, still came.
But I didn't expect that Rodney tell all my secrets to Gaby.
She don't have no idea that I been planning to marry with Frankie
and move to the US.
Now, Gaby knows that I was lying to her, and she get mad, very mad.
It was so wonderful to see you.
But right now we need to say goodbye.
I was planning to bring Gaby to the U.S.
after getting married with Frankie,
so the three of us, we can be happy together.
But I don't have the opportunity yet to tell her all the plan.
Have a good night.
I don't know what is gonna happen.
I'm afraid I'm gonna lose Gaby forever.
I knew that Gaby's upset on the boat.
But I hope that she let me explain
that I still love her and I never want to leave her.
I made a huge mistake keeping the truth from Gaby,
and I don't know if I can fix it.
2 00:30:56.720 -- 00:30:58.800 align:start line:90% position:30% UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
CARLOS: Valentine and I, we have been together for almost a week
and the reality is setting in.
The fact that we are not having the relationship over the phone,
but in person, that is actually challenging for us,
it makes the situation more tense
and tonight we hit our breaking point.
Hey, babe.
How you doing? You OK?
My heart is actually breaking for this situation.
We used to fight all the time over the phone.
But I thought that we will meet in person,
these things, you know, could be a little bit easier.
I don't like to be, like, in a constant fight with him.
I think that if this continue like this,
I don't think we're gonna make it that far.
You wanna talk about what happened or...
I was actually really...
..surprised in a bad way,
because I never see you acting like that.
I felt like you are not giving me my space when I asked you for it.
You were outright trying to control my action.
So, I felt like now it was time for me to take back my power,
because I felt like you was having too much.
And if my emotions get involved and I'm really that angry
and I'm feeling like I'm not being respected, I'm gonna escalate.
When Carlos does come at me in those very over critical
and controlling ways,
it brings back the emotions that I felt as a child.
I grew up feeling powerless.
I had to put up with my stepfather, he couldn't stand me.
He was always giving me a hard time.
He took many opportunities to degrade me
and make me feel less than...
And he always demanded respect,
but I never received the same level of respect
in any way, shape or form.
As an adult it just translated to,
I will act out to get you away from me.
I never will be in a position where you can control me.
I know you needed the space,
but right now we are face to face, we are not over the phone.
I'm including you in my life as I never did before with anybody else.
But maybe you are acting like this because you don't feel good with me.
And that part of me, understanding why you were feeling because...
Valentine and I we're too similar in many ways.
And it's like if we were in a jungle
and there are two lions fighting for who is the real king.
My intention was never control you.
But I want you to check out what you're doing,
and also work on it 'cos I'm doing it.
I'm doing it because I love you,
I'm doing it because I want this to work out.
And I apologise for my behaviour and the things
that I may have said to hurt your feelings,
but no matter how angry I get at somebody about something,
it comes down to, do I love this person, do I really love them?
Right now, we not getting along
but you're the utmost important things in my life right now.
I love you, you know I love you. I love you, baby.
I know. I love you.
Did I tell you that you look beautiful in red?
Crazy. Thank you, I appreciate it.
After speaking over video chats
these lengthy conversations, hours and hours,
I really did not expect things to be so hard in person with Carlos.
Before I came to Colombia, my plan was to propose to Carlos,
but we are bumping heads and we have a lot to figure out.
OK, my ass is hurting on these rocks, can we get up?
Yeah. All right.
So, I can't propose until I'm sure this relationship
between him and I really has a future.
2 00:35:58.320 -- 00:36:00.600 align:start line:90% position:30% UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
ARYANNA: Odin and I have been in Jamaica for a week now.
It's been a few days since Sherlon admitted sleeping with other women
while I've been in the U.S.
Hey, whoop, whoop.
It's been heavy on my mind, but I've been hesitant to bring it up again,
because I do not want us fighting in front of Odin.
So, I got the diapies that you wanted.
Yay, look at that O.
How is my boy doing, though?
He seems like, he, like, his stomach hurts or something.
He seems a little off.
Instead of us, like, driving to go get my mum,
I'm just gonna have, like, the taxi pick her up,
because I just don't wanna have him in the car that long today.
I think that's a good idea 'cos I know how he gets.
My mum arrives in Jamaica today and that's a huge relief.
Because I'm looking forward to her watching Odin
so Sherlon and I can have some alone time.
So, I can kind of hang with her for a little bit.
Since your mum is also here... Yeah. I go catch up with her as well.
Right, yeah, definitely.
My mum is also in town today to meet Aryanna and Odin
and Miss Karen for the first time in person.
And given how things has been going between me and Aryanna lately,
it should be interesting.
I'm gonna meet you at the restaurant with my mum. All right?
All right. Bye.
He's crazy.
I finally made it to Jamaica.
I'm here and I can't wait to see everybody.
Hello. I have not heard from Aryanna much at all.
So, I'm really anxious to talk with her
and see whether or not they've had any very serious discussions yet.
If not, then I just may have to start helping those occur.
Ary? We're in here.
Hi, there, little guy. Look who it is.
God, I missed you.
Are you having fun with your daddy? Are you?
Last year, my mum actually came out of retirement to help care for Odin.
I think she realised that if Sherlon didn't step up
a lot of his role would fall on her, and it has.
I'm happy you finally made it,
so that we can have some support and help with Odi.
Having her here,
on one hand is really nice to have her help with Odin,
but on the other hand, it can be kind of stressful
because her patience with Sherlon is already wearing thin.
So, when I fill her in on what's happened,
she is not gonna be happy.
Mum, is he sleeping? Yeah, he is.
I missed the little guy. I know.
So, how's your week been going?
I don't know. Like, it's just...
He did end up giving me those paternity papers that he never sent.
So, what was his reasoning as to why he didn't send them?
He just claims that, like, he works so much and so many long hours
and finding the FedEx would just be like, really hard
and inconvenient, is essentially what he said.
And when someone really cares about you,
nothing is too inconvenient.
We'll know.
The other thing is too, you know, he basically said,
he's been seeing some other women in the past year.
He's been seeing a couple other women?
He's like, I guess had sex with like, a couple other women, like...
You're kidding?
And you're just finding out about this now?
Yeah. That's a big deal, Aryanna.
Odin was born ten weeks early,
and it was a lot of medical issues going up and down that whole time.
He was in the hospital for two months.
It's just frustrating that Sherlon's sitting there living his life,
living in his normal
and not even thinking about what Aryanna and Odin are going through.
Have you been talking to him about this?
This is something very serious and important.
I'm trying to kind of hold back on the conflicts
where I haven't been pressing him too hard on it.
But, Ary, that's the problem with you.
You can't be holding back on the conflict.
For the past year, Aryanna has really put Odin first.
But I believe she deserves a partner
that's going to love her and be someone she can rely on.
And I definitely hope that it's somebody else that,
that she can really share her life with.
You have to decide, Aryanna, this is your life.
Is this what you want for yourself? Is this what you want for Odin?
Do you think you deserve that kind of life?
Because guess what, as your mum, I don't think you deserve it.
Right.
When I got pregnant, my self-esteem was so low
because I just gained so much weight.
So, I let Sherlon get away with a lot of things that I shouldn't have.
And my mum is right. I cannot let that continue to happen.
Tonight, I really want you to be open
and I really want you to let him know
how you truly feel about things.
You need to get some answers and you need to stand up for yourself.
Tonight we're having dinner with Sherlon's mum,
and I really hope she will take my side on things.
I plan on telling her everything,
because if I can't convince him to be the man that I need him to be,
maybe his mum can.
You deserve better.
AMBER: Next time on Love In Paradise...
Did you ever think you would fall for somebody that was polyamorous?
I know we talked about bringing a third person in. I'm ready now.
I need for you to feel confident
that we could handle something like that. Erm...
Aryanna, say how you truly feel.
I wouldn't have got into this situation with you
if I had any doubts about what kind of person you were.
You misled me in a lot of ways.
This conversation is making my head hurt.
The plan was that Frankie can get married to me in United States
and after that bring Gaby with me.
I'm not sure if Abby was trying to mislead Frankie.
I felt like it was some secrets there.
He never mentioned to me about bringing Gaby back.
Give me a break, give me a break! Please give me a break!