- ♪♪ MTV ♪♪
- Previously on "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter"...
- I'm proud of you for never giving up, never losing hope.
And I'm excited for what your future has in store.
Ali having a rare form of muscular dystrophy,
it's something that we just take as it comes.
We don't know what to expect
as far as her muscle strength over time
and how it will or could impact her.
- Did you sign up for the EMT class?
- About that...no, I didn't. - Why?
- I'm just hesitant on pulling the trigger.
- Do you think you have to get over, like,
this isn't what you want to do, but
not everyone gets to do what they want to do.
- It's just an annoying conversation.
- Anything I say to him, he feels like
I'm talking to him like I'm his mom.
- You have to put your feelings aside.
And you know, we kind of live by the motto,
put the kids first.
- The 3rd is when I do my final fitting for my gown,
like, a couple of days before the wedding.
- Well, that's the day I go back to court.
For a probation violation, they would probably
want me to do 30 days in jail.
Guess what, princey?
Mommy's coming to the wedding.
- I'm so glad.
I was like, ugh.
- You're on drugs?
- It's a narcotic. It's methadone.
I found a place that it's a--
a woman's center.
- If you don't complete this,
I don't want you around the kids.
- What have you told them?
- I didn't lie to them.
I told them that she's at the doctors
and she's just trying to figure it out.
- I don't--I want my life to be stress free.
I'm gonna tell her, you bring me no peace, just chaos.
- They play a big role in my kids' life,
both my mom and my sister.
We have, like, this toxic triangle going on,
and it has to stop.
[upbeat rock music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- ♪♪ It's just a phase ♪♪
♪♪ I'm repeating every way ♪♪
♪♪ Every single thing's the same ♪♪
♪♪ In my mind ♪♪
- Where are the girls? It's so quiet.
- The girls are with my sister.
She called me, and she starts ranting about mom
because I was like, she's coming home.
- OK.
- I don't ever want to be in the middle
between my sister and my mom.
- I agree.
So when is Roxy coming home?
- She's coming home tomorrow.
- Oh, [bleep].
That was a lot faster than I anticipated.
- But she's been there for a month and a half.
- So she completed it then since they
are the ones that gave you--
- Yeah, she completed the program.
- Are you scared for her to come home, though?
- In a sense, I am scared 'cause, like, I don't know
what's gonna happen. - Yeah.
- The place didn't call me like, "OK, like, she's leaving.
These are the steps that you guys should take."
I'm just, like, clueless on how to handle it.
Like, my mind goes crazy sometimes.
My understanding is, like, she suffered
bad being on heroin,
bad, teenager,
like, Nova's age on heroin.
- Wow. - Addicted to heroin.
And I'm scared that OK, she said [bleep] methadone.
What if she tries something else?
Who knows?
She may want to get back on opioids.
Like, I don't know.
- And she doesn't have-- - And she lives alone.
- Yeah. She doesn't have someone supervising her.
- Before my mom left, you know, we set up boundaries
like, you're not going to see the kids if you're not
going to take this serious.
So I need to see her with my own eyes
before I make any decisions,
even though I know the kids have missed her.
I think I'll have a harder time with, like,
keeping the kids away because the kids love my mother.
And what do I look like keeping the kids away from my mom?
- ♪♪ Lookie over here, over here ♪♪
♪♪ Now you're there ♪♪
♪♪ Now you made the people stop ♪♪
♪♪ Watch 'em stare ♪♪
- We're running late to get to your
physical therapy appointment.
Have you been doing your exercises?
- Mm-hmm. - Good.
You got to keep up with that.
It preserves your muscle strength.
- Yeah.
- I think sometimes you try to push your limits,
but--and that's OK.
But it's also--we just got--the older you get,
the more you'll understand.
- I don't push my limits.
I just do what I think I can do.
- OK, that's pushing your limits.
- That's not.
- A few months after Ali was born,
she was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy.
They explained to me that it was
the Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy.
It deteriorates the muscles.
And like, it progresses the older she gets.
She's a brilliant kid,
but she's always struggled
with many physical limitations.
- Is she able to walk without support by herself?
- She--it's very unstable.
She has made tremendous progress throughout the years,
but it hasn't been easy.
- Get set, go.
Go, go, go.
Good job.
- Good job. - Awesome.
- And now, like every teenager, she wants to fit in,
so she fights me about using her wheelchair.
And instead, she relies a lot on me and her sisters.
[dramatic music]
- Mm. That looks delicious.
Thank you so much. - Thank you.
- Enjoy your meal.
- How are the girls?
- Ali doesn't want to use her wheelchair.
- I'm not gonna use it if I don't need it.
- Who cares what anyone thinks?
- If I don't want to use it, I'm not going to use it.
- She can't get to places other people want to,
so she don't want to--she don't even
want it to look like that.
She don't want to be the kid that's left behind.
I want Ali to feel independent.
And I want Aleeah to not feel the responsibility.
I need Ali to think, "I can't hold on to my sister.
"What do I need to do?
"I need to use my wheelchair.
"No.
"I don't want to use the wheelchair.
I don't--" it's embarrassing to her.
- Did you ever think that maybe she hasn't faced
the reality of her situation?
- I've heard her just shut it off like,
"Don't talk about muscular dystrophy.
"It's not there.
Stop talking about it."
And as her mom, I'm trying to be real with her.
Like, that's not--why do you think we go to a specialist
every four months?
Because of muscular dystrophy.
- Her stubbornness, and her willpower,
and push is very inspirational.
She'll be way more inspirational
when she accepts it.
- As much as I would love to,
I can't take away muscular dystrophy.
But what I can do is teach her how to be more self-reliant.
- ♪♪ Yeah, we're back at it ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- OK, I got mine.
Where's yours?
- Right here. - Cheers.
- Hi, guys.
Zach and I are taking the career talks
one day at a time right now.
I'm trying my best to be in my supportive soft girl era.
But in other news, Cory is leaving.
He's going to do "The Challenge" again.
This time, he can be gone almost up to three months.
So I'm just hoping that Ryder's OK because the last time
he left, Ryder had a really, really, really hard time.
- [crying]
I cried. I missed you.
- But this time, we're going to do things
a little bit differently.
While he's gone, Taylor is taking the girls to Seattle,
where her parents are.
- We're trying to make it easier on you this time, OK?
- Instead of leaving me crying.
- I think you should try to go out to Seattle
and see your sister. - Yeah.
- That sound like a good idea?
That would be dope.
- But fingers crossed that all the girls
are fine this time.
- ♪♪ Back ♪♪
- ♪♪ Back at it ♪♪
- ♪♪ Okay, we back ♪♪
- I talked to Chey and Zach about bringing Ryder to Seattle
for a visit while I'm gone.
Are you going to be OK there while I'm gone?
- Sometimes I feel embarrassed to be, like,
with the kids places,
and they're like, "Where's your husband?"
I'm like, hmm.
I don't have a husband.
- Well, you could just tell them you do.
I say-- - That's what you do.
- Well, I do it to show you the respect.
I do it-- - But that's a lie.
- When I'm on the phone and I'm like, "Yeah, me and my wife--"
- You can't just call me your wife.
- We have two kids a brand-new house together. Like--
- But you can't just call me your wife.
- Why? - You haven't made me a wife.
- OK.
Just 'cause you don't have the ring yet
doesn't mean you're not my wife.
Like--
- Oh, my God.
- What?
- You just don't see it.
I'm going to leave this convo.
- [crying]
- I guess, I'll just go and pack.
- ♪♪ I ♪♪
♪♪ Will love you ♪♪
- I love you, girls.
- Daddy just going bye-bye.
- No.
That's why Mommy's hugging Daddy.
- Big girl.
Hey, Ry, we've done this before.
We could do it again.
- Can I do a flip?
- [laughs]
Daddy's going to be doing flips.
Love you.
- What happened?
- ♪♪ You and I ♪♪
♪♪ Will be together ♪♪
- Nothing, baby. I'm fine.
♪♪ ♪♪
[upbeat music]
- ♪♪ You are the loose ends ♪♪
♪♪ You are the rebel ♪♪
♪♪ Look so good that you deserve a medal ♪♪
♪♪ Turn up the bass ♪♪
♪♪ Turn up the treble ♪♪
♪♪ When you do your thing ♪♪
♪♪ You take it to another level ♪♪
- Baby. Oh, my God. Did she get out?
Sean, she got out of the [bleep] gate.
- I'm coming, dude. Where'd she go?
- I don't know.
Baby, you want a treat? - Baby.
- Come here, Babe.
Get your ass up here.
- Get over here, dude.
- Little baby.
Who's the baby? Chubby little baby.
Hey, girls.
So Sean's been staying busy doing his new
home inspection classes.
I've been staying super busy, per usual,
with my salon and my new real estate career.
Today, I'm feeling a little bit nervous.
You guys know how my mom had court
literally a few days before my wedding.
- That's why I'm in the position I'm in,
because I didn't give a [bleep].
And I was just like, [bleep] probation.
I didn't go.
For a probation violation, they would probably
want me to do 30 days in jail.
- The date got postponed.
So now she's got her court date.
I'm hoping that she just gets house arrest,
she doesn't have to do any jail time,
and this whole ordeal with my mom's freaking marijuana charge
will be a thing of the past.
Keep your fingers crossed.
[phone ringing] Come here.
Hello?
- Hey, Jade. - Hey.
How'd--how'd court go?
- Well, uh,
they didn't approve her house arrest.
- Uh-oh.
- So she's--yeah, they took her to jail.
- Oh, damn.
- Yeah, she was just hysterical crying.
- Yeah. - Yeah, I feel bad for her.
- So how long is it?
How many days? 62?
- Yeah.
What really sucks is now she's doing good.
- Do you know how to get a hold of her?
- She'll be calling me and give me all the information.
And then I'll give it to you.
And we'll go from there.
I hope this is the last time.
- Me too. She's getting too old.
- It just sucks, you know?
- Yeah.
That's terrible.
- Pay for your sins, I guess.
- I'm still trying to process. This whole situation is a mess.
- I know.
- I think I've dealt with so much
when it comes to my parents, that I'm just numb.
I always knew at a young age
what was going on for the most part
with the adults in my life.
I always knew if someone was in jail.
My daughter has a totally different childhood.
Everything I've experienced as a child
made me better prepared as a parent now
'cause I know certain things aren't appropriate
for certain ages.
So I need to figure out what I'm going to tell Kloie.
- ♪♪ I feel the love ♪♪
♪♪ Can you feel it? ♪♪
- I would be lying if I said I was not tired.
But I want to keep my word to Ryder.
And she's kind of been like, "OK.
When are we doing the Seattle trip?"
- Mm.
Have you talked to Taylor at all?
- I haven't.
I'm going to call her and see how
she feels about it if she still wants to do it
'cause Ry misses them.
- Where are you calling her?
- Right here.
It was so sunny over there.
I never really hung out with Taylor without Cory.
But I hope she's doing OK.
[line ringing]
- Hi.
- Hi, Tay.
- Hey, Taylor. - Hi.
- How you doing?
- Good.
- So Ry's been doing a lot better.
- OK, good.
So she's not upset about--
- No. I mean, she has her moments.
But like, I feel like last time,
she was, like, acting out, and like, having crying spells.
This time, it's like, "I miss Mila."
- Oh.
Well, that's good.
- I told her that I would call you and try to figure out
if we could make Seattle happen.
- Yeah, definitely.
Like, I'm free whenever, so it's really up to you guys.
- Yeah. - Let's do it.
- No, I want to do it.
- I'ma go look up flights. - OK.
I mean, I think that Ryder definitely
wants to see you guys.
And I feel like it's important to me
that it's important to Ryder, so--
- Yeah, Mila misses her big sister too,
so I think it's a good idea.
[upbeat music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- And now you want to be a burrito?
- [laughs]
- Yeah.
You're too silly for me.
- You created me.
- Oh, I know.
Are you excited to talk to your dad?
- Yeah, I'm really excited.
- Don't be so excited.
Sit on my lap, you little girl.
[line ringing]
- [gasps]
- There he is. - Daddy!
- What's up, girl?
- What's up, Daddy?
- I miss you.
- I miss you too.
- Have you talked to Taylor
about when you're going to Seattle?
- Yeah, we'll be there in a week.
All right. Sit up, and talk to your dad.
- I want you to win.
- Daddy's got to do it.
Ry, what do you want for your--
- If you get back with money, a pink Gucci bag.
- No. Get out of here.
- How do you even know these things?
- You better stop telling this girl about these things.
But Ryder, Daddy has to go. - [gasps]
- I want to tell you that I love you.
I'm proud of you.
I'm gonna call you in three to four days, OK?
And I'll talk to you soon.
- OK.
- Bye. - Bye.
Love you. No. No.
- Aw.
[upbeat music]
- ♪♪ Mama told me I'm a tall glass ♪♪
♪♪ Try to take a sip with your lips ♪♪
♪♪ Hey, you can't finish all that ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- Hey, ladies.
So I'm in a little bit of a tough spot.
Lately, Ali has not been wanting to use her wheelchair.
And we've noticed--
me, her sisters, her dad,
that she uses us to get around.
In order for her to be more self-sufficient
and more independent,
we've got to kind of step back a little bit
and let her do it on her own, even though
it's going to be hard for us.
Watermelon.
You been good? - Yeah.
- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.
- I met with your Aunt Victoria earlier.
We were talking about Ali being a little bit more independent.
- I'm always gonna help her walk
and do physical things she struggles with.
- Do you think Ali fully accepts
that she has muscular dystrophy?
- No.
I don't think that she realizes that it's there
and that she thinks that she can do,
like, everything that we do.
But when it comes to it, she realizes that she can't.
So then it, like, tears her down.
- Does that hurt you?
- Yeah.
- And do you think having a wheelchair
would be more beneficial?
- Yeah.
- Why do you think she refuses to use it sometimes?
- So that she's not different.
- I think we have to find a balance
in...enabling her
or helping her too much
because then it's preventing her
from the future she deserves.
I think we're at a place where we help her realize
that it's OK to be different,
and to accept that reality.
What is she gonna do when you guys go to college?
Or what if you guys aren't in the same classes next year?
She's not gonna be able to rely on you.
She's not gonna be able to rely on me.
And you both have your own dreams and ambitions.
- I know that I want to leave West Virginia.
I really want to be a marine biologist.
- My hope is that you fulfill everything
that you set out for yourself.
So I'm gonna need you to
kind of break that chain a little bit
and pursue you too, OK?
And not feel that pressure.
- ♪♪ We going out of control ♪♪
♪♪ We going ♪♪
♪♪ We going out of control ♪♪
♪♪ We going ♪♪
[laughter]
- That is not how it is supposed to go.
My turn. Ready?
[laughter]
Just kidding.
How are you guys doing?
Are you guys being crazy?
- Yeah.
- So guess what?
Grandma is coming home today.
Are you guys excited? - Yeah.
- I'm gonna go pick her up from the airport.
Nova, your dad is coming to hang out with you guys,
watch you guys while I go pick her up.
I'm going to take her back home,
so you guys are not gonna see her today.
- Why we can't just come with you when you pick her up?
- Good question.
I think Grandma just needs to, like, get home,
and like, settle in, OK?
- Straddle gym--
- What do you guys miss most about her?
- Her. - Her?
Yeah?
[somber music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- Hey. - Hi.
- What's up?
- I'm going to pick up my mom from the airport.
- Tell her I said, what's up. - All right. I will.
I'll be back in a little bit. - All right.
Just hit me if anything.
- OK, bye.
- ♪♪ You don't need a miracle ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- Well, my mom is finally coming back home.
I'm hoping for the best.
My sister called me last night.
She doesn't want to come to pick up my mom.
She wants me to see her first and see how she is.
I really don't understand, like, addiction.
And I don't really know my mom, right?
Like, if she keeps all these secrets and all these things,
like, I only know the version that she's showing me.
Like, I know, like, her just coming home,
she's not gonna be like a brand-new different person,
so we'll just see what happens.
But I think everything will be OK, hopefully.
- You look good. - So good.
- You look good. [laughs]
- I hate it. - Why?
- It's so short.
You look good. - I don't feel good.
I feel like [bleep].
- Uh-uh.
- Yeah, I feel like pure [bleep].
- But you don't look it, so that's a plus.
- How are the girls?
- They're good. They want to see you.
- No, not today.
Have you spoke to Brittany?
- I texted her. She hasn't responded.
- So tell me, how was it?
Hard work?
- The insomnia is what got me.
- So what's your plan now?
Are you going to therapy?
Are you gonna find somebody?
- Yeah, I got everything.
- Are you going to see all the doctors,
psychiatrists, all that?
- I just got to wait for them to email me.
- And you're 100% off of methadone?
- Yeah, totally.
- You're not on Suboxone either?
- No.
That's what I went in there to do.
And I did it. - And you did it.
And you should be so proud of yourself.
- I am. I did it.
It was hard.
[dramatic music]
I just got to give myself grace 'cause it's--
- Yeah.
- That [bleep] was brutal.
♪♪ ♪♪
[pop music]
- ♪♪ Oh ♪♪
- ♪♪ Dancing and dancing around ♪♪
- On our way to Seattle.
- Seattle.
♪♪ ♪♪
- OK. We just landed.
Who are we out here to see, Ry?
- We want Mila, see her.
- ♪♪ Fly so high ♪♪
♪♪ And to make me cool ♪♪
♪♪ I got to ♪♪
♪♪ Keep feeling, keep, keep feeling ♪♪
- Wow.
This is cute.
- It's so modern.
- It is very modern.
You're taking your shoes and your socks off already, Ace?
OK, Ry. We're gonna call Ms. Taylor.
[line ringing]
- Hello.
- Hi, Taylor. We're here in Seattle.
- Hi, Ry.
- I want to say hi to Taylor. - OK. You can say hi too.
Say hi.
- Hi, Taylor.
- Hi, Tay.
We just got to the Airbnb.
- We got on an airplane.
It was scary.
- It was not scary.
- It was scary? Oh, no.
- It was far.
And it was moving.
- It was far and scary? Uh-oh.
- It was far, and it was moving.
Well, Ry is excited to see the girls and you.
[cheering] All right.
All right. Bye.
[upbeat music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- Can I do it? - Yeah.
[doorbell rings]
[cheering] - OK. OK. OK.
Don't kick me. - Gonna see sissy?
- Hi.
- Mila!
- Oh, gosh.
There's gonna be tears.
- My-my.
- Hi, babe.
Hi, Ace.
Hi, my love.
- Hi, Mila.
[laughter]
- ♪♪ Sister, sister ♪♪
- I feel like I haven't seen you guys in so long.
- I know. How are you guys?
- I'm good.
- How has it been for the girls this time?
- Maya's fine, but Mila has her moments.
- Hi, pretty girl.
- Want to go with sissy?
[R&B music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- It's, like, too much--
what's that word?
- Stimulation? Yeah. - Stimulation.
- I felt that too. - The kids are going crazy.
- That's why I'm over here.
- I was like, I'm just gonna hide at this point.
Am I too close, Maya?
- She's, like, trying to go as far back.
- How has it been with you and Cory after Colombia?
- Everybody's on my ass about this.
When you getting married? When you getting married?
I've never been around a successful marriage.
Like, it's scary' cause it's like I'm with that person
for the rest of my life.
- I personally only heard the side of him saying,
like, "I've never seen a healthy marriage"
in that story.
- But it's also like, his mom's happily married now.
And so is his dad, so like, where is the--
- That excuse of "I never saw it" is now gone.
- Yeah.
And why wouldn't you want a healthy marriage for your kids
so they can see a healthy marriage?
- I told him, like, us sharing a child together,
I'm gonna have to deal with you for a long time.
- Yeah.
- I need you to be the best version of yourself for Ryder
and to show her, like, what men are supposed to do
and how men are supposed to treat her.
- And he doesn't treat me bad.
He treats me really good. But there's still--
- There's still more that can be done.
- Yeah.
- I think in his head, he's committed.
- Yes, 100%.
- In his head, he's 100% committed.
- Like, this is 100% committed for him.
- But he doesn't realize that his 100% is different.
- It's different from mine. - Than yours.
- You are, like, 65% committed,
75, maybe.
- We're gonna need that number to go up.
- We're gonna need it to go up to, like, 99.
- 100, Taylor.
Jesus Christ. [laughs]
He definitely loves you,
but he's definitely really comfortable.
- Yes.
- And I want you to make him uncomfortable sometimes.
- Well, also, I just feel like I'm gonna get to the point
where I just don't care anymore.
I used to, like, cry.
And now I'm just, like, mad.
So I think that's a problem.
I'm not gonna, like, waste my years on you.
- I do like that Taylor is finding her voice.
It's good as a mother and as a woman
that you're able to say, like, "No, this is what I want
and this is what I need."
You know, I feel for Taylor.
I just hope that they're able to figure out
what their future looks like for them
in the best way possible.
- ♪♪ Days that we spent suspend in my head ♪♪
♪♪ Moving so fast, closer to collapse ♪♪
♪♪ I never saw it coming ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
♪♪ Eyes shine bright ♪♪
♪♪ Running to the light ♪♪
♪♪ Blinded by love ♪♪
♪♪ Burning through us ♪♪
♪♪ I never saw it coming ♪♪
- I'm glad you're home.
We got to figure out a plan
so that you're not alone.
Like, some days, you come to my house.
Some days, I come to you.
So we got to-- - [indistinct]
- We got to make-- - Isolation is bad.
And I'm good at it.
It's hard.
Menopause, empty nester, [bleep] detoxing.
That's a lot on a human body.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, what are you gonna do now?
Like, what's different?
- I have to go--
I got to stay on my meds.
Mood stabilizers, they call it.
- And that helps?
That's been helping you?
- Over there.
Let's see if it helps me here,
especially with the trauma and the PTSD.
Oh. I don't know.
That [bleep] came out hard,
very hard.
- Well, better out than in.
Am I right?
- Yeah, but I was able to bury it for so long.
And I just try to keep putting it away,
putting it away.
And I couldn't.
I couldn't do it anymore.
It was horrible, horrible.
[dramatic music]
♪♪ ♪♪
I just look at Nova and Stella.
I'm so grateful that they're so protected.
And I wasn't protected.
At all.
At [bleep] all.
Like, where the [bleep] were the adults?
- Mm-hmm.
- I just didn't want that for my kids.
I didn't want that cycle to repeat.
- Out of rehab, are you still willing to work on,
like, confronting all those traumas and all those issues
and trying to navigate on how to deal with it?
- Yeah.
They helped me a lot over there with that.
But for sure, I need more.
For sure. - Yeah.
- Hopefully, I'm on my path to recovery
and just get rid of my traumas.
- You're already on your path to recovery.
- Just not the mental aspect.
Physical, I'll be OK.
Go home. You got the girls.
- I do have the kids.
What does tomorrow look like?
What do you want to do tomorrow?
- I want to see the girls.
- Let's talk in the morning.
Are you sure you're good here?
- Thank you for being a good daughter.
I love you.
- I love you too. OK. Come give me a hug.
I want to go.
I love you.
- Thank you.
♪♪ ♪♪
[upbeat piano music]
- ♪♪ Sorry but I'm only human ♪♪
♪♪ I'm fighting myself on the dark side ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- What are you dressed as?
- Spider-Gwen.
So my mom and my dad had an apartment lined up,
but since she just went to jail, she can't sign the lease.
Like, she can't actually move into it.
So I'm letting my dad stay with us
while my mom is in jail.
I don't mind being there for him
when he's doing everything he can,
all that he can for himself in the moment.
Like, I can't hold a lot against her
for things she did in the past when she was on drugs
and not herself.
I can't change it.
I can't do anything to change it,
so I can't let myself get too upset or stressed out.
So I just have to be there for her, talk to her,
chat with her.
I know, like, that's important when you're in jail
to have people to talk to.
[line ringing]
Oh. Now I can actually see you.
- Look. You see in the back?
Look, prison. [chuckles]
- Are you done with your crying spells?
- I mean, it's a hard pill to swallow when, like,
I've been clean for 15 months and then
you have to go back to jail for [bleep] that you did
in 2018.
It's a hard pill to swallow.
But I'm getting it over with.
And I'm gonna be done.
And I won't ever have to worry about this [bleep] again.
You know what I mean? It's over after this.
I never thought that I would be back in here.
Let me tell you, I'm too old for this [bleep]
because the mat is, like, this fat and on metal.
And it's killing my hips. I got bruises.
You would think the more cushion you have,
the less bruises you have. No, baby.
That is not it.
Oh, it's horrible.
I'm just trying to make the best of the situation
that I have.
- That's all you can do. But here,
I'll let you-- before I get off here,
I'll let you say hi to Kloie. - I know.
- Kloie.
- I hope she don't realize this is jail.
- Hold on. Let me find her.
There's Klo bugs.
Want to say hi to Mamaw?
She's at the place for--like, the doctor place for her work.
Say hi. - Hi, Mamaw.
- Hi.
- My mom is older now
and locked up in, you know, a jail.
It's a really sad situation.
I can't really explain it to my child
'cause I don't want her to know she's in jail.
'Cause at her age, she thinks, like, bad people--bad guys,
you know, go to jail.
And sometimes it's not--
it's more complicated than that.
But I think a lot of things have repeated themselves,
like me always being there,
me always helping out.
And I wouldn't be doing this now today
if they hadn't proven, like,
they want to live a different lifestyle and be better people.
But sometimes [bleep] just happens.
- ♪♪ Chin up, my love ♪♪
♪♪ You're gonna be OK ♪♪
- Hello, Mom?
- Mom here. What's up?
- Can you bring me a water?
- OK.
I don't know what I was thinking getting these
because now it's too easy for you to call me
when you need something.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
What you doing?
- You have great calligraphy too.
- It's ugly. - It is not.
- So I'm fixing it.
- You're gonna start high school next year.
Are you excited? - Yeah.
- Have you been in the new school yet?
- Mm-hmm. A couple times.
- What do you think about the layout?
- I think it's really nice.
- You won't be able to enter through the front,
the main front doors.
- I've walked farther than that before.
I'm fine.
- I just want you-- that's fine. That's fine.
But also, you need to be advised,
if you fall, we need you to be more--
- I actually haven't fell
in a long time.
- That doesn't mean it's not possible either.
- Yeah, but I haven't.
- If you overexert yourself and your muscles,
it will deteriorate them and actually make you weaker.
- I, myself and I,
can walk as far as I would like to.
And then if I get tired, I sit down.
- I'm gonna step back and let you be more self-independent.
But over the years, we've clouded you from the reality
of your muscle disease too.
- No.
I know where I can walk and where I can't walk.
- That's the question you can go back to your doctor
in Columbus and ask about.
And if he thinks that you would be able to stop
using your wheelchair altogether--
- I don't need--
- OK, that's why we're stepping back
and letting you figure it out.
With Ali having muscular dystrophy, for me personally,
it's a struggle to balance stepping back
and also making sure that she's safe as her mom
and nothing's gonna happen to her.
But we've got to let Ali experience some adversity
on her own because that's where
she's gonna come to a place of acceptance,
and be at her best,
and navigate life independently and more self-sufficiently.
And just so you know, I don't want you to feel
like I'm talking at you.
I am trying to support you the best way I know how.
Using the wheelchair is also about having independence.
It's OK if being independent
and moving around through life
looks a little different.
You know your body better than anyone else.
Going into high school,
the importance of speaking up and using your voice is vital.
[dramatic music]
- ♪♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪♪
♪♪ 3, 2, 1 ♪♪
♪♪ Come on, let's go ♪♪
♪♪ We're gonna fly ♪♪
- Mom! - Hi.
- All right, Ace. - No, no, no.
Keep your shoes on, Ace.
- Welcome.
- Thanks, babe.
- Wow, thank you.
♪♪ ♪♪
- Mommy.
- Yeah, honey?
- Oh, that's nice, baby.
- I want to see.
Let's see how you draw him.
- OK.
- I'll make him too.
- Ta-da!
- Whoa. That is so nice.
- Can I see, Mila? - Yeah.
- Oh! - That really looks like him.
Does this look like your dad?
♪♪ ♪♪
Giving me this face.
- Wow.
[upbeat music]
♪♪ ♪♪
[line ringing]
- Dad's calling me.
- Oh, answer it. Answer it.
- Daddy? - Daddy?
- My gosh, all the girls together?
- Yeah.
- Show Mila.
There you go.
- I want to see.
- What's up, Ace?
- Say, "Hi, Cory."
- Hi, Cory.
- You having fun in Seattle? - Yep.
- Mila.
- [whines] - Oh, that hurt you.
But Daddy wants to talk to you.
What's wrong?
Why are you sad?
- What's up?
- Mila, talk to him.
- You having fun?
- That was a yes.
And she is having fun.
Now, Maya, your turn.
- Mila, you OK?
- There you go. - I love you so much.
- Mila's ready to say hi.
- I miss you.
Muah, muah, muah, mmm.
I love you guys so much.
Are you happy that you made the trip?
- Yep.
- Make sure to tell your mom thank you, Ry.
- Thank you, Mommy.
- Daddy loves you.
I miss you.
And I'm gonna see you soon.
- Watching Ryder interact with all of them at one time,
it's just cool to see, honestly.
I definitely give all of us credit in this situation.
I give the most credit to Zach and Taylor.
They make it extremely easy on Cory and I
with the way that we have decided to co-parent.
I mean, I'm asking my husband,
can you fly with me to Seattle to go to
my baby daddy's girlfriend's town?
Like, that's not easy on anyone,
but it is easy when you put the kids first.
- OK.
- Mila, get right next to Ryder.
- Get in there. - Right there.
- Say cheese.
all: Cheese.
- ♪♪ You know I got it ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- So how was it seeing Mom?
- She's, like, more relaxed and chill.
And when I picked her up from the airport,
she didn't interrupt me once.
She did take accountability.
She didn't point the finger at anybody.
You know, she used to do a lot of that.
- Mm-hmm. Yeah, but that's the thing.
It's like, I feel like it's too soon for me to just be like,
she's different, you know?
I'ma take it day by day.
You can't just do what you did and then just think,
I'm gonna go over.
- When do you see that happening?
- It's whenever I feel like it.
Have the girls seen her?
- I'm actually bringing them over to see her later today.
Every day, they bring it up like, "I want to see Grandma."
That's why I feel so bad.
The girls just always want to be there.
- I'll say this.
If the girls don't show no signs of distress
when it comes to her, like,
obviously let them have a relationship with her.
That might--they might be her saving grace.
- Yeah, no. I--
- You will never [bleep] know, so--
- And I think because of them is the reason
why we're still all so--
- Oh, yeah. Of course. - All so connected.
- ♪♪ In my mind ♪♪
[upbeat music]
♪♪ The day's always ending ♪♪
- We're gonna go see Grandma.
- Yeah.
- I'm so sorry.
- So my mom is officially back home.
It really is hard for me to see her so worn out and tired.
But at the same time, that's also a sign
that she's working through her trauma.
And I'm really proud of her.
So I decided that I'm gonna take
the girls to see her today.
And yeah, I'm a little nervous,
but at the end of the day,
I'm gonna be hopeful that she just doesn't
go back to her old ways.
I'm just praying it all goes well.
Wish me luck.
- Yeah!
- My love. Look how big you're getting.
- Yeah!
- So sweet.
- Can we come inside? - Yeah.
Come in.
Thank you for the flowers.
both: You're welcome.
- Did you miss me? - Yeah.
- How much?
- So much.
- A lot?
- They missed you so much. - Really?
- Mom said that you had funny stories to tell us.
- I can never live in a farm.
[laughter]
Never.
- There's so much gnats.
- So much bugs.
- Tell me a funny story.
- One of the girls got bit by a horse.
[laughter]
I swear.
- How was your first night last night?
- I slept.
I got up, like, four times, but I slept.
- OK. - So that was not bad.
But this morning, I woke up exhausted.
Like, I just didn't even want to do anything.
- That's good.
You shouldn't have to do anything.
Should just relax.
- I just need help.
- With what?
- Organizing the medication.
Like, I just feel like it's a lot of meds.
- Yeah.
- It's my heart medication.
They weren't able to get me off the lupus medication.
- OK. That's fine.
- What else they weren't able to get me off of?
- God damn.
This is a lot of medication.
- Yeah.
- When can we sleep over?
[dramatic music]
♪♪ ♪♪
- Once Grandma gets a little bit more strength, I promise.
- I know my kids is one of the reasons why
my mom is, like, trying to be healthy and get better.
And I know it's not gonna be easy,
but I'm here to support her.
I love her.
And I know my mom. My mom is strong.
My mom is resilient, so I know no matter what happens,
I want to say that my mom will be OK.
♪♪ ♪♪
- ♪♪ Come with me ♪♪
♪♪ To a place built for dreaming ♪♪
♪♪ Oh, it starts with a feeling ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
♪♪ This is where it all begins ♪♪
♪♪ Flying higher than we've ever been ♪♪
♪♪ This is where it all begins ♪♪
♪♪ ♪♪
- Smile at her. You love her.
- [bleep] awkward as [bleep].
- Leah wants Kristina to adopt her.
We can't just know this stuff and not talk to Amber about it.
- It's just not your or Maci's place to say it.
It's Gary's and it's Leah's.
- Me and Maci are coming to Indiana.
We can celebrate your birthday together.
[laughter]
- Holy crap.
- Amber Portwood, will you marry me?
- Put our seat belts on.