- The experts matched five couples
to be married at first sight.
- Oh.
- One marriage ended before it began.
But for the first time,
the experts gave Michael a second chance
at love with Chloe.
- This is perfect.
And there's enough room for a sanctuary out here.
[chuckles]
- Now that I've really started to evaluate,
I'm really questioning this marriage.
- I do not want us to give up too quickly.
I want to ask of you
not to make your decision until Decision Day.
- Okay.
- ♪ You know you want it
- I think we all lost sight of how beautiful we all are,
and I wanted to celebrate that.
- While our other four couples have already chosen divorce,
Chloe and Michael
will make their own life-altering choice.
- If we say yes tomorrow,
it gives us a chance to keep going
and making it something even more awesome.
- I feel confident and feel good
to, like, say that we can continue this marriage.
- My opinion, I say yes.
- [crying] It's hard for me to imagine my life without him.
And yet at the same time,
I don't know that we're meant to be.
[dramatic music]
I've never been so torn in my entire life.
- You're trying to make me out to be the villain,
when all I do is [bleep] try.
And every time I pull back, you pull me back in.
And I'm like, all right, well, let me try some more,
and then you literally give me nothing.
♪
- Do you feel there's possibilities to fight for it,
to fight for it here?
- I'm the all-in, or I'm the all-out.
♪
- ♪ It's all or nothing
- This is "Married at First Sight."
- ♪ There's no other way
♪
♪ It's all or nothing
[upbeat pop music]
♪
- Hello. [chair scrapes]
- [laughing]
♪
- Oh, my God. It's good to see you.
- Oh, you too. - My God.
- How you doing? - I am great.
I want to know about you.
How are you doing? That's the question.
- Oh, it's always a question, isn't it?
- It is.
- Decision Day is coming up quick.
- Oh, my God. Are you ready for that?
- [sighs] No.
♪
No, I'm not.
- Afraid I was going to hear you say that.
- We're just in this really...
[sighs, clicks tongue]
Mysterious place.
- Hmm.
Last night I wake up to...
Michael...
saying that he feels that he was not built for marriage.
♪
- Hmm.
It probably lowered your confidence
in the relationship. - [sighs]
It not only lowered my confidence,
but I'm wondering how he feels about me.
And it started bringing feelings of uncertainty.
♪
- Do you...
if you were to guess, do you think he would say no?
- Um...
yeah.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
♪
- I really feel like you wouldn't have said that
two weeks ago. - Mm-mm.
No.
- How did it all change so much?
- I think he's scared.
- Are you?
[indistinct chatter]
♪
- Yeah.
- Chloe... [chuckles]
I didn't see that coming. [chuckles]
But--
- I didn't see it coming either.
- Not long ago, you were in the happiest place.
And I know you are giving everything and more
for this to work.
And I believe he is, too.
So, now, don't you think that you guys could...
try?
Don't you think it's worth at least trying
to see if you guys can get back
to that place where you were not long ago?
- I don't know.
♪
[crying] It's hard for me to imagine my life without him.
♪
And yet at the same time,
I don't know that we're meant to be.
♪
Ah.
- ♪ We could cry, we could cry for yesterday ♪
- I've never been so torn in my entire life.
♪
♪ So we will cry, we will cry for yesterday ♪
♪
[upbeat music]
♪
- Getting ready to take off for the...
last group meetup.
♪
I'm not gonna lie,
I'm a little nervous about going.
- It feels bittersweet.
It feels like this could have ended so differently
compared to how it's ending.
- Well, Becca and I have texted a few times.
And that went well, so I'm hoping that, like...
♪
when we meet up today, we can just, like, have a good time
and kind of laugh about the things
that have happened to us and not, like, be hurt by them.
- I just need to make sure that I remind myself
that I am not what's best for him
and this is the best way that I can love him--
is to let him go and go find what he needs.
- If I have any intention or goal for tonight personally,
it's to personally go out on a good note
and not dwell on the past
and just enjoy each other's company
and have a good night.
We're not even sure, like, who's going to show up.
Like, will Brennan show up? We will see.
♪
- Hi. - It's such a cute bar.
♪
- We got some friends here.
- Hi. - Hello.
- We got some friends. - "Kiss the floor."
I love it.
- Pretty in pink. - You look so--
- What's up, baby? - So good.
- Oh, I love this power top.
- Oh, thank you. Thank you.
It's a power top.
- Yeah, it's definitely giving power top.
- Inner Lauren, baby. - [laughs]
- Hi. How you doing? - You guys look nice.
- Thanks. We try. We try. - Wow.
- Lauren, how are you?
[dramatic music]
- Last to arrive. - [laughs]
- Hey. - Hello.
- Mm. Hey. You look great. - It's soft.
Thank you. - Yeah, it is soft.
- Hello. - Hey.
- How are you? - Good.
How are you guys? - How are you?
- What's up, guys?
It's nice to see her, but it's hard.
You know, there's, like-- you know, our--
I guess I can't speak for her.
But, like, you know, your feelings don't just go away.
I mean, like, I'm still not over it.
Like, you know, every day is getting better,
but, like, it's still hard.
- What's everybody drinking? - Martinis.
I'm just gonna go out with a bang, so...
- Let's go out with a bang.
- Claire isn't coming because she has to work tonight.
- Oh, Claire's missing out?
- Who wants to have therapy this late at night?
That's sad. I feel like everyone should be here.
It's the last hurrah. - I can't believe it.
- Yeah, everyone should be here.
- But do you guys have any insight
into why the others aren't here?
- Brennan only told me he wasn't coming here.
He had softball to do today.
That's all I know about Brennan.
- Dedication to the team, man. - [chuckles]
- Can't let that intramural sports team down.
Okay, that's fair, I guess.
I feel like we have so much to actually catch up on...
- Yeah.
- Because we haven't been together.
- And you guys are still together, right?
♪
- Yeah. - [chuckles] Okay.
- That's a valid question.
- Not all of us are separated, but, yeah, no.
- Not yet. - We still got--
we still got a handful of days.
- I just didn't want to, like, miss something that was huge.
Yeah.
- I can't believe your Decision Day
is, like, so close.
Time flies when you're having fun.
[laughter]
- Yeah, I mean, there obviously have been challenging moments
that we've encountered.
But regardless of how challenging those moments
have gotten, I am very thankful that I got to face
those challenges with Chloe
because I think that it's very difficult
for me to imagine having had navigate
any of this without her.
♪
- For every challenge that we've had,
it has been absolutely beautiful.
And I'm grateful for that.
And I feel like I've found a partner
who's always thinking, and he's always feeling,
and he's always willing to talk about it.
I think that's the differentiating factor
between being actively engaged in a relationship
and actively disengaged.
♪
Anyway, I am curious about you guys.
- Us? - Yeah.
- Well, I guess, you know,
we've shared some text messages,
but I think things have been good...
- Yeah.
- Because I feel like the texts we've--
few texts we've shared have been good ones.
- Yeah.
Yeah, like, when I fall for someone, I fall hard.
And so, typically, for me, I have to really remove myself
from that situation in order to really move forward.
Like, seeing him right now is really hard for me.
But, like, I know that we... - Same.
- [voice breaking] I love him as a person.
I just know that, like, we're not supposed to be together.
And that's really hard, but I'm moving forward every day.
And I wish him the best, like, and he knows that.
- Yeah.
- And I think he wishes the same for me.
It's hard seeing Austin tonight.
It makes my heart hurt.
It's weird not to, like, kiss him or just be with him.
I miss him.
♪
Makes me sad. [chuckles]
- You did your best, and you're doing better
than you'll ever give yourself credit for,
and you're being a better friend
than you give yourself credit for.
- Thanks. - She's great.
- You're all great.
And, Lauren, I want to give a moment to really
have a moment for you to feel seen.
Lauren is always sending, like, daily affirmations.
She's sending books. - Yeah, and...
Not even, like, being with us in the process
because hers got cut short.
- Yeah, but she's still with us.
- She goes above and beyond, gives me a book
about needing help when I don't even know I need help.
- Yeah. - Yeah, I love y'all.
- And just--honestly, just to piggyback the vibe,
you know, Lauren and I,
we've definitely gone through our [bleep].
I mean, it has been seen in various moments.
But, you know, one thing that is clear
is that I do hold you in very high regard.
You're a very smart, beautiful woman.
- She's incredible.
- And everybody is very lucky to have you.
- I'm really happy to have had this experience
with all of you all.
I think it was necessary for my journey,
and I don't regret any of it.
♪
As far as, like, my dynamic
in my now-dissolved marriage,
I've kind of checked out because I'm just tired
of waiting for follow-through with things.
So I've kind of just set boundaries
and checked out myself.
- Yeah, still trying to wrap my head
around that message, but...
- Hey, take as long as you want--nine days, nine years.
- Do you want him to? - I don't care.
- It kind of seems like that's not true.
- No, it's true. I don't care.
♪
I finally thought about it and sent him a message
just setting boundaries.
And the text actually didn't require a response.
That's the ironic part.
But I felt like Orion still decided to respond.
And I looked and said, oh, he really hasn't text back
in over a week.
- You're just clocking the days?
- I mean, I feel like you offer things
that you don't follow through on.
- I wanted to give you a thorough response,
but I'm still trying to put that message together
because it seems like a lot of just psychoanalyzing
and, honestly, a little bit of projection.
- I was not psychoanalyzing.
I was being very compassionate in that text message.
I was being very understanding in that text message.
I offered room for us to still chat about this
if necessary.
Like, I offered all of that in that text message.
- Yeah, you have all your bases covered.
- So what's the problem?
- The problem is that there's an expectation to it.
- No, there is no expectation.
I didn't even expect you to respond
until you literally said, I want to respond.
I didn't even ask for that. You gave it, Orion.
♪
I'm trying to give you what you asked me for.
[chuckles] I didn't ask. - Which is what?
- I didn't come to you at the couples' retreat
asking for a friendship.
- You can't even have a tough conversation about anything.
And so...
- Okay, I feel very attacked for some reason.
I don't understand why I'm feeling attacked
for trying to give you what you wanted.
- I don't feel like I'm getting anything of what I wanted.
- I feel like you guys haven't had the chance to talk
about, like, your communication styles and, like, what you need
or, like, how you like to express yourselves.
- So she's been checked out for a while.
- I know you're not talking
I've been checked out for a while.
- You have been. You started dating--
- You checked out, Orion. - I have a question.
Like, it seems like neither of you
really want to, like, be in each other's lives.
- And that's what my message said.
It wasn't an attack. It wasn't a psychoanalyst.
It was, like, I literally said,
the only reason we would have to talk
is if we actually want to be a part of each other's lives,
and it doesn't seem like we actually do.
♪
[indistinct chatter]
- Okay.
- Well, on the note of not wanting to be friends
with your ex-husband or having any line of communication,
that is where I am at.
It's like, I feel like Brennan and I are living
in two different realities
and seeing the same things that happen
but from totally different perspectives,
and so just don't see where each other's coming from.
♪
And...
yeah, it sucks, and it kind of makes me question everything.
I'm like, did I ever really have feelings for him?
Like, I don't really know.
It seemed like it was just too calculated.
- Calculated? What was calculated?
- It's like, you cannot get married, spill your heart out,
know you're gonna have to be your raw and authentic self,
and then decide once you're there
to, like, put up guardrails
and then decide that there is...
like, a plot to be followed.
♪
I personally feel--and I think I can speak on behalf
of everyone but you guys--
is, like, we just felt like you guys cut our process short,
and you decided the trajectory of everything,
and we had no shot.
♪
- I guess, speaking for myself, I didn't cut anything short.
It's just not what I wanted,
and I found that out on day two.
♪
- At the end of the day,
it feels like the women came...
armed and ready to make these marriages work,
and what was always going to come first was the marriage.
And it feels like that level of commitment
was not matched by the men.
♪
- I hear you. I just, like-- I feel personally attacked
because I definitely came into this
with the right intentions. - Yeah.
- I think every single one of us did.
And whether you believe me or not, like,
I did my best to try to, like, make us work.
I really did.
And I know I made mistakes.
I know I didn't always do the right thing and--
- I believe it.
I just think the priorities and the prioritization
for the men versus the women was in different areas.
Like, we were-- marriage, priority one.
Priorities for you individually--
your reputations, you wanting to give up,
you taking the easy way out,
like, you wanting to make yourself feel better
by making us feel [bleep]. - Well, I mean...
if I'm going to speak--
I mean, what it came down to was a boundary.
I mean--
- I'm finding some emotional discomfort right now
by you saying, I was done on day two.
But on day three, you tell me you're catching feelings.
On day four, you're crying in my arms.
On day five, you're taking a--
- That was a pretty stressful honeymoon.
- Can I finish?
On day five, you're telling me,
thank you for your patience with me.
On day six, you're saying I don't have your back.
So how can you say you tried when you're lying to me
the whole honeymoon, Orion?
Because if you checked out day two, then check out.
- All right. - Check out. Leave.
- So this is what it is. - Leave.
♪
- This is what it is.
I was trying really hard to stay in it and not leave.
- I would have rather you been honest--
- Hey, let me finish. Let me finish.
- No, because I never get to finish with you, Orion.
That's the problem--we didn't get to finish the marriage.
I don't get to finish [bleep] with you.
- I think we should--
- No, I'm really tired of y'all always interject--
I didn't interject on you and Becca's stuff.
- Oh, I'm sorry. - I never interject.
So I'm going to talk my [bleep] right now because it's valid,
because I'm not going to sit here and listen to you--
- I'm not saying it's invalid. - Oh, my gosh.
Can I [bleep] finish?
You put me on an emotional roller coaster.
I got off.
You dragged me back in very publicly
at the couples' retreat.
And you can make your face, but everyone was there.
I asked for nothing.
I literally said, I'm here just to vibe out.
You kept bringing me back into this [bleep].
So, finally, I was, like, well, [bleep],
maybe since Orion does want to be friends, maybe I'll try.
And then, of course, I try, and you give nothing.
And you're trying to make me out to be the villain...
- Nothing? - When all I do is [bleep] try.
All I do is try.
All I do is give you compassion.
All I do is take accountability.
Like, you're trying to make me out
to seem like this combative, crazy person.
- I'm really not. - And it's, like,
I'm actually just an emotional person
that's been trying this whole time.
And every time I pull back, you pull me back in,
and I'm like, all right, well, let me try some more,
and then you literally give me nothing.
♪
[indistinct chatter]
- Lauren, I'm very sorry I did that.
I'm very sorry I did that.
Something I found out in my own self-reflective time
of talking to everybody...
I generalize a lot of statements.
I'm not clear and concise about the things that I talk about.
And I'm so sorry if I misled you
in any conversation or in any situation.
I'm very sorry about that.
I'm not trying to change your perspective
on how you see things.
♪
And I'm very sorry if it came off like that.
I do hold you in very high regard.
You're a very smart, beautiful woman.
And even if we're not friends, that's okay.
- I mean, I think we all want the best for everyone.
both: Yeah.
- I mean, this was [bleep] hard.
Like, I was coming into this
hoping that, like, we could all, like, reminisce
on happy times and kind of, like, re-bond as a group,
even though it is hard,
because, like, so many of us are disconnected.
But, like, that's not what I want.
I want us to, like, still see each other as, like, friends,
as, like, companions and people who tried
one of the craziest things in the [bleep] world.
♪
- So, although we talked out some negatives,
I still think that was actually very productive.
And, hopefully, everyone feels a little bit more clear.
And, like, I do not want to discount
the very important decision
coming up.
♪
You guys are in the best place possible,
even though it doesn't seem that way.
And I want you guys to really soak up every minute.
♪
- And no matter what decision you make,
it will be a green flag.
We're all where we're supposed to be.
- And you either join the club, or you start your new one.
♪
- ♪ Oh, I
♪ It's lighting up my radar
♪ I feel it coming, feel it coming ♪
- What's up, playboy? - Good to see you, man.
- I'm not gonna lie.
When they brought the water out in there
and she started pouring it,
I was like, man, I'm trying to get crazy today.
- I thought it was straight tequila.
- I'm trying to get crazy today.
- Now we're really gonna go in deep here.
- Mm. Ahh. - [chuckles]
- Well, no, thanks for making it out.
- Yeah, of course.
- You...
you are my only friend out here that's married.
- [chuckles]
- So I couldn't think of anyone better
to, you know, pick their brain than yours.
- Yeah.
- Old Fashioned and a jalapeño margarita?
- Yeah. That's me. both: Thank you.
- Enjoy. - Cheers to that.
- Cheers.
- Decision Day is coming up.
And, I mean, my disconnect right now
is, like, I'm trying to get to a place emotionally
where I feel-- - Thank you. Holy cow.
- Where I feel confident and feel good
and feel optimistic enough
to, like, say that we can continue this marriage.
- Okay. - And I want to be at a place
where these things are stronger.
And she, to her credit, like--
- You want to be a place where these things are stronger?
- The positive feelings are stronger.
- Okay.
- When I refer to the positives and negatives,
it's not like the positives and negatives in Chloe.
It's like the positive and negative emotions
that I'm feeling.
- Okay. - So, like, negative emotions
would be, like, when thinking about Decision Day...
- Yeah.
- Fear, uncertainty,
discomfort, like, concern. - Yeah.
- You know, those would be, like, an example of, like,
the negative elements, right? - Okay.
- The positive elements would be like the excitement,
the optimism, you know, the joy,
all those things that I feel like would...
propel our marriage after Decision Day.
- Yeah. - So that's what I'm hoping--
that those feelings will outweigh the negative feelings.
- Do they right now?
- I don't have a clear answer at this point in time
of whether I'm going to say yes or no.
- Really? - Yeah.
- You just don't strike me as a guy that's fearful.
- Well, number one, thank you for noticing my bravery.
- [laughs] - That's first and foremost.
- You're the bravest man I know.
I mean, let's be honest. - Yeah, it's--
- Besides me, of course. - Yeah, that's right.
It's a different kind of fear, you know,
and that, to me, is what I'm trying to work through.
- Because you're not going to live up to the expectations?
♪
- I mean, I think there's definitely elements of that.
The expectations of, like--
And not just, like, expectations,
like, on paper and stuff.
It's like, expectations of, like,
what we're supposed to feel,
how we're supposed to feel, how it's supposed to progress,
you know, where we go from here.
- That's part of the beauty of it, man.
- I know. - You don't know.
♪
I mean... [chuckles]
As a husband, as a dad, you always doubt yourself.
I doubt myself to this day.
I mean, are you worried that, like, hey,
all right, we're going to stay together,
and we're going to go to Decision Day, whatever it is,
say yes, move on,
and then things just don't progress?
You know, on some level, Mike,
you're going to have to put yourself out there.
At some point, you got to put your trust in someone.
- Sure.
- You know, you have to put yourself out there
and just trust in all the factors that you know.
Is she kind? Is she kind to others? Yeah.
You know, does she make you laugh?
Do you make her laugh?
You know, and I get that your problems are more internal,
and I totally understand that.
You know what I mean?
But you got to trust in yourself, too.
♪
I know you've got the skills to do that.
I know you got the skills to be a great husband,
be a great partner.
You know, wherever that leads beyond that,
I know you've got it.
So, my opinion-- I'd probably say, yes.
- ♪ It's all coming to me, it's all coming to me ♪
♪ It's all coming to me
♪
- ♪ Brave-hearted, brave-hearted, brave-hearted ♪
[line trilling]
- Hi.
- Hey, how are you? - Good. How are you?
- Doing pretty good. - Yeah?
- How's things over there?
- Things are okay.
So last night I had to see Austin.
And I think...
seeing him was just difficult
because he looked cute and I wanted to kiss him.
[somber music]
- Aw. - [chuckles]
And I'm just wondering if my anxiety
was too high for him.
- The relationship didn't end because of your anxiety.
Correct?
♪
- I don't think so. I hope not.
[scoffs]
I mean, it ended because of so many other things,
but I do think that my anxiety played a role in the issues
that I was having with the on-camera
versus the off-camera conversations
and feeling like I was protecting him
and feeling silenced.
Like, I think the gravity of that hit me harder
because I have anxiety
and because of all the rumination that I do.
- But I asked you a specific question last week of...
- Yeah.
- Was there a way for you to ever feel trust
or go forward?
And you said...
- No. [sniffles]
- So my question would be,
what do you do now to get the Becca back
that I spoke to last week?
- I just need to remember that, like...
♪
[sniffles]
My gut is so strong.
And although my brain tries to, like, make me feel bad
about what I've done or maybe the role that I've played
in my marriage with Austin,
like, I need to remember that, like...
♪
My anxiety speaks to me.
Like, if I don't feel safe, it goes even more haywire.
And, like, I just have to have peace
in, like, remembering those times as well
because I know I often...
♪
Will put on rose-colored glasses for people that I've...
dated.
I mean, there's a million things
I would have done differently, but at the same time,
I wouldn't have because I wouldn't have learned
the way that I've learned.
I think...
I just have to keep celebrating, like,
who I was and, like, how far I've come
and, like, how brave that is.
So I'm still happy it was Austin.
Out of all people in this world...
♪
Austin will be a great husband to someone,
to the right person.
He really will.
But I still feel hopeful,
and I still think that marriage is a great gift.
If I were to put together my perfect human,
he would definitely look like Austin.
Austin's hot. [scoffs]
[chuckles]
But maybe just someone who has honesty as a priority
and who has me as a priority.
- It is about, you know, diving back into you
and kind of rebranding yourself...
- Yeah.
- And channeling who you are and your confidence.
All you ever talked about is wanting to empower women
and wanting to talk about mental health
and, you know, this very positive approach to things.
And I think you're starting to finally do that for yourself.
- Yeah. I know that if I just, like, keep up with the things
that I need to do and not falter on those,
like, I know it'll be okay.
And that's confidence that you've given me
that I didn't always once know.
It's, like, the tools to be able to be okay.
[sniffles]
♪
- Well, now you just have to use them.
- [sniffles] I will.
- With baby steps.
- Baby steps.
- Not all at once.
- Baby steps.
Not even toddler steps but baby steps.
[both laugh]
Yeah.
[upbeat music]
♪
- This is pretty. - Yeah.
- Oh, it's beautiful. I love Boulder.
- [grunts]
I'm ready to check this space out.
- Yeah.
This last week has been super rocky.
And this is really one of the last times
that Michael and I will be together before Decision Day.
So I rented this gorgeous little cabin for us.
Oh, wow.
After my conversation with Cesar,
I realized that I care very, very deeply about Michael.
So I...
wanted to do everything I could
to see if we could get back to a romantic place.
♪
- Well, thank you. - Yeah.
Will you hand me that blanket?
- Yeah, I can and will. - Oh, thank you.
That's so kind of you.
Thanks. - There.
Boom.
- So we're headed into Decision Day.
- We are. - It's coming up hot.
- Mm-hmm.
- What are some of the things that you're weighing
as we think about going in?
- I think...
there is a level of comfort
that I have to develop with the uncertainty and fear.
- Mm-hmm. - I think that's a deficiency.
I think that...
I've...
♪
Celebrated my independence
for so long. - Mm-hmm.
- I never thought, for example,
that marriage equals sacrificing your independence.
I don't believe that,
but I do believe it looks a little different, right?
And sometimes I have a hard time seeing
what that looks like for me
and what that means for how I see our lives together.
Like, all of that-- this is my first time
ever really processing that, you know.
- We are...
really, really, really, really great together.
♪
And we've been through so much together,
and it all happened so quickly.
♪
So I think, for me, I just want you to know that...
I am...
- Wait.
♪
Continue. - [chuckles]
Whatever Decision Day holds for us,
I am just...
deeply, deeply, deeply, deeply moved and grateful.
So thank you for making this really fun
and making me realize just how much
I want to do life with someone.
♪
- ♪ Here's to the ones that keep on fighting ♪
- Oh, my God.
- ♪ Even though they are afraid ♪
♪
- Thank you.
- ♪ Baby, come and make me go ♪
♪ Oh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
♪ Baby, come and make me go... ♪
- I am really happy that you all agreed to do this,
because it's one of the things
that I'm the most passionate about,
and I'm also passionate about how much I love you guys.
So, to combine those two, it's very special.
Today we are doing a boudoir shoot with lingerie.
Like, I think we all lost sight
of how wonderful and beautiful we all are.
And I wanted to be able to celebrate that.
We went on this journey
to focus on our husbands.
And, unfortunately,
that didn't turn out the way that we deserved.
- Mm-hmm.
- And so this is kind of about taking that power back.
And this whole experience is supposed to show you
what you look like from somebody else's eyes,
because the way that we see ourselves
is not an accurate representation of who we are.
I want to take
whatever the least favorite part is about you,
and I want to make you love it. both: Amen.
- Love that.
- I think that I'm self-conscious of my tummy.
I had that surgery, and, like, I'm still swollen,
and I have a lot of scar tissue happening.
So I'm going to celebrate that today.
My favorite part about myself is probably my eyes.
- Oh, I love your eyes, too. - Yeah.
- My least favorite part is probably, like, my hips.
They're just wide and big.
And then I think my favorite part
is I just like, like, my overall shape.
- Right.
- I'll be sure to celebrate that today.
- I would say my least favorite part
is probably my saggy boobs.
[laughing] - Oh, shut up.
You have "Game of Thrones" [bleep].
- Like, literally, no, you guys don't know.
And then I would say my favorite part is my legs,
because I just feel strong when I'm squatting,
and, like, they can hold a lot of weight.
And so, to me, I just feel so powerful in the moments
when I use my legs, so...
- Yeah, they hold the weight of the world.
- Yeah. - I love that.
- I would say my least favorite part is my ass...
- Yeah.
- Because I feel like in, like, the Black community,
it's like, you don't have an ass.
And then for other races,
they're like, your ass is too big.
So I was like, I felt like I was always floating
through a space where I just didn't like it
no matter what it looked like.
And my favorite part
is, actually, I would say, my skin.
- Yeah, skin.
- I just love the way I look in it.
I love the way I feel in it. - It's a good thing to love.
It's the biggest organ on the body.
- Yeah. - It is glowing.
She really is glowing. - Oh, my gosh, okay.
So yeah, Em, do you want to go first?
- Yes. - Yay.
- ♪ It's the girl power
♪ The kids with all the attitude ♪
♪ We got to shout louder
♪ There's nothing we can't do ♪
- With one hand, you're going to, like, really play.
- She's a babe. - With the other hand,
you can either, like, put it back behind you.
- Brittany, baby. - Yes.
Yes.
[camera shutter clicks]
- ♪ We break the mold, forget the old ♪
- You look hot.
- Oh, yeah, grab on to the bedsheet a little bit.
Hell, yeah.
- ♪ With you by my side
♪ I feel your voices sang the planet to life ♪
- Lean forward with that hand again.
- Oh, that's fire.
- ♪ It's the girl power
- Arching your back.
- ♪ We got to shout louder
- Yeah, and spin towards me even more.
- ♪ There's nothing we can't do ♪
- Gosh, these eyes. - She's a stunner.
- ♪ Nothing in the world could stop a bit of girl power ♪
- Now whip that hair, baby. - Whoo!
- ♪ Believe and make it better, oh, oh ♪
- And then look straight out the window, Lauren.
Yes.
♪
- Oh. - There she is.
- Okay, bow down to the queen. [laughter]
- Mama. - You look like a real queen.
- Yes! - Wow!
- Come on, booty.
- I'll bet that was not easy to get into.
- Chef's kiss, like, mwah. - Oh, wait, that's so cute.
- This was the outfit that Austin...
- Oh, my gosh.
- Walked away from couples' retreat weekend.
- That's what he passed up on?
- I was literally holding it in my hand
when I asked him if I should come with him.
- Sad. - You look great.
- Missed opportunities. Missed opportunities.
- Right.
- All right, I'm going to take your first one.
I want you to come, like, a little here.
- I like that, with the green in the back.
- Yeah, the green is nice. - Yeah. Yeah, that's cute.
Ooh.
♪
- Stunning. Hot.
Someone beat that. - I want you on the bed.
- Yeah, you do. - Yeah, I do.
I think after the chaos that our marriages were,
all of us lost a little bit of our spark.
And today, I feel like, was just the first step
for a lot of us finding that spark
and seeing ourselves in just a totally different light,
'cause when I look around the room,
the self-love is flowing through this room right now.
It makes me feel really good about my future.
It makes me feel really good about Becca
and Claire's and Emily's future.
There's a lot out there to be had is all I'm saying.
Our husbands weren't it, but it's out there.
I think this was definitely a good activity
in choosing ourselves... - yeah.
- And in loving ourselves.
Like, regardless of those men,
regardless of any man that comes after this...
- Yeah.
- This is a good reminder to always choose yourself.
- Absolutely.
♪
- ♪ We keep coming back for more ♪
♪ Coming back for more
- Even he wants to know what's going on.
- I know, guys. We're getting out of here.
- I know, boy.
Are you looking forward to getting back to your place?
- [sighs] It's going to feel weird,
but, yeah, it'll give us a chance to think...
- Yeah. Mm-hmm. - Before the big day.
- No, it's probably good for us to be
in, like, our familiar space with our thoughts
and feelings and everything like that.
- Yeah. - I have a feeling that
that'll help us.
I wouldn't want to be here by myself
kind of thinking through everything.
- Me too. Me too.
- Pretty bittersweet, separating for the night,
but I am looking forward to just having this opportunity,
you know, to be immersed in my own thoughts and feelings
back at my apartment.
I need to weigh what it means to me to be married
so I can be certain about my decision on Decision Day,
because, literally, the trajectory of my life
could change.
- You nervous? - Of course.
- I am, too. - Yeah.
I've never navigated my emotions this deeply before
with so much intent.
There's no way I could have done it with anyone else.
The kind of chemistry we have
and how easy things have been,
I think that is a great beacon of hope
if we were to say yes... - Mm-hmm. Yeah.
- That we are a great fit for each other
and we know how to appreciate each other
and prioritize each other.
So there are a lot of things that--
If we do decide to continue on with this marriage,
I think there are a lot of things
we could lean on and continue to enjoy and even make better.
- Yeah.
♪
I think if we say yes tomorrow,
it gives us a chance to keep going and...
making it something even more awesome.
- Mm-hmm. It'll be how it's supposed to be.
- Yeah.
- What's that you always say?
What's supposed to hit you doesn't pass you by
or some [bleep] like that? - [chuckles]
- Is that how it goes?
- Yeah, it's just like a Mack truck...
- Yeah, right?
- Driving furiously down the road.
- That's what it is, right? I got it.
- What's meant for you will never pass you.
- I like mine better--
what's meant for you will hit you and not pass you.
That one's better.
- Yours sounds a lot like a car accident.
- No, mine's better. You're right.
- Yeah. Mm.
- What's meant for you will hit you and not pass you.
We did it. - Okay.
- There we go. - Mm.
- And I know we've had a lot of good conversations
on where our feelings have been at,
where our heads have been at kind of leading to this day.
I'm very grateful that you've given me
you know, the grace to kind of talk through what I'm feeling.
- At the end of the day,
I think in the amount of time we've spent,
the one question that we probably both have is,
has enough of that connection built
that we feel like we need forever?
And are we in a place where we want to keep working on it?
A lot to think about. - Mm-hmm.
♪
I haven't had to face forever before.
- Mm. - [laughs]
- Ah, and that's a lot to think about.
So I might not sleep tonight. - Yeah.
- [laughs]
Well, you want to blow this pop stand?
- I'm going to hang back to get all my animals wrangled up.
- Sounds like a plan.
- You got all your stuff? - Got it all.
- And the old man? All right. - Mm. Ooh.
- Mm-hmm. - Eek.
♪
- ♪ Happy and fine in the sunlight ♪
♪ Light
♪
[serious music]
♪
- ♪ Never thought I could feel this way ♪
- All right, we're here. Decision Day is upon us.
You know, I'm feeling good about where I'm at.
You know, obviously, I took this time
to do a lot of introspection,
a lot of just, you know, self-reflection,
really kind of hone in on how I feel.
- ♪ I'll hold you close, I'll be here until the end ♪
- This morning I'm feeling a little apprehension,
definitely feeling nervous,
definitely feeling a little scared,
definitely feeling a little overwhelmed.
I'm really hoping that I make the right decision.
- I feel really good coming into this Decision Day.
I feel really confident about where I stand.
You know, I feel just almost a level of at peace.
And so, yeah, we'll see how everything goes.
- It's just this incredible feeling
and something that I know
is going to all work out in the end,
but it's that fear of the unknown.
♪
[sighs] I don't know where we'll land.
♪
- ♪ It's our time, it's our life ♪
♪ And we're all we can want
♪ It's too short not to try
♪ You've already won
♪
- [sighs]
- Wow. - All right.
- I know.
- Well, here we are again.
It's Decision Day. Never done this before.
- Well, I hope we never have to do it again.
[laughter] - I know, right.
Oh, my goodness.
- It was such a shock, and I'm just so glad
that there's second chances, right?
- Yeah. I don't know-- how you guys think
that things are looking for them?
- You know, they had this idyllic period
where I thought, you know, he's our Cinderfella.
You know, it's just going to be great.
- Yeah. - But there feels, like,
a shift in the mood. - Yeah.
I know that he has had some questions
about whether or not he's ready for marriage.
And I don't understand. - I don't either.
- I don't get it. - I mean, the three of us sat
and listened to him--about how much he was willing
to be rematched... - Yes.
- Yeah. - And how articulate
he was about now he knew he wanted to be married.
- Mm-hmm. - He thought he wanted before,
but now he knows it. - Mm-hmm.
- And he was just exactly
what we would hope for... - Absolutely.
- A level of commitment we would hope for.
So what about him has made him unready now?
- I don't know.
But we know what the successful marriages look like.
- Right.
- And I believe that they could be one of those.
- Mm. - Totally.
- Because we've seen people succeed with less
going for them than they have. - Mm. Sure.
- You know?
- And I think we've seen a different level of maturity
with the two of them, right, in that--
the way that they're looking at life,
the way that they're looking at each other,
the way that they're being introspective.
- I hope they can just see the value in what they have.
- I hope so, too.
♪
- ♪ So long I've waited for a chance to shine ♪
♪ I've been so patient, I've been so patient ♪
♪ Hmm, hmm
- Right when I saw Chloe walk down the aisle,
I thought she was beautiful.
I saw those pink Chucks, so I already liked the vibe
that she was coming up there with.
May I? - Yes.
- ♪ More than a thousand times ♪
- What I really like about Chloe is just how caring
and selfless she is.
She always puts others first.
She's so mindful of, like, how everyone feels.
She's just really one of the most selfless people
I've ever met.
- We have made it back to the apartment.
All of the babies are doing so great.
- It's crazy.
The easiest parts about being married to Chloe
were what I thought were going to be the hardest parts.
- I'm gonna give you the closet choice.
- Okay. - Welcome home, Michael.
- Thank you.
Living together-- I thought that [bleep]
was going to be a struggle, and it was so easy.
This is your morning routine right?
- That's really sweet.
- I think a lot of the times
we just have fun with each other.
And the thing with fun is, it's infectious.
- I am in it to win it.
- ♪ Best day of my life
- Oh, I have to go forward? - You have to come to me.
♪
- I know the way we kind of envisioned
our lives independently
before we met each other was a lot different.
- So my dream, actually, has always been
since I was a little kiddo, to have an animal sanctuary.
- Our values are aligned, but the key differentiator
is that there are certain things
that she's just much more passionate about than I am.
How many foster children are in this dream of yours?
- Maybe five at a time.
- Chloe is the best partner possible.
- If Decision Day was tomorrow,
you might be feeling like it's a no.
- I would be feeling like I have insufficient data.
But I just don't know if I'm in an emotional place
to continue building this marriage.
♪
- ♪ Now the feeling of
♪ Finally got me out
- When I first met Michael, I thought,
my husband knows how to dress.
- Blazer, dress shirts, sweater,
more sweaters, extra shoes. - [laughs]
Michael is intelligent, kind, funny, and thoughtful.
- With the impact you're going to make
on this world versus me,
you are a much better human than I am.
- Bring those out. Dang.
Like, this is probably the healthiest relationship
I've ever been in in my entire life.
As much as Michael has made me feel comfortable and at home,
we are both very different.
- An animal sanctuary doesn't scare me.
An animal sanctuary with 500 animals scares me.
Fostering children doesn't scare me.
Fostering five of them scares me.
♪
- He and I may not have the same goals or align
in the ways that we need to when we look at the future.
And I'm afraid that could complicate
continuing to forge a relationship.
But despite Michael and I being different,
I can't imagine my life without him,
and I'm still so conflicted.
[dramatic music]
♪
- ♪ I'm going to try
♪
♪ Up to the mountaintop
to say ♪
♪ No, I'm gonna try
[dramatic music]
- What's going on, man?
- How are you guys? - Hey, hey.
- We're good.
- Man, you're always stepping it up.
- Before thinking of the weather, I committed to this.
- Yeah - It works.
- You're always stepping it up, man.
- Hello. So good to see you again.
- Nice to see you. - Good to see you.
- Oh, I love the velvet. - Oh, thank you.
- I don't have the legs for that.
- Neither do I, but I'm forcing it.
[laughter] I'm trying to make it happen.
I'm willing it into existence. - There you go.
- I like it. - Thank you.
- It's like she's on a runway. - Yes.
- Hello. - You better walk.
- You better walk, girl.
[laughter]
- Look at you looking gorgeous.
- Hello. - She's back.
- Hi.
[indistinct chatter]
- [laughs]
- Oh, it's so good to see you. It truly is.
How are you feeling today?
Where's your head, and where's your heart at?
- You know, I...
I can say that I've just loved every moment.
I've really enjoyed getting to know Michael
and spending time with him and waking up next to him.
♪
You know, it's funny.
I mean, I had anxiety attacks and panic attacks
and every other darn attack you could imagine
leading into us moving into that apartment together.
And then it was just easy. - Yeah.
And for me, like, just getting to learn about Chloe,
getting to know her, getting to see
all the wonderful qualities that she possesses,
things that overlapped,
like, oh, I think I'm a pretty strong communicator.
She's a very effective communicator.
I want to be more empathetic. She is the model of empathy.
And when you're around someone that you can honestly say
is, like, a better human than you,
like, it touches you.
♪
- That was really beautiful.
- That's an extraordinary compliment.
- Yeah, it is.
I was looking at Chloe's face as you were saying that.
I don't know that you got to see her expressions.
But, Chloe, what was it like to hear that?
- [sighs]
It's just a really...
it's a beautiful thing when someone sort of sees you
and hears you and understands you.
- So where are the challenges?
- I think Michael--
it was probably a little more difficult for him
to settle in and let all of his walls down.
And I feel like, once they came down,
that's probably where things got a little scary for him.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- That's where the seeds of doubt were planted.
So the further into the journey that we got,
the more Michael was overwhelmed
with the idea of marriage.
♪
- Hmm. - Hmm.
- Michael is...
has been very clear as the days have gone on
that it's just been more than he was expecting.
- How does that--
You know, I can just see you say that
with some emotion. - Yeah.
- How does that make you feel?
- [sighs] It's just difficult to verbalize.
I...
Natural inclination
is to personalize, right? - Mm.
- It's like, oh, well, if you don't want to be married
and you're married,
it's got to be that you don't want to be married to me.
And then, automatically, empath.
- Yeah. - Seeds of doubt are felt.
Well, holy cow, now I've got to plant my own.
They were there.
I just didn't water them. [laughs]
And now they're being watered.
♪
I think the red flags that we ignore in the beginning
are what ends us eventually.
Maybe we...
aren't the match that we have been up to this point
because we, you know,
just spent too much time in our heads.
- I would urge you...
whatever its issues are,
that if you feel there's possibilities,
to fight for it, to fight for it here.
From my point of view...
what you two have had deserves that.
- I'm the all-in, or I'm the all-out.
And I need a partner that is very much the same.
♪
[dramatic music]
♪
- In this process, we often ask people
to exchange their hopes and dreams.
And I wonder if those hopes and dreams start to sound
like requirements as opposed to just hopes and dreams.
I wonder if, to some extent, they were scary.
- Yeah, I think...
the blessing and the curse of this journey is,
we don't have the gift of time,
and, therefore, we have got to show
every single last possible element
of who it is that we are
to make sure that we are a good match for each other.
And I would imagine having an animal sanctuary
is a little scary for someone that isn't necessarily looking
to have an animal sanctuary.
And adopting kiddos and fostering kiddos--
I mean, these were all me journeys.
But then when I became a we, things change, you know.
These things were meaningful to me when I was a me.
And now as a we, we navigate things differently.
♪
- Yeah, and for me, like...
Obviously, we have a strong connection.
Obviously, we built a really good emotional bond
and trust with each other.
Like, I have...
nothing that I could point to at Chloe
and be, like, you know, this is what's causing me doubt.
I think, for me, it was like...
there is a different intention
with marriage and, quite frankly, for me,
a different expectation. - Mm-hmm.
- You know, I want to be in a place
with, like, a confidence and desire to continue a marriage.
- Yeah.
- And I think that's what's challenging for me.
- I think that sometimes
we can sort of overanalyze and--
- It is one of my biggest faults.
- [groans] Yeah.
It's the paralysis of analysis.
You know? - Yeah.
- That's a good way to put it.
- It's like you think yourself out of a thing...
- Yeah.
- You know, instead of stepping back
and looking at the value,
looking at the beauty and saying, you know what?
This is good. Just empirically, this is good.
- Yeah.
- I mean, my gut, my guiding compass in all this
is how it made me feel.
And how do I feel coming into the day?
How do I feel about thinking about the future?
What does that make me feel?
It becomes difficult
to be able to fully explain that,
but I would want to at least make the concerted effort
to say that I am using that as my compass.
- May I challenge you just a little bit on that?
- Please do. I'm always here for it.
- Okay. I think it's really important for us
to listen to our feelings.
How are you feeling when you're with Chloe?
- Mm-hmm.
I mean, when I'm with Chloe,
I mean, I think it's very easy to see,
like, we really enjoy each other's company.
I enjoy my time with Chloe. Chloe does make me happy.
Chloe makes me feel, you know, very secure.
A lot of the things that I personally wanted to work on,
like, she exemplifies them, so--
- Can I pause you for a moment and have you check in
with yourself and recognize when you just started talking
about Chloe, you started to glow?
- You did.
- You started to smile in a different way.
You let that guard down. You stopped being in your head.
You stopped intellectualizing, and you talked from your heart.
Like, I'm just looking at the two of you right now
and how you're holding on to one another, right?
And I'm wondering if you are even aware of that,
even in this moment,
of the connection that the two of you have?
Like, it's the nonverbals there, right?
Like, that's the authenticity that I'm talking about, right?
Because both of you are so smart, like we've been saying,
you can intellectualize by the words that you're using.
But I would encourage you to look at the nonverbals,
because that, to me, speaks volumes above the verbal.
- It does.
♪
- I mean, I...
I'm aware when it's brought, like, to our attention.
- [clears throat] Yeah. - But I think sometimes
it's kind of just, like, I guess, subconscious...
- Mm-hmm. - To a certain degree.
It's like, the deference of, like, when she speaks.
Like, I kind of-- just by default, you know,
my attention will go to her. - Right.
- But it's not like something I'm thinking of.
But, like, when you bring it up,
it's like, oh, yeah, no, I recognize it now.
Yeah. - Yeah.
- Well, the time has come.
♪
You will decide if you want to stay married...
♪
Or get a divorce.
- Oh, that happened fast.
♪
Oh, gracious.
♪
My heart's racing.
[chuckles]
♪
I...
came into this journey
believing in...
love being a choice
and not something that we're going to feel
at every moment of every day.
And as we think about...
marriage, every day being a choice
and really we're saying...
♪
Is this a period at the end of this story,
or is it a comma with more to tell?
And I made a promise to you that I would not make
this decision until I was sitting right here
looking at you.
And I'm really glad I made that promise
because I'm feeling really differently
than I anticipated feeling.
♪
And I think I want to see...
if we have more story to tell.
[bright music]
So I want to keep going.
♪
- I came into this
knowing that I was going to be leaning heavily on you.
I was going to be leaning heavily on this journey
to put me in a position where...
[dramatic music]
I could feel...
confident and optimistic enough,
because I knew there was going to always be a level of doubt--
there was always going to be a level of concern that I have--
but just enough to where I could say,
let's continue working...
♪
On this marriage.
And I...
Feel that...
I, in this moment, feel like I have to lean
into what my compass has been,
and that's just how I feel
about the ability to...
develop and work on a marriage.
♪
And I...
♪
[dramatic music]
♪
I feel that...
I...
I have to lean into what my compass has been,
and that's just how I feel about the ability
to develop and work on a marriage.
- Mm-hmm.
- And I just don't feel that I can do that
to the degree
that I would be comfortable and confident in,
but, more importantly, that you would deserve.
♪
And even though I'm choosing divorce,
I hope you understand that that doesn't change anything
that I said about you... - I know.
- And how I feel about you as a person.
- Yep. I know.
♪
Same.
That never ever, ever, ever will.
♪
And I...
I will think the world of you forever.
And I hope you're in my life forever in some capacity,
but you are a good man.
♪
- Wow. - [scoffs]
[chuckles] - Yeah.
♪
- I won't lie
and say that I'm not disappointed,
because I see so much.
I see so much. - Yeah.
- Yeah, I mean, me too.
I feel...
[serious music]
Sad.
♪
Obviously, hearing Chloe's desire
to move forward and...
♪
Hitting that realization of, like...
you strive to be this person, but in this defining moment,
like, you're not...
that person, at least not yet.
[stammers]
There's a tremendous amount of sadness
that kind of goes with that.
- Yeah.
- Uh...
well, thank you both for the bravery
and heart you've shown.
And we just wish the best for both of you.
We have a lot of admiration.
So thank you.
- Even though I feel sad saying no,
I also feel that that's the right choice for me.
You know, as clear and confident in my decision
as I feel,
down the road, I may look back on this and think,
wow, I should have done something different.
But, you know, as I search through how I feel
and hone in on that,
I know that I can't say yes.
- Ah...
Mm.
♪
- For me, I'm not surprised hearing him say no.
He's not ready to give me
everything it is that I need from him.
♪
And I don't want to waste any time
building a relationship with someone that's not ready
to reciprocate what I need.
♪
But that's not to say that I didn't believe
there could have been something more.
And I still do. And I will believe that.
- ♪ Somewhere in your heart
♪ I know there exists
♪ A hand that wants to reach out ♪
♪ And break the silence
♪
- Next week on "Married at First Sight"...
- I was actually called the B-I-T-C-H word.
- This is "Cast Tell All." - I have a new man.
- Now and then, we'll make whoopee together, you know.
- I'm here with some of my favorite "MAFS" alumni...
What's new with you? - Besides the baby on the way?
- Who have seen it all and are here to spill the tea, honey.
- He was taking a secret medication that he hid from me.
- I literally was flabbergasted.
Like, my mouth dropped on the floor.
- Wow, you really can't make this stuff up.
- Who's sliding into your DMs?
- You just need to grab a boob or grab a [bleep].
- This is too much. I need to get off this stage.
- And in two weeks...
- The entire Denver cast has returned.
- There's two sides to every story.
- Do you feel like you're being manipulated right now?
- Always.
- Emotions are still at an all-time high,
and they have a lot to hash out.
What did she do that made doubt creep into your mind?
- Just say it.
- I wanted marriage. I wanted a wife.
- With me?
- You told me that if I left you,
you would make my life a living hell.
[dramatic music]
- This is my first experience with being gaslit.
- Oh. - Oh, my God.
- It's a powerful two-part reunion
that you don't want to miss.
- The horse is dead, so it's time to stop beating it.
- Keep poking the bear, and I'll bite the [bleep] back.
- Claire shared that she was in love with her boyfriend.
♪
You were [bleep] someone else.
- [crying] Go ahead, continue to lie.
- I never [bleep] anyone. - [crying] Please, please.
- Hold on for a second.
- I'm not dealing with this [bleep].
I'm done.
I'm just disgusted with everything today.
[sobs]
♪