Drama for Mama: The Bachelorette
By Cara Cleek Ogden
After traveling around the world, Ali returns to the U.S. this week, and visits her four remaining men in their hometowns.
ROBERTO:
First up is Tampa, Florida, which is Roberto’s hometown. He takes Ali to his college baseball field at the University of Tampa, where he shows off by strutting around in his baseball uniform. The two have a nice day on the field, but Ali’s nervous to meet the parents.
Roberto’s dad is a former Army Ranger, and Roberto is worried that he’ll be tough on Ali. Dad assures Roberto that he just wants what’s best for his son, and wants to make sure that Ali is good enough for him. His main concern is Ali’s career, and he wonders if she’ll be able to put Roberto first. Ali seems to charm him, however, and they all end the evening by salsa dancing in the living room.
CHRIS:
Next stop is Chris’s home turf of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Ali’s also from the area, so she feels at home as Chris shows her around his hometown and walks her along the beach where he grew up. Chris tells her not to be nervous, as he’s sure his family will love her. He hasn’t brought a woman home since his mom died, but is excited to introduce Ali to his father and brothers.
Chris and his dad have a sweet reunion and it’s clear that Chris is well loved by his family. His home is filled with mementos of his mom and his dad talks a lot about love. Ali feels that she’d be welcomed into the family. It’s clear that the family is taken with her, but they’re worried about Chris getting hurt. He’s been through a lot and they want the best for him.
KIRK:
Ali’s concerns about Kirk arise from the fact that his parents are divorced and don’t speak to one another. Ali’s worried that this might have been damaging to Kirk. He’s also not had any serious relationships to speak of, so she wonders if he’s prepared to commit to someone.
Kirk takes Ali to his dad’s house first, where Ali meets Kirk’s dad, step-mom, and adopted little sister. Kirk’s dad immediately shows Ali to the basement, where he works on his taxidermy business. Ali’s a little freaked out by the dead animals on the wall, not to mention the ones in the deep-freeze sitting right next to the popsicles. Ewww. But she gets a warm feeling from Kirk’s dad, and thinks she might not have all that much to worry about (but probably hopes that no one offers her a frozen treat of any sort).
Next, they visit Kirk’s mom, sister and grandma, where grandma has made a home-cooked meal. Kirk’s mom talks about Kirk’s illness, and Ali realizes that although Kirk was raised in a non-traditional way, his family cares for him and has shown him a lot of love.
FRANK:
Ali’s last visit is to Chicago, where Frank lives with his parents. Ali and Frank take a boat tour, and Frank talks about how nervous he is. He’s been uptight all along, and he’s sending out signals that would make most girls worry. Ali’s starting to catch on to this, and wonders if Frank’s discomfort may be because of unsure feelings about their relationship. (Note to Ali: Listen to your gut.)
Frank’s family seems to warm right up to Ali, and Frank’s mom says that she feels like Ali’s been dating for a long time and that she fits right in. Frank’s sister thinks that Frank’s nerves are due to his strong feelings and emotions toward Ali, and Ali feels better for the time being. She can see the two of them together in the end.
ROSE CEREMONY:
Ali gets emotional when handing out her three roses to Roberto, Chris, and Frank. Kirk will be the one leaving. Ali walks him out, and they have a tearful goodbye. Kirk felt that he’d really opened himself up to Ali, and he’s disappointed that it wasn’t enough.
Ali toasts her remaining men, and tells them that they’re off to Tahiti for some romance in the sun.
NEXT WEEK:
Next week, we’ll finally find out what Frank’s been so nervous about, as we see previews of some angst-ridden conversations and a lot of tears.
Cara is a working single mom of a very energetic 10-year-old daughter, Ibby. Cara says, “At the end of my day, I often have just enough strength left to operate the remote control. Thankfully, my personal life is fairly calm. So in order to up the drama quotient, I keep up with my favorite TV shows. I may feel differently in a few years when my daughter hits puberty. But for now, I’m glad to have some ‘Drama for Mama’.”
