*Deep breath in, deep breath out*
Welcome back to Bachelor Recap with me, Molly Heller . Last time you saw me I was recapping of all the love found on Bachelor Winter games with more of a happy ending. This week I sing to a bit of a different tune. Now that we have had a few weeks to process all that went down in the finale and After the final Rose, I have calmed down just enough to get my thoughts in line.
When this season first premiered we watched in somewhat confusion as 36 year old Bachelor, Arie Luyendyk Jr., tried to find love. Though he was not out first choice (we missed you Peter), we were still rooting for him and wanted him to find is one true love. As time went on, while I did not love him, he was doing everything right, feeling out the relationships as it went on and making logical decisions as to who stayed and who went.
Weeks go by and finally he is left with Becca K., and Lauren B. (Burnham, not to confused with Lauren Bushnell). While the relationships were very different, they seemed to be working pretty well. So well that Arie went on to be the next bachelor to tell both (I KNOW!) of his final women that he loves them. Though it was hard, Arie did make a choice at the end, but there was a twist that no one saw coming. After proposing to Becca K, sending the heartbroken Lauren home, Arie realized his heart did not quite agree with him. That is until we find out that a few weeks later he ended his engagement and went back to Lauren, realizing that he made a mistake.
On what was supposed to be a romantic “happy couple weekend” (really Chris Harrison?), Arie showed up empty handed with a camera crew behind him and told Becca it was just not going to work out. Just when we thought it was over, we had to endure twenty five more minutes of him staring at her crying as she told him time and time again to leave. This threw viewers into full on riots. Fans and past bachelor nation alumni were tweeting like their lives depended on it, discussing how awful what Arie did was. I cannot say I can blame them, I was doing it to!
There were so many ways this could have been handled and Arie went about it in the complete wrong way. Becca handled it like the queen she is, making us dislike him even more for doing this to her. On After The Final Rose, we see Bekah M, Kendal, Tia, Caroline and Sienne, fan favorites from the season, sticking up for their friend who sadly was caught up in this mess. The best thing that came out of the season is the fact that shortly after her final talk with Arie, it was announced that Becca would be the next Bachelorette.
Arie, as you and and your new fiance travel the world, I hope that somehow you reflect on the poor decisions you made, and try to at least take this as a life lesson on how to treat others. And maybe as a sign you’ve got to learn how to make decisions. All in all, I truly wish them happiness in all of their future endeavors, and for their sake I hope Lauren never watches the finale because might just wish that she dodged that bullet. Catch me on May 28th with a big ol’ glass of wine in hand as Becca’s season of The Bachelorette premieres on ABC.
Now someone tell me how I can become friends with Caroline!