Two of Rachel's Guys Bid Emotional Goodbyes While Gabby Freaks Over Erich on 'The Bachelorette'
Gabby calls her romance a ‘big fat dumpster fire’ after proposal question.
Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s love journey entered its final act on Tuesday night’s episode of The Bachelorette.
The 19th season of the hit ABC reality show for the first time has featured two women looking for husbands.
And during the first part of the finale, fans saw three men still left for Rachel and one for Gabby.
The show opened with host Jesse Palmer, Rachel, and Gabby watching the show with a live studio audience.
How did Zach’s Bachelorette experience end?
Cameras showed how Zach had taken Rachel aside for a private chat after they’d had a terrible fantasy suite experience together in Mexico.
He told her she hadn’t seemed like the real Rachel behind closed doors.
“I feel upset and disappointed,” Zach told her.
Rachel’s concern about his young age puzzled Zach, now 26.
“I did really love you. I saw a future with you,” he moaned, then concluded, “I need to go.”
Rachel said she wished she could have “gotten there” with Zach.
“At least now we know,” Zach said.
Rachel walked him out as her other two hopefuls, Aven and Tino, watched.
Zach was in tears as he was driven off the show.
Rachel returned to Aven and Tino and explained Zach was gone after questioning her character—then awarded them her two roses.
Jesse brought Zach on the live show to talk to Rachel.
Zach apologized for dissing her “character.” Rachel also said she was sorry and claimed she hadn’t been putting on an act with him.
The hunk said he could have handled things better.
Rachel said she had cared about him but couldn’t “get there.”
“It was a tough pill to swallow,” Zach admitted. “I just want you to be happy.”
Jesse asked if something crazy had happened that night.
Zach said they had been like strangers, having an intense conversation.
But Zach didn’t have any regrets about walking away and wished Rachel the best.
Next, Rachel was going to introduce her family to the final two men.
How did Aven’s visit with Rachel’s family go?
Rachel’s protective dad Big Tony took Aven aside for a chat.
He told the suitor about his daughter, “Nobody’s going to take her away from me without a fight.”
Aven said he had tried to be honest in every decision he made and that they shared the same values and sense of humor.
“I’m falling in love with your daughter,” Aven told Tony.
Rachel’s mom told her privately that Aven seemed confident and caring.
“I have no doubts in him,” the bachelorette gushed to her mother, who was ecstatic for her.
However, Aven told her male friend he wanted a life with Rachel but wasn’t sure that he could get engaged in the short time they had left.
Separately, however, Rachel told her dad she could be engaged in five days!
Rachel’s friend revealed to her later that Aven didn’t see himself getting engaged yet.
She looked surprised and said that wasn’t what he had told her!
In a private conversation, Aven said to Rachel, “Nothing has changed about how I feel about you. I just want to make sure it’s 100 percent right for both of us.”
Rachel said she was confused: “That’s not what you told me!”
Getting angry and tearful with the sales exec, she cried about how he had told her friends and family something different.
“I just want to be with you,” Aven said, while Rachel countered that she didn’t want to force him into engagement.
She sighed, “You told me you were ready for an engagement. After overnights, you changed your mind. The fact that you don’t know is hard for me.”
Rachel called herself confused and blindsided in confessional.
How did Erich do during his meeting with Gabby’s family?
Gabby was reunited with her family, including her irrepressible grandpa John.
Erich told the group how much he cared about Gabby.
Gabby sat down with her grandpa, who said, “he’s a keeper.”
Grandpa got emotional while hugging her.
Erich told her dad Patrick he couldn’t imagine his life without Gabby.
She told her dad she thought it was too good to be true.
Gabby’s aunt Julie heard her sob that she never felt love from her mother.
She worried Erich would find her “unlovable.”
“Don’t hide this from Erich, you have to let him see you vulnerable,” her aunt urged.
“He’s always accepted every part of me,” Gabby told the cameras.
How did Tino’s visit with Rachel’s family turn out?
The pretty flight instructor told her relatives how she had fallen for Tino early—but his family didn’t like her!
Rachel’s mom Mary Anne said that might be her own interpretation of the situation.
The general contractor told Rachel’s people, “I’m in love with her.”
Tino and Mary Anne sat down and she asked if they had enough in common.
“We’ll pick up things together,” he said.
Tino said he was sure his parents would eventually love Rachel.
Big Tony asked Tino about his skeptical folks and the hunk insisted they would fall in love with her like he did.
“I’m going to make your daughter happy forever,” he said, also telling the cameras it had gone great.
Rachel said in confessional she’d gotten a big stamp of approval from everyone.
What happened next between Rachel and Aven?
The bachelorette went to Aven’s room so they could have a serious talk.
Aven said he was having a hard time and he was “deeply sorry” he had upset her.
“I care about you but I want more time with you….before that next step,” Aven said.
Rachel cried that she thought they were on the same page about engagement and felt “blindsided” by what he’d told her family.
Aven said he wanted to leave with her and was fighting for the relationship.
He explained being “caught up” in saying he might be ready to propose in two weeks. “A life after this is something that I want with you.”
Rachel shook her head and cried hard.
“I want someone who’s sure about me,” she said.
Aven said he was sure but she sobbed, “You can’t give me what I need right now.”
“I can’t move forward,” Rachel said.
Aven put his head in his hand and got teary-eyed.
“I failed,” he said in confessional as she left him—and soon wheeled his suitcase off the show!
“It’s just hard to know it’s over,” she told the cameras.
Back in the studio audience, nervous Aven joined Rachel on the live show.
“I’m extremely sorry about the way things ended between us,” he said.
Rachel didn’t think they could have salvaged their relationship.
“I tried, but I agree,” Aven said.
Rachel said she appreciated his honesty.
Aven told Rachel he wanted to be sincere with her family and friends—and regretted not getting a chance to tell her first that he wasn’t ready for engagement.
What happened on Gabby’s final date with Erich?
“He makes me feel safe,” Gabby gushed about her last man standing as she joined him in his room.
Gabby didn’t want to put pressure on Erich, but wanted to get engaged.
“I truly love you and do want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said as they kissed.
The ICU nurse wanted to know if Erich was ready to propose.
“I wish I knew better,” he said, then explained, “I want to date you in the real world.”
Erich indicated an engagement would be unnatural before then, and Gabby melted down.
She told the cameras “that doesn’t scream I want to propose.”
The bachelorette raged that she didn’t want to do the show anymore as Erich pursued her down the hallway.
“He said, ‘I want to date you!’ “ outraged Gabby shouted to producers, then called the moment a “big fat dumpster fire.”
In a preview for next week’s grand finale, Rachel accuses Tino of being a liar and Gabby fears Erich won’t pop the question!
