This week (July 26), The Bachelorette devoted most of its show to The Men Tell All special. But the first 30 minutes of the broadcast ended with a fan favorite contestant LEAVING the competition.
Michael Allio, the widower father to a four year old son, became distraught when his son James wondered aloud during a Facetime call, why his dad didn’t want to see him any more. Clearly gutted, Michael headed to Bachelorette Katie Thurston’s room to tell her he’s leaving the show.
First of all, the timing seems odd. Wouldn’t the child have been insecure the entire time Michael was away? And now, so close to Hometown Visits, when Michael would be introducing Katie to James, he decides to quit? Dude only had like two weeks to go! So I suspect there is more to the story.
But heh. The drama is delicious, amiright? And fits in perfectly with Michael’s “good guy, good dad” personna. He’s falling in love with Katie, but he must put his son’s needs ahead of his own happiness. CUE THE LADIES SWOONING.
“I’m not leaving because of us.”
“With hometowns coming up,” said Michael during his last meeting with Katie. “I feel like it’s wrong for me to give you half of what I could be. And it kills me because I see so much with us.” Katie responded, “I had so many things I was going to tell you.”
When Michael dropped the bombshell, Katie didn’t take it well at first. “I’m sorry I just did not see this coming,” said Katie. “I saw us going to the end which makes this really confusing for me right now.”
Michael tried to assure Katie: “I’m not leaving because of us. I’m leaving because my son needs me. I promise you.”
Then, Michael pulls out the stopwatch he wanted to give her at the beginning of the season. “I gave that to you because I understood the importance of time.” He thought love was going to be the hardest thing to attain. But it ended up being time, he said, “We ran out of time.”
“I support you going home to James”
Katie conceded, “As selfish as I want to be and want to beg you to stay, I just know that’s not an option,” she added, “So, I support you going home to James.”
“You taught me how to love again,” said Michael. Katie cries so hard, her mascara runs. She thinks she may have lost her “person.” But fear not. During the Men Tell All special, Katie met Michael again. He hinted that if she’s still willing, he’s up for getting together. But she was basically “Nah. Everything happens for a reason. I’m good.”
I doubt Katie would have chosen Michael, which would have meant moving to Ohio and step-mothering a 4 year old child. Michael and the producers probably already knew that. So why not cook up a romantic and dramatic exit for Michael?
Watch the dramatic moment below.
Next week, it’s Hometown Visits where Katie will meet the families of the remaining 3 suitors, Greg, Blake and…what’s the last guys name? Oh yeah, Justin.
