The Bachelorette featured Brayden Bowers dumping Charity Lawson and then making a brazen return that exploded drama, Xavier Bonner saving his relationship with Charity Lawson, and The Bachelorette star eliminating Caleb Balgaard, John Buresh, and Michael Barbour during the Season 20 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.
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Brayden, a 24-year-old travel nurse from San Diego, CA, quit during a group date because he couldn’t see himself wanting to propose marriage to Charity at the end of the process.
And Charity denied roses to Caleb B., a 24-year-old pro wrestler from Orlando, FL; John Buresh, a 27-year-old data scientist from New York, NY; and Michael Barbour, a 29-year-old yacht captain from South Holland, IL, at the fourth Rose Ceremony of the season.
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The Bachelorette broadcast began with Charity and her 10 remaining bachelors traveling to Stevenson, Washington for the next week of dates. This marked Charity’s first time in Washington, and she thought it was absolutely beautiful.
In addition to Brayden, Caleb B., John, and Michael, the men still in the running for Charity’s heart when they arrived in Washington included Aaron Bryant, a 29-year-old software salesman from San Diego, CA; Dotun Olubeko, a 30-year-old integrative medicine specialist from Brooklyn, NY; and Joseph “Joey” Graziadei, a 27-year-old tennis pro from Koloa, HI.
Sean McLaughlin, a 25-year-old software sales representative from Tampa, FL, also appeared in Episode 4 as well as Tanner Courtad, a 30-year-old mortgage lender from Pittsburgh, PA, and Xavier, a 27-year-old biomedical scientist from Carrboro, NC.
The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer dropped off a Date Card with Dotun’s name on it, and then Brayden made fun of the other guys for thinking they had such a strong connection with Charity when they didn’t even know her favorite color.
Brayden said Sean was driving him “insane” in particular with talk of his “solid connection” with Charity and his “butt chin.”
“Dude looks like Prince Charming out of Shrek,” Brayden joked. “And Aaron backstabbed me, trying to question my intentions and whether I’m here for the right reasons. Aaron, b-tch move, man. I have the strongest connection right now with her, and that’s apparent.”
For their one-on-one date, Charity and Dotun both conquered one of their worst fears: bungee jumping off a bridge in the woods.
Charity was so scared that she actually cried, but Dotun comforted her and gave her the confident push that she needed to get out of her head and see the moment as an opportunity. Dotun was also terrified, but he tried to stay strong for Charity.
Charity and Dotun ultimately made the “liberating” plunge together, and Charity gushed about how the “incredible” Dotun made her feel at peace and got her through it. They even went bungee jumping twice!
While observing a big rainbow, Dotun told the cameras that he felt “so connected” to The Bachelorette star.
Meanwhile, Brayden wished he could see Charity in her natural element, including her “off” moments. He thought she was always going to be “on” as The Bachelorette star, and that bothered him.
Aaron called Brayden “a loose cannon” and didn’t want him taking any more time away from the other guys, or from Charity’s journey to find love. Aaron said he was going to be protective of Charity and watch out for Brayden making The Bachelorette star feel uncomfortable.
A Date Card arrived later on for the guys with the following names on it: Joey, Aaron, Michael, Caleb, Brayden, Sean, John, and Tanner.
The announcement left Xavier with the other one-on-one date in Washington, and he was excited to have Charity all to himself.
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That evening, Charity and Dotun — who had been searching for “everlasting love” — made Smores in the woods as they drank wine and cuddled in front of a big fire.
Dotun opened up about how there’s a random lottery one must enter in attempt to come to the United States and only a small number of people get picked.
When a new lottery came out, his “auntie” saw it and “had a feeling,” which resulted in her calling Dotun’s mom to tell her about it. Dotun said his entry into America was therefore thanks to his auntie and “one phone call,” which Charity thought was amazing.
“That experience shaped me because my parents, coming to this country, they struggled. They put a lot of effort in… so I could have a good life, and I cherish that,” Dotun shared.
Charity could relate to Dotun’s experience because her parents had worked so hard to give her the best life possible. Charity said there weren’t many people who looked like her growing up and so she had developed a mentality to be the best in everything that she did.
Charity insisted she’s not a perfectly poised girl and there are many facets of her, including a desire to be a wife and mother. Dotun told Charity that no one could put her into a box, and he mentioned how there was “a lot more” to both of them.
Charity told Dotun that he was blowing her away, and then they shared a kiss. Charity said their bond was natural and not forced, and she appreciated how Dotun was taking the time to “learn me for me.”
Dotun gushed of Dotun in a confessional, “This really could be my person. I’m cheesing! This is not happening!”
The date ended with Charity giving Dotun a rose and the pair embracing in an outdoor hot tub.
Dotun thought he and Charity were a “perfect match” and that she was the woman he had been looking for his entire life. He couldn’t imagine her connecting with another man in the same way.
The next day, Charity embarked on her group date led by three Girl Scouts, and the guys were tasked with finding Charity real food in the woods that she could eat to survive.
The guys came back with mushrooms, pine nuts, lichen, and radishes. Aaron even returned with a frog from the creek to make Charity frog legs.
Brayden was running around without a coat on, and he was bragging about how he was “asserting his dominance” and looked the most masculine of the group. His opponents thought Brayden was overcompensating for something and that he was annoying.
The Girl Scouts then asked the men a series of questions, testing their survival skills. They asked the men whom they would eat to survive, and everyone wrote down Brayden, who was the only person to write down Sean’s name.
When asked what they wanted out of this journey, all of the men said engagement in one way or another, but Brayden just said “to be content.”
The winner of the group date was Aaron, who got to spend some quality time with Charity at the “Kissing Tree.”
Brayden was upset and jealous and thought Charity had made a poor decision. He thought she was going for “a cookie-cutter dude,” much unlike himself.
“I like her. I think she’s an amazing woman. She might just be an amazing woman for someone else that’s not me,” Brayden complained to the cameras, adding how the other men were “naive with their perspective” on the show.
That night, Brayden expressed doubt that Charity was going to be the woman with whom he’d spend the rest of his life, and Aaron accused him of wasting people’s time. Aaron vented about how Brayden was “pessimistic” and changing the vibe on the date.
Brayden told Aaron that he had thrown him under the bus only because he felt threatened and was insecure about Brayden’s connection with Charity. Brayden told Aaron that he had caused unnecessary drama, but Aaron didn’t think Brayden’s words were matching what he was telling Charity.
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Brayden insisted that he had told Charity everything that he had told the men, but Aaron wasn’t so sure about that.
“My goal at the end of this is to have a connection with a woman,” Brayden announced. “I will be ready to leave if I don’t have that connection with her.”
The other guys said the goal should be to get engaged to Charity at the end of the process, and then Charity walked into a very heated conversation.
Aaron announced to Charity, “[Brayden] said he has his bags packed because he doesn’t trust this process.”
Brayden actually owned up to having packed his bags more than twice, and that revelation shocked Charity and upset her. She therefore pulled him aside for a chat.
Brayden admitted he had been down in the dumps in Washington because Charity seemed mad at him, but Charity clarified that Brayden constantly threatening to leave scared “the hell” out of her.
Charity asked Brayden why this show was so hard for him. She thought she had given him so much validation and reassurance, yet it was never enough.
Brayden said it hurt him to hear that Charity had connections with other guys, which drove her crazy because she had apparently told him that he was “one of the Ones,” suggesting that she was envisioning him being at the end.
Charity thought Brayden simply didn’t believe her, and so she asked Brayden what he was feeling.
“I’m feeling, honestly, I feel like I like you, but I feel like I don’t want to be here right now,” Brayden said. “I don’t feel like I’m capable of getting there in this environment.”
“It’s disappointing to see such a strong connection plummet like this, but I deserve someone who is going to… put their whole heart in this,” Charity replied. “So, let’s go. I’ll walk you out.”
Charity told the cameras that she felt sad and frustrated, mainly because she could see “a forever” with this person. Brayden, however, was reminding her too much of her past relationship that was toxic, and she pointed out how that was an “old” road she couldn’t go back down.
Brayden said in his final words that his breakup with Charity was “crazy” and he felt like she “left” him.
“I said, ‘Last week was so hard,’ and she was so confused by that. Yeah, we had an amazing date and I was on Cloud 9, but again, I get dropped from Cloud 9 instantly,” Brayden lamented.
“I don’t want to act like martyr, man. I dug my own grave and opened my mouth too much, but I feel like there’s definitely a possibility there’s something there. And I feel like the door wasn’t fully shut.”
Charity attempted to pick up the pieces of Brayden’s ouster by focusing on the great and mature guys she had left, and all of those men showered the Bachelorette with compliments and promised Charity that they were on the show just for her and to find a wife.
Joey even told Charity that he could definitely see himself getting down on one knee for her and what they had was “so special.”
Charity decided to give the group-date rose to Joey, and there was a positive spirit in the air.
The next day, Charity and Xavier enjoyed a local fruit festival, where they scooped lavender, tried pepper jelly, tasted different foods and more.
Charity said she and Xavier laughed and had a lot of fun together. Their chemistry was apparent, but Charity wondered if Xavier could be husband material, and not just boyfriend material.
In fact, Xavier reminded Charity of her ex-boyfriend, which seemed to worry her. Charity said Xavier constantly complimented her looks, and while that was nice, she wanted him to be interested in her for deeper reasons.
As the date progressed, Xavier talked about his growth through the process and how Charity was handling her position with grace and poise. Charity, however, wasn’t sure if their connection was strong enough to rise above her other relationships.
At dinner that night, Xavier shared with Charity how he gives all of himself to a relationship and his fear when it comes to dating is not having his strong feelings reciprocated. Xavier said he had to constantly ask for things he needed — even on an emotional level — with his ex-girlfriend.
On a similar note, Charity said her fear is not being enough and a man cheating on her. Charity wanted to feel prioritized by her partner and admitted that there’s fear in the back of her head that a man will cheat on her again.
Xavier therefore promised Charity that he would always give her complete and utter honesty.
Xavier also told Charity how he was pursuing his PhD and the motivation for studying is the fact his mother suffers from multiple sclerosis. Xavier shared how his father is his mother’s primary caregiver and he wants to be that same man for a woman one day.
“I’ve literally invested my whole life and career into the chance of helping [my mom],” Xavier said, which moved Charity to tears.
Charity looked at Xavier differently as a result, and she saw new layers to him. She could tell he’s a compassionate person who loves hard and loves very well.
With that being said, Charity gave Xavier a rose, and she thanked him for opening up to her. The couple sealed the deal with a kiss, and Charity left the date feeling very confident about him.
“I feel my whole outlook on him has changed, in the best way,” Charity noted. “I’m following my intuition, and it says all good signs are pointing to Xavier. I am feeling a lot of giddy.”
At the next cocktail party, the guys appeared relieved that Brayden was gone and they could just have a nice night together.
Aaron gave Charity a massage and continued to prove how he’s trustworthy, and Charity said the men defending her that week had bonded them. And Tanner and Charity shared a makeout session alone in the woods.
But then, suddenly, Brayden returned and walked right by all of the men, which the guys thought was incredibly rude and disrespectful. Brayden proceeded to steal Charity away from John in the middle of the couple’s kiss.
Sean called Brayden “a scumbag” for not addressing any of the guys first, and he complained that Brayden only cared about himself. Michael also called Brayden’s unexpected interruption “a violation.”
Brayden apologized to Charity for how he had left her, saying that he was very emotionally charged and didn’t handle their breakup well. Brayden explained how he wasn’t able to trust himself through the process, and Charity countered how she shouldn’t have to question herself throughout the process.
“I don’t know if you ever saw yourself at the end of this with me,” Charity told the bachelor.
“There is nothing that you did wrong in this whole process… I just want to make sure that you knew that… I was getting in over my head, and I wish you the best of luck,” Brayden told Charity.
“Thank you so much,” Charity replied.
Meanwhile, the guys complained about how Brayden was screwing them out of time with Charity. Sean and John were the most upset and angry about the whole ordeal and Brayden’s “disrespect.”
Aaron thought Brayden was playing Charity “like a puppet,” and he wasn’t going to stand for that at all.
Because of how he was feeling, Aaron demanded an apology from Brayden. Aaron wanted Brayden to apologize to John for ruining his time with Charity, but Brayden just stormed off.
“You’re not a man!” Aaron shouted. “Why are you here?! You were already gone.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a big d-ck, man. We’re good. You’re showing it,” Brayden countered with sarcasm.
John then approached Brayden and let him know how he was probably going to get sent home because of Brayden’s appearance. John vented about how that’s not the way a man should treat another man.
Brayden said he didn’t mean to cause any drama and he never wanted to see any of the other “jackasses.”
Aaron proceeded to shout, “F-ck you bro,” to which Brayden replied, “I’ll whoop your ass, bro!”
“You won’t touch me! You will not touch me! You are not a man,” Aaron yelled.
“Oh I’m not a man? I’ll f-ck you up, bro,” Brayden claimed.
The men were all yelling at each other, and it was complete chaos. Aaron said Brayden didn’t care about anyone but himself and he needed to get out of there.
When Brayden finally left, John asked the guys if he could continue his conversation with Charity, and everyone was fine with that.
But then Jesse announced the cocktail party had been cut short due to the drama, and Sean was also frustrated that he never got the chance to speak to Charity and further their connection. Sean said he’d be “crushed” to be denied a rose, and John didn’t feel confident either.
The Rose Ceremony then commenced, and Charity handed out roses in the following order: Aaron, Tanner, and Sean.
Caleb, John and Michael were therefore eliminated, and Caleb left in tears.
Caleb said his time with Charity showed him how quickly it’s possible to fall in love, adding, “Gosh, did I have feelings for that girl. I know for a fact that one of those men will be her husband, and it’s going to be perfect.”
Michael also felt “a pain” that Charity didn’t see enough in him for them to continue her journey together. But Michael said the men that remained deserved to be there.
And John told the cameras in his final words, “I definitely put my heart on the line, and it’s hard. It’s tough. Charity is lucky, man. She has a great group of guys left, and I know she’ll find her person… That person wasn’t me, but I did the best I could. That’s all I could ask for.”
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About The Author:
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.