We do get the answers to these questions in this episode, but we are left with even more when it ends.
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Charity gives Eliza clarity
We pick up right back where we left off the last episode, with Charity and Eliza's conversation about Aaron B. Charity explains that after her season, she received numerous messages from one of Aaron B.'s ex-girlfriends. The same ex-girlfriend messaged Charity's friends and family about Aaron B. The exact contents of the messages were not made clear, but we are led to believe that Aaron B.'s ex-girlfriend told Charity they were dating up until the show started. Charity tells Eliza she feels like it is a "tricky situation," but that Eliza and Aaron B. should be able to make it work.
After her talk with Eliza, Charity pulls Aaron B. and gives him advice.
"If you don't have eyes for anybody else and it's her, then commit. She deserves the world. You deserve great things. I'm rooting for you guys, if you guys can make it work," Charity said.
"That's exactly what I plan to do," Aaron B. tells Charity.
Charity leaves the beach, and Aaron B. pulls Eliza to talk. Eliza explains she feels better about the situation, but she still wants to sleep on this and talk again in the morning.
"I think we'll be okay," Eliza said.
Kat continues to pursue John Henry
Kat is still hoping for a solid make-out session on the beach, and she plans to have one with John Henry by the end of the night. Many people on the beach feel like Kat is just looking for a rose, and John Henry is her latest target. Olivia is the most upset, as she has been coupled up with John Henry. Olivia says Kat is "grasping at straws." Kat says it is basically her birthday for the whole week, and she is going to get what she wants.
"At this point, if you're not being pursued by Kat, there is something wrong with you," Wells said.
Cocktail Party
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The men have the roses this week, and with 11 women and eight men, three women will be going home. To start off the Cocktail Party, Jesse let lets the men and women know that Sam (American Sam, not Canadian Sam) has finally pooped! Plus, everyone on the beach seems to be covered in glitter (again), and I can only imagine how many bottles of body glitter Jess packed in her suitcase.
Many of the couples are having serious conversations heading into the third Rose Ceremony.
Aaron B. wants to make things exclusive with Eliza.
"I'm actually falling in love with you," he tells her.
Tyler and Mercedes seem to be solid, even though we literally saw Tyler make out with Jess last week. Am I the only one who thinks it is a little strange that we never saw any fallout from that kiss? Mercedes talks about how she loves how honest Tyler is, but it is not clear whether or not he ever told Mercedes about his kiss with Jess.
On a different side of the former love square, Jess says she wants to keep pursuing Blake, and it seems as though he is in agreement.
"You're the only person that I want here," Blake said.
Meanwhile, Tanner is the new Bachelor in Paradise. He tells Davia that he had the hottest kiss he has ever had with her. He talks to Genevie, and they kiss. Plus, Rachel says she and Tanner are in the same boat as outliers on the beach, and they kiss too.
"I was excited to talk to Tanner, but I know he has a lot of things he is working through," Rachel said.
Paradise Truth Box
Wells decides to open up the Paradise Truth Box and reveals two truths. One of the truths says that some of the women on the beach are "homie hopping," and the other asks John Henry to meet at the hot tub at midnight. As a surprise to no one, Kat is waiting at the hot tub for John Henry. They make out (with tongue), and John Henry tells Kat that he has been waiting to kiss her for three days.
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The heat is rising on the beach, and it is not just from the hot tub.
"Both of them think they are the frontrunners," said Sam in reference to Kat and Olivia. "Neither of them are going down without a fight."
The Kat and Olivia Showdown
Olivia decides to approach Kat after she returns from the hot tub. Olivia shares that she feels disrespected by Kat and believes it was not very "girls' girl" of Kat to make a move on Olivia's man without talking to her first. Their conversation is very brief but escalates quickly when Olivia puts her hand in Kat's face as she walks away.
"Are we in middle school?" Kat asks.
Becca goes missing
As everyone gets ready for the Rose Ceremony, Becca is nowhere to be found. Even Jesse does not seem to know where she is.
"I was going to give her my rose tonight," Brayden said.
Jesse goes to find Becca, and she tells him that she is having second thoughts.
"I feel like there was lots of doubt about my relationship with Brayden, and I am kind of listening to that," Becca said.
Jesse tells her the decision is up to her, and he leads her back towards the Rose Ceremony. Becca comes to a fork in the road, if she goes to the right she will go to the Rose Ceremony, and if she goes to the left she will leave Paradise.
"Unfortunately, she decided to leave Paradise forever," Jesse tells the cast.
While this is bad news for Brayden, it is good news for the women as now only two of them will be going home.
Third Rose Ceremony of Paradise
Three of the men's roses are up for grabs. It is unclear who Tanner, the Bachelor in Paradise will choose. Plus, John Henry has to finally decide whether he wants to pursue a relationship with Kat or with Olivia. And now Brayden's rose could go to anybody.
Tanner chooses Rachel, and she is surprised she broke her Rose Ceremony streak.
"Every time I wear a black dress I get dumped," Rachel said.
John Henry chooses Kat over Olivia. Even though he had a longer connection with Olivia, John Henry says he can see a life outside of Paradise with Kat.
"When Kat gets her claws in you, she doesn't let go," Peter said.
Ultimately, Brayden decides to save Olivia and gives her his rose. This marks the second time this season Olivia was saved with a non-romantic rose. During the first Rose Ceremony of this season of Paradise, Peter gave Olivia his rose because he felt she did not get a fair shot at finding love. Genevie and Olivia do not receive roses and will be going home.
Roses:
Aven --- Kylee
Tyler --- Mercedes
Peter --- Sam
Aaron B. --- Eliza
Blake --- Jess
Tanner --- Rachel
John Henry --- Kat
Brayden --- Olivia
John Henry apologizes to Olivia
The next morning, John Henry pulls Olivia to talk. Olivia seems to think there might be hope yet for their relationship, but John Henry fully breaks up with her. Olivia is frustrated by his apology and says he is only apologizing to her to clear his conscience. The truth is, if Brayden had not saved Olivia the night before, John Henry probably never would have had the chance to apologize for how he treated Olivia. But Olivia is ready to move on.
"I'll be good, eventually," she said.
A new man enters Paradise
Michael, from Charity's season, enters the beach. He is charismatic and has dimples, and Olivia is immediately drawn to him.
"Who's John Henry? Never heard of him," Olivia said.
Michael pulls Olivia to talk first, and when she tells him her feet are hot on the sand, he gives her his sandals. They seem to hit it off in their initial conversation, but Michael is keeping his options open. He pulls Kylee, Mercedes, and Sam to chat before he makes his decision. But we won't find out who he is going to take on the date until next week.
Next week on Bachelor in Paradise
Not going to lie, I am very excited about next week's episode. Jordan, from Rachel and Gabby's season, comes to Paradise. For those who don't remember (or never knew), Rachel gave Jordan her first one-on-one date of the season but sent him home when it was over because she did not feel a "spark." However, Rachel seems excited to see him in the preview. Plus, Katie Thurston, the fourth Bachelorette to enter this season of Paradise, comes down to talk to her ex-fiancée, Blake. Plus, it looks like Aven and Kylee have their first date.
"Bachelor in Paradise" airs Thursdays on ABC following "The Golden Bachelor."