A honeymoon should be all about romance and connection, but for two of the Newlyweds: The First Year couples, it’s about broken promises and damage control.
On the January 13 episode, entitled “Fight or Flight,” one of the Newlyweds: The First Year grooms is cutting ties to keep his wife happy while another is practicing compassion after a big disappointment. If you missed the episode or simply need a refresher, we’ll get you up to speed…
Rob & Tara Radcliffe: These newlyweds are back in their Malibu home after Tara decided she couldn’t go through with the honeymoon. She explains that she had a “severe panic attack,” and she’s suffering serious guilt. “I’m trying to hold back my anger,” Rob tells viewers. “That was a little hard to chew and swallow.” Tara suggests that they try to make the trip again, but her husband shoots the suggestion down immediately. “I’m trying to work my compassion, understanding and acceptance muscles,” he tells her, but he’s visibly upset.
Rob’s anger may be stemming from past experience and the fact that the canceled honeymoon set him back “tens of thousands of dollars.” He tells his wife, “I don’t mind spending money, but I hate losing money,” and then makes a confession to viewers. He explains that he watched his dad “lose all of his money twice,” and he doesn’t want to “be [his] dad.” Rob’s drug addiction once forced him onto the streets, and he never wants to be there again.
Tara goes to visit her sister, who understands her anxiety. She encourages her to face her demons and stop putting herself down. After their talk, the sisters go shopping for Tara to relieve her stress. “Rob knows I have expensive taste,” she says, and proceeds to spend more than two-thousand dollars on clothes. “It’s okay. I’m doing it for me,” she admits, after a split second of obvious guilt. But later when she meets her husband for dinner, she tells him how much she spent.
“That’s a stupid purchase in my opinion,” Rob tells her, and she responds by stating she’s confused. Because the duo work together, Tara is unsure how much money she makes. “Whatever is mine is yours,” Rob says, but he soon contradicts his own words. “[Tara] has an immature trait,” he tells viewers. “which is ‘I want it and I want it now.'”
He explains that she’s in “childlike manipulation mode,” and he’s hoping “she outgrows” it. Tara tells him that if she were making her own money, “it wouldn’t be an issue.” She’s feeling lost after her husband tells her to go out and make her own money. Their marriage is getting off to an uncomfortably intense start, but we’re betting they kiss and make up…
Adonis & Erica Gladney: As they’re packing for their Hawaii honeymoon, Erica is reflecting on the wedding. She explains that the guests though it was the perfect day, but “in reality, there was a lot we were, sort of, covering up.” She tells Adonis she doesn’t want to lounge on the beach the entire time in Hawaii, and he promises she will have fun. They land on the island in good spirits, both hoping for a fresh start.
“My hope is that this honeymoon will undo some of the damage that has happened,” Adonis tells viewers. He’s ready to put in the work. The couple learns to hula, and Erica is “having the time of [her] life.” They stay active on their honeymoon, and the new bride wishes it could last longer. “How come we can’t stay like this forever?” she asks her husband. “I wish this was [our] life.”
When they arrive back home, this Newlyweds The First Year couple looks through their wedding photos and stumble across one of Adonis with his dad. The other pictures make Erica happy, but the ones with her new father-in-law make her sad.
Adonis goes outside to call his father, who asks his son how married life is going. Adonis explains that he’s “trying to work out some kinks” in their marriage, admitting that he needs to take “extreme measures” to show Erica he’s “trying to change.” He tells his dad he won’t be talking to him for a while, and his father is obviously floored. “You’re going to put yourself out of my life for her?” he asks his son, and the two men hang up with tension in the air. Adonis is feeling down, but he tells viewers that he thought taking that step was necessary.
Brandon Liberati & Craig Ramsay: These Newlyweds: The First Year grooms are headed for Vegas to meet Brandon’s sister and her wife. The women are ready to have a baby, so Craig has offered to donate his sperm. “Craig has always been baby crazy,” Brandon tells viewers. He explains that Craig asked him about children on their first date. “If the answer was no, it was a deal breaker for him,” Brandon says.
On their way to Las Vegas, the men call Brandon’s sister, and everyone is clearly excited about the trip. They explain that they’ll be using a syringe for the “donation.” “Craig is not doing my sister,” Brandon laughs.
The newlyweds are in their hotel room trying to follow through with their plan, but Brandon’s mother keeps calling and texting the men, making for an awkward situation. “There are no words for when your mother calls in the middle of doing anything that pertains to anything with sex,” Brandon says. “It’s a real downer… literally.” They are finally able to donate the sperm, and everyone is hoping for a pregnancy.
Once they get home, Brandon and Craig talk about kids, and Craig admits he would “like to be pregnant right now.” He acknowledges that “being a special uncle isn’t gonna cut it,” and he wants to “bring on the babies now.” Brandon appears to be uncomfortable with the baby talk, but Craig is ready to go all-in. “Let’s get it all done at once,” he says. “Let’s have twins!” Brandon is then speechless as Craig dances around the kitchen singing about babies. But the one-man party is cut short when Brandon’s sister sends a video with news.
It turns out she is not pregnant. Brandon looks devastated. “I thought it would be easier for her,” he explains, and Craig adds, “We’ll just have to keep trying.”
Rob & Rochelle Brann: The new groom wants to close their individual checking accounts in order to have one account between them. Rochelle explains that she has no secrets, and Rob responds by saying, “You’re not keeping secrets, but you’re not keeping money either.” He wants them both to be on the same page with finances, but Rochelle seems less than convinced.
After a long day at work, this Newlyweds: the First Year couple come home exhausted. “Since we got married,” Rochelle says, “I can count the number of times we’ve had sex on two hands. That’s being generous.” They’re both feeling “old” and “tired.” Rochelle explains that the New York City life “almost takes the life out of you.”
When the couple meets for a meal, Rochelle tells her husband she’s “unfulfilled” in her work, and she’s “ready to make a move.” But Rob explains that they both make good money, and she shouldn’t jump ship too soon. “This is New York City,” he tells her. “Honestly, in some ways, you’re just a pretty face.” Rochelle is appalled at her husband’s harsh words, but we’re certain she’ll move ahead with her dream of becoming a fashion journalist.
Sneak Peek: On the January 20 episode, Brandon is disgusted by Craig’s messy living habits. Rob laughs when Tara’s mom explains that she wants the couple to visit her weekly. Adonis and Erica start therapy. And Rob tells Rochelle to “shut-up,” leading to yet another fight.
