’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’: A Game of Chicken (RECAP)

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 20 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way.]

The age-old game of chicken is played by most of the couples this week as they sidestep into uncertain futures. Tim and Melyza dance back and forth over who will break it off first, while Sumit tries to bide time before marrying Jenny against his parents’ will. Of course, Biniyam also plays with a literal chicken ahead of his sisters chastising Ariela in front of her parents. Let’s pluck apart this week’s episode and dive in.

Visa & Vows

The lockdown in India has been lifted, so Jenny and Sumit prepare to meet with a lawyer to figure out next steps for both their upcoming marriage and her approaching visa expiration. “A lot of things are coming at the same point in time,” Sumit tells the camera. “It’s not easy to handle.”

Playing Chicken

Back in Ethiopia, Biniyam and Ariela show her parents their new neighborhood. There is some pressure for Ariela’s parents to be impressed enough to support her and new grandson Aviel living there.

“I didn’t expect Ethiopia to be as underdeveloped,” Ariela’s father confesses. “I worry about day-to-day life. When you look at the road, where does my grandson play? Does he play in the street?”

Biniyam stops at a chicken stand to purchase a rooster. The vendor prepares to slaughter the chicken before it breaks loose from Biniyam’s grip. Ariela and her mother ask Biniyam to not order it, but he ignores them. Finally they all walk away.

“I’m trying to make a good impression because I want to show off the culture,” Biniyam explains to the camera. “I was so embarrassed.”

Ariela admits to her parents that living in Ethiopia was not what she expected from visiting. She also calls out Biniyam’s busy schedule, which he says is just common in Ethiopia. “This is one of the most different cultures that I’ve ever experienced from American culture,” Ariela sums up.

Relationship Makeover

Brittany and her friend Angela finally meet up with Yazan. Brittany is definitely tipsy, but Yazan doesn’t get upset. He brings them to the barbershop where he works, and Brittany playfully tries to cut his hair.

Angela understandably is uncomfortable with Brittany and Yazan’s bizarrely flirtatious behavior, especially since Brittany was so mad at him just a few hours prior. “I have no idea what’s going on in Brittany’s mind right now,” Angela says in a confessional. “This is a complete 180 in such a short span of time.”

Post-trim, Brittany tries to have a serious conversation with Yazan. She asks him if he still expects her to convert to Islam, and he says he doesn’t care anymore. She also wants clarification that they can wait to wed; she suggests a year. He agrees.

“Yazan is telling me everything I want to hear but whenever his family puts pressure on him, he changes his mind, and that obviously worries me,” Brittany separately stresses.

What’s Meant to Be

Tim’s mother and aunt are leaving to go back to the U.S. after spending a weekend in Colombia. Tim and his mom Robin go out for coffee before her departure. Robin asks Tim whether Melyza “truly appreciates” what he’s giving up for her.

He opens up about his fears that Melyza views him as a friend now after his infidelity and if she’s afraid to trust him again. But Tim also tells Robin that Melyza was dating other people after Tim cheated on her and he is running out of money since he can’t work in Colombia.

Robin assures Tim that Melyza still loves him, but he is still fearful of their uncertain future. Robin tears up seeing her son torn. “You know I love you and I want what’s best for you,” she comforts him. “If it’s meant to be, I’m behind you 200 percent. But if it’s not meant to be, I’m here to help you get past that as well.”

Finances for a Family of Three

Biniyam is proud to show off his “luxurious” apartment with Ariela to her parents. Ariela’s mom Janice worries there won’t be enough space in their home with the baby. “Now it’s time to move on to another place for Avi to be raised. It would be nice to have enough space for all of you,” Janice advises Ariela. “It just doesn’t fit the requirements that we expect for our daughter and our grandson.”

Ariela explains that it would be difficult for them to move because of their finances. Janice says that she could help them out if she knew what Biniyam was making. Apparently Biniyam has an unreliable income, and Ariela admits that she asked him to not work six days a week at the nightclub because she needed help with the baby.

“I know you don’t want to depend on us forever and we don’t want you to. You’re going to need to have a full-time permanent job that gives you money to pay the rent, the car, for food, and everything else,” Janice explains.

“It’s a bit scary in terms of finances. Biniyam seems to have a lot of talent, and hopefully he’ll be very successful and do very well. But he’s now a family of three and they have to be number one. Right now he needs to make enough money to have the basic necessities and I didn’t get a good sense of that,” Ariela’s father tells the camera.

Just in Love

Armando and Kenneth have to return to the registrar’s office to receive their official letter of denial for their marriage. Only then can they go to the civil rights commission to appeal the denial. “One of the reasons we decided to live in this state of Mexico is because we thought it was legal to be married here,” Kenneth says in a confessional. “I didn’t think it would be as difficult as it is.”

Armando explains to his daughter Hannah why her dads need to wait to get married. He then also reads aloud the letter of denial. The formal notice includes cruel and offensive language, which is startling to Kenneth. “I knew coming here we were getting the letter, but the way it was worded is horrible,” he tells the camera.

“It’s humiliating almost,” Armando echoes. “Is there something wrong with me, or us? We’re just humans and we’re just in love.”

Mom’s Blessing

Deavan’s parents arrive in South Korea for Deavan’s second wedding. Jihoon jokes that he has “EP, Elicia Phobia” of Deavan’s mother. Deavan hopes that Jihoon and her mom Elicia will bond more this trip, so Elicia can officially give her blessing to their union—even though they are already married.

Nuptial News

Jenny and Sumit meet with a matrimonial lawyer. Sumit explains that previously he was under the impression he could only wed Jenny under the Special Marriage Act, which includes a 30-day waiting period where people can object. “We got scared that if somebody object, then how can we marry?” Sumit asks.

The lawyer explains that the Special Marriage Act is a lengthy and expensive process. He suggests they instead wed under Arya Samaj Mandir. It’s a separate temple that can offer a common and uncomplicated wedding. Jenny also won’t have to convert to Hinduism. “You can get married anytime. If you want to get married tomorrow or today, you can,” the lawyer offers.

“Is there anything his parents can do to keep us from getting married?” Jenny asks about this new revelation.

“Legally, his parents cannot object. Unless he’s less than 18 or a lunatic, than nothing,” the attorney jokes.

However, Sumit says that he still wants to get his parents’ blessing before they get married. Jenny is shocked and frustrated. “If you talk to your parents first, they will stop us and we can’t get married,” she groans. “When your parents are actually in front of you, you might change your mind.”

Sumit wants Jenny to accompany him to convince his parents out of a sign of respect. But she has been down this road many times, with no change in his parents’ opinion of her.

Trust in Therapy

Tim and Melyza see a relationship counselor to work through their problems. He admits in the therapy session that he is tempted to go back to the U.S. to work since she is not ready to marry him so he can work in Colombia.

“I just think that we’re very early on in everything, and I think it’s going to be kind of a breaking point for everything that we’ve accomplished so far,” Melyza responds. “I don’t trust him and if he has to go back, it’s definitely going to make me nervous and uncomfortable.”

Tim reminds her that the only reason he is considering going back to America is for financial reasons. The therapist advises him to stay in Colombia for Melyza.

Is Sumit Stalling?

Jenny FaceTimes her daughter and her wife. She explains the good news about the other marriage act, but her daughter is skeptical about Jenny trying to get Sumit’s parents’ blessing again.

“It makes me kind of scared for him to see his mom upset and then say ‘you know what, I can’t do this,'” Jenny’s daughter says.

“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to handle that,” Jenny admits. “He better not be stalling…He better not let me down.”

Holy Hell

Ariela and her parents have dinner with Biniyam and his sisters. They all cheers to Aviel, but Biniyam’s sisters quickly seize the opportunity to insult Ariela. They say Ariela tries to “act bossy” and is always shouting.

“Knowing my daughter like I do, this doesn’t seem to me to be the kind of culture that Ari will thrive in,” Janice says in a confessional.

Biniyam’s sisters threaten that Biniyam will leave Ariela “forever” if she continues trying to control him. They also announce that Aviel will be baptized in the Christian faith, which is news to Ariela’s parents.

“This is a true shock,” Ariela’s father says. “I thought having spoken to Ari that Avi would be brought up Jewish. I think this is being forced upon.”

Ariela acknowledges that Biniyam begged her to baptize their son, but she pivots it to blaming the sisters and Biniyam’s pushy family. His sisters start laughing and ask why Ariela “changed her mind.”

“If you don’t baptize, the baby goes straight to hell,” Biniyam’s sister cackles. Ariela says that she had previously asked them not to mention hell around her son, to which Biniyam’s other sister says she’s “acting like his ex.”

“That’s really f**ked up,” Ariela anxiously chuckles. “Are you going to let your sisters speak to me like this?”

Both sets of in-laws share their uncertainty over whether Ariela and Biniyam will make it as a couple.

Dangerous Dates

Brittany visits Yazan at his new apartment. He brings up what they had discussed the night before. He clarifies that he cannot date her for a year since having a girlfriend is not an option for his religion and wants to get married within a month. He does confirm that he will be open to marrying a Christian woman and not ask Brittany to convert.

Yazan also explains to Brittany that her social media posts can make it dangerous for him. He suggests meeting with a translator so she can fully understand what he is referring to.

“Can Everybody Just Accept It?”

Sumit invites his brother and new sister-in-law over to sit down with himself and Jenny to help convince his parents to give their blessing. Sumit’s brother Amit recently married his bride Shree during quarantine. Sumit tells them that he is also planning on marrying Jenny and their ring ceremony is the following day.

“I never thought that Jenny and Sumit’s relationship would continue for this long,” Amit admits to the camera. Sumit also tells them that their parents don’t know yet.

“It’s better to tell the parents after we are engaged so we can show the commitment that now we are engaged and we are serious about it,” Sumit clarifies to Amit. “Can you help us?”

“I accept your relationship, but if you marry her, then there is no connection between you and our parents,” Amit explains. Sumit says that is the last thing he wants, but Amit warns that their parents will “never accept” Jenny. “Be ready for the consequences.”

Jenny starts crying and apologizing for her age. “We love each other, it’s just a fact,” she tears up. “I’m happy as long as I’m with him and this is my life now and this is what I’ve chosen for myself. So please can everybody just accept it and stop giving me such hell?”

Sumit tries to comfort her, but Jenny is right: “I can’t help how old I am. Goddamnit, I love him and I don’t want to leave him again. I wish your parents could just stop being so damn set in their ways. Please, I just wish people would accept us.”

Previews

Next week, Tim and Melyza further discuss him leaving Colombia, while Deavan prepares for her big wedding. Ariela and her mother honestly talk about Ariela’s future with Biniyam, plus a translator explains to Brittany that Yazan’s life is in danger. Lastly, Sumit and Jenny meet with his parents, and it seems that nothing goes as planned.

Until next time!

90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, Sundays, 8/7c, TLC