It’s the episode we’ve all been waiting for, hometown visits! Nick shocked the women, once again, when he decided to give all four of them a hometown rose –- during his informal/strange couch rose ceremony — after he sent Kristina home.
First up, Raven showed Nick her beloved town of Hoxie, Arkansas! With a population of fewer than 3,000 people, it became clear that the two wouldn’t be doing much sightseeing. However, Raven did manage to show off the town’s grain bin, which quickly turned into an awkward police shakedown/family-introduction when the officer, who was at one point scolding the couple for trespassing, turned out to be Raven’s older brother. (Not one of The Bachelor’s finest “non-scripted” moments).
Fortunately, viewers were saved from the awkward “Nick meets brother/cop scene” when Raven decided to take her boyfriend to meet her parents. It was there that Raven’s dad, who was battling lung cancer before she went on the show, revealed he was officially “cancer-free” and in remission. With the positive vibes in the air, Nick got the courage to ask Raven’s dad for his blessing to propose to his daughter. While he wasn’t shot down, Nick wasn’t necessarily greeted with open arms, per say, as Raven’s dad stipulated that the two could get engaged but just not married.
Next was upcoming Bachelorette Rachel’s nearly perfect home visit (I still can’t believe ABC spoiled the season’s ending by announcing her as the Bachelorette before The Bachelor‘s finale). Nick’s Dallas visit kicked off with a trip to Rachel’s church, where he revealed that faith was extremely important to him, as it was the basis of his parent’s relationship. #Goals
From there, Rachel took Nick to meet her blended family, which sadly didn’t include her federal judge father, who Nick has been somewhat anxious to meet, as Rachel told Nick he was working on a case. When meeting the rest of Rachel’s family, her mom got straight to the point and addressed “the elephant in the room,” Nick’s race.
Mrs. Lindsay asked if he was ready to face the challenges of being in an interracial relationship, especially since it was his first. Nick though seemed unfazed as he swiftly replied that he was ready to face any and all hurdles, that may come their way, “head on.” The night continued to go smoothly as Nick once again confessed to having “the most explosive chemistry” with Rachel and continued to shower her with compliments. He also admitted that he could see Rachel as his wife, and even told her mom he saw no “red flags” (big concerns) with Rachel.
Where does it all go wrong ABC?! Where?!
Nick was then carted off to Miami to visit the Olympios family, and of course the “infamous” (Nick’s words, not mine) Raquel.
Corinne started her hometown visit with a bang as she took Nick shopping, because who would want to have some fun in the sun or possibly sightsee on they’re only day in Miami — the land of beaches and bikinis?
Nonetheless, Corinne dropped some major stacks while shopping, over $3,000 to be exact, leading Nick to confess that he was a “bargain shopper” himself.
Following Corinne’s shopping spree, the couple stopped for a bite to eat. While chowing down, Corinne told Nick for the first time that she loved him. Despite Nick’s lack of response — still not sure if it’s because he technically couldn’t respond due to the unofficial Bachelor rules or because he just didn’t feel the same way — Corinne seemed pretty satisfied with his subsequent smooch.
Finally, it was time to meet Raquel! Oh, and Corinne’s parents and sister. Following a somewhat awkward sit-down dinner, Corinne’s dad gave her the old “can Nick support your lifestyle?” talk, which ended with Corinne agreeing to be okay with Nick becoming a stay at home dad (#Random) while she became the family’s breadwinner. For some reason, Corinne’s strange response seemed to be what led Mr. Olympios to give Nick the good ole’ stamp of approval, sending him on his way with the entire family’s blessing.
Last but certainly not least was Nick’s trip to the City of Saints, Montreal, Canada! Vanessa warmed all of our hearts, especially Nick’s, when she took the bachelor to meet her special-needs students. After she was tearfully welcomed back, Vanessa and Nick made a scrapbook with photos of the couple’s time together on the show. From there, Vanessa took Nick to meet her mom’s side of the family.
While at Vanessa’s mom’s house, Nick was greeted by her large Italian family. However, the big family meeting didn’t seem to go too well as her relatives quickly realized
