When David marries Sheila, it won’t just be two of them in the relationship.
The 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days couple are both thinking of Jhonreil, Sheila’s tween son.
Will David and Jhonreil be able to bond? That’s important, but there’s no guarantee.
On top of everything — not knowing each other, and Sheila’s mom’s death — they have a major language barrier.
David and Sheila
Riding in the car, David and Sheila travel with her 12-year-old son, Jhonreil. They’re headed to the beach.
Sounds?
Sometimes, deaf people are unaware that certain things make noises. People who get hearing aids for the first time sometimes marvel at the sound of wind in trees. Meanwhile, some people who are deaf from birth can get into embarrassing situations — like if their families never tell them that passing gas is sometimes audible. In David’s case, he makes little noises that almost sound like humming, but is unaware of it.
“It’s important for the two of you to bond”
Sheila notes to David and to Jhonreil that she wants them to get a chance to bond on this trip. She’s not the only one in either of their lives.
“I want to propose to her on this trip”
David explains to the confessional camera that he fully intends to bond with Jhonreil. It is one of his priorities for the trip. He loves Sheila, he plans to propose, and he wants to be a family. But he’s not exactly sure how to bond with Jhonreil.
How does it go?
At first, David asks questions — through Aimee, the translator — of Jhonreil. It’s awkward. It’s like a survey, asking him his favorite sports and things like that. Then, David finds something nonverbal — he and Jhonreil test their reflexes at slapping each other’s palms. It’s really cute, even if Sheila feels stuck in the middle. This, David notes to the camera, is how he would engage with his father when they lacked other communication.
At the beach
The shoreline situation is pretty wildly unlike anything that an American might imagine for a beach trip. David and Jhonreil bond, splashing each other and skipping rocks. Sheila finds it heartwarming. Also, it’s kind of funny how Aimee just seems like part of the family here. It’s cute how well everyone gets along.
“He said he enjoyed it”
The four of them go out to dinner, where they sit down to process the day. David answers some logistical questions about their move to the US. Right now, he’s in an apartment, and doesn’t have extra room. If and when Sheila and Jhonreil come to the US to live with him, he’ll look for a place with more space.
“Him and his dad rarely go on trips”
Sheila acknowledges that it’s not just that Jhonreil’s father is her ex. He left Jhonreil when he left her. That is unfortunately not exactly unheard of. In fact, some cultures consider that to be normal. So it’s extra meaningful for Sheila to know that David is willing to engage with Jhonreil. But is he willing to act as his second father, full time?
Yes
David affirms that, of course, he’s willing to be a parent for Jhonreil. He has always known that his romance with Sheila would lead to this. And he wants to be a father to Jhonreil — this isn’t just something that he’s accepting purely for Sheila’s sake. David opens up to the confessional camera about how he has always wanted to be a parent.
But …
Jhonreil is honest about his anxieties about moving to the US. His friends are in the Philippines. So are his family. He’d be leaving it all behind for a place he doesn’t know, where everyone speaks a language that he does not. Sheila and David will be there to help him to cross those steps, and grow more comfortable with the upcoming move.