90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Season 7, Episode 17 was the last — before the Tell All.
First, Usman bombarded Kimberly with insults. And then he suggested that she pack her things and go.
Angela again claims that Michael cheated. This time, she has receipts. Shaeeda and Bilal have a serious talk.
Liz’s good news makes Big Ed push back. Typical Ed. Andrei and Libby go to their first big family therapy session.
Finally, after an entire season of conflict, Yara and Jovi reach a compromise.
Kimberly Menzies and Usman Umar
Together with Kimberly’s son, Jamal, and Usman’s nephew-slash-possible-future-son, Mahadi, they have a day out. We even see a frankly unsettling scene of Kimberly and Usman going on a carousel ride with Mahadi. This whole situation of considering adopting a child who already has parents is very strange for an American audience.
Mohammed isn’t entirely against it, either
He admits to the camera that he and his wife felt like they were in shock at first, but no longer. They want their son to have a proper education — and Usman wants that for Mahadi, too. He could get that in the United States. Or, of course, in various other parts of Nigeria — just not where they live, apparently.
Usman is eager to get the ball rolling
He pushes back a little when Kimberly and Jamal point out that adoption is a lengthy process — one that they imagine will take at least as long as the K-1 visa process, if not longer. Usman sounds like he wants to have a kid immediately, even though he wants Kimberly to actually raise Mahadi.
Later, Jamal is ready to leave
He’s not staying in Nigeria the whole time, but he gives his mother his honest assessment. He really likes Nigeria. And he feels surprised by how close his mom is with Usman in several ways and by how well he got along with him. But he has noticed several red flags, including and especially this harebrained adoption idea.
Usman sort-of likes Jamal
He, too, felt pleasantly surprised by meeting him. But Usman felt like Jamal was at times too involved in Kimberly’s life and their relationship. Again, an odd position for a guy who needs permission from his mom to get married.
Later, disaster strikes
Literally the next day, off camera, Usman and Kimberly had an argument. Apparently, Kimberly was just getting ready, and Usman started criticizing her — over the way that she walks, among other things. She said that he body-shamed her talking, about her “needing a tummy-tuck.” So a tearful, upset Kimberly is in the bathroom when cameras begin filming.
Plus, no yammy!
Kimberly asks Usman if they can please have a normal conversation. She complains that he doesn’t really have honest conversations with her. He spends too much time on his phone when she’s trying to talk to him about important issues. Plus, he’s not boning her.
Usman is tired of hearing it
He is apparently unhappy about all of these complaints. This is not the first time that we have heard him openly resent that Kimberly isn’t blissfully happy merely being in his presence. Usman seems to genuinely see himself as a gift — as a prize that should ease all complaints.
AGAIN
Usman once again gripes about how Kimberly notes her sacrifices — in this case, talking about how much adopting an actual human child will change her life — because he believes that he is making greater sacrifices by adopting instead of marrying a younger woman and yammying a biological baby into her.
It gets messy and hurtful
Usman reiterates, to her face, the idea that he is making a tremendous sacrifice by being with her. It’s not just that she can’t conceive a child, either.
Usman says that no one else would do this
You know, there are people who are genuinely so deeply flawed and unlikable that they will only ever find one or two people who will tolerate them in their lives. Kimberly is not that. She is a charismatic and interesting person, not Usman’s charity case. But that is how he discusses her when he’s unhappy with her.
Kimberly asks what she’s even doing there if this is how he feels
Usman’s response is less than encouraging. He tells her to pack her bags and go. Kimberly puts her ring on the table and leaves the room, hoping to cool off and fighting back tears.
Usman offers up his analysis of the relationship
He refers to their bond as “toxic.” He’s right. Maybe not about the causes, but yes, this is very toxic.
He’s still going
Even with Kimberly out of the room, Usman goes on and on about what a martyr he is by being in a relationship with her. What he needs to realize is that it’s not a contest.
Kimberly only briefly returns
When they are unable to make peace, she storms out in tears. Our final look at Kimberly before the Tell All shows her sitting on her luggage in the hallway of the hotel, sobbing. It’s not easy to witness.
Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi
We see Angela sitting outside and looking particularly worse for wear. It has been weeks since her return from Nigeria.
She and Michael have been in a good place
The husband and wife have been talking constantly, a major improvement in their communication when compared to before she took a trip to Nigeria. So what’s wrong?
Angela makes the producers coax it out of her
While this is a great opportunity for us to remember that not everyone deserves your sympathy or empathy, it is clear that Angela was pretty genuinely unhappy in the moment.
She claims that Michael cheated
It is very tough to say that he definitively cheated, because Angela has a history of making wild claims based upon nothing but the malice in her own heart. But maybe, just maybe, this time is different. For one thing, she has some evidence.
The receipts?
Angela has audio files from voice messages that Michael left to this 31-year-old woman. She is, Angela shares, an American. We don’t hear Michael say super incriminating things, but he does seem to tell this woman that money is coming her way. He also sounds like he is encouraging her to call him back. Angela says that some of these calls were while she was in Nigeria, so we have to ask if this alleged mistress stopped taking his calls when he hung out with his wife.
It doesn’t sound like they’ve met in person
However, online cheating is still cheating. Angela weeps over her broken heart. She also claims that this justifies her opposition to his having an Instagram. And she says that the texts from Michael (which she has in screenshot form) show him telling this girl that he loves her. Angela says that Michael told her “it wasn’t like that” and called this girl a “plaything.”
“I’m so confused”
Angela almost takes responsibility for damaging the marriage, “because I can be a bitch.” But she doubles down on how this vindicates her controlling habits and her insistence that Michael delete his Instagram.
So is it over?
Angela says that she’s unsure of whether she will divorce him, despite the cheating. “There’s no right answer,” she laments, while saying that she’s not sure if she’ll stop the visa process.
Rene comes for a visit
After Angela presents her with the evidence, Rene is totally Anti-Michael. Angela’s daughter (Skyla, not to be confused with convicted child-molester, Scottie) was in the same boat. But Angela is going to do whatever she decides, not what others want. Sometimes, that’s a good thing. Other times, not so much.
Bilal Hazziez and Shaeeda Sween
The two take a walk on their final night in New York. Shaeeda tries one of those large, cartoonish pretzels. She doesn’t like the flavor, which is a big win for those of us who are pretzel-haters.
Emotionally, Shaeeda gushes about the trip
She calls Bilal “the perfect person” and “the perfect husband,” placing her hands on his shoulders to convey the sincerity of what she is saying.
Bilal feels wary
Noting that he feels like there is a “but” coming, he wonders where Shaeeda is going with this. He’s half-right. Shaeeda wants to talk to him about setting a timeline for having a child. He tells her that he doesn’t want her to hold anything back.
“I would like to have a child with you”
Bilal’s attempt to reassure her quickly turns into something honest yet familiar, because he says that he wants this “in a year” or “a year and a half” and it sounds like he might have considered continuing to list increasing lengths of time had he not thought better of it. His desire to spend time with Shaeeda and build a solid marital foundation would be very sound and wise and even advisable if it weren’t for Shaeeda’s biological realities. Her time is not unlimited.
“I don’t even want to wait a year”
Shaeeda can already see how much Bilal wants to drag his heels. She feels like she’s losing her mind and like this uncertainty is threatening to destroy her marriage.
Bilal worries that this is a slippery slope
If he gives her what she wants, he worries that she’ll expect him to consider her feelings in other areas, too. Which is normal for spouses, but apparently he fears future ultimatums.
Ed Brown and Liz Woods
Big Ed meets up with his mother. They have not seen each other in a year. She strongly disapproves of this engagement. However, she wants Ed to communicate with her, even when they disagree. She tearfully pleads with him to not cut off communication with her anymore. Oof, right in the feels.
Ed comes home to see Liz
Liz’s big offer has highlighted some tensions in their relationship. So has Ed’s reconnection with his mother, who does not accept Liz. Ed hopes that his mother will accept her.
Liz chats with her chef
He lays out the goals and the various benefits for Liz. She doesn’t have to contribute money to the restaurant up front, but she will receive a salary increase — plus other financial benefits from her stake in the business.
YES
Liz tells him that she will accept the offer. This will be a lot of work, but she’s excited for the benefits and the stability.
Liz tells Ed the news
The two share celebratory drinks and she opens up about her hopes and dreams. Meanwhile, she is thinking about other stabilizing elements in the future — like marriage. She and Ed are, after all, engaged.
WEIRD pushback from Big Ed
He tells her that he won’t let her “pressure” him into getting married. My guy, you literally proposed to her. Liz’s attempt to reassure him that she’s not trying to do that doesn’t work.
Hurt, Liz leaves the room
She straight up quits filming to be alone because her terrible fiance has once again acted like himself.
Elizabeth Potthast and Andrei Castravet
The two are en route to their first big family therapy session, and Andrei already has a GREAT attitude. In that he doesn’t care about this and doesn’t think that it will work.
Andrei and Chuck match
Their shared hunter green tops were unintentional, but send an accidental message of solidarity. Tensions palpably increase when Charlie and Megan show up.
Chuck is tired of the division
He explains to the therapist that he doesn’t like the dysfunction. Separate holidays, separate birthdays — it’s not healthy and they don’t feel like a family. Some of the family push back, and say that the family was always unorthodox.
Charlie says that he’s not to blame
He quickly points the finger at Andrei for sabotaging the family. However, Chuck pushes back on this idea, noting that Charlie calls him when he’s drunk and says cruel and insulting things to him. Andrei didn’t mastermind that.
Also, about the barbecue fight
Many of us have wondered what possible defense they could have. Megan explains that, from her perspective, her husband walked in and made a joke, only for Andrei to get into his face and be rude to him, which somehow forced Charlie’s hand. That is … certainly one way of looking at it. But at this point, they’ve had a year to repeat this version of events until Charlie sounds fully justified in their minds.
Everyone is talking over each other
So, instead of a talking stick, the therapist pulls out a geodesic polyhedron that will confer the right to speak and help the family take turns. Andrei almost immediately ignores it, especially when someone is talking to Libby.
A new hand touches the beacon
Jenn points out how many members of he family feel that Andrei is deliberately isolating her from her relatives. Many of them feel like Libby doesn’t have much of a say in this. Andrei tries to answer for her, but Libby stands her ground and continues to answer. She tries to reassure Jenn that she is not avoiding them purely to please her husband.
The baby news hurt
Elizabeth’s homophobic mom, Pamela, notes how much it hurt to find out that her daughter is pregnant on Instagram, like everyone else. She also laments that there is this distance with Libby. Who, she asks, is Andrei to tell Libby to not see her own mother? “I’m her husband,” Andrei says, as if that’s an answer. He also taunts Pamela that he will damage their relationship further.
Andrei then reveals the deportation threat
He notes that immigration is weirdly delaying his green card renewal, and that every potential suspect who might sabotage him is in this room.
Proof?
Becky straight up asks for evidence because she’s not taking Andrei’s word for this. Meanwhile, Charlie is vocally indignant that Andrei is accusing the family of sabotaging his chances.
Yara Zaya and Jovi Dufren
Neither of them planned for or could have imagined where this season took them. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine caused untold human suffering, catastrophic loss of life, and has changed Ukraine forever. It has also, in a much lesser sense, totally thrown a wrench into Yara and Jovi’s season and their erstwhile storylines. Yara’s homesickness has her wanting to stay in Europe, Jovi’s anxiety has him wanting her to return home with Mylah ASAP, and viewers are tired of hearing about the disagreement.
It’s time for compromise
Jovi doesn’t love that Yara and Mylah are going to stay in Europe for another few weeks, but he’s no longer standing in the way. He’ll be off at work either way, and he wants his wife to be happy. Yara is happy, her mom is happier.
It would have been easier if they’d reached this understanding sooner
But after all of the concerns about this disagreement harming their marriage, and all of the underlying fears and insecurities that they brought to the surface, maybe this will help them to be stronger than before. Or, at the very least, to communicate more clearly and honestly about what they want and how they are feeling.
Jovi and Yara are the only ones who had a clear resolution this season
Yara tears up as Jovi prepares to leave to go to work. He will be gone for weeks, as always. She will miss him because she loves him. Little Mylah keeps alternating between Jovi and Yara. It’s clear that she loves her parents a lot and isn’t ready for her dad to go to work yet, either.