Charity Lawson had to make her toughest decision yet on the July 31 episode of The Bachelorette. With just four guys remaining — Xavier Bonner, Aaron Bryant, Joey Graziadei and Duton Olubeko — Charity visited everyone’s hometown to meet their families. By the end of the episode, she was admittedly “falling in love” with all four men. However, one still had to be sent home, and it was Aaron who was eliminated at the rose ceremony.
Aaron’s hometown date was first up. Going into the date, Charity felt like she and Aaron had hit a standstill, as it had been so long since their one-on-one date during week two. She was hoping to get back to where they were earlier on. “It’s scary because me and Aaron are probably the furthest behind,” she admitted. “But the connection is visibly there. I’m hopeful that meeting family will change my whole outlook and perspective on things.”
Before meeting the family, Aaron mentioned the “L-word” to Charity, and although he wasn’t ready to say it yet, he said he hoped that he’d be ready to “take that leap” after the hometown date. Charity got to meet Aaron’s mom, dad, older brother, Edward, younger brother, Eric, and sister-in-law Audrey. After eating a home-cooked meal, both Aaron and Charity got to have one-on-one time with the family. “Aaron’s family is so sweet,” Charity gushed. “From the moment I walked through the door, it was an immediate feeling of love. I’m engulfed with warm, positive energy.”
Of course, that didn’t mean there weren’t some hard-hitting questions. Aaron’s mom, Ethel, flat-out asked Charity if she’d be ready to accept a proposal from her son at this time. “I will probably say no, but my answer would not be in reflection of who Aaron is or where I stand with him,” Charity admitted. “I value what a proposal means. I value saying yes and doing it only one time. So for me, I want to be at a place where, when I say yes to my person, I’m 100 percent certain of where I’m at.”
Aaron’s mom and dad were both thrilled after meeting Charity. “Meeting Charity is very encouraging,” Ethel said. “She seems very compassionate, very purposeful, very warm. I’m very pleased.” His dad added, “What a sharp, articulate, beautiful young lady. That’s what you call a keeper.” Meanwhile, Charity was also pleased. “I feel so good after meeting Aaron’s family,” she raved. “This is a family I’d want to be in. This is a family that I can envision coming home to on weekends or coming home on holidays to, my kids running around with their grandparents. This is a home that makes sense. That same feeling you look for in love of it feeling right, I felt that in Aaron’s home today.”
After the family meeting, Charity and Aaron spent some more one-on-one time together. He finally told her that he was falling in love with her. By the end of the date, Charity said she felt like the “sky was the limit” for her and Aaron’s relationship.
However, there were three more hometown dates after that. Things with Xavier and Dotun’s families went amazing. Before Joey’s hometown, Charity admitted that she was “falling in love” with him, but she became a bit skeptical over a comment his uncle made. Joey and his uncle are very close, and he questioned whether or not Joey was showing Charity his “real” self. When Charity heard that, she began wondering if she was really getting to know the “full” Joey.
Back in Los Angeles, Charity hashed out her feelings with Jesse Palmer. She was more confused than ever, as she was falling in love with all four guys. “I don’t know how to make sense of what I’m feeling,” she shared. “I’m so fearful of sending a person who could be my person home. I’m sitting here and I still don’t know what the hell I’m going to do.” She was in tears as she got closer to having to make the decision. “It’s all sad. It’s all hurtful. I don’t want to do this,” she said.
Dotun got the first rose, followed by Xavier, and then Aaron. Before Aaron left, Charity spoke to him one final time. She wished him the best and told him that she knew he would find his person one day. Unfortunately, it all came down to them simply not having enough time together. However, she was still heartbroken. “I’m trying to make sense of what the hell I just did,” she said, through tears. “I’m falling in love with someone and yet I sent them home. The more I think about it, it’s actually the most absurd s*** I’ve ever done. What if I just made the absolute wrong decision?”