We don’t usually do recaps anymore, but this is the last season of Teen Mom, so we’re giving it a shot. This is a recap of the first of the two episodes that aired last night: “Separation Anxiety.”
There is a LOT of tough stuff going on this season, and we finally get a look inside all the heart-wrenching headlines Amber Portwood has made over the past year and a half. Everything we’re watching now happened about a year ago, but Amber’s been through so much is feels like many years have past.
Maci
It opens with Maci and Kyle King, who are trying to socialize Bentley after a failed attempt to acclimate him to day care. Bentley really is a pretty cool kid to have around, and he really knows how to pull the heartstrings when he’s upset, so it’s also about getting Maci and Kyle to let go too, even if Bentley doesn’t want to. They take him to swim lessons to help build up his independence, and make the first step to combat separation anxiety.
Maci and Kyle meet with Maci’s friend Erica, a preschool teacher, to talk about dealing with Bentley’s separation problems. They make a plan to have Kyle drop off Bentley. Bentley gets so stressed out by all the day care talk, he bites Kyle, and then asks Maci to go with him.
Later, as Maci, Bentley and Kyle are laying in bed, Bentley assures them that he’s read for daycare in the morning. When Maci expresses doubts, Bentley assures Maci “You’ll be alright Mama!”
The next day Bentley’s still in a chipper mood, and goes in the day care with Kyle (Maci waited in the car) without a hitch. He busies himself with some trains, and didn’t seem to mind when Kyle left.
Catelynn
Catelyn and Tyler are reflecting about their daughter Carly’s 2nd birthday, AND Butch’s imprisonment for violating his no-contact order with his wife April. They meet with their adoption counselor Dawn in high spirits about Carly’s 2nd birthday. They feel better because they’ve dealt with their feelings, and things felt more “fresh” at the one year mark. Although it’s not a typical situation because they’re on television, and because they’ve been given so many opportunities because of their reality star fame, it’s still wonderful to continue to follow Catelynn and Tyler’s adoption story as the years progress. It will never be “easy” for them, or anyone else who makes this decision, but things do get better. They’re kind of disappointed that Carly’s adoptive parents Brandon and Teresa won’t take Carly to their graduation, but they understand, and still feel proud about their accomplishments.
Brandon and Teresa DO have a plan to go to New York to see Carly AND celebrate their graduation, and when Catelynn calls to tell her mom April, Aprils offers far more support than she did in the past. Tyler Prince Charming shows up with to-go breakfast to discuss the change in April.
Catelynn and Tyler got to video chat with Carly on her second birthday even though they didn’t spend it with her. They even got a cake with a 2 candle to celebrate.
Tyler “She’s not here but we can still celebrate her.”
Farrah
Farrah has decided to leave Sophia with her parents while she moves to Miami to pursue her education and other ventures. Sophia’s so excited to see Farrah after her trip to Florida to scope out apartments, that she screams. Her mom shows Farrah Sophia’s new Big Girl bedroom, which used to be Farrah’s. Farrah takes Sophia on a memory journey around the room. First she goes to the closet to tell Sophia that one time her deceased dad Derek snuck in there to hide from grandad Michael because he heard him in the hall. Then she shows Sophia the bed where Sophia was conceived, and then she says they loved hanging out and talking on the phone in Farrah’s bathroom. She tells Sophia that she’s kind of sad because she has all the memories of Dereck in the room, but she loved Sophia, Sophia responds with I Love You!”
Farrah talks to her therapist Dina, and her sister about changing her mind, and taking Sophia with her to Florida. Her parents are pretty apprehensive when Farrah tells them of her plan. Michael brings up the lack of support, and Sophia’s “terrible twos,” and Debra seems concerned about Sophia when “everyone she knows and loves is gone.”
Amber
We meet Amber accepting a plea bargin in her felony domestic violence case for hitting her baby’s father Gary Shirley. Her daughter Leah is a ward of a state, but staying with Gary. They can’t be together while Leah’s around because of the domestic violence issues, so Amber doesn’t get to see Leah much. Amber agrees to two years probation and court ordered rehab for “anger management and substance abuse/mental health” in order to avoid jail time. She gets to talk to Leah on the phone when she calls to update Gary, and Leah is the cutest little munchkin when she says “I miss you so much!”
Amber’s cousin Krystal Zion is pregnant with her second child, and comes over to see Amber and discuss her plea bargain. Amber, who has now admitted to being abusing prescription pills since she was a young teen, is still in denial about her addiction issues, and doesn’t like to admit to her family, and even the therapists later in the show, how bad her substance problem had become.
Amber looks forward to putting all the court stuff and rehab behind her, and hopes to lift the no contact order so she can get back together with Gary to be a family.
Nervous about her medications and anger control, a Red Bull sipping Amber (who appears to have a piercing in the web of her hand) calls her rehab facility to make sure everything’s okay. They tell her she can bring her meds that are prescribed, and she can’t have her own room because she’s not supposed to isolate. Amber argues that she needs her own room because she’s going for anger management, and if she hits somebody she automatically goes to jail.
Krystal says she hopes they don’t put Amber in a room with someone with major problems, to which Amber rightly scoffs “I have major problems!” She them talks about how angry she is about her situation, especially with having Leah taken away, and in a moment of pure, brutal honesty, says “I don’t know how sane I can stay anymore.”
Amber goes to talk to Gary before she heads to rehab, and immediately asks “Where’s my glass of wine?” As she poors a tall glass of Barefoot, she says “This is the first time I’ve drank, because I just turned 21.” Gary gives her the side-eye.
They sit in the swing, and Amber asks if Gary will be dating while she’s in rehab because she feels like he needs to focus on Leah and be her “daddy and mommy.” Gary tells her that he’s getting used to it, and it’s getting easier for him to take care of Leah without Amber.
Amber: “I’m so stressed out, I need a buzz, I’m so stressed out.”
Gary retorts: “I’m about to drink some . . . . water.”
Amber gets defensive about her wine, saying that she needs to drink to get the fact that she’s going to rehab off her mind. Gary angers her by saying “I’m glad you’re getting help.”
Amber flies into a rage and brings up the incident that got her in so much trouble in the first place: “You’re just really just a f**king rude, mean person, and I’m the bitch for hitting you.”
Full Episode:
Get More:
Teen Mom (Season 4), Full Episodes
