Meeting a significant other's family is a daunting task for anyone in a relationship, and Bachelorette Emily Maynard is no exception.
Traveling to various parts of the country to visit with final four contestants Chris Bukowski, Jef Holm, Sean Lowe and Arie Luyendyk, Jr. and their families, single mom Maynard, 26, was especially nervous to connect with race car driver Luyendyk's parents.
Warned by Luyendyk that his parents weren't afraid to speak their minds, Maynard went into the family meeting cautiously optimistic. "Arie is one of my favorite guys and I'd be absolutely crushed if his parents didn't absolutely adore me," Maynard said after catching up with her suitor in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Monday's episode. "My goal for today is to win his mom over."
Indeed, winning over Mrs. Luyendyk proved to be an uphill battle — especially after she, her son and the rest of family spoke in their native Dutch in front of Maynard. ("If they say anything bad [in Dutch], I'll just translate them favorably," Maynard's man joked beforehand.)
Maynard was clearly upset at being put in such an odd position. "It's like there's an invisible wall. It was really awkward," she admitted. Luckily — at least according to Luyendyk — the family was simply trading positive thoughts about Maynard, and noting how well she'd fit into their family.
In the end, Mama Luyendyk offered her stamp of approval. "I can't wait for her to choose him and for them to be together — they'd be an awesome couple," the family's matriarch admitted.
Luyendyk was just as pleased with the family visit, and left ready to get down on bended knee. "It feels so good to have my parents' approval. I've never felt this way about a woman and today has changed my life," he said. "I'm ready to propose. I'm definitely going to marry Emily and I don't think of it any other way."
After hitting it off, Luyendyk received a rose during what Maynard called the "hardest rose ceremony" to date, as did fellow finalists Holm and Lowe, who faked out Maynard by fooling her into believing he still lived at home at age 28.
Bukowski, on the other hand, wasn't as fortunate. Admitting to Maynard on last week's show that he loved her, the bachelor was dumbstruck when he failed to earn a rose. "I don't have an explanation. So many more of my relationships grew so much faster and deeper," Maynard reasoned.
Sniped the ousted contestant: "How much faster could it possibly move?! I told you I loved you!"
Tell Us: Which of the remaining bachelors is best for Emily?
