We’ve made it to the final MAFS Dinner Party, and what a journey it’s been.
This year’s nights around the table have seen break-ups, make-ups, walk-outs and at least 20 scandals centred around words I cannot repeat.
So, I’ve got high hopes for this last night out!
One person who does not, however, is poor Scott.
He’s lying in bed looking at photos of him and Gia from before their relationship was irreversibly broken.
She sent him a voice note confirming she’d flown to Melbourne and was spending time with her daughter, but besides that they haven’t spoken.
The rumour mill has done its thing, as everyone else also knows she’s skipped town.
Everyone except Filip, whose late reveal as a gossip king is a very welcome surprise!
He was in the apartment lifts the day before and ran into someone he never expected to … Gia.
Turns out, she never went to Melbourne and yes, she is all dolled up in a green emergency blanket.
It pays to be prepared!
Cocktail Hour
There are a few announcements to make!
Stella gifted Filip a key! David’s ready to fight for Alissa! Danny told Bec he was falling in love with her!
Bec spills that little detail to Stella, who promptly asks him about it in front of everyone.
That turns out to be an awkward mistake, as David tries to get him to say it again, but he refuses.
“There is writing on the wall, Bec, and one day you might open your eyes and read it,” David tells the camera.
Ouch!
He certainly doesn’t think there is writing on his and Alissa’s walls, as he ignores her many groans and “I just need a minute” to present a grand gesture.
After pouring his heart out, David fully sends it.
On one knee.
He tells her he loves her, and she gives him … nothing.
NOTHING.
Scott is so rattled he can barely fill the group in on his week from hell, but delivers the “Gia never went to Melbourne” punchline riiiight on time:
As the experts try to wrap their heads around the Melbourne lie, they’re hit with something even more confusing: Gia and Bec are mates again?
Not only mates, but bathroom conspirators!
While the rest of the group sits down for food, Bec gives Gia some interesting and as she describes it “strategic” advice behind closed doors.
“You have to be here, because otherwise, what I just saw in there was ‘poor Scott’,” Bec explains.
The plan? “Out-victim him,” as Gia so succinctly puts it!
“It’s not just about your relationship, it’s about all of Australia,” Bec says.
“And if you can cry, that would be great.”
OK, game on. Gia’s brought some teardrops in a bottle and she’s ready!
Dinner Party
Ahh, the sweet sounds of cutlery, plates and crunchy sourdough.
Bec attempts to end the awkwardness, and give us something other than chewing to listen to, by telling Gia and Scott to start with “calm kindness”.
I don’t recall hearing that part in the bathroom chat?
She compels Gia to read a letter she’s written for him.
Tears, tick! Bec nodding along like a proud stage mum, tick! Scott being fooled … nope, no tick.
He can also write letters!
Bec points out it’s four pages long, and that’s because he’s NOT holding back.
Turns out, reading and crying hits different when it’s not orchestrated in a bathroom.
“I’m not sure it is what you’re looking for, Gia, but I can tell you’re not the one for me,” he says, whipping off his ring and throwing it on the table as he walks away.
David runs after him, and points out Gia had no emotion throughout his speech.
The rest of the table, bar surprise bestie Bec, are horrified by her treatment of him too … and her explanations are not helping!
“At the end of the day, it was a showmance,” she claims.
Gia starts pointing out a bunch of Scott’s flaws, deflecting and claiming he’s only interested in her for sex, but Stella and Filip tell her to “cut the shit”.
She eventually admits to lying about being in Melbourne, because she “stupidly thought” Scott would chase her.
He didn’t, so now it’s on her to get up and go speak to him privately.
Private, minus the cameras.
She apologises for lying to him, but Scott says he’s completely done with their relationship.
They hug goodbye as Gia tries to make a quick escape, ripping off her microphone and leaving – for good this time!
Scott leaves too, but in a very different mood: “I feel like I’ve just got a massive weight off my shoulder,” he says.
Back at the table, everyone attempts to turn things in a positive, lovey-dovey direction … except Alissa.
She has not accepted David’s apology whatsoever. In fact, she feels like she doesn’t even knows him.
“This person has shown you who he is, time and time again,” David tells her.
But taking his ring off is a “red flag” to her that has changed her feelings.
She doesn’t think she’s ever done anything to sabotage their relationship, unlike him, so I guess we aren’t going to touch on the reason he took his ring off in the first place?
OK! Sure!
She says she “can’t be bothered” with this conversation.
“I’m literally here because I love this woman,” David says.
“Too late, doll,” she snaps, storming out.
David has held himself well all night, but finally the frustration boils over.
“I can’t believe every time I challenged and pushed in an argument, it just blew up,” he says.
David finally realises nothing he can say or do will be enough, because Alissa does not want to hear it.
And it’s hard to fight for a relationship to work if the other person isn’t receptive!
Much to ponder before Final Vows, hey?
Well, not for us. Thankfully, it all goes down tomorrow.
Who will choose to continue their marriages outside of the experiment – and where will Stella and Filip land – on a scale of romantic to really bloody romantic? I can’t wait to find out!