U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin said "Aloha" to his three remaining suitors during last night's penultimate episode of ABC's The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman, as he welcomed them to his current home state of Hawaii where they each learned about his military service and spent overnight dates with him. In the end, Danielle Imwalle, a 25-year-old graphic designer who currently resides in Bethel, CT, learned that "Aloha" also means farewell, as she was the 23rd bachelorette sent packing.
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"It's just like really hard walking away from him," said Danielle after being eliminated. "I have trouble thinking that I'm never gonna see somebody that I care about like that again. But... he didn't choose me and that hurts a lot because you're meant to meet certain people in your life. I really felt like I was meant to meet Andy."
Bevin Powers, a 28-year-old clinic research coordinator who currently resides in Palo Alto, CA, and Tessa Horst, a 26-year-old social worker who currently resides in San Francisco, CA, are the two remaining bachelorettes who will travel to Andy's original hometown of Lancaster, PA to meet his family during next week's broadcast of The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman's finale.
The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman's seventh and penultimate episode began with Andy in his element back in Pearl Harbor, HI where he's stationed as an undersea medical officer. As he waited for the bachelorettes to arrive, he expressed excitement that his three remaining suitors would finally get to see his "true side."
"It's not about yachts. It's not about sports cars. It's about being a U.S. Navy officer," said Andy. "The Navy is such an important part of my life and I'm so proud to serve my country." To illustrate just how important his service is, Andy took the three remaining girls to the USS Arizona Memorial, which marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
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Bevin was the first to meet Andy, and she thought it was a "treat" to seem him in his Navy garb but it also made her realize the commitment she would be making in settling down with a Navy officer. Danielle was "so happy" to meet Andy on the USS Arizona because she knew it meant a lot to him, but also because it resonated with her family, as her grandma was a nurse during the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Danielle told Andy she'd "do anything" to learn what it's like to be a Navy wife. Tessa realized the importance of finding out about the "Navy lifestyle." While visiting the memorial, she and Andy were approached by a little girl, and Andy referred to Tessa as his "girlfriend." Tessa was finally starting to see a possible future with Andy.
The next day it was time for the first of three overnight dates -- which took place on Kauai, "the most romantic" of the Hawaiian islands, in Andy's opinion. Because it's been a "rollercoaster ride" with Tessa, Andy took her to a zipline and ropes adventure. While Andy said things kept getting better with Tessa, he was still eager for her to open up some more -- a move he described as being "really important." Tessa called the zipline course a "total adventure," and Andy said he "loved the rough and tumble tomboy side of Tessa." After completing the rope course and sharing the beauty of the island, Andy said it was a "fabulous, romantic day," but added Tessa was still "protecting herself emotionally," and he planned to ask her the "tough questions" at dinner.
"I want to be here at the end of this," said Tessa. "My feelings for Andy keep growing and I want to see where that goes and keep being with him." The two enjoyed each other's company as they sat in a hammock attached to two palm trees under the Hawaiian night sky, and Tessa said Andy makes her smile, a side of herself she loves. Andy said he felt like Tessa was the queen to his king and the two were in a "royal setting." It was then time to see if Tessa would join Andy in spending the night in the show-supplied "Fantasy Suite." (While Andy and the bachelorettes each had individual rooms in Hawaii, they could spend the rest of the night in a romantic room together if the suitor accepted the "Fantasy Suite" invitation.)
"So what do you say?" asked Andy. "There's nothing I would love more than to have more time with you alone," answered Tessa. Once in the suite, Andy asked Tessa to express herself and explain why she hadn't opened up yet. Tessa said she was grateful for Andy's patience with her, and said she was reluctant to open up because she wanted to stay true to herself.
"I am falling in love with Andy," said Tessa. "Every time I see him, it just makes more and more sense."
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The next day, Andy meant with Danielle and was hoping a physical chemistry with her would develop. The two shared time together on a boat and saw dolphins and whales. Danielle came away thoroughly impressed. "I feel like I'm in a dream!" she said. Andy then got his wish, as the two frolicked in the water while snorkeling. Danielle then asked a tough question, wondering how long Andy planned on being in the service for. With "little over a year" left on his current tour, Andy told her it was "so hard" to think about leaving Hawaii.
"I know," answered Danielle. "I don't want to leave here. It's beautiful." Danielle then retold the Lifetime TV movie-like story of how when she was in college, she visited a psychic who told her she wouldn't continue to be with her boyfriend at the time. The psychic told her she'd have two more strong relationships and then the third guy would be "the one." Her college boyfriend passed away while they were in college, and she had two other relationships since then, making Andy lucky No. 3. "I don't know... Maybe she's right?" said Danielle.
That night, Andy said he could see himself spending the rest of his life with Danielle, but was interested to know if she was really ready for a strong relationship. He then told her he had a "little surprise" and the two were met by a psychic reader. The psychic told Danielle she has a "nurturing energy," but added she also sense a "little sadness and apprehension" due to losses in the past. Danielle was surprised that the psychic picked up on her past with her college boyfriend, and realized there might still be some issues there to deal with. The psychic told Andy to choose his bachelorette with his heart, and the advice hit home for the bachelor. When Andy asked Danielle about what the psychic told her, she said while she "suffered the ultimate loss," she wants to find love again and thinks it's worth the risk. Andy was relieved to hear that answer and invited Danielle to the "Fantasy Suite."
"So what do you say?" asked Andy. "I say I would love to," answered Danielle. Once in the suite, Danielle decided to stop thinking about the past and focused on her present and future with Andy, just happy to be spending time with him. Andy was glad he and Danielle shared core beliefs about their future -- and also accomplished his original mission for his overnight with her, calling her a "great kisser."
Bevin was the final bachelorette to go on her overnight with Andy. He said he was aware of the "intense physical attraction" he and Bevin have, and was interested to learn if there was more than that. Because he loves her sense of adventure, the two went kayaking and then hiked to a waterfall, where Andy revealed there's "an electricity in my soul" when with Bevin. The two then canoodled underwater.
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"I have never met another man like Andy before in my life," said Bevin. "It feels like we are meant to be together, and every time I see him, I'm just so happy." Andy commented he saved the best overnight date for last, but added he wanted to go beyond the "intimate and playful side" of his relationship with Bevin. That night they enjoyed a luau, and Andy described Bevin as "absolutely beautiful, smart, energetic and funny" before asking why she decided to sign-up for The Bachelor.
"I'm really looking for the one and only, the true man who will be my everything," answered Bevin. When Andy persisted in asking if she found that in him, she replied, "We have the passion. That's a huge part of a relationship."
Andy then wanted to make sure that the fact that Bevin was previously married as a teenager wouldn't affect her feelings on marriage. In the couple of years following her divorce, Bevin said she felt she would never marry again because she thought her luck in love had run out. However with time comes distance, and Bevin said she wasn't yet ready to give up on the dream of having a family. Andy knew how difficult it must have been for Bevin to admit she "stumbled in the past," and Bevin answered if they're going to spend their lives together, they need to be open. Happy that Bevin had shown "perspective," Andy asked about the "Fantasy Suite."
"What do you say?" he questioned. "I definitely want to accept the Fantasy Suite offer in the hopes that we continue the conversation and you can get to know be better because we know the passion is there but I definitely want to build the other aspects of our relationship," Bevin replied.
"I agree," Andy answered and the two went off to the suite. Once there, Andy said he was glad his relationship with Bevin was growing beyond physical attraction. "I can definitely say I love Andy," said Bevin.
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With Bevin, Tessa and Danielle all on the same playing field in Andy's eyes, the bachelor said he was "really confused" about what to do at that night's Rose Ceremony -- so he called in his best friend Gatsby. Andy referred to Gatsby as his "sounding board," and Gatsby added the two had trained and participated in triathlons together, which is a "really bonding experience," so he could tell his buddy was "stressed out." After he described each of the three remaining bachelorettes, including both their pros and cons, Andy revealed he still didn't know who would be sent packing at the Rose Ceremony.
"I really can't put my finger on any reason to get rid of any of these women," said Andy. "It's coming down to which two I feel strongest in my heart for. I'm a healer, I'm a doctor, I help others, I take their pain away. So to break the heart of one of the women tonight, it kills me to have to do that."
As Bevin, Tessa and Danielle stood before him at the Rose Ceremony, Andy addressed them as a group. "Any man would be thrilled to have a woman like any of you by their side... I really mean that." Andy then revealed his final two bachelorettes were Bevin and Tessa. Following the precedent he set when Amber Achabali failed to receive a rose at the show's previous Rose Ceremony, Andy escorted Danielle outside to talk in private.
"I hate doing this. I think you're amazing okay? You have been such a source of strength and I think the world of you," said Andy to Danielle. "There's nothing I can really point to [as to why you didn't receive a rose], I just have to trust my heart and how I feel. You're going to make a man really, really, really happy." After Danielle thanked him for the compliment, she returned it. "You really have kind of set the bar for me for the kind of person I want to be with," she said. "You deserve to be happy. You're an amazing guy."
"When I lost my boyfriend I didn't think that I'd ever find love again, be happy again... at least I got a little more closure this time then I did last time," said Danielle. "You know, I've been through a lot, I just really feel like I deserve to be happy."
The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman will air a special two-hour finale on Monday, May 21 at 9PM ET/PT on ABC.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio