Bringing Up Bates"Uncharted Waters"
- The show opens on Evan and Carlin’s courtship conversation with Gil and Kelly. “Of course, Dad always likes to throw in his little nuggets,” says Carlin, annoyed. “If you ever get married, if this ever keeps going, we’ll see, let’s take it slow.”
- Gil and Kelly pray with the couple and then give them the green light to start an official courtship.
- Later, those over 90 pounds and age 10 head to the zip line course. Kelly takes the “middle kids” to the pool.
- Some of the zip lines are short and low, but one is about 90 feet off the ground. “It’s nothing like the little one we have in the backyard,” says Jackson.
- The next day, the plan is to go whitewater rafting. It ends up raining, but that doesn’t stop the Bates. They hire the daughter of a local pastor to babysit the little ones and head out. Because of the weather, they end up having to go on a more difficult course with class four rapids. Even the boys are apprehensive.
- All the married couples get into one boat. “Just think, Mom, if this boat wrecks, you’ve got Lawson and Nathan to raise all the kids from all three of our families,” says Zach.
- The ride is exhilarating, and the ladies scream the whole way, but they all enjoy themselves.
- Later, while everyone else is showering, Bobby pulls Gil aside to chat. “Yesterday it’s Evan, today it’s Bobby,” says Gil. “I’m getting hit from everywhere. Who knows what’s going to be next?”
- “…Before I start planning anything and before I take this next step, what I really want to do is just have your full blessing and be able to ask your permission to marry Tori,” says Bobby.
- “You’re a good guy, Bobby," says Gil, patting Bobby on the back. “I’m glad you finished school, but nope.”
- Bobby’s lip starts quivering, and a look of anguish washes over his face. “I always have a hard time telling when people are joking, and I was thinking, there’s like a one percent chance that he’s serious right now, but what if he is?” says Bobby.
- There is a long pause, and then Gil says, “You’ve got my blessing.” Bobby is extremely relieved and admits that he was about to throw up.
- “I think you and Tori have been good for each other,” says Gil. “But it’s hard to say yah, you know? Because I’m losing these girls one after another.”
- “Now that I have Mr. Bates’ permission to be able to propose, Tori seems to have a theory that October is the magic month because we met in October and we started courting in October, but we’ll just have to see about that,” says Bobby.
- After everyone finishes getting ready, the Bates snap a family photo and then head to dinner.