Last night on 16 and Pregnant, we met Arianna and Maurice, who made a baby after dating for only six weeks. MTV tells us that Arianna is an artsy – cause half her hair is dyed green? – high school senior who can't forgive her boyfriend for impregnating her. Um, she was there too, right? Arianna reminds me of Princess Briana from Teen Mom 3 – she constantly preaches about what others should be doing while she doesn't do much else besides preach.
Arianna's father took off shortly after she was born – I think she takes her own daddy anger out on Maurice – and her mom was a teen mom. Arianna doesn't like her mom's new husband, so she lives with her grandmother in tiny one-bedroom apartment. Despite everything, Arianna is on track to graduate high school early. She wanted to get her PhD in Psychology prior to becoming pregnant, but due to the time that takes, she now wants to be an RN. Good for her… admirable profession and light years beyond many of her MTV co-stars.
CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR MORE!
So, six months into the pregnancy, Maurice and Arianna's relationship is in shambles. "We're arguing all the time because it became clear that he talked a big game but then he flaked on helping and wouldn't chip in any money," she says. To make matter worse, Maurice requests a paternity test via text. Arianna responds, "Don't ever text my phone again. Bye."
Arianna admits she cried when she found out she was pregnant. Apparently, Maurice was happy, "like a house, a car, money, and babies were just going to fall out of the sky." Arianna complains Maurice showed his true colors – no ambition, no motivation, rude, disrespectful, lazy, irresponsible – after she got pregnant. Will these kids ever learn to get to know someone before they put themselves into a position (um no pun intended) to become pregnant? Arianna hopes Maurice will change for the baby's sake, but she has doubts.
Cut to Maurice with his family, he says he's ready. His mom, Kea, points out that it's crunch time and he has no money. Apparently, Maurice has a "music thing" with a "mix tape" in the works. Yeah, OK. Jo 2.0 acknowledges that he doesn't want his son to grow up without a father, like he did.
Arianna talks to her mom, Michelle, and blames her for passing on the bad genes that got her into this position. She's kidding. I hope. Mom's devastated. Arianna's angry with Maurice because he hasn't contributed any money, diapers/wipes, or baby gear. Arianna decides it's time for Maurice to step up – she calls to ask if he's got a job or anything for the baby. He says no. To both.
Maurice insists his family plans to outfit their house with baby stuff, for when the baby's with him, and Arianna shuts down that thought real quick. "That's nice but the baby won't be at your house anytime soon," she says. "I need some action. I'm not going to be the only one taking care of him financially. You need to change up. I'm tired of hearing stuff. I want to see some action." Maurice asks Arianna what she personally – not her family – has bought for the baby. She gets angry and hangs up.
After an emotional sonogram, Arianna questions her decision to ice Maurice out. She invites him to meet her at a park to give him another chance to man up. Arianna wants Maurice to get a job – that bitch! Kidding!! He says, "OK, but it won't be a 9 to 5." She bickers. He mumbles. My head pounds. Maurice claims his family bought "plenty of things" for the baby and promises he'll bring them to her "when it's necessary." Arianna freaks out – she needs things BEFORE the baby is born. Maurice says she sounds dumb. Arianna demands respect, then insults him in return. Maurice walks away.
Arianna's baby shower makes her happy. Now she wants a Baby Shower every day. Yeah, and I want a Cupcake and Fabulous Shoes Shower every day. Arianna's induced a week early, unscheduled, so she calls Maurice to let him know. Then she worries it was a dumb decision. In the end, Arianna's glad she called Maurice, who is sweet and appreciative towards her. The time leading up to baby Aiden's birth is sweet.
The next day, however, isn't sweet at all. Maurice says seeing Aiden be born meant the world to him. Arianna chooses to spend this precious time yapping at Maurice. Arianna: "I just wish everything wasn't so last minute and the things would have been brought over and then maybe we wouldn't have been on such bad terms." Maurice: "He's here now." Arianna: "That's not a response to what I said."
Arianna tells Maurice to leave – and not come back. Maurice says he'll go but asks to snuggle with Aiden first. She hands over the baby but immediately goes off: "Don't come back to my hospital room. You need to own up to what you did wrong. If you can't I don't want you around me. Give me my baby. Give me my child and get out of my room. You're stressing me out." Maurice pleads for more time with the baby. Arianna refuses and summons a nurse for help.
On the way home from the hospital, Arianna complains about taking care of a baby on her own – but, you know, her mom and her grandmom are ready and willing to help. And she sent the father of said baby away and told him not to come back. At his house, Maurice tells his mom that he wants to see Aiden but doesn't want to deal with Arianna's dramatics.
Maurice reaches out to Arianna a week later. She tells him to let her know when he is ready to apologize, has a job, and is prepared to bring things for the baby. The next time we see him, Maurice DOES have a job and he DOES show up with diapers, wipes, and practical sneakers for Aiden. He does NOT apologize. Arianna's happy Aiden has two involved parents in his life, as she should be, but she's still mad at Maurice.
Next, Maurice wants to talk about how he can help out more, but Arianna prefers to harp on the past. She says, "We had really bad problems and really bad arguments. I had to push you," to which he says, "We just didn't get along." Arianna's like, "Oh, no. No. No. No. No. You have to own up to what you did wrong. You can't own up and be a man and say when you're wrong." Maurice argues that just because she says he was wrong doesn't mean he was actually wrong. Arianna storms out, saying, "I'm leaving cause you're getting on my f–king nerves."
Maurice follows and asks Arianna to come back inside. She says no – she's irritated and no longer feeling it. Maurice claims to be irritated too. Arianna dismisses him: "I get more irritated – you don't even understand!" Maurice apologizes for not supporting Arianna through the pregnancy. He asks to come by the next day to spend time with Aiden. She agrees, but adds for good bitchy measure, "But don't, like, not come by." Still…. he hugs her goodbye.
In the end, Arianna reminds us that Maurice was not there for her when she needed him the most, but she plans to let it go. She seems doubtful they'll ever be a couple again but hopes Aiden always has both parents in his life. Me too. They're young and need to mature – but I think both Arianna and Maurice have what it takes to be great parents.
I hope Arianna chills out, finishes college, and becomes an RN and Maurice continues to work and support Aiden, perfects his mix tape – hahaha, and obtains visitation rights through the court to avoid any future power plays, but I suspect they're a shoe-in for Teen Mom 4. Oh you know it's going to happen. I mean, with Teen Mom 2's Jenelle Evans' amazing transformation from heroin addict to law-abiding citizen – she's practically a lawyer! – and amazing mother-to-be to Kaiser Roll-A-Joint Griffith, MTV needs a new group of girls. They can't help themselves… but neither can we. Sigh.
TELL US – YOUR THOUGHTS ON ARIANNA AND MAURICE? WAS ARIANNA TOO HARD ON MAURICE OR NOT HARD ENOUGH?
Photo Credit: MTV
