The Bachelor featured Joey eliminating Maria Georgas after hometown dates and choosing Daisy Kent, Kelsey Anderson and Rachel Nance as his Final 3 bachelorettes during the Season 28 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.
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"I'm confused. I came here and showed all of me. I told Joey that I am falling in love with him, and if that's not enough for him, what more can I give this man?" Maria lamented in her final words.
"It sucks, and it makes me sad, because Joey is everything I've always wanted, and it doesn't come often when I feel this way. But I should've told him [how I felt] a lot sooner than I did, and that's my biggest regret."
Joey's Final 3 bachelorettes, as a result, are Daisy, a 25-year-old account executive from Becker, MN; Kelsey A., a 25-year-old junior project manager from New Orleans, LA; and Rachel, a 26-year-old ICU nurse from Honolulu, HI.
The Bachelor broadcast featured Joey traveling to his Final 4 bachelorettes' hometowns: Kelsey A. in New Orleans, LA; Rachel in Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Daisy in Becker, MN; and Maria in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Kelsey A.'s date was first, and she took Joey on a tandem bike ride through City Park and the couple listened to local music and ate beignets.
The last time Kelsey had been on a tandem bike was with her beloved mother, who passed away. The pair saw butterflies in the park, which reminded Kelsey of her mom, and the bachelorette could tell that her mother was watching over them.
Kelsey wished she could hear her mother's opinion about Joey, especially because she was starting to fall for The Bachelor star, and so she teared up and admitted it was "difficult" thinking about the future and not having her mother there for big moments.
"She has this brightness to her. She has a different level of excitement and joy that is just contagious. I just know I could be happy every day if Kelsey is the person I'm with," Joey said in a confessional, adding how their connection was "strong and real."
That night, Joey met Kelsey's brother Matthew, sister Taylor, and father Mark.
Kelsey's family showed Joey photo albums, which prominently displayed memories of Kelsey's mom, and Taylor could tell that Joey was a great guy. Taylor just didn't want to see her sister's heart get broken.
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Kelsey told her sister that she didn't know where Joey was at with the other women, but she noted, "I've really tried to give this my all so at the end of the day, if it's not me, at least I know I really tried and I put myself out there."
When Mark spoke to Joey alone, The Bachelor star said Mark would be so proud of his daughter and he was extremely lucky and grateful to have met her. Mark shared how he knew Kelsey's mom was The One for him right away.
When asked how he'd know if he found the right woman for him, Joey said he was struggling with real feelings but he truly cared about Kelsey and was moving with intention to protect Kelsey's heart as much as possible.
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Mark felt reassured after talking with Joey, and then Kelsey got a moment alone with her father.
Kelsey cried to her dad about how he had taken such good care of his wife when she was dying of cancer before stepping up as the only parent in their household and taking care of everyone. Kelsey said she could picture Joey doing the same for her in challenging times.
"I think I love him," Kelsey told her dad with tears in her eyes.
Mark told The Bachelor cameras, "I do think Joey will take care of Kelsey, and I do hope she's engaged when she comes home."
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"I want to blurt out that I love him. I am ready for whatever may come, and I'm ready to fight for him. I hope that he feels the same way," Kelsey told The Bachelor cameras.
Rachel's date in California was up next, and he couldn't wait to meet Rachel's family because of her connection to Hawaii and the fact she had grown up there. Rachel's family attempted to bring Hawaii to their house with dancing, flowers, games and even a pig roast.
Rachel was excited to share her Filipino culture with Joey, and he met Rachel's father Hakim, mother Noela, sister Amanda, nephew Liam and extended family and friends.
Rachel told her dad that she was loving every second of The Bachelor process and she liked Joey a lot, who apparently slowed her down a little bit and was a great listener.
Since Rachel had been hurt before, Hakim didn't want to see that happen again, but Rachel got emotional when sharing how she could picture her future with Joey and she felt very safe with him.
Joey then told Noela how he wasn't taking his decisions lightly and he was very aware that Rachel's heart was on the line. Joey wished he could promise Rachel and Noela the world, but he couldn't.
"Joey seems like a nice and genuine man, but there are still three other possible ladies, so the verdict is still out," Noela admitted to The Bachelor cameras.
Noela told her daughter that she was "still cautious" and she needed to make sure that Joey was the man for her. Noela reminded Rachel that it wasn't just Joey choosing a woman; it was the other way around as well.
Hakim also said he wanted to see a man who was going to love, cherish, nurture and support his daughter.
"I'm seeing that Rachel's mom and dad are not fully believing in this and are making sure that Rachel protects herself. But if we're going to keep moving forward in this relationship, I need to make sure that they do see me being someone that's suitable for the daughter," Joey explained to The Bachelor cameras.
Joey therefore asked for Hakim's blessing to potentially propose marriage to Rachel, and Hakim explained how he's "very traditional" about that step in life. Hakim asked Joey to call him and talk on the phone if he decided that he'd like to end up with Rachel.
Joey realized in that moment that he didn't have a straight "yes" or "no" from Rachel's parents, and so he wasn't sure how Rachel was going to feel about that moving forward in The Bachelor process.
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At the end of their date, Rachel broke down into tears and told Joey that her parents were very skeptical of the whole thing and had asked her not to rush into her feelings.
"But I trust you and what you want. I know I told you before that I was, like, falling for you. Umm, but I'm definitely falling in love with you. I see a future with you, and of course I want it to be us in the end... I do choose you," Rachel shared.
Joey responded to Rachel by saying he was so happy with where they were at and he felt hopeful and excited. Joey noted to The Bachelor cameras how he had been waiting to hear this "for weeks" and it felt "amazing."
Joey then traveled to Minnesota to see Daisy, and he said this day was going to hold a lot of weight for their relationship because Daisy wasn't ready to express love to Joey until she could watch him interact with her beloved family.
Daisy brought Joey to her family's Christmas tree farm, where Santa, hot chocolate and fake snow awaited them. It was a magical place to visit, and Joey got to meet some of Daisy's friends there.
Daisy told her pals that she was really happy and The Bachelor experience had changed her perspective on dating with a cochlear implant because Joey was treating her so well and actually loved it about her. Daisy's smile was ear to ear, and she couldn't wait for her parents to see how she felt about Joey.
Daisy admitted that if her family didn't like Joey or couldn't see them together, it would be hard for her to move forward on the show.
Daisy introduced Joey to her mom Julie, dad Brandon, older sister Josephine, younger brother Harrison, grandpa Ted, and grandma Gloria.
During the family gathering, Harrison shared how he was having a lot of fun, and then Daisy started to cry.
"Harrison's voice sounds like Harrison!" Daisy said, before hugging her brother in an emotional and heartfelt moment. "[What I hear through my cochlear implant] is getting better and better."
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Joey talked to Julie about how Daisy was holding back in the process, and she could tell that Julie really loved her. Julie wanted her daughter to be more vulnerable and let loose, and Daisy admitted she didn't know why she was putting walls up.
"I never thought I would feel this way towards someone again," Daisy told her mom. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to express myself... and then I'm going to lose him."
Brandon also told her daughter not to guard her heart because she had to open herself up to Joey in order for them to fully fall in love with each other.
"It's not like you're going to lose your hearing over it," Brandon quipped. "It's only love."
Daisy needed that time with her family more than she even knew she needed it, and she noted at the end of the visit how "this could be it" with Joey. Daisy was admittedly just afraid of getting hurt.
Once the date ended, Daisy told Joey, "I am falling in love with you, and I've been falling in love with you."
Daisy continued, "And I mean that with my whole heart. I am so excited to see where this is going, and you make me so happy and you make me feel so special. My whole family can see that... I am going to go for it wholeheartedly because I think there is something amazing here."
"I feel the same way," Joey replied.
The pair kissed before Joey left, and Daisy said it felt great that her family may have met her future fiance that day.
Joey then embarked on his final date with Maria in Canada, and the couple enjoyed a romantic -- and very wet -- boat ride up to the waterfalls. Joey hoped that Maria was fully in it with him and wanted to be with him, and this date was going to give him confirmation of that.
Maria and Joey always had fun together and were able to laugh, but they both wanted to go deeper.
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Maria promised Joey that she'd never quit on him or take the easy way out again. She said it didn't make sense for their relationship to end and her family meant everything to her.
Maria revealed to Joey that she had never brought a man home to meet her family before, and that news apparently surprised Joey and presented a bit of a red flag for him.
"I'm blown away to find out I'm the first person whom Maria has ever brought home. I'm realizing more and more how much Maria has not shown this to anyone. Part of me takes that as, 'How special is that? It's me.' But also, I'm like, 'How has she gone this far in life without opening up to someone and showing this side of herself?'" Joey questioned to The Bachelor cameras.
But Maria explained how introducing a man to her father was a huge deal because she's a daddy's girl.
Maria's dad was then shown saying at the dinner table that if Joey hurt Maria, it was going to be a big problem for Joey.
Maria introduced Joey to her father Nick, brothers, and friend Brittany. Nick announced how Maria was the most important person in his life. He said he didn't want to see Maria get hurt, and Joey insisted that he understood.
Maria gushed to Brittany about how she could see herself falling for Joey but she was battling insecurities. Maria shared how it was really hard to be competing for a man who had three other women still in the picture, and Brittany feared that Joey wasn't seeing the full Maria.
Brittany advised Maria to put her whole heart into her relationship with The Bachelor star because she tended to push people away if she wasn't sure about the outcome.
When Nick and Joey had a conversation alone, Nick called Maria "the greatest thing in the world," and he said the day of Maria's accident was the worst day of his life. He gushed about how he's inseparable from his daughter and she's his "angel" and "princess."
Nick admitted that if Joey was "falling for" multiple women, then it didn't mean anything to him.
"I don't know where you stand," Nick told The Bachelor star.
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Joey then asked for Nick's blessing to maybe marry his daughter someday, and Nick said he had never seen Maria so excited about a man before.
Nick said that if Maria chose him -- and Joey chose his daughter -- then he'd respect his daughter's decision and give Joey permission to marry the diamond in his life. Nick gushed to Joey about how they could have a giant and fun Greek and Italian wedding.
Nick proceeded to tell his daughter to let her guard down with Joey because he could tell that she was crazy about him. Nick told Maria that she was "glowing" with Joey and she needed to give Joey a real chance.
"He's a good guy. He's a down to earth guy, and if it doesn't work, at least you tried," Nick said of The Bachelor star.
Maria was shocked to find out that Joey had asked for his blessing to propose marriage, and she cried tears of joy. Nick wanted this happy ending for Maria, and the date ended with Joey watching home videos of Maria as a little girl.
But when Maria said goodbye to Joey, she clamored up and got cold feet. Maria told Joey that she felt strongly for him and her feelings were continuing to grow.
"I appreciate you being here," Maria concluded.
Once Joey drove off, Maria immediately regretted not expressing herself. She admitted to The Bachelor cameras that she had frozen in the moment.
It then became time for the Rose Ceremony in the middle of an airport, and Daisy was wondering if Joey was also falling in love with multiple other women. The ladies were nervous and anxious.
Before Joey handed out his first rose, he told The Bachelor cameras how he knew which three women he wanted to proceed with -- but then Maria interrupted Joey and asked to speak with him in private.
Maria's move rubbed the other bachelorettes the wrong way, especially Rachel.
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"I told myself that I could see myself falling in love with you, and the truth is, I can't, because I am falling in love with you," Maria told The Bachelor star.
"I didn't feel like I got to tell you that that night. Regardless of what happens tonight, honestly, I just wanted you to know that I would regret not telling you that."
When Maria returned to the Rose Ceremony, Rachel asked her what that was about, and Maria replied, "I don't know." That upset Rachel, who gave Maria a little attitude, but Maria said it was just something she needed to do and she'd explain herself one day.
Joey then handed out his three roses to Daisy, Kelsey and Rachel.
Joey explained to Maria How this decision was very difficult for him and he couldn't find the right words to comfort her. Joey shared how they had a bumpy ride together but he always fought for her and their relationship.
"I was ready to see what came next, and you said everything I needed to hear... I hope you know that I was trying my best to get there. Tonight, I just felt like it would be dishonest to move forward with the amount of doubts that I have," Joey told the bachelorette.
Joey told Maria that she meant a lot to him and he cared about her a lot but it was time for her to go.
"It's fine," Maria said in reply, before Joey walked the quiet The Bachelor bachelorette out.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Click here to learn more about Joey's The Bachelor bachelorettes or click here to read spoilers that reveal how Joey's season ends and who he picked as his winner.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
