202: 4 Years Deep..

Summary

Podcast Summary: Two Hot Takes - Episode 202: "4 Years Deep.."

Release Date: February 6, 2025
Host: Morgan Absher
Co-Host: Lauren
Platform Links:

• Morgan's Instagram
• Exclusive Stories on Patreon
• YouTube Channel

---

4th Anniversary Celebration

[06:04] Morgan:
Morgan kicks off the episode by celebrating the four-year milestone of "Two Hot Takes," reflecting on the podcast's humble beginnings and its remarkable growth. She shares heartfelt gratitude towards the listeners and acknowledges the support from platforms like TikTok that helped amplify their reach.

Quote:
"I pinch myself every day, and I just—I’m kind of at a loss for words. I'm blown away by the support."
— Morgan [06:03]

[07:39] Lauren:
Lauren echoes Morgan's sentiments, expressing disbelief at how far the podcast has come and praising the community they've built.

Quote:
"We built this community, it's so amazing and special. So yay, Morgan."
— Lauren [07:21]

---

AITA Story #1: Embarrassing the Fiancé at Dinner

[11:23] Morgan:
The first story comes from Reddit's AITA subreddit, where Andrea (28F) confronts her fiancé David (30M) after he makes a derogatory joke about her Colombian upbringing during a dinner with his professional friends.

Story Highlights:

• Incident: David jokes, "Andrea doesn't need to travel for authentic experiences. She grew up eating off banana leaves in the Jungle, right, babe?" causing laughter and humiliating Andrea.
• Response: Andrea calmly corrects David, emphasizing respect for cultural backgrounds.
• Aftermath: David becomes furious, labeling Andrea as too sensitive, leading to tension in their relationship.

Morgan’s Analysis: Morgan and Lauren dissect the situation, concluding that Andrea was justified in standing up for herself against an ignorant and condescending joke.

Quote:
"She forgave him because she saw that he didn't respect her."
— Morgan [15:20]

Conclusion:
Verdict: Not the asshole.
The consensus is that Andrea rightfully defended herself against an offensive joke, and David's reaction further underscores his lack of sensitivity.

---

AITA Story #2: Pouring Out Raw Milk

[23:38] Morgan:
The second story involves a vegan woman who pours her boyfriend's raw, unpasteurized milk down the drain after discovering its potential health risks, leading to conflict over trust and communication.

Story Highlights:

• Incident: Upon learning raw milk can harbor harmful bacteria, she impulsively discards it.
• Aftermath: The boyfriend accuses her of being controlling, straining their relationship.

Morgan’s Analysis: Morgan and Lauren discuss the importance of communication in relationships, emphasizing that while the intention was good, the method was abrupt and could have been handled better.

Quote:
"You need to have the conversation before you just take their stuff and destroy it."
— Lauren [25:33]

Conclusion:
Verdict: Not the asshole.
While the action was drastic, the concern for health was valid. However, better communication could have mitigated the fallout.

---

Personal Updates: Dealing with Toxic Friendships

[58:43] Morgan:
Morgan shares a deeply personal update about her toxic friend Mike, who fabricated stories leading to distrust within her social circle and strained her relationship with her fiancé, John.

Story Highlights:

• Issue: Mike, a notorious ladies’ man, spread false narratives about Morgan and her fiancé, causing tension and eventual severance from the friend group.
• Resolution: After confronting Mike's lies, Morgan and her fiancé were able to repair relationships and strengthen their bond, demonstrating the importance of honest communication and self-trust.

Morgan’s Reflections: She highlights the challenges of navigating friendships and romantic relationships amidst deceit, emphasizing resilience and the value of genuine connections.

Quote:
"If you feel like you're in love in a romantic relationship and, like, you feel it and it's real... then go for it. Live your truth."
— Lauren [85:25]

Conclusion:
This segment serves as a powerful testament to overcoming toxic relationships and the importance of fostering honesty and trust in personal connections.

---

AITA Story #3: Fiancé Drugging Her in Bed

[88:57] Morgan:
The third and most intense story features a man whose fiancé confesses to drugging him during an argument, leaving him traumatized and fearful.

Story Highlights:

• Incident: During an intimate moment, the fiancé reveals she sneaked a substance into his tea during a fight, leaving him incapacitated.
• Outcome: Struggling with trust and safety, the man seeks advice on moving forward from this betrayal.

Morgan’s Analysis: Morgan and Lauren express shock and concern, emphasizing the severity of the offense. They discuss the importance of immediate action for personal safety and mental well-being.

Quote:
"It was like she went and bought some drugs from a drug dealer and was like, I'm gonna... well."
— Lauren [79:11]

Conclusion:
Verdict: Asshole.
The fiancé's actions constitute manipulation and endangerment, making the relationship unsafe and untenable.

---

Final Reflections and Community Engagement

[120:25] Lauren:
As the episode draws to a close, Lauren and Morgan reflect on the journey of "Two Hot Takes," expressing immense gratitude towards their listeners and the supportive community they've built over four years.

Key Takeaways:

• Authenticity: Emphasizing the importance of living one's truth and fostering honest relationships.
• Support Systems: Highlighting how community support can aid in navigating personal and relational challenges.
• Growth: Celebrating the podcast's evolution and the meaningful connections formed through shared stories and discussions.

Quote:
"Live your truth. Be who you want to be. Love who you want to love."
— Lauren [86:21]

[120:38] Morgan:
Morgan offers heartfelt thanks to the listeners, acknowledging the podcast's success as a collaborative effort and reinforcing the bond between the hosts and their audience.

Conclusion:
Episode 202 of "Two Hot Takes" masterfully balances engaging AITA analyses with personal storytelling, offering listeners both relatable content and heartfelt reflections. Celebrating four years of insightful discussions, Morgan and Lauren continue to build a supportive community, reinforcing the podcast's mission to delve into the juiciest stories with honesty and empathy.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "I pinch myself every day, and I just—I’m kind of at a loss for words. I'm blown away by the support."
  — Morgan [06:03]

• "She forgave him because she saw that he didn't respect her."
  — Morgan [15:20]

• "You need to have the conversation before you just take their stuff and destroy it."
  — Lauren [25:33]

• "If you feel like you're in love in a romantic relationship and, like, you feel it and it's real... then go for it. Live your truth."
  — Lauren [85:25]

• "Live your truth. Be who you want to be. Love who you want to love."
  — Lauren [86:21]

---

Closing Remarks:
In this landmark episode, "Two Hot Takes" continues to fulfill its promise of delivering engaging and thoughtful discussions on dating, relationships, and life’s complexities. Whether dissecting Reddit’s most intriguing stories or sharing personal milestones, Morgan and Lauren ensure each episode is a blend of entertainment, insight, and genuine connection.

Transcript

[Morgan]

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[Lauren]

It's so, so.

[Morgan]

Holy smokes.

[Lauren]

It's. It's literally like scraggles though.

[Morgan]

How did it get so long?

[Lauren]

Because I, I am really bad about getting haircuts and so I pretty much get them cut once. It's really scraggly at the end.

[Morgan]

Damn, girl.

[Lauren]

My. The guy that I get my haircut from, he always thinks I go somewhere else in between him and I'm like, no, this is literally just how.

[Morgan]

Oh my God.

[Lauren]

Few and far between. I get haircuts.

[Morgan]

Wow.

[Lauren]

I know. I don't know too, because I love them. So I don't know why it's such.

[Morgan]

A spa, like getting your scalp scrub.

[Lauren]

So nice.

[Morgan]

Oh, it's amazing.

[Lauren]

I just, I cry every time I get my hair cut. Ever since I was like a kid.

[Morgan]

Really?

[Lauren]

Well, not, not actual tears now. Well, one time, but I just get really stressed out about it.

[Morgan]

Oh my gosh.

[Lauren]

I don't know if it's.

[Morgan]

It's like, I mean, you're losing a part of yourself in a way.

[Lauren]

It's just. It's like a change.

[Morgan]

An identity crisis.

[Lauren]

Yeah, it freaks me out a little bit.

[Morgan]

Oh, man, you're funny. You're funny, girl. Lauren, really weird.

[Lauren]

I know.

[Morgan]

Well, I have like a little check in for us to do today. Like say one really weird thing or bad thing and then say a positive thing.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan]

I'll go first because I've been thinking of mine and if you don't have anything, you know, you don't have to. But I'm like, this might be a fun way to start. So my, my. Just weird. It's not necessarily bad, but it's. It's quite strange. Someone sent 11 Bibles in Spanish to my house. So that was kind of like a. Like a. What does this mean?

[Lauren]

Well, if it was one, I would assume that they're just trying to help you.

[Morgan]

You need Jesus, bitch.

[Lauren]

Well, I was going to say learn Spanish, but maybe that too. But there being like 11 or 12.

[Morgan]

11. Like, what does the number 11 signify? It's so random, but I don't know. But then. Okay, so that was my weird one. And then my positive is I really just love like my community and where I live. I was riding my horse today and all of a sudden this little lady like pulled up out front of a house in her little Subaru and opened the back door and like, I thought a dog was gonna hop out.

[Lauren]

Mini pony, two goats.

[Morgan]

Oh, I was like, this is so sick. So that, that made my day.

[Lauren]

Oh my gosh. That is. That is a day maker. I wasn't ready for this. So you had this prepped?

[Morgan]

I did. So we can come back if you think of it. But like, I don't know. Did someone cut you off on the highway? Is this today like specifically or just like recently? Like, what's one thing in your life you have to be thankful for or that you feel like really positive about?

[Lauren]

Well, I'm really happy about my new job. So. Yeah. So I really, I really like it and I'm really excited about it and it's, it's been. Oh my gosh. Just. I've spent so much time working from home, taking meetings from home and being back out in person, in front of people is just. It's really, really good for me to.

[Morgan]

Get out, have co workers again, just.

[Lauren]

Talk to people in person. It just feels really good. And I've. I spent so much time, like ever since the pandemic. Yeah. Within. In my own home. So that's like my positive. And then.

[Morgan]

I love that.

[Lauren]

Yeah. And then we can end there.

[Morgan]

That was really good.

[Lauren]

Okay. I'm just trying to. I'm trying to think of like a weird thing that's happened because I feel like weird things have happened recently, but I'm just like blanking on them.

[Morgan]

Maybe one of the stories today will jog your memory.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

You'll be like.

[Lauren]

Did you mean to do that?

[Morgan]

Where is all. Eventually.

[Lauren]

I feel like you were just trying to mess with me while we're.

[Morgan]

Celebrating your new job. The four year anniversary of two Hot Takes. But I was, I was holding it.

[Lauren]

To my post really hard last night.

[Morgan]

Yeah. So you didn't repost it? Yes. I did on my personal. Oh, okay.

[Lauren]

I haven't checked Instagram really today, so that's probably why I like, last night it was like midnight and I'm like, why didn't she repost it?

[Morgan]

I don't know. I reposted it maybe this morning when I woke up.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Okay, that makes sense.

[Morgan]

This is why it's very, very, very important that you hold the cage twist six times and then slowly wiggle it off. Because you can kill people. That's why I was. I was holding it really aggressively. If you, like, zoom in on my hand. Yeah, but no, I. I was gonna pop it at the right time.

[Lauren]

Just the safest champagne popper girl of all time.

[Morgan]

I almost took an NHL player's eye out once, and it scarred me ever since.

[Lauren]

Well, you. You've mentioned this so many times with champagne, so it. It definitely is something that I'm always thinking about having my hand over it.

[Morgan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was practicing. Oh, God. That really didn't feel. How was I. What were we saying before this rudely popped?

[Lauren]

Four years. Oh, four scores and seven years ago.

[Morgan]

Four scores.

[Lauren]

What were we saying? I think you were talk. I think you were just saying that it's been four years.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Since our first episode.

[Morgan]

So you tagged me in that story. So to give you guys, like a little lore, the first episode we ever recorded was January 27th of 2021. Yesterday was January 27th, but we've had a leap year in between. So we're recording basically four years to the day. It's the 28th right now. And then the first episode dropped February 10th, and there's not a February 10th, like on a Thursday this year. So this will actually be the four year mark episode.

[Lauren]

Yay.

[Morgan]

That's so cool. It feels like we've really come full circle.

[Lauren]

It's. I mean, it's insane because I feel like I remember that like it was yesterday. I can't believe it's been four years. And it's just so funny because I remember so well thinking that I'm talking into these cameras, I'm talking to this microphone and thinking, like, it's just. I'm talking to, like, maybe two of our other friends who are going to listen. I'm like. Because I just didn't know. We didn't have an audience, so we didn't, like, we didn't know where it would go at that moment. And so I assumed that it would, like, at least take a few episodes until it could start, like, growing.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

But you guys jumped on immediately.

[Morgan]

So fast.

[Lauren]

And we were just. I couldn't believe that we were talking to so many of you guys, like, from that first episode, from the jump, and it's crazy to see how far it's come. And, like, this community that you built, it's so amazing and special. So yay, Morgan. Clap, clap, clap.

[Morgan]

It really wouldn't have taken off without you agreeing to. Come on. I. I literally. I pinch myself every day, and I just. I'm kind of at a loss for words. I'm blown away by the support. I'm appreciative of TikTok for boosting it and getting it out there. I'm so grateful that each and every one of you listen week after week. Um, so in honor of four years, today's episode will be 23 minutes. It'll have two stories and. Just kidding. I've got so many good stories lined up. No idea what I'm going to title this. Feels full circle. Feels like a lot of the stories I have are like, shut the front door. Like, what? Stop talking already. Like, oh, my God. Like, they're very original chaos. Like, it's kind of getting back to our roots of original chaos, and it's going to be a good one. Are you ready?

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Let's dive in. Let's do it.

[Lauren]

Cheers. Cheers. Congratulations.

[Morgan]

Here's to you guys.

[Lauren]

Here's to you guys.

[Morgan]

Thank you.

[Lauren]

Thank you so much. Oh, I remember my weird. Okay, so yesterday I was driving to work and I was out and about all day and didn't really have my phone on me. And then I realized when I was looking at my Apple watch that my boyfriend texted me and said, you took the keys to your car? Cause I. I ended up taking his car. So I accidentally had my keys and then his car. So he was kind of, like, stuck at home. He works from home, so it's fine. But anyway, he's kind of annoyed, right? Which is fair. He's like, can you let me know if the keys are here? Because I was trying to go to a workout class and.

[Morgan]

Oh, no. And it is already booked.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And so you don't want that cancellation penalty.

[Lauren]

Oh, but I'm waiting in line into the. In the bathroom and I. I don't have my phone. I have my watch. And so I talk into my watch, trying to do a voice text, and it was loud in the restaurant, so I am trying to make sure it's clear. So I go, yes, I took my keys. And I have been in back to back meetings all day. You knew this? But sorry, did not mean to take keys. And I send it, and then all of a sudden it goes. And I look at it and it's a voice memoir. It is not voice text. It is a voice memo. Oh, no. And so I'm like, I have to go back to this meeting. And I'm trying not to laugh at how ridiculous that must have sounded. And so I'm sitting there just like, holding in a laugh, and then I get a text from him. It pops up, and he goes. He goes, you didn't need to give me that attitude.

[Morgan]

Oh, man.

[Lauren]

The fact that he didn't even like that. He just thought that was me giving him attitude. Oh, my God. Anyway, I don't know if that was that funny, but that was my weird. Sorry. I just had to share.

[Morgan]

I like it. I really like it. That was great. Well, let's see. What story can I start off with that kind of you teed me up for? Because I got tabs on tabs. This guy, it could, you know, in some people's world, be considered having an attitude. In others, he's a bit unhinged.

[Lauren]

Okay.

[Morgan]

Chaotic. Original chaos. We're back at it. So here we go. This is coming from aitah. It is 23 hours old, titled Am I the Asshole? For embarrassing my fiance at dinner after he joked about my upbringing? Hi, Reddit, I'm Andrea, 28, female. I'm originally from Colombia, but have been living in the US for about 10 years. My fiance, David, 30, male, and I have been together for three years, engaged for six months, and until now I thought we were on the same page about respecting each other's background. For context, I grew up in a small town in Colombia, and while we didn't have much money, my parents worked tirelessly to provide for my siblings and me. I'm incredibly proud of where I came from. It shaped me into the strong, resourceful person I am today. Recently, David and I went out to dinner with his friends, a group of mostly professionals in their late 20s, early 30s. These are people I've met a handful of times, and while they've always been polite, I've sometimes felt out of place because of the subtle comments they make about my accent or my exotic background. I usually brush it off, but this dinner was different. During the meal, one of David's friends was sharing a story about their recent trip to Europe, talking about authentic experiences and local food. Out of nowhere, David, my fiance, chimed in with, quote, well, Andrea doesn't need to travel for authentic experiences. She grew up eating off banana leaves in the Jungle, right, babe? The table erupted in laughter. I was stunned. Not only was his comment wildly inaccurate and frankly, ignorant, but it was also deeply humiliating. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for my reaction. I calmly smiled and said, actually, David, I grew up in a small town, not the jungle. And while we didn't eat off banana leaves, we did learn how to respect people's cultures, which you seem to have missed.

[Lauren]

Ooh, got em.

[Morgan]

The table went silent. David turned bright red and mumbled something about just joking. But the vibe for the rest of the evening was noticeably tense. When we got home, David was furious. He said I embarrassed him.

[Lauren]

Oh, please.

[Morgan]

In front of his friends. And that, I quote, blew a harmless joke way out of proportion. I told him that his comment wasn't harmless, it was condescending and made me feel like I was the butt of a joke in front of people who already saw me as different. He's been cold ever since, accusing me of being too sensitive and saying I should have just laughed it off. I feel like I stood up for myself in a respectful way, but now I'm questioning if I should have handled it differently. So, Reddit, am I the asshole for calling out my fiance at dinner?

[Lauren]

No, she's not being the asshole. I think that was a really great response. And if he's willing to say stuff like that to her in front of a group of people, then he should be able to expect to take it right back.

[Morgan]

Yeah, like you. You could dish it.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

But when you get a little chirp back, you can't take it.

[Lauren]

Right. Exactly. And that's annoying. And. And I think that in that moment, he should have said, I'm sorry. I was just. I was just joking. I didn't mean to offend. Like, I, you know, love you. Like, we can talk about this later.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

And then go about the night. And then when he gets home, he says, hey, like, I really thought you would laug. I had no idea. Like, was that too far? Like, talk to me about your feelings. I'm so sorry. Yeah. But instead he's like, you embarrassed me and that's annoying that you embarrassed me first. Yeah, exactly.

[Morgan]

Like, what was the point of that comment you made? You singled me out. You also sound a little racist. I don't know. I don't know how that comment was supposed to be funny. Like, pointing it out. Like, oh, yeah, she grew up in the jungle eating off banana leaves. Like, what? Also, you know your fiance's background. Likely, you know it's not true. So why are you. Why are you making her a joke.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

If not to embarrass her.

[Lauren]

Right. And that's why if. If they had that relationship. Because sometimes people have relationships where they do joke like that with each other, and if that was the relationship, then that would have been known in that moment. But clearly he knew that was not the relationship dynamic between them. And it makes it seem like it's something that he and his friends joke about behind her back. And so he was trying to make appease them instead of looking out for her. And that's.

[Morgan]

That's 100% what it was.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

He made it for everyone else's benefit.

[Lauren]

Yeah, it.

[Morgan]

It was. Let me poke fun at this person. She's an easy target. She loves me. This is my fiance. Whatever. In order to look like the big funny guy for everyone else, it was totally to appease them.

[Lauren]

Exactly.

[Morgan]

And the fact that Op already feels like a bit of an outsider. Like, what does she say here? I've sometimes felt out of place because of the subtle comments they make about my accent or my exotic background. Like, yeah, she's already feeling uncomfortable with the dynamic and maybe being the only, you know, brown or, you know, person of color there. And it's like, you literally. You just singled her out even more. Like, it's just. It's just tacky. And it's like, do you even love her? If you're gonna belittle someone like this? Do you love her? Like, I don't.

[Lauren]

I mean, I. That I wouldn't make, like, jump.

[Morgan]

You wouldn't go that far?

[Lauren]

Yeah, I wouldn't go that far because, I mean, what it reminds me of, honestly, is when I was little and my sibling would do that to me. Like, I know that he still loved me, loves me, but I was an easy target for him to make fun of, to get laughs from his friends, and he liked feeling funny and impressive in front of his friends, and so he would find a way to make me the butt of the joke. And it didn't feel good, but I knew that he was just trying to be cool, and so. And I knew that it wasn't like he didn't love me. He just hated me. No, I'm kidding. Sometimes it feels like that when you're a kid.

[Morgan]

Though my brother actually did hate me, and he didn't like me until I went to college.

[Lauren]

Matt. I feel like he said that He.

[Morgan]

He has openly admitted it.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

I came in and I fucked up his perfect only child life.

[Lauren]

And it's so funny. I.

[Morgan]

We were at war, dude.

[Lauren]

I wonder how many other people think that way? Because how big of an age gap are you guys again?

[Morgan]

Eight years.

[Lauren]

Okay. So, yeah, he. He was kind of at that age.

[Morgan]

It's a decent chunk.

[Lauren]

It can be like a hit or miss. They're like, the kids are old enough to kind of know what's going on.

[Morgan]

Yep.

[Lauren]

Yeah. So sorry about that, Morgan.

[Morgan]

It's okay. Fuck you, Matt. No, I'm just kidding. We're. We're good now. But top comment on this one with 4k up votes about. So it's okay for him to humiliate you, but not for you to defend yourself?

[Lauren]

That's the thing. She didn't even make a joke on him. She was literally just standing up for herself. That's not embarrassing him.

[Morgan]

I honestly, I think she could have gone harder.

[Lauren]

Oh, yeah.

[Morgan]

I think her comment was, like, very respectful, tasteful, but it was like a. Like, it could go over jab, and it could go over some people's heads, actually, David, I grew up in a small town, not the jungle. And while we didn't eat off banana leaves, we did learn how to respect people's cultures, which you seem to have missed.

[Lauren]

I love it. You said that like Alexis from Schitt's Creek. I love her, actually, David.

[Morgan]

Danny Murphy, I love you, actually, David.

[Lauren]

Actually, David. Ew.

[Morgan]

David. Yeah, so, I mean, it was very pointed, right? It got the point across, like you're being disrespectful.

[Lauren]

Yeah, that's it. Yeah.

[Morgan]

The comment goes on to say, obviously it wasn't harmless. It was deeply bigoted, and so were all the people who laughed. He's waiting for you to apologize, and I suggest you have a conversation about whether your feelings matter and does he really think of you in the way he described and why he felt that everybody having a laugh at you was okay? Because he doesn't sound like he cares much about how you were feeling or what position he put you in. Are there any other red flags you've been letting go? Not the asshole.

[Lauren]

Bada boom, bada bang. Oh, speaking of beepee bops, you know that new Kendrick Lamar song?

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Bing bong, bing bong, bong bong.

[Morgan]

I'm obsessed.

[Lauren]

I obviously don't know exactly the right song, but I've. I've watched a few tick tocks, and I said that to my boyfriend. I'm like, do you know that new song? And I said it like that. And he looked at me and rolled his eyes, and he's like, yeah, sure. He. He thought that. That's just how I heard Kendrick Lamar. No, it's a. I'm like, no, it's an actual song.

[Morgan]

And then I played it for him. I know. And did you see the one for the remix I sent you where it goes bing bop boom, bing bing bop. That's why I show the fly like Pepper K. Like, I was like, this is a vibe. So I think OP Might have responded to that because the comment after is deleted and the account's deleted now too. But someone replies back to it and goes, no man that loves slash values, you will expect you to make yourself smaller for his ego.

[Lauren]

Oh, yeah. I mean, in a romantic relationship, yeah, that's a. That's a big red flag.

[Morgan]

So I'm so curious what OP responded to, cuz that that has to have been OP yeah. And then the next comment down 100%, he wants her to feel smaller so he can feel bigger. Also, any man who really cares about you will feel bad about hurting your feelings and will apologize for saying stupid shit. The fact that he's doubling down just shows what an ass he is.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

And next comment down. As a Latina married to an American, I can tell you my husband would be the first to defend me from someone saying racist crap like that. Yeah, that is nasty.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And then a bunch of people just kind of like, continue on that thread. Like, same here. Latina, Mexican, married to a white man. There's no way he would make hurtful jokes about me or my hometown. If anything, he praises my culture and is always educating people if they have misconceptions about it.

[Lauren]

Right. Yeah. And I. Okay, I said I wouldn't go as far as saying that he doesn't love her. We don't know that. Like, big assumption. But I feel confident in assuming that he doesn't respect her. And what is a romantic relation? What is any rel relationship if you don't have respect? God, you could have.

[Morgan]

You could have been on Father Knows why. We did an episode, and the only word that came out of my mouth was like, he doesn't respect her. He doesn't respect her. Maybe it's your time. Lauren, you ready? Ready to do a celeb appearance?

[Lauren]

Yeah, I want to do my own Father Knows and be the host.

[Morgan]

You can have. Girl, take it. Take an episode or two or ten.

[Lauren]

No, I mean, like, I. I don't know if you remember me saying this, but I was like, I'm gonna make my own podcast one day and have it be called Lauren Knows more than Jerry.

[Morgan]

He would. He would feel attacked.

[Lauren]

It. It would be to attack Him. Just kidding.

[Morgan]

Okay, well, account has been suspended. Maybe OP will create a new account to give us an update. But I think it's very clear based on the comments, not the asshole.

[Lauren]

Moving along, moving along.

[Morgan]

Number two, baby, this is four months old. Also coming from Am I the Asshole? It is titled, am I the asshole for pouring my boyfriend's raw milk down the drain because I found out it's dangerous. Raw milk, Unpasteurized milk. Have you heard people on that trend?

[Lauren]

No.

[Morgan]

It's a thing. So I recently found out that my boyfriend has been buying and drinking raw, unpasteurized milk. He grew up on a farm, and apparently his family always drinks it straight from the cow. And he's been doing the same ever since we moved in together. At first, I didn't think much of it being a vegan. I never drank it myself. But I started doing some research after I saw the label on it literally says, quote, not for human consumption. Apparently, raw milk can carry harmful bacteria like salmonella, E. Coli, and listeria. I freaked out when I read that. I don't want him to get sick or expose me to something dangerous. So when I saw a fresh bottle of raw milk in our fridge yesterday, I panicked and poured the entire bottle down the drain. I thought it was the safest thing to do. When my boyfriend got home, he immediately noticed and was pissed. He said he spent a lot of money on that milk and that he's been drinking it for years without a problem. He accused me of not trusting him and said I had no right to throw away something he enjoys just because I disagree with it. I tried explaining that I was just concerned for his health and ours, but he said I was being a control freak. Now he's barely talking to me, and I feel like there's this huge distance between us. Am I the asshole for pouring out the milk? I thought I was doing the right thing, but I'm starting to wonder if I overstepped.

[Lauren]

Yeah, I would say so, because if my. If my partner did that to me, I would be really annoyed because. Okay, I. I like that you're concerned about safety and health. That's a great quality. I'm really happy you have that. You're looking out for your partner. That's wonderful, but you need to have the conversation before you just take their stuff and destroy it. You know, it's just. That's the right thing to do.

[Morgan]

Yeah. This is giving. It's giving the same vibes as a story we read a while ago. I think it was on the Olivia O'Brien episode, but it was about this guy who collected exotic yogurt. Oh, yeah, very cool. And he had this one. He had this one yogurt from Iran, and it was, like, illegal to have, and so she threw it out. So it's like. It's kind of the same vibe, though.

[Lauren]

It's like, why was it illegal? I need to know.

[Morgan]

I have no idea.

[Lauren]

Listening back to that episode.

[Morgan]

I have no idea.

[Lauren]

I actually really like her songs, so I really. I can't believe I didn't listen to that episode.

[Morgan]

Oh, my God. We just saw her at, like, a Spotify party, too.

[Lauren]

I know. I was like, hi.

[Morgan]

Hi. But I get where she's at because I don't know where you all are gonna fall. We might have some raw milk drinkers out there, but there is a lot of, like, debate on drinking raw milk right now. And, like, it's good for you. No, it's not. It can kill you. And I.

[Lauren]

It's literally, like, everything in this world these days. I know. And it's a debate on what's healthy, what's not.

[Morgan]

And overall, yeah, raw milk, you shouldn't drink it. It's not meant for human consumption. Like, you.

[Lauren]

I haven't heard of this trend, so.

[Morgan]

Oh, my God. It's like all the. It's. It's bad. It's a bad trend.

[Lauren]

You guys, we discovered that our for you pages are, like, so different.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Yeah. Very different. Very.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

But don't drink raw milk. It literally, it's. It's actually. It is dangerous. The bird flu is really spreading around right now.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Eggs. Eggs are hard to get these days.

[Morgan]

They're finding the bird flu has gone from, like, just simple birds to now, like, it's being found in cows.

[Lauren]

Oh.

[Morgan]

And so you know what you can find in raw milk? Bird flu.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So don't drink raw milk. Cook that shit or whatever you do.

[Lauren]

Pasteurize it.

[Morgan]

Yeah, okay. There's a process. They heat it up.

[Lauren]

Oh, I don't know. The process of milk. I also don't drink milk.

[Morgan]

I don't either. Yeah, oat milk girly here. Yeah, I love an oat milk, but I also. Overall, yeah, she was, you know, kind of disrespectful about it. She should have had a conversation. Maybe they both, you know, go on Google and learn some stuff. But I did find this comment from him really funny. His family always drank it straight from the cow. And as I read that, I was.

[Lauren]

Just envisioning him 100%. We are all envisioning that.

[Morgan]

Also. That motion I just did.

[Lauren]

Oh, I wasn't. I wasn't even thinking the hands. I'm thinking their mouth is on it.

[Morgan]

Oh. Sucking it like a bottle.

[Lauren]

Yes. The whole family underneath the cow just together.

[Morgan]

Damn.

[Lauren]

Family night.

[Morgan]

Those poor cows just being violated.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, I know. It's. It's funny. I. I really don't drink milk anymore and it's not. I've never really had an active thought about it. Like what. What they say about you move to California and you start getting almond milk and like oat milk. It's not a lie. It's just kind of forced upon you. It happens without even your consent.

[Morgan]

Oat milk. Latte this, almond matcha that.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Anyway, I love an alternative milk.

[Lauren]

Me too.

[Morgan]

I think it tastes better.

[Lauren]

I do, too. It's so sweet.

[Morgan]

There's a. There's a farmer's market in Hollywood if anyone ever visits la. There's a really amazing farmer's market in Hollywood off of Selma and Salmonella. Salmonella. No, it's Selma. S E L M A of A. Selma and Nella and Cohen. And it's the best farmer's market there is. And there's this guy who has cinnamon almond milk. Ooh. Best milk I've ever had in my life. Justin's mom is making her own almond milk now. I think a lot of people are. There was like a TikTok.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

I mean, shop trend where people bought that milker.

[Lauren]

Our friend Sarah used to do it all the time. I don' if you knew that She's.

[Morgan]

She's just such a good little homemaker.

[Lauren]

She really is.

[Morgan]

She makes the best little salad. She's just such a good cook.

[Lauren]

I know.

[Morgan]

And still just a little badass in the corporate world.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Wow. Yeah. Okay, let's see what the comments say. What do you think the overall vote on this one is?

[Lauren]

You're the right overall vote was. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Top comment. You're the.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

You panicked and poured it down the drain. What was it going to do to you?

[Lauren]

I know, right?

[Morgan]

You could have left it in the fridge and then told him you had a concern.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

You should have discussed it like a normal person instead of reacting to a bottle of milk as if it was about to mug you. 38k.

[Lauren]

I'm picturing it as like a bomb that she's like. Or like a hot potato. She's like throwing it back and forth until she gets in the sink and. Yeah, that's my vision.

[Morgan]

I know. I wonder if in her head she was like, oh, it contains, like, potentially salmonella and E. Coli and listeria. Oh, my God. It's in our fridge. What if it contaminates the rest of our food?

[Lauren]

Maybe. I mean, it's like, some people do have those type of thought processes and, like, kind of hypochondriac type of nieces. I don't know how. What I'm saying. So that. That could very well be it.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I'm curious. There's a lot of comments after that. Making jokes. Someone goes, this is what got me panicked by an inanimate bottle of milk. Someone replies to that and goes, I had a flatmate once told me he was intimidated by tofu.

[Lauren]

Hmm.

[Morgan]

Tofu is probably the least intimidating food I can think of.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Next comment down, I have to politely disagree. I once ate tofu thinking it was chicken. I'm not against tofu, but when you're expecting a different texture, that'll really startle you.

[Lauren]

I would feel like it's the. I don't know that I've had that.

[Morgan]

I've had that same experience.

[Lauren]

I get that experience, but I feel like tofu. It tastes like nothing.

[Morgan]

Dude.

[Lauren]

It's just a piece of nothingness.

[Morgan]

No, but it's.

[Lauren]

Unless it's flavored.

[Morgan]

Sometimes you get a bad tofu, and it's like, it feels like old jello that you can't, like, bite into.

[Lauren]

Whoa. Like, I don't ruin it for us.

[Morgan]

Well, you know that there's a tofu recipe I want to try where they put it in, like, a blender and add a bunch of, like, everything but bagel seasoning or whatever. Like, it looks really good. But one time there's this, like, chain here in la, and I should have known. I think it's called Veggie Grill, and so everything's vegetarian. Well, guess what? They had a chicken wrap, and I ordered the chicken wrap. It wasn't chicken. Yeah, well, why call something chicken if it's not chicken?

[Lauren]

It probably had quotes around it.

[Morgan]

I don't know if it did.

[Lauren]

That's what they usually do.

[Morgan]

I'm looking it up.

[Lauren]

I'm waiting. I'm so curious.

[Morgan]

No.

[Lauren]

What? Let me see.

[Morgan]

No. So Buffalo Blitz Wrap, Crispy Buffalo chicken.

[Lauren]

Oh, because they have it. Chicken. That's. That's not chicken. That's chicken.

[Morgan]

How was I supposed to know? It looks like chicken to me.

[Lauren]

No, that's the. That's the vegetarian way. It's like, a specific type of, like, chicken.

[Morgan]

It's tofu that they call chicken.

[Lauren]

Yeah, they take out the middle part and just Add like a little dash and an end.

[Morgan]

Yeah, that's, that's, that's, that should be illegal. That honestly should be illegal. I didn't eat any of it. I took a bite and I was like, something's wrong with this chicken.

[Lauren]

Threw it away. It's not chicken, it's chicken.

[Morgan]

I didn't have any money at that time. I was in grad school.

[Lauren]

Oh.

[Morgan]

Oh my God. It was so bad.

[Lauren]

You're like crying over it.

[Morgan]

It was disgusting. No offense to people that eat tofu chicken.

[Lauren]

I like tofu. I just haven't had it in a long time.

[Morgan]

Well, if you can cook tofu, right, there's a difference between that and chick in chicken. Whatever. The. It was weird, but okay. Moving along, another one of this week's partners is Via. February is the month of love and you could elevate your passion using the natural power of hemp with Via. Via has developed a unique blend of pleasure enhancing cannabinoids, libido strengthening herbs and a medium dose of THC all into one mind blowing gummy called High love. I don't know about you guys but if you've had a good gummy during spicy times, really can just elevate the experience. But Via has so many other award winning THC and THC free gummies and vapes all crafted with the highest quality hemp. Sourced from trusted independently owned American farms. Via legally ships to all states in the U.S. in discreet packaging directly to your door with a worry free guarantee. No medical card required. I myself have loved the 0thC, especially when I'm trying to like de stress but still focus. So if you're 21 plus, check out the link to Via in our description and use the code THT to receive 15% off. And if you're new to Via, get a free gift of your choice. After you apply they ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them we sent you this month of love. Elevate your love life with Via. I'm very curious what your thoughts are on this next one we have. It is coming from relationship advice 2 months old. It is titled the guy 22 male that I, 21 female am dating is learning ASL for my brother but my friends think it's creepy. How do I proceed with this?

[Lauren]

Why would they think it's creepy?

[Morgan]

That's a good question, Lauren. Throw away because my regular account has some personal info. Also fake names used. I met John in a college class last semester. He's an overall great guy and he's very Respectful and kind. He also has a great sense of humor and we have a lot of similar interests. We've been friends since then and we've started dating this July. He's the first person I've ever dated in my life. Last September, he met my family when I visited home for my brother's birthday. My brother Trev, 19, male, has been deaf since birth, so my whole family communicates with him either through sign language, Trev's lip reading, but we still just sign as a reflex or through text. During our small celebration at home, it was clear that my parents liked John. He was very charming and funny and respectful. He even tried to connect with Trev by typing some of his jokes for Trev to read. Although my brother could lip read as well. Whenever John would tell a story, either I or my parents would sign for Trev. My parents said that they're happy that I found a sweet and caring guy in John. Of course, I'm glad to hear this. Before we went back, John and Trev had a quick Call of Duty gaming session. For someone with Trev's condition, he is a really talkative guy. Lol. He's very expressive and likes to communicate a lot, especially when gaming. Of course he couldn't outright trash talk, but he does the closest thing with his hands. So there we were at Trev's room with John and Trev playing. While I was translating for them. I was laughing way too hard because Trev was trying his best to trash talk John, like saying he's weak and trying to say all these expletives. But I'm trying my best to tone it down for John. Meanwhile, I'm also translating John's instructions and strategies for Trev. Also, because this was the first time John met my family, he was saying all of these praises to Trev like good job or we can do it better next time. Although I know that deep inside he also wants to trash talk my brother. The two of them got along pretty well and they've been having some online gaming sessions since then. Two weeks ago, John visited home along with me again for my mom's birthday. There he surprised everyone, including me, by communicating with Trev through asl. Don't you do it.

[Lauren]

Aw.

[Morgan]

John was still at the alphabets, some basic words and some rehearsed phrases, but we all delighted that he even made the effort. Trev's face lit up and I've never seen him happier having a new long term friend with low communication barriers. Apparently John had been watching some YouTube tutorials and got a free subscription to Skillshare to learn ASL marry this guy. The two of them had a gaming session again, and this time John and Trev could communicate more directly. Of course, it was still kind of slow and I still had to do some translating. Imagine trying to baby talk to a grown man or talking to a caveman with choppy sentences. Lol. But I could tell Trev was having a great time. They also got more comfortable with each other with more explicit trash talking, which I didn't tone down this time. John has been religiously learning ASL since then, and he's making a lot of progress. I was so happy with this, so I told my close friend group from high school. However, most of my friends, especially my closest guy friend, told me that what John was doing was a red flag because it could be a form of obsession and emotional manipulation. He said it was creepy because John's becoming too attached to my family when we've only been dating about five months. He also said that John might only be doing it so he could get laid or something.

[Lauren]

It's been five months. Like I. It's not like it's been one day. And even if it was one day, like, that's still really thoughtful.

[Morgan]

I know there's some validity to what my friends said, but I'm not really convinced. John has been a wonderful and sincere guy the entire time. And I know it's naive to say this because he's my first ever relationship, but I can see this becoming long term. Yes, we haven't hooked up yet because I told him I wasn't ready yet and he's never pressured me to do it. However, is his behavior something I should really be concerned about? Again, I don't have any experience with dating and relationships, so I don't know if this is something that's truly concerning. My friends are pushing me to break up with John, but I'm not sure how do I proceed with this.

[Lauren]

I feel like I'm missing something because they want you to break up with him because he's trying to communicate with your brother?

[Morgan]

I feel like they're sabotaging her. Yeah, like the guy friend who's like, this is creepy. In love with her, like must be. Or just like, they don't want her to have a relationship at all so they can be all available together?

[Lauren]

Yeah, they want their friend back kind of thing. Like I. It's I. Unless there's some other type of red flag where they're just tying this into it. But otherwise I'm not understanding it because I. To me, if I was dating a guy and we weren't intimate for five months, and he respected me for that, and he respected that he met my family, and then he did his best to communicate with my family member and tried to teach himself, push himself to learn something new to make things easier and more fun for all of us when we're together.

[Morgan]

Yeah, that's like the greenest flag of.

[Lauren]

All time to me. So unless I'm missing something I don't understand.

[Morgan]

No, I'm completely perplexed. I think they're either jealous or he likes her, or there it's some hidden agenda. Because this is very thoughtful. And for someone like, you've never been in a relationship. So this is why I think she's like, wait. Like, my friends are kind of convincing me. Like, I'm not so convinced, though. Like, this is odd. Like, should I be worried? Like, this person is like. Lacks the experience to kind of, like, have that own, you know, thought herself to be like, no, this is sweet. This is just a kind thing.

[Lauren]

Well, and the fact that they're saying, break up with him and say, instead of being like, you need to have a conversation with him and tell him to, like, you need to set some boundaries, then I would be a little. Maybe I'd be like, okay, maybe we're missing something. Maybe there's something else he's doing, but.

[Morgan]

It makes it to break up.

[Lauren]

Be like, wait, he's learning sign language. Break up with him. That feels like they're just being selfish.

[Morgan]

I was just. Yeah, I really don't understand it either. And I'm wondering if there's something we're missing, but also, if we just look at the facts that we have. She's 21, he's 22. Her first relationship, unsure if it's his. But they've been dating now for five months. She's felt no pressure to do anything.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Sexually, like, I think that is also such a green flag.

[Lauren]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

[Morgan]

He's so respectful. I think this is just genuinely a good guy who's like, I want to connect with my girlfriend's family. I can't imagine, like, if I dated someone who. His family was Hispanic and he spoke Spanish, and I never took the time to learn it. I think that's so disrespectful. Like, if you're choosing to be with someone that has, like, a different culture than you, or, like, you should participate in that in some way. And that's kind of what this is like. Her family speaks sign language because of the Brother being deaf. And it's like, if he wants to be with this girl long time, he's got to learn it eventually. So why not just start making the initiative now? I think it actually demonstrates that he's not just trying to fuck you or take advantage of you and leave. He's in it for the long haul.

[Lauren]

Also, what a funny thing too. Like, after five months, he starts learning sign language and that. And you're like, oh, he wants to get in your pants. It's like, I think he would have moved on by now and try to, like, get with some. I don't know. I just. It's been five months. And no, if.

[Morgan]

If they're a good person, they are not going to pressure you to do anything you don't want to do.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

The fact it's been five months, there's no pressure, there's no pushing. It's like. And that's the bar. Well, and that's the. In hell. But, like, it is a good sign.

[Lauren]

Yeah, no, it's. I think it's awesome. I mean, I'm just thinking it's such a funny thing to say because it's like, guys literally will go and take a girl out to dinner and expect to hook up with them because I bought you dinner. Like, you know, you see stories like that. And so for them to be like, oh, my God, five months and he's learning sign language.

[Morgan]

Five months is a decent amount of time to be dating.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God. Literally, like, five months is a good amount of time to be dating someone. Like, that's not just.

[Morgan]

It's not 30 days.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

If he started learning signaling sign language after the first date, I'd be like, okay, well, like, see if you like the girl first. I mean, it's. I want to learn it. I want to learn it myself. But, like, it's still, you know, I.

[Lauren]

Still wouldn't think it was a red flag because I'd be like, oh, like, that shows how much, like, you are interested in learning something. It's not like a secret code language for her brother and him. It's a language. Yeah, that would be really cool to push yourself to learn. So it's like, if he did. If he was like, oh, that inspires me to want to learn it. That's so cool. You know, then I. I still don't even think that I would be red flagged. You don't.

[Morgan]

You don't think there's any circumstance where it could be love bombing? Like, that big grand gesture? Like, I was really too soon too Fast.

[Lauren]

Right. Like, and I was thinking about that, like, and that's why I'm like, if. If there was other things accompanying that. Because, like, I know I. You know, I have a friend who, when she was younger, a guy was dating her for like a week or just something not very long, and literally told her that he loves her more than his. Her family. And what?

[Morgan]

Yes, I literally was. I was sending a text to a friend. I heard that. I'm like, what?

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And so you love me more than your family?

[Lauren]

Yeah. And like, and he.

[Morgan]

Scary, actually.

[Lauren]

Right. That's what I thought. But like, he, I don't know, was at trying to be romantic or something. Like, I don't know what. I was wild to me. And so if it was something like a guy is saying crazy stuff like that and then saying, I'm going to learn sign language, then that would feel like love bombing. But if it was just like, if I went on a date with a guy and this was the situation, and if he said to me, oh my gosh, you know sign language, that's so cool, I would love to learn, that would not give me a red flag. It just wouldn't. Like, if there was something else accompanying it, then different story. But that alone, I don't feel concerned about that. I'm really curious if the comments are concerned about it.

[Morgan]

Yeah, I am too. I will just say I just tried texting my friend Noelle and her notifications are silenced right now. She's probably asleep, but Noel is a coda. So she's a child of deaf adults and she's fluent in sign language. Her whole family is. And she got married a couple years ago now. And at her wedding, her husband now. But you know what? Whatever. Like. Well, technically, I don't know, but her husband signed his, like, speech that he gave. And so it was just really cool to like, Spencer obviously really loves Noelle and, like, went above and beyond to learn ASL so that he could communicate with her family.

[Lauren]

That's beautiful.

[Morgan]

And it was. It was so. It was so amazing to see. And I loved too. They had a sign language interpreter at their wedding that signed all the speech. It was just. It was so cool. It was really special. And her family was so sweet. And I learned some signs that night, but I won't be sharing them because they're a little inappropriate. But yeah, let's get into the comments.

[Lauren]

Wait, that's gonna be inappropriate? Do you know what you talk about on this podcast?

[Morgan]

It was a naughty sign. I mean, naughty. So comments. Okay, top comment, Your friends are thieves of joy. A guy that likes you is going out of his way to learn how to communicate with your brother. That's adorable. Don't let your friends air quotes.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Shit on it.

[Lauren]

Sorry. Just the quotes over friends. And I was like, no, there's quotes over chicken.

[Morgan]

There's no quotes over chick in. Next comment down. They're also angry that he's making them look bad. You have close friends you've known for years, and they've never made an effort to learn some asl to talk to your brother. Nice friends.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Oh, that is interesting. If they've been friends since high school, they've likely interacted. They likely were in the same school. That is goofy. Next comment after that. This is it. 100%. This isn't very different than a traveler spending time to learn some basic phrases before they head to a country. It's considered considerate. Job is a considerate person.

[Lauren]

Job, we said at the same time.

[Morgan]

His name is John. John is a considerate person.

[Lauren]

I literally have met someone named Yob, but it's spelled job, so that's what I. I was kind of like, wait, who's Yob?

[Morgan]

Is it Jesus? Is it Jesus? You know, yob?

[Lauren]

Yob. I like that. Yeah, yeah.

[Morgan]

Next comment. This is a great example. Op's family is by wingual bilingual, and John is learning the other language they use at home. We are quickly unraveling.

[Lauren]

Quickly.

[Morgan]

This is. It's like it's our first rodeo.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh. Okay, well, I should have a disclosure, you guys. I've had really bad sleep the past two nights.

[Morgan]

I haven' slept.

[Lauren]

And so I've been having a hard time forming my sentences. And so if that girl. If you notice that, that's why when I get a lack of sleep, I have a hard time sometimes getting what's in my brain out of my mouth.

[Morgan]

Neurons aren't firing. Yeah, I need to get a brain scan. I'm curious if I have a tumor in there.

[Lauren]

Oh, Morgan, why hypochondria? Okay, well, you don't have. No, you're okay.

[Morgan]

Sometimes I slur my speech.

[Lauren]

Yeah, we all do. It's okay.

[Morgan]

I feel like I have trouble finding words.

[Lauren]

You are, like, one of the best speakers.

[Morgan]

Expressive aphasia.

[Lauren]

You have a podcast.

[Morgan]

Yeah, well, there's a thing called editing, luckily.

[Lauren]

Yeah, but you. You're so fine.

[Morgan]

Okay, okay. We do have a couple edits on this post. Edit? Wait, whoa. I took a break to work on a paper, and there are now 1k comments. I'll try to process everything. But thank you for your kind words. Reddit yes, John is a wonderful guy and has so far given me no reasons to doubt his sincerity. It's only my friends who planted the seeds in my mind since they've all had experiences with dating and relationships, so the pressure kind of got to me. Thanks for your insights. Well, guess what? I think your friends have unfortunately dated people that don't like them. They don't know what it's like to be in a good, happy, healthy relationship is what I'm hearing. Edit number two I went to class and did a lot of schoolwork. Came back to this post with over 4k comments. Didn't expect this. I'll make sure to read everything, but so far I'd like to thank everyone who weighed in on this. A lot of your insights have been truly eye opening and it really looks like I've gotten a lot of reflection to do with my relationships and connections. Again, thank you so much. Trying to see if we have any other comments from op. Do have some insight about the friends. They don't really interact with my brother that much. Whenever they see him, it's mostly just a smile and polite wave. Then we do our own thing. OP's kind of replying to someone here just hoping that John isn't learning it for the wrong reason. John absorbs knowledge like a sponge and he's very excitable when he gets to learn new things. However, I'd like to believe that's not the only reason he learned ASL and that he genuinely likes to connect with my brother. I think it was in response to a comment being like, oh yeah, whatever, be negative. A lot of comments from op. A lot of comments. But you know what? I'm not going to read them because I'm going to read the update.

[Lauren]

Oh, okay.

[Morgan]

What are you going to say though?

[Lauren]

I was just going to say like, I just find it really frustrating when people do try to see the worst in.

[Morgan]

Like jumping to the negative versus being hopeful and like looking at it from a positive.

[Lauren]

It's like, I don't know, I just would let's go with like donating. So we'll have like some a billionaire pop star donate money to some cause and people will be like that's a drop in the bucket to you, even though it's millions of dollars. And then they say all these negative things and then they'll say something like, oh, they're only donating just because it makes them feel good. It's a selfish motive. You know, stuff like that.

[Morgan]

And would you rather they don't donate millions of dollars at all.

[Lauren]

Yeah. And so that. And that's the thing that's frustrating to me when people like to just try to pick people apart in the worst way. It's like, oh, okay, so what if they have more money than a couple million and they're donating a couple million? What are you donating?

[Morgan]

What are you doing? Is it.

[Lauren]

Is it more than a drop in the bucket for you? Like, does it make you feel good when you donate? Like, why. Why do you have to pick people apart? And so I just. I think in this situation. Yes. That you could. You could wonder, is this guy doing it for the wrong reasons? But it's. If he's giving you no other reason to think that he's sketchy, then why are you jumping to that conclusion? Why are you assuming that it's bad?

[Morgan]

It's so funny. It's like, it's. You know that saying I always say here, where it's like, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. But these people are being like, well, it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, but God damn it, that's a dog. That's what they're doing. Like, oh, he's so kind. He's so nice. He's considerate. He's learning asl to connect with my brother. You know what? He actually sounds like an ax murderer. You should break up.

[Lauren]

What? I know.

[Morgan]

Where's the logic?

[Lauren]

I know. It's so.

[Morgan]

Where's the logic?

[Lauren]

Update.

[Morgan]

Update, baby. Another one of this week's partners is Rocket Money. I am cutting back, cutting back on unnecessary spending and prioritizing financial wellness this year. And thanks to Rocket Money, I found out I was paying for the same streaming service twice. So if you want to focus on financial wellness this year, Rocket Money. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. I'm sure you guys have seen those videos about calling your phone provider or TV provider and asking for retention offers to save money, which is so smart. But if you have Rocket Money, they do that for you. I love their dashboard. I love how easy it is to see where you're really spending your money. Or you can get alerts if your bills increase in price, and they really do let you know if you're going close to going over your budget. No more ordering food for me. So if you're ready to try for yourself. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to RocketMoney.com THT today. That's RocketMoney.com THT RocketMoney.com THT link is also in the description. I'm just gonna hop right in. Update baby. First off, I want to thank everyone who gave their insight in my original post. As I said, I'm very new to relationships, so reading insights other than my inner circles was very eye opening. To begin, many redditors said that my high school friends are conniving, untrustworthy and ableist people who never bothered learning ASL despite knowing me for a long time. I take accountability for this. I'm not saying they're blameless, but it's not entirely their fault. For some context, our family moved to the area when I was a senior in high school due to my dad's job. The friend group, two guys and two girls before I joined was already tight when I came in. They then took me in after we got grouped together for a school project and they've been with me since. We've been friends for about four years now. They're not exactly saints, but they helped me survive my senior year in one piece. They are fun to hang out with and they were the support I needed when I was struggling. Also during that time, my brother was having an especially hard time adjusting because of his disability, so my friends never really saw Trev a lot. To be clear, I was never ashamed of him. It's just that whenever my friends came over, he either locked himself in his room or was in a different area with his tutor and never really interacted with us. Whenever he does come out, he's really shy and awkward, so my friends mostly just get glimpses of him. By the time Trev became more comfortable in our area and found his own circle, my friends and I had already graduated from high school and don't really hang out regularly anymore. They're friendly and polite with Trev, but then again, they never interacted as much to the point of them actually needing to learn ASL for him. Now on to the update. Last week my friend group had our year ender party and I decided to bring John along to meet the rest of my friends. My other friend in the group also brought his girlfriend, so this wasn't really weird. Others have done so in the past as well. I've commented in the previous post that John had only met my closest guy friend. I'll call him Mike, 21 male, so I wanted the rest of them to form their own opinions of John after they've met him. Initially, there was some tension and awkwardness from my friend group towards John. They were a bit cold and they were throwing some harsh remarks towards him. Eventually, though, they all warmed up to him and they were actually pleasantly surprised by his personality. We all got along well and we all even had fun in our games. However, I could tell that there was still awkward tension coming from Mike towards John and the rest of the group. He was throwing meaner jokes more than usual, and he's kind of isolating himself from the activities. The day after the party, I had lunch with my closest girlfriend, Sophie, 21, female, to clear the air, because I could tell that they also sense something was off. A lot of Redditors speculated that Mike had a crush on me and was jealous of my relationship with John. Turns out you are all 10,000% correct. But it's a lot more complicated than that. Apparently, Mike has had a crush on me since our senior year high school. However, he's known in our school as a notorious ladies man and had a new girl with him almost every month. This got exponentially worse during college. He had different hookups almost every night, and he even had a pregnancy scare with a girl last year. I knew about all of this because he bragged about sleeping around every time we meet up.

[Lauren]

What?

[Morgan]

I.

[Lauren]

He's Barney Simpson.

[Morgan]

What I didn't know was that the entire time, Mike has been making up fake stories about me and him.

[Lauren]

Barney. It's Barney's. Sorry. I just started watching how I met.

[Morgan]

Your mother again, literally.

[Lauren]

And I'm like, this is. Yeah, right now. Me too, Lauren. And I'm like, this is literally him.

[Morgan]

Oh, my God. I just watched the episode where he slept with girl number 200. Insane.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God. And we just had episode 200.

[Morgan]

Sophie told me that apparently Mike and I had a pact that if we were still both single when we were 30, we'd marry each other. Mike is crazy. I'm just gonna say that right now before I read anything else. Mike is fucking nuts. Also, he told our friend group that we hooked up after graduation and that he took my virginity then. So he's my, quote, special person, whatever that means. He's also told them that we'd been secretly hooking up consistently throughout college.

[Lauren]

What a freak.

[Morgan]

For context, Mike and I go to different universities that are just about 30 minutes apart. Lastly, Mike told them that I said I'm in love with him. He told our friends not to tell me anything, so I don't get Embarrassed or upset. Since I have this image of being somewhat of a prude, I would cut.

[Lauren]

That guy out so quick.

[Morgan]

Mike also told our friend group that when he met John, he thought that John is a total jerk who has also been manipulating me and taking advantage of my innocence and naivety. He said that John had been forcing himself into my family and is driving a wedge between me and my friends. Mike also said that after he had lunch with me and John, he tried to convince me to stay away from John because he's not a good influence on me, but John had effectively brainwashed me.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan]

This explains why my friend group was already so antagonistic towards John when I told them about him.

[Lauren]

Wow.

[Morgan]

For the record, none of what Mike said was true.

[Lauren]

Yeah, clearly. Like, what a crazy person.

[Morgan]

There was no pact. We never hooked up, and I have never all caps. Been in love with him. After that, Sophie and I asked the rest of our friend group except Mike to jump on a FaceTime call with us. They all shared different versions of what Mike told them. There was a lot more, but I disputed everything. We were all collectively shocked about everything we learned that day. They apologized for their behavior towards me and John, and I told them I understood, given all the lies fed to them by Mike. Then everyone agreed to kick Mike off the friend group.

[Lauren]

Yeah, that is. That's scary behavior.

[Morgan]

Sophie suggested that maybe we could have an intervention for Mike first, but I just said that I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. The rest of the friend group agreed, so we're essentially cutting him off. Sophie said she would still talk to him just to inform him of everything that happened, but I really just wanted to distance myself from him. Now it's been a week of being Mike free. Sophie said that when she and our other guy friend talked to Mike, he became extremely defensive, confrontational, and aggressive. He wasn't physically violent, but he called them names, attacked their characters, and made such awful statements about everything in our friend group that I won't include here anymore. It looks like cutting him off was completely the right call.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Now for some more uplifting updates. I need a second, though.

[Lauren]

I know, right? I'm like, if a guy even lied about kissing me, I would. I think that's happened actually, like, in college.

[Morgan]

It had. You've talked about it before. It's ringing a bell.

[Lauren]

Yeah, it's ringing a bell, but I don't know. I clearly, like, shut that out, but I would. I would. Oh, no. You do not lie about anything that you've done. Like, oh, no. If a guy lies about doing something physical with another girl, that is my enemy.

[Morgan]

It's so disgusting. It's something I dealt with in high school, and I didn't find out until, like, years later, but I dated a guy freshman year, and he was a junior, and we did hook up. Like, I did lose my virginity to this person, but, you know, we dated for a year and broke up. And afterwards, he would tell people all these stories about me. Like, yeah, it was fucking Morgan upstairs when her mom was home, and, oh, I gave her a. A pink sock.

[Lauren]

Ew.

[Morgan]

And I'm just like, what a freak. Not true. One. I would never. In high school, I would never have sex with my mom in the house. Lie number one.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And then, like, you go on, like, also, we dated. Like, you were still trying to get with me up until, like, I graduated high school, so why are you talking shit about me? And I found out years later from a guy friend who was on the hockey team with him, but it was like, that's not. You just. It sucks when people are talking about you, especially when it comes to being intimate with you. Yeah, that's what you don't know.

[Lauren]

Exactly. And that's why I'm like, I have sickening tolerance. Like, a guy did that to one of my friends in high school. He. She didn't touch him. Nothing. Wasn't even friends with him. And he told everyone that he took her flower, I think, or like, took her virginity. Whatever he. He said. And it we. Oh, my God, I was so angry. Like, I don't know what is wrong with somebody to feel that it's a good idea to lie about being intimate with somebody else.

[Morgan]

Like, it's horrendous. Disturbing, horrendous. And that's exactly what he did. And even said, like, I took her virginity, but don't say anything because she. She puts off like she's a prude.

[Lauren]

That's so messed up.

[Morgan]

Messed up.

[Lauren]

You fill me up. I need another.

[Morgan]

Yeah, girl after this. Here you go. A little doggy diy.

[Lauren]

Oh, okay. Do it yourself. Itch.

[Morgan]

Now for some more uplifting updates. After reading everyone's comments in my previous post, there was a lot I reflected on my relationship with John and my friends and then talked to my parents for advice, since they have the best relationship I know of. They told me that from what they saw of John when he visited our home and how I spoke of him, it seems like he is legitimately a nice person with pure intentions. It also helps that John and I have been friends for months before we started dating, so I already knew his character even when there was less pretense of him trying to impress me. He's already impressive on his own though, lol. I then told John about everything that happened and apologized, fully expecting him to be mad at me for doubting him and his intentions. Instead, he said he understood because of course it was just natural for me to trust my friends and expect them to have my best interests. He then asked me if there was any point in our relationship when I felt uncomfortable or uneasy around him and I categorically said no. I told him that he's my safe space and he has nothing to worry about. He then reassured me that his intentions with me are genuine and he even said that he sees a future with me, which I reciprocated. Also, John and Trev's friendship is still going strong. Trev has participated in one of John's DND sessions with his friends and John and I both acted as translators. We were delighted to see that most of John's friends already knew ASL Alphabet. Apparently they had even included it in the lore of their DND campaign. Also, Trev has been asking John some tips for working out and getting fit lately since they have the same body type but John is more toned. One of his brothers is a fitness instructor. Also, I met John's family for the first time for their annual get together. It was super fun. There were games and contests. Also, I wasn't prepared for it, but apparently since their mom is a theater performer and their dad is a music producer, it was their family tradition to have a talent showcase. Sounds like my nightmare, but so cute for them. They gave me a pass this time, but they told me I should prepare something impressive for next year. Lol. John and his brothers performed Bye Bye Bye Bye NSYNC in full Deadpool, Wolverine and Captain America costumes. While his sisters and their husbands did define Gravity from Wicked Love, their parents did a medley from the Sound of Music. It was a total blast. I felt their family's warm welcome and they really treated me as one of their own. I could see where John got his good values and looks from though. I think I need to start taking voice and dance lessons to keep up with them. Lol. So that's it for this update. My relationship with John is stronger than ever and I finally know who my true friends are. If you've made it this far, thank you so much for your time. Happy New Year to us all.

[Lauren]

Oh love it. Beautiful.

[Morgan]

There is one last edit though.

[Lauren]

Oh oh no.

[Morgan]

I just had lunch with the rest of my friend group. We all compared notes about Mike's lies. Apparently, he concocted extreme fantasies about every one of us. He has been stirring unnecessary drama for years and even caused the breakup of one of our other friends with her then boyfriend.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh.

[Morgan]

Mike also told them that apparently I threatened to cut ties with our friend group if any of my secrets come out, which was why no one really confirmed anything with me. He also said I was having mental health issues because of it. But Mike said he's helping me out, so there was no need for them to be concerned.

[Lauren]

What a crazy person.

[Morgan]

Through the years, I could recall Sophie and our other friends checking up on me and making sure I'm okay without really referencing anything what Mike had said.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh.

[Morgan]

Some of their statements didn't really make sense to me at the time, but I just chalked it off to college stress. Our other guy friend also made remarks about me and Mike, but again, I just chalked it off to friendly teasing. Now everything is clear to everyone, and we're all ready to move on from this. There's still a lot of processing to do, but at least we know the truth.

[Lauren]

Yeah. That is so scary.

[Morgan]

Wow.

[Lauren]

I just, like, I can't with people who lie like that. Create stories, create false narratives, like psychological liars. It's scary.

[Morgan]

Terrify me. Terrify me.

[Lauren]

I don't even like when somebody tells a story about me in a different light. Like, their version.

[Morgan]

It always has to be lowered or.

[Lauren]

Like, just an objective.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Version.

[Morgan]

It's just keep my name out of your mouth. It is hard because, like, everyone sees things from their own point of view.

[Lauren]

Like, they could be, like, they could be like, oh. And then Lauren said, I don't like that. And when it. When really I just said, hey, I really don't like that.

[Morgan]

It's how everyone interprets stuff.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Which is.

[Morgan]

Yeah, it's. It's tough. It's really tough. But I mean, this guy was clearly going above and beyond to stir the pot, break people up, lie, manipulate.

[Lauren]

He's also probably an addict, too.

[Morgan]

He gets off on it in some way. Yeah.

[Lauren]

Well, and like the fact that he's been having, like, a new girl around each month and like, continued in that into college too. And then is having fantasies about all the friend group like that. To me, feels like there's like some like. Like a sex addict.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I wonder if he was lying, though. I wonder if he's hooking up with anyone or if it was all a lie.

[Lauren]

That's true if he's bringing a new girl around each time, but it's just a friend.

[Morgan]

Or is this a lie? Like, oh, yeah, I. That girl last weekend I was picturing.

[Lauren]

Him like bringing a friend or like a girl to the friend group. But yeah, it could just. You're right.

[Morgan]

Could just be a lie.

[Lauren]

Which. That could just be a combination of things.

[Morgan]

Just some screws are definitely loose with. With Mike there. Top comment on the update, which I just find funny. They quote op, Then everyone agreed to kick Mike off the friend group. And they go, I believe this is called a mic drop. Oh my gosh. I have happy news to report that my friend Ms. Noel did get back to me. Thank you, Noel. So I asked, how soon did Spencer start learning sign language? They're now married. Hi. I think it was around six months into our relationship.

[Lauren]

You did.

[Morgan]

Look at fucking that.

[Lauren]

Did Noelle write this? No, I'm kidding.

[Morgan]

I'm just like, five months is not five months. Six months.

[Lauren]

Yeah. It's literally like the exact same time, basically.

[Morgan]

It's so.

[Lauren]

Aw.

[Morgan]

It's just meant to be.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Noelle and Spencer, happily married. You know this gallon John. Soon to be.

[Lauren]

Did you tell her that you're reading this?

[Morgan]

I did. I'm gonna have to send her the story so she can be like. I literally. I just. There was no lead up. I was like, hi, I have a phone. A friend question. And then how long did it take for Spencer? And then she replied, and she recently had a little baby. And I just asked like, have you started teaching her sign language already? And the answer is also yes.

[Lauren]

Yeah. A lot of people are doing that now, which is so smart.

[Morgan]

It's amazing. Babies actually can learn sign language faster than they can begin to speak.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So if you watch videos of babies who get signed from the jump, there's like a one year old fully talking in sentences versus, like, so cool. Maybe not one, but like, you know what I mean? Like, it's. It's a little thing and it's just like babbling away, like.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Well, it's. It's so smart too, because it's like. It's so frustrating for both parent and child, I imagine. Yeah. To not be able to communicate with each other. So the faster that you can communicate with each other, that's amazing. Like, I remember when I was little, I was like yelling to my dad, and I was like, I want sips. And he's like, you want chips? You want sips of something?

[Morgan]

Oh, my God.

[Lauren]

Like, he couldn't figure out what I was saying. I don't even know what I was saying. I want sibs, dude.

[Morgan]

I had that experience with a kid, like recently. I think it was my little nephew Emmett. And he gets so pissed. Kids get mad when they can't express themselves.

[Lauren]

It's frustrating.

[Morgan]

And it is frustrating. He's saying like, something. I'm like, chips, Sips. Dips. Yeah, Mitts. Like, I have no idea. And he just rolls his little eyes at me like, oh, my God, he's got a vicious eye roll.

[Lauren]

Oh, no. I. I think I told you guys this on the podcast before, but, like, when I was little, I'd be like, look at that cow. And I was pointing to a car and my siblings would mess with me and they'd be like, what cow? There's no cow anywhere here. And I'd be like, no, the cow.

[Morgan]

The wet cow.

[Lauren]

Because I didn't. I couldn't say my R's when I was little. A. At all.

[Morgan]

It's okay, Lauren.

[Lauren]

That's. That was my name. Okay.

[Morgan]

I couldn't say pancakes. I said pancakes. Oh, some pancakes.

[Lauren]

That's cute.

[Morgan]

I couldn't say tongue for the longest.

[Lauren]

Sounds like a diaper brand.

[Morgan]

Pancakes.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And whenever I would say tongue, people would make fun of me. They so mean. Especially on the bus. They'd be like, morgan, say tongue. And I'd be like, tonga. Tonga. So sad. Oh, be nice to kids with speech impediments. Okay.

[Lauren]

Impediments. You said that so I loved it.

[Morgan]

Crispy.

[Lauren]

Yes, crispy.

[Morgan]

I know. Okay, moving along. This next ad could be triggering for those with eds. Another one of this week's partners is ro. There are quite a few health related reasons to try a GLP1. And if you want the fastest working GLP1 for half the list price. Rose. Gotcha. Ro now offers FDA approved weight loss vials for half the list price of auto injector pens without implying insurance or saving cards. And with results you can see, your row provider is going to help you understand if GLP1s are right for you, your goals. But that's just the beginning. ROW members have support throughout the whole process. And something that's nice is that you can sign up from the comfort of your own home. That means no in person waiting rooms, doctors appointments, commutes to the doctors, which can be really challenging. So join over 385,000 people who have already chosen ROW to access GLP1s. Go to ro co tht to see if you qualify. That's ro co tht. Go to ro co safety for box warning and full safety information about GLP1 medications, half the list price when compared to auto injector pens and when paying in cash without applying insurance or savings cards. Okay, this next one coming from relationship advice a month old. It is titled I, 26, male, lost the trust of my fiance, 25 female, after she confessed something really shocking to me in bed. How do I move forward from this? So it's the morning hours where I'm from. Woke up to some quality time sex with my fiance before we start our day. After everything we had come to an end. We laid down cuddling and one thing led to another and she was telling me something along the lines of if I ever left her, she would make sure the other woman had to work really hard to keep me parentheses something along the lines of breaking my manhood. Which was unusual and funny, but I guess when the sex is that good, you tend to get a little crazy. So I don't know how the conversation came up, but she then said, I have a confession to make and I'm just like, okay, while I had a smile on my face. That's when she said, and I quote, we had a fight. Non physical. It was to the point that I was so frustrated that when I went to make you dinner, I snuck something into your tea that makes you sleep. And I was watching you fight that sleep. Your eyes were so red. And when you did actually go to sleep, I sat down and watched you as I contemplated what to do about us. And so many thoughts were going through my mind while I watch you sleep for like a few hours. And eventually I just got tired and went to bed. End quote. The fear in my eyes was real as I just listened to my fiance admitting to being a fucking psychopath and to drugging me while she contemplated on a way forward.

[Lauren]

Wow.

[Morgan]

I know for a fact I don't trust this woman anymore. And now I'm even more scared to sleep with her or to eat from her, all because we had an argument over her not doing what's right. We haven't spoken for an entire day after that confession. Even after she's made several attempts to talk. I'm afraid to even go to my friends knowing they'll just laugh and say it's probably nothing, bro, and tell me to relax. Please help.

[Lauren]

Run. Holy shit.

[Morgan]

I can't believe she confessed that. Well, I want. Sounds bad. Can't believe she confessed first. I can't believe she did it. But to just like, yeah, oh my God. We just. And we're laying there and that, like, post sex. Like, hi. You know, like that happy. Feel good. You just feel cuddly, lovey. Oh, yeah. This one time I put something in your tea, and then I watched you fight the tiredness.

[Lauren]

I want to know what she gave him because I might want some. Just kidding.

[Morgan]

But we can't sleep.

[Lauren]

No, no. But, like, I'm actually. Well, okay, if. Is it, like, Nyquil? Is it something a little bit more Klonopin, Xanax?

[Morgan]

Like, was it a hard prescription drug or something you can get medicinally? Like, some ashwagandha?

[Lauren]

Like, that's what I'm wondering. I'm like, was she trying to be playful? Like, she put some nyquil in so that he would fall asleep and stop arguing with her. And she was like, oh, it was funny. It was a little Nyquil. But the way he reads it makes it sound really psycho. Like, it was like she went and, like, bought some drugs from, like, a drug dealer and was like, I'm gonna. Well.

[Morgan]

And like, how did she know it would work?

[Lauren]

Like, and the way that she's like, I watched your eyes get red and I just watched you. That's creepy. I mean. Wait, let me rewind. First of all, it's never okay to put anything in anyone's drink ever. Okay? So I just want to make that very clear. Very clear.

[Morgan]

This is so bad.

[Lauren]

No, it's so messed up. I' I'm just trying to understand the level of messed up it is, okay? So I just want to make sure everyone knows that. Let's make that very clear.

[Morgan]

Well, I think to your point, though, if she went to, like, a dealer, like, or something, got, like, hard meds, was there premeditation in this?

[Lauren]

That's what I'm saying. I'm like, I want to know how scared he should be.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Like, she planned this out. And, like, she's like, next time he pisses me off, I'm going to drug his ass.

[Lauren]

Right?

[Morgan]

Shots up, Right? Or was this like, I've got a little extra, you know, of my sleeping pill. I'm going to put it in his tea.

[Lauren]

Is it like, I'm drinking Nyquil? I'm going to put some in his, too, so that we just go to bed and, like, and stop fighting. Or was it like. Or it's like, you. She's actually. You should change your address, change your phone number. Like, get plastic surgery, like, to look like a different person kind of thing.

[Morgan]

Yeah, like, bad. This is bad. I want to be very clear.

[Lauren]

Bad, bad.

[Morgan]

I. I would say the later. Like, it Feels like that he definitely needs to call this off. This can be fiance no more. I mean, for him to be like, I. I'm scared to sleep with her and I don't want to eat from whatever she makes. But also, even the comment before the confession, like, if he ever left her, she would make sure the other women had to work really hard to keep me. Something along the lines of breaking my manhood.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God. Yeah, I. I honestly feel forgot about that part in the mess.

[Morgan]

So she's threatening to, like, break his dick.

[Lauren]

She started with, like, a threat. Oh, this is scary.

[Morgan]

This is a woman that, like, she could be a killer.

[Lauren]

I mean, she. What I was thinking as I'm hearing this story is Gone girl.

[Morgan]

Oh, my God. It's definitely giving Gone girl. Like that cool girl that's like, oh, the veil is slipping a little bit. The mask is slipping.

[Lauren]

And now she feels like she has him locked in. They're engaged.

[Morgan]

So now she can start slowly.

[Lauren]

Now she starts to slowly introduce this side of her to him.

[Morgan]

Yeah. And I think this is just the beginning. I think she's testing the waters, and I think there's a lot more deep, dark, bad shit buried underneath.

[Lauren]

Very scary.

[Morgan]

He's gotta run. He's got to move on.

[Lauren]

Let's get some updates and comments. I want to hear what's going on.

[Morgan]

Top comment. How do I move forward from this? They like quote OP by moving on from her. Next person down. Also, go straight to a hospital and get tested for drugs in your system. Get evidence to prosecute and get a restraining order. Next comment down though. Sounds like it was a confession from a while back. He still should try, but doubtful anything would come up. Next comment. Who's to say she isn't slowly poisoning him? And on that note, let's go check OP's account because this is a month old. So we only have 2 comments from OP, both of which were from a month ago. First comment. So, first off, thanks for all the feedback. And no, this isn't rage bait. I've simply just forgotten about it. But due to my situation, I don't know who to turn to. And each and every one of you made very compelling points. Thank you for not making me feel like an idiot for posting. So as for an update, we broke up and she went back to her parents. If she does come anywhere close to me, I will be reporting her and filing for a restraining order. It's just amazing that strangers could be of more help than the people you actually know and supposedly trust. Stay blessed. Y'all yeah. And.

[Lauren]

Well, I mean, also sometimes when people are so close, they don't see certain things. It's like, you gotta. I've said this before, but I had a teacher who talked about the balcony and dance floor. I don't know if you call it theory or situation where it's like, you have to be on the dance floor, live your life, but you also have to take a break and go up onto the balcony to look over the dance floor and understand the situation and what's going on. And so I think sometimes when people are just in the dance floor, they are not seen from a bigger picture, what's going on.

[Morgan]

It's a really good analogy. Yeah, I've never heard that one before. I really like that. And it's so true. Like, you need that bird's eye view from the balcony to really get the full picture.

[Lauren]

And you don't only want to stay in the balcony because you want to be present and in the moment. So it's kind of this, like, balance of.

[Morgan]

I really like that one.

[Lauren]

Yeah, that's good.

[Morgan]

I also think it's really good. He did come to Reddit because I, like, glance at his age again, too. 26, male, and I could very easily see a lot of his guy friends being like, dude, whatever. Like, she's probably just kidding. She's hot. Shut up.

[Lauren]

Like, yeah, sex was good.

[Morgan]

Exactly.

[Lauren]

Why are you complaining, bro?

[Morgan]

Shut up.

[Lauren]

Like, no, I'm sorry, I don't mean to dumb you.

[Morgan]

No, no, we know guys aren't dumb. But I think a lot of guys out there are scared to emotionally connect with each other.

[Lauren]

Oh, yeah.

[Morgan]

Like, if you ask a group of guys, like, what do you guys talk about, like, or, like, there's a great meme going around where it's like, you know, this guy comes back from hanging out with his friend, and he goes to his girlfriend or wife or whatever and says, oh, yeah, you know, so and so broke up. And the girlfriend's like, what happened? I want all the info. They were so good.

[Lauren]

What?

[Morgan]

What?

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And you're like, do you know why they broke up? And he's like, no, you didn't ask. And it's like, it, it kind of just shows that guys don't have the emotional depth typically, I would say, to the relationships in their lives, like, women have. And I, I. That makes me so sad. And I also think it really contributes to this loneliness epidemic and, you know, this downfall of men's mental health.

[Lauren]

Well, yeah, well, it's because it's been this societal norm for so long to be a good or tough or cool thing, to not talk about your feelings. And it's not helpful. It's not even fun.

[Morgan]

It's fun crying together.

[Lauren]

Yeah. It's fun to talk about your feelings. Oh, my go. But it really is. Yeah. But I just. So I, I have noticed that with a lot of guy friend groups where they don't really get in the weeds of things and it's a combination. It's not just one or the other. It's like, I didn't tell them because they didn't ask, so they, if they wanted to know, they would ask me. You know what I mean?

[Morgan]

Like, it's a vicious cycle. Vicious cycle. And I don't know if you're a guy listening. I, I challenge you to check in on a friend. Like, get deep. Like, start asking questions. Hey, dude. Like, even just start, like, hey, dude, how are you doing?

[Lauren]

Good. Lately.

[Morgan]

Like, you never know. And like, the rate at which men are taking themselves out of this world is very concerning. And I think it's one of those points, like, just check in with your people and it's, it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to talk about your feelings. It's okay, definitely okay to cry. Like, be, be good. But I'm really glad he turned to Reddit and got the support he needed and. And is getting out.

[Lauren]

Me too.

[Morgan]

I was not expecting an update.

[Lauren]

That. Hell yeah.

[Morgan]

That really, that really made me happy.

[Lauren]

I wasn't expecting anything, so I'm just along for the ride.

[Morgan]

That really made me happy. Okay, moving along. Another one of this week's partners is Factor. Are you ready to optimize your nutrition this year? I know I am. And Factor has made chef made gourmet meals that make eating well easy. These are actually dietitian approved and ready to heat in just two minutes. I struggle with cooking and eating healthy, especially when I feel stressed and crunched on time. So having meals in my fridge that are just ready to go and I can heat up in two minutes is so nice. Factor also has 40 options across eight different dietary preferences on their menu each week. So it's really easy to find meals tailored to your goals and your food preferences. And they even have wholesome smoothies, breakfast grab and go snacks, and a bunch of other add ons. The smoothies were my favorite breakfast option, so if you're ready to try it for yourself, eat smart with Factor. Get started@Factor Meals.com THT50OFF and use code THT50OFF to get 50% off. Your first box plus free shipping. That's code THT50OFF@Factor Meals.com THt50OFF to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box link is also in the description. This next one is very intense.

[Lauren]

Okay.

[Morgan]

It is a day old coming from R relationship advice. It is titled My boss slash best friends only son passed last week. I'm pregnant with her son.

[Lauren]

Oh, wow.

[Morgan]

Okay. So just to set the scene, op is 29 female, her best friend 45 female, and the son was 22 male. I'm having mixed emotions in this whole situation. I feel like a traitor. Like I stabbed her in the back for sleeping with her son. At the same time, I really cared about him and I loved him. I wanted a family with him. And we were seeing each other for about nine months already. I've known her for a little over two years and she helped me get on my feet. I work for her business and I now manage all the employees. I started off living in my car and she gave me a place to stay while I made some money to find an apartment. After that, she started giving me more work and even started giving me some work at her home. She trusts me completely and I guess I broke that trust by seeing her son without her permission. I have mixed feelings because I did things the wrong way. But at the same time, I treated her son like a king. And I know he was happy with me before he left. She has no idea about our relationship we had and we were going to tell her, but life took a bad turn. I know he left before his time because he had so many great things coming. And now I have to raise our child with him absent. When is the right time for me to go and tell her the truth and that she's going to be a grandmother? I love her and I don't want this to hurt her more.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, this makes me feel so emotional because this is just such a. A unique situation. I guess I just don't. I don't know. I don't know the right time. I'm trying to picture if. If I were to be the mother. And I'm having a really hard time doing that because, well, I'm not a mother and I don't have a son who just passed away at a young age. And so I'm like, I don't know when I would prefer to hear that. I don't know how I would react. I don't know how she will react. I don't know when you know, and. And I think she's grieving right now. Is. Is telling her this going to give her a feeling of hope, or is it going to make her grieve even more? Is it better to say it right now? Is it better to wait? Like, I just. I can't even imagine the emotions that OP is going through. I honestly don't. I don't know. I don't know what to say.

[Morgan]

I know. And you just don't know. Like, we don't have a crystal ball. She doesn't have a crystal ball, hence the write in. And it is really hard because it's like. Like, in an ideal world, she would be happy.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

She would be just so, like.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

I'm so glad this actually happened because now there's a piece of my son left on this earth.

[Lauren]

Right. And that's what I was thinking at first, but then I thought, well, I'm not. I don't know what that would be like to be in her situation. Yeah. So I don't know if you would actually think like that or not.

[Morgan]

No. Well, and it's hard, too, because then she could be like, well, you betrayed me.

[Lauren]

Like, right. It's her best friend. Like, you lied. You went behind my back. And she might have a hard time with the age gap, too. She might be like, you took advantage of. Because she sees her son as a baby, and she probably sees her best.

[Morgan]

Friend as a more mature woman, getting on her feet and establishing, even though.

[Lauren]

She is obviously older and the age. And the age gap is closer. But I still think that she probably sees this person as a peer, not someone who would be with her baby.

[Morgan]

Yeah. It's interesting, too, looking at the ages. Op is 29. Friend is 45, son's 22.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

She had him at, like, 23. 22. 23. So it's. It is interesting because I was like, well, she's, you know, not old enough to be her mom. But, like, I. I would be sad and not. I don't know if I'd be sad, but it would feel weird if, like, my friend was dating my son, like, no matter what.

[Lauren]

And that's. And that's the thing is that, like, even I've been with friends where, let's say we're like, I don't know, we're both, like, 23, and their baby brother's like, 21, and he comes into the situation and hangs out with all of us, and he flirts with me, and my friend freaks out because it's like, that's my baby brother.

[Morgan]

Like, has it happened I'm just, I'm.

[Lauren]

Just trying to like say I don't. Not that specific situation. I'm just saying that like I've seen people freak out being like, that's my baby brother. I view him as so much younger. So it just doesn't, I don't want my peers to be with my baby brother.

[Morgan]

Well, it's also one of those like, hey, don't shit where you eat thing. Like, we're friends. If you then go after my brother and date my brother and it ends badly, like it's not fun for any of us.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

I've always wanted one of my friends to date my brother. Really? Yeah.

[Lauren]

Well, and I'm not even, I'm not even like talking about any type of like real story here. I'm just saying that like in general, I have just seen girls have a visceral reaction. Like friends have a, a reaction to their baby brother who's not that big of an age difference, freak out about their baby brother, like mingling with any of their friends.

[Morgan]

Yeah. And so there's, yeah, I've, I've known people to be like that too.

[Lauren]

So I just, that's just what makes me like wonder how this mom is going to react in a moment like this when like that's still her baby and she's. Even though the, the age gap is, you know, it's a, it's a bit of an age gap, but it's, but it's, it's not the craziest age gap. But I still think that she's viewing her baby son and then she's viewing her as her peer. So I just, I have no idea how she's gonna react.

[Morgan]

Would you wait then? I guess given all of this, it sounds like this is very fresh, just developing. Would you wait until the baby is born? Would you give it at least a couple weeks? You know, we don't know. I don't think she mentioned how far along she is.

[Lauren]

But like, see, this is.

[Morgan]

How would you then initiate this conversation?

[Lauren]

This is where I'm having such a difficult time with this story, where I really don't know what to say because imagine OP's situation. She loved him, she wanted to have a family with him. She's pregnant with his child and she just lost her child's father and someone who she saw a future with a family with. So she also needs to take care of her own well being and think about what's best for her. So it's such a complicated dynamic that I don't even, I Don't even know what to say about what is right in this. And so I'm actually like, I want to write into Reddit. I want to be like, help me answer this. I have no idea. I don't. Yeah, I know.

[Morgan]

And it's. It's really sad for her because no one knows too.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So she's grieving alone, and everyone's probably like, like, why are you grieving your best friend's son so hard? And it's like, little do they all.

[Lauren]

Know I was in love with it.

[Morgan]

Depth of their relationship. So I don't think that's necessarily fair for her either. But there's definitely a way to do this right.

[Lauren]

I just don't know what it is.

[Morgan]

I think give it some time. Obviously, if she's like, nine months pregnant, I think you don't have the luxury of time because grandma might want to be there at least waiting, you know, to meet grandchild. But if you're, you know, three months along, give it a couple. A couple weeks at least. Maybe two months. And then once it's not so fresh, the wound is, you know, not searing. Like, you can have a conversation and be like, hey, I know this is very intense, and I just want you to know I had been having a relationship with your son and just, I don't know, like, it's. I don't know how, like, you drop that bomb or like, what wording you actually use, but you gotta tell her.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Do we. Is there anywhere in there that talks about how long it's been since son and partner passed?

[Morgan]

Let me look at comments from OP. So we do get a little insight from OP's comments. There are a lot of comments also scrolling down on the post. I've refreshed it now just to see if there's anything new. We do have some edits. So what order of events would you like me to get into? Do you want me to do the edits? Do you want me go to Top Comment first and then go back to the edits and then dive deeper into her comments in case we're missing anything. I think we start with Top Comment now, knowing there's a lot more to unpack here.

[Lauren]

Yes.

[Morgan]

So, Top Comment. I'm sorry for your loss. And for hers. And for your child who will grow up without its father. Her son was old enough to make his own life choices without his mom's permission. However, it is kind of messy to secretly date your boss's child. I would tell her that you lied to her about not knowing who the baby's father was because you were scared about her reaction, and you need to apologize for that. Tell her that you would be glad to give her some space and time to process and that you're hoping that she will eventually be excited to be a grandmother. Even though it's a lot to process right now. Someone comments after that, I don't know why there is an expectation that the boss will be mad. One would think she'd be ecstatic.

[Lauren]

We just don't know. I think that's. That's the whole thing.

[Morgan]

Yeah. And that's what someone else says after. I would be mad if someone that I had given a job and considered a best friend, in spite of a substantial age gap, spent over a year dating my child in secret, and then he tragically died in an accident, told me that, hey, by the way, I'm pregnant with your child's only baby. She may be happy eventually to know that some part of her baby boy is still out in the world, and she may forgive op and keep her on staff and have a good friend grandparent relationship with her and the baby. But in the short term, there's been a lot of deception.

[Lauren]

I didn't even think about the fact of, like, working together, too. I was just thinking about the friendship.

[Morgan]

Well, and I. I think it's hard because even in the title she says boss slash best friend slash best friend, boss comes first.

[Lauren]

Well, I mean, I think that's kind of telling semantics.

[Morgan]

But really, I feel like it's kind of telling because if I can, I don't know, for me, I'd be like, my best friend slash boss. Because friendship comes first and foremost versus a job. But that's my. That's the way I'm kind of. And maybe that's like a subconscious thing and that's a tomato. Tomato type of air or analysis.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

But I think it's kind of like they have only known each other two years. Boss first and foremost. Then they became friends.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Morgan]

So I also think it's interesting where. And I think a lot of people picked up on it in those comments where it's like, I didn't get permission to date her son. Well, technically, you're both adults, and let's just say you would have asked her for permission and she would have said no. Would you guys have dated anyways because you liked each other that much?

[Lauren]

Yeah. Because you're both consenting adults. And. And that's the thing, too, is that. That's why I'm like, okay, I'm viewing it more Less of like, I dated my boss's son behind her back. And I'm viewing it more of like my best friend. Because, like, if I was dating your brother Taylor, like, and. And I was just like, by the way, Morgan, I've been dating him for a year.

[Morgan]

I'd be like, what?

[Lauren]

No, you would be like, that's. That's shady, Lauren. You'd be like, what the heck?

[Morgan]

I honestly, I think I'd be more surprised. First and foremost, I'd be like, how did you both find the time? You didn't let on at all. You did, but like, it up, Lauren. But yeah, you did it right. You did a good job.

[Lauren]

Right.

[Morgan]

You did a good job. But.

[Lauren]

But you would still be like, wait, but you're like my best friend?

[Morgan]

Like, why didn't you tell me?

[Lauren]

Yeah. For a whole year. How did you keep such a big thing from me? So that's more where I was thinking about it was at from a best friend angle than a boss angle, if that makes sense. Because I think that it's just. It's just hurtful to think that someone that you're so close with has been keeping something from you for that long even, you know, just.

[Morgan]

And it. It has been nine months. Like, hey, guys, after maybe month number four or five, you realize it's kind of serious.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Time to tell her.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And it is interesting that they never did. I wonder why. Let's get into OP's edits.

[Lauren]

Edit.

[Morgan]

I forgot to clear things up. She knows I'm pregnant. She just doesn't know who the father is. These comments really aren't super helpful. If I could trade my life for his, I would. I'm only willing to live on for my baby now, but I have nothing else for me.

[Lauren]

Whoa, that's not okay. What are the comments saying to her?

[Morgan]

They must have been shifted since, like, I mean, that edit probably came right after she posted.

[Lauren]

Or maybe she just read the worst one. That's what stuck with her.

[Morgan]

I don't know. I mean, I. Scrolling down, I see some comments. She responded to. Someone goes, wow, this is a heck of a situation and I'm sorry for your loss. Honestly, I'm not sure what the root problem was for her. She clearly respected and cared for both her child and you. Logically, I would think that she would be relieved and happy to have a grandchild from her recently lost son, but I don't know all the details here. And OP goes, I hope she's happy about it. I love her and loved her son so much. If she would have approved. I think I would have married him eventually. It's been tough, but I at least know I'll have a reminder from him. And, yeah, I'm more than halfway along the pregnancy. I just have been holding his mother off, knowing he's the father. She's excited for my pregnancy. She knows that, but she doesn't know it's his baby.

[Lauren]

Okay, that is some good context. It helps a little bit, I think.

[Morgan]

Yeah. And so someone else goes, do you know why she didn't want the two of you together? Outside of her resistance? This seems like a good situation initially. And OP goes, she didn't actually say that ever. I just thought he was off limits since I'm her best friend and that's her son. So I think. I think she's just, like, catastrophizing. And granted, any of us probably would in that situation, because it's like, you haven't told her you've been lying. And like you said, lying, like, even. Just like, even though there's like a. A little sliver of maybe a rainbow right in this whole storm of catastrophe and just tragedy, but it also was like, well, you still were lying to me. Both of you were lying.

[Lauren]

Like, even. Like that. And actually, like, even if it wasn't your brother, that I was like, oh, I've been dating. Even if I was just, like, I've been dating someone for almost a year and I didn't tell you, I would be hurt. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I just want someone to date my. I'm just kidding. My brother has a new girlfriend. Apparently, I haven't. I'm not. Apparently he's got a new girlfriend, but I'm like, I just want him to date my friend.

[Lauren]

Why I did not know this about you.

[Morgan]

I don't know. I just think it'd be so fun.

[Lauren]

That's hilarious.

[Morgan]

Edit number two. I talked with her last night after we had dinner. I apologized for hiding it from her and told her I didn't want any money or anything from her. I just wanted her to be able to enjoy her time with her grandchild. I was honest with her on how our relationship started and how much I loved her son. She had her doubts about it and told me she knew something was up between us two, but she didn't say anything because she wasn't sure and didn't want to make assumptions. She was very upset at first and told me I should have never hid things from her and that she would have accepted us together if she knew my intentions were clean and I wouldn't hurt her son. I showed her pictures of us together, places we went, our messages, and she broke down crying. She looked very upset and I genuinely thought she was going to hit me because it looked like she was about to slap me. She asked me to leave and give her some space. I went home and she called me at midnight and asked if I could come back and spend some time with her. We finished talking and I offered her to take a DNA test so she could see it's her grandchild. She believed me on what I said, but she told me I should never have hid things from her because now she has regrets about not being able to support us. Since the beginning, she kept asking to hold my stomach and feel her grandchild. And she told me she would be there for the baby. I told her I would leave work and leave her alone if she didn't want to see me anymore. But she told me no, to stay and keep on moving forward how we were before. I apologized a dozen times and she told me she was happy that she still at least has a part of her son in me. She's been very emotional and she's just been wanting to feel her grandchild and she has been nice to me. I just assured her I treated her son with respect and that I was very loving with him. Hopefully she is still accepting of the whole situation in the long run. Oh, it was really hard to read with my eyes watering because it blurs everything, right?

[Lauren]

Oh, gosh. Yeah, I. Well, because I wasn't thinking about the other fact where it's like, not only is her best friend line, but her son is lying. She has her two most important people in her life that felt like they couldn't be honest with her and. And that they didn't think that she'd be supportive and that she has to deal with that feeling and knowing that her son left this world without telling her about a relationship he was really excited about. And so there's just all these feelings I'm sure that she's going through that's just so, so tough. And I mean, this is a good. I'm glad that it. It resulted in this way, but I just. It is very emotional. Like, oh, sad. It's so sad.

[Morgan]

I think there's a lot there too. And I think now knowing, like, he's gone and her just being like, I wish you would have told me so I could have supported you from the beginning. It's like she also missed out on nine months of them dating and, like, having dinners with the three of them. And being excited about their relationship. And I think it's always like, one of those things. Like, this has come up a lot on Father Knows recently, but it's one of those things where it's like, we should all always live our truth.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Be who you want to be. Love who you want to love. And if the people in your life are going to accept that and be worthy of you and your love and your good energy and your time, then yay. And if they're not, yeah. Oh, well. But you're being happy. You're being your truest self. You're finding the person you're gonna love the most.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Like, it's only. It really is only. Win, win. And is it gonna be hard, probably, if they don't react well. But in the long run, isn't it better to be you and who you wanna be and love who you wanna love versus a shell of yourself?

[Lauren]

Like, Exactly. And I have been thinking about that so much because I have lived my life for so long. Kind of thinking more in that, oh, I want to appease my boss. Like, oh, I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that because I don't want my boss to be upset with me or boss sorry, or best friend, that type of thing. And then it's like, recently I've started realizing it's like, we have one life. It's not that long. Sometimes it's really short. And if you feel like you're in love with boss's son, best friend's son, then it's like you should let yourself feel those feelings and live that life and stop trying to worry about what everyone else is thinking. And, like. And of course, like, you want to be mindful of your best friends and the people around you and the people you love. But, like, when you're in love in a romantic relationship and, like, you feel it and it's real. I just think that I've. I've just shifted in my mindset about it right now, about stop worrying so much about everything else and just. If it feels real, if it feels right, if there's respect, if there's deep love, then go for it. Live your truth.

[Morgan]

I completely agree. I. I just think you. You have to be yourself. And who knows? You know, we only. As of right now, we only have one life. And, like, maybe you believe in reincarnation, but what if you get reincarnated as, like, a bat?

[Lauren]

That could be great. You don't know.

[Morgan]

I don't want to live in a cave, Lauren. I'm scared of the dark.

[Lauren]

Well, you might not be if. Oh, that sounds like a great Disney movie in the making. A bat who's afraid of the dark.

[Morgan]

If you take my idea, Disney, we're done. I won't go to Disneyland anymore. I won't be a Disney adult. Don't take my idea.

[Lauren]

She's lying.

[Morgan]

I'll crush you.

[Lauren]

She will never not go to Disneyland. Let's be real.

[Morgan]

I'm going there for my birthday again this year.

[Lauren]

I was just thinking about the fact that your birthday is coming up.

[Morgan]

I know. I just want to do something. I love the Disney day.

[Lauren]

I feel like your birthday was, like, literally five seconds ago.

[Morgan]

I know.

[Lauren]

How does this keep happening?

[Morgan]

I know. And I think we're gonna run it back. Disney again. It was a good time. Love it. So there are some really, I. If you guys want to do anything good today, please go. And, like, I don't know. Message this op. People were being horrendous in the comments.

[Lauren]

Really?

[Morgan]

Horrendous. Horrendous. I don't know if this was a bad. Posted on relationship advice.

[Lauren]

That's weird.

[Morgan]

People were accusing her of multiple comments. I'm seeing, like, multiple. At least five just in this little thing. People were accusing her of being a gold digger, getting pregnant on purpose. Crazy. I don't care about money like that. I don't want anything from her. I don't want any child support from her. Next comment. I have money saved. I made some investments. Next comment. I'm not after her money. I don't want money. I just wanted more time with her son. I never once asked him for any money. And we were planning on moving into an apartment before our baby was born. People downvoted that four times. Oh, I'm so glad that the mom reacted so positively.

[Lauren]

No, well, no, that's not what I was gonna say. I. I didn't even ask the question. If he knew that. Yeah, that the baby's there and I don't know. I don't know if that's a weird thing to say, but I'm happy that he knew that.

[Morgan]

Someone also, like, was implying that she wanted to be a single mom. And she replies, who would want to be a single mom? I didn't choose to break up with him or leave him. He literally lost his life.

[Lauren]

That is what's wrong with people. Why are they saying this stuff?

[Morgan]

People were being crazy. Being like, what happened? How did he die?

[Lauren]

Did she talk about that at all?

[Morgan]

She does, because she felt the need.

[Lauren]

To reply back, how did he pass?

[Morgan]

Well, now I Don't know if you.

[Lauren]

Want to share that or not.

[Morgan]

I don't know if anyone needs a trigger warning for like a traumatic accident. Roadway accident. Skip ahead. Click, click, click. Maybe three, four times. He crashed his motorcycle and then got hit by a car on the highway. No, that's all the details I'm giving. I don't like thinking about it.

[Lauren]

Oh, my God. But people breaking.

[Morgan]

People go on and on about money, and it's like all she goes is, I want her emotional support, not financial. So if you guys want to take any post and like, do something and run with it today, I will have all of the links in the description go and leave a comment, send op a message. Account is still there. Throw ra lonely w and just spread some positivity today. Check in with your friends. Tell your loved ones you love them. I'm as you know re watching how I met your mother and I rewatched the episode where Marshall loses his dad. You might not be there yet. Oh, you were re watching as well.

[Lauren]

No, I haven't seen all of them, but it's okay. It's okay with. I. I normally don't want any giveaways, but when it's shows like this.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Lauren]

Where I kind of just tune in for the good vibes and like the funny little one liners.

[Morgan]

Yeah, we'll skip that then.

[Lauren]

I'm. I'm not worried about you spoiling anything.

[Morgan]

So. Yeah. So I watched that episode recently and any mentions of like, losing your dad really me up. So, like, I know I'm getting my period. I'm emotional already. And then that topic, and it was a really hard episode for me to watch. I was like, you know when you cry and you're like, oh, yeah. And it's like hard crying. It's not just tears watering at a puppy commercial.

[Lauren]

Oh, I know. I was sobbing what you're talking about.

[Morgan]

And it was like this whole conversation of like, someone's last words could be so big. And Marshall thought his dad's last words were Crocodile Dundee 3. It's real good, son. And he slowly realizes over the course of the episode that, no, those weren't his last words. It was actually, hey, the Kims, they might have an umbrella. And then he finds out that he has a pocket dial. And his dad ends up, like, leaving him this, like, five minute long pocket dial. And towards the last, you know, 30 seconds of the call, he goes, marshall, I must have pocket dialed you. I just want to tell you I.

[Lauren]

Love you and I'm so proud of you.

[Morgan]

Why are we doing.

[Lauren]

Why are we doing this over show, but definitely did not see that. What the.

[Morgan]

I already watched it. I don't need this again, universe. But I just think it's like, it's so important to check in with your people, you know, talk to your people. How you doing health wise? You regular? Get your colonoscopy? You got a lump? Mammogram time. You sad? Tell me about it. Like, check in with your people, tell them you love them, and let's go into 2025 spreading a lot more positive energy because I think all of us could use it right now.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

But on that note, Lauren, do you have anything to say? I'm struggling.

[Lauren]

I literally know how to follow up with that.

[Morgan]

I literally just almost shot champagne out of my nose. I can feel it. I think I'm snotting right now. I think we gotta go.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh. For the people who are. Who are only listening. I'm not fully just laughing at her. I do have tears in my eyes too. I'm la. I'm laughing, crying with her.

[Morgan]

Oh, my God.

[Lauren]

It's a really beautiful moment. Okay.

[Morgan]

Damn. I'm like, what the happened, man?

[Lauren]

Well, okay.

[Morgan]

Well, well, yeah, take it away.

[Lauren]

Oh, my gosh. I have so much love for you guys right now, by the way. I just feel like you guys have been, like, phenomenal and amazing and such a good support system lately. I just want to tell you how I can't even express how much I appreciate you guys and. And just to like kind of go back from the first thing that we said. This has been four years. Like, we are. It's literally like the four year anniversary. And I just. I can't even explain how amazing it is that you guys are here with us and how proud I am of you, Morgan. Like, it's so cool to watch your friend talk about this vision that she has and then make it come true. Make it bigger than I could have ever imagined. Like, I'm just so proud of you and.

[Morgan]

Are you trying to fuck me? No, I'm just kidding. I. Thank you.

[Lauren]

Yeah, of course.

[Morgan]

It wouldn't be possible without you.

[Lauren]

I don't know about that, but I appreciate that sentiment.

[Morgan]

It wouldn't. It really wouldn't. I begged. I begged for a long time. I'm like, just do it with me.

[Lauren]

Well, because you.

[Morgan]

Oh, you go ahead. Oh.

[Lauren]

I was just gonna say I also am kind of a little nervous about how I'm like, perceived on the Internet.

[Morgan]

It's scary to be perceived.

[Lauren]

Yeah. So I think when you brought this idea up to me, it was. It was definitely intimidating. But I'm glad every time I come here, you know, I'm. I'm really glad that I come here because it feels really good to be here with you guys. Like, I. I think about things and talk about things that I wouldn't. And it just. It's really special, so.

[Morgan]

It really is. But, no, I wouldn't. I don't know if I never would have had someone commit to recording the first episode with me four years ago.

[Lauren]

You would have made like, Justin or something. I.

[Morgan]

You, you know, you wonder, but you just don't know.

[Lauren]

Don't know. Yeah, that's true. Okay, I'll take that. Thank you.

[Morgan]

You just don't know.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So thank you.

[Lauren]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

For hopping on this wild journey with me, making, you know, this possible. And really thank you to all of you. Our lives are all forever changed and what this community has done has been so special. So, so special. It's. There's really no words for it. So.

[Lauren]

Yeah. Happy four year anniversary.

[Morgan]

Happy four year anniversary, everyone. And on that note, until next time.

[Lauren]

Until next time.

[Morgan]

Bye, guys.

[Lauren]

Bye.

[Morgan]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest. For Albertsons and Safeway, February is the month of love. And while you're spending time showing love to your family and friends, make sure you show yourself some love, too. Now through February 25, shop in store and online and save on self love items from Dove like Dove Cucumber and Green Tea Body Wash, Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash, Dove antiperspirants, Dove Shampoos and Dove conditioners. Offer ends February 25th. Offers may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.