JASON AND BRANDI MAXIEL ARE A COUPLE WITH A STORY, BUT THIS IS NOT A STORY ABOUT A FAMOUS NBA PLAYER AND HIS REALITY STAR WIFE. THIS IS NOT A STORY ABOUT FAME OR MONEY AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE ON LOVING RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS A STORY ABOUT TWO HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS WHOSE STORY HAS LOST ITS SWEETNESS. Woman: JASON AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER 17 YEARS. JASON WAS LIKE MY BEST FRIEND. WE SHARED EVERYTHING TOGETHER. SHE WAS MY SOUL MATE, AND I DAMAGED THAT. Iyanla: FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS, MR. JASON HAS BEEN LYING TO AND CHEATING ON MISS BRANDI. ME NOT BEING LOYAL, ME NOT BEING HONEST WAS THE BIG KEY WHICH IS HARD TO ADMIT. Iyanla: THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A MAN WHO CHEATS AND LIES AND THE WIFE WHO KNOWS ABOUT BUT LETS HIM GET AWAY WITH IT. I THINK I ENABLED HIS BEHAVIOR BY NOT LEAVING THE FIRST TIME. I MESSED UP SOMEWHERE, AND NOW I'M IN THE DOGHOUSE. I'M TIRED OF THE EXCUSES. I'M TIRED OF HIM. I WANT IYANLA TO FIX EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. IT'S A MARRIAGE. WE WANT OUR SON TO SEE US HAPPY. I MISS BEING IN LOVE. THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A LITTLE BOY AND A LITTLE GIRL PLAYING A GROWN-UP GAME WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW T HE RULES. I AM IYANLA VANZANT, AND I AM HERE TO HELP YOU DO YOUR WORK. -GOOD RISING! -GOOD MORNING. -HOW ARE YOU? -HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU, MISS BRANDI. AND YOU MUST BE MR. JASON. -YES, MA'AM. -SO GLAD TO SEE YOU. COME ON IN. -OKAY. -HAVE A SEAT... -OKAY. IN MY PARLOR. OKAY. SO WHY ARE YOU HERE? [ SIGHS ] YOU NEED TO HELP US. IN WHAT SENSE? JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR MARRIAGE, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, LACK OF... NO TRUST, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF... NO TRUST FROM WHERE, YOU TO HIM, HIM TO YOU? SHE DON'T TRUST ME. SHE DON'T TRUST YOU. YOU TRUST HER? YEAH. WHAT DID YOU DO TO VIOLATE HER TRUST? NOT BEING LOYAL, NOT BEING HONEST. WOULD IT BE ACCURATE IF I WERE TO SAY THAT YOU VIOLATED YOUR MARRIAGE VOWS? YES, I DID. AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER? EIGHT YEARS MARRIED. EIGHT YEARS MARRIED, ON AND OFF ABOUT 17 MAYBE. ABOUT 17, YEAH. TELL ME ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU BROKE UP. SO THAT WAS AT A RIVAL GAME. SHE WAS THERE. THE OTHER GIRLFRIEND I HAD WAS THERE. DID SHE KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER GIRLFRIEND? NO. DID THE OTHER GIRLFRIEND KNOW ABOUT HER? I BELIEVE NOT. WERE YOU HURT? IT HURT ME. IT DID? IT DEFINITELY HURT ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK THAT HE WOULD BE THAT GUY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YOU FELT SAFE WITH HIM. I FELT SAFE WITH HIM. OH, WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT A MINUTE. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK. JASON AND BRANDI HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 17 YEARS, AND APPARENTLY, JASON HAS BEEN DISHONORING HER ALMOST THE ENTIRE TIME. INSTEAD OF LEAVING, MISS BRANDI HAS BEEN COVERING UP HER HURT AND THE PAIN BY PRETENDING THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY. SO YOU WERE HURT, KIND OF BLIND-SIDED? YEAH. IT REALLY JUST CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD... OKAY. IT DEFINITELY DID. IT WAS DEFINITELY PROBLEMS THERE, BUT I JUST REALLY FELT, AT THE TIME, I JUST, LIKE, "HE'S GOING TO GROW OUT OF IT, OR HE'S GOING TO COME TO," WHATEVER. I DON'T KNOW. OKAY, SO THAT'S A SELF-INFLICTED WOUND RIGHT THERE. HERE. I GOT ANOTHER ONE FOR YOU. HERE. WHERE IS THIS ONE GOING? CAUSE YOU DID THAT WITH YOUR OWN HANDS. YEAH, I DID, AND WHEN WE GOT ENGAGED, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER. OVARIAN CANCER? MM-HMM. WOW. AND WHY I MARRIED HIM IS BECAUSE... BREATHE. TAKE YOUR TIME. HE WAS SUPPORTIVE, YOU KNOW? SOON AS I LOST MY HAIR, HE SHAVED HIS HEAD, YOU KNOW. HE WOULD COME AND SEE ME WHENEVER HE DIDN'T HAVE PRACTICE OR WHENEVER HE COULD. YOU WERE PLAYING BY THEN? MM-HMM. YOU HAD BEEN THROUGH COLLEGE? MM-HMM. AND NOW YOU'RE IN THE NBA? NBA, YES. OKAY. WHAT WERE THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU BROUGHT INTO THE MARRIAGE? I CAME INTO IT KNOWING WHAT IT MEANS, BUT I NEVER... I SEEN IT BEFORE. I GREW UP SEEING A STRONG MARRIAGE. WHERE DID YOU SEE A STRONG MARRIAGE? MY GRANDPARENTS. GRANDPARENTS? YES. OKAY. WHAT ABOUT YOUR PARENTS? I LIVED WITH MOM ONLY. HAD YOUR MOM? YES, THAT'S IT. YOU DIDN'T HAVE A DAD? NO DAD, NO BIOLOGICAL. STEP-DAD, YES. AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAD? I HAVE NO IDEA. NEVER SAW HIM IN A RELATIONSHIP? NO. NEVER SAW HIM PERIOD. YOU'VE NEVER SEEN YOUR FATHER? NO. WHY? I NEVER CHOSE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM, AND I GUESS HE HASN'T AS WELL. DO YOU GET THAT THAT'S A DETACHMENT RIGHT THERE? I CAN SEE THAT NOW OF SEEING WHERE I GET MY MENTAL MIND-SET OF LIFE FROM, COULD BE FROM HIM, AND... DID YOU BRING OTHER WOMEN INTO THE MARRIAGE? YES. EARLY ON? YES. THIS IS A LOVELY LEG. I THINK THIS LEG HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT, AND I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE WHAT IT'S BEEN CARRYING. I WANT YOU TO START TO SEE IT, YEAH? JUST KIND OF TUCK THAT OVER THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL DO. Y'ALL LIKE TO TUCK STUFF AWAY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE. IT TAKES A LOT FOR A MAN TO ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE THAT VULNERABLE, SO LET ME TELL YOU WHY I'M HERE. Y'ALL GOT A PATTERN GOING ON, AND I'M HERE TO INTERRUPT THE PATTERN. I HAVE NO COMMITMENT TO WHETHER YOU STAY TOGETHER OR NOT. SEE, FOR ME, THIS THING IS DONE. CAN YOU REBUILD IT? ABSOLUTELY. IS THAT WHAT'S FOR YOUR HIGHEST, GREATEST GOOD? I DON'T KNOW. MISS BRANDI AND MR. JASON HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION, A HISTORY OF LOVE, BUT THAT HISTORY IS ALSO A STORY OF HURT AND PAIN THEY INFLICT ON EACH OTHER. OKAY? ALL RIGHT. PAINFUL ROOTS RUN DEEP, SO NOW, I WILL SIT WITH EACH OF THEM SEPARATELY SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH. COME ON, MR. JASON. HAVE A SEAT DOWN WITH ME. SO, MR. JASON, WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU THINK YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER FOR YOU? ONE QUESTION WOULD BE, AS A MAN, WHO DO YOU SEE? I SEE A MAN WHO'S NEVER GIVEN HIMSELF PERMISSION TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SADNESS, AND MAYBE HE'S NOT EVEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS SADNESS. DETACHMENT. I ALSO SEE THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY YOUR BEHAVIOR BY THE RATIONALE YOU MAKE UP IN YOUR MIND BECAUSE, MR. JASON... I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING HOW YOU LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR IN THE MORNING KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE PUT YOUR WIFE THROUGH. MM-HMM. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? I WAS THINKING FOR SELF. ARE YOU OPEN TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU DID IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOVE YOURSELF? NO. WHAT IF YOU'RE WRONG? THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING OF A SHOCKER. SO HOW DO YOU DEFINE LOVE? MAYBE THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. MY DEFINITION OF LOVE OR WHAT I'M USED TO SEEING, I GUESS GROWING UP IS, TAKE CARE OF HOUSE. THAT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY GRANDFATHER'S STRONG MARRIAGE. WHAT ELSE DID YOU SEE? WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY, ACTUALLY, WAS WHEN HE BROKE DOWN. YEAH... SO THE MAN THAT YOU LOOKED UP TO BROKE DOWN. TELL ME WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIRST EMOTION I'VE SEEN FROM YOU. JUST THE WOMAN THAT HE LOVED WAS SICK. YOU MEAN LIKE MISS BRANDI? I WANT HER TO BE HAPPY. I CAN'T LOSE HER BECAUSE I'M STRESSING HER OUT OR BECAUSE OF MY BEHAVIOR, MY LIES, MY CHEATING, PRETTY MUCH MY EVERYTHING. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST WOMAN YOU EVER CHEATED ON YOUR WIFE WITH? I DO REMEMBER. I MET HER IN A CLUB THE NIGHT BEFORE MY WEDDING. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CHECKED OUT TO SEE IF YOU'RE A SEX ADDICT? SO HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU SLEPT WITH? GIRL, YOU IN TROUBLE. MY PRAYER IS THAT JASON CONTROLS HIS DRINKING. DRINKING? CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? DOES YOUR HUSBAND HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? HOLD ON. HOLD ON. NO, SERIOUSLY. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CHECKED OUT TO SEE IF YOU'RE A SEX ADDICT? YEAH. AND WHAT HAPPENED? NO, I'M NOT. SO HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU SLEPT WITH IN YOUR LIFE? [ BLEEP ] [BLEEP] WOMEN YOU HAVE SLEPT WITH IN YOUR LIFE? EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU DO THAT [BLEEP] TIMES. TALK TO ME. AT THE TIME, IT WAS EASY TO DO, TO GET PLEASURE THAT WAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE IN IT OR TRYING TO RECEIVE SOMETHING ELSE THROUGH IT, BUT I DID DO IT. WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THE SEXUAL INTERACTIONS? I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS MAYBE 2 OR 3 HOURS OF JUST BEING AWAY. AWAY FROM WHAT? HMM. I DON'T KNOW. GOOD -- THANK YOU FOR THAT HONESTY. I APPRECIATE THAT. SO MANY MEN DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ENGAGE IN RECKLESS BEHAVIOR, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON, AND BEFORE WE CAN HEAL, WE MUST IDENTIFY IT. SEE, BECAUSE I HAVE A NOTION THAT I LIVE BY, AND MY NOTION IS A MAN IS WHO HIS MOTHER MAKES HIM TO BE BECAUSE SHE CONTROLS THE HEART. NOW HE'LL DEMONSTRATE WHAT HIS FATHER DID, BUT WHO HE BE, THAT COMES FROM HIS MOTHER. OH, THE TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE WHEN WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE. THIS MAN HAS BEEN DECEIVING HIMSELF, OR MAYBE HE REALLY THINKS THIS IS JUST ABOUT SEX, BUT FROM WHERE I SIT, THIS IS A MAN WHO DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A SELF, AND THE ONLY WAY HE FEELS ALIVE IS THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT OF MR. PENIS. MISS BRANDI? YES? GIRL, YOU IN TROUBLE. -I KNOW. -YOU IN TROUBLE, MISS BRANDI. YOU IN TROUBLE. DO YOU THINK THE PROBLEM, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE, IS THAT YOUR HUSBAND CHEATS? I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN DEEPER THAN CHEATING. YEAH. IT'S MORE THAN JUST CHEATING. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS? IT'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HE HAS A PROBLEM WITH LYING. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS CAUSED BY? UM... FEAR. OF? LOSING ME. LOSING YOU? YEAH. HE THREW YOU AWAY, BABY. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU AND HIM BEEN THROUGH THIS THING, 10, 20, 15, 18, 26, WHAT? WE'RE MARRIED 8 YEARS, PROBABLY EIGHT TIMES. MM-HMM. YEAH. THIS IS GOING TO GET WORSE BY THE MINUTE. WHY DO YOU WANT HIM? I SAID, "I DO." YOU DO? I SAID, "I DO." I TAKE MY VOWS... BUT HE BROKE THE VOWS. WHEN HE FIRST CHEATED AND WHEN HE FIRST DID WHAT HE DID, I FELT LIKE WE'RE KIDS. HE'S GOING TO GET THERE. HE HAS IT IN HIM. HE LOVES ME LIKE... I WENT BY OFF WHAT I SAW... KNOW WHAT THAT'S CALLED? WHAT? DENIAL. YEAH. I WAS IN DENIAL. BUT I'M ALSO, WHEN I LOOK AT HOW YOU WALKING AROUND, AS A ELDER, I'M NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE YOU FOR THAT... BECAUSE YOU ARE RAISING SOMEBODY'S HUSBAND AND SOMEBODY'S FATHER, YOU, BECAUSE A MAN IS WHO HIS MOTHER MAKES HIM, AND A WOMAN IS WHO HER DADDY TELLS HER SHE IS, SO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DADDY. WHICH ONE? WELL, HOW MANY DID YOU HAVE? MY MOM MET A GUY. THEY BROKE UP, AND SHE GOT WITH ANOTHER GUY. SHE LITERALLY ONLY HAD SEX ONE TIME WITH THIS GUY, AND THEN THE NEXT WEEK, SHE GOT BACK WITH MY FATHER, AND SHE ENDED UP BEING PREGNANT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR DADDY IS OR YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS? I DIDN'T KNOW. I FOUND OUT WHEN I WAS 28, BUT WHEN I HAD THIS MAN RAISING ME, I DIDN'T RESPECT HIM EITHER BECAUSE IT WAS ABUSIVE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? TO MY MOM. SO THE MAN THAT RAISED YOU, THAT YOU WERE TOLD WAS YOUR FATHER, WAS ABUSIVE TO YOUR MOTHER? MM-HMM. SO YOU GREW UP SEEING YOUR FATHER AS AN ABUSIVE MAN? MM-HMM. WOW. WELL, DAMN. YOU JUST MARRIED WHAT YOU GREW UP WITH, SOMEBODY THAT WOULD CONTINUE REPEATEDLY, REPEATEDLY, REPEATEDLY TO DISRESPECT YOU, DISHONOR YOU, VIOLATE YOU! AND YOU COME BACK FOR MORE. THAT AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM, BOO. THE FIRST TIME HE CHEATED ON YOU WAS ABOUT HIM. EVERY TIME THEREAFTER WAS ABOUT YOU. THAT'S MY CHILD'S FATHER THAT MY SON LOOKS UP TO. SO, YEAH, AND YOU CAN CO-PARENT, BUT YOU DON'T GET THIS THING CLEANED UP, YOUR SON IS GOING TO BECOME HIM BECAUSE YOU ARE RAISING YOUR SON AND DEMONSTRATING TO HIM HOW A WOMAN BEHAVES AND WHAT HE CAN EXPECT FROM A WOMAN. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING. YOU'RE RIGHT. HOW OLD WAS YOUR MOTHER WHEN SHE HAD YOU? EIGHTEEN. ALL RIGHT. MAYBE I NEED TO TALK TO HER. WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE NUMBER? JUST TO KNOW. IT'S MORE THAN 50. HOLD ON. NO, NO. MISS BRANDI -- LET GO. JUST LET GO. MISS BRANDI? LEAVING IS NOT GOING TO HELP. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. JASON AND BRANDI'S RELATIONSHIP IS IN BREAKDOWN, BUT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE END, WE MUST EXPLORE THE BEGINNING. GOOD RISING, EVERYBODY. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL. SO I'VE INVITED THEIR MOTHERS HERE TO SEE IF THEY CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE SITUATION. NOW, YOU ARE? TRICIA. AND YOU ARE? TERRI. TERRI, OKAY. I CAN IMAGINE THE TWO OF Y'ALL ARE WORRIED SICK ABOUT THESE TWO. YES, WE ARE. ABSOLUTELY. HOW'D THEY GET LIKE THIS? I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT LIKE THIS. REALLY? I REALLY DON'T. I DON'T THINK IT WAS, LIKE, SOMETHING NEW THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE JASON HAS, YOU KNOW, CHEATED ON HER EVEN DURING THEIR DATING, THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, NOW THE MARRIAGE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? CULTURALLY, AS WOMEN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED EVEN WITH MY OWN SON IS THAT A MAN IS WHO HIS MOTHER MAKES HIM TO BE, AND ALL WOMEN MARRY THEIR FATHERS, SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT'S YOUR SON HOLDING IN HIS HEART AS IT RELATES TO YOU, AND WHAT IS YOUR DAUGHTER LOOKING FOR IN A MAN THAT SHE DIDN'T FIND IN HER DADDY? I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. MY DAUGHTER, I BELIEVE, WAS LOOKING FOR A MAN TO LOVE HER, PROTECT HER, TO RAISE HER KID IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD. WHY DID SHE STAY? I THINK BECAUSE OF HER VOWS, AND THEN SECONDLY, I THINK BECAUSE OF HER SON. SO SHE'S TEACHING HER SON HOW A WOMAN SHOULD BEHAVE WHEN SHE'S DISRESPECTED, JUST STICK IT OUT? YEAH, BUT I DON'T THINK HER SON KNOWS THAT SHE'S... OH, COME ON. I DON'T BELIEVE HER SON KNOWS THAT... OH, REALLY? NO, I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE HER SON... BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE KNEW THAT THE MAN YOU WERE TELLING HER WAS HER FATHER WASN'T HER FATHER WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD. RIGHT. RIGHT. SHE KNEW THAT. YOU DIDN'T SAY IT TO HER, BUT CHILDREN AIN'T STUPID. THEY FEEL. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A GOOD OLD TALKING TO HER? IT WAS RECENT, AND IT WAS REGARDING THE FACT THAT I NOTICED THAT JASON WASN'T SLEEPING IN THE ROOM WITH HER. DID YOU KNOW THAT? YES, MY GRANDSON TOLD ME. THE 5-YEAR-OLD? YES. THIS IS A PROBLEM. I AGREE. THIS THING IS BEGINNING TO GET CANCEROUS. TELL ME ABOUT HIS DAD. OH, HIS DAD AND I WERE NOT TOGETHER WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE SAYING THAT EVERY BOY HAS A HOLE IN HIS SOUL IN THE SHAPE OF HIS FATHER? NO, I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT. YEAH. HE'S NEVER EXPRESSED TO ME THAT HE FEELS AN EMPTINESS FOR HIS FATHER. MAYBE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. PERHAPS. I WONDER IF HE'S FILLING IT WITH THE SEX. WELL, PERHAPS HE IS. AND YOUR DAUGHTER AND HER FATHER? SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN AROUND HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER, BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT THAT WAS HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER UNTIL SHE WAS LIKE 28. HOW DID SHE NOT KNOW FOR SURE? BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE. SO SHE HAS BREAKDOWN OR DISRUPTION IN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER. HE HAS BREAKDOWN OR DISRUPTION IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER. JASON IS ONE AMONG THE MANY BOYS WHO GREW UP WITHOUT A MAN IN HIS LIFE WHO COULD TEACH HIM HOW TO BE A MAN, AND BRANDI IS A GIRL WHO WATCHED HER MOTHER NAVIGATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAN WHO DID NOT RESPECT HER. PATTERNS AND PATHOLOGIES, TWO PEOPLE IN A MARRIAGE WITH NO MODEL OF WHAT A MARRIAGE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. THEY WERE RAISED IN RELATIONSHIP CHAOS. NOW, THEY ARE RAISING THEIR SON IN THE SAME KIND OF CHAOS. WHAT'S YOUR PRAYER, MAMA? I PRAY THAT MY GRANDSON REMAINS A WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL. AND WHAT'S YOUR PRAYER, MAMA? MY PRAYER IS THAT IF JASON AND BRANDI DECIDE TO STAY TOGETHER, THAT JASON CONTROLS HIS DRINKING, PERIOD. DRINKING? I HEARD NOTHING ALL DAY LONG ABOUT DRINKING. HE DRINKS? YES. DID YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS DRINKING TOO MUCH? I DID NOTICE THERE WAS SOME MORE DRINKING THAN USUAL. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? SURE. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? I'M JUST... DO YOU LIKE HER? SHE'S ALL RIGHT SOMETIMES. DO YOU LIKE HER? I LIKE HER NOW. I MEAN, WE'RE GOOD NOW BECAUSE EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT HER, MY CONCERN WAS STILL MY GRANDSON. IT'S THE REASON WHY I WOULD CALL HER OVER TO MY HOUSE WHEN BRANDI WOULDN'T EVEN ALLOW HER AT THE HOUSE. JASON ALLOWED HIS WIFE TO BAR YOU FROM THEIR HOME? OH, NOT ONLY BARRED ME FROM THEIR HOME, I BARRED HIM FROM VISITING ME, BARRED HIM FROM VISITING HIS GRANDFATHER. AND HE DOESN'T COME TO YOUR HOUSE? NO, HE COMES THERE NOW. YOU GUYS... ONCE A YEAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY IF I HAVE A PARTY, ONCE A YEAR. MAMA PATRICIA... YES? I THINK YOU ARE IN BREAKDOWN WITH YOUR SON, AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT. YOU ARE HIS LIFELINE, AND HE SAYS, "DON'T COME TO MY HOUSE, AND I AIN'T COMING TO YOURS." MAMA, THAT'S A PROBLEM. MM-HMM. SOMETHING IS WRONG THERE. I AGREE. WE GOT TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE THAT MAY BE WHAT HE'S TAKING OUT ON BRANDI. IT'S EASIER TO TREAT THE SYMPTOM THAN IT IS TO TREAT THE DISEASE. THE SYMPTOM IS HIS CHEATING, BUT THE DISEASE IS SOMETHING FAR MORE COMPLEX, AND THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE HEALED. THE LEVEL OF DISEASE AND DYSFUNCTION IN THIS RELATIONSHIP IS FAR DEEPER THAN EITHER MR. JASON OR MISS BRANDI HAVE LED ME TO BELIEVE. THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR BANDAGES? I TOOK THEM OFF. I JUST FELT CLOSED IN. YEAH, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. YOU WALK AROUND LOOKING PRETTY AND ALL PUT TOGETHER AND DENY YOUR WOUNDS AND THEN GET MAD WHEN PEOPLE DON'T TREAT YOU WITH KID GLOVES. THEY DON'T KNOW YOU WOUNDED. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? DOES YOUR HUSBAND HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? THAT WOULD BE YES OR NO. TO ME? YES. YES. DO YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? I SAY NO. ARE YOU AWARE THAT HER MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER THINK YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? YES. YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT? MM-HMM. SO WHAT IF YOU HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? I CAN SAY IT OR JUSTIFY IT TO BE NOT A PROBLEM OR TO BE SAYING I DON'T GET DRUNK, BUT I DO MAYBE HAVE FOUR BEERS A DAY. MR. JASON, LYING, CHEATING, DRINKING... THESE ARE ALL NUMBING ACTIVITIES. YOU'RE BOTH IN TOTAL DENIAL OF WHAT THIS THING IS AND WHAT'S GOING ON. DOES SHE KNOW HOW MANY WOMEN YOU'VE SLEPT WITH? SHE THINKS EIGHT. IN OUR MARRIAGE. IN THE MARRIAGE. DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER MATTERS TO HER? YES. IT WOULD BE CRUSHING FOR HER. I MEAN, HOW MANY HAS IT BEEN? WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE NUMBER? JUST TO KNOW. IT'S MORE THAN 50. IN OUR MARRIAGE? FOR REAL? I WOULD SAY YES. HM. NOW HOW DOES THAT FEEL? HOW DO YOU THINK? NO, I NEED YOU TO... I NEED YOU TO BE IN TOUCH WITH IT. THAT'S DISGUSTING. WHY IS MORE THAN 50 DISGUSTING, BUT MORE THAN 10 AIN'T? I'M NOT SAYING MORE THAN 10 ISN'T, BUT EIGHT IS A LOT. IT WAS A LOT FOR ME. WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK HE'S DOING? DO YOU THINK... I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. HAVE YOU ASKED HIM? I HAVEN'T. I'VE ASKED. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, THEN ASK HIM. AND AT THIS POINT, I DON'T CARE. I DON'T WANT TO... YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW? NO, I DON'T. I DON'T. WHY? I JUST DON'T. I DON'T. OKAY. WAIT A MINUTE, HOLD ON. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. I DON'T. I DON'T. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. NO, I'M -- HOLD ON. NO, NO. MISS BRANDI. THIS IS MAKING ME UNCOMFORTABLE. MISS BRANDI. MISS BRANDI. MISS BRANDI? LEAVING IS NOT GOING TO HELP. DON'T, SERIOUSLY. MISS BRANDI HAS BEEN IGNORING THE TRUTH SURROUNDING HER. MISS BRANDI! IGNORING IT AND FIGHTING IT AND GETTING INJURED BY JASON'S LIES IN THE PROCESS. MISS BRANDI? I CAN'T HELP YOU IF YOU DON'T LET ME IN. AND NO AMOUNT OF BANDAGES CAN FIX THE DAMAGE THOSE LIES HAVE CAUSED. ONLY THE TRUTH CAN HEAL HER, AND THE TRUTH IS HER RELATIONSHIP IS DYSFUNCTIONAL. I KNOW, BABY. I KNOW. COME HERE. COME, COME. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. I CAN'T COVER YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE... I KNOW. I KNOW. TALK TO ME. TALK TO ME. TALK TO ME. TALK IT OUT, MISS BRANDI. TALK IT OUT. WHAT IS YOU THINKING? WHAT ARE YOU FEELING? TALK ABOUT... CLOSE YOUR EYES. I'M JUST... LET YOUR HEART LEAD YOU. I'M HURT. YEAH, BUT YOU'VE BEEN HURT. YOU'VE BEEN HURT A LONG TIME. WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW? HONESTLY, WHAT I'M SAYING TO MYSELF, "YOU'RE STUPID AS HELL." OH, NO. MISS BRANDI, WELL, YOU'RE MAKING HIS INFIDELITY OR SEXUAL PROWESSNESS ABOUT VIOLATION OF YOU, AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO GET IT TO SINK IN THAT IT'S A VIOLATION OF HIMSELF. IT'S PUNISHMENT OF HIMSELF, AND IT JUST HAPPENS TO FLOW OVER ONTO YOU. YOU HAVE A NEW AWARENESS NOW. WHAT IS IT? I'M AWARE OF THE BODY COUNT, AND NOW I NEED TO KNOW THAT I'M AWARE THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. I'M AWARE THAT IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIM. AND ARE YOU AWARE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING IN YOU THAT ATTRACTED A MAN THAT WOULD TREAT YOU THIS WAY? I'M AWARE. MISS BRANDI IS BEGINNING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STATE OF HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER HUSBAND, BUT UNTIL WE GET TO THE TRUTH BEHIND MR. JASON'S BEHAVIOR, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO ACCOMMODATE THE DYSFUNCTION AND NO ONE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? [ INHALES ] GO 'HEAD. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. COME HERE. YOU NEED A MAMA HUG. YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE ON THAT COURT AND THROWING BALLS AROUND WAY TOO LONG WITHOUT, BY YOURSELF. COME ON. YOU JUST NEED A MAMA HUG. YEAH. YEAH. CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? PLEASE DO. EVERY TIME YOU'RE WITH ANOTHER WOMAN, YOU ABANDON YOU. EVERY TIME YOU TELL ANOTHER LIE, YOU ABANDON YOU, AND EVERY TIME YOU TAKE A DRINK TO STUFF THE PAIN DOWN, YOU ABANDON YOU. THIS WASN'T ABOUT SEX. THIS WAS ABOUT PUNISHMENT. IT'S ABOUT PUNISHMENT, BUT AM I NOW PUNISHING BRANDI... NO. BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TOGETHER? IT AIN'T ABOUT HER. ABOUT YOU. AND WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU WANT TO SAY TO HER THAT'LL GET YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THIS NIGHT? [ SIGHS ] I REALLY DON'T KNOW WITHOUT BEATING MYSELF UP. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? YES. "FORGIVE ME." YEAH. FORGIVE ME. FORGIVE ME FOR ALL THE... NOT BEING HONEST WITH MYSELF. YEAH. I TELL YOU, IT IS AMAZING TO ME THE DEPTH OF PAIN AND SUFFERING THESE TWO PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED, AND WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. FOR NOW, I'M GIVING JASON SOME HOMEWORK. I'M ASKING HIM TO WRITE DOWN WHAT HE IS AFRAID OF, AND THEN I'M HAVING BRANDI DO SOME READING AND REFLECTING BECAUSE TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PINCH IN MY BODY OF MANIPULATING OF ANYTHING. I THINK THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE TO ANSWER IS, WHY DO YOU STAY? HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT? WELL, IT WAS A NIGHT, I GUESS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I WAS STARTING TO THINK THAT MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SAY IT. THE SIN OF A FATHER FALLS ON THE SON, SO I DON'T KNOW, SO I'M THINKING THAT MAYBE THAT COULD BE THE KEY TO EVERYTHING. OF ALL THE ANGLES I TRIED OR LOOKED AT OR TRY TO ANALYZE, THAT'S THE ONE I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN DOWN YET. OKAY. LET'S SEE HOW YOU DID ON YOUR HOMEWORK. DID YOU GET ANYTHING HERE, WHAT I'M REALLY AFRAID? I DID. WHAT YOU GOT? I SAID, "WHEN I'M AFRAID, I'M AFRAID OF MY WIFE." WHAT DO YOU MEAN? TELL ME. EXPLAIN THAT TO ME. HER MIND-SET OF LIFE RIGHT NOW TOWARDS ME, I DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS, SO THEREFORE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER FEELINGS ARE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER ACTIONS ARE. WELL, WHAT IS THE REQUEST THAT YOU WOULD MAKE OF HER? JUST LET ME SPEAK. LET ME UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS FOR A CHANGE. WHAT ELSE? I'M AFRAID OF NOT SEEING MY GRANDFATHER. WHERE IS HE? IT'S BEEN... HE'S IN ARKANSAS, LITTLE ROCK, AND MY GRANDFATHER'S WIFE, NEW WIFE, AND BRANDI HAD A FALLING OUT, AND FROM THAT POINT ON, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE MY GRANDFATHER. WHY? BECAUSE BRANDI DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THERE. I AM REALLY STARTING TO WONDER IF PERHAPS MISS BRANDI IS USING THE GUILT THAT MR. JASON FEELS AS A WAY TO CONTROL HIM. BY NOT ALLOWING HER HUSBAND TO SEE HIS GRANDFATHER, BRANDI IS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE JASON FEELS HE ISN'T BEING HEARD, CAUSING HIM TO REPEAT HIS PATTERN OF SHUTTING DOWN AND DETACHING. I REMEMBER WHEN I SAID TO YOU YESTERDAY, "DETACHED. SHUTDOWN." "NO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT." I DO SHUT DOWN IN SITUATIONS. I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOW EMOTION WITH HER. WHY NOT? ARE THE EMOTIONS THERE? IF THEY ARE, I SUPPRESS THEM. I DON'T... WELL, HOW DO YOU DO THAT, TAKE YOUR MIND OFF IT? IS THAT THE SEX? IS THAT THE DRINKING? WHAT IS IT? HOW DO YOU DO IT? IT COULD BE THE DRINKING, I MEAN, ALL THE ABOVE. YOU NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR CONVERSATION WITH YOUR WIFE. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOU TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH HER WITHOUT ALLOWING YOURSELF TO GET BEAT UP. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT HER ABOUT HOW TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH YOU WITHOUT BEATING YOU UP SO THAT YOU TWO WILL LEAVE HERE WITH A NEW BEHAVIOR. FOR JASON AND BRANDI AND FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COUPLES, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. JASON NEEDS A SAFE PLACE TO SHARE HIS THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS WITH HIS WIFE, AND BRANDI NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HIM. OTHERWISE, THE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE. HOW YOU FEELING THIS MORNING? -I FEEL GREAT. REALLY? HONESTLY, I DO. WHAT THE HEY? WHAT'D YOU DO LAST NIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED? TALKED WITH MYSELF, PRAYING AND THINKING HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT HE HAS A PROBLEM THAT HE NEEDS TO FIX, AND I KNOW THE GOOD IN MY HUSBAND AND THE GOODNESS IN HIM, AND I KNOW THAT HE CAN PUSH THROUGH AS LONG AS HE WANTS TO. THINK HIGHER OF HIM. I DO THINK HIGHER OF HIM. AND LET HIS DESIRE TO WANT TO BE BETTER GUIDE HIM TO WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE. I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A FORCE TO TELL HIM, LIKE, "YOU BETTER. YOU NEED TO. YOU HAVE TO. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH." "YOU CAN'T GO SEE YOUR GRANDFATHER." I'VE NEVER SAID THAT HE COULDN'T GO SEE HIS GRANDFATHER. WELL, THAT'S WHAT HE HEARD YOU SAY. I NEVER SAID TO HIM THAT HE... NO, NO. WHAT YOU SAID WAS, IF HE WENT, THIS WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCE. WHAT I SAID TO HIM, "YOU CAN GO SEE YOUR GRANDFATHER, BUT OUR CHILD, WHILE I'M NOT THERE, CANNOT GO." WHY? I AM VERY PROTECTIVE OVER MY CHILD. I DO NOT WANT MY CHILD TO BE AROUND A DRUNK. I'M HEARING IN YOU A FATAL MISTAKE THAT MANY YOUNG WOMEN MAKE WHEN THEY BEGIN THE PROCESS OF EMASCULATING THEY SON, AND THAT IS THEY SAY, "MY SON," IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS FATHER. MM-HMM. AND YOU JUST SAID IT. OKAY. HE'S NOT YOUR SON. HE'S OUR SON. HE'S OUR SON. MM-HMM. HE'S OUR SON. MM-HMM. AND AS THE MOTHER, EITHER YOU'RE SAYING, "I DO NOT TRUST THAT MY SON IS SAFE IN HIS FATHER'S PRESENCE." THAT'S WHAT IT IS. WELL, THEN SAY IT. OKAY. I DON'T TRUST THAT MY SON IS SAFE... WITH HIS FATHER. WITH HIS FATHER OR WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER. OKAY. OH, WELL, OKAY. I DON'T. AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD BE THERE TO HELP HIM TO HELP US HELP ME HELP HIM, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO... YOU CAN'T HELP HIM BECAUSE YOU DON'T TRUST HIM AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T TRUST HIM, YOUR HELP WILL TURN INTO CONTROL, MANIPULATING AND BADGERING. MM-HMM. YOU CAN'T HELP HIM UNTIL YOU TRUST HIM BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN SEE HIM. MAYBE OVER TIME, THAT WILL COME. AND YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR PART IN IT. IF I WAS TO HEAR MY HUSBAND SAY THAT I CONTROL HIM AND HOW HE HANGS OUT WITH HIS SON... YOU SAID HE CAN'T TAKE HIS SON TO SEE HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS? YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S YOU DICTATING THE TERMS AND CONTROLLING HIS RELATIONSHIP? THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU BECAUSE -- THIS IS MY TRUTH. YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING. IF YOU CONTINUE TO GO OFF ON HIM, IF YOU CONTINUE TO MANIPULATE AND CONTROL HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON, IF YOU CONTINUE SLEEPING... I DON'T MANIPULATE THAT. I DON'T. YOU DON'T CALL IT MANIPULATION. I DON'T. BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS. I DON'T MANIPULATE... I DON'T INTERFERE WITH HIM... EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. NO, EXCUSE ME. I DON'T INTERFERE WITH HIM AND HIS CHILD. OKAY. I DON'T. THAT'S NOT EVEN FAIR TO SAY. LET'S ASK HIM BECAUSE IT'S HIS EXPERIENCE. LET'S DO IT. I DON'T. IT IS NEARLY THE END OF THE HEALING PROCESS, AND WHILE JASON HAS BEEN ABLE TO ADMIT HIS SHORTCOMINGS, MISS BRANDI IS REFUSING TO ACCEPT HER ROLE IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THEIR MARRIAGE. IF SHE CANNOT ACCEPT THAT SHE NEEDS TO WORK ON HOW SHE COMMUNICATES WITH MR. JASON, THEN THERE CAN BE NO HEALING. MR. JASON? YES, MA'AM? BROUGHT YOU SOME COMPANY. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH YOUR WIFE ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL? I FEEL LESS THAN A MAN. AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE TO ADMIT TO MY WRONGDOINGS, AND I AM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO FEEL THIS WAY IN MY OWN HOUSE. SO WATCH THIS. TELL ME, HOW DOES SHE PUNISH YOU? IT CAN BE VERBALLY. IT CAN BE THREATS. THREATS AND? CONTROLLING. OH. TELL MR. JASON WHAT YOU HEARD HIM SAY, AND START WITH, "WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS," SO THAT HE WILL KNOW YOU HEARD HIM. WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME, BUT THE WAY THAT I DELIVER AND TALK TO YOU, YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT, AND YOU CAN'T DO IT RIGHT BECAUSE YOU FEEL LESS THAN, AND YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE A MAN. YOU JUST DISMISSED WHAT HE TOLD YOU HE FELT. AND MY DELIVERY ON WHAT I SAID... YOU DISMISSED WHAT... WAS TERRIBLE. HE'S TELLING YOU HOW HE FEELS, AND BASICALLY, WHAT YOU SAID WAS, "YOU'RE ONLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'VE SAID TO YOU." NO, NO, NO. THAT GOES BACK TO MY DELIVERY BECAUSE THAT'S... YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE. I MAY NOT BE AWARE, AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THAT MY DELIVERY CAN BE MESSED UP. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU DIDN'T HEAR HIM BECAUSE YOU WERE FORMULATING YOUR RESPONSE? I HEARD HIM. I HEARD HIM. BUT THEN LET HIM KNOW. BUT I TOOK... BUT HONESTLY... YOU ARE UNAWARE OF HOW YOU USE WORDS AND ENERGY TO CONTROL AND MANIPULATE. I NEVER HAD AN OUNCE, PINCH, IN MY BODY OF MANIPULATING OF ANYTHING. OR I WALK AWAY BECAUSE YOU SIT THERE AND CALL ME WEAK. AND DOES SHE DO THAT IN FRONT OF YOUR SON? YES. I TRY MY BEST NOT TO DO THAT, THE BICKERING. MAYBE YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF HOW OFTEN YOU'RE DOING IT. MAYBE. YEAH, SO TELL HIM WHY HE CAN'T TAKE HIS SON TO SEE HIS GRANDFATHER. TELL HIM WHY. I'M NOT FOR YOU TAKING OUR CHILD TO GO SEE YOUR GRANDFATHER BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM. MISS V, HE HAS NO CONTROL OVER HIMSELF WHEN HE'S DRINKING, AND HE NEEDS TO COME TO TERMS AND GET IT TOGETHER. THERE'S A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SAYING TO SOMEBODY, "YOU'VE GOT TO STOP DRINKING AND WHY ARE YOU," THAT'S ONE WAY, AND ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS, "MR. JASON, I LOVE YOU, AND FROM WHERE I SIT, YOU GOT A DRINKING PROBLEM. NOW YOU MAY NOT THINK YOU DO, BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO IS GO GET SOME HELP BECAUSE I'M NOT CHOOSING TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAN WHO CAN'T CONTROL HIS LIQUOR BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU IMPACTS ME AND WHAT IMPACTS ME IMPACTS BABY JASON. NOW YOU NEED TO DO THAT WITHIN THE NEXT 14 DAYS, AND IF YOU DON'T, MR. JASON, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE BECAUSE I REFUSE TO LIVE WITH AN ALCOHOLIC." THERE'S A REQUEST. THERE'S A REASON, AND THERE'S A CONSEQUENCE. YES. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, AND I KNOW WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, AND I THINK THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE TO ANSWER IS, WHY DO YOU STAY? AND IF IT'S JUST ABOUT THE VOWS AND OBLIGATION, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THAT'S NOT GOING TO GET YOU THROUGH THE DEPTH OF VIOLATION AND BREACH OF TRUST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU STAY WITH A WOMAN THAT DISHONORS AND DISRESPECTS YOU. MY RECOMMENDATION IS ONE OF Y'ALL GET OUT OF THE SPACE AT LEAST FOR 90 DAYS, CONTINUE DOING YOUR WORK, AND GET CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. MR. JASON, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED HER TO KNOW? YES. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETHING IS MISSING SOMEWHERE. I NEED TO FIND THE ANSWER TO IT AND FIX THAT AND BE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM AS WELL. MAYBE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT OR ADMITTING THE ALCOHOL ISSUE. IF IT'S TAKING AWAY TIME WITH ME AND MY SON, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED, SO I ASK HER FORGIVENESS OF ME NOT RESPECTING MYSELF AND RESPECTING MYSELF MERELY TO US BEING US AGAIN. MISS BRANDI, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT ME TO KNOW? NO. HOW CAN I SUPPORT YOU MOVING FORWARD? JUST PRAY. OH, I WILL DO THAT. JASON AND BRANDI REPRESENT SO MANY OTHER COUPLES WHO BEGAN DATING IN THEIR TEENS, AND INSTEAD OF GROWING AND MATURING TOGETHER, THEY BEGAN TO LIVE IN DYSFUNCTION BECAUSE NO ONE EVER TAUGHT THEM ANY OTHER WAY. WHEN PEOPLE GET STUCK INTO A WAY OF THINKING AND BEING AND LIVING, IT BECOMES SO NATURAL IT'S LIKE WATER TO THE FISH. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT JASON CAN CONTINUE HIS WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF HIS INFIDELITY AND ADDICTION AND THAT BRANDI CAN BE AWARE OF THE WAYS SHE TRIES TO NUMB HER OWN PAIN USING CONTROL AND MANIPULATION. IT IS ONLY THEN THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO LOVE AND SUPPORT THEIR SON AND BE A MODEL TO HIM OF HOW A RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE.
