While much of this week’s 90 Day Fiance was dominated by Yvette’s bikini dilemma, fans will not soon forget Bini’s moment.
Ariela Weinberg brought Biniyam Shibre to his first dinner with her family. He was nervous, and hoped to impress them.
He certainly made an impression, at least.
Specifically, Bini blurted out that his sisters had advised him to make sure that Ari signs his green card paperwork … even if they break up.
Ariela and Biniyam’s storyline on Season 9, Episode 7 began with Bini making a call to his sisters, Mimi and Wish.
The two were quick to crack jokes about Ari — about the wine-throwing incident, no less.
Biniyam laughed at the joke before halfheartedly reminding them that she is, after all, their soon-to-be sister-in-law.
It is no secret that Biniyam’s sisters are not fans of his relationship.
Bini’s “I have to stay with Ari” line was awkward at best, implying that he was forced to be with her as a means to an end.
But his sisters said it more directly and intentionally — they want him to be able to stay in the US to have a relationship with, potentially, both of his sons.
The main event for the day, however, was Biniyam going to dinner with Ari’s family.
They now live very close to her parents and to her sister, Kristin.
En route, Biniyam admitted that he knew how her family members — some of them — felt about their troubled relationship, and was nervous.
Biniyam already knew Janice and Dr. Fred Weinberg, but did not know everyone that well.
Ari’s brother, Brad, had previously advised her to just break up with Biniyam since she seemed to be endlessly miserable.
That is not terrible advice, but — in part motivated by how Bini’s previous marriage ended — has seemingly done everything in her power to keep the relationship going.
Eager to change the perception of him created by his past actions, Biniyam tried to explain his behavior when Ari was last in New Jersey.
He said that he had been unreachable, turning their family home in Ethiopia into a recording studio and party house, because he was trying to keep himself “busy.”
Bini acknowledged that he had made a mistake by doing so.
Ari’s sister Kristin was more direct than some of her family members, saying what everyone was thinking — including that his answer seemed a little too perfect.
She also asked about all of the times when she had called Ariela, or been called by her, in Ethiopia … times when Bini wasn’t even there.
Kristin did not get a real answer for that, not that we saw. But what answer could possibly justify the behavior?
Then, as you can see in this screenshot, Biniyam spoke about his MMA fighter aspirations … and his sisters’ suggestion.
“Me and Ari are, our relationship, I hope we can fix it, but I don’t know,” he told the Weinbergs.
“That’s why my sisters said, at least even if the relationship doesn’t work out, Ari, at least she can help you with the green card,” Bini said.
“I like that idea, to protect me, because I lost my first son, I don’t want to lose this family,” Biniyam explained.
The awkward silence, which we have preserved in GIF form, was a tasteful and diplomatic response to Biniyam’s slip of the tongue.
Bini may be struggling to communicate, as Ariela says, but saying this at all, let alone to her family and on camera, simply cannot go over well.