Summary
- TLC's Unexpected follows teen couples navigating teen pregnancy and parenting challenges.
- Kayleigh and Graham, unable to drive and facing myriad hardships, are doing their best to cope with their new roles.
- Graham's emotional turmoil and overwhelming responsibilities highlight the difficulties of young parenthood.
The season finale of TLC's Unexpected is slated to air on Monday (August 26), but we got our hands on an exclusive sneak peek featuring Kayleigh and Graham.
Unexpected is a reality TV hit where each season follows five young couples coping with teenage pregnancies, and TLC introduced the current season's cast:
"TLC's Unexpected follows the journeys of five teenage couples and their families as they navigate the challenges of teen pregnancy and early parenthood.
"This season features three new couples and two returning that each have unique experiences and obstacles as young, expecting parents."
A brief introduction to the young couple at the beginning of the season foreshadowed one of their biggest challenges:
"Former cheer queen Kayleigh meets Graham, and as they become romantically involved, Kayleigh gets pregnant.
"The couple realizes long distance is hard to accomplish as neither can drive to see each other, adding another layer to what already seems like a complicated situation."
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Kayleigh And Graham Have Been Going Through It
As Unexpected viewers are well aware, Kayleigh and Graham are both 15 and unable to drive — an issue that causes a tremendous amount of strife for the new parents, as well as Kayleigh's mom, Mandy, and Graham's mom, Bekki.
Kayleigh and Graham are fan favorites, and earlier this month, viewers took to Reddit to speculate on how the young couple would fare after baby Easton arrived.
Driving isn't the only challenge the couple are facing on top of a teen pregnancy — Graham is also working and caring for his often-ailing mother Bekki, causing fans to repeatedly express concern about his mental health.
One worried Unexpected viewer fretted:
"Is anyone else extremely concerned about Grahams mental health? He always sounds on the verge of tears/ a breakdown. I feel like Kayleigh’s parents are way too hard on him.
"His mom also struggles and I’m sure he’s had to parent himself (and her!) a lot. I know they used protection but god I just feel so bad for him."
Graham's unusually high level of responsibility was a common theme, and another pointed to a heartbreaking scene that drove home how much pressure he is under:
"I’m a few episodes behind the current one, but I’m on the episode where Graham came over to stay at Kayleigh's house and ends up crying in the kitchen and in his interview with his mom.
"Hearing him talk about the responsibility that he feels he has to shoulder on top of now preparing to be a dad breaks my heart, and you can really see the emotional turmoil in his eyes. I hope he has someone in his corner helping him look out for his mental health."
In recent episodes, the couple debated over Kayleigh's eventual induction – something to which Mandy objected – and a remarkably difficult labor unfortunately followed.
Baby Easton's birth wasn't just difficult for Kayleigh, as even fans said they were "traumatized" watching what the "former cheer queen" endured:
"Holy wow! Did anyone else die a little watching this poor child [Kayleigh's labor]? 50 some hours in the hospital. Ending in [Graham] crying, Kayleigh puking and an emergency c-section.
"I like her line at the end during the talking head, 'they told me I never would have gotten him out anyway.' Ha.
"Glad she's OK. I'm sure she's traumatized from that delivery though. I know I am."
Our clip picks up after Kayleigh's lengthy labor and emergency c-section, and as viewers previously observed, Graham is under so much pressure.
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Graham Is Having A Hard Time Visiting Kayleigh And Easton
He Says His Mom Has 'Up And Down Days'
Although you'll have to wait until Monday to really find out what's up with Kayleigh and Graham, we've embedded an exclusive excerpt from the Unexpected finale ... one which hints they might be struggling.
At the beginning of the clip, Kayleigh is visibly-yet-tentatively hopeful as she asks Graham if he'll return on "Tuesday"; Mandy and Bekki are both in the scene, with Bekki holding Easton.
Graham responds with "most likely," and the camera cuts to a saddened Kayleigh — once again, their inability to drive is getting in the way.
After that exchange, the scene switches to a confessional with Graham and Bekki, and initially it sounds as if Graham is saying he finds seeing Kayleigh and Easton burdensome.
But as he continues speaking, it's obvious he's talking about being spread too thin, and he wants Kayleigh and Mandy to bring Easton to him sometimes:
"I feel like it would be kinda unfair for [Kayleigh] to want me to always come up there and see Easton because my mom always has up and down days, or I'm busy, got work, or I got something to do at home ...
"And it would just be nice for us to stay at home and chill, and for [Kayleigh, Mandy, and Easton] to come down here and see us."
The scene shifts back to the living room, and the couple hug as Graham departs, leading into the next confessional with Kayleigh and Mandy.
It begins with Mandy asking Kayleigh about their relationship before Kayleigh blurts: "Graham hasn't given me money for anything yet. Not even diapers."
Mandy rolls her eyes and replies: "Oh my God."
For the rest of the clip, Mandy complains about Graham's level of involvement, accusing him of thinking that being a father is all "fun and games."
Unfortunately, our Unexpected sneak peek ends there, and we won't find out what's going on with Kayleigh and Graham until the finale airs on Monday.
