The truth hurts ... and heals.

Kendall: There it is. Right there between us, keeping us apart.

Zach: What?

Kendall: Ryan. I need to know. Is my relationship with Ryan, my past relationship, the reason that you're pushing me away?

Zach: It really doesn't matter.

Kendall: Zach, it does matter. I'm in love with you. These past few months have been hell. We got divorced. We almost lost Ian. I got convicted of murder. But instead of driving us apart, everything just brought us closer together. And it showed us what an incredible team we still are. The way that you fought for me and for our family, it just made me fall in love with you all over again. But every time I reach out to you, there's this wall. I hit this wall. And I keep asking myself, "What is this thing that's in the way?" And now I know. You can't forgive me for what I did with Ryan.

Zach: You're right. I can't. We can jump into bed together and be on each other all night, pretend everything's ok, but it isn't. We got to be honest with each other. You betrayed me. You broke my trust, you broke my heart. I can't let it go.

Kendall: So you're walking around carrying all this resentment towards me?

Zach: The moment they pulled me out of that hole, it was never the same. We both know that.

Kendall: But, Zach, I don't want to give up. You, Zach -- you're the man that I belong with.

Zach: Today.

Kendall: All right, you know what, Zach? That's not fair. That's not fair. I mean, you're treating me like I'm some petty fickle idiot.

Zach: You gave yourself to another man not once, but twice. And now, every time I see Devane, I don't know what he's saying to me. All I can hear is my heart pounding in my head, "That's the man that slept with my wife."

Kendall: Ok, stop it, please.

Zach: And then Ryan. My house, our bed.

Kendall: It's over.

Zach: Not for me.

Kendall: You want to hold this against me for the rest of our lives, that's your choice, not mine.

Zach: It's not a choice. I don't forgive. Not anyone, not ever. Not even you.


I know this scene from last week got mixed reviews. Some people thought “it was so good.” But others felt it was “sad.” And I even heard a few fans lament that it “broke my heart.” While I can certainly understand all of those sentiments, put me down in the “good” column. No, make that “great!”

In fact, I watched that scene with a smile on my face. Not because I’m angry at Kendall and want to see her mistakes harvested again and again. And not because I want to see Zach bleed. So why was I smiling? Because it was finally out there … the truth.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

It’s not about who betrayed whom in their relationship. It can be argued that they have equal blame in that. But the truth is that there has been betrayal. And things have been broken that crazy glue can’t put back together. Some things “I’m sorry” just doesn’t fix.

For me, last Wednesday’s show was about sticking the landing. It’s about Zach finally telling Kendall how her actions made him feel, and her finally hearing it. The truth has been tossed back and forth between them, but neither of them ever really owned it. Or earned it. It was a weapon to hurt or an excuse for bad behavior. But now I feel like they finally understand each other. And love each other with an even deeper love. And the last scene, with each of them reaching for the other through a closed door, solidified that for me.

Because the ugly truth was unleashed, it no long has the power to destroy them. Now the healing can begin. In fact, it already has.

But …

What really is the truth? Is Zach’s struggle really with forgiveness, or with fear? I submit he has already forgiven Kendall. He’s risked too much for her in recent weeks to make me believe he hasn't. His problem is with the forgetting part of the equation. And with having the courage to open up his heart to that kind of hurt again.

That comes with healing. And healing takes time. But, thanks to the long-awaited arrival of the truth, that healing is on the way.