At first, viewers thought that Thais’ issue with John was all about wanting Patrick’s attention.
But after watching Thais and John clash over Patrick’s bachelor party, it’s clearly more than that.
This next 90 Day Fiance sneak peek shows that Thais is right to be concerned.
John is trying to get under his brother’s skin. He’s also badmouthing Thais to their friends.
As this sneak peek of Season 9, Episode 12 begins, Patrick Mendes and his brother, John, are out drinking.
They are out with a friend, and they clearly have had a few drinks as the topic of Thais Ramone comes up.
Now that they know that she didn’t tell her father about her plans to marry, John asks if the future FIL doesn’t “accept” Patrick.
Patrick says that he “thinks” that Thais’ father likes him.
(He does not, in fact, like him — Thais explains that her father has a negative view of American men in general)
Patrick’s brother and friend are both immediately skeptical of Patrick’s uncertainty.
“Can you not read the energy?” John asks.
He’s not suggesting spiritualism — though that would be an amazing twist.
Instead, he is asking why Patrick cannot tell if a man likes or hates him after meeting him multiple times.
Patrick then decides to double down.
“He definitely likes me,” he asserts.
His brother isn’t buying it. Their friend isn’t buying it.
Patrick clearly hesitated, indicating a lack of confidence.
Why?
Because Patrick cannot be entirely sure that Thais’ father likes him or approves of the relationship, come to think of it.
Patrick has enjoyed lunch with Thais’ father. The two have consumed beers together.
He even got his future father-in-law a present for Father’s Day.
In his mind, they’re good. But they don’t speak the same language, so it’s hard to know for certain.
The fact that Thais has hidden her plans to marry from her father clearly has Patrick second-guessing how her dad sees him.
“When is she gonna tell her dad about this?” the brothers’ friend, who will certainly be identified in the full episode, asks.
That is a genuinely good question.
Patrick is adamant that Thais’ father will know, one way or the other, before the wedding.
“No man would like this,” he asserts, referring to the idea of marrying Thais before her dad knows.
Patrick goes on to cite a “man code” that apparently takes precedence over his future wife’s desires.
John isn’t convinced of Patrick’s answer.
He asks why his brother is taking things this far, if he’s so respectful of Thais’ dad.
Simply put, he doesn’t think that Patrick will slam on the brakes if Thais balks at telling her father.
The brothers’ friend is even more direct.
He thinks that Patrick is head-over-heels in love with Thais, and won’t stand his ground on this.
Of course, he’s clearly getting his ideas from John, who has several chips on his shoulder.
As the camera is eager to highlight, all three of these men have been drinking.
This is relevant to how they express themselves, so we should keep that in mind.
However, underlying ideas — like Patrick’s odd “man code” comment — are not the fault of alcohol.
Patrick acknowledges that this revelation from Thais is a bit of a red flag.
He then makes a truly goofy “white flag” analogy.
In short, he promises that he will fix this situation.
John then asks when Patrick will have the “testicular fortitude” to tell Thais’ dad.
Patrick clarifies that it might be Thais who tells him, or he might tell him, or they might as a couple.
John is clearly struggling with this relationship, and cannot hold back any longer.
John then has the gall to ask if Thais loves Patrick.
The two are clearly head over heels for each other, and have relatively few issues to work out.
Compared to the psychological thriller of Bilal and Shaeeda or Yve and Mohamed’s culture clashes, Patrick and Thais are solid.
“Even the smartest or the strongest men,” John warns, “can be fools.”
That is certainly true, but is there some reason to believe that anyone aside from Thais’ father is being deceived?
It’s unclear what Thais has said or done to make him or anyone else doubt her intentions.
Not telling her dad doesn’t change anything.
She clearly loves Patrick, and he loves her.
But … maybe that’s what John doesn’t like.