The most high profile unplanned pregnancy on TV right now is Girls’ Hannah and her decision to keep her growing baby. But, there’s another surprise pregnancy on the airwaves and it’s the antidote to all the drama, vomit, and cruelness surrounding the Girls’ newest expectant mum.
That answer is The Fosters and Emma’s now-terminated pregnancy with boyfriend Jesus (Noah Centineo). The young woman (Amanda Leighton) decided to have an abortion in last week’s "Sex Ed" and brought her boyfriend’s brother Brandon (David Lambert) for support. We see the aftermath of Emma’s choice in last night’s season 4 instalment and it’s both loving and dramatic enough to fit right in on a Freeform soap.
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While Hannah is currently keeping her baby a secret from unaware dad-to-be Paul-Louis, Emma pens Jesus a long letter explaining her choice, the reason she didn’t tell him beforehand, and opening the lines of communication over the decision.
We learn Emma’s plan to deal with her decision failed when Foster family grandma Sharon reveals she’s the one who read the letter — not Jesus. Sharon’s reaction to finding out her grandson’s girlfriend ended her pregnancy highlights everything missing from Hannah’s loved ones on Girls.
Sharon (Annie Potts) quietly asks Emma to help her with wedding preparations in private and then slowly starts talking about the abortion. "I just want to tell you I support your choice," she says, holding Emma’s hands. "Do your parents know?"
The answer to that question is no, but Emma wanted to, yet Sharon doesn’t react with judgement. She nods along, saying, "I’m sure you did. But I understand why you couldn’t. You don’t have to worry about me. I wasn’t supposed to see that [letter], so I would never tell anyone. I just needed to know you were okay."
Emma’s tearful response shows just how much tenderness she needed in that moment. After a lengthy hug with Sharon, the young woman is energised enough to speak to Jesus once more about her confessional letter. Unfortunately, Jesus shuts down the discussion because, as Emma soon realises without being told, her boyfriend secretly can’t read. This is a primetime soap after all.
Let’s hope when Jesus does finally find out about Emma’s abortion, he’s just as sympathetic as his brother and grandma.