Gabby Windey sent Nate Mitchell home during their one-on-one date on the Aug. 15 episode of The Bachelorette. Before the date, Gabby was anxious about the upcoming hometown dates. When it came to Nate, specifically, she knew hometowns were so important because of his daughter. Since Gabby has a complicated relationship with her mom, the idea of possibly becoming a stepmother was even more daunting.
“Nate does have a daughter, so I have to think about both of them when I’m making decisions,” Gabby explained. “I take the potential of being a mom so seriously because of my past and at times it’s hard. I’m terrified of maybe putting someone in my position or maybe making a wrong decision. I have to weigh these options really heavily.”
Going into the date, Gabby admittedly wasn’t sure if she was ready to be a mother. “Nate is an amazing person and amazing father, but I have more healing and growing to do before I become a mom,” she said. “My life isn’t in a place where I can fully commit and take on that responsibility wholeheartedly. I want to be together so bad, but you can’t. I don’t know if I should’ve done it earlier.”
During the date, she broke down in tears as she told Nate how she was feeling. “There’s been so much going on, I don’t even know where to start,” Gabby told Nate. “I wanted today for us to be special. I have such deep feelings for you. It’s going to get harder. I never want to say goodbye, but I think we’re just in two different places in our life. It’s not you, it’s me.”
By that point, Nate understood where the conversation was going, and although he took it in stride, he was visibly upset. “I know it’s so cliche, but I’m terrified of not just being a mom, but being bad at it,” Gabby continued. “I see you and I know you’re such a good dad and she’s so lucky to have you. I know if I were to meet her I wouldn’t have a choice but to fall in love because I know how much she’s like you. I don’t know what you’re thinking but I know every time I see you my feelings get deeper and deeper and it’s so hard because it’s you.”
Nate said that he understood where Gabby was coming from and promised her that she would be an amazing mother when the time was right. They were both in tears as they took a minute to say their goodbyes. “I’ve never experience what I have with Nate,” Gabby said. “It was so raw and real and special in its own way and I’m just so grateful for him. I feel incredibly lucky to know him. I just want to go into motherhood knowing 100 percent, and I can’t say that I do right now, but it just seems unfair that it’s someone I was maybe falling in love with.”
Meanwhile, Nate also said that he’d never experienced a connection like he had with Gabby. He knew he wouldn’t be able to turn his feelings for her off right away, and urged her to pick someone who was going to put her first. They ended on amicable terms, although they were both clearly upset.