Tonight on CBS The Briefcase continues with an all new Friday June 26, season 1 finale called, “Moyas/Vendely-Salgados,” and we have your weekly recap below! On tonight’s episode, two families who have very different views and lifestyles face the decision of planning for their own future or sharing the money they have been offered in the Season 1 finale. Included: high-school sweethearts who are guided by their faith; and a Miami couple who are dealing with the cost of sex reassignment surgery.
On the last episode Robert and Lucy Owens discovered secrets about each other’s finances while they faced repaying huge student loans, and the Aponte-Kassimatis family was in danger of losing the home they needed to restore for a second time following damage from a storm. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the CBS synopsis, “the Moyas and the Vendely-Salgados face the decision of planning for their own family’s future or sharing the money, even though they have very different views and lifestyles.”
This is definitely one series that you don’t want to miss. Don’t forget to stay tuned to Celeb Dirty Laundry where we will be live blogging the season 1 finale of The Briefcase.
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RECAP:
#TheBriefcase season finale starts now. In Miami, the Vendely-Salgados are a blended couple. They have two children of his and she had a baby of theirs. He’s a stay at home dad and she works. She says he’s awesome. They live with Natalie’s grandmother because their neighborhood was too violent. Natalie lost her job but just got a new one. There is one bedroom the five of them share. Amari is actually Erica and he is transitioning to a man. He started the transition 18 months ago and is on the way to being who he’s meant to be.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Gabe and Krystal Moyas are high school sweethearts, married for years with six kids and are devout conservative Catholics. They are struggling because two of their kids have autism and she had to go on bed rest when she was pregnant with their twins. They can’t afford to own a home and are behind on rent and medical bills. Krystal says God will provide for them and has so far. Both families believe they’re appearing on a documentary about money.
Producer Dave Broome is in New Mexico and Faye Stapleton is in Florida. Dave shows them the briefcase of cash and tells them how much it is. They are shocked. Gabe asks why them and Krystal starts crying. Krystal says he’s been through so much and he says it’s a fresh start and a future for their children. She asks to hug Dave and he hugs her back. Faye hands Natalie and Amari their briefcase and they are stunned. Faye says the money is theirs. They hug and cry at the surprise pile of cash.
Natalie says that can help with a house, car and Amari’s transition that they want. Both couples are told they have to decide to keep all of it, keep some of it or give all of it away to another family that is in as much need or more than they are. Krystal says her reaction is to give it to the other family. Amari says he would give half of it away and knows others are worse off than they are. He says he would do it in a heartbeat. They are given their phones, told about the 72 hour deadline and that they will get texts.
Both couples are told to spend the $1,000 right now on anything they want. In Miami, Amari goes to get his name changed legally which he says will help his name change. They give Natalie’s grandma the rest of the money after they get bathing suits and some beach toys for the kids. In New Mexico, the Moyas go for a family outing at a petting zoo and take the grandparents along too. Krystal says her parents have always been there for them and she tells them about the briefcase.
Krystal hands them the briefcase and tells them to open it. They gasp at all the money. She says they have to decide to keep it all, some or give it to another family. Her mother says they’ve gone through a lot but can’t outgive God. Her mother Carmely says the Bible says to give and you will get more back. Her dad says they need to keep it because they need it. Krystal says she and Gabe are split on it too and they pray over it.
The couples get the text to go to the first bank trip. Natalie and Krystal are first to hit the bank. Krystal says she decides everything with Gabe and says he handles all the finances. The women head out with the camera crew to go to the bank. Krystal says as a Catholic, you have to believe that God will give back. Natalie says she can’t give it away not knowing if they’ll be okay. The ladies come back from the bank and show their partners what they’ve done.
Krystal says she kept nothing for them. Gabe says he would have taken care of their family first. He says they boys will be disappointed but Krystal says she has no regrets and trusts God. Natalie shows Amari that she kept $70k for them and give $30k away. Amari says he was worried she would give none away. He says he knows what it’s like to have nothing and wants to help others. Gabe says they need another car since they can’t fit their family in a car to go anywhere together.
They go car shopping and look at a really big car and talk about how they’ve never all been in a car together. She agrees it would make things easier. Gabe shows Krystal the state of their finances and all their bills. She says she had no idea what their debts were. They get a text about Amari and Natalie saying they share a bedroom with them and their three kids. They read that Amari is a stay at home dad and they make $29k a year with $60k in debt. Gabe says he has to do some soul searching.
Amari says he’d like to have surgery to get his breasts removed so he can go without a search. He meets with some other men who have been through transition to talk about the breast removal surgery. He hears it costs $6k plus check up costs. Amari says maybe Natalie was right to keep more. Later they get text saying Gabe makes $60k and they have $22k in debt and are behind on rent. Two of the six kids are autistic. Amari says he’s back to 50/50 and says he remembers having nothing as a kid and going hungry.
He says he was in foster homes until he was eight and spent time in an orphanage. Natalie says she htinks about her family and how they need a house for their kids and his surgery. She says it all costs. She says the other family is deserving but their family has to come first because no one else is thinking about them. She says she can’t let him give away half. The men are now told to make their trip to the bank. Amari says he wants everyone to be okay.
Amari shows Natalie he chose to keep $90k for them and says he wanted someone to save him but he can’t save everyone and they need to think about their family. Gabe shows her that he wants to keep $80k and give away $20k. He says it will get them out of debt and get them a car and caught up. He says if someone gave them $20k it would be amazing but she says she feels guilty about keeping $80k and says they need to pray about it.
Amari and Natalie get a text saying they’re going to go see their house in New Mexico and their life. The Moyas head to a pro-life protest outside a Planned Parenthood clinic with their kids. Krystal insists it’s not an ugly thing and they just pray but they also have a huge crucifix and some signs. They drive Amari and Natalie past them as they protest and Dave says they do this protest and Amari says he thinks adoption is better than abortion and says he was adopted.
Amari says Krystal and Gabe may not approve of him and Natalie says they may not want money from a transgender family. They go to the Moyas house and says it’s huge and beautiful. Amira says it’s a surprise and Natalie says it’s lovely. They look at the master bedroom which is as big as her grandmother’s whole house. They also see lots of Catholic gear hanging around. Then they look through their late bills and Amari says they’re struggling and it was a prime example you can’t tell by looking.
Natalie says the house overwhelmed her and Amari says if they don’t pay their rent, they won’t have it. The Moyas then head to Miami to look around at Natalie and Amari’s life. Then they head to the poorer part of town where they live. They are told to by Faye to go into their house and look around. They see a Catholic nativity outside then head inside and look at photos. Then they look through their bills and then they see a photo of Amari as Erica with a baby.
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They see the name change kit and a transgender guide. They read about what’s going on with them. Krystal says their faith doesn’t support that. Gabe says as a Catholic, same sex marriage is wrong but says they have young children that need shoes and a roof over their head. Krystal says she wants to support them but they don’t support their lifestyle. Krystal says she wants to know if Amari would use the money for his transition.
They get a text saying they need to make their final decision together then come to LA to give the briefcase to the other couple. Gabe and Krystal says they had to pray a lot about it and Gabe says he would never come to their wedding. Natalie and Amari wonder if they will accept them. The couples shake hands then sit to talk. Natalie says they hope they can – then she stops and says she’s nervous then Dave comes in with a briefcase.
He says they got money and the decision to keep, share or give it all away. Then Faye comes in and they tell them they each got a briefcase with the same amount and they’ve been deciding whether to share with each other. Gabr and Krystal says that was crazy and says he’s excited to see what they’re going to give and doesn’t want to feel like a cheap skate. The producers leave them to talk. Krystal says they come from a firm Catholic belief and says they saw the photos and saw Erica’s true identity.
Krystal says it caught her off guard because their faith doesn’t support it. She says God loves the sinner and hates the sin. Amari says he’s following his heart and knows who he is and is becoming who he is. Krystal says they’re no one to judge and says there’s only one judge. She says she wondered whether to stay true to their faith or help a family in need. Gabe says they decided to give them $10k. Krystal says he’s such a gentle soul and she thinks he’s lost and says God made him and knows who he is.
Awkward… Amari says he knows who he is more than at any other time in his life and says the more he transitions, the happier he is. He says it’s very important and says he feels like he’s locked up for something he didn’t do in the other skin. Krystal says they have never dealt with that. She says it’s against their faith but they don’t want to judge and show God’s love. Natalie says they want to give their kids the same faith and says they took into their struggle and the needs of their family.
Natalie says they have $15k for them. Natalie says they knew they might not accept them but wanted to help them anyway. Amari talks about growing up abused in foster care with no faith and says being in their home inspired him to want to look for faith. Amari says the pro life work is amazing and says they saw them at the protest. Krystal says they’re all serving God and Gabe says money aside, Amari saying he felt something in their home is more than they money.
Amari says he wants to find God and the feeling was strong. Krystal says she’s truly touched and says they’ve opened their eyes too to how beautiful their hearts are. She asks to hug then and Amari says maybe they taught them to be more accepting and open their hearts and minds. Krystal says her heart went out to Amari and says they are a family and are humans in need. Gabe says the reality sets in and says they embrace them as people like them.
