*Monique, the fan-favorite returning to “Love Throughout Lockup,” has undergone a dramatic transformation since viewers final noticed her.
After dropping 100 kilos and splitting from her ex on “Love After Lockup,” she’s relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, for a contemporary begin—and a brand new romance with Titus, an inmate she’s by no means met in individual. The brand new season of the favored docuseries debuted January 16, with new episodes airing weekly on We TV and streaming on All Actuality, AMC Networks’ new streaming service delivering the very best in unscripted actuality content material and AMC+.
The transfer to Ohio wasn’t nearly a geographic change; it was particularly for Titus.
“I moved to Ohio particularly for Titus. It was extra like, okay, we knew we have been severe about one another. However we did wish to get to know one another whereas he nonetheless had somewhat little bit of time,” Monique defined. “So, it was like, okay, I’m gonna transfer right here. I’m gonna come go to you. We’re gonna get to know one another extra.”
A Leap of Religion With out Reservations
Deciding to relocate for somebody she’d by no means met in individual was a daring transfer, however Monique didn’t hesitate. She revealed that she intentionally saved her plans personal to keep away from outdoors interference along with her decision-making course of.
“I didn’t have any reservations. When I’ve my thoughts set on one thing, I don’t speak about it with no one as a result of I don’t need anyone to attempt to speak me out of it or make me have second ideas,” she shared. “It was one thing that I knew that I needed to do. I type of saved it to myself till somewhat bit earlier than I moved. I type of advised my household…. my lease is already signed. I already paid my lease. So, I’m leaving.”
A Completely different Sort of Love
Monique’s relationship with Titus stands in stark distinction to her earlier relationship on “Love After Lockup.” She was along with her ex for 2 years earlier than gracing the “Love After Lockup” stage, dealing with a sequence of challenges that examined the energy of their bond. Their journey was marked by stormy episodes, with Monique resorting to excessive measures to quell her insecurities about his constancy.
When requested how her relationship with Titus differs from her previous, Monique defined, “My relationship is completely different with Titus as a result of he uplifts me. He has a very good relationship with God. He’s simply general a peaceable individual. He doesn’t make me really feel insecure in any respect. The belief is 100% there. It’s simply peaceable,” she mentioned.
Nonetheless, this season’s synopsis mentions that Titus desires to maintain tabs on Monique and has admitted uncertainty about their future collectively. Monique clarified that what would possibly seem as belief points is definitely Titus being protecting of her in his hometown.
“I don’t assume Titus has a belief difficulty. I feel extra so with him, he’s very overprotective of me. He’s like that along with his household as nicely,” she defined. “I feel extra so he’s simply being protecting and wish to be certain that I’m OK since I’m in Ohio, which is his metropolis, on my own.”
The Challenges of Jail Romance
The prequel to “Love After Lockup,” “Love Throughout Lockup,” follows six folks outdoors of jail via the early levels of their romance with an inmate. For Monique, the largest hurdle in constructing a relationship with Titus is the bodily distance between them.
“The largest problem isn’t being with him bodily. It’s simply making an attempt to make it work with what we’ve got. What we’ve got is video visits, telephone calls and in-person visits. That’s just about all we’ve got in the meanwhile,” she mentioned.
Regardless of these challenges, Monique discovered herself drawn again to relationship somebody behind bars after unsuccessful makes an attempt at connecting with males on the skin. She candidly shared how she stumbled upon Titus’s profile on Write A Prisoner throughout a second of boredom.
“Earlier than I met Titus, I used to be relationship males who have been free, however we wasn’t having that psychological or emotional connection. I felt like they wasn’t intentional. It was actually arduous to get to know them on a deeper degree,” Monique revealed. “And I used to be similar to, bored one evening. So, I used to be like, let me get on Write A Prisoner and take a look at to do this once more. And he was actually on the primary scroll. I noticed him, and I used to be instantly drawn to him. I reached out to him, and we clicked immediately. It simply felt simple, nothing was arduous about it.”
Desire vs. Connection
When pressed about whether or not she prefers relationship inmates, Monique made it clear that her best relationship includes a person who’s free, however not on the expense of a real connection. Her reply mirrored the complexity of selecting between bodily presence and emotional compatibility.
“I desire a person that’s out. As a result of I like to do couple issues, like going out on dates, touring. I get pleasure from being within the presence of a person, however what’s being within the presence of a person when you don’t have that psychological or emotional connection?” she mentioned. “So, I really feel like Titus, he’ll be launched quickly, and I’ll be capable to get the type of relationship that I really need, which is bodily, clearly.”
Studying Self-Love
Reflecting on her previous relationship, Monique recognized the important thing lesson she’s carried ahead into her romance with Titus: the significance of self-love. She acknowledged that getting into her earlier relationship from a spot of insecurity led to settling for lower than she deserved.
“The recommendation that I might give to myself earlier than I met my ex can be to like your self as a result of I felt at the moment after I bought into that relationship, I didn’t love myself. I used to be very insecure, and I felt like I used to be settling simply to have someone,” Monique admitted. “I really feel like this relationship, I’m undoubtedly taking my very own recommendation. Though folks in all probability really feel like I’m not, as a result of I’m relationship one other inmate, our relationship dynamic is totally completely different from the way it was with my ex. Titus, he uplifts me. He’s all the time motivating me. He makes me really feel so safe. I don’t really feel insecure with him. The belief is there.”
Addressing the Critics
Monique is nicely conscious that critics are judging her present relationship based mostly on her previous experiences. She’s ready to let Titus show himself to skeptics who would possibly assume all incarcerated males are the identical.
“They may decide me from my final relationship as a result of, sure, I used to be with a person who continuously cheated on me. I stayed in that relationship as a result of, like I mentioned, clearly, at the moment, I didn’t know my value. I didn’t love myself. So, okay, cool. Decide me for that,” she mentioned. “However I really feel like Titus will get lots of flak due to my ex… they don’t actually know him. They’re simply judging. They assume all males in jail are the identical. I can say this is likely one of the greatest relationships that I’ve ever been in. I really feel like they must proceed to observe the present, and they’re going to see he’s very sincere. He’s pure, and other people will see for themselves that there’s no similarities with Titus and my ex.”
Wanting Towards the Future
When Titus is launched after serving 14 and a half years, Monique has clear priorities for his or her relationship. Somewhat than dashing into marriage and youngsters, she desires to offer him time to readjust to freedom and rebuild relationships along with his household, together with his son.
“As soon as Titus is launched, at the start, he’s been gone for, by the point he will get out, he’ll have been incarcerated for 14 and a half years. I undoubtedly need him to rebuild relationships along with his household, his son,” Monique shared. “I’m not in a rush to progress our relationship so far as marriage and youngsters, however that’s one thing that I do need in a future, however not instantly. As soon as he will get out, I would like him to get settled trigger it’s been a very long time since he’s been free. I’m not making an attempt to press him with a complete lot of stuff. I would like him to cope with (what’s) on his plate proper now. After which, you understand, we’ve got time to determine our future.”
“Love Throughout Lockup” asks questions like, how do you keep human within the face of a dehumanizing system? How do you construct love and belief when you must reside aside and behind bars? How do you retain the romance alive when each telephone name has a value? For Monique and Titus, the solutions are nonetheless unfolding.
Watch our full dialog with the truth TV star by way of the clip beneath.
*This interview had been edited for size and readability.
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