Sumith Prasad
Dr. Asher Wolke and Jerome Martel form one of the most endearing relationships in ABC’s medical series ‘The Good Doctor.’ Asher arrives in San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital after separating himself from his family members, who do not initially accept his sexual orientation. When the surgical resident goes through a rough patch in his life, Jerome stands by him. The couple has epitomized compatibility and togetherness among their peers, who are dealing with separations of some sort. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that the viewers are startled to see them fight in the seventeenth episode of the sixth season, confronting their break-up at a distance. So, will they separate? Here’s what we can share! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Asher and Jerome’s Relationship Reconciled Despite Challenges
The seventeenth episode of the sixth season follows several tumultuous interactions between Asher and Jerome. The change in the appealing couple is even visible at the OR as Dr. Alex Park and Dr. Audrey Lim take notice of the same. Asher’s best friend at the hospital Dr. Jordan Allen doesn’t fail to notice that something’s wrong with the couple as well. When Asher and Jerome’s fights grow out of control, Park and Lim talk to them, only for the nurse to reveal that he is HIV positive. Due to his medication, his viral load has decreased significantly, which made it undetectable. Since he is poz undetectable, he can’t transmit the virus to his partner as well.
Asher doesn’t fight with Jerome because the latter is HIV positive. The surgical resident fails to tolerate the fact that his partner hid such an important part of his life from him, which changes the way he sees the latter. Asher has been under the impression that he and Jerome are completely honest and open about the major elements that form their lives. When he realizes that his partner has been lying to him by omission, it breaks him, which leads them to passive-aggressive fights and the possibility of a breakup. Jerome, on the other hand, tries to defend himself.
As far as Jerome is concerned, he had to decide to hide the truth about him being HIV positive way before he even met Asher. Jerome knows that it is not easy to be open about it without having to deal with the prejudices associated with the same. After getting acquainted with the reality of it as a secret, he doesn’t force himself to reveal the same to Asher after their union. Jerome knows that Asher, as a doctor, is capable enough to understand that the latter is safe with him. But his fear stops him from opening up to his partner, threatening their endearing togetherness.
Still, Asher and Jerome do not break up. Asher eventually must have understood why his partner had to hide such a part of himself. In addition, Jerome is Asher’s “first love.” He may not want to throw away their relationship because of something Jerome can’t even be blamed for. He listens to Park and Lim, two experts in separations, who tell him that it is always better to work on a beautiful relationship than throw it away. The surgical resident then talks to the nurse to clear the air between them. They reconcile after the fights by reaffirming their love for each other.
Since Asher and Jerome resolve the issues between them, it is unlikely that they will break up. They open up about the secrets they have been hiding from each other to make sure that they wouldn’t be in the same position in the future. Jerome admits to liking pumpkin spice latte and running over a raccoon, only for Asher to reveal that his beautiful cufflinks were bought by him as a gift for the former. Through the revelation of these little secrets, Asher and Jerome get closer than ever and strengthen their relationship.
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