Bennett And Daya's Mom: What Really Happened?

In the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, Correctional Officer John Bennett and inmate Dayanara Daya Diaz have a relationship. Daya's mother, Aleida, does not approve of the relationship and tries to blackmail Bennett. It is not clear if Bennett sleeps with Daya's mother, but he does leave Daya without saying goodbye while she is pregnant with his child.

Daya and Bennett's relationship development

Daya and Bennett's relationship begins in "Tit Punch" when Daya asks Bennett for a piece of gum. Bennett replies with "I can't do that. It'd look funny... Like I like you", to which Daya replies, "don't you?". Later in the episode, Daya finds a piece of gum under her blanket on her bed and smiles to herself. They flirt and leave each other notes, which is exciting for Daya. However, their relationship takes a turn when Daya finds out about Bennett's leg. They have sex and Daya gets pregnant. All of a sudden, their relationship becomes very serious, with Bennett proposing to Daya with a gum wrapper ring, promising that they will "find so much happiness". However, Bennett panics and leaves town without saying goodbye to Daya, leaving her hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed.

Daya is forced to cope with the painful internal struggle of being dumped and figuring out who should care for her unborn child. She eventually decides to give the baby up for adoption to Delia Powell, the mother of the baby's presumed father, Pornstache. However, she changes her mind upon learning that her own mother, Aleida, arranged the adoption to cash in on the deal. Despite this, Daya decides to put her child first and lets Delia raise the baby.

Before Daya goes into labour, she and Aleida have an honest conversation about the baby's future, and Daya admits that she wants to raise her baby herself. Moments later, Daya starts bleeding and is rushed to the hospital. Aleida calls Delia and tells her that the baby, a boy, died in childbirth, but this is a lie. The baby, a girl, is healthy, and Aleida lied to Delia so that Daya could keep her.

Throughout their relationship, Bennett and Daya face many challenges, including pregnancy, family interference, and betrayal. Despite this, they seem to have a strong connection, with Bennett proposing to Daya and Daya fighting to keep her baby. However, Bennett's abrupt departure leaves Daya hurt and confused, and she is forced to make difficult decisions about her child's future without him.

Daya's pregnancy

At some point, they had sex, and Daya became pregnant. It is not clear exactly when or how this happened, as the show does not explicitly show it. However, in one scene, Bennett is seen taking off a condom, to which Daya gives him permission, and later on, Daya is seen taking birth control pills, indicating that she may have gotten pregnant on purpose.

However, Bennett's abrupt departure from the show in Season 3 leaves Daya heartbroken and pregnant. She is forced to cope with the reality of being a prisoner and having no control over what happens to her unborn child. Eventually, she considers giving the baby up for adoption to Delia Powell, the mother of the baby's presumed father, Pornstache. After changing her mind due to her mother's interference, Daya ultimately decides to keep the baby, a girl, and raise her while in prison.

Bennett's disappearance

Secondly, Bennett is subjected to blackmail and manipulation by multiple characters, including Daya's mother, Aleida, and the other Spanish-speaking inmates. They take advantage of his vulnerability and use it to their gain, further complicating his situation.

Additionally, Bennett's encounter with Cesar, Daya's psychotic, heroin-dealer uncle, is a significant turning point. Cesar's violent and intimidating behaviour, particularly when he points a gun at a child, likely scares Bennett and makes him realise the dangerous family dynamics he would be marrying into.

Finally, the actor who played Bennett, Matt McGorry, left the show for another opportunity, which contributed to the abrupt nature of his character's disappearance.

In conclusion, Bennett's disappearance can be attributed to the illegal nature of his relationship, blackmail, the intimidating presence of Cesar, and the departure of the actor who played him.

Daya's decision to give the baby up for adoption

Daya's decision to give her baby up for adoption was influenced by several factors. Firstly, she was faced with the reality that she was in jail and had limited control over her child's future. She initially explored the possibility of adoption with Delia Powell, the mother of the baby's presumed father, Pornstache. Daya believed that her child would have a better life with Delia, who could provide a financially comfortable home. However, she later changed her mind when she discovered that her own mother, Aleida, had arranged the adoption to profit from the deal.

As Daya's due date approached, she had a heartfelt conversation with Aleida, where she admitted that she wanted to raise her baby herself rather than give her up for adoption. Unfortunately, Aleida lied to Delia, telling her that the baby had died during childbirth, so that Daya could keep her child. This decision put a strain on Daya's relationship with her mother, as she knew that Aleida's actions were wrong, but she also felt a sense of loyalty and compassion towards her.

Throughout this difficult time, Daya was also dealing with the betrayal and abandonment by her boyfriend, Bennett, who left without a word and was never heard from again. This left Daya feeling hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed, as she had believed that Bennett truly loved her. Despite all the challenges and uncertainties, Daya ultimately chose to keep her baby, demonstrating her strength and maturity as a mother.

Daya's mother's betrayal

Daya's mother, Aleida, betrays her daughter in a number of ways. Firstly, she is against her daughter's relationship with Bennett from the start. When Daya gets pregnant, Aleida blackmails Bennett and makes it acceptable for other inmates to do the same. She also goes behind Daya's back and tries to sell the unborn baby.

After Daya gives birth, Aleida continues to betray her daughter. She arranges for the baby to be adopted by Delia Powell, the mother of the baby's presumed father, Pornstache, without Daya's consent. Daya eventually decides to let Delia raise the baby, but when she finds out about Aleida's arrangement, she changes her mind. However, Aleida once again goes behind her daughter's back and lies to Delia, saying that the baby has died. In reality, the baby is healthy, and Aleida keeps her, going against Daya's wishes.

This betrayal has a major effect on Daya, who feels hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed by her mother's actions. It also causes a setback in their relationship, with Daya questioning whether she should forgive her mother or not. Despite this, Daya still has compassion for her mother and hopes that Bennett will return to be the one person in her life who won't disappoint her.

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