Christmas is a time for family, but will the maligned Josh Duggar be released from sex addition rehab in time to spend it with his in Arkansas?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well aware that the eldest of TLC’s 19 Kids & Counting checked into rehab in August.
After being outed as a child molester (of his own sisters no less) and a serial cheater/Ashley Madison user, he hasn’t been seen since.
Confessing he was a secret porn addict who had been unfaithful to wife Anna Duggar, the 27-year-old shuffled off to Illinois in disgrace.
What exactly goes on at Reformers Unanimous – described by some as more Christian labor camp than rehab center – no one knows.
Similarly, no one knows when he will be set free.
A source close to the family says that even though he’s been there for months, it would be a surprise if he returns home for the holidays.
“I don’t think he’s going to be back for Christmas,” says the insider close to the ginormous Arkansas brood. “I would be surprised.”
“There would be a huge elephant in the room.”
That’s one way to put it, and his presence has loomed large over TLC’s Jill & Jessa: Counting On, which airs Sundays on the network.
Despite its ostensible focus on Jill and Jessa Duggar, Josh – and his family’s commentary on Josh – have dominated the first two episodes.
His family is beyond pissed, but they love Anna, and well, Anna loves him. It sure doesn’t look like she has any plans to leave Josh.
“It’s so hard when it comes to the kids,” says the source of Josh and Anna’s children, Marcus, Mackenzie, Michael and Meredith Grace.
“They miss their dad. They’re like ‘Where’s daddy?’ They’ve said it before.”
According to the source, Anna and Meredith visited Josh in rehab a month ago, with Josh’s little brother John-David flying in with them.
“She said, ‘It was the best three days of my life,’ says the source, and fair Anna was similarly upbeat on the most recent Counting On.
In an on-camera interview, she said that her “prayer and hope is for our marriage to be restored,” basically putting divorce chatter to rest.
One thing is sure – no matter what you think of Josh, many fans think Anna is a positive role model, and the family is focusing on forgiveness.
They were monumentally let down, but says the source, “[Josh’s dad] Jim Bob keeps saying this is just another new level of forgiveness.”
