Joel helped me get settled in at my apartment and made sure I had everything I needed, including groceries, before he left. He’d set me up with a cleaning service, a meal service, even a private nurse for a few days, until I got used to showering with the cast on.
I was relaying all of this to my mother, who’d stopped by my apartment for a visit hours after I was discharged from the hospital.
“I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “Why would you come here? Why not just go home with Joel?”
I couldn’t tell her we were having marital problems in the honeymoon phase. It was too humiliating. “It’s much easier for me to get around my little place. At Joel’s the bedrooms are upstairs and…” She was giving me the look that told me she wasn’t buying what I was selling. I’d seen it too many times as a teen. “What?”
“Are you listening to yourself? You referred to this as your place and the farm as Joel’s house. I thought you two were supposed to be married. Why would you keep this apartment? Something doesn’t add up, Gia.”
I should have expected her to call me out, but I’d hoped the pain killers the doctor prescribed would have taken the edge off her inquisition. No such luck.
“Everything has happened so fast,” I said, taking a sip of the tea she’d made for me. “Between the wedding, getting the house ready for filming, and the show. I didn’t have time to clear this place out, that’s all. Don’t read too much into it, Mom.”
She studied me closely. “When I was grocery shopping the other day, I overheard Johnny tell the checkout girl his boss went back to L.A. on business. Why? And why didn’t you mention it?”
I should have known word would get around that Joel left town. “The house has been a zoo with the crew there. And you know the way Joel is, he likes his privacy.”
“Are you two having trouble, honey?”
I closed my eyes, trying to find the words to soothe her, without lying to her… again. “We’re figuring things out. Joel and I are both new to this relationship thing and let’s just say there have been some growing pains.”
“Well, of course there have! That’s life, girl. You have to learn how to figure things out together, not apart.”
I knew she had a valid point, but there was so much she didn’t understand. “Mom, the truth is, the show’s not going well. They could decide to cut me loose. And honestly, even if they did, I don’t think I’d be devastated, which is crazy. This has been my dream for so long. Without this, what do I have to work towards? Why get out of bed in the morning?”
Tears filled her eyes as she touched my cheek. “Oh, my sweet girl. You’ve always been a dreamer. And I never wanted to be the one to tell you to plant your feet on the ground, but I think now might be the time for a little tough love.”
I sank into the overstuffed sectional cushions, groaning. “It’s already been a tough day. Do we have to do this now?”
“Yes, we do.” She sighed. “Because I love you and I’m not going to sit by and watch you screw up the best thing that’s ever happened to you, so listen up!”
My mild-mannered mother rarely raised her voice, so when she did, I always took notice. “Fine.” I set my tea down and crossed my arms, trying not to sulk.
“A mother wants nothing more than to see her child happy and settled with someone who loves them. I’ve waited forever for you to find that.”
I frowned. “It hasn’t exactly been forever. You make me sound ancient.”
She smiled. “You know what I mean. It’s not like you’ve had a lot of near-misses, honey. No guys that you thought were ‘the one’ and I always believed that was because you were meant to be with Joel. I could see, even when y’all were teens that you had a special connection. I just can’t believe it took you two so long to figure it out.”
“I guess we’re slow.”
She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “That’s what I’ve been telling your daddy.”
“Gee, thanks.”
She patted my knee. “No shame in that, it takes some people longer to figure things out, that’s all.” She sighed. “But when you told us you two were finally getting married, I couldn’t have been happier.” She clasped her hands under her chin. “I thought you were finally going to give us those grandbabies we’ve been praying for.”
“No pressure or anything,” I muttered, earning the stink-eye from her.
“You’ve always wanted this sweet, simple, quiet life in the country, like you had growing up. I don’t understand how you got caught up in this social media nonsense in the first place.”
“It’s not nonsense, Mom.” I made a conscious effort to unclench my teeth. “It’s my business. A lot of people are making a living as influencers—”
She waved me off. “I know, I know, I’ve heard it all before. And I tried to support you because I knew you were determined to make this work, but you just said yourself you got the big prize, a show of your own, and it didn’t make you happy. So, now what?”
“I don’t know,” I said, quietly. “I’m trying to figure that out.”
“Sweetie, I know this isn’t easy. And being a stay-at-home mom isn’t for every woman. But you’ve always talked about wanting kids. Now that you and Joel have finally found each other again, don’t you want to have a family with him?”
