More Than Fine. (Complete)

49- MTF Bare Your Soul

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     They say that time heals all wounds, and while Gia certainly hoped that was true, from where she was standing she couldn't see it happening in her own life. At this point there were so many wounds to her heart that making it better would take a transplant. She was the walking wounded, pasting on smiles each day and crying at night.

     Now that she was living with Evie in Charleston, she was coping better in some ways, but even though three months had passed since the breakup, thoughts of what she lost were never far from her mind. And if that wasn't sad enough, it was now two weeks before what would have been her wedding. Evie convinced Gia to start therapy, but the past three weeks of it seemed more like the first phase of organizing an overpacked closet with all her junk pulled out and strewn around; at this point her life just felt messy and overwhelming. The putting it back together would hopefully come sooner rather than later.

     For Nick's part, he had been messaging her only two or three times a week "to give her space", and he was sending flowers once a week to Evie's parents' house for Gia. Barb said she loved having fresh flowers every week, but urged Gia to tell him she'd moved. Several things kept her from doing that. For one she didn't want to communicate with him, lest it get either of their hopes up. Also she was worried that once he knew she wasn't living there, he would figure out where she was living, and if she received those flowers every week, it would be painful. That and at some point she feared she might give in and get back with him, only to feel the daily torture of seeing the man who killed her parents every day.

     The fact that she'd left Jolie was another frustration for her. Gia had been visiting her every other week while she still had the New York apartment, and planned to go up to close it out at the end of the month. After the most recent visit, an idea began to form an in Gia's mind, and she started looking up information on adoption. She might be broken in many ways, but she had love to give to a child, specifically Jolie who had become an important part of her life. Her current foster family didn't care for her the way they should, and had no intention to adopt her. Gia hadn't mentioned it to Jolie, but wanted to make sure it was something she could achieve before getting Jolie's hopes up.

     After doing some research on private Christian schools in the area, she'd found one that would be a good fit for Jolie through high school. Holden, her coworker, had a sister who also had a thirteen year old eighth grader and recommended it. It was only about a twenty minute drive from her office in historic Charleston, and not only that, there were several nice neighborhoods close to the school where she could buy a home. Gia had been reluctant to use much of the money her grandfather had put into the trust for her, especially now that she knew it had come from Nick. The last time she did use any was to purchase things for New York, like furniture and work clothes. This was something she felt comfortable using the money for. She'd only use enough for the down payment, and her salary was plenty to cover a fifteen year monthly mortgage on the homes she was considering. Jolie's case worker was very positive when Gia contacted her about the possibility of adoption, and told her the biological mom had recently mentioned she would let Jolie be adopted. If she started the process right away, it was possible that the adoption could go through by spring. During her visit at the end of October she planned to ask Jolie to be her forever family. That thought gave her hope in the midst of her sadness about Nick.

     When the week of Gia and Nick's wedding arrived, she threw herself into work. Evie, Matt, and Evan were taking her on a surprise trip, and they were leaving Thursday afternoon. They refused to tell her the destination, and Evie was even packing Gia's bags.

     The day of the trip they picked her up from work at 3:30, made a pit stop at 7, and just before 10 they were pulling past the Walt Disney World welcome sign. As if God himself gave her a sign, there was even a rainbow from the recent rain. Her friends had planned three busy days at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. By the time they departed Sunday, after an early dinner, she was exhausted. The only thoughts she'd had of Nick were from his now daily texts, actually two the day of their planned wedding. She never opened them, but only read the words on her lock screen. He continued to tell her he loved her and missed her. Gia had never felt so thankful for friends. Without them she wouldn't have gotten through the weekend. Once they were home, she found out Nick had sent flowers both Friday and Saturday in honor of their rehearsal and wedding.