More Than Fine. (Complete)

54- MTF Champion

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     Eventually Jolie gave in and said Gia could move things forward with Nick. It may have had something to do with the fact that if Gia ended up with Nick, she would sometimes get to see Jamal again when he came to visit Nick. Jolie apparently had a crush.

     It wasn't Gia's plan to let Nick back into her heart so quickly, but once they started talking every day, her old feelings quickly resurfaced. They even FaceTimed some and included Jolie. He was more attentive and attuned to Gia's needs than he'd been before, and he never failed to include Jolie with his thoughtfulness.

     Nick surprised Gia when he told her Jamal had been living with him since his birthday at the end of November. After admitting he briefly spiraled out of control when their wedding day passed and Gia hadn't responded to him, Nick said he found out about her move to Charleston during his low time and also heard that she was fostering Jolie while waiting for the adoption to go through. It spurred him on to do more for Jamal, but with Jamal's eighteenth birthday only weeks away he was not adoptable and would be out of the foster care system. Moving Jamal in saved his life, Nick claimed. He'd been so depressed and began drinking heavily. Once he decided to help Jamal, he knew he had to get his act together. Jamal was about to graduate from high school and Nick was determined to make sure he had a home and support to help him reach that milestone. It was amazing to Gia that in the midst of their suffering, two children's lives were forever changed for the better.

     The one thing that continued to nag at Gia was Nick's relationship with Jill. Especially since he started talking to Gia so soon after their breakup. When she pushed him for details he explained that what he had with Jill was never very serious. It mostly happened as a result of their proximity. Jill and he had been working together a lot to hammer out a number of faith based ideas that they planned to integrate into the Forever Friends program over the following year. Quite a few of their meetings were held at her parents' home. They were always insistent he stay for meals, and soon it just became a habit. Jill's parents began to invite him to family events, and next thing he knew he was dating her almost by default. It was the path of least resistance and was another way of distracting himself from what he lost. Another of Gia's worries was whether he had kissed Jill, and he insisted that the one time he thought about it, images of Gia filled his mind and he couldn't follow through. It was a relief, and his admission helped Gia feel more free to move forward with him.

     Somehow Gia found herself inviting him to visit only a month after she'd seen him in New York, and it didn't seem like he could get there soon enough. No matter how much she promised herself to keep her heart in check, the fact was it had never stopped being his.

     Friday he arrived at her office in a rental he picked up from the airport. He wanted to tour the Charleston office before they took off for lunch and a had couple of hours alone before Jolie got out of school. They had a packed weekend planned with Jolie: Dinner and games at home the first night so they could adjust to all being together. A climbing gym and lunch with Matt, Evie, and Evan, a carriage tour downtown, and an evening dinner boat cruise Saturday. Then church and lunch with the Yates and Holden before Nick left Sunday.

     It surprised Gia that Evan wanted to spend time with them at all after his harsh reaction when she told him she was talking with Nick. Knowing it was most likely because of his feelings for her, she tried not to take it to heart. Evie had been hesitant to accept the new situation at first, but could understand why Gia would want to give him another chance. Gia was thankful her best friend was in her side.

     Friday night Jolie seemed reticent at having their family disrupted, but by Saturday she loosened up and was more than accepting of Nick joining in. On Sunday when Gia was helping with Jolie's hair, Jolie even commented that she was sad Nick didn't have longer with them. That was a happy surprise.