The Split
Last night was great. Gina and Brody haven’t had a moment alone in forever. Gina had fully recovered from surgery and she was ready to begin Dancing in the Minefields on Broadway, in a few weeks, and Brody just announced signing to a Christian Music Label to make an album with Sower’s Cove Worship. Gina and Brody had no commitments to meet for a few weeks and they could focus on just the two of them.
They sat on Gina’s balcony enjoying fresh croissants, fruit, and French-pressed coffee. Gina didn’t have her best friend near to monitor her screen time and hold her accountable to not scroll through social media or keep from looking at the latest gossip about her. Feeling no guilt, Gina googled Brona (the celebrity name of her and Brody) and found tons of stories about them. Majority of them rumored Gina was pregnant. A couple said they were engaged. One source claimed they eloped… Gina wished that was true.
Eight months ago, when they got back together the fourth time, before this time… Brody wanted to whisk her away and elope in Greece, but both their friends and their families put a stop to that when they breathed the word marriage.
Brody was Gina’s first love and she was his. They shared a lot of first experiences together. Their first time to the grammys. Their first real relationship kiss. Their first time having sex. Their first pregnancy scare. Their first tattoo… luckily not of each other’s name… ironically, the same name though… He got “Jesus, Savior” tattooed on his ribcage in French and she got “Jesus” in Hebrew tattooed on her left wrist.
Gina pictured becoming Mrs. Brody Scott Dault one day, but they both became insanely famous at the same time. They both started drinking and doing drugs and they both did stupid things to hurt each other.
Like the first time Brody cheated on her. She cheated on him with his career rival to make him jealous. After their first break-up, Brody started dating her childhood friend out of spite. She Tweeted Brody was abusive just to get back at him.
After their third break up, they both went through their equivalent of hell. Brody experienced such depression that he got a few DUIs, tanked a few live shows, and accidentally ran over a paparazzi photographer. Gina suffered depression too, but she got incredibly sick which led to her diagnosis of lupus.
Something shifted inside of her. She was hungry to find real purpose in her life. When she began chemotherapy (just a pill treatment plan) for lupus, she’d wake up every morning staring at “Jesus” written on her wrist, and that led her to go searching for more of God… who she found.
She started going to Sower’s Cove Church in New York. During Q & A’s after her Broadway shows, she found herself testifying about the goodness of God. And in a short amount of time, she was onstage with Sower’s Cove Worship- one of the most popular worship groups in Christian Music- leading worship.
Then suddenly, her dream of crossing over to television happened. She got a job starring as an up and coming actress on Broadway. While the show was at its height of popularity, she got opportunities to voice characters for kid movies and to star in indie films. And every interview she had, she found herself thanking God.
As her life got on track, firmly building upon Christ at the center. Brody’s life spun into a deeper mess. So she did what she could only do, she prayed. She prayed for Brody daily.
Soon after that, he was hanging out with the pastor of Sower’s Cove L.A. campus and his life turned around. He restored his relationship with Jesus Christ and in the middle of his concerts, he broke out into worship.
He called her to get back together the fourth time. They laid all the cards out on the table. No sex- of any kind- until they got married. Devotions every day together via phone or in person. Never be alone without friends or family present (so they wouldn’t have sex). Things were great for a month. They grew closer by getting to know the-more-mature-versions-of-themselves, but then things kept happening that brought the worst out in each other. The fought and they fought ugly… yelling at one another. Throwing things at each other and out the window… it was baaaaaaddddd…
That break up was all Gina… needing a break from the drama… she felt it wasn’t good for her health. And the headlines were not good for either of their careers.
When Gina found out she needed a kidney transplant, she was believing God for a miracle. She needed a miraculous healing or a new kidney fast, or she was going to die young. Fortunately, a match was found from a family member, her Aunt Mia- her father’s sister and six months later she was doing well and her body hasn’t rejected the transplant.
Her lupus seemed to be fully under control with no flare ups in a few months. For the first time, in a long time, Gina was super hopeful. She was returning to Broadway. Right now she had another TV show was in the works, in which she would star and produce. The last film she starred in got her golden globe and SAG-AFTRA nominations. Everyone in Hollywood was convinced she’d be nominated for an Oscar. Her career was right where it needed to be.
They’re back together for the fifth time because of her… She was in LA, visiting a friend and they both went to church. Brody was there, leading worship and in that moment, she saw the man she always felt Brody could be. She missed him. They went out to lunch. Herself, Brody, Pastor Ronny, his wife Gail, Riley Hall (yes- the Riley Hall- TV Personality and the young female American version of David Beckham), and Gina’s best friend. On the way out the door, Gina pulled Brody aside and told him the truth. She missed him. She still loved him. And she regretted breaking up with him the last time. She asked if he would take her back. At that moment, he said he had to think about it.
He looked like James Dean, hanging his head and his de-shelved sandy blond bangs hung in his face. Out of the corner of his green-blue eyes, he pensively stared at Gina. Who nervously bit her bottom lip, and twirled a strand of long black hair around her finger. A few seconds later, Brody’s serious stare broke out into a smile and he took Gina in his arms and he kissed her. That was two months ago.
For two months, their relationship has been solid, but they haven’t had much alone time together.
Brody was finishing the final leg of his “Meaning” Tour. Making headlines by holding worship in the middle of every concert. Gina’s dad and his wife Carla, had a new baby and Gina went to help Carla out and to bond with her first baby brother, Milo Marciano, Junior.
Yesterday, Gina flew home to her place in New York, because in a few days rehearsals started for Dancing in the Minefields, and Brody was waiting by her door with a bouquet of Gerber Daisies. Overjoyed to see each other face to face, they didn’t care about their rule about NOT BEING ALONE TOGETHER.
They were good. They sat on opposite ends of the room as they talked until 2 am in the morning. She went to bed in her room and he went to bed in the spare room.
Now, they sat on the balcony overlooking central park.
GUIDE TO THE STARS just posted an article on their website with the featured image of Gina and Brody eating their brunch now. Laughing she showed Brody.
Gina: Look, according to the GUIDE we’re newlyweds expecting a baby! Isn’t that sweet?
Brody: (chuckling) I wish.
Confused, Gina set the phone on the table and leaned back in her black iron chair. The fall nippy air breezed across her cheeks. She readjusted her robe to make her feel warmer. Glaring at Brody, she asked him to clarify.
Brody: (thoughtfully) Well, we should be married by now… and I can’t wait to start a family with you.
Did he not hear anything he said last night? For now, she just wanted to focus on the Musical, and her TV Show, and maybe she’ll finally put out that album… She will barely have time for their relationship for the next nine months. She can’t be thinking about marriage, let alone having a family.
Taking care of Milo was a lot of work… He like never slept and cried all the time. How could she handle late nights while needing to rest for shows or go to meetings.
Gina: I can’t wait to get married either, but-
Sliding out his seat he got on his knees at Gina’s feet, and Brody took her hands gently.
Brody: Marry me then. Let’s stop waiting and finally start our life together.
Gina: We’re both going to be really busy, when do you suggest we fit a wedding into our plans.
Brody: I don’t care when, I just want to know that you do want to marry me.
Gina broke eye contact with him. She was afraid to say “yes” without knowing how badly he wanted children. She retracted her hands from his grasp and nervously took to chewing on her left thumbnail.
Frustrated, Brody sighed. He ran his fingers through his bedhead hair as he stood up.
Brody: Why are we even back together if you don’t want to get married… eventually…
Defensively, Gina stood up and wrapped him in her arms as she rested her head on his back.
Gina: I want to marry you so badly… but…
Brody walked out of her embrace and he turned to face her. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned forward to interrogate her about the matter.
Brody: Then why hesitate to say yes? Should I have gotten you a ring? Oh wait-
He pulled a small red box out his gray sweatpants and cracked open that box to reveal a very shiny, very big, diamond ring.
Brody: I got ahead of myself, but I have the ring… I’ve had it for a while… I got it a few days after we got back together… Riley helped me pick it out.
Great… Gina thought… Riley helped pick out the ring.
Brody could sense he said something or did something wrong.
Brody: How did I screw up this time?
Gina: You didn’t… not really…
Gina wasn’t going to start a fight over something so trivial. She reached for the box and took it from Brody to get a better look at it. The ring was perfect. Riley had good taste. Brody walked up to Gina and held her by the shoulders. He leaned his head against Gina’s forehead. He took a deep breath.
Brody: I love you Gina… I never stopped loving you.
Gina: I love you so much, Brody.
Brody kissed Gina and Gina kissed him back and she closed the ring box and tucked in her robe pocket. Not breaking their lip lock, he headed towards the balcony doors and Gina followed his lead walking backwards. The passion was more intense between them than it ever was before. When they both realized they were about to go too far, they disengaged and distanced themselves from each other. Gina stood inside and Brody stayed outside. The threshold of the open sliding door keeping them apart.
Brody: So that’s a yes? We’re engaged?
Gina: How important is it to you to have kids?
Brody: We had the kid conversation like on our second date. Family is just as important to me as it is to you. Don’t we both want kids?
Gina: That was six years ago Brody. A lot has changed.
Brody: Someone who wanted like five kids doesn’t suddenly want zero kids six years later, or is that the case now?
Gina:(shrugging her shoulder) That may be the case now.
Brody covered his face with his hands as he turned his back to Gina. He groaned heavily, the grunt muffled by his cupped hands over his face. Clasping his hands on his head, he held his elbows up at each side… without even looking at Gina he asked her why she changed her mind.
Gina: I have lupus.
Dropping his hands at his sides he turned back to argue.
Brody: Women with lupus have babies all the time.
Gina: I’m a kidney transplant recipient… between that and my lupus… the odds of premature birth and a risky pregnancy is so much higher. The chance of miscarriages… are higher too… Having children would be really challenging for us…
Brody: We serve a mighty God. A miracle working, awesome God. One way or another as long as we believe we’ll get a miracle.
Gina: I’ve been believing for a miracle for years and I still have lupus! I prayed to get healed so I wouldn’t have to get surgery and I still needed surgery… For whatever reason, I have to live out my life with lupus and I don’t want to make it harder. I don’t want kids at least… not naturally…
Brody: So you want to adopt.
Gina: Yeah… maybe…
Brody: Well, how else would we have children?
Gina: Surrogacy.
Brody: No.
Gina: There were concubines in the Bible… Surrogacy is the modern form of that.
Brody: No, it’s not that… I want to marry you. I want to make a family with you and however we do that, I’m fine with it… but you not wanting to have kids can’t be why you’re not saying yes… what’s the real reason?
He knew her so well. Maybe too well…
Last night she dreamt and when she woke up, she remembered.
She was on the beach, at sunset… She recognized the place. It was Brody’s property in the Bahamas. The beach part was set up for a wedding. The guests were there. The groom’s side and the bride’s side filled with many people they knew. Brody was in position. Pastor Ronny was in position ready to officiate the ceremony. Brody’s side had his whole family and his friends and his people from the old label and the new. And though the Bride’s side was filled with people Gina knew, it lacked the people that counted… like her family.
She watched the bridesmaids walk down the aisle… not one of them were dressed in a color she would approve and not one of them was her best friend. And when Gina saw the bride wasn’t her… Gina cried… in her dream… not even waking up.
Brody: Who was the bride again?
Gina: Riley… you were marrying Riley… not me.
Brody: Riley and I have never dated. We’ve never kissed. We’re just friends.
Gina: I know and I believe you.
Gina stepped forward and placed her hands on Brody’s chest. She repeated again and again that she believed him as he defended his friendship with Riley.
Brody: Maybe I should go and give you some time to think about whether you want to be with me or not.
Brody brushed past her but she caught him by the wrist. She rotated to look at him.
Gina: You love the beach. You love your house in the Bahamas. You would love to get married there. And I don’t know Riley very much, but I know she’s at the beach all the time. The reliable sources always report so.
Brody: But you always wanted to get married in a church…
Gina: I still do…
Brody: What are you saying? You had a prophetic dream I’m supposed to be with Riley?
Gina: I think we need to pray and we need to ask God, if we can build a strong marriage together…
Brody this whole time hadn’t looked at Gina. He took control of his arm and walked away…
A few days later… Brody met Gina outside the theatre booked for her new musical. Brody wore his square black shades, his biker leather jacket, a white tee, and faded blue jeans. Gina was in her dance practice gear- a black tank and gray sweats. She wore her choreographer’s oversized hoodie to stay warm from the fall chill.
Brody rocked the de-shelved, untamed hairdo. Gina rocked the messy, loose, bun…
Brody: Before we got back together this time, that morning I asked Pastor Ronny and Ms. Gail what they thought if I asked Riley out… I was convinced we would never get back together… I finally felt like I was over you… and I’m ready to be married. I want to be a dad while I’m young… But more than just that, I’m ready to focus on making a family and when we got back together… I thought you were finally ready for that too.
Gina: (crying) So you do have feelings for Riley?
Brody: I guess… I don’t know… She’s just my best friend… I’ve never had a best friend like her. I can talk about anything with her… I don’t even know if she likes me.
Gina: (wiping her tears with the hoodie sleeves) We need to split up. I think we just really want really different things…
Brody: (taking Gina by the arms) No, I’m here to tell you. I choose you. I want you. You were my first love and I want you to be my last, and if I have to give up my friendship with Riley… I will… And I’m okay if we never have children… I just want you.
Shaking her head, she backed up out of his clutch.
Gina: Did you pray?
Brody: God doesn’t put people together Gina. We are free to choose who we want to be with…
Gina: And I agree, but we both know there are no coincidences with God! And the day you propose to me, the night before, I have a dream about you and your best friend getting married in a mutual favorite venue? That was a sign! And I haven’t eaten in three days and when I wasn’t memorizing lines I was praying and before I got here today, I have heard God more clearly than I have in a long time. We’re not right for each other. We shouldn’t get married.
Brody: Gina-
Gina: Am I another one of your best friends? Can you talk to me about everything like you do with Riley?
Brody: Gina that’s not fair… Riley’s just been there for a long time. You’re being ridiculous!
Gina: Well, let me make this clear. I don’t want to be with you. (Taking the ring box out of her pants pocket, she hands him the box back, cupping it in his hands.) I won’t marry you Brody.
Brody broke down crying. Without hesitating Gina held him and rubbed his back.
Gina: (whispering in his ear) It’s okay… Everything will be okay…
Four months later, Brody posted a picture on his Twitter account of Riley on his lap, with the Bahamian setting sun behind them, on his Bahamian house deck and Tweeted: The LOVE of my life said “YES”! I’m so grateful God gave me you and I could not be happier to marry the woman of my dreams. I want us to have a godly family and I pray everyday God leads me to be the man you and our family needs. I love you so much!
Everyone tried to get Gina’s thoughts. On the street, on the phone, during interviews, but she stayed quiet. No one knew how they broke up or even why and it was going to stay that way. Did it hurt to see Brody with Riley? The queen of reality tv and the number one female soccer player in the world, probably going to the next Olympics… Who also happened to be beautiful enough to be a model… oh, she was that sometimes… for cosmetics and sports gear. Hot. Girl. Sports. Gear. Yes, it hurt that he only waited a week to start dating her. It hurt that he got engaged out of nowhere, fourth months to the day after breaking up.
But Dancing in the Minefields was a wild success. The pilot to her TV show got picked up by the number one network currently. And she did get that Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Right now she was living in the promise of an amazing career and she used every opportunity to make Jesus more famous than herself. For now and maybe forever, Jesus was enough.
Note from the Author:
I know what you’re thinking?! Yes, I was mildly inspired by those celebrities who both are singers, one is an actress, and the male singer got engaged to someone who wasn’t that famous singer who acts… So what does this factor make this story? I guess a bit of fan fiction. I have no idea how they split and I mean no disrespect to them. I love their witness for Jesus the Messiah and if I never meet them in this life, I’m excited to meet them in Paradise in Eternity.
But the bottom line is, this entire story was inspired by their break up and I thought about these possibilities as being the reason why they did. NO ONE BUT THEM AND WHO THEY TOLD KNOW WHY.
And if you live in a bubble and have no idea who I based the characters on, then I hope you enjoyed the story about two famous people who loved each other but broke up.
Tune in next SUNDAY for “BUSSING IT” to continue. If you haven’t read part one, check it out now in the archive, as you like:)
Much love,
