#juniper morales

When we were last in Chestnut Ridge, we met Rita. We also learned that Phoenix’s dad, Joseph, was in love with her. And it was pretty clear the feeling was mutual. However, for reasons described in the screenshots above, they were taking things very slow.

They would steal small moments together, but never quite took the leap to making anything official. Maybe it was fear.. maybe it was not wanting the other to feel pressured.. maybe both.. but they got stuck in this place.. waiting for some "perfect time" when it would feel safe to take the next step.

About a year and a half later, Phoenix and Joseph received some terrible news. Phoenix’s uncle/Joseph’s brother, Julian, was very sick. Within a few months, he was gone.

[a few of my fave Julian moments ❤️ I loved that he got to reconnect with Joseph (or Joey, as he called him), to meet Aspen, and to officiate Phoenix's wedding (tho the wedding gameplay version of him will forever be my favorite) Miss you Julian bb 🥺]

For a while, Joseph felt as though he was drowning in grief. Most days he didn’t think he’d ever find his way out. All he wanted to do was drink. To numb the pain.

But he didn’t.

Rita showed up every day. She brought food. She took Joseph to meetings. She and her kids hung out with Danny and helped out on the ranch.

Her presence gave him hope. Her support gave him strength.

Little by little, Joseph started having more good days than bad. And he realized that life is too short to not allow himself to live it. To love. And to be loved.

So, he asked Rita on a date.

On that date… he proposed!

And Rita said Yes!

They had a very small, but beautiful, ceremony on the ranch.

There were mixed feelings amongst their kids..

Phoenix was happy for his dad. He knows how much Rita means to him, and he and Dawn both love Rita as well.

Danny (Phoenix's half brother) was excited! He loves Rita too! Plus, getting two more siblings, one of which was his best friend? Even better!

Rita's son, Cedar was not as excited tho. He’s close to his dad, and even though it had been years since his parents’ divorce, he always held out hope that they’d get back together, and they’d all be a family again. He blamed Joseph for ruining this possibility, and took it out on Danny, causing a rift in their friendship for a while.

Juniper, Cedar’s younger sister, felt torn. Cedar made her feel like she was betraying her dad by being excited. But she liked Joseph and Danny, and she liked being at their house, and her mom looked so happy.

So, it took some time to adjust, but..

Today, all three kids are teenagers! Cedar and Juniper still spend half their time with their dad, Luis, and half their time with their mom and Joseph.

Cedar and Danny have repaired their friendship, and are best friends once again. And while Cedar has warmed up to Joseph, he still refuses to acknowledge him as a father figure. To do so, still feels like a betrayal to his dad.

Juniper has embraced Joseph as her stepdad (she calls him “Papa Joe”). She sees her family as expanding, not being taken away or replaced, and she hopes one day Cedar will too.

Danny is an easy-going and optimistic teen. He has a joy for life that is contagious. It's hard not to smile around him. He's popular, but not part of any particular clique. He gets along with just about everyone. But he still prefers spending time with animals. He has a special connection to them that few people understand.

Danny: She likes you. Dawn: I like her too. She’s very sweet. Danny: D’you wanna brush her coat?

Phoenix: Careful. Before you know it, he’ll have you doing all his chores. Danny: You like feeding the goats. Phoenix: I do. But I can’t find Lucky. Danny: She’s probably with the chickens. You can scatter feed for them while you’re over there if you want. Phoenix: See what I mean? Dawn: [laughs] Where’s the brush?

Dawn: Rita, hi. I didn’t know you were coming by. Rita: The kids wanted to see Danny, so I figured I’d take the excuse to see how Sunny is settling in. Dawn: I don’t know anything about horses, but she seems to be doing well. Rita: Good. She seems to have taking a liking to you. Dawn: Well, the feeling is mutual.

Rita: Have you ever ridden a horse? Dawn: No, this is my first time being around them at all. Rita: There’s nothing like it. Would you like to try? Dawn: Really? Rita: Sure. Sunny is such a calm horse, you’ll be fine. C’mon, I’ll help you.

Joseph: Your wife is showing you up over there. Phoenix: I’m used to it. She’s always been better than me at everything. Except maybe snowboarding, but that’s probably because she’s never liked it enough to really try. Joseph: So, you’ll fly down that mountain on your little board, doing your fancy flips and tricks, but you won’t get back on a horse? Phoenix: Like I said, I learned my lesson last time.

Joseph: How many times did you fall on your ass before you got good at snowboarding? Phoenix: More times than I can count. Joseph: Well? Phoenix: Well, my board doesn’t have a mind of its own. Joseph: True. You can’t just make the horse do what you want, you have to communicate. You have to trust each other.

Phoenix: You and Rita seem close. Joseph: Oh, we’re changing the subject now? Phoenix: Mhm. Are you seeing each other? Joseph: Not exactly. Phoenix: Why not? It’s obvious you have feelings for each other.

Joseph: [sighs] I love her. Phoenix: So, what’s the problem?

Joseph: It’s complicated. She just went through a divorce, so she’s not looking to jump into another relationship, and her kids are still adjusting. They don’t need me comin’ in and makin’ things harder. Besides, I haven’t dated anyone since Danny’s mom. Not only has it been a long time, but I’ve never done this sober. Probably why I avoided it for so long. I think we both need to take it slow.