I guess they’re saving any drama on the Real Housewives of New Jersey for later because the first seven minutes of the Season 14 premiere are pretty innocuous. No fighting, no screaming, no table-flipping. It’s actually kind of refreshing.
Teresa Giudice is preparing to send “dorter” number two, Gabriella, off to the University of Michigan, which is quite a way from Jersey. Likewise, her estranged sister-in-law Melissa Gorga is packing her only daughter to leave for the University of Delaware.
Meanwhile, Rachel Fuda is having a family barbeque amidst planning a surprise birthday party for Jennifer Fessler. It seems like these ladies have been gone a long time. Let’s see what else they’re up to.
Girls off to college
The Gorgas are in their brand new house this season, and it’s stunningly beautiful.
“I am so excited to finally be in our home,” Melissa says. “I literally handpicked every single thing in this house. I’m in my element.”
But the immediate task at hand is to get Antonia ready to go away. “Antonia, I told you to come up here and start putting stuff in a pile,” she tells her child, who’s stretched across her bed playing with her dog. “Let’s go through your closet. Like, what are you doing?”
“I’m taking everything,” Antonia says, not comprehending that her dorm room closet is going to be a tiny fraction of what she has at home. “I will squeeze it,” she says.
While over at Teresa’s house, she’s going through the same process, except that Gabriella’s much more organized. She’s got piles of boxes already packed and ready to go. I hope her dorm room will hold all of that.
“I’m figuring out how to set up these boxes,” Gabriella tells her mom, “because I have to start organizing everything.” Teresa’s very close to Gabriella, who emailed her every single day when she was in prison, so it’s tough to let her go.
“I have to admit something to you,” the NYT bestselling author says. “A few weeks ago, I kept crying. I was driving in the car, and I kept thinking about you.” Teresa thinks it’s odd because she never cried when Gia went away to college. But then, Gia only went to Delaware, and Gabriella’s going farther away.
The Fuda family gathers
Over at Rachel’s house, her family gathers for their twice-monthly get-together. She fills them in on the surprise party she’s helping Jenn’s husband organize. But the more important news is that their younger daughter Giuliana has a “tongue tie,” which can affect speech and eating. They’re seeing a pediatric dentist to see how to correct it.
Both of Rachel’s daughters are adorable. I hope they get the help Giuliana needs, and that she’ll be talking a mile a minute before we know it.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres May 5 at 8/7c on Bravo.
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