Teresa Giudice and her ex Joe Giudice.Photo: getty; Joe Giudice/instagram
Teresa Giudicehas no hard feelings for her ex-husband,Joe Giudice.
At her daughters' bridesmaid dress fittings during Tuesday night’s episode ofThe Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa opened up about her ex and wanting him to eventually make his return to the United States.
The moment happened as her daughters —Gia, 21,Gabriella, 19,Milania, 17, andAudriana, 13, — were trying on their blush-colored bridesmaid dresses for Teresa’s upcoming wedding toLuis “Louie” Ruelas.
Joe, 50, then FaceTimed Gia, who asked if it was okay to answer and show “dad our dresses.” Teresa, 50, approved before the exes had a short conversation.
“Joe, I’m gonna keep praying every day that I hope one day you can come back here,” Teresa told him, getting emotional.
“Thank you, Tre,” Joe said over the phone. “I’m glad that you’s are happy, and that things are going the way they are, and I appreciate everything that you’re doing over there for my kids because, you know, I can’t be there, and everybody deserves to be happy and as long as you’s are happy, that’s all that matters.”
“Joe wishing me happiness just shows how far we’ve come,” she explained. “I’m so proud of how we’ve continued our relationship, stayed connected. And I know that makes our daughters happy. He’s always gonna be in my life.”
“I grew up with your dad,” Teresa later added to the girls, before telling Joe, “So, I only want the best for you.”
Joe and Teresa bothtook turns serving timeafter they were indicted on federal fraud charges in 2013. After serving 41 months in prison, Joewas deportedto his native Italy in 2019, even though he lived his whole life in the United States.
The couple subsequently split andhave been divorced since 2020.Joe currently lives in the Bahamas, where hisdaughters take turns visiting him.
Teresa and Joe Giudice with their daughters.Joe Giudice/Instagram
Later in the episode, Teresa’s brotherJoe Gorgaand his wifeMelissaexperienced a sweet moment with their daughter Antonia, as well, after gifting her a surprise present for her 17th birthday.
“What is that?” Joe, 43, asked, playing coy, as his mother-in-law Donna drove Antonia’s brand new car up the driveway to the house.
Antonia started to cry right away after seeing her Nonnie and the gift her father bought for her.
“With all the hate and negativity that’s going on with Teresa and Louie, I’m starting to learn that it’s about my children now, it’s about me, to be happy,” Joe said in a confessional. “Love, happiness, that’s what life is about.”
Prior to Donna’s arrival with the new car, Melissa, 44, had been debriefing Joe on the Ireland trip, noting that she’s now in a place (after Teresa dragged Antonia’s name into an argument) where she “won’t even argue with [Teresa] anymore.”
“I don’t want you to prove yourself anymore,” Joe agreed.
Melissa and Joe Gorga.Arturo Holmes/Getty
Melissa then explained that she does plan to attend Teresa’s surprise bridal shower because she’s trying to keep the “peace” until after Teresa’s wedding so that she, Joe and the kids can go to the wedding “for the normalcy of a family member getting married.”
“We’ll be at the wedding. We’re there for her, we’re happy for her, and then it’s like, I am done. I want off the ride. I am done,” Melissa said to Joe.
However, tensions between the in-laws remained high — and it was made especially evident when Louie called Teresa while she was on her way to her surprise bridal shower.
Teresa put him on speakerphone, only for him to reveal in front ofMilaniaandAudriana, who were also in the car, that he wanted to exclude Melissa and Joe from a celebratory pre-wedding dinner.
After listing off nearly all of their mutual friends and their dates, Louie said, “Except Melissa and Joe, I’m not inviting them.”
Teresa Giudice and Louie Ruelas.TERESA GIUDICE/Instagram
Teresa fumbled with her phone and quickly took him off speakerphone before telling her husband-to-be: “You know the camera’s on, we’re filming, right?”
“Oh sh–t… okay,” Louie said.
In an attempt to mend the slip-up, Teresa told him, “You have to invite them. You can’t just invite some and not the others.”
“I mean, could she just not say, ‘I’m just so happy my sister-in-law’s here and that we’re moving on in a good way?'“Margaret Josephsasked in a confessional. “It feels very intentional and if I was Melissa, I would feel like I’m not very wanted.”
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The Real Housewives of New Jerseyairs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
source: people.com
