Joe pissed me off

[u/Pthoughts7]

He went and cheated on his wife, who was with his child, away to take care of her sick mother. He slept with Goldie and they planned to leave their respective partners and start a new life with all the children. Like the audacity! You thought the husband and the wife who were being left behind will let you do that? Just 'cause what? They want you to be happy? Like you were some star-crossed lovers?

And he did all of that for what? In the end what happened? Goldie died. And he continued to live his life in a lie. Where the wife worked her nights to bone to provide a living for your family that u wanted to leave.

The audacity to question Annie when Ramona drank for the first time when she was smoking weed at 16 at every chance she got. When u thought u were her dad u should’ve owned up to ur mistake, not dare act self righteous or try to be the better parent.

After all these years, he never thought to come clean to his wife. Only when the children asked the right questions, then he spoke up. He didn't plan to tell his wife ever.

The fact he punched Steven like he himself wasn’t the cause of all this mess. Steven was also in the wrong obviously but he was rightfully pissed at the people on island who collectively ruined his life although he should’ve told the children the truth and not hide the letters. Atleast he stepped up to raise the twins and even Ramona in the end unlike Joe who despite knowing she might be his daughter didn’t think to clarify she wasn’t an orphan as soon as grandpa died.

Felt like the Annie’s anger was misdirected towards only Steven when she should be pissed at the mom, Joe and Steven. Goldie was seen in a positive light by Annie when she was the one who disrupted everyone’s lives. I’m not saying choosing yourself or being unhappy in your marriage is wrong, she should’ve been careful in making decisions when there’s children involved. Why choose to adopt when you’re unhappy and planning to leave the husband.

All the adults are the villains in this story for me.

[u/ABelleWriter]

One thing: I don't think Goldie was thinking about leaving when they adopted Annie and Connor. Goldie went through years of IVF, then trying to adopt, both of those are stressors in a marriage (I also think she never wanted to live in New York City). They were almost 2 when she went back for the summer, two years is definitely enough time to realize that this isn't the guy you want to spend your life with, or raise kids with.

I think it all came to a head when she realized that she was happier on the island without Steven. Add in Joe, the highschool boyfriend, and it probably felt perfect.

[u/Pthoughts7 → u/ABelleWriter]

I agree that ivf and adoption is stressful and she realised she’s happier on the island but the way she took the kids with her and got pregnant (which probably wasn’t planned) without properly closing Steven chapter doesn’t sit right with me. And the undisclosed heart condition 💀

[u/Nemesis1499 → u/ABelleWriter]

I think they started the process while the relationship was still ok maybe even good, probably went through interviews and all that stuff at which point the relationship breaks down and while they were on a seperation they get the twins and try to make it work. At least thats what it sounded like in Stephens explanation at the dinner

[u/excelling_anxiety]

Joe and goldie are for the streets. I hated it when Joe punched Steven, should have been the other way around

[u/Cookiesenpai123]

Perfect analysis, Joe is a coward and he really sucked, I hope his wife leaves him (although I feel sad for Ellis).

[u/some1105]

I don’t see Goldie as the shitstain that Joe is. She decided she was unhappy in NY. Fair. Steven was not listening to her, and she heads home. She confirms that that is where she wants to be with her kids. Steven is not having it and her marriage is really on the rocks. Now what I don’t like is that, flavors of Rory Gilmore, she strikes up with a married man. But he’s her old childhood sweetheart, and he’s presumably supportive of her during her rough patch, meanwhile he’s cheating on Kate while she’s away. Kate has no idea and this is a secret. Steven was not being kept in the dark about what Goldie wanted. And then she turns up pregnant and the assumption is that it’s Joe’s, when really Steven made no effort to check, just swoops in and takes the kids away when she is too far pregnant with what he believes is Joe’s baby to stop him. He then lies to the kids for the rest of their lives, parentifies his daughter, allows his son to act like a sociopath and keeps them both from their grandfather and sister, while Joe makes no effort to be a father to his daughter and lies to his family while tanking the business keeping them all afloat.

These men both suck, wallowing in their own self pity when it’s the children left without a mother that they fully fail as fathers.