Mother: Bobbie Jo (54) aka “Bo-Jo”
Daughter: Hollie (35) aka “Kitten”
Denver, North Carolina (Pop: 2,369)
Family Members:
· Kelvin - Kitten's Husband – Nickname: “Big Guy”
· Jacob, Bobbie Jo's son & Kitten's Brother - Nickname: “JC”
· Ally, Jacob's girlfriend - Nickname: “Ally Cat”
· McKenzie, Kitten's Daughter - Nickname: “Sister”
· Jacob, Kitten's Son - Nickname: “Bissy”
“The Country Queens”
In the land of moonshiners, mud-boggers and catfish-catchers lives the infamous and unforgettable Bobbie Jo and her most prized person, her baby daughter, affectionately nick-named, “Kitten.” After “Bo-Jo” gave birth at the age of 18 she felt like a "mama cat," so the moniker, "Kitten" was born and the two wild-cats have been inseparable ever since. Likes two country-critters, these women have their own language, their own-shorthand, their own nicknames for everything and everyone. From their standing bowling date every Wednesday to Saturday mom and daughter luncheons at the local steak house to drinking Chablis in a deer-stand where they catch up on the latest, “scoop,” it’s really Bobbie Jo and Kitten’s world and the rest of the plain folk simply live in it.
Bobbie Jo was in high school when she had Kitten and unfortunately the papa didn’t stick around so Bo-Jo was left to raise her daughter solo. Bobbie Jo's life as a young mother wasn't easy, she was working jobs at a bank and a gas station while her friends were living it up. The years of being together, just the two of them, has lead them to be extremely close. They have to speak to each other every day or else the other will show up at one another’s house. They have matching mother daughter tattoos that say “like mother” and “like daughter.” They spend every waking moment together, including sleepovers. Bo-Jo has her special blanket and her special indoor shirt called the, “travellin’ shirt” that she wears for spending the day with her daughter. They’ll pour a tall glass of Franzia and settle on to the couch in matching Victoria Secret robes, right next to each other, holding hands and watching television. However, they always have to re-watch movies, because they are lying down with their heads next to each other for hours gossiping, so they never actually know what the movie is about. When it’s time to go to bed, Kitten kisses Bo-Jo goodnight and she tucks her mama in. Rinse, recycle repeat. Several times every week.
Hollie lives on a 100-acre farm with her husband Kelvin aka Big Guy and Bobbie Jo lives one town over where she tends to her 94-year-old father. The “Byrd’s Nest” as the farm is called, is a fenced in property (Kitten only opens the fence for pre-approved visitors!) complete with farm land, creeks, chickens, cattle and even a feisty lama! They’re at the farm together getting into mischief on a daily basis. They wear matching camo outfits and love to go mud-bogging and riding around in ATV’s. They like to go hunting, although they talk and gossip so much that they scare away the animals. Along with granddaughter, Mckenzie (Hollie’s daughter) the two are even working on their own women’s only, “She Shed!” It’s really a tiny house that Hollie’s husband gifted so that he could have some peace and quiet away from the mother/daughter duo. The shed is a hollow shell that the gals are designing and decorating. When finished it will be the perfect place for the gals to get away to gab, relax and have mom, daughter and granddaughter quality time.
It’s no secret that Bobbie Jo is the matriarch of the family. Not only is she the boss of the family, she’s her own boss. Bobbie Jo has owned an environmental company that tests air quality for 16 years where she employs her son “J.C.” They call him J.C., as in "Jesus Christ" because he can, "get away with anything because he walks on water and parted the Red Sea." (No one has the heart to tell them that Moses parted the Red Sea...) About 15 years ago mama was on a job site and met Kelvin aka Big Guy. The two quickly hit it off and a friendship blossomed. One day she brought Kitten around and when Big Guy saw Kitten he was smitten. Despite Big Guy being the same age as Bobbie Jo, (most people think the age gap is awkward but they know enough to keep their mouth’s shut) mama gave her blessing and Kitten and Big Guy got hitched. Kitten is a stay-at-home mom and has two kids, Jacob (18), aka Bissy and McKenzie (15), aka Sister. Like her mama before her, Kitten got pregnant at 18 years old too, resulting in Jacob. Jacob’s father is no longer in the picture. Bo-Jo helped take care of Jacob and Kitten until Big Guy came around and provided for their fledgling family.
One topic that can make their blood boil faster than a batch of moonshine is J.C.'s girlfriend Ally aka “Ally Cat.” (She doesn’t know that’s her nickname, it’s the brain child of Kitten and BoJo.) J.C. and Ally Cat knew each other when they were younger and reconnected on Facebook. Since they lived close to each other, they decided to start hanging out and their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship. A couple years after they reconnected, Ally Cat became pregnant. They welcomed their son, Calum (12 months), and along with Ally Cat's 7-year-old daughter from a previous relationship they started their own family. Kitten and Bobbie Jo have never accepted nor trusted Ally Cat. They think that she is unfaithful, a liar, two-faced and insincere. There was a sexting scandal that involved Ally Cat exchanging risqué photos with J.C.'s best friend, Ben, that made mom and daughter less than loving towards Ally. Bobbie Jo and Kitten are protective of their family and they made J.C. get a DNA test after Calum was born to find out for certain that Calum was indeed his son. They truly believe that J.C. is making a huge mistake by staying with Ally Cat, and fear that given her record, J.C. will get hurt. JC has bought a home and he plans to move Ally and their children into the new place in September/October. Bo-Jo and Kitten aren’t thrilled by this prospect, but what’s worse is that Bobbie Jo and Kitten don't know that Jacob has been saving his money and has purchased an engagement ring for Ally Cat. Before he pops the question, however, he needs to get the blessing and approval from his mom and sister! It remains to be seen if they’ll approve of this life choice and if they will be able to give their blessing to J.C. with a clear conscious.
Kitten and Bobbie Jo are obsessed with each other and there are no secrets between them. Kitten's father, David, who has been out of the picture since she was born, likes to contact Bobbie Jo every once in a blue moon. When David calls, he and Bobbie Jo enjoy a nice dinner and an intimate rendezvous at the local hotel where he, “scratches mama’s itch.” Six scratches in one night to be exact… Although David asked her not to say anything, Bobbie Jo immediately told Kitten. It isn’t unusual for the duo to tell each other the play-by-play of their "bedroom activities," often going into graphic detail.
For Bobbie Jo and Kitten, family always comes first. Although they’re loud and ridiculous they’re loyal and faithful, sometimes to a fault. They won’t stand for outsiders naysaying on their relationship, nor anyone intruding upon their family unit. They’re protective and unconditionally loving. It usually takes them a t least a half an hour to say goodbye to one another, usually with 100 “I love you’s” and usually a tear or two, or three… Bobbie Jo and Kitten are known throughout the Valleys of North Carolina as the closest mom and daughter there is, and for that, they’re beyond proud.
Rituals:
· Kitten tucks Bobbie Jo in to bed during mom and daughter sleepovers, complete with eye masks
· Bobbie Jo has to have her "special blanket" when she cuddles on the couch with Kitten
· Bobbie Jo as a "traveling shirt" that she has to wear when they’re at home together
· They like to wear matching camo outfits, complete with leopard boots!
· They have matching tattoos and plan to get more!
· Kitten and Bobbie Jo like to fall asleep together on the couch, head to head so close they can hear each other breathing
· Every Wednesday is a standing mom and daughter bowling alley date where they get dressed up and they go bowling
· Every Saturday they go to the local steak house for a mom/daughter luncheon. They usually run into Ally Cat which causes conflict and awkwardness
· Mom and daughter country make-overs where they do each other’s makeup, choose matching outfits, face-masks and hair-dos
· They like to ride ATVs, go hunting, fishing, mud-bogging and go outside to play on the Byrd’s Nest property
Tension:
It is no secret to anyone that knows Bobbie Jo and Kitten that they do not approve of Ally Cat being with J.C. or a part of their family for that matter. Kitten and Bobbie Jo are going to have a rude awakening when J.C. lets them know that he has purchased a ring and wants to propose to Ally Cat. J.C. really wants his mother and sister's blessing and it's going to be an epic battle for J.C. to convince Bobbie Jo and Kitten that this is the right decision. Bobbie Jo and Kitten "share a brain" so chances are if J.C. can convince one of them, he can convince both of them.