Channing, Neá & Calvin

Channing (45) - Neá’s Husband

Neá (35)

Calvin (41) - Neá’s Ex-Husband

Bear, DE (Channing & Neá)

Philadelphia, PA (Calvin)

The All American Family

When Neá and her ex-husband Calvin first started hanging they didn’t think anything romantic would blossom out of it… they simply enjoyed each other’s company. But one thing led to another… then another… and next thing they knew Neá was pregnant with their first of three children. They were young, barely out of their teenage years and their relationship was already full of stress and difficulties. But even with all of their problems, they decided to get married. They dated for four years before getting married and were married for six years. Their life together continued to grow even more difficult and the strain was reaching a breaking point. Finally, after it was revealed that Calvin had cheated on Neá they got a divorce. Which is ironically when they were finally able to become comfortable with each other. After all, the foundation of their relationship in the early days was always how well they got along.

 Neá doubted that she would find the version of romance that she so longed for: stability, love and unconditional trust. So, when the chivalrous, military man in uniform Channing entered her life she was shocked to learn that she could have it all. At the time, Neá was working retail near the military base where Channing was stationed. After their first brief conversation Channing was struck by Neá’s beauty and personality. He started finding any reason he could to stop by. Eventually, he asked her out, kicking off the beginning of their love story. The two began seeing each other, fell in love, and eventually were married. They have been married for three years. Although Neá loves her ex-husband Calvin, Channing is so many things that Calvin is not. Channing is dependable, trust-worthy, a person of integrity, someone who she can really build a life with. Not to mention, Channing is handsome, takes care of himself, goes to the gym every day and has a terrific job working in the military keeping American safe. In short, she has found a keeper!

But their story doesn’t end with, “they lived happily ever after…!” Even though Channing fulfills so many dreams come true for Neá, her relationship with Calvin is unbreakable. Yes, Calvin and Neá have children that they are raising together, but they adamantly explain that it isn’t the only reason that they are friends. They grew-up together, built a life together, and although they’re not romantically involved, their connection as friends still serves them in a number of ways. On a deeper level, Neá is more comfortable being emotionally intimate with Calvin than she is being 100% vulnerable with her own husband. A tough pill for Channing to swallow. Calvin and Neá also co-parent together which forces them to be on the same page. Additionally, Calvin and Neá are starting to flip and renovate homes together and are working on a clothing line together. Their lives intersect on a number of levels.

 Channing is a Southern gentleman who lives life by a moral code of tradition and time-tested rules. One of which is: “there needs to be clear and present boundaries with ex-husbands.” Channing thinks that Calvin has lingering romantic feelings for his wife and flat out doesn’t trust him. Neá is quick to point out that Channing and Calvin are both the alphas in their own lives, so them together in the same room is an awkward mix of power dynamics. Channing thinks that Calvin needs to learn respect and boundaries… but that’s a hard thing to do when Neá is insisting on such a close relationship with Calvin. Calvin sees Neá as his biggest fan and support system. Neá is the best thing that’s happened to him and he doesn’t want to lose her as a friend, so he does anything he can to keep her in his life.

Channing wants to start a family of his own with Neá. He wants to have the experience of supporting his wife through pregnancy and raising his own biological child. Neá, however, has done this three times already and isn’t sure if she has it in her to do it all over again. Naturally, this is a difficult conversation for the married couple and there is no clear-cut solution or path forward yet.

No matter what happens in the future, the truth remains: Calvin and Neá have a close bond solidified by their three children and their shared history that has made them who they are today. Channing loves Neá and the three kids as if they were his own, but he wants his own children and experiences with his wife. Neá is torn between two men who both add to her life positively and negatively, and she doesn’t know fully how to proceed if she must choose between the two. And she won’t. Neá has made it quite clear to both that neither or going away anytime soon.