Jennifer Aniston could finally be getting the family she always dreamed of but first she has to get the blessing of her hypnotist boyfriend Jim Curtis’ first wife and the mother of his teen son, Rachel Napolitano.
“Jen was initially shocked to find out about Jim’s son but now wants to build a relationship with Jim that goes the distance and to her that means being a part of every aspect of his life,” a friend of the couple reveals to Woman’s Day.
POSITIVE IMPACT
“She’s already becoming so intertwined in his career, she’s connected him with tons of people and is really throwing her weight behind him. He says all the time what a huge help she’s been and she wants to have that same sort of positive impact on his relationship with his son.”
Jim, 50, has been open about wanting to be closer to his son Aidan, especially in the wake of his divorce from his mum.
In his 2017 book, The Stimulati Experience, he revealed his tricky relationship with his only child, “I wish I had a better relationship with my son, but he lives with his mother most of the time, and he’s pissed at me,” he wrote.
As a child of divorce herself, Jen, 57, knows only too well what it’s like, so she knows she has to tread very lightly with Aidan and his mum Rachel.
“She really feels that it’s best not to force anything with Aidan. She wants to be very respectful of him. That’s why she’s so eager to connect with Rachel – she says they will all be better off if Rachel is on board and she can develop a rapport with her”, says the source.
“She wants to arrange a face-to-face meeting, but obviously it’s up to Jim to make it happen. Jen is desperate for this to go well because in her view it’s the first step towards building a good relationship with Jim’s son.”
MAKING PEACE
Jen’s approach to his son has only made Jim love her more – and make him certain that she’s the woman he wants to one day marry.
“Jim says he’s amazed that she’s able to completely take her own ego out of the situation and just totally focus on what’s best for him and his son. He’s so used to things being complicated in that area of his life, so to have someone come in with this level of patience and understanding has really taken a weight off his shoulders.
“Jen has made peace with the fact that motherhood in the traditional sense hasn’t been in the cards for her – but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have room in her heart for a family.”
SACRED CEREMONY
While Jen’s working on making peace between Jim and his son, she’s also in the throes of planning a “sacred commitment ritual” with her man in the California desert.
The actress and her wellness coach beau are said to be planning a “deeply personal and non-traditional” ceremony, with just a few select friends to witness what they say will be “an intimate sacred soul union” in Ojai, California.
“Ojai’s always been a place Jen’s loved and she’s been there countless times,” says a pal. “She loves its spiritual energy and peaceful vibe. Reese [Witherspoon] had a huge estate there for years so there’s a real cosy celebrity scene with plenty of hippie-chic, bespoke ceremonies happening all the time.”
Friends say the event will be tailored specifically to their shared interests in spirituality, mindfulness and personal growth but is expected to be small and deeply personal, with no more than 30 carefully chosen guests, including Courteney Cox, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka.
CONSCIOUS COMMITMENT
“This is going to be more of a conscious commitment ceremony than a wedding,” adds another close friend. “They want something meaningful that reflects who they are now. Jen has been very clear that after two divorces, she’s done with the traditional model, the big white dress, the pre-nups and all the pressure.”
While no exact date has been confirmed, those close to the couple say the ceremony could take place as early as late [US] summer.
“They’re keeping the details very private as they finalise what they’re calling their ‘soul union’ celebration.”
