Left Behind — Chock Chapple Heads Back to Kansas Alone After Joan Chooses Her Own Path

The Golden Bachelorette winner Chock Chapple headed back home to Wichita, Kansas as he and his fiancée, Joan Vassos, continue their long-distance relationship. After The Golden Bachelorette season 1, during which Joan and Chock got engaged, they each decided to keep their homes in Rockville, Maryland, and Wichita, respectively, and look for a place to live together in New York City. However, in early June, Joan went to Florida without Chock to participate in Miami Swim Week, where she walked the runway. Soon after, though, they reunited in New York City.

In an Instagram story, Chock posted a photograph from the cockpit of a plane with the caption, "Heading back to Wichita!" Chock's departure comes after his and Joan's trip to New York City, during which they enjoyed the Broadway shows Death Becomes Her and Oh, Mary, and spent time with Joan's 93-year-old mother and 83-year-old aunt. In an Instagram post, Joan revealed that they hadn't seen each other for about three weeks before their New York City trip. She also shared that Chock was then headed to North Carolina to spend Father's Day with his kids.

What Chock Chapple Heading Back Home Means After NYC Trip

Joan & Chock Are Content With Their Long-Distance Engagement

Although some people wonder if Joan and Chock will ever get married, they've insisted that, right now, they're happy being engaged and traveling back and forth to see each other. Joan has said that she thinks that getting married would put a strain on their relationship because they're currently enjoying their lives the way they are. Joan and Chock's situation might not be conventional, but it works for them.

Chock heading home to Wichita without Joan means that they are secure enough in their relationship that they don't have to see each other every day in order to know that they love each other. When they meet up in various cities, including New York, it's even more special for them because absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Our Take On Joan & Chock Continuing Their Long-Distance Relationship

Joan & Chock Should Do Whatever They're Comfortable With

While some fans have viewed Joan and Chock's long-distance relationship as a red flag, I think that they should continue to do whatever makes them comfortable as a couple. After their whirlwind Golden Bachelorette romance, they needed to take time to really get to know each other. As older people with obligations to their families, friends, homes, and jobs, they certainly weren't going to be able to drop everything in their lives so quickly and move in together somewhere. Their long-distance relationship gives them the best of both worlds.

I believe that Joan and Chock's relationship will last because they're navigating it on their own terms. Whether they get married or not, they'll probably stay together for the long-haul because they seem to be very much in love, and they really enjoy each other's company. I adored Joan and Chock's love story during The Golden Bachelorette, and I look forward to watching their relationship continue to grow.