Toya Bush-Harris kicked off Married to Medicine Season 12 with a brand-new house — but her husband, Dr. Eugene Harris, hadn’t spent much time there lately.
When the ER physician arrived at their home during the Season 12 premiere, he noted that he’d “been gone for five days.” As Dr. Eugene caught up with his wife of 17 years, she asked about work and if he had been at his job “that’s five hours away or the one that’s two-and-a-half hours away.”
For viewers who might be confused, Eugene explained his major career update in a confessional.
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“For the last six months, I am no longer working locally,” he shared, while seated next to his wife. “I’m doing it because, yes, I… make a little more money. Actually, it’s a lot more money.”
A bit later, he continued, “Because of the distance, I do have to get a hotel room.”
How Dr. Eugene Harris’ career change impacted his and Toya’s marriage
In the same joint confessional, Toya quipped that Eugene “better be” raking in a lot more cash, “because he’s gone a lot more.”
As the scene showing the couple’s family life played out on Married to Med‘s Nov. 30 episode, viewers got a glimpse of the strain that his career shift had put on their marriage. After Toya made a comment about having to be the one to teach their two sons Ashton, 15, and Avery, 14, about how to properly take out the garbage while their dad’s away, for example, Eugene defended himself.
“I’m not an absentee father,” he responded. “I’m not working on the West Coast. I’m still in Georgia, just two–and-a-half hours [away].”
Toya, meanwhile, shot back, “You’re not here. You don’t spend the nights here. You [are] gone for like five days at a time.”
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When she asked their boys to chime in on whether or not they’d noticed a “significant difference” at home since their father began traveling for work, however, they replied in the negative.
Even so, Toya noted in their confessional that Eugene “could have a whole other family if he wanted to,” based on how many days a week he was away from home. She continued, “I do feel like a military wife.”
Eugene, for his part, joked that he didn’t think he “would ever make enough money to have two of these families,” before telling Toya, “But you’re not unhappy on payday either, are you? OK. So, instead of focusing on the days I’m working, focus on the days I’m not. When I’m home, I’m home.”
She began replying, “But when you’re gone…” and her husband admitted, “I’m gone.”
Toya Bush-Harris and Eugene Harris shared details on their new home
All that said, Toya noted elsewhere in her interview that Eugene “loves” their new 5,280-square-foot home, which boasts five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. The price tag? Just over $3 million.
“I love the new house,” Eugene confirmed, adding, “Toya did an excellent job.”
After taking viewers on a tour of the home’s many enviable features, Toya added, “The house is definitely a custom build — everything from the type of wood, the stain, to the design of the cabinets, to the walls, to the closets.”
While highlighting her massive closet, in particular, she likened the feeling to a divine experience.
As the couple begins to navigate their new normal, get a sneak peek at what’s ahead for Toya and Eugene on Married to Medicine Season 12.
