Gia Tate had far from a normal childhood. She grew up in a strip club. Her mother Lorna was a star back in her day. She didn't intend to bring a child into the world, but it happened and she didn't regret it for the most part. Lorna was a sweet butt and a stripper. It didn't take much for her to be able to take anyone she wanted to home. Mikey Perna was one of her best clients. He was the best for any of the sweet butts. The two would usually sleep together like clockwork twice a week. Between the alcohol and her very demanding schuedule Lorna didn't think anything of birth control, which wasn't the smartest move considering she wasn't shy with who she slept with. Once Gia was born Lorna didn't tell Mikey. She was embarassed that she had gotten knocked up by a Reaper. She knew that it was likely that he wouldn't be around for Gia and thought she was saving Gia the heartbreak of rejection.
Lorna raised Gia the best she could alone. When a business suitor came around to the club and fell in love with Lorna, it didn't take her long to realize that he was her out. That was the first and last day Gia would ever see her step-father, Ishmal Gordon. He was in on a business trip and wanted to take Lorna back to India where his business was headquartered. Lorna decided the next day that it was best for her to go with him. He was promising her marriage and all she could think about was the money stability that his marriage would bring. A real Anna Nicole Smith moment. Set out with her plan, Lorna confronted Mikey as he was a key role in her plan. She explained to him that he had a daughter, who was at this point 13. She explained that she was dying and needed Mikey to take care of Gia. Against his better judgement Mikey agreed to take care of Gia. Lorna had pulled off her biggest lie yet and set out to India with her new lover.
Mikey had no idea how to take care of a child let alone a teenaged girl. While he was a womanizer he couldn't fathom being a prick to this now alone child. He made the best of the situation. He turned out to be quite the adept father. He had no problem grabbing tapons from a store when three months later Gia entered true womanhood. He also had someone to teach things too. Gia was pretty knowledgeable with a wrench by the time she was 16. Mikey didn't tell Gia that her mother was dying, he went about life as a single father. Deciding to retire was hard for him, but the women never let him fully retire. He found quickly that Gia helped him with women as much as any wingman could.
Gia's teen years were full of suitors which didn't get very far. Thanks to her dad being a scary ass man. She did a lot of secret dating and 'staying at friends houses'. While she was a senior she attended beauty school part time and a year after graduating high school received her certification in esthetics and skincare. She thought about becoming a dermatologist but it never materialized. In 2014 on Gia's 27th birthday Lorna sent Gia a letter that explained that Ishmal had passed away and that Lorna wanted to rekindle her relationship with Gia once she was able to come back to the States. Gia sent her a letter back pretty much telling her while she was her mother she could fuck off. Once Lorna came back to Texas she confronted Gia who again told her the same thing. Lorna accepted the rejectiong and left a check for Gia and headed off to make yet another life. Gia's first reaction was to rip the check up, but she thought again and decided that she was going to talk to her dad about what to do. Mikey held a lot of resentment towards Lorna, but refused to tell Gia about the lie that her mother had yet to come clean about. After a long talk they both agreed that they were going to buy a house. Gia didn't mind that her father lived with her, even though now he was retired he was pretty paranoid. He didn't mean to be, but without the club 24/7 he felt vulnerable. He didn't mind taking the basement to himself. He watched the house cameras like a hawk usually and came and went as he pleased. Gia struck a deal with him that he could have whomever and how many ever guests he pleased as long as she got the same respect. He begrudgingly accepted knowing that if he didn't, she would hold him to zero guests.