CHAPTER 48

“What?” Laarni Losala Nichols shrieked as Hansen let out a laugh.

“I can’t tell you. It’s a family secret.”

“Well, I am part of family now!” Laarni protested. Sen stood up and whispered something in Laarni’s ear. She shrieked making the other customers look towards their direction. Laarni offerered an apologetic smile to everyone. The two were in a coffee shop at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. It had been almost three years since he left Manila to return home to San Francisco. He wanted to forget everything that happened and for him a change in location was the most appropriate.

He was thankful that Laarni was there every step of the way. She accompanied him every step of the way, almost never leaving his side. She would make it a point to visit him in their family home everyday. He cannot deny the fact that she was instrumental in his emotional recovery.

“By the way, have you heard?” Laarni asked. “Cris is going to get married again.” Sen nodded.

“Looks like she and Iñaki finally came through.” He said as he sipped his coffee. Annulment proceedings with Cris were not as messy as he thought. Their petition was granted almost immediately, infidelity charges she filed against him. However, he was still thankful that she practiced restraint and made it appear that a woman was the third party. They tried to mend their relationship for the sake of Louie, who visited his father in San Fo every summer.

Cris dated Inaki Ting, one of their fellow contestants a year after their annulment was granted. They lasted for another year prior to the engagement.

“Well, she deserves to be happy after the hell you put her through.” Laarni said. Hansen made a face and the two of them shared a laugh.

“Where is you brother anyway?” Laarni asked as she checked her watch.

“How should I know, you’ re his wife?!” Sen shot back. Laarni met Jansen Nichols as she was helping Hansen recover. The sparks flew almost instantaneously. After a few weeks, the two had started dating. The engagement came 2 months later, the wedding after 4 months.

“Well, he said he was finishing something up for the agency.” Laarni said. After the events of three years ago, Sen transferred control of Talentado to Laarni and Jansen. The two managed to improve business profits and expand internationally. They repackaged the agency into a modeling agency and renamed it Kartoffel Models, Inc. Business has been good as they represented some of the top models of today.

“He’ll be here in a while.” Sen said reassuringly. He had found work in a non-government organization that supports children with cancer. He shared their pain as he used to be one of them. Now, he devoted his time to their cause.

“By the way, I got mail from Bugoy. Apparently, Apple gave birth to her and Miguel's fifth child. Guess what she named the child?”

“What?” Sen asked.

“Vanpojas. Tacky, I know.” Laarni replied. He looked at Sen who seemed to be staring at something.

“Sen?” She asked again, yet he did not seem to notice her. She turned around, expecting to see her husband. He was not there, but another figure caught her eye. She understood the shock in Hansen’s face as she had the same expression in her too. The world indeed proved itself to small.

Outside the coffee shop, looking at them stood Van Pojas.