Kris & James: What really happened

The “heavy-hearted” Funfare DPA got her facts mixed up. Blame it on the holiday rush and the endless parties that she had to attend. I guess she had one drink too many.

But yes, it’s true: James Yap left home last Dec. 17 and not on Christmas Eve as the DPA reported after an LQ (Lovers’ Quarrel) with his wife, Kris Aquino.

No, Kris and her sons Joshua and Baby James didn’t have, as Funfare predicted, a blue Christmas. The GMA newscast 24 Oras on Christmas Day reported that Kris and her brood (Noynoy, Ballsy, Pinky and Viel) spent the noche buena not at the old Aquino house on Times Street but in Kris and James’ home in Valle Verde. The camera caught James seated in one corner and it showed that he got back home on Dec. 24 in time for the noche buena.

Reacting to the Funfare scoop, Kris admitted that she and James did fight “on Dec. 17,” adding that James proceeded to Cagayan de Oro for a PBA game that same weekend.

“We had no communication until Dec. 24 when he joined my family for Mass and noche buena,” said Kris.

No, there was no “third party” (on James’ part) even if the DPA suspected that there might be by saying, when asked if there was, “It seems.”

As far as I know, James is faithful.

The fare was the same one the family has been sharing all these years, except that Kris didn’t cook her mom, Tita Cory’s, favorite spaghetti because it would remind them of her “not being around” and make them cry. According to Kris, they decided to have the noche buena at her place in Valle Verde because they are moving to Quezon City early next year.

In all honesty, Kris said that their problems have come from, 1) a deep depression on her part (due to her mom’s death), 2) a heavy workload on her part, and 3) her brother Sen./Presidentiable Noynoy’s campaign which is all-consuming for her.

According to DPA Akin Ka, Kris and James’ last major fight was when Robin Padilla (Kris’ “ex”) was supposed to be her leading man for the forthcoming ABS-CBN teleserye Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo. Robin turned down the offer because he wanted to do a movie first and he was replaced by Gabby Concepcion (who was Kris’ leading man in one of her early movies). Albert Martinez is also in the cast.

“James read the Funfare scoop about Robin and his wife Liezl Sicangco having divorced (two years ago) and he didn’t like the idea of Kris working with Robin,” said Akin Ka. “Mahirap na nga naman...”

DPA Akin Ka said that during that noche buena, James had a heart-to-heart talk with Noynoy, Ballsy and Kris’ brother-in-law Eldon Cruz (Ballsy’s husband). Surprisingly, James more easily opened up to them than he could to Kris.

Added Akin Ka, “James told Noynoy that he had made a lifetime commitment but Kris is the one with a problem which is her inability to prioritize him. Alam mo, during that one-hour heart-to-heart talk, James said much more than what he had told Kris in the four months since Tita Cory’s death. Mukhang mayroon silang communication gap.”

To Kris, No. 1 priority is her kids, followed by Noynoy’s campaign with James as “poor third.”

Confessed Kris, “We’re trying hard to work out our differences not for the 2010 elections as you mentioned in your story and not even for my mom’s memory but because James and I want to honor our marital vows.”

Noynoy was overheard telling James during the heart-to-heart talk, “Bayaw, ang kasal pang-habambuhay, kaya nga ako hindi pa kinakasal.” (Noynoy is going steady with Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad.)

If you recall, one of Tita Cory’s last bilin was for Noynoy to make Kris and James alalay because he’s the one who can have a man-to-man talk with James. In her deathbed, Tita Cory told Kris and James not to separate.

After her mom’s death, Kris reportedly became so depressed and “unreachable” that she decided to bury herself in work as therapy.

“She hasn’t fully come to terms with her mom’s death up to now,” said Akin Ka.

Kris and James, together with their children, left yesterday (to an undisclosed place) for a family vacation. The last time they did was last September when they spent a holiday in Hawaii.

Let’s hope...and pray...that when they come back, all will be well so they can have a truly Happy New Year.

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