What is meant to be will be

Since this is a nostalgia piece that celebrates the 15th wedding anniversary of reelectionist Ormoc City Rep. Lucy Torres and Ormoc Mayorable Richard Gomez, I will open it with a reprint of the intro to my exclusive Conversation (dated Jan. 18, 1998) with the then sweethearts when they posed for their first ever pictorial together at Richard’s then newly-built dream house in Greenhills, San Juan City:

They were two right people who met at the right place but, sob and sigh, at the wrong time. She was going steady with somebody else (a townmate) and he, with a simple but pretty kindergarten teacher.

But love can wait, and so did Richard Gomez, 32, and Lucy Torres, 23.

The waiting took four years — or so they both claim. But from that day in 1993 when Richard and Lucy, a native of Ormoc City (Leyte), first met on the set of the first in a series of five Lux commercials they star in, they must have resolved to get to know each other deeper in due time. When finally all coasts were clear, when they became both free from their previous commitments, they renewed their friendship and fell so (madly?) in love that they decided to get married — at once.

I will continue this fond recollection by also reprinting portions of my story (dated May 2, 1998) about what people described as The Wedding Of The Decade:

The whole world knows what happened on April 28, 1998, at the Saints Peter and Paul Church in Ormoc City: Richard Frank Gomez and Lucy Marie Torres marched down the aisle to the tuner of An Affair To Remember — you know: Our love affair is a wondrous thing that we’ll rejoice in remembering. They are now husband and wife.

The lucky invited guests will rejoice in remembering the fairy-tale affair perhaps through the 16 songs — the couple’s favorites — in the cassette tape which was part of the giveaway, among them It Might Be You, Of All The Things, Finally Found Someone, Finding Each Other, What Matters Most and After All.

Titled Richard & Lucy: Love of My Life, the cassette tape carries the following story written by the couple themselves:

Sometimes life hands you a few moments to share with someone really special. And though you may both lead separate lives through the years, these are moments you still treasure and hold close to your heart.

Our love affair is a story of destiny. It reaffirms what our hearts have always believed in — that what is meant to be will be. The heart knows. It may have taken us time to be true to what was in our hearts all along, but what matters most is that we have each other now. Falling in love in wonderful and precious. When it happens, it is unbelievably, gloriously real…

How would you sum up your 15 years together?

Lucy: It’s been wonderful. On my part, because I know him on a deeper and better level, there just is so much more of him to love. Richard is a very easy man to love.

Richard: Life is beautiful with Lucy.

When did you have your first quarrel (how did it go, what caused it and how did you make up…was it verbal and nothing “physical”)?

Lucy: Our first argument probably had to do with time management, I think. In Ormoc where I grew up, most everything is within five minutes away. In Manila, it’s different. You really have to factor in travel time and traffic. I’ve learned to do that somehow through the years. I’m not the best at it yet, I admit but I am so much better than when I first moved here, hahahaha!

Is it true that marriage is an endless honeymoon, learning experience, and you continue to discover new things about yourselves?

Lucy: Yes.  It just gets better. Sometimes I watch my husband when he sleeps and I feel so blessed that somewhere in this great big world he found his way to me and I to him. I’d like to think that together, we have made each other better versions of ourselves. And that is what a marriage should bring out.  It is a partnership, a deep friendship, a loving relationship. Fifteen years and counting, Richard still takes my breath away.

(To Lucy) How are you and Richard alike and not like each other (you are a hypochondriac and Richard is the opposite)?

Lucy: Richard does not over-analyze or over-think things and I envy that about him because I find it is what really cripples the spirit. He is a warrior through and through and has this childlike way of embracing the bigness of life. If I had even just half of his free spirit and 1/4 of his courage, imagine the things I would be able to do! I pray for things to happen but it was Richard who taught me to pray and to initiate steps to make dreams come true. Pro-active, that is what he is. Me, I used to just majorly allow things to unfold. We’ve also learned a lot from each other on that aspect.

Your daughter Juliana is turning 13 in September. How come wala pang kasunod (are you practicing birth control; if so, how…by “self-control,” hahahaha)?

Lucy: How time flies! I can’t believe that Juliana is turning 13! I remember exactly the way she looked the first time we brought her home from the hospital wrapped in a little yellow blanket, a cute little thing with a thousand faces just a little bit bigger than a shoebox, hahahahaha! Now, she is almost as tall as I am and we borrow each other’s tops. No, no birth control with us. We’ve been trying and praying for babies no. 2, 3, 4...But like I always say, all in God’s plan and time. (In Conversations’ 1998 interview with the couple, the exchange went this way: And how many children do you want to have? Lucy: Four. Richard: Six. Lucy: Four only. Richard: Five. Lucy: I want only four, para even.)

How are you as parents (who’s more strict, who’s more liberal, who’s more of a disciplinarian, etc.)?

Lucy: It depends which area. But generally, I’d say I’m more strict and Richard is more liberal. Although I have a very strong feeling that will be reversed when boys start courting her. Hala! I know he dreads the thought, hahahahaha!

How often do you (still) say “I love you” to each other (does being married get the thrill out of romance)?

Lucy: Every day. Not a day goes by that we don’t say “I love you” to each other. Even when we text each other there is always “I love you” at the end.

Richard: I say “I love you” to Lucy as often as I can, many times in one day, because it always feels good to be able to tell her that I really do love her.

At bedtime, who sleeps on which side of the bed (who wants to have the lights on and who wants to have the lights off…who reads before sleeping and who would rather watch TV, etc.)?

Lucy: It doesn’t matter which side basta I am the one in the middle. Both Richard and Juliana cannot stay in the middle because each of them wants a leg out of the blanket. I, on the other hand, want to be sandwiched in the middle. It is my happy place.

Richard: Juliana and I would always stay at the end of the bed because we both like to leave one leg outside the comforter. Lucy stays in the middle all the time. She loves being squeezed while she’s asleep.

(To Lucy) A lot of people (me included) were curious: How did you feel when Richard kissed Dawn Zulueta (Richard’s ex who’s now happily married to Rep. Anton Lagdameo) and they pretended to be romantic during a Walang Hanggan show at Araneta (who’s the “jealous” one, who’s the “possessive” one)?

Lucy: I watched all of Richard and Dawn’s movies so this one was no different. I have always been very vocal about how they are my favorite love team of all time. Love teams are made and nurtured every so often, but not all love teams are magical. Richard and Dawn as a love team have it, and that is what makes it special.

Are you comfortable with each other’s in-laws?

Lucy: Yes! My parents love Richard and Richard is also very close to all my siblings. How I wish that his mom lived nearer so we would be able to spend more time with her but as it is, she is in the States. At least Richard’s dad is in Manila. They’re very easy people to get along with.

Richard: My in-laws are very nice to me. I truly feel that I am loved by Lucy’s parents.

(To Richard) Did you ever feel the so-called “seven-year” itch? If so, how did you fight it off?

Richard: Before I could even think of the “seven-year itch,” I did not realize that we were already on our eighth year of togetherness.

How are you going to celebrate your 15th wedding anniversary?

Lucy: We’re keeping it simple, also because we are on the campaign trail. We will go to Mass, maybe have a little renewal of vows, and Willie (Revillame) is coming over to Ormoc with his team so there will be a show on the city stage for everyone. We’re blessed to have very supportive friends in showbiz.

Richard: In a very, very simple renewal of vows in Ormoc. Our friends, constituents and families will be joining us in church, Willie (Revillame) will be in Ormoc to have a show on the city stage to bring joy to our people after Lucy and my exchange of wedding rites. Willie’s presence in Ormoc is his gift to us and we are very thankful to him for that.

(To Richard) What’s the best thing about being married to a Lucy?

Richard: She is the most sincere person I’ve ever known. She is very sweet and loving, always prayerful. She has taught me so many things in life that have made me a better person right now.

(To Lucy) What’s the best thing about being married to a Richard?

Lucy: There are so many facets to him because he has so many interests, all of which he goes into a hundred percent. He never does anything half-heartedly and I love that about him. Also, he is very loving and very dependable. With him, I know I am safe.

If you were to change anything in each other’s, what would it be?

Lucy: Nothing. I would not want to change him. Honey, I love you just the way you are.

Richard: There’s nothing I would like to change now. I loved all our journeys together, the challenges we both confronted, the battles we’ve won. Life with Lucy has always been happy, blessed and exciting. We will continue our voyage in life and will try to bring more love in our family, friends and people we will meet.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)