Bunny happily settled in US

LA VERNE, California — “This is one of the most liveable and best places in America to raise a family,” said Bunny Paras, six months pregnant, as she and her Fil-Am husband, Thomas Greenway, welcomed us into their new home, together with bespectacled Moira, Bunny’s 11-year-old daughter by Mo Twister, apologizing for the “mess” because they had just moved in a few weeks ago from a small apartment in Glendale.

Unopened boxes occupied the space where the sala set should be. Even the dining set, good for four, looked temporary. But the clear-blue water of the pool at the back of the two-storey house sparkled in the mid-afternoon sun. Two cars were parked at the garage. Aside from the bedrooms, also located at the second floor was Thomas’ office where he worked as an at-home computer programmer for Bank of America.

It took us more than two hours to find the place. We came from Beverly Hills where immigration lawyer Jemela Nettles and her nurse-nephew picked me up, with Jemela at the wheel, driving all the way, never losing her patience even when we get lost along the way.

It was way past 2 o’clock when we arrived. Bunny and Thomas prepared a take-out lunch for us. From the supermarket, Bunny said that she passed by the shop of her favorite beautician Marlou Colina (www.marloucolina.com) in Long Beach --- “So I will look good naman in the TV interview (Aired two Saturdays ago on Startalk. --- RFL) even if I’m so taba,” she said laughing.

The new, two-storey house has a swimming pool at the back where Moira, afflicted with an auto-immune disease, swims to strengthen her muscles.

Bunny said that they’ve been together for three years and a half, going steady for more than two until they got married late last year. Thomas’ American father, his namesake, used to work for Chevron. His mom, Felisa Miranda, is Filipino. Thomas has been to the Philippines a few times, starting when he was six years old, and after he and Bunny began going steady. They got married in October last year.

According to Bunny, she and Thomas met at a pub in Las Vegas where they were taking a break, he from San Francisco and she, from L.A.

“I was with friends and Thomas was with his own friends.” She was free and so was he. It was mutual attraction at first sight. They danced and swapped celfone numbers and, soon, started dating until Thomas started courting her. “And that’s it,” laughed Bunny, thankful to God that she has --- at last, at last! --- found a true Mr. Right. “He’s a nice guy, mabait, very shy…I mean, he’s not too loud,” in contrast to Mo. “And he comes from a good family.” Yes, with means (the Greenways own a house in Hawaii and two others in California). “He’s humble and simple,” said Bunny. “When I met him, luma pa ang kotse niya. He’s low-key and very responsible. He loves Moira like his own daughter.”

From the kitchen where he was mixing a melon drink, Thomas said, “She’s my daughter.” The papers for Thomas’ adoption of Moira will be approved anytime now, with Mo’s consent.

“My in-laws are nice, ang babait,” said Bunny. Thomas is an only child.

Thomas didn’t know Bunny was an actress and has a child from a previous relationship until he visited her in L.A. Since then, the Greenways have embraced Bunny like their own daughter and Moira as their own grandchild.

Bunny has been in the US since 2001. She was at a crossroad, her career unstable and her love life topsy-turvy, always bumping heads with Mo Twister who was romantically linked to other actresses, one of them Kristine Hermosa with whom Bunny had an unpleasant encounter at Robinsons Galleria where Bunny was then working.

Bunny and Thomas at their wedding in October last year, two right people meeting at the right time and at the right place.

“My sister Sharmaine (Arnaiz, based in the Philippines with her own family) was supporting me. I decided to leave and find another kind of life, another way to support myself. Everything turned out good, better. I used to work as an advertising executive for Balita (a Filipino newspaper) for 10 years but I resigned last May when I started bleeding.”

Moira is doing well in school, but she is being regularly monitored and under medication for Miller-Fisher Syndrome, a rare auto-immune disease which was diagnosed when she was seven years old.

Asked if Mo is supporting Moira, Bunny smiled. “His mom sends Moira $200 every month, galing daw sa dad ni Moira.”’

Moira had just come back from a vacation in the Philippines.

“I slept over twice at Dad’s place,” volunteered Moira who refused to answer if she saw “a girl” at his dad’s place. Playing safe, you know.

 As we left, we looked back at the Family Three waving goodbye at us from the front of their new house in one of America’s most liveable places, happy that Bunny has weathered all sorts of storms in her life and found true happiness at last in a quiet world, so different from the one she left behind.

Another Korean superstar coming

BREAKING NEWS:

The K-Pop fever isn’t subsiding.

Close on the heels of Rain who was here for a concert and to shoot some scenes for his TV starrer Fugitive (retitled Runaway for its airing on TV5) comes Jay Park (photo), another Korean superstar, who will perform at the SMX Convention Center on Oct. 3 (Sunday) for his first ever Fan Meets Tour 2010.

Also known as Park Jaebeom, Jay is the founding member and leader of 2PM, one of Korea’s biggest-selling groups which released hit albums, including Again and Again that won for them their first Mutizen Award on M!Countdown and their second award on SBS Inkigayo within the same week.

Well-loved for his playful image, Jay was a hit as a regular cast member of several variety programs such as Star King and Introducing Star’s Friend.

In August 2009, he and Kara member Nicole became the new emcees for the historical-cultural variety show Nodaji, replacing famous stars Choi Min Yong and Kim Tae Hyun.

Barely a year after Jay left his group, he’s back with a new song, a new album and movie projects. He has just signed up with Warner Music Group which released his first single titled Nothin’ On with several versions.

His fans, known as Jaywalkers, come not only from his own country but other Asian countries as well, like China and Singapore where he did sold-out concerts. Jaywalkers love his singing, dancing and rapping style.

(Note: For tickets to Jay Park --- Live in Manila [Fan Meets Tour 2010], call TicketWorld at 891-9999 or SM outlets at 470-2222. For VIP tickets, call 374-9999.)

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