It's FOREVER

The 2nd time around

GOD indeed moves in mysterious ways for Mr. Erwin Bagay and Mrs. Leah Mae Bunani–Bagay.

“We were once a stranger from each other until we met through a former officemate from JTC Corporation way back in 2012,” Leah recalled.

Leah said it was the wife of Erwin’s cousin who introduced them via social media. She added that after that, they had their first communication through phone.

“Nothing was serious at that moment. We were like getting to know each other,” Leah said.

Erwin was a seafarer in an international cruise ship company, she narrated; and that he was in Davao City in 2012 for a vacation.

After a series of calls, Leah said, she and Erwin started seeing each other. Her then-friend fetched her then from theater rehearsals.

“We go on dates often until such time he introduced me to his family and relatives. Then finally, we became officially together,” she said.

But Erwin and Leah failed to pull off the “long distance relationship” as lovers. They cut off their communication all of a sudden without any closure between them.

“Apparently, we have lived separate lives for three long years. I've been in another relationship and he had his,” Leah said.

Well, Leah said, they had their communication, at least, once a year as friends. But seeing each other was no longer in their minds.

Until one day in 2015, Erwin and Leah surprisingly bumped into each other in a mall here, while Leah was with someone else.

“Who would have thought I would be able to see him again. Though nothing really special happened back then, but that seemed an unforgettable moment for us,” she said.

In 2016, Leah got back to being single and enjoying each moment of being uncommitted to anyone, while Erwin was promoting his van rental business.

Erwin contacted Leah again to ask for referrals for his business. Later did they realized, they have been talking again beyond business matters.

“I was slightly going through a certain struggle that he began asking me for a date then. Since I needed a friend, I agreed to go out with him to have some coffee and a bottle of beer,” Leah said.

Their relationship got back in December 2016. Erwin proposed to Leah, but the latter did not take it seriously as she thought her man was just bluffing her.

“I did not take it seriously kay ang iyang gigamit na sing-sing pag propose kay Unisilver lang. So, I really thought it was a joke,” Leah laughed as she recalled that moment.

When she realized Erwin was serious, Leah agreed to marry him. The two arranged their wedding through Solamente Events and got married on November 8, 2017 at Robinson’s Highlands in Davao City.

“It was then he showed me the authentic ring (she was laughing). I do not know how to explain it, but we both knew that when our paths crossed again, being together was all that mattered,” Leah said.