Marrying for the second time around wasn't something that Camille Prats planned in her life. Now, it has become one of her best decisions ever.
But before things settled between Camille and her now-husband VJ Yambao, everyone around them was against it. It was primarily because they were both single parents at the time.
"When VJ and I started dating, 'yung medyo pa-seryoso na, my family and his family, and the people surrounding us, were totally against our relationship. Siyempre ikaw nga, may anak ka na, and then ngayon 'yung hinanap mo, may anak na rin," Camille told Bernadette Sembrano in a vlog.
While she understood her family's thoughts about her relationship with VJ, the feelings and connection she had with him made her realize how beautiful their relationship was for her. "VJ made me feel like he really wanted to be a part of my life. Parang feeling ko, I didn't need anyone, but he made me feel that 'I'm here for you,'" the actress shared.
Camille was first married to Anthony Linsangan who passed away in 2011. They had a son named Nathan. Camille opened up that she already felt fulfilled to be Nathan's mother even without a husband.
"I was actually parang solved into just having Nathan in my life," she mentioned.
VJ was Camille's childhood crush!
But then, fate led her to reconnect with her elementary crush, VJ who already had a son, Ice, with his former partner as well. Camille happily shared the cute story of how they both liked each other since they were kids but they only had their chance at love twenty years later.
On becoming a modern family
Camille and VJ didn't have the smoothest start to becoming a blended family. She shared that it was difficult for her to navigate through it at first. The kids took time to get comfortable with the setup. Plus, her relationship with VJ's former partner wasn't okay.
"Mahirap siyang i-navigate kasi maraming unspoken words. Marami ding mga bagay na parang sa pakiramdam mo na lang makikita. Karamihan 'nung mga bata, 'yung mga naririnig ko, they just feel that they don't feel belong," she pointed out.
"Typical blended family na siyempre may not-so-good air between VJ and the mom, and siyempre kami rin na hindi okay," she disclosed. But it all came to a point when Camille decided to break the ice between her and VJ's former partner. She mentioned reaching out and sending Ice's mother a letter of apology.
"It was really a big step for me kasi hindi talaga kami okay. Pinag-pray ko talaga 'yun Miss B, and it happened. I messaged her. It was a message of apology because parang feeling ko, we are both hurting," Camille recounted.
"It was really a blessing that the way she responded also was very, very, genuinely nice. She said, 'You know I was also praying for this, na sana maging okay tayo.' [...] Sobra din akong blessed na hindi niya pinagdamot si VJ sa akin," she stated.
Camille also opened up about how thankful she was that Ice and her eldest son, Nathan, became close. "Si Ice kasi, my stepson, hindi siya nakatira sa amin. Nakatira siya sa mommy niya, growing up. Sobrang okay sila ni Nathan. They're the best of friends. And I think that's the biggest blessing that they found a brother in each other," said Camille.
Life as a stepmom
One of the things that Camille happily shared during the vlog was the moment that Ice called her "mom" for the first time. She noted that her stepson was more comfortable calling her "Tita Camille" growing up. But it was during one Mother's Day that Ice wrote a two-page handwritten letter for Camille, expressing his love and appreciation for his stepmother.
Ecstatic and touched, Camille broke down into tears after reading the last lines of Ice's letter. She narrated, "Up to the end of the letter, he said, 'My mom told me that you really love me and you really care for me. And I don't know why up until now, I still don't call you mommy' Tapos, [he wrote,] 'happy Mother's day, Mom. Love, Ice.' I was already crying."
At that moment, Camille was incredibly happy with how things turned out for their family. "Wala nang ibang sigurong sasaya sa pakiramdam na tawagin kang nanay ng taong hindi nanggaling sa'yo," she proclaimed.
Talking about overcoming hardships as a mother, Camille expressed her contentment and gratitude during the vlog. "I'm very happy. I would say, for a long time 'yung pagiging modern family, hindi siya madali." But now, Camille and VJ, after braving through ups and downs of their relationship, have been blessed with two more kids, Nala and Nolan, making them a beautiful blended family of six!
