MEGA’s newly married cover couple Ellen Adarna and Derek Ramsay share a touching story on how their respective sons Elias and Austin approved of them getting engaged. Read an excerpt below.
Related: EXCLUSIVE: All The Details Of Ellen Adarna’s Bridal Look
Some couples take years to allow themselves to be the fullest versions with each other but with Ramsay and Adarna, they have no interest in appearing to be perfect. “The reason why I guess everything is so fast is because wala nang best foot forward–it was worst foot forward. She showed me her bad side right from the get-go,” Ramsay says as they both laugh and reminisce over the times Adarna broke up with him before they were even official or how she would playfully get jealous over him giving more attention to the koi fish at their house.
“It’s just who I am and, if I can get worse, ‘di ba, at least you have an idea. Hindi kita niloko, hindi ka na-scam,” she interjects. “For some reason, we know how to calm one another down and we know how to swallow our pride for one another,” he shares. “Of course, there are misunderstandings that lead to petty things becoming bigger, but the important thing is when they’re resolved, it’s resolved.”
YOURS, MINE & OURS
It is a rare thing to meet people who care about serious things but still manage not to take themselves too seriously, who accept the totality of themselves enough to live a transparent life–which the couple is ultimately doing from the start of the relationship. When we get to the topic of family as both have sons from their past relationships, their love naturally translated into how their families got along.
“We never had any issue in that department, zero,” he states. “Not na parang the first day gan’on na agad ‘yung relationship nila. But Derek kasi really spends time with him and plays with him that’s why he’s very attached,” Adarna shares about how the relationship between Elias, her three-year-old son, and “Tito Derek” took a little bit of time nonetheless, it eventually led them to where they are today–fighting of Ramsay’s attention she jokes, “nag-aagawan pa kami ni Elias with Derek. Sometimes in the morning, Elias would say ‘My Tito Derek!’, ‘No, Mama! Mine Tito Derek!’”.
For Ramsay, it wasn’t also about scoring extra pogi points but simply loving Elias as family and respecting his place in Adarna’ life. “I have always told Ellen that I’m going to be her number 2 and I’m really okay with that. Elias is your priority,” he says. Meanwhile with his own 18-year-old son Austin, it’s a more sensitive issue since he only moved in with him at the age of 14. Dealing with a new relationship and teenager in one house was no easy feat he tells me, “it was a big adjustment for him and a big adjustment for me.” But just a few months back, Adarna’s friend captured the moment Austin first called him “Dad.” “He was waiting for me to get engaged before he’d call me ‘dad’ and he blindsided me when he said that, so I broke down. Buti hindi kita sa video ‘yung pagtakbo ko sa taas to Ellen where I started crying to her.”
Learn more about how Ellen Adarna and Derek Ramsay pulled off getting engaged and having the wedding in less than a year in MEGA’s upcoming December 2021 issue.
Photography JERICK SANCHEZ
Creative direction JANN PASCUA
Art direction NICOLE ALMERO
Beauty direction TRINA EPILEPSIA BOUTAIN
Makeup MICKEY SEE assisted by MELCHOR DOMINGUEZ (Ellen) and ANGEL MANHILOT (Derek)
Hair RENZ PANGILINAN (Ellen) and MONG AMADO (Derek)
Styling TEAM RAIN X EM (Ellen), BIANCA CORDERO and NASIA CAMMAYO assisted by ELLO EREGIL (Derek)
Photography assistant DHENRICK RODRIGO
Shot on location at PALACIO DE MEMORIA
Shoot coordination ERICA LUNA and MAE TALAID
Special thanks to CHONA MODESTANO, CAMILLE LHUILLIER, DANEL CALIXTO
