Kristine out of her comfort zone

Kristine Hermosa swears she is a new person. The problems that have made her inaccessible to the press (e.g. an ongoing marriage annulment case over her union with Diether Ocampo) are still there. But they don’t force her into a corner anymore, away from nosey reporters.

"I admit the corner is my comfort zone. Bright lights make me uncomfortable," admits Kristine.

But she has learned to fight her "corner mentality" and accept that she need not hide from her problems all the time.

"I’ve grown mature. I’ve learned to face problems squarely," she says at the presscon of Star Cinema and Viva Films’ ‘Wag Kang Lilingon, Kristine’s first horror movie.

Kristine plays against type in the horror movie,where she is cast as Angel the breadwinner in the Salamin episode.

"Before and after I shoot, I make it a point to pray to make sure nothing bad will go with me when I get home," says Kristine.

Her breadwinner role in the film, however, is worlds apart from who she is in real life. Kristine loves to provide for her family, though. She built a three-story house in Loyola Grand Villas, Quezon City for them. Today, Kristine’s parents and siblings stay in the big house that took one year to construct.

Even if she can stay there, Kristine has opted to strike out on her own in Cubao, where she maintains a condo. The only other resident in the unit is her trusted yaya.

"The condo is more convenient for me because it’s nearer ABS," she explains.

Okay, so down with those eyebrows. Kristine is at peace with her family, thank you.

Going solo flight has hastened Kristine’s transformation into a fully-grown-up woman. She has learned to think things over on her own and thresh out old issues with Diether, who at one unguarded moment admitted that his wife is still young. Read: she has a lot of growing up to do.

Her newly-acquired position as overseer of Fix Salon in Cybermall Mall, Eastwood also fast tracked the growing up process. Kristine buried herself in paperwork, looked after the budget, the 10 employees, and things have never been the same since.

"It’s a big responsibility, and I enjoy it," she smiles.

Kristine has turned out to be hands-on entrepreneur (she and Diether manage the place). She stays in the salon the whole day whenever she goes there twice a week.

Her previously rocky marriage to Diether has reached a comfortable plateau. The fights have fizzled out and the kinks in their union ironed out.

The couple are looking forward to working together again, this time for a new soap to be shot in Malaysia for a month. And, budget permitting, Kristine would like to have a white Christmas with Diether in London.

"My best friend stays there, and I haven’t been there yet," she explains.

If the plans push through, will she and Diether have a baby "made in London?"

"First things first," replies Kristine. "We’re still saving for the future. I still have bills to pay. I won’t be done paying in full the Loyola Grand Villas house I built for my family until some years from now."

She and Diether have yet to build their own lovenest (he has a house in Tomas Morato). But they do plan to get married, possibly next year. And she wants it to be a garden wedding.

Is a baby also part of the plan?

"It’s expensive!" Kristine blurts out.

Besides, motherhood is an entirely new ball game whose rules Kristine may not yet be ready to play. In time, perhaps, when, as she says, the bills have been paid and things are in better order.

But when marriage is waiting in the wings, a baby will not be long in coming. Diether and Kristine may just end up getting the biggest (pleasant) surprise of their lives.