MANILA, Philippines - The aggrieved wife really dropped by the house of a girl texting and calling her husband and then, because she’s concerned for the safety of their two children, she packed her things, kids included, and moved over to her older sister’s house – for the time being, hopefully – leaving the confused husband home alone at their house in Valle Verde II they have sold and scheduled to turn over to the new owner on Jan. 25 before they move to a new one.

No, the whole drama involving Kris Aquino and husband James Yap, along with James’ fan Mayen Austria, is for real and not, as some people might be suspecting, a gimmick for Kris’ new ABS-CBN soap Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo. In short, it’s all coincidence. Nagkataon lang.

Feels like deja vu?

In December last year, James left home after one of his and Kris’ LQ’s (Lovers’ Quarrels) and returned a week later in time for the family noche buena shared with Kris’ sisters Viel, Pinky and Ballsy, and brother Sen./Presidentiable Noynoy Aquino.

The family (including their two kids Joshua and James Jr.) went on a post-Christmas vacation in Bangkok where Kris and James patched things up. And just when they were starting all over again...

In a brief chat with Funfare yesterday, James swore to high heavens, crossing his heart, that Mayen Austria is just a friend (and a fan) from whom he and Kris have been ordering cookies and cakes, and that the call last Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 13) that, so to speak, broke the camel’s back, was an innocent one in which Mayen was crying on James’ shoulder over a problem she was having with her boyfriend.

“I’ve never cheated on Kris,” insisted James. “I have never been unfaithful. Ang ganda na ng wife ko, bakit hahanap pa ako ng iba?”

Pressed about the long-buried issue involving one Hope Centeno, James said that what was reported in the media never happened. It was a “campaign of hate” initiated by some people who wanted to hit Dr. Vicki Belo using Kris, then heavy with James Jr. (whom she almost lost), as “weapon.”

I guess the problem with James, still unused to and uncomfortable in the (showbiz) limelight that his marriage to Kris has thrust him into perhaps against his will, is that he’s a man of few words that he oftentimes can’t defend himself even when he’s, well, “not” guilty.

Those who knew James told Funfare that it’s “not fair” for Kris to say on national television that she’s the only one making great effort to save their marriage.

“James is also doing his part,” said James’ Purefoods team-mate, “baka hindi lang na-a-appreciate ni Kris or napapansin because she’s too busy with work. As Kris said, she has put Noynoy’s campaign as her No. l priority, her kids as No. 2 and James only as No. 3. What I and James’ other team-mates know is that James loves Kris so much. We also believe that Kris is too well-mannered to make sugod a girl. May breeding naman siya.”

In last Sunday’s edition of The Buzz, Kris apologized to Mayen Austria’s mother, whom she talked to at the gate of the Austria house during that Wednesday incident, for having been dragged into the mess. “I’m sorry na nadamay kayo maski hindi po kayo ang kagalit ko.”

What irked Kris is how some people have dragged her brother Noynoy into the brouhaha when Noynoy has absolutely nothing to do with it. An uncle of Mayen’s insinuated that he wasn’t going to vote for Noynoy, which was uncalled for. It was the same uncle who texted everybody only a few minutes after the incident happened that Wednesday, thereby perhaps blowing it out of proportion and starting the whole controversy.

On Jan. 25, Kris and James will have to leave their Valle Verde II house. If, by then, Kris and their kids are still staying at her sister Pinky’s house, what will happen to James...where will he go?

Asked if it’s true that he’s looking for a condo unit, James said, “It’s not true,” adding, “bahala na.”

Like Noynoy, those close to Kris have the same piece of advice for her: Save your marriage, save your family, by all means, at all costs!

I second the motion.