More than 15 years ago, Justin proposed to Nikki in Moldova after a series of events brought them together.
She said yes. But when she came out to him in a very unorthodox way, they split.
That was in 2007. A lot has changed since then. Justin has changed since then.
Now, they’ve reconnected. He proposed. And she’s hoping that this K-1 visa journey goes more smoothly. But will it?
Nikki and Justin
We meet Nikki Sanders during a photoshoot. She has a public persona, Nikki Exotica. Nikki adopts this persona for her career as a recording artist and a model. In real life, she says, she’s more of a homebody. And, clearly, the 47-year-old is a bit of a cat lady. She works as a hairstylist and makeup artist and a beauty consultant.
If you want advice on plastic surgery, she’s your go-to girl
Nikki explains that, because she has personally undergone so many procedures, she has a rare level of experience. That can actually be very valuable for someone who wants to know what they’ll experience with a surgery or recovery. She knows that a lot of people judge her for how many procedures she’s undergone, but she’s eager to invite love into her life.
Nikki has a fiance, Justin
He’s Moldovan. Nikki says that he’s just her type: tall, hot, hung, funny, and sweet. She met him 17 years ago … but her flight to Moldova wasn’t to see him. She was in love with a different man.
Back then …
Nikki was in love with a Russian man whom she met in New York. He was apparently a “bad boy” to the point where he committed a crime — which could mean something bad or not at all, and we don’t know which. His deportation tore them apart, but Nikki came up with a plan. She flew to Moldova to find and meet up with him. She planned to surprise him, but he was living with another woman. Devastated, Nikki made a dating profile on a site (there weren’t apps yet) … which is how she met Justin. Or, rather, Egor. Apparently she jokingly renamed him Justin, because of his alleged resemblance to a young Justin Timberlake.
“Will you marry to me?”
Justin overwhelmed Nikki with romantic gestures and treating her well. Better, it seems, than any man before him had treated her. Eventually, he proposed, and she said yes. Unfortunately, they also had a lot of arguments — most of them, it seems, related to him not doing housework. Not to make excuses, but he was a young adult at the time and lived in a culture that has a lot of gender role brainrot. Either way, these arguments led to their breakup … but not directly.
During one of these arguments, Nikki came out to Justin
Nikki is transgender, but she hadn’t told anyone in her life. At this time, as a young woman, she wasn’t telling anyone in her life that she was anything other than the cis woman that she appeared to be. Nikki had bottom surgery when she was about 20, and so Justin had no idea. Apparently, as a young man from a conservative country who didn’t know much about anything, he freaked out in a grimly transphobic way. Not violently, from what Nikki’s saying, but he rejected her. And that was the end … until it wasn’t.
After 15 years …
Nikki and Justin parted ways in 2007. Fifteen years later, they both found that they were single. Justin had grown a lot as a person, and also learned more about trans folks. They decided to give things another chance. They met up in Mexico to reconnect on every level. He told her that she is the love of his life, and then he proposed to her. And now, Nikki has started the K-1 visa process (again) with him. She has some concerns … but she wants to work on things. So she’s heading to Moldova to make sure that things are going to work. This is sounding a little Before The 90 Days to us … but perhaps Season 10 will surprise us.
Nikki chats with Justin
She’s anxious about going to Moldova, which is not considered a safe country for trans folks. And Nikki also feels anxious about receiving Justin’s mom’s blessing. She knows that his mother has “hangups” about her being trans. Justin assures her that his mother respects him. When he tells his mom “this is my woman,” she’ll accept that. So he says.
“Don’t broke my penis”
On a lighter note, Justin is talking a big game about their sex life when they’re together again. Nikki does note that, when they last saw each other, they were only having sex a couple of times per week — which is not very often for an engaged couple. Privately, Nikki worries that Justin is holding back and “not 100% in bed” out of reservations that she’s trans.