Love After Loss | Episode 2

In this episode, Val and Des welcome Claudia, their trusted nail tech and a member of their circle for over a decade. What starts as a warm, laugh-filled conversation quickly turns into something much deeper. Claudia opens up about losing her mom at 7 years old, being separated from her siblings, her decision not to have children, a complicated relationship with her biological father, and how she fell in love with Manny while finally being her most authentic self. A conversation about grief, family, resilience, and what it looks like to build a life full of love after a loss that never fully closes. Des & Val The Podcast. Conversations that feel like home. Follow Claudia: 📍 Instagram: @claudiaflores0818 🎙️ New episode every week. 📲 Follow us so you never miss one. 0:00 — Welcome & introducing Claudia 1:20 — Claudia and Manny: 14 years together 3:37 — Bella the dog and how she came into the family 6:32 — The decision to not have children 8:08 — The deeper reason: losing her mom at 7 years old 9:28 — Growing up without her dad after her mom passed 10:37 — Being brought to the US and separated from her siblings 12:42 — Resentment toward her biological father 14:21 — Two weeks before he passed — the message she never answered 17:44 — Finding freedom and peace in the life they chose 20:56 — The last memory of her mom 22:57 — Claudia's strength through it all 26:19 — The hardest part of growing up: being separated from her siblings 29:32 — What felt normal then that shouldn't have been 34:32 — How Claudia and Manny met 37:08 — Their first date story 41:39 — Their fitness era and running together 44:29 — Would they ever open a Pilates studio? 46:09 — Claudia's past ventures: insurance, baking, snack cart and now nails 47:28 — Why nails and how it helps her manage anxiety 49:30 — The anxiety spiral story (energy drinks and a racing heart) 52:42 — Claudia's message to Des and Val 53:04 — See you next week