Devastated
Laura burst into tears when she first heard the news. She and her husband, Cole, had been trying for months to get pregnant. And all was revealed when she went to an OBGYN.
Laura was devastated. However, she had no idea that her life would be changing for a second time when her husband made a big decision without even talking to her.
The Perfect Partner
Laura Burns thought that she had found the perfect partner in Cole Humphries. Although it wasn't love at first sight, it took time for them to finally come together, and then they did, sparks flew.
And before long, they were inseparable. Cole couldn’t stop talking about Laura to his friends, and soon enough, he was talking about possibly asking her to marry him.
Only Three Months
But his friends weren’t so sure. “It’s only been three months. Don’t you want to get to know her a little bit better first? Marriage is a huge thing. You have to be careful,” they warned him.
However, Cole was convinced that he had found “the one.” To him, Laura was perfect, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
The Six Month Mark
His friends’ advice had not fallen on deaf ears and Cole decided to wait until the six month mark to eventually propose to Laura.
But when the day came, Laura was very surprised. She had no idea that Cole was planning on marrying her and to her, it was still too soon in their relationship.
Engaged
But it was Cole who had convinced her otherwise. He had the knack to charm anyone and anything that he wanted to. And before long, Laura had an engagement ring on her finger.
Although she was very happy, she still had a lingering feeling that Cole was just doing this to prove some kind of point to his friends.
Proving Her Wrong
He proved her wrong eventually. She could see that he really loved her and after only five months of being engaged, the couple tied the knot.
The wedding was an intimate affair with only their close family and friends in attendance. They didn’t want a big wedding because they wanted to save some money for when they would be expanding their family.
Starting A Family
And not long after they said their “I dos,” Cole was the one who brought up the topic about parenthood. “Honey, I think it’s time we start our family. The sooner the better because I’m planning on having at least four of them. What do you say?” he asked a very concerned-looking Laura.
She wanted children, but wasn’t so sure about the amount.
Something Not Right
As the months went by, Laura and Cole tried to conceive but it just wasn’t working. Something just didn’t feel right and Laura began to get very worried.
It didn’t help that Cole put all the blame on her at times. “Did you take the meds the doctor prescribed?” he would ask her. By then, she was so stressed out and she knew that stress wasn’t making the situation any easier.
Worried
She was constantly worried about being ready and when it didn’t happen again, she could see that Cole was not only frustrated, but angry as well. “What’s wrong with you? Other women fall pregnant at the drop of a hat, but you?” he said.
His words cut her deep and she really thought that her husband would be supportive of her struggles. But she was wrong.
Cold-Hearted
Eventually he told her to go back to the doctor because in his eyes, there was definitely something wrong with her. It stung her to hear him say that every time and Laura wondered what she had done to deserve such a cold-hearted unsupportive husband.
But she had no idea that the worst was yet to come.
All On Her Own
She made an appointment to see a gynecologist. It was important to have herself thoroughly checked out. And to her dismay, Cole decided not to go with her.
It saddened her that he wasn’t even trying to support her at this time. It was like she was fighting a losing battle all on her own.
Wanted To Be A Mother
As she sat on the cold bed of the consulting room, all she could think about was babies. She wanted to be a mother so badly now but something was preventing it from happening.
She hoped and prayed that the gynecologist would be able to find the problem and give her a solution. That way, she and Cole could finally be parents. She braced herself for what was to come.
The Diagnosis
After a series of tests and examinations, the gynecologist delivered the devastating news. Laura had been diagnosed with infertility. Tears welled up in her eyes as the doctor explained the situation, the odds stacked against her for conceiving a child naturally.
Laura's heart sank, and she felt an overwhelming sense of loss. She had always dreamed of becoming a mother, and now that dream seemed further out of reach than ever.
Telling Cole
With a heavy heart, Laura returned home to share the heartbreaking news with Cole. She hoped he would be understanding and supportive during this challenging time. But as she revealed her infertility diagnosis, Cole's face contorted with anger and frustration.
"How could this happen? We were supposed to have a family together!" he shouted. His reaction shocked and hurt Laura, as she had expected him to comfort her in their shared grief.
Cruel Words
“No way! I didn’t sign up for this. This was supposed to be perfect and now you have tainted it,” he said. His words were so sharp that it cut a hole in Laura’s heart. She didn’t know that he could be so cruel.
In the weeks that followed, Laura and Cole's relationship began to deteriorate. The strain of Laura's infertility weighed heavily on them both. Cole's resentment towards his wife grew, and he started distancing himself from her emotionally. Their once-loving marriage began to crumble.
Seeking Solace
Feeling isolated and hurt, Laura turned to her friends and family for support. She confided in her closest friend, Sarah, who had always been there for her. Sarah offered a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and words of encouragement.
Laura also began attending a support group for women facing infertility. There, she found strength and camaraderie with others who understood her pain. These new connections helped her cope with the emotional turmoil.
The Decision
As months turned into a year, the emotional distance between Laura and Cole grew insurmountable. Their once-loving home was now a cold and lonely place. Laura had become accustomed to shouldering the emotional burden of her infertility on her own.
One day, Cole sat her down and made a life-altering decision. He explained that he couldn't bear the thought of never having children of his own, and he wanted to divorce Laura to pursue that dream with someone else. It was a painful, heart-wrenching conversation.
Pushing Her Away
“What? Aren’t you willing to do this another way? How can you just leave me because of this? We were supposed to be a team. A team that could get through anything together and yet you are just pushing me away all the time,” Laura cried. But Cole wasn’t having it.
“I can’t do this with you. I want a child that is mine and my wife’s biologically. It must come from us and our bodies. I can’t and I won’t settle for anything less than that. It is not what God intended,” he replied.
Divorce
In the end, Laura signed the divorce papers with a heavy heart, and Cole left her, leaving behind shattered dreams and a marriage that had once held so much promise. Laura was left alone, devastated by the loss of her husband and the future they had planned together.
She spent the next few years healing, focusing on herself, and rebuilding her life. She threw herself into her career and found solace in the support of her friends and the infertility support group. But Laura never could have guessed what would happen just five years after the divorce.
She Was A Mess
For the first year, Laura was a mess. She couldn’t help but feel like she had failed as a woman. She couldn’t give her husband a child, and that fact broke her heart into smithereens.
Laura spent years trying to move past what had happened. But deep down, she knew that something was missing from her life.
No Purpose
Laura had always known that she was meant to be a wife and mother. When Cole left, she felt like she no longer had a purpose in life. But after a few years had passed, she made an important decision.
Laura knew that she was going to be a mother no matter what. When she first began looking into surrogacy, she had no idea what she was signing up for. But one day, the unexpected happened.
A Big Day
On Tuesday morning, Laura decided to leave the house and meet with a surrogacy agency. That day, she planned to finally start the process of starting her own family.
The agency was in a popular part of town. Although she felt nervous, she couldn’t wait for what was to come. But she never could have guessed who she would run into that day.
Arriving At Her Location
Laura left her house around 10 a.m. and drove to the popular spot, surrounded by cafes and other small restaurants.
She took a deep breath before stepping out of her car and heading for the large building. But as she passed by a small cafe, she noticed a familiar face.
Cole
Laura paused in her tracks the second her eyes found Cole’s face. He was sitting around a table with another woman, enjoying a large cup of coffee.
Suddenly, Laura’s blood ran cold. She hadn’t seen Cole in years, and there he was, sitting beside a woman with a smile on his face.
The Woman
She stared at him for a moment longer, watching as he laughed at something the woman said. He seemed genuinely happy, and it crushed her.
She had spent years trying to forget him and what he had done to her self-esteem. Her heart began to race as she tried to think of what she should do next.
Caught Up
Part of Laura wanted to run back to her car and drive home. Suddenly, all those terrible feelings came rushing back to her. She wondered if she ever deserved to be a mother.
Cole didn’t notice her, he was too caught up in the woman sitting in front of him. Laura wondered who she was. Had he moved on from her?
Heading Back
Laura decided to turn around and head back to her car. She always wondered what it would feel like to see his face again. That day, she realized that it felt terrible.
She sat in her car for a while as her mind raced with old memories. She thought about how happy she was the day they got married, then she thought about how much it destroyed her when he walked out on her.
The Building
Tears began streaming down her face as she looked out of the window, but from where she was parked, she couldn’t see Cole.
All she could see was the large grey building she had planned to visit that day. That was when she was reminded of her plan for that day.
She Was Lonely
Laura had felt so lonely since she and Cole split up. Her longing to become a mother had only grown. She knew she would be the perfect mother, with or without a partner.
Laura quickly lifted her hand and wiped the tears from her face as she thought about why she was there in the first place. She was ready to move on with her life.
He Didn’t Care
For years, she had been hanging onto a man who didn’t care about her and who abandoned her during the hardest part of her life. It was time to move past those terrible years.
Laura shook her head and told herself to let it all go. It was finally time to move on. She opened her car door once again and stepped out.
Going Back
This time, as Laura walked past the cafe, she didn’t even bother looking to her left. Cole had hurt her in the past, and she wasn’t going to pay any more attention to him.
She quickly stepped into the large building and approached the receptionist, letting out a deep breath before she spoke up. “I need a surrogate,” she said.
Paperwork
That day, Laura spent hours filling out paperwork and speaking to employees at the surrogate agency. She told them all about her infertility issues and how determined she was to become a mother.
By the end of that day, the agency promised to get the ball rolling and to stay in contact with Laura. She was finally going to become a mother.
Letting It Go
When Laura walked back to her car, she had a bright smile on her face. As she passed the cafe, Cole was nowhere to be seen, and she felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
She was finally moving on with her life, and she couldn’t wait to be a mother. That afternoon, she told her friends and family all about what she had done that day.
Wonderful News
Months passed, and Laura was able to find a surrogate. When she learned that the woman was pregnant with twins, she was over the moon.
She prepared everything herself, painting the nursery pink and building cribs. But before she knew it, she had two young daughters in the house with her.
Unexpected Encounter
Five years after her divorce, Laura was living a fulfilling life as a strong and independent woman. She had come to terms with her infertility. She was now a happy mother and thriving on her own.
One sunny afternoon, while out shopping for groceries, she heard a familiar voice call her name. Startled, she turned to see a man standing in front of her, a man she thought she would never see again—Cole.
Reunion
Laura's heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with her ex-husband, Cole. It had been five long years since they had parted ways, and seeing him again brought a flood of emotions. They stood there in the grocery store, both at a loss for words, as the awkward silence hung heavily between them.
Cole was the first to break the silence. "Laura, it's been a while," he said hesitantly, his eyes filled with a mix of surprise and regret.
A Loss For Words
"Yeah, it has," Laura replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of sadness and resentment. She couldn't help but remember the pain and heartache he had caused her when he left because of her infertility.
It was then that her girls came running to her. “Mommy, look at these dolls. Do you think we can have them, please? Pretty please,” one of them begged. Cole was at a loss for words.
Twin Daughters
Laura looked down at her twin daughters, her heart filled with love and pride. She had worked hard to become a mother, and her surrogate had brought these precious girls into her life. They were a constant reminder that she had overcome the challenges life had thrown at her.
Cole's gaze shifted from the dolls to the girls and then back to Laura. He cleared his throat, struggling to find the right words to say. "Laura, I... I had no idea," he stammered, his eyes welling up with tears. It was the first time he had seen the children they both had longed for.
A Whirlwind Of Emotions
Laura's emotions were a whirlwind. On one hand, she felt a deep anger and hurt from the past, but on the other, she saw the genuine surprise and remorse in Cole's eyes. "They're my daughters, Cole," she replied, her voice softer now. "I had to find my own path to motherhood when you left me."
The encounter in the grocery store was emotional and awkward, as the weight of their shared history hung heavily in the air. Cole took a step closer, reaching out to touch one of the girls' hair. "They're beautiful," he whispered, his voice filled with longing.
A Terrible Mistake
Laura couldn't deny that the sight of him brought back memories and stirred some old feelings, but she was also acutely aware of the pain he had caused her. "Cole, what do you want?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and caution.
He took a deep breath, his eyes locked on hers. "I made a terrible mistake, Laura. I was blind to what truly mattered. I want to make amends, and I want to be a part of their lives if you'll let me."
Uncertain
Laura hesitated, torn between her desire to protect her daughters and the possibility of allowing Cole back into their lives. The drama of their past seemed to hang in the balance, and the future was uncertain.
How could she allow Cole back in her life and her daughters’ lives when he had no qualms about leaving her just like that? She needed to think.
Turmoil
Laura's heart was in turmoil as she considered Cole's words. The wounds from their painful history were still fresh, and she couldn't easily forget the way he had abandoned her during the darkest time of her life. She wanted to protect her daughters, who had become her whole world, from any potential heartbreak.
As Cole stood there, waiting for her response, Laura realized that she needed time to process her emotions and make a decision that would be in the best interest of her family.
Deep Regret
"I need time to think about this, Cole," she finally said, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "You can't just walk back into my life without understanding what you did." Cole nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and remorse. "I understand, Laura. I'll give you the time you need, but please know that I regret my actions deeply."
With that, they exchanged contact information, and Cole left the grocery store. Laura was left alone, feeling the weight of an unexpected and complicated reunion with her ex-husband.
Confused
In the days that followed, Laura wrestled with her emotions and sought the advice of her closest friends and family members. It became clear that her loved ones had mixed feelings about the possibility of Cole reentering her life. Some were skeptical, while others believed in second chances.
“I don’t know what to do. He hurt me so much. But I can see that he’s really sorry and I can’t deny the fact that I miss him,” Laura said. She was so confused.
Potential
Ultimately, Laura decided to meet with Cole to have an open and honest conversation about their past, their feelings, and the potential future of their relationship.
She had to confront her fears, uncertainties, and the lingering hurt from their past. She could see that he felt genuine remorse for his actions and she was willing to give him another chance provided that they start off as friends first and foremost. Laura grappled with the complexities of love, forgiveness, and the chance to rebuild what had once been broken.