I became a single mom when I was still in college. Ever since then, every man I dated ran away the second they found out I had a son. But then I met Glenn, and I thought maybe this time would be different. I thought I had it all under control—until the day of my wedding, when my son showed up and taught me the biggest lesson of my life.
It all started years ago when I was still studying at the University of Richmond in Virginia. I was young, full of dreams, and madly in love with Hans, my T.A. He was tall, handsome, charming—he made me feel like the most important girl in the world.
One night, I told him the news that would change everything.
“I’m pregnant, Hans. We’re going to be parents. Isn’t it wonderful?” I said, smiling and holding his hand.
But instead of smiling back, his face twisted with anger.
“What? Are you crazy? No! That baby can’t be mine! You have to abort it!” he shouted at me.
I froze, tears filling my eyes. “Hans, darling! We can’t do that. It’s our baby. We made him or her out of love!” I pleaded.
But Hans stood up, furious. “No! I’m not going to be in his life. This is your problem. Goodbye!” he yelled before storming out.
The next day, he quit the university and blocked me everywhere. I tried to call, but he never answered. And when I told my parents about my pregnancy, instead of support, they disowned me.
But I couldn’t get rid of my baby. I already loved him more than anything. A few months later, I gave birth to my beautiful boy, Simon.
Life wasn’t easy. I shared an apartment with a kind roommate, Sara, who didn’t mind having a baby around. Still, juggling school, work, and motherhood was exhausting. But I managed. I graduated, got a decent job, and soon Simon was ready to start school.
The only part of my life that seemed cursed was love. Every single man I dated since Hans ran away when they learned about Simon. One man, Terrence, even pretended it was fine—until I introduced him to Simon. After that, he disappeared without a word.
That’s when I made a promise to myself: I would never mention Simon to anyone I dated until I knew for sure the relationship was serious.
And then… I met Glenn.
He was everything I had dreamed of—gentle, funny, smart. We could talk for hours without getting bored. It felt easy with him, like we’d known each other for years. For the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe I could have both love and motherhood.
But hiding Simon wasn’t simple. Babysitters were harder to find, and I was constantly making excuses to Glenn. Then something unexpected happened.
One afternoon, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, I found my parents standing there, looking guilty.
“Lana,” my mother, Gigi, whispered, her eyes full of tears. “I don’t know if you can forgive us, but I really want to make up for all our lost time. I want to meet my grandson and have a relationship with you again.”
My father, Dylan, stepped forward too. “I’m sorry, my baby girl. We thought having a baby would ruin your life, and you were so young. But now I see we were wrong. Will you let us be part of Simon’s life?”
It felt like a miracle. I introduced them to Simon, who immediately warmed up to his grandparents. After raising him alone for four years, it was heartwarming to see him so happy. With my parents finally back in my life, I could focus more on Glenn.
One night over dinner, I carefully asked Glenn about children.
“I definitely want children, Lana, don’t get me wrong,” he said with a smile. “But not yet. We’re still young. We should get married, maybe travel the world for a while before settling down.”
I nodded, forcing a smile, but inside I was torn. Once again, I decided not to tell him about Simon just yet.
Months later, Glenn surprised me with a proposal. My heart nearly burst out of my chest as I said yes. But even as we planned the wedding, the weight of my secret grew heavier.
On the morning of my wedding, I begged my mom to babysit Simon.
“You’re not going to tell him about your child?” my mom asked, frowning.
“Mom, please. You don’t know what it’s been like. Every man runs away when they find out I have a son. I can’t tell Glenn until we’re married,” I whispered desperately.
“Darling, he’s not going to like that either. A relationship needs trust and honesty,” she warned.
“Please! I’m begging you!” I pleaded with tears in my eyes.
Reluctantly, she agreed—or at least, I thought she did.
The plan was simple: my dad would walk me down the aisle, then leave to watch Simon while Mom enjoyed the reception. I thought everything was under control.
But my mother had other plans.
The ceremony was beautiful. My dad walked me down the aisle, and I looked into Glenn’s eyes as the priest began. I thought I was the happiest woman alive. We exchanged vows, kissed, and everyone cheered.
And then, out of nowhere, I heard a small voice shouting:
“Mom! Mom! Congratulations! You got married! I have a new father finally!”
My heart stopped. Simon came running up to me, beaming. Glenn froze, his face pale, while the guests gasped in confusion.
“Mom? Is he your son, Lana? What is going on?” Glenn whispered through clenched teeth, trying not to cause a scene.
“Let’s go outside, I’ll explain,” I muttered, panicked.
We made it through the rice-throwing, the photos, and the cheers. But once we were in the car, Glenn turned to me with fire in his eyes.
“Tell me the truth. Now,” he demanded.
So I told him everything. About Hans, about being abandoned, about how terrified I was to lose him. I admitted I had planned to tell him after the honeymoon.
“I know you might not understand me now, but I love you, Glenn. Please—I was just so afraid. My mom was supposed to keep him away today, but she brought him instead,” I confessed, sobbing.
Glenn’s jaw tightened. “I can’t believe this, Lana. You hid your five-year-old son from me for almost a year. How can we trust each other after this?”
“Please, don’t be angry with me,” I cried. “Put yourself in my shoes. Every man left me because of Simon. I couldn’t risk losing you.”
He sighed deeply. “I understand why you were afraid. But I’m angry because children are a gift, Lana. And you didn’t trust me enough to tell me about yours.”
At the reception, I expected him to avoid Simon. But instead, he walked straight up to him, crouched down, and said, “Hey, buddy. I’m Glenn. And if it’s okay with you, I’d love to be your new dad.”
Simon’s face lit up. I burst into tears.
Later that night, at our hotel, Glenn turned to me. “I’m still angry, Lana. But Simon is amazing. And we made vows today—to love each other through everything. I’m in this for the long haul. But you can never lie to me again.”
I threw my arms around him. “Thank you! I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you and Simon. I love you so much,” I sobbed.
He laughed softly, kissed me, and just like that, the tension melted away.
Our honeymoon was magical. When we returned, Glenn and Simon bonded quickly, as if they’d known each other forever. A few months later, I found out I was pregnant. We welcomed a baby girl, Julianne, and Glenn officially adopted Simon. He became the best father I could have ever hoped for.
At last, I had chosen the right man.
What can we learn from this story?
- The right person will come along. Lana went through heartbreak and rejection, but finally found love in Glenn.
- Secrets can destroy trust. Lana’s lie nearly cost her marriage, but Glenn’s love and forgiveness saved them. That kind of grace is rare—so never underestimate honesty.