Picking up my phone, I opened the dating app Tinder and swiped left until my thumb ached.
There wasn’t anyone who took my fancy!
‘Time for a break,’ I said.
Deleting the app from my phone, I decided I wanted a man-free zone in the run up to Christmas. I had two children, Harvey, 18, and Lucy, 14, from a 14-year marriage that had sucked all my energy and left me with
no confidence.
Days later, I slipped into a jumpsuit and dangerously high gold stilettos for my work Chrissy lunch. After a meal, we moved onto a bar where I noticed a tall, hunky man who was watching me.
Phwoar! I thought.
But I knew I had no chance.
Eventually, I hobbled to a chair and pulled off my sparkly shoes. Just then, the handsome stranger appeared.
‘Why have you stopped dancing?’ he asked.
‘My feet are in agony,’ I replied.
‘Come on,’ he said, pulling me back to the dance floor.
His name was David and he’d just finished work. We chatted and danced until 6am and he offered to drive me home.
‘Thank you, you’re an absolute gent,’ I said, before we exchanged numbers.
A week later, on Christmas Eve, I was shopping for some last-minute gifts when David texted and suggested a first date.
As we drank coffee and chatted, there was an undeniable spark between us.
David lived in the flat upstairs.
‘Would you like to come up?’ he asked.
‘Sure,’ I said.
We sat on his terrace and chatted, then we kissed.
Next thing I knew, we were in bed! It was so unlike me.
After we said our goodbyes, I was on cloud nine. On the way home, I bought two morning after pills as, in our moment of passion, we hadn’t used protection.
Just in case, I thought.
I next saw David on Boxing Day and he made me dinner.
A week later, I made a doctor’s appointment to discuss starting a form of contraception, in the hope my relationship with David would continue.
‘Before I refer you to a gynae doctor, I need you to take a pregnancy test,’ she said.
So back home, I did one.
I looked at the tiny window on the stick.
‘No,’ I gasped.
I was pregnant!
There was no way I wanted to become a mother for a third time, especially when I was approaching 40. Not to mention I was worried what David would say. He was practically a stranger!
That night, I lay on my bed, sobbing.
In the morning, David phoned me.
‘I’ve fallen in love with you,’ he said.
‘I love you too,’ I replied.
I knew I had to tell him.
Next day, as we strolled along the beach, he showed me photos of his nieces and nephews.
‘Do you see yourself being a dad one day?’ I asked.
‘I haven’t really thought about it,’ he said. ‘If it happens, it happens.’
‘What would happen if I was pregnant?’ I said.
‘Well, you’re not,’ he said.
‘Well, I am,’ I replied.
I stopped walking and David froze.
‘You’re not joking, are you?’ he said.
Then, to my surprise, a huge smile spread across his face. He was thrilled, yet I felt like my world was falling apart.
‘Whatever your decision, I’ll be by your side,’ he said.
I took the week to think about it and seeing how excited David was changed something in me.
He was going to be a great dad – and I loved him.
‘Let’s do it,’ I said. ‘Let’s have a baby.’
At eight weeks, a sonographer scanned my stomach and went quiet as she studied the screen.
‘You’re having twins,’ she said.
David swore loudly and nearly fell off his chair, while I burst into tears.
My mum Jackie had always wanted twins in the family. At 52, she had died from a brain haemorrhage, yet now her wish was coming true.
From then on, the pregnancy felt meant to be.
We discovered we were having identical twin boys, and as my bump grew,
David remained a gentleman, showering me with flowers and cooking up healthy meals.
At 35 weeks, I went into labour but both babies were breech so I was rushed to theatre for an emergency C-section.
Our boys, Michael and Jaxon, were born, both weighing two kilos.
I was able to kiss each baby before they were put in incubators. The following evening I got to hold them.
‘They’re perfect,’ I said.
Back home, I was impressed with how hands-on David was. Night feeds and dirty nappies didn’t faze him. We were a real team.
Our boys are now two and we’ve since added another member to our family, our six-month-old son, Blake.
David came along when I was least expecting it and our relationship moved quicker than we ever imagined.
Christmas has always been my favourite time of year and now I love it even more, as it’s when I found The One.
Lisa’s book, ‘Dating Diary of a Single Mam’, is available on Amazon.
My mum Jackie had always wanted twins in the family. At 52, she had died from a brain haemorrhage, yet now her wish was coming true.
From then on, the pregnancy felt meant to be.
We discovered we were having identical twin boys, and as my bump grew,
David remained a gentleman, showering me with flowers and cooking up healthy meals.
At 35 weeks, I went into labour but both babies were breech so I was rushed to theatre for an emergency C-section.
Our boys, Michael and Jaxon, were born, both weighing two kilos.
I was able to kiss each baby before they were put in incubators. The following evening I got to hold them.
‘They’re perfect,’ I said.
Back home, I was impressed with how hands-on David was. Night feeds and dirty nappies didn’t faze him. We were a real team.
Our boys are now two and we’ve since added another member to our family, our six-month-old son, Blake.
David came along when I was least expecting it and our relationship moved quicker than we ever imagined.
Christmas has always been my favourite time of year and now I love it even more, as it’s when I found The One.
Lisa’s book, ‘Dating Diary of a Single Mam’, is available on Amazon.
