When my husband passed away unexpectedly, I was shocked to meet another woman at his funeral who was carrying his baby

For 12 years, I thought I was happily married to a wonderful man. But after he passed away in a car accident, I learned the truth.

I was waiting for Greg to come home for dinner when the phone rang. His assistant was sobbing as she told me Greg was gone. He had been hit by another car as he got into his car. Greg was gone.

I kept repeating those words to myself: Greg is gone, I’m alone. I couldn’t believe it. We were young and happy. How could he be gone? How could I wake up and not find him there?

Over the next few days, I was in a daze. My friends helped me with the funeral, but I knew I would never move on. I would never love again. On the day of the funeral, I stayed by the graveside long after everyone else left. I couldn’t let him go.

I was crying silently when I heard someone else crying behind me. It was a young woman with a baby, sobbing.

“Are you a friend of Greg’s?” I asked.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I am. I just found out about you yesterday.”

“About Greg’s death?” I asked.

“No, about you. I didn’t know he was married until yesterday,” she said quietly. “I was an intern at his law firm when we got involved. I didn’t know he was married, and when I got pregnant…”

“Stop it!” I screamed. “This is my husband’s funeral! Stop with your lies!”

“Please,” the girl said, “I didn’t mean to upset you. Greg promised he’d marry me, take care of me and the baby. I’m struggling, I have nothing…”

“Get away from me, you liar!” I screamed. “Go away!” I ran away from the grave, from her agonized face, and from the memory of Greg’s late nights at work.

Sometimes the person you think you know has a hidden side.
In my heart, I knew the girl was telling the truth. Greg was a cheater, and he had probably been cheating on me for years. I sat in my car and cried.

It was a long time before I felt calm enough to drive. While I was sitting there, I saw the girl with the baby go into a drug store. On impulse, I followed her.

She was at the counter with a tin of formula, counting out change. She was blushing, her hands trembling.

“I’m sorry,” she told the teller, “I’m two dollars short. Do you have cheaper milk?”

I stepped forward and placed my credit card on the counter. “Please get us your best formula,” I said to the teller.

The girl gasped. “I can’t afford that!” she cried.

“I can,” I said calmly. “And so can you. Bring the formula, we need to talk.”

She took me to her apartment, a run-down place with peeling walls. “How can you live here with a baby?” I asked.

“It’s all I could afford,” she said quietly.

“But Greg…Didn’t he help you?” I asked.

“While I was thin and sexy? Sure, but once I got pregnant, Greg vanished along with his offer of marriage. He wouldn’t see me or take my calls,” she explained.

My image of Greg was shattered. “What’s your name?” I asked the girl.

“Mandy,” she said, “and this is David.”

“Hello David,” I said and stroked the baby’s cheek, then I said to Mandy, “You can’t stay here. You and David are coming to stay with me.”

“But…You want me to live with you?” Mandy gasped.

“Yes,” I said. “This is Greg’s baby, so he’s part mine too. I have a responsibility to you both. There is an insurance payout which I’ll share with you, and I’m well off, so money is no problem.”

Mandy was crying. “You don’t have to do that!” she said, “I’ll be ok!”

“I want to do this,” I told her. “I’ve never been able to have a baby, but if you let me, I will help you raise David. He may not have a father, but if you allow it, he could have two mothers.”

Mandy hugged me, and we moved in together. We’ve been getting used to each other and the events that brought us together and made us a family.

What can we learn from this story?

Sometimes the person you think you know has a hidden side.
Love and caring are what make a family.