Seven Years and a Baby Mama

My boyfriend, Mark, my guy for seven years, just had his high school sweetheart show up on his doorstep, and she’s brought a kid along for the ride.

This woman, Brenda, went on a social media rampage for three days straight. Called me a “homewrecker,” a “snake in the grass,” basically everything except a child of God. Said I’d stolen her baby daddy.

So, I calmly updated my own profile with a screenshot of a health report.

Name: Mark Johnson

Result: Infertile

The internet went wild. Comments like: “Honey, you’ve been played” and “Talk about a bad case of the Mondays… and the Tuesdays, Wednesdays, etc.”

1

I was minding my own business, scrolling through TikTok on the toilet, when a random text buzzed in.

“Hi, I’m Mark Johnson’s ex, Brenda. I need to talk to you, face to face, at the coffee shop. It’s important.”

Mark and I have been together for seven years – and we’re both supposed to be each other’s “firsts.” This had to be some next-level scam, right? They’re even trying the emotional manipulation route now?

I texted back, “Your scam game needs work!”

Three seconds later, my phone vibrated again.

It was a picture of a tattoo – a rose on someone’s ankle.

My heart did a weird little flip.

Mark has an identical rose tattoo on his ankle. I always thought it was… weird. I mean, why would a guy get a rose tattoo?

His answer was, roses symbolize true, undying love, and he wanted a reminder to stay pure and devoted to his partner. All that romantic bull.

Another text popped up: “Okay, do you believe me now?”

I stared at the screen for a few minutes, slowly realizing I might just be dating a grade-A jerk.

I threw on the first thing I could find and bolted to the coffee shop she named.

It was past 8 AM, so it wasn't crowded.

There was this woman in a red trench coat sitting with a kid bouncing around next to her.

"Mommy, where’s that bad lady you told me about?” the kid yelled.

Bad lady?

I walked straight over. “Did you send that text?”

When I saw the woman, I was taken aback. We looked similar, especially around the eyes.

Brenda, her name was, said, “Yeah, that was me. I’m Brenda, Mark’s old flame. I had to move overseas seven years ago because of family stuff, but I found out I was pregnant with Mark’s baby after I left.”

She patted the kid’s head, all warm and mom-like. “I know you’ve been with Mark for seven years, but he never put a ring on your finger, and that tells you something. He’s not that into you. So, please, just step aside and let me have my son’s father back.”

Okay, so this was one of those “white knight” scenarios. The ex-girlfriend with a secret kid shows up, expecting the old boyfriend to be her knight in shining armor.

I know that three years ago, when Mark and I went to get checked out, the results showed he was infertile. Brenda and Mark have no idea.

2

It’s just… funny, isn't it? The love I thought was so special might have just been me playing a stand-in.

Seven years ago, I was fresh out of college. ...