Compared to straight couples, lesbian couples undeniably face more significant challenges in their relationships. From winning the approval of the people around them to getting married and down to building a family, there are many hardships faced. Fortunately, society is becoming more welcoming to same-sex relationships, and the medical field also provides solutions relating to pregnancy issues.
So, just like many other lesbian couples, two women from Seattle, Washington underwent the method of artificial insemination to begin their family and have children. When they finally had their daughters, they thought they couldn’t ask for more. However, unfortunately, they’ve found themselves going separate ways. More than a decade later, one of the lesbian couples found out the answers as to why she had to suffer too much heartbreak in the past.
The Lesbian Couple
Jessica Share was a marketing specialist from Oregon. The 42-year-old lesbian woman fought for her rights to love her whole life. She was in her mid-twenties when she met the woman of her dreams.
Despite judgments and criticisms, the two women decided to live together. They both had nice-paying jobs, and their families and friends approved of their relationship. Right before their romantic relationship reached its first anniversary, Jessica and her partner decided to get married. It was beautiful.
The Blueprint of Their Future
Together, Jessica and her wife lived together in a house in Ohio. It was close to Jessica’s family. Sharing the same optimism for their future, the newlyweds planned their lives together. Of course, aside from being able to create their dream house, having babies was one of their priorities.
With lots of artificial methods to help them, the couple was determined to become parents. The Internet had shown them a lot of options, and even their loved ones showed unwavering support. They were extremely thankful they were born at a time where they were able to have children as a same-sex couple. Jessica and her wife had big, big plans.
Dreaming of a Big Family
Whenever they talked about building a family, Jessica felt happy as her wife also shared her enthusiasm for having a big family. They were visualizing themselves as parents not only to one but to four kids! They even had names ready for the children long before they came into their lives.
Although they had to start from scratch, the couple was too excited at the thought of becoming the first lesbian parents in the American Midwest. But while it had been easy to lay out their plans on the table, the actual execution proved to be difficult.
Looking for a Donor
Of course, the lesbian couple needed a sperm donor. Jessica’s eager wife told her that her brother-in-law was willing to help. Although he was extremely interested, Jessica was quite reluctant. She had taken a course at her university that tackled the legal rights of gay and lesbian parents.
Jessica found out that some courts acknowledge sperm donation as an act of parenting and usually, they give custody rights to the donor should anything happen to the birth moms. Although it is not a good idea to think of the worst-case scenario, she shivered at the thought of her future children being removed from their house to be with someone they barely knew. So, the first option was rejected.
A More Plausible Option
Upon learning about the custody rights, Jessica’s wife dropped the idea of getting a sperm donor whom they knew. So, they were back at scratch once again. Although there were plenty of sperm banks in the world, they struggled to find one that suits their plans.
Fortunately, after days of research, they discovered a sperm bank that ships the “precious” product to their place. Moreover, they found out that the anonymous donors of the bank have to sign legal papers that completely remove their rights for custody of the children. Needless to say, the lesbian couple thought it was their best choice. Soon enough, the plans were set into motion.
Choosing the Best Candidate
Luckily, the sperm bank had provided them with valuable information about the possible donors. When the couple was checking out the anonymous candidates, they were thinking of the same thing. They wanted someone who had an inclination towards literature and sport.
So when they ran across the profile of a writer and a musician, Jessica and her wife’s interest was at its peak. The donor also listed that he was of average height and weight and that he had wavy, brown hair. Moreover, the donor included that he used to work as a taxi driver. The creative imagination of the lesbian couple worked instantly. Both of them thought of him as a great writer in the making who’s picking up real stories of people who ride his cab. Although there was never a picture, their decision was made right away.
The Preparations
Before doing their home science “experiment,” the couple sought the advice of the medical experts about the procedure. They acquired knowledge about artificial insemination, as well as pieces of information about what they need to do. Within a month, the couple was pretty confident that they already knew what they had to do.
Since Jessica’s job required her to stay at home, they mutually decided she would be the one to carry the baby. She had no complaint about the setup as she was too excited to build a family. The match was made, the order was placed, and Jessica set out to make their dreams happen.
Their Efforts Had Paid Off
The procedure required the couple to wait for the perfect timing. As a result, Jessica used to inseminate twice a month. She tried to get every sperm as close to the egg as possible. Finally, after seven months of trying, her efforts had paid off. She had confirmed she was pregnant. The lesbian couple was overjoyed, and they wasted no time to tell their loved ones about the good news. Of course, they felt ecstatic as well.
During her pregnancy, Jessica and her excited wife rarely talked about the donor. All they ever cared for was to ensure that Jessica’s health, as well as the baby’s, were in excellent condition. But during at night, they paid homage to the donor’s literary genes by reading books to their future bookworm.
The Most Awaited Arrival
In June 2005, Jessica’s life had completely changed when she gave birth to a beautiful baby. The new and overjoyed parents described their daughter as “perfect’ and decided to name her “Alice.”
Their adorable baby had a small nose, thin mouth, and electric, emerald eyes. It didn’t take long for Alice to show everyone that she would grow up as a smart and talented young woman. With so much joy in their hearts, the lesbian couple decided to repeat the whole process.
It was Her Wife’s Turn
Although Alice was just a few months old at that time, the lesbian couple felt an inkling that it was the right time to have their second child. However, they have decided that it would be her wife’s turn since she had acquired a lighter schedule from her work. Moreover, she also wanted to experience pregnancy.
Since their first-born was such an incredible human being, the couple didn’t think twice before ordering sperm from their previous donor. Since Jessica had been through the whole ordeal with her wife’s assistance, they got what they wanted sooner than they expected.
Welcoming another Adorable Daughter
Alice was already 18 months old when Jessica’s wife gave birth to another bouncing baby girl. They named their second daughter Soren. As the two of them looked at the two adorable human beings, they have noticed the striking similarities. Their facial features were amazingly the same and even the mannerisms of Alice when she was just a few-months-old baby was evident on Soren.
The couple’s house had dramatically transformed into a home. Although it was not easy to raise two kids, they did not have any kind of regrets. They were delighted by how things had turned out for them.
Happy Mothers
With two daughters to raise, Jessica and her wife had to work harder. They wanted to give them the best of everything. Moreover, they had the dream of becoming a family of six. It was such a surprise that parenting went on smoothly for the both of them. Although they knew that the day would come when their daughters would ask about their situation, the lesbian couple was confident that they’d be able to explain how they came into their lives.
But just as Jessica thought that her dreams were becoming a reality, something happened in her life that made her question everything she believed in.
Without Warning
When Alice was three years old and Soren was one year old, Jessica’s wife made a shocking decision. Out of nowhere, she declared that she was no longer happy with their relationship. The news came as a shock to Jessica, and her world suddenly went black.
With the hope that it was just a misunderstanding, Jessica tried to talk her wife off of separating. They were legally married, and they had kids. It was not as easy to end everything. However, it seemed that the love of her life had already reached a firm decision. Jessica was told there was nothing she could do to revive the relationship. It was devastating.
Acceptance as the Only Option
No matter how much she tried, Jessica’s wife couldn’t give a plausible reason as to why she had to end their marriage. At first, she thought there was already a new lover. However, her wife firmly denied the accusation. She just said she woke up one day and felt that the spark was gone. For Jessica, there was no need to elaborate. Their marriage was irreconcilable.
Although her heart was breaking at that moment, Jessica knew she just couldn’t break down. She had Alice and Soren by her side, and she needed to be strong. Her wife just left the house and only requested to only see the kids every weekend.
Becoming a Single Mom
A few months after leaving the house, Jessica found out that her wife had filed for divorce. The last ray of hope that her decision would change was crushed. That moment, Jessica swore she would dedicate her life to her kids. After all, it seemed that her ex-wife was not that interested in her custody rights.
Five days a week in the last seven years, Jessica continued parenting for Alice and Soren. It was a great help that the sisters were growing smart, beautiful, and compassionate. With them around over the years, Jessica felt that the pain in her heart had already healed. Although she never recovered from losing even the friendship with her ex-wife, at least they remained civil with each other, especially whenever she came to visit the kids. Then, to her surprise, her ex-wife did something that left her crushed once again.
Cutting All Ties
Alice was ten years old when her heart got broken for the first time – Jessica’s ex-wife had a special connection with Soren as her biological daughter often not spending time with Alice. Although she had never been rude to Alice, it was evident that she wanted to be with Soren more than anyone else.
One weekend, her ex-wife came home to borrow Soren on the pretense of a weekend getaway. Since Alice had so many projects to do, she was left at the house. When it was time for Soren to come home, it was only then that Jessica discovered her ex-wife’s plan of running away. They had been fooled.
Nursing Her Daughter’s Heart
Although Jessica tried to explain the situation to Alice, the smart kid cannot be easily fooled. She had already discovered that she was blocked on her other mom’s phone. Evidently, she wanted to cut ties with them.
Although Jessica was angry at her ex-wife for being so inconsiderate and evil to divide their family, she was well aware that she had the rights to their daughters, too. So, she tried to explain to Alice why Soren had to be away for a while and promised her that she would do everything so they could see each other again. However, it had been an empty promise up to this day.
Everything Had Changed
Almost inevitably, the once happy home of Jessica turned into a lonely apartment. Alice was evidently sad as she experienced the changes first-hand. She had been extremely close to her ex-wife’s relatives, especially to her grandparents.
Even the uncles, aunties, and cousins seemed to forget that Jessica and Alice ever existed. The birthday cards failed to reach their mail, and even the occasional phone calls had trailed off. Despite her pain, Jessica realized that seeing her daughter sad and wanting was more painful than anything else. Then one day, Alice found out a channel that would eventually help her move on with the loss.
Wondering About Her Biological Father
After a full year of not seeing her younger sister, Alice had eventually gotten used to the situation. Though there were times that she still asked Jessica about Soren’s whereabouts, her attention quickly shifted to something else.
Instead of hoping that one day she would see her sister again, Alice decided to find out more about her family. At first, Jessica didn’t know how to react when her daughter asked her about her biological father. However, she knew that eventually, the truth about how she came into this world will be revealed eventually. So, before she got the wrong impression from other people, she decided to tell her the truth.
Tracing Her Genetics
Jessica’s mother loved to talk about Cornish heritage. Partly, the storytelling sessions became one of the factors that triggered her daughter’s curiosity about her genetic heritage. Since there was plenty of DNA testing kit available on the market, Alice made a firm request to her grandmother.
On Christmas day of 2016, Alice received her wish. It was an innovative genealogy kit called 23 and Me. The young girl did as instructed and patiently hoped that she would have some answers. The first leads came back after two months.
Half-Matched
For the last eight weeks, Jessica couldn’t explain what she was feeling. Somehow, she was happy to see that Alice had revived her vibrant energy. The quest seemed to excite her every day. It felt like her daughter had found a new purpose in life.
When the results came in, they were sitting side by side and feeling nervous altogether. The site had a section called “DNA Relatives.” When Alice clicked on it, the first thing they have read was “Aaron Long: 50% Father”. Right behind was a 25% potential match for a brother named Bryce Gallo. Even without asking Alice, Jessica already knew what was going on in her mind.
Working Like Detectives
Since the Internet can provide an endless depth of information, the mother and daughter set on to do their research. Alice wanted to send a note to the site right away; however, Jessica told her to wait until they’ve found additional information about her potential father.
However, when she typed in “Aaron Long” in the search box, she was surprised to see a lot. Fortunately, as a marketing specialist, Jessica knew how to narrow down her options. She was unsure if she could found the donor right away, but the curious mom knew she got time. After a few misses, Jessica realized she was coming close to a discovery.
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Solving the Puzzle
Jessica remembered the date of donation listed on the sperm vials that she used. It was 1994. It helped her narrow down the Aaron Longs on the list by calculating their birth and graduation years. In doing so, Jessica’s attention was caught by the man whose age falls on her calculated range. Moreover, the list showed that he had a master’s degree in literature.
The Aaron Long that made her heart skipped a beat was wearing an olive-green silk turban in the picture. He was also playing the trombone. Although she saw at the top of his profile that he used to be a communication specialist who was assigned in Seattle, the two words that came right behind that line left her flabbergasted. The Aaron Long she was looking at was a Writer and a Musician.
Striking Similarities
When Jessica realized that she might have already found the one, it became easier for her to track down more of his photos available on the Internet. When she hit a social media site that showed the man’s high school photos, all of her doubts flew away. Her daughter’s smirks and smiles were copycats of the man.
Jessica had permitted her curiosity to sweep her over. Without wasting another second, she quickly composed a message to him.
Using the “Curiosity” Hook
Thanks again to her skill as a marketing specialist, Jessica had thought of a perfect message that would surely get a response. She didn’t want to get her daughter disappointed. Since they have already started the journey, the two of them decided to do everything it takes. On the DNA testing site, she wrote:
“Hi Aaron, I actually have two daughters who’d match you (my ex has my youngest daughter; she’s not on the DNA testing site). If you’re interested in trading family photos, etc., we’re available.”
Quick Response
Just as they wished, Aaron replied immediately. He was keen to share more details about himself. Jessica already knew most of them because of her research. When the man asked if she had any questions for him, she fired away instantly. She wanted him to confirm if he was the shortest person in his family. Indeed, he was.
After a brief conversation on the DNA testing site, Jessica and Aaron decided that it would be better if they could connect to each other using their personal social networking account. Right after they became friends online, Aaron sent her a history of his life which was 50-pages long. Jessica was surprised at her reaction. She actually enjoyed reading about his story.
Connecting with Others
Since the DNA testing site also revealed a potential match for a bother, Alice requested if they could contact Bryce Gallo as well. Jessica wrote to him, and he had been quick to respond just like Aaron. Bryce had already connected with his biological father. Moreover, he shared that he had already found another sister named Madie who was 19 years old at that time.
More details became more apparent to Jessica and Alice as they talked to Bryce. He added that he already found a total of six children fathered by Aaron and that Alice and Soren were the seventh and the eighth. Finding out that she had other sisters, Alice couldn’t help but get excited to meet them.
Traveling to Seattle
The online communication between the siblings continued for a month. Then one day, Alice received a mail from Bryce and Madie about their plans. They wanted to travel to Seattle to finally meet AaronLong in person. They asked if Alice was up for the ride.
As the supportive mother that she was, Jessica needed no further convincing to travel and set up a meeting. All she ever wanted was to bring a smile on her daughter’s face, and if seeing her siblings would give her that smile, she didn’t want to interfere with them meeting each other.
A Great Reunion
In Seattle, the excited father prepared a big party. Aaron invited all of his friends from elementary, high school, and college. He even asked her ex-girlfriends with their current partners and their kids to come around. Jessica soon learned that the cool father was too happy to welcome his children and he wanted everyone to know about his big family.
Aside from the vibrant camping on the roof, the group also played a game called “nature or nurture.” Jessica was amused to see the stunning similarities between Aaron the children he fathered through sperm donation. She found herself smiling at the magic of DNA while she was staring at the happy brood.
Arousing a Romantic Interest
During the vacation in Seattle, Jessica knew that Aaron was hinting on something when he told her there had been a mix-up at the Bureau of Boyfriends. Although she felt flattered at the attention, Jessica just chose to smile. She was in a relationship with a man back then who, ironically, was also named Aaron.
However, it seemed that fate had once again decided to intervene. After the vacation, Jessica and her boyfriend broke up. Again, there was no explanation for it. It was the time when Jessica found herself sitting alone in her room and thinking about what happened in Seattle. What’s more shocking was that her mind trailed off to Aaron’s kindness.
Getting to Know Each Other
When Jessica and Alice returned to Seattle for another vacation, Aaron evidently took the opportunity to get to know Jessica better. One night, the two of them had a walk in the neighborhood. Both of them didn’t want to go back home right away, so they found themselves sitting in a local cemetery and talking about DNA, life, and dreams.
With each passing day, Jessica felt that the father of her daughter was beginning to creep his way into her heart. He was already 53 years old, but his optimism in life was refreshing. He is amazingly persistent, thoughtful, and intelligent. His academic mind and his gentle ways had weakened Jessica’s defenses.
Her Ideal Man
For almost four decades, Jessica believed that only another woman could make her feel complete. She never got attracted to the opposite sex and only started to open their heart to them when her ex-wife decided to dump her in just like that. But while she had welcomed other men in her life, the feelings that Aaron was giving her were all new and exciting for her.
Aside from being academically-minded, Jessica admired how he could transform from the most intelligent man to the craziest guy around. He knew how to play music, and he definitely knew how to do it in a “cool” way. Aaron was also passionate and caring, and he treated her like a princess. As the thoughts of him flocked her mind all day, Jessica realized that she was falling in love.
Giving into Love
Jessica knew she was not getting any younger. She was in her mid-forties while Aaron was in his early fifties. They were both matured enough to know what they feel for each other. The mutual agreement that they will have the best times of their lives had started in the summer of 2017. Jessica and Alice moved into Aaron’s co-op that was located in a large building.
Since there was plenty of room for everyone, Aaron’s children decided to move in one by one. Although he wasn’t able to raise them as little kids, the grownups had no trouble catching up, and they were all keen to be with their cool father. In a twist of destiny, Aaron Long couldn’t help but think that he’s the luckiest guy on Earth!
Starting a New Chapter
Jessica was delightfully shocked at the realization that she would never have trouble welcoming her boyfriend’s other kids. In her heart, she felt that she was willing to take care of them forever!
She wasn’t sure if the DNA had played a kind of magic on her. But whenever she closed her eyes, Jessica knew she was right where she belonged. With Aaron, Alice, and her new stepchildren, she was confident to say that the wounds of yesterday had completely healed.
A Big and Happy Family
The large building had sprung up to life when Aaron’s children came one by one. According to him, he had donated twice a week in the year 1994. The last time he checked, there were more than 60 potential matches.
Aside from the children, Aaron’s mother also moved in to live with them along with a smart cat named Bill. From her, Jessica discovered more things about Aaron. The more she knew about him, the more she fell in love with the father of her daughters. The kind people around her made her re-think of the word family as well as her dreams. However, she still had one wish in mind.
A Story to Tell for a Lifetime
Artificial insemination was being practiced for a long time now. Men donating their sperms often had no idea where their vials would go. They will never have known if they have walked past their children or if they are sitting next to their offspring on a bus.
Aaron was extremely thankful that he had been given a chance to know some of his children. Although he signed papers that he would never fight for custody, it seemed that he didn’t need to do that as his kids wanted to be with him. Moreover, they have their mothers’ permission.
Never Losing Hope
Although Jessica and Alice felt happy at their new home with their newly found family, one thing was always on their mind. There would always be an empty space in their heart for Soren. Even in Seattle, the longing mom kept on reaching out to her ex-wife, hoping that things can be settled in a much better way. However, her efforts were still in vain.
Aaron had been incredibly supportive of her battle as well. Soren was his daughter, too and he was excited to see her as well. They wanted the young girl to know that a big family is waiting for her return to Seattle. Until that day, they could only wish for her happiness and safety from far away.