“I married the same man twice”
When the real Bridget Jones, 45, divorced her husband in 1997, she had no idea she’d be saying, ‘I do’ to him again
Last month, L my husband Richard and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. We’re happily married and have two beautiful children. But it’s not always been plain sailing – because we’ve already been married and divorced. To each other.
YOUNG LOVE
I met Richard in a nightclub when I was 17. He was 20 and completely swept me off my feet with his good looks and sense of humour. Weeks later, Richard proposed, and the following year I fell pregnant, so we decided to get married straight away. I walked down the aisle on 31 August 1991. I couldn’t have been happier, but it was short lived. By the time our son Ricky arrived in February 1992, we were bickering constantly, and after our second son Ryan was born in August 1994, things had hit rock bottom. One night, in the summer of 1996, I snapped. “I love you, but I’m not in love with you any more,” I told him.
Richard saw the boys regularly, but they missed their dad so much that, ten months after we split, I suggested to Richard that they live with him. I hated being apart from them, but I threw myself into my new job at a petrol station. I began dating, too, but I wasn’t looking for anything serious.
One evening, when I was picking up the boys, Richard invited me in for dinner. We had a lovely time and we started doing it on a regular basis. By the time our divorce came through in August 1997, we were good friends and had day trips with the boys together. One night, Richard suggested I stay over rather than driving home late, so we shared a bed. Nothing happened, but it felt nice to be close to him again. Over the following weeks, we talked about the mistakes we’d made. “I was too controlling,” Richard said one evening, while I admitted that I didn’t stand up for myself.
One night in the summer of 1999, we were sitting in his front room after a regular visit, and I said, “Can you imagine us trying again?” We discussed it, but didn’t act until that Christmas. As the boys opened their presents, I thought, “I want my family back.” It was very gradual, but our relationship blossomed and we were happier than before.
SECOND TIME LUCKY
Five years later, in February 2004, I wrote Richard a postcard that read, “You + Me + a beach somewhere = let’s get remarried,” and popped it into his Valentine’s card. He said yes, and in October 2009, we were married for the second time in Orlando, Florida. Ryan, then 16, gave me away and Ricky, 18, was best man. It was perfect.
We don’t regret our time apart – sometimes people need time to grow and discover themselves. I’m thrilled we’re reunited – and this time it’s for keeps.
❛WE DON’T REGRET OUR TIME APART – SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED SPACE TO GROW❜