‘I’M SO GLAD I GAVE IT A SECOND CHANCE’
Karen Timson, 57, lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, Trevor.
Clutching my bouquet, I started to recite my vows. I’d said them all before, and not a single word had changed – not even the groom’s name. You see, despite divorcing each other once, Trevor and I were very much in love all over again.
I first met Trevor when I was 21 and less than a year later, we were married. our daughter, Rachel, was born in January 1987, followed by Lauren four years later.
For a long while, things were blissful. But as the years passed, Trevor and I started spending more and more time apart. Small niggles became heated rows and, after 20 years of marriage, we decided to split. we both tried to move on, I went on plenty of dates, and, in 2006, Trevor even got married. when I heard, I felt numb – not sad, just numb.
Then, in 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. with the girls’ help and support from the Breast Cancer Care charity, thankfully, I recovered. But in 2013, I hurt my eye. Lauren, then 22, suggested I see the best optician she knew – her dad!
Trevor and I rarely talked, but as we chatted, it was as though no time had passed. By then, he was divorced and, as we reminisced, I realised he was still the same, gentle, kind man I’d been smitten with.
Spending time together, we soon realised we’d never fallen out of love, we’d both just let our bitterness take over. Slowly, we got our relationship – and family – back on track and, 33 years after our first vows, we remarried.
Relationships don’t always work out the way you might expect, but I’m so glad I gave mine a second chance. ✱ For support after breast cancer treatment, visit breastcancercare.org. uk/becca
‘WE’D LET BITTERNESS TAKE OVER’