What would you do if it turned out your son’s friend was…also your son?
It sounds like a scenario out of a nightmare or maybe a soap opera — was that ever a plot line for Days of Our Lives ? — but it’s a distinct possibility for one Redditor.
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He shared his story, and got some good advice in return.
“I think my son’s new friend could be his half brother.”
This is how OP starts the story on the r/relationship_advice subreddit.
He says that he’s not certain, but admits, “the similarities are starting to scare me.”
OP, who’s 27, says he hooked up with two different women shortly after graduating from high school.
His 7-year-old son has made friends with a kid in the grade above.
His son’s friend’s mom is…you guessed it, one of the women he hooked up with years earlier.
While the mom avoids OP, that isn’t the issue. The issue is “that him and my son have so many similar features,” writes OP. “The way they smile, hair, skin color, the shape of their eyes and nose are so similar to mine.”
“I don’t know if this is something to bring up to her at all.”
“We didn’t end things well and she hated me,” wrote OP.
Since he was asking advice, he got it. Hundred of comments chimed in. While some advocated for getting a secret DNA test on a minor, which isn’t cool, others offered some solid advice.
How can he know for sure?
“If you want to know for sure and you are prepared for the consequences, then you have to talk to her,” wrote one commenter. “If you truly want to know him and be in his life, then you will probably need a court-ordered paternity test.”
Update time!
This story is extra fascinating because OP posted an update .
Long story short, OP is, in fact, the father of both kids.
“Lucky that his mom was willing to talk to me about this,” he wrote. “It wasn’t easy not doing this in front of the kids, but I managed to ask her to meet up alone to talk.”
“She didn’t want to say [anything] to me because we weren’t in contact anymore.”
OP didn’t take this well, but you can certainly understand why she decided not to involve him. Really, it’s pretty easy to sympathize with both parents in this case.
It hasn’t been easy.
“The kids seem to be having a better time adjusting,” wrote OP. “My son just thinks it’s cool right now to suddenly have a big brother. But I think when that excitement wears off, there will be more stuff to deal with.”
It hasn’t affected the friendship.
This is fortunate, even if there will likely be some hiccups down the road.
“I am simultaneously happy that both kids exist and are not just brothers, but actually like each other as people!” wrote one enthusiastic commenter.
“Remember that you will have more time with your ‘new’ son in the future, than time you have missed. Enjoy the next 60 years of being a dad to these two boys.”
How would you handle this?
Not many of us have dealt with a situation like this, but it’s an interesting thought experiment. Be sure to check out both the original story and the update , and then share your thoughts in the comments.
