When Dawn Northey, 42, met Takhari Aldridge, she was instantly attracted to him.
But Takhari was her son’s friend – and he was 22 years younger.
Dawn’s son, Callum Northey, 18, and Takhari had been online gaming friends for three years before finally meeting in June 2017.
Initially, they tried to avoid any attraction between them but seven months later, Dawn and Takhari, then 18, kissed after she dropped him home one afternoon and they’ve been a couple ever since.
The mum-of-two claims her son is happy about the union, but others haven’t been as accepting.
Dawn says: ‘When I first met Takhari, I couldn’t believe I found an 18-year-old attractive.
‘Thankfully he fancied me too in the end and now we’re head over heels in love.
‘A lot of people condemn our relationship but we just ignore it.’
In July 2014, Dawn’s son, Callum, met Takhari online while playing Xbox games and they would chat most days.
They didn’t meet until June 2017, when Takhari invited Callum to his house.
Dawn, who was married at the time, then drove her son 300 miles from their home Glasgow to Wolverhampton so he could stay with his gaming friend.
She says: ‘As we pulled up to the house, I saw Takhari standing in the driveway.
‘He was tall, dark and handsome.
‘I went inside and chatted with Takhari’s mum while the boys played video games upstairs.
‘We said how we’d heard our sons speak about each other over the years and how nice it was that they were finally meeting.’
Callum stayed with his friend for a week and his mum drove back to pick him up.
She says: ‘After the boys said goodbye, I told Takhari he was more than welcome to visit him whenever he liked.
‘Takhari then gave me his number and told me to let him know if I ever got lost in the area.’
A few months later, Dawn’s 15-year marriage to Callum’s dad came to an end. In January 2018, the couple spilt up.
Dawn, Callum and her daughter, Addison, 8, moved out of their family home to Blentyre, South Lanarkshire.
Seven weeks later, Callum invited Takhari to stay with them.
Dawn says: ‘When Takhari came to visit, I was excited to see him.
‘I kept stealing glances at him around the house.
‘Every day I had to tell myself I was too old for him and to stop being daft.
‘I thought it was just a silly crush.’
The next week, Dawn drove Takhari back home to Wolverhampton.
She says: ‘As we chatted away about our lives, I had no idea how mature he was.
‘When we arrived, Takhari suddenly leaned in and kissed me in the car.
‘I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea he fancied me too.
‘I was over the moon. Later that night he texted me saying he’d been dying to kiss me from the moment we met.’
Initially, they kept their relationship a secret but six days later, Takhari’s mum discovered their text messages and kicked him out of the house.
Dawn says: ‘I was heartbroken.
‘Takhari had nowhere to live so I told him to come to stay with us.
‘Next, I needed to come clean to my son, but I was terrified.
‘That night, I told Callum that Takhari and I had romantic feelings for each other.
‘I explained that if he didn’t accept us then we would end it immediately, as neither of us wanted to sacrifice our relationship with him.
‘Callum shrugged his shoulders and told me he was fine with it. I’d never felt so relieved.’
With Callum’s blessing, Dawn and Takhari moved in together that day and became a couple.
Although they were happy, they also faced criticism.
Dawn says: ‘Whenever I held Takhari’s hand in public, strangers gave me dirty looks.
‘Then one day Takhari injured his knuckle and we had to go to the hospital.
‘The nurse said: “I’ll check your son’s hand now.”
‘I felt so embarrassed and told her I was his partner, not his mum.
‘She apologised and said it was because I looked so much older.
‘Even someone from my family accused me of grooming Takhari and threatened to call the police. We were both horrified.
‘Takhari was a full grown adult when we met, not a child.’
Despite the age gap, they said their relationship works for them – and Takhari and Callum remain best friends.
Dawn says: ‘It hasn’t affected their friendship. Addison even calls Takhari Dad now, it’s adorable.
‘Although Takhari’s mum hasn’t given us her blessing, we really hope she will one day.
‘I don’t see why people judge our relationship when we are simply happy and in love.
‘Most of the time we forget we have an age gap anyway.’
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/13/mum-42-falls-love-sons-friend-22-years-younger-12393571/?ITO=squid
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