When one woman fell in love with a man she later learned was her half-brother, life began to sound like a Jerry Springer episode. But, for the woman and her family, the repercussions of the discovery were far from entertaining.
The woman, who anonymously told her story to Ebony, had a chance encounter with Corey while she was on a girls vacation in the Bahamas. After striking up conversation with the “caramel honey,” the pair realized they only lived a few hours apart. She said the chemistry was so strong they decided to arrange for another meeting when they were back in the States.
After carrying on a long-distance romance for six months, the couple began talking about taking their relationship to the next level by moving in together. Before making any decisions, the woman wanted to introduce her beau to her family.
“On a visit to my parents’ home one weekend, I told them all about my new love and my dad suggested that we throw a BBQ so he can grill the new man in his daughter’s life,” she said. She just didn’t realize that the family gathering was actually going to be a family reunion.
When the day of the barbecue arrived, the woman assured Corey that he would fit in with her close-knit family. As they cut straight through the crowd gathered in the backyard so that the woman could introduce Corey to her father.
“He dropped his plate of ribs and his mouth to the floor,” the woman said of her father’s reaction to seeing her boyfriend. “Corey could only manage one word: Dad? My confused family members and I echoed him. Dad?!”
As her boyfriend ran out of the backyard with the father in quick pursuit, the woman’s uncle decided it was time to do some explaining: The woman’s father had a whole different family that consisted of a mistress, two daughters and a son — Corey.
“I had been dating, screwing and loving my own flesh and blood for over 6 months and didn’t know it,” the woman said of the shocking realization.
Even though she knew her father was a ladies man, she never imagined that the roots of his affairs stretched so far. Also devastated was the woman’s mother, who has since filed from divorce. The woman also had to deal with the loss of her own romance and coming the thought of her unintended incest.
“Therapy has been my safe place and one I needed after the trauma of my boyfriend/brother drama,” the woman said. “I’m learning to trust again and maybe one day I’ll even love again — but please believe I’ll be getting a DNA test first.”
