Would You Remarry Your Ex? These Women Found Love Was Sweeter Second Time

Goosebumps: Ollie Holmes says her heart lurched when she met Wills again at a family wedding.

Ollie says:

I was just 14 when I met Wills at a birthday party, but there was an immediate spark between us and we began dating.

Three years later, on Christmas Eve 1954, he presented me with a beautiful diamond ring — and a year later we had a church wedding.

With hindsight, I was simply too young to settle down. I was 18 and wanted to be out with my friends. Wills, who had been in the Army, wanted us to be a family and he’d get angry when I stayed out late.

At a friend’s wedding, when I was aged 23, I met Carl, a mutual friend, and began an affair with him.

I now know Wills suspected it for a while but hoped it would fizzle out, and that’s why he never said anything. We had our son Scott when I was 24 and then went on to have our daughter, Lisa.

With hindsight, I was simply too young to settle down. I was 18 and wanted to be out with my friends. Wills got angry when I stayed out late.

But when Lisa was six months old — and despite Wills begging me to stay — I left him for Carl. He seemed more outgoing and exciting, whereas Wills was always very steady and kind.

I went on to have four more children with Carl. We married in 1983 and were very happy. Meanwhile, Wills met someone else and then, after she died, he married again. We always remained on amicable terms because of our two children.

Three years ago, Carl died from a heart problem. I was devastated and dreaded the thought of spending the rest of my life alone.

A year later, my youngest daughter called to tell me Wills’ wife had died.

At the time I thought she said Wills had died, and I was shocked by how devastated I felt. I was so relieved when I realized my mistake. I’d always had feelings for him but I never thought he’d have me back. However, Lisa, now 49, invited Wills to a family do last year and we came face-to-face for the first time in eight years. My heart lurched. He looked older yet ultimately the same, with those lovely kind eyes.

We sat in the conservatory talking for hours and when we were on our own Wills gave me a big kiss. It felt so right. I heard one of the grandchildren shouting: ‘Grandad’s kissing Grandma.’ That was wonderful!

First attempt: They were first married at their home near Tamworth in 1955 and then re-married in 2013.

That night he stayed over, and despite the fact that 58 years had passed since our first meeting, it was like being transported back to when we first met. He ended up staying a fortnight, before putting his house up for sale and moving in. Six months later, he got down on one knee. ‘I have always loved you,’ he said. ‘Let’s get married again!’

He proposed with my original ring, which I’d given to Lisa as a present and she had returned it to her dad when she knew he wanted to propose.

I was delighted to get married. I know it sounds silly, but a few weeks earlier we’d gone to a hotel together and I’d hated checking in as an unmarried couple. I wanted the commitment of marriage and a ring.

We had a beautiful ceremony at a hotel in Tamworth with a party for 100 guests. We walked down the aisle to Barry White’s My First, My Last, My Everything. It seemed very apt.

We feel incredibly lucky to have found love together again. Our marriage is so different emotionally — because I now see the kindness in Wills that I didn’t appreciate before.

Wills says:

When I first saw Ollie at the family party, I thought: ‘Wow!’ She looked fantastic, and as we chatted, it really took me back to those days when we first met all those years ago as teenagers.

Although we were now in our 70s, everything felt the same. When I kissed her, it came from my heart.

I never imagined that we’d be able to put the past behind us and get back together.

But now, the past really doesn’t matter — we are just looking forward to our future together.

Bar managers Joani Cook, 42, and husband Paul, 43, live in Newcastle upon Tyne with their son Jordan, 17. The couple first wed in July 1993 but divorced nine years later in September 2002. In July 2009, they married again.