Alina looked at Jim with tears in her eyes. This moment could make or break their entire relationship. They weren't sure if they'd have to cancel the wedding that they spent so many months planning or end their relationship entirely, but one thing was for sure, their lives would never be the same again after viewing Alina's DNA test results...
The Day Jim and Alina Met
Jim and Alina met at work. They started talking now and again in the office. Jim always seemed to be able to make Alina laugh. As time went on, they started hanging out after hours with their co-workers. Then, it happened: Jim asked Alina out.
Their First Date
Jim and Alina’s first date was magical. It was relatively simple. Jim took Alina out to dinner. They got drinks afterwards, then walked through the park. It was romantic and fun. They spent hours talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. Alina had a feeling Jim might be the one.
They Fell in Love
Before long, they were head over heels in love. They talked every day. When they didn’t go out together on a date, they texted all night instead. Alina had never clicked with someone like she did with Jim. Both of them had the strong feeling that this relationship might last…forever.
It Seemed Like Nothing Could Go Wrong
As Jim and Alina continued their relationship, it seemed like nothing could go wrong. They met each other’s friends and even a few family members. They talked about meeting each other’s parents. It didn’t happen right away but eventually they made plans to meet each other’s parents over the holidays.
Until They Met Each Other’s Parents
During the holidays, Alina visited Jim’s parents’ house. As Jim’s parents opened the door, Alina noticed something odd about Jim’s father. He seemed happy at first but then looked at her sort of strangely. She thought it was unusual but decided not to make a big deal out of it. After all, his parents seemed to really like her overall.
Alina Couldn’t Stop Thinking About It
As time went on, Alina would occasionally remember the weird look Jim’s dad had given her. She wanted to convince herself that it didn’t mean anything. But her instincts told her otherwise. So one day, when she thought the time was right, she mentioned it to Jim. She wasn’t sure how he’d react.
Jim Seems Surprised
Jim was a bit taken aback. He didn’t notice his father acting strange but agreed with Alina that she might’ve noticed something was amiss. He told her that he and his dad had a good relationship and that he would talk to him about it next time they were together.
Jim Talks to His Father
So a couple months later, Jim had the perfect opportunity to ask his dad about Alina’s weird feeling. Jim had figured it was probably all just a misunderstanding of some sort. But he was surprised that his father took a deep breath when Jim asked him about it. Wow, Jim thought, Alina was right. Something is up.
Jim’s Dad Says Something Shocking
Jim couldn’t have anticipated what his dad would say next. Jim’s dad said that the reason he first gave Alina a strange look is that she reminded him of someone he knew many years ago. Jim asked who. Jim’s dad took another deep breath and said…”your uncle’s old girlfriend.”
Jim is Surprised
Jim was surprised to hear this but didn’t understand why it would be a big deal. He told his father that it wasn’t that strange for two people to resemble each other. Plus, it had been a long time since his dad had seen this old girlfriend. So who knows if Alina and this old girlfriend even looked that much alike?
Jim’s Dad Confesses Something
Jim’s dad agreed with his son but then said something that would change Jim’s life. He told Jim that Alina didn’t just remind him of his brother’s old girlfriend…she looked exactly like her. So much so that he looked up the old girlfriend on social media and saw that the resemblance was uncanny.
Jim is Confused
Jim wondered what all of this meant. So what if Alina looked like his uncle’s old girlfriend? Worst case scenario, Alina was maybe related to a woman who had dated his uncle decades ago. Big deal. He asked his dad again, why is this such a big deal? Maybe Alina and this old girlfriend are related but so what?
Jim’s Dad Reveals All
Then, Jim’s dad finally explained everything to his son. This old girlfriend had gotten pregnant right around the same time that Jim was born. Jim’s uncle freaked out when he heard his girlfriend was pregnant and skipped town. So this woman was left all alone to raise a child by herself.
Jim is Shocked
Jim couldn’t believe what he was hearing and his mind started to spin. None of this would’ve led him to believe that his uncle might be his girlfriend’s biological father until he remembered: Alina was adopted. She didn’t know who her biological father even was. Jim was confused and shocked.
Jim Goes Home
Jim said goodbye to his father and headed home. He couldn’t stop thinking about what his father had told him. Was it possible that his girlfriend Alina was actually his cousin?! The possibility seemed too far-fetched. Jim didn’t want to believe it was true. And he was terrified to discuss it with Alina.
Jim Can’t Sleep
Jim stayed up the whole night. He couldn’t get the idea that Alina might be his cousin out of his mind. He kept telling himself it couldn’t possibly be true. He went online and searched through social media profiles. He tried to research as much information as he could. But in the end, he couldn’t solve the mystery. He didn’t know for sure who Alina’s biological father was.
Jim Talks to Alina
Jim pulled Alina aside at work the next day to talk to her. She could tell Jim was worried about something. He told her everything his father had told him. He told her he couldn’t believe it and it sounded a little nuts but…there was a chance she could be his cousin. Alina was speechless.
Alina Reacts
Alina didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Could any of this really be true? Was it all just a coincidence? That night, she considered all the facts. The timelines matched up. Her mom had always lived nearby and so had Jim’s uncle, until he left town when his girlfriend became pregnant.
Alina Investigates
Alina could barely eat or sleep. She had to know the truth. So she started investigating to figure this all out once and for all. If it was true that she and Jim were cousins, she couldn’t possibly continue their relationship, as much as she cared about him. She hoped to God it wasn’t true.
Alina Begins Her Investigation
Alina decided to ask her adoptive parents what, if anything, they knew about her biological parents. She discovered that her state had something called an adoption reunion registry. Apparently, if her adopted parents’ information was on file, she could find out who they are. So she went to the registry’s office to discover the truth.
Alina Goes to the Registry
Alina went to the registry office to see if she could find any information on her parents. But no luck. She found absolutely nothing. Alina was frustrated by this dead end and wondered if she’d ever be able to discover the truth about her parents. But then, she had another idea.
Alina Takes a DNA Test
Alina signed up for every online DNA test she could find. If her biological parents had ever taken a DNA test, she might be able to match with them online. She bought DNA test kits and sent in her samples. It would take a few weeks to get the results.
Jim Tries to Track Down His Uncle
Meanwhile, Jim tried to track down his uncle who skipped town all those years ago. Jim’s dad said Jim should try looking in Albany, New York. So Jim took a bus to Albany and went to his uncle’s last known address. Jim knocked on the door, not knowing what to expect.
Jim Learns About His Uncle
An older woman answered the door. Jim introduced himself. He explained to the woman that he was hoping to find his uncle. The woman said that Jim’s uncle hadn’t lived in that house for years. Jim asked if she had any idea where his uncle went. What the woman said next was shocking.
A Shocking Revelation
The woman told Jim something he couldn’t believe. She said that his uncle had joined a cult. A cult?! Jim thought she must’ve been joking. But she was serious. She said the cult members all lived on a farm about 30 minutes away. Everyone in town knew about this cult but they were mostly harmless and kept to themselves.
Jim is Speechless
Jim didn’t know how to react. This whole thing just kept getting weirder. In order to find out if his girlfriend was his cousin, he needed to ask his uncle in a cult? Jim felt like he was in some kind of movie. But, he supposed, they always said that fact is stranger than fiction.
Jim Goes to the Cult
Jim figured he’d come this far, he might as well go to the cult’s farm and speak to his uncle. He was a bit nervous. After all, who knows what cult members might be capable of. But he figured if this cult was relatively harmless, they couldn’t be too dangerous. And he needed to know about Alina.
Jim Arrives at the Farm
Jim arrived at the cult’s farm. A normal-seeming woman met him at the front door of the house. Jim explained he was looking for his uncle and wanted to speak with him. The woman seemed a little suspicious but said she would speak to his uncle to see if he wanted to talk to Jim.
Jim’s Uncle Emerges
Jim waited on the front porch of the farm house for about 20 minutes. Finally, an older man came out. Jim could tell right away it was his uncle. Jim introduced himself and explained everything. He said he knew this whole thing was strange but he needed to know the truth about Alina.
Jim’s Uncle Shocks Jim
To Jim’s surprise, Jim’s uncle started laughing. He said that his girlfriend, all those years ago, got pregnant by a different man. He said the baby wasn’t his. He skipped town because he needed a change in his life, not because he was abandoning his child. He explained everything in detail.
Jim Believes His Uncle
Jim listened to his uncle’s story. All the facts that his uncle laid out made sense to Jim. He believed his uncle’s story. He was relieved. So Alina wasn’t related to him after all. He thanked his uncle and they parted ways. Jim called Alina to tell her the good news.
Alina is Thrilled
Alina was thrilled by Jim’s news. She really wanted to continue dating him and maybe even take their relationship to the next level. But she couldn’t proceed until she knew for sure they weren’t related. She was relieved to hear Jim’s news but also wanted to wait for her DNA results to come in.
The DNA Results Come In
Finally, a few weeks later, Alina’s DNA results came in. She called Jim and had him on the phone as she opened the results on her computer. Mostly, she wanted to see if her results matched with anyone else in the system. She had sent her samples to three different DNA services, so she had to check each one.
Alina Checks the Results
One by one, she looked to see if her results matched anyone else in the system. Nothing. There was no one in any of the systems who could be her parents. So she looked for cousins, siblings, anything. Nothing. Only some distant relatives who might not even be a match.
Alina is Relieved
Alina was relieved. There was nothing in her results to indicate that she might be related to Jim. And Jim’s uncle had said he wasn’t anyone’s father. In the end, Jim and Alina only had the hunch of Jim’s dad to go on. All the info they could find proved to be inconclusive.
They Continue Their Relationship
The more they thought about it, the more they realized the odds of them being cousins were incredibly small. If they were cousins, they would probably have some sort of evidence for it by now. So Jim and Alina kept dating for the next two years. Then, one day, it happened.
Jim Proposes
While they were out for dinner one night, at the same restaurant they went to on their first date, Jim popped the question. Alina, of course, said yes. She was head over heels in love with Jim. They excitedly started planning their wedding together. They talked about their plans for life. They were both so happy.
They Joke About The Past
As time went on, Jim and Alina would sometimes joke with her friends about the weird story of how, for a brief moment, they thought they might be related. In retrospect, the whole thing seemed nuts. Sure, it was true that Alina didn’t know who her birth parents were. And yes, it was true that Jim’s uncle was a weird guy. But in the end, the odds were basically zero that they might be related.
The Wedding Day Approaches
Alina and Jim planned out their wedding. They had their bachelor and bachelorette parties with their best friends. Their lives felt like a dream. They hadn’t thought it was even possible to be this much in love, or this happy. It felt like the closer they got to getting married, the more in love they were.
The Big Day Arrives
Finally, the big day had arrived. Jim and Alina were both nervous but excited too. All of their friends and families filed into the church pews. Alina sat in a back room with her bridesmaids. They had a few glasses of champagne and made each other laugh. Alina was having the time of her life.
Alina Tells a Story
Alina then told her bridesmaids the weird story about the time she and Jim thought they might be related. She had told some of her friends this story but not all of them. They laughed at the whole thing. Jim’s uncle in a cult? It all sounded so bizarre. Alina’s bridesmaids thought the whole thing was nuts.
Alina Shows Her Friends the DNA Results
Alina logged in to her DNA results websites to show her friends. She hadn’t looked at the results in a long time but thought it was funny to revisit the whole thing. She logged in to one of the three websites. Still nothing interesting. She logged in to the second site. She had a result for a possible new third cousin. But not a close match.
Alina’s Life is Changed Forever
Then, Alina logged in to the third site. As she opened up her notifications, she saw it. New match for possible parents. She couldn’t believe it. Her hands shook as she clicked on the match. Then she saw it. Someone had signed up with the site and sent in their DNA results. A man.
Alina is Shocked
The man was a 99% match, practically guaranteed to be her father. She clicked on the user name. Her mouth went dry. Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was Jim’s uncle. When she realized what she was looking at, she had a panic attack and fainted.
Alina’s Friends Help Her
Alina’s friends rushed over to help her when she fainted. They fanned her and got her some water. Eventually, she was revived. They asked her what happened. Then she told them. She found Jim’s uncle on the DNA results. At first, her friends thought she was joking. But they realized she was dead serious.
The Wedding Was Only Minutes Away
The ceremony was set to begin any moment. What was Alina supposed to do? She told her bridesmaids to go get Jim. After a few minutes, they returned with Jim. Alina asked her bridesmaids to leave the room. She needed to talk to Jim alone. Jim could tell something was terribly wrong.
Alina Reveals the Truth
Alina could barely speak. She was shaking. All she could do was point to her computer screen. Jim walked over and saw it: his uncle’s name, listed as a 99% match for Alina’s father. He dropped to his knees. He was heartbroken and shocked beyond words. How could this be true?
Jim Can’t Believe It
Jim couldn’t make sense of it. What about his uncle’s claim that his girlfriend’s baby wasn’t his? He must’ve been lying or just wrong. Jim’s dad had been right all those years ago. Alina looked just like Jim’s uncle’s old girlfriend. It was all true. Jim and Alina were cousins.
Jim Cancels the Wedding
Jim, with tears in his eyes, told Alina they should call off the wedding. They had to think about this. Maybe they could never be together. Jim would have to take a DNA test himself to see if he and Alina would match. But he already knew they would. There was little doubt at this point that they were related.
Jim and Alina’s Dreams are Dashed
They didn’t want to believe it but it was true. They were related. Jim and Alina decided they couldn’t be together anymore. They remained friends and tried to rebuild their lives after their devastating wedding day. The only silver lining was they could still look out for each other and help each other. Despite the tragic events, they were determined to find happiness once again, one day.