A couple with a 21 year age gap said they fell in love at a supermarket and cheated on their spouses to be together - but defied the odds to get married and have a child. Chelsea Downs, 34, met her now-husband, Brad, 56, whilst they were both working in the same shop - she was in the salon, and he was store manager - in August 2012.
Hitting it off straight away, they were "drawn to each other" - despite both being married to different partners. They embarked on a three-week affair and would meet at the local park every night, they said.
But it wasn’t long before their secret fling was rumbled when a family member followed Chelsea to the park - and demanded the couple come clean. Chelsea and Brad claim they both told their spouses the truth, and divorced.
They said they were "bashed" for years by people in their local community who didn't agree with what they did. But after dating for five years they tied the knot in July 2017 and says their love has defied the odds.
The couple had their son, Carson, seven, in March 2014 and Chelsea says she's now best friends with Brad’s daughter, Jessica, 32 - who is just two years younger than her. Chelsea, a salon owner, said: “No one goes out looking for an affair - it is not something we are proud of.
“I was working in Walmart at the hair salon and Brad was the store manager. I had a problem with ants in the salon and had to get Brad to sort it out for me.
“The second we met in Walmart we were inseparable - it wasn’t love at first sight, but the connection was undeniable, even though I thought he was a big cocky jerk.
“The age difference was never discussed. It wasn’t even a factor we just started dating each other.”
After a three-week whirlwind affair, Brad and Chelsea were forced to reveal the truth. She said: “We would go and meet at a park close to Walmart, but our town is so small, and we were caught.
“I had no choice but to tell my husband - it wasn’t well received. It felt like a relief, but I was very scared because I had a two-year-old daughter - I felt terrible for my husband at the time that I had devastated him.
“I was unhappy in my marriage but was never one to be open about my emotions - I got married when I was just 19 and I fully believe you have no idea who you are at that age. I lost myself and I didn’t have any fire, passion or drive.”
According to Chelsea, the local community ousted her for having an affair and started trolling her on anonymous forum sites. “It took a toll on my mental health," she said.
"I felt like I didn’t have anyone. People said terrible things - that I was a homewrecker, a h*e and should lose my daughter."
The comments stopped after two years in 2014, and Chelsea and Brad have taken time to forgive themselves for cheating. Brad’s children - Logan, 30 and Jessica, 32 - took a while to "come around" to Chelsea but they are now closer than ever.
Chelsea added: “Jessica is like one of my best friends - it’s like we grew up together. We don’t see Logan as much because he lives in another state.”
People often mistake Chelsea and Carson for Brad’s daughter and grandson, but it doesn’t bother them. "People will say to Brad ‘is this your daughter and your grandson?’ but once people get to know us, they understand it’s not a big deal at all," she said.
“People were more shocked at the infidelity than anything else. It took years for me to be OK with myself. I have forgiven myself and we have asked for forgiveness from our ex-spouses and from God.
“It was an unconventional way to start a relationship and a family, but it worked. It sounds so cliché, but you should follow your heart, it knows exactly what you want.
“Don’t be afraid to see where life takes you.”
Brad added: "Chelsea brings life to life. She is an extroverted charismatic person while I am more reserved, but by no means an introvert. She puts love, relationship, and family at the forefront of her every day life. And she lets me know that she loves me hard.
"Both of us have learned from the mistakes we made in the past and use those lessons to apply to our lives now, in order to enhance our current lives, and do not allow the same mistakes to be repeated.
"Before we got married, we recommitted our lives to God and practiced celibacy until we were married."
