I HAD A BABY WITH MY GAY BEST FRIEND

Rachel Rigby, 51, was desperate to be a mum - then her friend made her an offer...

- MOIRA HOLDEN, JACK FALBER

As I took my seat on the plane, I looked out of the window and sighed. At 42, my life had taken an unexpected turn. Just a few years earlier, I'd been blissfully happy. I had a good career working as a financial journalist and was married to a wonderful man. We'd spoken about starting a family and I couldn't wait to be a mum. But then, my husband changed his mind. I was stunned. I couldn't imagine not having a baby, so I'd made the decision to leave. And now, I was single, childless and felt so lost. My natural instinct was to jump on a plane to visit my parents in North Carolina, USA.

I decided to go backpacking around South America, and hoped the time alone would do me good. By September 2012, I was in Brazil and on an excursion with a group of eight exploring a cave. But suddenly, the torch I was holding flickered, then died. 'Here, take mine,' said a kind voice from behind me. When we were back out in the daylight, I turned to properly thank the man who'd helped me.

I'm Geovani,' he said, holding out a hand. He was 29 and from Sao Paulo. We hit it off. I even found myself telling him how I'd ended up in South America. There's nothing I want more than to be a mum,' I said. He was sweet and understanding. He was also handsome, but I wasn't interested in him romantically. Besides, he'd already told me he was gay. We became friends. I stayed with his family, and made him promise to visit me in the UK, which he did, in 2014.

We talked all the time and I counted him as one of my closest friends. The following summer, when Geovani came to London to see me, I had news. I'm an auntie,' I beamed. My brother had a newborn. But as I told Geovani how much I adored being an aunt, he looked at me with a serious expression.