Breakups are a funny thing—while most couples tend to stay apart following a split, we all know that it’s not unheard of for bonds to be reformed, even after years of separation. Take the case of Rebecca Hayes and David Ward, two lovebirds who share quite the fascinating history.

In 1996, Rebecca and David were just high schoolers when they found out that they were going to be parents to a baby boy. Perhaps not surprisingly, their relationship didn’t survive past graduation, and the two went their separate ways, both eventually getting married and settling down with other people.

But, the two remained friends until, sadly, Rebecca’s husband passed away in 2013 from an illness. Then, in a seemingly Shakespearean twist, David’s wife succumbed to cancer after being diagnosed in 2015. It was then that the former high school sweethearts reconnected, starting an unofficial support group, of sorts.

In an interview with ABC News, Rebecca explains how she and David went from grieving friends to something more serious. “We didn’t know any other people who had passed away so young so we had each other,” the widow says. “Then one day, we looked at each other and said, ‘What the hell?’”

While the two freely admit that their romantic situation is a bit “weird,” they are happy to finally make up for lost time with their son from their teenage days, Clayton. As a matter of fact, the couple shared their first kiss (in over two decades) the night of their son’s 21st birthday. How cool is that?!

The family baby pictures—21 years in the making!

David and Rebecca’s tale of tragedy, and now hope, first caught the attention of many on the Internet via a photo shoot that the couple had done with their newly blended families.

You see, both David and Rebecca wanted to get professional photos taken with both Clayton, as well as David’s son from his marriage, Gehrig. Nevertheless, the family also wanted to find a creative way for the shots to tell their unique story; so they took quite the unconventional route…

Believe it or not, David and Rebecca decided to take ‘baby photos’ with their 21-year-old!

“This is probably the weirdest request I’ve ever gotten,” explains Duffi Crowson, the owner of Chaotic Perfection, and the photographer behind this family’s now-viral shoot.

And, although we agree that Clayton’s age (and height!) make for rather perplexing images, the series of shots truly do tell a striking narrative. And, what makes them even more incredible to look at, is the fact that all parties involved look SO happy!

Their story just goes to show you that love sometimes comes from the most unexpected of places! To meet this reunited family and see more photos from their hilarious ‘baby photos’ shoot, be sure to watch Inside Edition’s video below. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these guys!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this unlikely romance. Have you ever rekindled a relationship before? If so, what were some of the challenges that you and your partner faced?