Laura is also a bonus mother of three children from the previous relationship of her partner, Ryan Rijger. “We are a large composite family. His eldest is 24, our daughter is one and a half,” says Laura. “We don’t call them half-brothers and half-sisters, but brothers and sisters. (…) When I was eighteen, I never imagined that I would find a partner who already had children that would put me in a large family, but that composition went well right away. We are very much on the same page.”
Laura and Ryen get to know each other when they are “not looking at all” for a relationship. “I thought: true love does not exist for me, that was fine with me. Until I met Ryan,” Laura looks back in the magazine. Ryan adds: “It just so happened that our paths crossed and when it felt right, we went for it. Three weeks after I met Laura, we went skiing together. Two years later we bought a house.”
Although the lovebirds are eleven years apart, according to Laura, age has never played a role in their relationship. Although Ryan is afraid of her reaction when he says he is a lot older – Laura is 29 when they meet, he is 40. “I was a little scared because the difference was so big,” he admits. Finally he tells her over the phone, and immediately hangs up. “I thought: if she really likes me, she will call
back. And she did.”
That fear turns out to be unnecessary, because Laura immediately falls in love with him and his children. Of course there are healthy discussions now and then, but never arguments because they know exactly what the other person is thinking and feeling, and communicate about everything. “It’s only through Laura that I learned what true love is.”
