'After 10 years of being single and loving it, I asked my gay best friend to have a baby with me'

Nicola Slawson reflects on her 10 years of being single, a period where she oscillated between comfort and anxiety about her relationship status. At 35, while proud of her independence, she acknowledges a longing to be a mother. Realizing the challenges of being a solo parent, particularly financial ones, she explores the option of platonic co-parenting as a way to create a family while embracing her current lifestyle, marking a significant personal development in her outlook on life and relationships.

I've been single for so long that sometimes I can go days or even weeks without thinking about my relationship status.

But it took me by surprise a couple of years ago to realise just how long it had been since I last called someone my boyfriend - 10 whole years, in fact.

Read at Independent