Separated

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- Stuart -

Stuart had never been away from home for over a week, except for his honeymoon with Maggie which was two weeks in Skegness, and that was years ago.  Even then, when he was deliriously happy, the time away from home was too long for him.  He had just wanted to return to home, his new home, with Maggie.  They had not ventured far since that time.

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Now he would be away for two months.  Everyone told him it was not worth going for less time.  It was so far.

It was a long way to go to meet a stranger – even if he was your brother.

 
- Rex -

They did not have an enormous house, or one on the beach as everyone expected of houses in Australia, but they could put them up in the spare room.  Rex was excited and at the same time full of dread.

Who was this person who was coming to stay?

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Who was his brother?

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- Stuart -

When he saw the sign at the airport his fears, his apprehensions dissolved in an instant.

Stuart had not seen Rex in 40 years and here before him was a grown man.  A grown man who looked incredibly like him.  Stuart had never looked like anyone.

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Stuart did not see a grown man.  He saw the little brother he had protected all those years ago, the little brother he had waved off on the train.

 
- Rex -

He had felt rejected and isolated until Rex became a detective.  

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He discovered that his letters had not been sent.  The letters sent to him had not been delivered.  

Lies and deception.

That was the system deployed for the children sent to Australia, sent with hopes and dreams that were invariably destroyed.  They were told there would be new and wonderful lives.

There wasn’t.

Rex discovered that his mother had searched for him.  His father had disappeared and she had not been able to cope.  So, she wanted something better for her boys.  That was what she had been promised and promises are certainties to a woman in despair.

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His mother had been told that Rex had died.  He obviously had not.  His mother was told that Stuart had died.  He obviously had not.

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Lies and deception.

  - Stuart -

Maggie could not believe the transformation in her husband.  It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted.  The brothers had not met in 40 years and had nothing in common but they could not stop talking to one another.

They talked incessantly for two months.

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Now it was time to go home.

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Maggie loved her husband and love can see hurt and love can see fear without the necessity of words.

Stuart and Rex did not want to be separated – again.  It was hard.  Stuart waved to Rex whilst sitting on the aeroplane that was taking him home.  In his heart he knew Rex probably could not see him but he kept waving and waving, remembering the last time he had waved to Rex.

Separation is never an easy thing.

 
- Rex -

It was always sweltering at this time of year.  Despite having numerous Christmas barbecues with Sue and the kids, this year Rex felt empty.  Even the one constant in his life, his wife Sue, was distant these days.  Rex suspected she had found someone else.  When he entered the room she was invariably on her laptop and, when he entered the room, she invariably closed it.

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They had never had secrets.

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Life, for Rex, should have been perfect.

It wasn’t.  Something was missing and the one person he had surety about seemed to be drifting away.

They had never had secrets but now Rex knew that Sue had secrets from him and it was breaking his heart.

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It was Christmas Day and everything should have been perfect.  To his surprise and delight the kids were all coming round with their own families.  Family had always been important to Rex.  Maybe they had sensed how their old man had been feeling lately. 

Sue was still distant, still keeping secrets.  Rex had learnt not to ask.  After all these years of knowing her, in the last few months he felt like she was a stranger.  That is how secrets are divisive.  

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Was there someone else?
 

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There was someone else.

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As a grandad you should not have favourites but Rex loved Stu the most, named after someone who had looked after him.

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So, when the doorbell rang it was little Stu who ran to answer it and it was little Stu who beamed as he introduced the guest.

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Little Stu introduced Big Stu – Stuart.  He obviously knew he was coming and had found it really hard to keep the secret, just as Sue had for so many months.

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Rex stood transfixed.  His eyes darted from Sue to his big brother.

That was the secret that she had been hiding.

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“How long are you staying”?  Not the best opening line but the thought that was foremost in Rex’s mind.  Firstly, thinking about their separation.

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“We’re here for good” replied Stuart.  “Sue and I have been planning this for months.  She arranged our travel and helped us buy our new house”.

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Stuart and Rex never had to wave each other off again

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