Julie
 

Just a few months later, friends invited me out to the re-opening of a pub somewhere in Leicester. It was suggested I ask Julie along, a local hairdresser who had recently become single. She knew Deb and we had briefly met once or twice, so I asked and we dated. Over the evening, into the night and through to the morning, our hearts poured out as we talked, listened and cried. Both of us were struggling through a traumatic time and a connection connected a whirlwind of love that was brewing a hurricane.

 

‘Too soon’, most thought, but it was our thoughts that mattered. Julie’s two and my three boys were made aware from the beginning and were the only approval we needed. We introduced them early on and they mixed well. I continued with the business and Julie with hairdressing. Life should have settled a little for all of us as a new family, but the complications of pasts caused us problems.

 

We married on the 15th July, 1999 with our five boys by our sides and honeymooned in Amsterdam, high on life, high on love and just high. My mum babysat while the boys looked after her.