Hey Secret lifers, if you are following my Instagram then you will have heard me talking about the Mr. If you are not following go check it out now! I thought I would tell you our story because who doesn’t love a happy story right?

We first met when we were in secondary school. That’s high school for my friends over the pond. His family moved into the estate where my family lived and our gardens were practically back to back. Can’t remember the specifics of how we got friendly but we just used to hang out at the park. I don’t think there are any specifics at that age. It’s different from the adult rules. You play in the same park- you’re friends. Simple as.

Our mums were friendly and they used to play ladies darts together one night a week. His mum asked me to babysit for him and his 3 brothers who were younger than him. Now before you think I’m a creep I am only 1 year older than the Mr. He was just not allowed to babysit and I was there, as his mum most eloquently put it, ‘to make sure they don’t kill each other’ I remember things like they had pet gerbils in a cage in the hall. They’re mum had clippers and used to cut their hair and I thought she was really good at it. They had a housephone which we used to borrow because we didn’t have a phone in those days. She also pierced my ears and taught me how to do it myself. There was no kind of attraction there, we were friends and that was grand. Then one day he moved away. Back then there were no mobiles to text or Facebook to keep in contact. So that was that. It happened when you were a kid. People would come and go and you just accepted it.

Life goes by, we grow and learn, seasons turn into years. I would think of him and his family when I used to visit with my parents and walk through our old estate while walking the dog, or when I would pass the place he moved to in the other town.

Then one day I had a friend request on Facebook. Who is that I thought? I accepted the request to check the pictures to see if it was someone I knew before deleting. Well,well there he was. How lovely to see him, if not a bit weird that he now looked like a man. Well he was a man but you know what I mean! We got to chatting over a few weeks and it was great. I remembered we had always got on really well and it was still the same. We talked about where our lives had taken us. Him, married with 2 children and then separated. Me, had my son and now on my own. Anyway it got onto the subject of dates and I was telling him how I hadn’t had a date in over 2 years. He said he would take me on a date and I told him I don’t want no pity dates! But anyway he was serious and I was scared of dates! However, I thought what could go wrong? We were 2 old friends meeting to catch up it would be great even if there was no attraction there.

It was strange seeing the boy I once new in the man before me. He looked just the same but older (duh) the playful eyes and cheeky smile were just as they once were. I had never fancied him before. I couldn’t stop looking at him at first as it was so weird but the more I looked the more I realised I liked that face. (I am never going to hear the end of this when he reads it by the way!). There was no awkwardness that I can recall. Just a warm, comfortable feeling of seeing an old friend. We got along just as well and the time just flew by.

And there you have it, the beginning of a beautiful friendship and relationship. We get each other so well and mostly know what one another is thinking. We have fun and are playful with each other. We love to find different ways of giving each other the middle finger (it’s our game). We embrace each others geekiness. He has supported me through some very difficult times.

Truly, you’re my best friend 💖💖

😉