OverSixty April 2023 Digital

ISSUE 4 | APRIL 2023 | OVERSIXTY.COM.AU 20 LIFESTYLE ERICA ROY REMINISCE M y car rumbled around the corner and I pulled into my mate Francis’ yard. As I killed the motor and the car died with a throaty splutter, I wondered if it embarrassed my friends to have such a scru$y piece of tin pull up outside their house. "en I remind- ed myself my friends didn’t care about such things. Besides, they’d!xedmy car a few times. "e important thing was I wasn’t walking. I had been living a ‘sub-life’ for a while, though, since I’d been forced to leave my husband, and I hated every minute of it. I could’t a$ord to show weakness because I had three children to raise; I wasn’t going to give up the !ght. I always promised myself that I’d be as poor as a beggar sooner than abandon my children as I had been. Luckily, along the way, I’d found a few kin- dred spirits who were now among my best friends. So I shook o$ my insecurities and climbed out of my ’84 claptrap."en I walked into the yard and saw him. At !rst glance, hunched over a motor with my friend, he looked like just another back under a bonnet. “Helloooo,” I sang, raising a smile from Francis and a curious look from his friend. “Hey,” said Francis, and his friendwatched while we chatted about the latest mechanical works in progress. “Hi,” I said coolly to the newcomer, to which he replied in kind, before an awkward pause stretched between us. "e !rst thing that struck me was his eyes: they stared at me, mirroring my own bright blue orbs. I wasn’t sure. Could it be him? Really? I reeled with the hope that it might be, but felt the need to armour myself against pain or disappointment. How could I tell? I’d only seen him three times in my adulthood, each time in dimly lit CBD nightspots. My sister Donna had introduced us the !rst time; we’d both attended a work function and themoment had seemed surreal. I vividly remember my sense of the preordained fall- ing into place as she uttered both our names. Now, once again, my gut was telling me I didn’t need any proof or justi!cation. I had found himby chance, as he had foundme. "e atmosphere in the yard was thick with tension, andFrancis noticed it.Mymate’s pro- tective nature kicked in and, brows furrowed, he surveyed the pair of us with distrust. "en he began introductions as I dared to hope. Before he could !nish, I cut across him and asked his friend: “Are you a Yates?” I couldn’t hold my tongue another second. As he nodded yes, we both broke out in smiles andmy heart sang so loudly I thought it might explode. It was him! And he seemed to remember me, and was happy to seeme, too! My smile was wider than a Cheshire cat’s and Francis was lookingmore perplexed than ever, even disapproving. I laughed at his reac- tion, lovingmymate’s !erce protectiveness. “Fran,” I began, “this is my long-lost little brother.” Francis’ eyes widened with surprise, dis- belief and !nally acceptance. He shook his head in shock. I was still grinning cheerily at my handsome blond brother, and he at me. Separated frommy biological mother when I was six, I had spent many years wishing things were di$erent andmissing the younger brothers and sisters I’d left behind – siblings I’d never had the chance to get to know. I’d of- ten hoped that one day we wouldmeet again. Andherewewere, face to face, eye to eye, long split from the pod, but peas nonetheless. "e years of loneliness, fear and wishful thinking melted away and, in that moment, everything was as it should be. "e future is brighter now, and less lonely, and it’s ever since that ordinary day when Tom and I found each other again. LIFESTYLE It was just another day in the life of a divorced mother of three ... until fate struck Findingmy brother BONUS SECTION Contribute an original, unpublished story and, if printed, we’ll pay you cash! See page 9 Photo: Getty Images WIN!