My Bijou! A Maylor Love Story

Sail Away Sweet Sister - Part 3

A/N - Pictured is Roger with his mother, Winnifred.  I could not verify the year it was taken.


21st October 1979

Surrey

Roger's POV

I had practiced this speech a few times and discussed it with Brian but in the actual moment I felt unprepared. It felt odd to sit and be so forthright with a stranger about our family situation. Our relationship. It was such a risky thing to do. She had signed the non-disclosure agreement so she was legally bound to not speak of any confidences we shared with her. Even if she didn't say anything about us, Mia could find our lifestyle unacceptable and leave and we would have to do this all over again with another applicant. I kept hope as I began to explain our biggest secret to her.

"Yes...well..." I hesitated and looked at Brian for reassurance. He seemed just an anxious as I feel. I swallowed and tried to ignore the growing knot in my stomach. "Our family situation is unique..." I began and looked Mia in the eye as I spoke. "Brian and I are bandmates...as you know..." I was having trouble finding my words and wondered if I was starting to sound like I was babbling. Mia was watching me intently as I started to feel like a fool. "Because of the nature of our work...we are gone a lot for touring and recording..." I knew I was skirting around the real information I needed to share with her but seemed too scared to just say it out loud.

Mia nodded as she listened so I knew she was hearing me. I turned to look at Brian for support as my courage began to fail me. Brian gestured to ask if he should take over.

"You want me to?" he mumbled and I quickly nodded. I was flustered and leaned back in the chair as my sister shot me a look of worry. Brian cleared his throat and finally spoke.

"So what Roger was trying to say is that..." now Brian halted his words and seemed hesitant as well. He glanced over at me as he ran his hand through his hair. We were both struggling. "What I mean is that...well...we are a family..." Brian's speech was as scattered as mine. "Even though the children have different biological parents...we are raising them like siblings..." I felt some relief that Brian found a gateway to the tougher subject matter by starting with the children.

"That's lovely..." Mia responded. "I grew up in foster care...it didn't matter who your parents were...families were different...but were still family..." she added. Her words made more sense than Brian and I were making and I was relieved she seemed to understand unconventional ideas of family. Brian's face lit up.

"Exactly!" Brian concurred as he smiled at Mia. His unease relaxed and so did mine. "Roger and I are best friends and since we work together and are both parents who need care for our children...we find it easier to just share a home..." Brian was edging closer to the actual details we needed to divulge so I felt a little anxiety return as he kept talking. But then he seemed to falter again and looked at me with dismay. We both were unable to just spit it out.

"What they are trying to say..." Clare finally interjected with some confidence but Mia raised her hand in the air.

"I don't mean to interrupt but I get the feeling you are trying to say something you are finding difficult to tell me..." Mia said and looked at us all. "I think I can hazard a guess as to what it is..." Brian, Clare and myself all sat silent and I nodded for her to continue.

"Go ahead..." was all I managed to get out. Mia smiled warmly at us.

"Are you trying to tell me your gay? Is that it?" I exhaled deeply and felt relief that it was on the table. I looked at Brian and Clare and they seemed relieved as well.

"Well...yes...actually!" Brian suddenly verbalized for us all. He laughed nervously and I realized now we needed to know how she felt about it.