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Married Couple Who Lived Apart For 20 Years Finally Move In Together

Married Couple Who Lived Apart For 20 Years Finally Move In Together

Claire Burke, 54, and David, 48, took the plunge after a job offering came up.

EMS 7

EMS 7

A married couple who have been together for 20 years have only just reached a major milestone - moving in together for the first time.

Yes, despite being in a relationship for two whole decades, tying the knot eight years ago and having a son, Claire Burke, 54, and David, 48, had never actually lived together up until this point.

It's far less common for a couple to live apart, especially once they've tied the knot, but Claire and David say it worked for them - in fact, it made their relationship stronger.

Caters

"Neither David or I had lived an independent life before and we felt like we both needed that," explained Claire.

"I didn't ever want to become the nagging wife, and living separately meant we avoided arguments that most couples have.

"It just worked perfectly for us."

Which begs the question - why did they take the plunge now?

Well, apparently the pair moved from Bradford to their joint home in West Yorkshire after David was offered a new job as a crew manager there.

They didn't take the decision lightly, spending months weighing up the pros and cons of moving into a house together.

Caters

"There were lots of negatives and positives to the situation," Claire added. "The wage was tempting and we would have rather our son, Jay, who has Down Syndrome, went to secondary school in Weatherby rather than Bradford.

"However, the house prices were so expensive there was no way we could have afforded to have two houses.

"We considered various options, such as one of us buying a house and one of us renting."

David was more keen about the idea of a joint home, whereas Claire was dubious, as she feared she might resent him after being used to having her own space.

"I loved him so much, I didn't want to risk losing him and ruining our marriage because we had decided to move in together," she said.

But after much deliberation, the pair sold their houses and went for it - and it looks like their decision paid off.

Caters

"It has been brilliant so far," the NHS administrator said. "We don't regret it all and we think it really was the right next step for us after all these years.

"I have been surprised at how unbothered I am by David's little quirks that I thought would annoy me. Such as him leaving his underpants on the floor or not rinsing the bath after he has used it.

"I'm happy that I am more tolerant than I thought I would be."

Claire went on to say: "It feels like a totally new relationship... It's lovely to come down to the kitchen in the morning and David's got the kettle on and the music playing, dancing with Jay.

"I've not had this for 20 years, so it is so nice to experience it now."

Featured Image Credit: Caters

Topics: UK News, Sex and Relationships