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In the time around the suspension I had me dear friends Roy and Jess visit me. This gave me something to lift my spirits. They hugged me and held me in lieu of Gareth. We spent time touring, and relaxing. Yet all the time I was worried about Gareth.

In early October, Gareth was forced into a situation that he had to appear at work, for a "tribunal hearing". I waited for his phone call, worried. He was dismissed for his position.

I did not know what to do. I wanted to be there to hold him and to look after him. I could not do that because of my work. I spent hours on the phone encouraging him, lifting his spirits, praying with him. God was listening to the inner turmoil I had and was keeping me from cracking at this end. God knew that my partner needed someone to be emotionally strong.

In the middle to late November there was an appeal hearing, that was again held at the college. When the hearing was over, Gareth indicated strongly, when the representative (of the union that he was a shop steward for) asked him if he wanted to put in an Industrial Tribunal claim.

Gareth was now so drained emotionally, the doctor suggested that he come back to Australia and visit me. So Gareth got together funds to make the trip back, and was all set to arrive and surprise me. He could not stop himself from telling me, and rang the day before he left for here. He arrived and we had a wonderful time together.

It was only a few days before I was due to go back to the UK. A decision that was made so I could be with Gareth. I had long service leave due, and had I decided (around mid year) to take it. Initially I was going to take the full twelve months off, but investigations into how the public service housing association looks upon unpaid professional leave meant I would be returning in August 1997.

I had submitted a leave form without the additional unpaid leave. Over a week before I left for the UK I sent a memo to the management of the college where I work indicating I would be back mid August.

I was happy, and I knew God was going to bless the fact I was honouring Gareth by returning to the UK for as long as I could.

In the time he was here in December, we were well and truly outed to a large number of people. It was a process that may have helped me in the end, except for some who were to prove to be thorns in both Gareth's and my sides. It was another test that God wanted us to endure, as it was to be a way of teaching me to lean on my partner after he had leant on me for so long.