Couple say secret to their happy marriage is living apart for 20 years
A couple who have been living apart for two decades have finally moved in together, but they still refuse to share the same bed.
Marriage
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A married couple have finally moved in together after 20 years apart – but they still don’t share the same bed.
David Burke, 48, and Claire, 54, of the UK, decided it was best to live apart, out of fear living together would ruin their relationship.
They said it was the secret to their lasting marriage. However, they now have a new perspective.
It was only when firefighter David got offered a new job and they struggled to find a school for their 12-year-old son, who has Down’s syndrome, when they finally decided it was time to pull the plug.
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“It feels like a totally new relationship,” Ms Burke, a hospital admin said.
“We are so happy and I can’t see why we won’t be living together forever now.”
Despite their new life under the same roof, Ms Burke admitted living separately meant they avoided arguments and confrontation.
“I didn’t want to become the nagging wife,” she said.
“I’m happy that I am more tolerant than I thought I would be.
“It has been brilliant so far.”
Ms Burke said they have no regrets and believe moving in together is the right next step for their family.
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“But 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,” she added.
The couple told British show This Morning, that while they’re finally living together, they still sleep in separate beds – admitting they can’t get through a single night in the same room.
Ms Burke said they spent one night together when they first moved into their West Yorkshire home, but it didn’t last.
“People expect you to do that and we had one night,” she said. “I was snoring, he was snoring, he was star fishing, so, it just developed, we never spoke about it.”
David, who is a firefighter, joked that “a good night sleep” was not something the couple were prepared to sacrifice as a result of their move.
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They were living in different suburbs and said the push to live under the same roof came about after David got offered a new job and the difficulty of finding the right school for their son.
“He loves it,” Ms Burke said about her son. “I do think, he’s not missed it, his mum and dad living together, because he’s never had it, but I do think he loves mum and dad living together.”
Mr Bourke said that because he and his wife know each other so well, there were no real surprises.
“We still managed to keep a little bit of space and a little bit of independence and it wasn’t such a big adjustment, not as big as we thought it would be,” he said.
“It’s not something we decided lightly; it’s nice to have a home together.”
Originally published as Couple say secret to their happy marriage is living apart for 20 years
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