My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,39

the previous owner could do. In the end, there was some shady excuse given to get rid of Angus about how he didn’t have the right experience for the new direction the company was going in. He did his best and offered to take any courses the company wanted to send him on, but the guy just wanted him gone. Legally, I still think it was pretty ropey, but Angus didn’t have the money, or energy, to take on that fight.

‘Unfortunately, stepping into a new job wasn’t so easy and that really affected his confidence and state of mind. All he ever wanted to do when he met his wife was take care of her, and his kid was the light of his life. He vowed to give that little girl everything he hadn’t had, not just materially, but more importantly the love and support he didn’t get. And he did. Every day. Even when he was thousands of miles away. But the more he struggled to find another job, the more his confidence and mental state began to suffer too.’

‘It must have been very difficult for both him and his family.’

‘Long story, short, it was. The rows increased, tensions got to breaking point and Angus started drinking. The downhill slide came pretty fast from there.’

‘Oh, Seb.’

‘I know.’

‘So, if you didn’t know him all that well, how did you know all this was happening?’

‘I didn’t. I’d last seen him on a base in Helmand. The next time I saw him was several years later in a shop doorway as part of a homeless charity food provision programme I was taking part in.’

‘And you recognised him?’

‘Just about. But that was the easy part. Getting him help was less so.’

‘Pride.’

Seb gave an outward breath that passed for a resigned laugh. ‘You could say that. He’d lost everything, but there was still a sliver of that stubborn pride left. But there was no way I was going to leave him to rot in that doorway. He was a brother. Always will be. So, in the end, we managed to utilise that pride to our advantage, and again with the long story short thing, he’s now pretty involved with the charity itself.’

‘And what about his family?’

‘Unfortunately, his marriage had paid the price, and for a long while he didn’t see his daughter either. I think the loss of that was what really broke him. But once he got sober, and found a purpose again, he was able to build on himself. He’ll never be who he was before he went to war. None of us will be. But he’s a good man. He’d lost touch with his ex, but the charity managed to make contact and explain the situation. I don’t think Angus held out much hope, but after giving her time to think, his wife contacted us again and asked to see him. She explained that she’d remarried and wanted him to know that beforehand, rather than just dropping it on him.’

‘It sounds like she cared for him very much.’

‘I think she did. I think she’d wanted it to be for ever too. But things don’t always go to plan, as much as you want them to.’

‘How did he take that news?’

‘Pretty well. I think he expected it to be honest.’

‘And the little girl?’

‘The little girl had grown up, but thankfully her mother had never demonised Angus. Obviously, it was always going to be difficult. But she made her own decision to see him and Angus gave her the space she needed, when she needed it. It was a massive thing for both of them really. But I’m happy to say it seems to have worked out. His daughter has her own baby now and, I tell you, I’m not sure you could find a prouder grandfather.’

‘I can imagine. I’m so pleased things have turned around for him.’

‘Me too.’

‘Thanks to you.’

‘Nope,’ Seb’s voice had a definitive, non-negotiable tone to it. ‘This is all down to him.’

‘But if you hadn’t seen him that day. Persuaded him to take that first step?’

‘Then I like to think someone else would have.’

‘Even you know that’s not certain.’

‘I do. So, I’m glad I saw him that day, yes. But the only person that can make a recovery – from anything – is the individual. Nobody else. I could have had the best doctors and nurses and physios – I did, in fact. I had a great team working with me. But none of them could help me walk