I was almost 28 and he had just turned 24. The four years between our ages was not a problem, it was the wide gulf in our world experience that had a dramatic impact. I had lived away from home for 10 years, travelled and worked in several other countries, and had a lot of experience in handling things alone. He'd been in school for 19 years, was about to enter 4 more, and was utterly miserable living in England for a few years. I was looking for a life-partner, I believe now that he was looking for a substitute mom.