Chapter 1

I thought I had it all figured out. Life was going to be so simple. I’d finished primary school with excellent grades, I was 2 years into secondary and life was going pretty well. I was going to go to college, then university then I was going to be a vet, just like my dad.

Gavin Simon Deary, that’s who I am, I’m 14, 5’7”, brown eyes, shaved brown hair and half-rimmed glasses. I seem to defy classification, at school I seem to be buried in my studies, having few friends and generally falling under the geek category. But outside school, taking after Sean’s teachings, I was a bit of a surfer, I was in good shape, and I knew how to have fun, so I would be classed as a popular kid. I dunno, I’m just Gavin. Even though I knew how to have a good time, I still kept myself apart from anyone else. I had had a bad start at secondary school which had pretty much destroyed my self-confidence for the rest of the time I was there, I had a reputation as a geek, a nerd, whatever else could be used to describe someone who buckles down to their studies instead of going out drinking when someone manages to steal some of their parent’s stock. I knew how to enjoy myself, but since I didn’t want to get drunk, the ‘cool’ crowd shunned me and left me a target for the local moron brigade. They didn’t bother me too much but they still wore away my self-esteem.

Before he changed, my brother Pete was my idol. He was 17, about 5’10’, had blonde dyed hair and the faintest hint of facial hair and always wore something resembling a smile. He could make friends with anyone and everyone with ease, he had gotten excellent grades at school, he had a great sense of humour, he was just the perfect brother. Then Dawn dumped him. Actually, she didn’t dump him, I don’t know what happened, all I remember is that night. It was the night my Pete vanished and someone else came into his place. He had told me how he was going to surprise her with something big and romantic, I dunno what. About an hour after he’d gone to spring his big surprise, he ran into the house, crying his eyes out, he just ran straight through the house to his room. When I want to see what was wrong he was just lying on his bed with a blank expression on his face, tears streaming from his eyes. There was nothing I could do to make him respond, whatever I said or did, he just lay there crying. After that night, he was a changed person. He stayed at home a lot in his room just listening to depressing music, I think I occasionally heard him crying too. He never seemed to go out with his friends, his grades slipped, and he had an aura of unhappiness.

My dad, Brian is a good man. At 37, he stood about 6’2 tall, with brown eyes and intentionally messy brown spiked hair. He’d always wanted to become a vet, it was his only ambition in life to help animals in need. He was a kind and gentle man, who had never raised his voice or his hand. He was always supportive of anything myself and Pete did, and always understood if anything went wrong. My mum died shortly after I was born, complications during the birth is all I was told, so my dad raised both me and Pete single handedly, and still managed to make a good living. After he met his partner, Sean when I was about 6, he became even more fun to be around, always laughing and joking and playing with both of his sons. Of course, at 6 I thought nothing of my dad loving Sean, love was love, it didn’t matter who it was between.

Sean was an old friend of my dad’s from vet school, and I honestly can’t say I know anyone who has been a more nurturing influence on my life, Sean was like my mum and a second dad rolled into one. He started out as my dad’s colleague, both landing jobs at the local vets, later he became dad’s partner. It seemed that there was nothing he could not do, at 35 he stood 6’3, well tanned with long blonde hair tied into a pony tail, deep blue eyes and the physique of a surfer. He was a superb vet, he taught both myself and Pete how to surf, swim, sail, even ski. His skills seemed endless.

Ok, back to here and now. Two weeks ago, my dad had made an announcement that shocked me and Pete. Devon was too small now, life was dull and the stream of cats and dogs simply weren’t challenging either him or Sean. We are moving. I had just got home from school on a wet, windy November afternoon. Usually, dad and Sean didn’t get home until about 6.30, meaning me and Pete had the house to ourselves for a couple of hours, today though something was different.

“It’s all sorted? At last? Great, yes, yes I’ll come over first thing tomorrow to check it over, you’re sure everything’s completed? Nothing can come up? Oh, thank you for all your help Dan. I’ll see you tomorrow at about 10, thanks again. Bye” Dan? I don’t know anyone dad could be talking to called Dan, maybe another old school friend, but what was he talking about? I was just taking off my coat as dad came out of the living room with a smile showing relief and happiness plastered over his face.

“You look happy,” I said as I gave him a hug, “something interesting happened?” I knew that he was getting bored with the monotony of his work, and that he was looking for a break to get away,

“You could say that,” his smile grew, “I’ll tell you and your brother later, go get a bath”

“Aww, c’mon, what is it?”

“A surprise” he replied, a hint of cheekiness finding it’s way into his smile

I stuck my tongue out at him before running upstairs and getting ready for a bath.

All the time I was soaking I was wondering who dad was talking to, and what it was about. I knew he was going to tell me and Pete later, after Pete got back from detention for not doing his homework again. We were all worried about him, since Dawn had cheated on him a few months ago he had gone downhill badly, but nobody knew how to help. I hoped that dad’s announcement would help but I still couldn’t think what it could be.

When I got out of the bathroom, I heard music pouring out of Pete’s room. I sighed sadly for him as I walked past and got dressed quickly before running downstairs to the kitchen, where the all-skilled Sean was cooking up what he called ‘anneaux de boeuf et de pain”, or what everyone else called burgers. I rolled my eyes as he told me what he was making, earning a chuckle as I left.

Dad was lying on the sofa in the living room idly watching TV until I came in, his eyes tracked me as I walked over and sat on the floor in front of him, a few seconds later he was rolling around the floor with me, sitting on my legs, holding my hands and tickling me. I know I’m a bit old for this but I don’t care, my dad’s fun to be around and play with, as long as he’s around I’ll be happy.

Sean called Pete down as he walked into the room carrying a large plate of burgers. Being a growing boy, I moved across the room in a blur, and sat on a chair with a plate piled with burgers. Dad and Sean both just smiled and shook their heads as Pete trudged through the doorway, grabbed a few burgers and sat next to me,

“Dad…” I managed to get out in between mouthfuls

“I know, well now everything’s confirmed I suppose it’s time to tell you boys what we have been planning,” I started watching dad and Sean intently, Pete just looked up, wondering what was happening, “Sean and I have both been getting increasingly bored with work, it’s just not a challenge anymore. Kids, what would you say if I told you we were moving, to Canada?”

“Cool!” I responded, knowing I had little to miss here, Pete looked contemplative, I can’t be sure but I think I saw something resembling hope in his eye. Maybe this was what he needed to help him get back on track, I don’t know but he definitely looked less depressed than he has been recently. It seems that everything around here reminds him of the time he spent with Dawn.

“Me and Sean have been thinking about it for a while now, and we’ve just received the all-clear from Canadian immigration, and our visas have come through. All we need to do is sell the house and find somewhere to live.”

“When did you all this?” I asked

“We know you two aren’t really happy here, and our jobs definitely aren’t doing what we wanted, this is a new beginning for all of us”

Pete still looked pretty depressed, but there was definitely something in his eyes, something was interrupting his misery.

That night after the meal everyone settled in to watch TV I hugged Pete as I always do, I don’t know if he even notices, he doesn’t give any reaction if he does but it at least makes me feel as if I’m helping in a small way. I decided before we went to bed that night to try talking to him again. He hadn’t spoken to anyone recently, aside from one-word answers and grunts. It had only been a week since he stormed into the house, tears streaming down his face.

The Diary of Peter Simon Deary

18^th July 2003

The bitch! That slut! How could she? She had all my heart and she just tore it apart. My only true love.

I was going to surprise her, I could never understand why, but she was a big fan of Coldplay. I’d been saving for months, since I found out about the concert, and I’d got the tickets that morning. All day though school I was imagining the look on her face when I gave her them, I was going to take her to Paperelli’s in town, and spring them on her after the meal.

I let myself into her house as quietly as I could, I knew she’d be in her room listening to music, she always did after school. I crept up the stairs, stepping over the one I knew to be loose, I’d done this dozens of times before so I knew exactly how to get to her room at the end of the hall silently, I loved to sneak up on her while she lay on her bed relaxing and startle her with a kiss. The music was on as usual, but as I got nearer the door I heard muffled groans coming from inside. I opened the door and immediately met her eyes. She…how could she? How could HE? He was one of my best friends, I have to think…

The Diary of Peter Simon Deary

23^rd July 2003

Wherever I go, she is there. Whenever the phone rings, it’s her. My so-called ‘friends’ are leaving me one by one, not saying anything, just drifting away and forming another group without me. With her. What happened to me? She won’t leave me alone, trying to get me to forgive her. Hah! How could I ever forgive her after…that? She cheated on me, and now she’s alienating me from my friends. No, she knew she was everything to me, and she just spat me out.

Dad, Sean and Gav have been trying to talk to me, but I’m just not ready. How can I tell them how stupid I was to trust her? She knew I wasn’t ready for anything…more, but she just couldn’t wait could she?

The Diary of Peter Simon Deary

25^th July 2003

I can’t take it here for much longer. All my friends have deserted me, left me alone, heartbroken. I have nobody to turn to. Oh sure there’s Dad and Sean, but how can they understand? Gav? He’s too young to understand what I’m going through. I don’t know what I’m going to do.

I’ve spent so much of this week in my room. I’ve lost count of the number of times Gav’s tried to talk to me, I know he means well but he just wouldn’t understand. When I’m not listening to music or watching TV I’m sleeping. I can count the number of proper meals I’ve eaten this week on one hand. I can’t go out, everything reminds me of her, brings back memories of where we dated, how could she do this to me?

The Diary of Peter Simon Deary

26^th July 2003

Canada? I’ve always wanted to visit Canada, but to live there? Last night Sean called me downstairs, when I got there dad told us, Canada? I dunno, I’ve never been anywhere but here, a couple of weeks ago I’d be fuming, all my friends, Dawn, everything I’ve known and loved, but now, it’s as if there’s nothing. No feeling. I want to get away from here, away from her, but Canada? Half way around the world, a new country, everything will be fresh, a new beginning, nobody to hurt me, nobody to open old wounds. But what would I do?

Before these last few days my life as so straight forward-I was going to finish my GCSE’s, then go to university and study Biochemistry. I know it’s not a vet like my dad wanted but he said it was fine as long as it made me happy, but what now? My life has been turned upside down, inside out, my girlfriend has cheated on me, my friends left me, now what?

I’m so excited, the house has been sold, everything’s been booked, and as soon as the sale of the house goes through next week we’re flying out. Dad’s shown me some more brochures of where we’re going to live, British Columbia. A town called Hudson’s Hope on Williston Lake. Apparently dad and Sean are taking jobs as vets serving both the local pets and the wildlife. I know I’m about to leave everything I know behind, but that’s no big loss, and I’m sure I’m going to find out a lot, I’m going to start again, and I’m going to do it well, this time, I’m not going to be content with being alone. I’m going to enjoy life, and I’m going to find happiness.

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