The moment I knew: through tears, I confessed I didn’t know how I was supposed to leave him

Despite wanting to keep things casual, Emma Mugglestone couldn’t ignore her increasing feelings for ‘Gorgeous’

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I

n 2007 I was preparing to move from Brisbane to the UK. I was 21, I’d just finished university and my family had been through a rough period. It was time for a new adventure, even if I was mildly anxious about leaving behind all my loved ones. When my best friend, Tegan, suggested a night out, it sounded exactly what I needed, but first she wanted to show me around her new lodgings on Enoggera army base.

Tegan had told me stories about the other soldiers she was living with, but there was one guy who kept coming up – an artillery officer named “Gorgeous”. Obviously, he had another name, but when Tegan introduced us, his nickname made a whole lot of sense. He was still in his cams (hello!) and despite never being interested in men in uniform before, my curiosity was piqued.