The Happy Couple

Brother and I received a letter from the lawyers, and they referred to us in about 4 points as “Mr and Mrs”. I was horrified, turns out so was Brother. Is it horror at the idea of being seen to be a couple? I’ve always balked when referred to as Mrs – is it simply because I’m not married? I always correct the telesales consultant, and in this case, paralegal.

Part of me felt like by calling me Mrs, they were making me Brother’s dependant, while we are equal… or quite frankly, I’m actually above him. Call it the pecking order, but I think we are both aware of my status as oldest. On the offer to purchase, my name came first but the lawyers put Brother’s name first on their paperwork. Brother even commented on this, saying maybe it was alphabetical.

We are in this 50/50, Brother might be more liquid than I am, but I have 95% of the furniture etc. I’ve seen glimmers of power play from Brother already and I do wonder what the dynamic will be when we live together. I’m sure I will try and look after him, and I don’t mind. But will I become his faux-wife? That seems very weird.

Brother did say I could have the bigger room, but to the same token I told him to take the garage. Maybe it’s about compromising because we understand each other’s needs? When I spoke about skimming the walls of the flat, Brother did seem to think that I expected him to pay for the walls in his room, while I see us as owning every room together. I do worry that my décor will cover the flat and I’m already trying to work out how to make it “ours”. I suppose it will all settle with time.

All in all, I will always be the big sister, but I think this is a whole new chapter.