Читать книгу The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows - Jenni Keer - Страница 19

For a moment Maisie didn’t know what to think. She missed her sister terribly since she’d emigrated two years ago but it had been Zoe’s long-held dream and it hadn’t been an easy one to achieve. Oliver and Zoe had spent several years saving up, applying for visas and jobs, and finding somewhere to live. Her physiotherapy qualifications and Oliver’s accountancy career made them eligible for the skilled migrant visa – but now they were telling Maisie it was all for nothing.

‘It’s not working out,’ Zoe continued. ‘We’ve been thinking about it for a while and I guess we both accepted the dream didn’t live up to the reality. Now we’ve made the decision, I know it’s the right thing to do. I’ve really missed you. And Mum. And Dad …’ There were no more Ands.

‘I don’t understand. Your jobs? The lifestyle? The sun?’

The miserable British weather had been the killer for Zoe. Fair, like all her siblings, but able to take a tan, she’d been a sun-worshipper and outdoorsy girl since childhood. Oliver had a sedentary and staid career – his idea of kicking back was settling down in front of the television with a large glass of Merlot. Zoe, on the other hand, had been known to stride up a mountain to unwind. It was a miracle their relationship had endured for nearly fifteen years.

‘Everyone thinks Australia is just a hotter version of the UK but it really isn’t. It’s been a complete lifestyle change – even the language is different, if you can believe that?’ Zoe said, shaking her head. ‘It’s all so laid-back and in many ways in a bit of a time warp. You go to a party and the men and women stand in different corners – and the men swear all the time