We have two months to plan a wedding. I ask her who is going to give her away, and whether she would like Jonah to do it. Polly says she wants me to give her away. She says that I have always been there for her, and she would like me to do it. I tell her I am proud of her, give her a cwtch, and tell her that I will be honoured! I text Drew and tell him. He replies that she is too young. I reply to him that she has to make her own mistakes; they are besotted with each other, and I know it will work out. I add that I have warned her to not have children yet, because I do not want to become a nan!
I go to London and complete the skills test for my visa. I have revised for three weeks. I have practical knowledge, but they have not made it clear what they want me to do, so I freshen up on all the terms and conditions and health and safety regulations. I also revise the NVQ level two and three books. The day of the test, I am so nervous. The lady tells me not to worry and explains that I will be video linked to a hairdressing professional who will ask me questions on practical skills. I’ll also talk to an Australian assessor who will be listening in and recording the test.
An hour later, it is all over and my brain is fried. I ask her how she thinks I did, and she replies that I was a lot better than some of them and tells me not to worry. The following week, I am ill with my stomach, this time due to my healthy eating. I cannot keep anything in my stomach and I have to gradually reintroduce food. I eat a diet of white bread, rice, and boiled chicken. I still go to work because I have no cover. I know it is the stress of the course that has brought this on.
Two weeks later, I get the results of the skills test. I have passed! I forward my results to my Migrate Me adviser. She congratulates me and asks me if I have completed an IELTS test. I tell her I have done so much that I am not sure. She tells me to go online to check and adds that it costs £150. The next day I check and see that I have not completed it. She adds that I have to complete this before she can apply for my visa. I book the test. The next available date in my area is in six weeks’ time, just after the wedding.
Polly looks stunning in her dress. We manage to pull together a beautiful wedding with the help of family and friends. The weather is warm and sunny, and we have a fantastic day. My daughter is a married woman. Two weeks later, she moves away with Eric. I sulk for the first weekend and miss my girl terribly. I only have Frankie and Eligh at home now, and they have their own friends and interests. I am happy that everyone has a social life, but it leaves me feeling sad and alone. I am lonelier than I have been in my whole life.
I text Drew and tell him how I am feeling. Although I wouldn’t have it any other way for the children’s sake, and I have a lot of family and friends, inside I feel alone. I confide that I don’t tell anyone else how I feel because I don’t want sympathy. I simply want help and advice of how to get through it. Drew understands, and I know he is the only one who does. He suggests a holiday and asks me to come out to visit Australia. I reply that maybe I will.
My teaching job has come to an end. The government funding in the schools has dried up, and therefore I am not needed. I and five other members of staff are made redundant. I did not realise that I would get redundancy pay, and although it is not a lot, it pays for my plane fare to Australia and a cheap car for Frankie. This is for his twenty-first birthday, and he has passed his test.
The day of my IELTS test arrive, and I am so nervous. The exam conditions are very strict. I have been revising for weeks online. I go into the room, and I am only allowed my ID, pens, and pencils. I am not allowed to talk to anyone or look around the room because the examiners will suspect me of cheating, and I will be removed from the exam and disqualified. I have the speaking test first, then the listening test. Next I complete the reading test, and last is the written test. I find writing the hardest. I complete the first part, but the subject I have to write about on the second is difficult. I go blank and the clock is ticking – I have forty minutes. When the test is finished, I am relieved and tell myself I have achieved it to the best of my ability. It takes two weeks to get the results.
My results come back, I have an overall score of 7.1 and a C1 grade. I text my Migrate Me advisor with my overall and separate scores. They are speaking 9.0, reading 7.0, writing 6.5, and listening 7.5. I am chuffed to bits and think I have passed. Two hours later, I get a message back saying that due to the fact I only have a 6.5 score on my writing, I will have to do it all again; as unfair as this sounds, the migration company needs me to score a 7.0 or above on all tests. I text back that I am gutted. I ring the IELTS centre, and although the lady is sympathetic, she tells me it is £60 for a remark. At least I will only have my written test remarked. The waiting time is eight weeks, just before I fly out to Australia for my holiday.
I go for the remark, pay for it, and await the results. I email Drew, telling him that I have booked a flight and giving the date I will be landing. I tell him I cannot wait to see him, and I want to visit different areas in Australia to decide where I want to settle. I have not had a holiday in over a year and am very excited to go. My friends and family think I am mad for travelling out there alone, but I cannot wait for my adventure.
I think about everything I have to sort out before I can emigrate. Three months ago, Sophie, Lorna, and I agreed to a sale price for Dad’s house with the tenants. It should be finalised after I return from my holiday. After the mortgage and selling fees are paid off, we should be left with around seven thousand each. This money will pay for all the tickets and visas needed for all of us. Polly and Eric, along with Jonah and Laura, have agreed to come out for a month. Frankie, Eligh, and I are going for at least a year, and if we like it we will stay. I am hoping to convert them all eventually!
Last month, I had the shop valued. The original plan was to sell the business premises, but the evaluation was so pathetically low – the bloke didn’t know what he was doing – that I had a rethink. I have now come up with the idea of selling the house and keeping the business premises. I am going to lease the building for ten years, until the mortgage is paid. I have advertised on a website called Gumtree. I have told any potential buyers that it will not be available until February, because I have to work until then. I have had some interest already, and this gives me hope. I am going to put the house on the market in October. I live in a popular area and am confident the house will sell quickly.
The next day, I am in work, and it is quiet. I decide to sort out my file cabinet. I keep all important paperwork in here, including keepsakes from the children over the years; the heart Jonah made me and slid under the door is in there. As I sort through the file marked qualifications, I come across Jonah’s old school end-of-year book.
There is a personal profile in the front. I read that Jonah has written about his interests and hobbies, as well as his favourite television programmes and films (he lists them with the director’s name first). Then I read his comments about his aims, objectives, and goals in life. Jonah has written, “The biggest inspiration in my life is my mother.” I am choked. When I visit him the following week, I tell Jonah that I am on a course and need some feedback on what it was like growing with me as his mother. We asks why. I tell him I am writing an essay on working parents for the course. Ten minutes later, he hands me a note and has written this.
Having four children to raise on your own at the age of twenty-four would daunt most people. My mother didn’t exactly relish in this scenario, however she ploughed through this task gracefully, making sure we always had food on the table, had the most out of our education, and most of all were happy. She still maintained a drive to make something of herself, and she has achieved ten times more than she could’ve hoped for.
I look back on my life and realise all the hard work has been worth it.
The results of my IELTS remark have landed on the carpet. It is a week before I leave for my holiday. I open the letter, and the mark remains the same. I am devastated and am exhausted physically and mentall
y. I decide that when I return from Australia I will rebook the test. I need to forget about it for the moment and rest my brain.
My friends and clients cannot believe that I am travelling alone on my trip. I cannot see what the fuss is about. Secretly, I’m excited at the thought of seeing Drew after nearly two years! It is a week before the holiday, and I have been busy accommodating my regular clients before I leave for my two-week excursion. It has been so busy this week, which has enabled me to pay all the bills and have enough spending money. I have arranged to stay at Jonah and Laura’s the night before I leave; they live in the city, and this means that I will not have to worry about catching the train in the morning. I wonder whether Drew will meet me there at the airport, and what it will be like seeing him again.
Departure day has arrived. I have packed well and am organised. I’m wound up and stressed, which I did not expect. Jonah is trying to reassure me that I won’t miss the bus, and he has decided to accompany me to the bus station to see me off. We get a taxi, and he waits with me until the bus is due to arrive. He wishes me well and gives me a hug before setting off for work. While I wait for the bus, I text Eligh and Frankie to remind them to look after the house and keep it tidy. I tell them that I love them and will see them when I return. I also text Polly and tell her I will ring her when I arrive.
Polly texts back to tell me she loves me and to take care of myself. She also asks me to take pictures of all the animals I see. I tell her I will.
As I continue to wait for the bus, a man joins the queue, and he starts chatting to me. He tells me he is going to Libya for seven weeks to visit his family, and that he is a Muslim. He comments on all the violence surrounding his faith at the moment and tells me that not all his people are like that. He despises the ones who hide behind his faith to continue murdering innocent people. He asks if I know anything of the Muslim faith, and I tell him I do not because I am a Catholic. I tell him that I sympathise with what he is saying, and I agree with him. He explains that true Muslims believe in the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. I admit that I did not know that. He goes on to talk about his faith and tells me I should read about it and gain more knowledge. I tell him that I will. The bus arrives, and we board, I am thankful and start to relax. I am en route to the airport, and it will take approximately three hours.
We have stopped several times and are told by the driver that this is our last pick-up before heading straight to Heathrow. My adjoining seat is one of few left vacant on the bus. At the last pick-up, a family of four boards and has to seat separately. A man sits next to me, introduces himself as Ken, and he asks where I’m headed. I tell him my destination, and I see by his hat he is travelling to the same place. He has corks all around it and various Australian badges attached. He tells me that they are emigrating today, via the Singapore route. I tell him the reason for my visit is to see where I would like to settle because I have never been to Australia before and have to look at various locations. Ken tells me that his wife and two sons are going to live in a place in called Coffs Harbour. They have friends who live there, and it is a great place to bring up his family.
He gives me good advice on how to exchange large amounts of currency and what companies are safe to do this with. I ask him if he minds that I write the details down, and I get out my notepad and pen. He tells me that he and his wife travelled around the country before they had their children, and they loved the place. I ask him to tell me what it’s like there, and he tells me about their culture and way of living. He describes the different areas and how the humidity can be hard to cope with in cities like Adelaide and Perth. I get loads of information from Ken, and I realise that sometimes one meets people for a reason. His stop is before mine because he flies from terminal three. We shake hands and wish each other luck as he and his family exit the bus. I look to say hello to his wife, but she does not look at me. I conclude that she is either a snob or very annoyed at Ken.
My stop is next. I exit the bus and get my bags. I see the Muslim man and ask him which way I need to go. He directs me to the Etihad reception desk and tells me to ask them for directions. I take his advice and thank him before arriving at terminal C, destination Abu Dhabi, where I sit and wait.
Several people arrive and are anxious to be first in line. I sit and read my book. Eventually the security guard removes the entrance bar and tells the queue to check in our luggage. The young couple in front of me looks relieved. I check in my luggage, and I have plenty of time, so I drink a bottle of water and eat a sandwich I prepared at Jonah’s before going into the departure lounge. This airport has loads of duty-free shops, but I have been advised not to purchase anything because in Abu Dhabi, I will have it taken off me. I window shop in between reading my book. Finally, it is time to board the plane.
The plane is the biggest I have ever been on. It is ten seats across, and each seat has its own touch screen television, blanket, headrest, and earphones. I settle into my seat and get ready for take-off. This is great! The couple next to me is from Manchester and is going to Sydney to visit their great-granddaughter for the first time, and to also attend a wedding. Their names are Fred and Maureen. Maureen struggles with the touch screen TV, so I offer to help her. I feel like a pro compared to her, and she is very grateful. The hostesses are lovely and feed us throughout the whole flight for free. We are offered drinks, so I ask for wine because I am on holidays!
After fourteen hours, we descend into Abu Dhabi. Fred and Maureen are catching a different flight because they are headed to Sydney, and I’m going to Melbourne. We say goodbye, and I head for my terminal. I have a four-hour wait before boarding for another eight-hour flight. This is stressful but exciting. I board the plane and find my seat. I have concluded that seat number 45C is a window seat and sit down. A moment later, a pair of young backpackers inform me that I am in their seat. I explain that I wasn’t sure which was the correct one. The blonde-haired girl informs me that she booked a window seat and knows it is hers. She has attitude! I tell her that’s fine; I do not want to argue. I move, and all is well. Blondie’s friend introduces herself as Sara and tells me her friend is Jenny. Sara is nice, and she asks me how long am I going to stay in Melbourne. I tell her that I am only going there for a day or so, and I plan to travel around. She tells me they are staying in Melbourne for six months and travelling for six months.
Throughout the flight, Sara and I chat and discuss our reasons for our trip. She tells me she has to get the travel bug out of her system before settling down with her long-term boyfriend and having a family. I wonder how she will cope with Jenny’s mood swings; she has abused the staff throughout the whole flight, and I am relieved when she finally falls asleep. Despite my conversations with my fellow passengers, I still manage to watch four films throughout the journey. My favourite one stars Bradley Cooper, mainly because he is in it. As we exit the plane, I say goodbye to Sara and Jenny and wish Sara luck. The pilot has given us advice on various ways to commute into the city. I decide to take the airbus.
I get through departure and pick up my luggage. It is 7.00 a.m. Australian time, and it’s cold. I am surprised as I leave the airport. I spot the airbus, quickly purchase a ticket, and jump on. I ring Polly while en route to tell her I have arrived, and she asks if I am OK. I tell her I am, but I’m very tired. She asks if I have seen a kangaroo yet, and I confess that I haven’t. I tell her that this place reminds me of Bristol. After saying goodbye to Polly and promising to look after myself, I arrive at the bus station. I enter the city centre and spot a sign telling me I am in Spencer Street. This good news because my hotel is at 300 Spencer Street. Now I need to decide which way to go. I cannot see any numbers on the buildings nearby, so I enter a Subway sandwich bar and ask for directions after purchasing a coffee. The young assistant tells me that my hotel is about a hundred yards up the road. I thank him and head in that direction.
After booking in, I email Drew telling him that I have arrived in Australia. An h
our or so later, I get an email back, and Drew asks where I’m staying. I give him my hotel details, and he texts back that he will arrive in five hours; he’s boarding a plane. He asks if I like Chinese food, and I tell him that I do. He says to be ready at 7.00 p.m. because he’s taking me out for a meal. I unpack, shower, and get into bed. I set the alarm for 5.00 p.m. This is surreal. I cannot wait to see him, but right now I need my beauty sleep.
I wake up to the alarm, and I am stewed. I have another shower and wash my hair. By 6.30 I am pacing the floor, I decide to act casual and put on the TV. At 7.10 p.m. there is a tap on the door. I open the door, and we both say hello and hug. He asks how I’ve been, and I tell him I’m OK. We discuss our flights and start talking like old friends. I offer him some wine, and we lie on the bed chatting. After some time, Drew showers, we both change, and he tells me I look beautiful. I reply, “I love it when you say that,” and we head out for dinner.
We find a restaurant nearby and order food. We decide to try each other’s meals, and if we like it, we will swap dishes halfway through. We do this, but I don’t like his dish, so we swap back. After a bottle of red wine, we decide to go to a bar and have a drink. There is a musician singing a song that Drew knows, he starts to sing the lyrics, and we dance to the song. He tells that it is an old Australian song, and the singer is singing it differently, but it is still good. I love dancing with him, but the jetlag is kicking in, making me feel tipsy and tired, so we decide to head back to the hotel. When we get into the room, Drew decides to have another shower. This makes it easier for me to slip under the covers before he enters the room. I have had four children and am conscious of my body. When he comes back, he tells me to move over because he sleeps on the left hand side. I laugh and slide over. Being tipsy makes it less awkward for us both, and it gives me confidence. We spend all night getting to know each other again.
My True Colours Page 18