Three days went by and Fiona could not get Lucas on the phone. She hoped he might turn up at work, even though Zero told her Silas had been furious and told Lucas if he ever saw his face on his property again he would call the police.

If she couldn’t get hold of Lucas she’d never find Elias and her chances of the nanny job would be gone. Each passing day saw Fiona’s hopes dipping lower and lower. Her chance had passed because she’d been too cautious.

“Good morning, my lovely sister,” Claudia said, coming into the kitchen where Fiona sat. “Ew! You smell of petrol.”

Fiona had come from her night shift and got no further than the kitchen table inside the back door. “I should probably take a shower.”

Claudia sat down with her breakfast of tea and a jam-covered scone. “What’s up?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. You were getting better. A week or so ago I thought we were finally turning a corner. What’s going on Fiona? Tell me.”

Despite trying her best not to, Fiona started crying. “It’s stupid … I mean it wasn’t like anything really happened. I hadn’t even agreed to it, but I’d decided … I’d decided in my mind I would do it. And now I can’t.”

“What are you talking about? Fiona, you need to bring me up to speed.”

Fiona wiped her tears away and explained about the job in the UK and about how Lucas got fired, and now she couldn’t find him anywhere so couldn’t get in contact with Elias.

“That job seems almost too good to be true,” Claudia said.

“Elias explained that they really aren’t paying that much in their money, that’s why they can’t get British people to take the job. But for us, when it’s changed to Pula it’s a lot. I think it would a have been good for me, even just getting away. I’m stuck, Claudia! I can’t find any way to get past Mama’s death. It was so unfair. She was alive, so alive, and then suddenly dead. I keep thinking, even now, every single day, that she is just on her way from school, that she’ll come through the door just now. It’s too much. I really believed if I got away, just for a while, I could finally come to terms with it all.”

Claudia rubbed her big sister’s back. “I know you have suffered so much, Fiona, given up so much too. Yes, I think you’re right. Maybe it’s a good idea. To get away. Did you tell Zero about it?”

“No, and now I’m glad I didn’t. He never trusted Lucas and now with him stealing that phone, well, he would never allow me to do this.”

“Listen Fi, you and Zero are not married, at least not yet. I love him, think he’s a great guy, but you need to take care of yourself now. If it means going away to the UK for six months, then so be it. I know Lucas will turn up. You said they want you for the job, so they’ll find you, they know where you are.”

Fiona smiled. It was good to speak honestly to her sister. Claudia had grown-up now – and Fiona seemed to have not notice it happening.

“Yes, we’ll see. But let’s not say anything to Zero. I’ll cross fingers Lucas turns up,” Fiona said. “I’ll have hope.”

“Me too.”

***

Tell us what you think: Did Claudia make the right choice, supporting Fiona’s decision to go to the UK?